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15 of Michigan's most unusual tourist destinations
By Metro Times Staff
Who knew one state could be home to so many offbeat destinations? This is just a sampling of oodles of weird to be found all over the Mitten. Enjoy!
Ann Arbor's Fairy Doors
The Fairy doors are a series of small doors that give an artistic effect to the building. You can find these doors at Sweetwaters which has a small door that mimmick's the cafe's details, Red Shoes, and the Ann Arbor District Library.
Photo via Wikipedia
Air Zoo
Kalamazoo,MI
An airline exhibit that features historic and rare aircraft. Also features hand painted murals. Exhibits include POPnology which showcases pop culture's impact on modern technology and our everyday lives, work and play, the National Quadalcanal Memorial Exhibit on the Quadalcanal campaign of World War II, and Dare to Dream, a space exploration exhibit.
Photo via discoverkalamazoo.com
Baker's Keyboard Lounge
If you love Jazz music you would love this. Baker's is the world's oldest jazz club and in operation since May of 1934. Chris and Franne Baker opened the club as a lunchtime sandwich restaurant and their son Clarence booked Jazz pianists . A lot of famous Jazz artists have played in the club such as Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and Miles Davis. Bet you didn't know that Detroit's own R&B and smooth jazz singer Anita Baker filmed her music video for "Same Ole Love" at the club in 1987 and the club was featured in the 2012 film Sparkle starring Whitney Houston and Jordin Sparks.
Photos via Facebook: Baker's Keyboard Lounge
Dawson & Steven's Classic 50's Diner
Grayling, MI
The combination of a museum and diner features Michigan's largest collection of Coca-Cola memorabilia. The museum/diner is also known for it's 50s style interior.
Photo via Facebook: Dawson & Stevens Classic Diner
St. Ignace Mystery Spot
St. Ignace, MI
Shows gravity in a different way. Features optical contradictions and weird physical sensations. Shows buildings turned in weird angles to give an unbalanced effect. Other activities include zip lining and putt putt golf.
Photo via atlasobscura.com
Van Buren County,MI
South Haven's well known Michigan Maritime Museum which shows boating culture and history of the Great Lakes. Includes exhibits on Maritime history in Michigan and center for learning boating skills and history.
Hamtramck Disneyland
Hamtramck, MI
Built by former General Motors assembly line worker Dmytro Szylak, the assemblage of carved and found objects lights up at night and spins with Mickey Mouse in a plane, reindeer, dolls, toys, paint colors, and trilingual press clippings. Dmytro gives visitors a personal tour for a small donation.
Photo via Flickr: Jerry Paffendorf
Pine Mountain Ski Jump
Pine Mountain, MI
The Pine Mountain ski Jump is the largest Man Made Ski slide in the U.S..The annual FIS Ski Jumping Continental cup competition is hosted at the ski jump and holds the record for the longest jump in the world cup at 140 m.
Joe's Gizzard City
Potterville, MI
Joe's was previously featured on the food network and known for their chicken gizzards which are made with their well known batter mix. The restaurant also has burgers, chicken dinners, hot sandwiches and onion rings.
Russell Industrial Center
The Russell Industrial Center is so much more than its name describes. A well known collection of artist studios and shops can be found within. From the center's website: Spanning several buildings and millions of square feet, the Russell Industrial Center is Detroit's premier facility for commercial space. With a history spanning nearly a century, the complex began as a manufacturing facility but has now been revitalized as a canvas for countless artists. And our vast spaces have been host to film shoots, including major Hollywood motion pictures as well as other events."
Photo via russellindustrialcenter.com
Michigan,
Michigan tourist spots,
Mystery spot,
summer fun,
things to do,
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The DermaClip® non-invasive skin closure device was featured on the social media platform Bored Panda, with over 1.1 million views, 32k likes and 18k shares in the first 24 hours the video was available.
DermaClip® is pleased to announce the publishing of its first peer reviewed article in the United States. Dr. Jeffrey S. Freed and Dr. John Ko's article "An Innovative Advance in Non-invasive Wound Closure: A New Paradigm" was published today in Military Medicine, the official international journal of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS).
DermaClip visits the Military Health System's Vendor Day targeting the military's "Stop-The-Bleed Campaign"
7/01/2016. DermaClip® today announced the appointment of Dr. Jeffrey S. Freed, MD, FACS, FACG, to its Medical Advisory Board and named him Chairman of that Board.


text:
Sara A. Carter
Home No Comment
The Queen: Harry and Meghan are no longer 'His and Her Royal Highness'
No Comment Staff Writer - January 18, 2020
Statement from HM The Queen Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be...
Cardi B blames Trump: Says she's filing for Nigerian citizenship
No Comment Staff Writer - January 8, 2020
Immediately after President Trump confirmed that he ordered the attack on Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani, the famous U.S. rapper and songwriter took to Twitter to weigh in on the some of the fear and commenting spreading on Twitter about...
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle looking for 'financial independence' from Royal Family
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced on their Instagram account that they will step back as "senior" members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent. Full statement: "After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen...
'I Pray For Him All The Time': Did Pelosi Pray for Pres. Trump Today?
No Comment Jennie Taer - December 18, 2019
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently told reporters she 'prays for the President all the time.' It happened when Sinclair reporter James Rosen asked her if she 'hated' President Donald Trump, to which she responded, "I don't hate anybody." Pelosi has...
Barack Obama buys $11.7 million mansion in Martha's Vineyard
No Comment Staff Writer - December 5, 2019
Former President Obama and his family are now permanent homeowners on Martha's Vineyard, after completing the purchase today of a large home situated on nearly 30 acres in the coastal perimeter of Edgartown. The purchase price, recorded at 3:31 p.m....
Will Joe Biden recognize his 'DNA tested' grandchild? Hunter Biden refuses to pay
No Comment Staff Writer - November 20, 2019
DNA testing has established, "with scientific certainty," that Hunter Biden is the father of an Arkansas baby, according to a motion filed Wednesday in Independence County on behalf of the child's mother, Lunden Alexis Roberts. Biden, son of former vice...
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Awkward: Chris Cuomo Issues Apology After Jokingly Misgendering Himself
No Comment Jennie Taer - October 11, 2019
CNN host Chris Cuomo issued an apology after misgendering himself. It happened during network's town hall on LGBTQ issues Thursday night. https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/status/1182469669082546179 Sen. Kamala Harris opened with "My pronouns are she, her, and hers." Cuomo then replied "mine too." Following the...
Scaramucci: President Trump is a traitor
No Comment Staff Writer - October 6, 2019
"The American president is a traitor to the United States. He is literally the most un-American president that we've had, probably since Andrew Johnson," said Anthony Scaramucci, a former White House Communications Director on CNN. Scaramucci worked at White...
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"He's the greatest scam in American political history," said Chelsea Clinton the former first daughter. She added that she thought Trump's "whole life" had been a scam. Clinton had already responded last week to a tweet Trump sent just after...
Sara A. Carter is a national and international award winning investigative reporter whose stories have ranged from national security, terrorism, immigration and front line coverage of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Contact us: media@saraacarter.com
© 2019 Sara A. Carter | All Rights Reserved.

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Russian AI-Enabled Combat: Coming to a City Near You?
Margarita Konaev and Samuel Bendett
Being a Russia scholar interested in how artificial intelligence (AI) will influence international security and warfare, you often feel like the Jan Brady of the Bunch. With all eyes on China (Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!), Russia's relatively limited budget for AI research and development, and its smaller private sector innovation ecosystem, seem less formidable by comparison. But when it comes to military applications of artificial intelligence, overlooking Russia is a mistake. Moreover, as top U.S. military leaders now believe that American forces will increasingly be drawn into urban combat, Russia's investments in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies that can help its soldiers counter the physical, cognitive, and operational challenges of urban warfare and perform better in future conflicts deserve closer attention.
Since the mid-1990s, Russia has deployed troops to urban areas in Chechnya, Dagestan, Georgia, Ukraine, and Syria for conventional offensive operations, counter-insurgency, and counter-terrorism missions. While the Russian government, its military, and its people are well familiar with the heavy toll urban warfare exerts in manpower, resources, and political capital, Russian strategists also realize that much of the fighting in future conflicts will take place in cities.
Broadly speaking, developments in military robotics, autonomy, machine learning, and artificial intelligence that improve intelligence collection and analysis, facilitate navigation and maneuver in dangerous terrain, and allow for more precise targeting can help reduce the costs of urban warfare and enhance combat effectiveness across the spectrum of military operations. Since the start of its modernization reforms in 2008, and especially over the course of its involvement in Syria, the Russian military has achieved major breakthroughs in developing a wide range of unmanned systems and in further refinement of its command, control, computers, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities — technologies that Moscow expects will safeguard soldiers' lives and make its forces more precise and lethal in combat.
Below, we assess Russia's current and potential technological advances, with an emphasis on AI applications, in two areas of proven relevance to urban warfare: robotics/autonomous systems and information operations.
Robotics and Autonomous Systems
The Russian military today views AI as an enabler in its automated control and decision-support systems that enables rapid analysis of diverse data in multiple domains. In the near future, Defense Ministry experts hope to develop AI capable of operations approximating human brain function. The incorporation of AI into semi-autonomous and autonomous ground and air vehicles can potentially help improve force protection, increase situational awareness, and ensure freedom of maneuver and movement in complex urban terrain.
The Russian Defense Ministry is seeing the patterns of modern warfare in the Syrian conflict and is responding to them by investing in certain technologies and adjusting tactics. Syria presents the "contours of future war" — the kind of combat that involves unmanned systems, military robotics, precision-guided munitions, and robust C4ISR as well as information operations — to none other than Chief of Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov. Taking Moscow's weapons already in the field under consideration — especially those used in Syria — as well as those under development, the following technologies have either already been tested in urban conditions or may be applicable for urban combat.
In Syria, Russian forces tested and employed a broad range of unmanned ground vehicles to perform a variety of tasks including demining; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR); logistics; and combat missions. Facing treacherous conditions where mines, improvised explosive devices, and unexploded ordnance endangered its personnel and allied forces, the Defense Ministry successfully tested and utilized Scarab and Sphera small unmanned vehicles for ISR, as well as the larger remote-controlled mine-clearing Uran-6 unmanned vehicle. These ground robots were reportedly accepted into service in 2018, and the Defense Ministry is now incorporating the lessons learned from their use into the official concept of operations. Concurrently, the Russian defense sector is actually working on an unmanned ground vehicle designed specifically to withstand tough urban combat conditions. The project called Shturm (Storm) is based on the T-72 tank chassis and features specific defensive technologies and offensive armaments for a city fight. Moreover, the smaller Nerehta unmanned vehicle under development is supposedly a test-bed for military AI applications.
The Russian military expects that in future wars, unmanned ground combat vehicles will accompany regular forces. To prepare for this, the Russian military revealed in May 2018 that it had tested the Uran-9 – an armored unmanned ground vehicle the size of a small tank. But only a month later, defense officials publicly acknowledged that this vehicle failed in its first "near-urban combat" mission in Syria.
The military learned that in the near future, such technology should only be used in breaching operations and in attacking stationary targets. It also acknowledged that Uran-9's operator had trouble understanding the battlefield situation via sensor data generated by the vehicle. Such conclusions point to the need for a "smart" system capable of independent combat analysis and orientation in a difficult environment — perhaps something that a limited AI application can do. Nonetheless, the Defense Ministry claims to have solved major issues that plagued this vehicle in Syria and is supposedly accepting it into service as of January 2019.
The Russian military has invested in electronic warfare technologies over the past two decades, and the results are bearing fruit. In Syria and Ukraine, Russia may have used the Leer-3 system — it consists of a mid-range unmanned aerial vehicle that jams enemy cell towers and hijacks the cellular signal. The system is designed to send text, images, and video on "captured" phones — up to 6,000 subscribers at a time. If this is scaled up and there is a fleet of such unmanned aerial vehicles deployed in contested environments such as cities and urban centers, Russia can gain a powerful information operations tool.
In Syria, Russia used a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles with great success not only to truly see the battlefield for the first time but also to observe enemies in nighttime and to correct artillery salvos. To the Defense Ministry, such technology use was unprecedented, and there is every indication that the military will build on this Syrian experience. At the same time, the military today is experimenting with concepts like Glaz (The Eye) — a small camera and sensor package users launch from a flare gun, transmitting data to soldiers while it descends to the ground in a parachute. Russian soldiers presumably tested Glaz in Syria, and its very design lends it to be used in urban combat.
Russia is experimenting with augmenting its ground soldier capabilities with exoskeletons. As announced by Russian military news outlets, the Ratnik-3 and Ratnik-4 soldier combat gear will feature active exoskeletons that will allow troops to carry more weapons and equipment, including personal unmanned aerial and ground vehicles, for better situational awareness. There are rumors that AI could power all of the above to help soldiers make better decisions by analyzing the information they generate and gather from other soldiers and weapons.
How, therefore, to use all of the above in the most optimal fashion, especially in complex urban environments? The Defense Ministry may have several answers. First, it recently announced that it began research and formulation of how its autonomous ground systems can function better in "conditions of ambiguity" powered by an "intelligent decision-making system." Second, the Defense Ministry stated that it is connecting all the national early warning radars as well as anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems like S-300 and S-400 into a single "armored fist" — and that AI will assist in analyzing information all these systems receive for much faster decision-making in times of crisis. Additionally, the Defense Ministry announced that an AI-enabled automated control system will connect offensive and defensive airborne and stationary assets in Crimea — aircraft, helicopters, missile batteries, and other systems — for optimal data analysis and decision-making. Moreover, Russia's own DARPA-like agency (the Advanced Research Foundation) announced that it will design an AI-enabled system to sift through vast quantities of satellite imagery for faster and more accurate analysis.
These concepts are still going through trials, but they already show how the Russian defense community is thinking through the integration of different systems in combat. Applied in urban settings, an AI-enabled control system that can direct and synchronize Russian soldiers, unmanned aerial and ground vehicles, electronic warfare and other assets, coupled with their growing C4ISR capabilities, could give Russian forces an advantage. This, however, hinges on secure communications to connect these systems to soldiers and command centers. Moreover, major logistical challenges exist today with using unmanned systems in combat — issues like manned-unmanned teaming, functioning in a communications-challenged environment, resupply, rearmament, and others.
Of course, the Russian defense establishment may prefer not to scale up their fight in urban conditions in the first place, and instead to send small Special Forces contingents and rely on willing allies or proxy forces. This was certainly the case in Syria, where allied militias or private contractors carried out the heaviest fighting on the ground — including in cities and towns. Still, the potential exists for Russia to change how it could fight in cities by using the afore-mentioned technologies and concepts.
Information Operations
Russia considers information warfare as a central tenet of contemporary conflicts and a useful strategy for advancing its foreign policy goals. Its approach to information warfare is by now well-known and relies on information manipulation; active measures (overt and covert influence operations); maskirovka (obfuscation and deception on and off the battlefield); and other uses of propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation to foment discord, confusion, and fear in the target audience. Harnessing the power of AI, as former Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov stated in March 2018, will allow Russia to more effectively contest the information environment and win in cyber wars.
In the Conflict Zone
Today, any individual with a smart phone and access to the Internet can share real-time images, videos, and other content that can reach and influence millions of people across the globe. In this new information ecosystem, information operations and public affairs functions — already a challenging endeavor in complex, ethnically diverse, and socio-politically intricate urban environments — have become increasingly important for the success of the mission.
In Syria, Russia has proven quite skillful in manipulating this new information environment to its advantage. According to a senior British Army general, Russian information operations became "extremely aggressive" as the fight against ISIL wound down. Distorted narratives crediting the Assad regime for protecting civilians and criticizing the United States for supporting terrorists in Syria spread on social media as well as in Russian outlets such as RT and Sputnik in an effort to discredit the U.S.-led coalition and shape the strategic environment in Russia's favor. Not known for its population-centric counter-insurgency tactics, Russia nonetheless considers its "information work with the population" during the operations in Aleppo critical for "liberating entire neighborhoods without a fight" and allowing more than 130,000 civilians to exit the area. Overall, they believe information operations have been extremely effective in advancing military results in Aleppo, Palmyra, Deir al-Zour, and Ghouta.
With rapid advances in AI and the increase in the share of conflicts fought in cities, we are likely not far from witnessing AI-enabled information operations in urban environments. Russia's civilian developers are already working on facial recognition and speech recognition technologies, which can potentially serve military roles, including for information operations in urban settings. One of Russia's most innovative facial recognition AI startups, NtechLab, even won the IARPA'S 2017 Face Recognition Prize Challenge for its FindFace application that developers originally designed to sift through profiles and recognize people in photos on Russia's popular social media network, VKontakte. Now, NtechLab is one of the top contenders to implement AI-enabled facial recognition programs as part of Moscow's extensive urban surveillance network, allowing city authorities and domestic security agencies to monitor the daily movements of almost 12 million people. Using similar technology in an urban conflict — powered by the data unmanned systems described above can gather — could enhance the Russian military's situational awareness when augmented by a data-crunching AI algorithm.
In the broader context of Russian disinformation campaigns, U.S. policymakers are especially concerned about developments in machine learning propelling breakthroughs in deep-fake technology — highly realistic and difficult to detect photo, audio, and video forgeries. In May, AI engineers from the Samsung AI lab in Moscow published a paper introducing a new style of deep-fake technology that can automatically create realistic animations of a person's face from a single photo — a marked improvement on previous models that require lengthy meta-learning on a large dataset of videos. Looking to the future and thinking about the application of this technology in urban warfare, it is easy to imagine how a credible deep-fake video depicting U.S. forces committing atrocities, for instance, can incite local unrest and fuel international condemnation. Military doctrine dictates a swift response to adversary actions to prevent them from gaining advantage in the media-saturated urban information environment. But even if the deep-fake video is debunked, recent research shows that false news spreads "farther, faster, deeper, and more broadly." In urban operations, the spread of disinformation at machine speed can then pose a serious threat to the troops on the ground and the viability of a mission as a whole.
Targeting the Enemy's Home Front
In addition to trying to control and shape the information environment in the conflict zone, information operations also often target the adversary's domestic audience in an effort to weaken political support for the mission. This is particularly important in the context of urban warfare because urban operations are resource- and manpower-intensive, time-consuming, and typically responsible for high military and civilian casualties. The "battle of narratives" surrounding urban operations can become highly contested and consequential, and successful information operations may even be able to shift the balance of forces or the balance of resolve on the battlefield itself.
In at least one instance, Russian information operations in Ukraine targeted the families of soldiers deployed to the war in the East. The families received a text saying, "Your son is killed in action," prompting them to call or text the soldiers. Shortly after, the soldiers got a text urging them to "retreat and live," followed by an artillery strike on the location where the Russian-backed separatists detected a large uptake in cellphone activity. Such coordination demonstrates Russia's ability to combine electronic warfare, cyberwarfare, information operations, and kinetic force to hurt its adversary not only on the battlefield but also on the home front. Considering evidence of "significant and persistent interactions between current and former [U.S.] military personnel and a broad network of Russia-focused accounts" on Twitter, it is possible that future information operations will target active and retired U.S. military members.
It should be clear by now that Russia aims to master the psychological dimension of information operations, focused on undermining the state institutions and belief systems of its adversaries. And technological advances in AI have the potential to "hyperpower Russia's use of disinformation." It's well known that Russian influence operations and election interference campaigns leveraged machine learning to tailor propaganda to specific audiences based on race, ethnicity, ideology, demographics, and geographic location. Yet, while the thousands of fake and stolen social media accounts deployed during these operations were manufactured manually, AI can be used to automate, accelerate, and scale synthetic accounts and content. Another worrisome example of an emerging technology the Russian defense establishment could potentially use in information operations entails recent developments in text-generation technology that mimics how humans write. Experts are concerned that this technology will allow governments and non-state actors to spread disinformation on a tremendous scale, as well as that disinformation campaigns can evade detection by generating subtly different content. In this sense, developments in AI could make Russian information operations more efficient, far-reaching, and widespread.
Russia has a long history of waging information warfare. But modern technology not only furthers its reach and magnifies its impact but also arguably renders its democratic adversaries — with their open societies and free flows of information — more vulnerable than ever before. Looking ahead, Russia is likely to continue leveraging machine learning and advances in natural language processing to refine its micro-targeting of malicious content and to construct emotionally sophisticated and relevant propaganda for more effective information operations in future conflicts, including, and especially, those conflicts that entangle Western forces in urban fighting.
Predicting how AI will impact the future of strategic competition and warfare is difficult because it requires us to assess technologies that are still mostly immature. That said, contextualizing militarily relevant AI applications and other emerging technologies within the appropriate operations environment is the best way to understand their potential impact on the battlefield.
More extensive AI and autonomous capabilities infused into Russian armed drones and unmanned ground vehicles, as well as the incorporation of AI as an enabler of rapid command, could potentially undermine the U.S. military's ability to maintain overmatch in multi-domain battle. Overall, Russian advances in military applications of AI threaten to erode American technological and operational advantages on future battlefields, including in urban warfare.
Russia is also likely to capitalize on breakthroughs in AI, big-data analytics, and machine learning to conduct more targeted, scalable, and impactful information operations, which should alarm both civilian and military U.S. decision-makers. Thus far, the bulk of commercial and defense investments in the application of AI for detecting, analyzing, and countering disinformation have largely focused on identifying and filtering out malicious content and blocking bots. These are, at best, damage control measures. Moreover, such an approach is inherently limited given the speed within which disinformation and propaganda spread, and the significant and often irreversible damage such disinformation can cause for public opinion and perceptions of legitimacy in urban military operations.
Russia will probably not lead the world in AI in the near future. But underestimating its ability to leverage advances in AI and other emerging technologies to further its broader strategic goals would be unwise.
Dr. Margarita Konaev is a research fellow at Georgetown University's Center for Security and Emerging Technology interested in urban warfare, military applications of artificial intelligence, and Russian military innovation in emerging technologies.
Mr. Samuel Bendett is an advisor with the Russia Studies Program at CNA where his work involves Russian defense and security technology, unmanned military systems, and artificial intelligence development. At CNA, he is a member of the Center for Autonomy and AI. Bendett is also a fellow in Russia Studies at the American Foreign Policy Council.
Image: Russian Ministry of Defense, modified


As the highly successful October–"I am proud Month" is now OVER–I think it would be fun to continue on with the tradition into November.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner I am declaring that NOVEMBER is "I am Thankful month" –So be sure to start off your daily posts with a reason you are thankful!!
On tap for me today is the TRACK again…today it is much nicer weather here, so I will take my 3 little girlies with me. I am sure that will be an adventure!
It was a crazy time at the track, but MAN what a perfect day for it–sunny 60 degrees–perfect!
5th- 70 secs…would have been 69 but Tia was in the way so I had to yell at her TWICE to move–poor thing!
We went to the park afterwards and I am still dying an hour afterwards…so time to rest, and refuel and think about what I am gonna do in the gym tomorrow and Saturday!
It was a GREAT experience to be running 400 repeats again…I have a huge love hate relationship with them…they are killers, but UBER EFFECTIVE!!


My proposal was a long time coming, especially if you ask my fiancé. When I knew I wanted to ask her to marry me, I realized that it was going to be difficult to be sneaky about it. We live together and are both Chicago transplants, so the visibility into each other's lives is pretty clear. Planning something extravagant and keeping it a surprise had to be done on the sly. Moreover, since our parents are far away (hers in Atlanta and mine in Houston), I wanted to have something to share with them about the moment.
I concocted this idea to create an illustrated children's book about our relationship. I wrote the book and over the course of six months, I worked with editors, illustrators and publishers to produce a 12-page storybook that was an allegory of our life together.
The only problem was how to deliver the book. We are both avid readers, so I thought the library might be a nice locale. Luckily for me, the Harold Washington Library was more than happy to help set up the surprise. The director of the library had the Children's Department staff go above and beyond in assisting me with my plan: books were moved, chairs were rearranged and photographers were concealed. All they asked in return was to put pictures from the event on their Facebook page.
Well, shortly after the library's Facebook post, the media storm began. The Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Today.com, The Daily Mail, Toronto Star, Chicago Tribune and more picked up the story. One of my former graduate school peers said she heard about it on the radio in India. INDIA. We were global. If only for a fleeting media moment.
As an analytics director, I am not sure when I will write my next book. When it happens, I doubt the media will pick it up with the same voracity, especially if it is about measuring behavior change. Needless to say, I look forward to married life and writing our story with my wife-to-be one page at a time.


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text:
Obama campaign reveals biggest fundraisers around Election Day
CNN Political Unit
(CNN) - Although federal law places limits on the amount an individual can donate to political campaigns and groups, there are the bundlers: "volunteer fundraisers," as President Barack Obama's campaign calls them, who pull together individual donations to form the huge sums campaigns need.
The Obama campaign has voluntarily disclosed their bundlers, and new details out Saturday show some of their biggest volunteer fundraisers are big stars.
[twitter-follow screen_name='politicalticker']
The list identifies almost 250 bundlers who raised more than $500,000 for Obama's re-election effort in the fourth quarter of 2012, a period including the weeks before Election Day. The list puts bundlers into several tiers starting with those who raised more than $50,000 and ending with the $500,000-plus bracket. But it does not specify how much an individual contributed.
Overall, Obama's re-election effort raised more than $1 billion.
Some of the most recognizable names topping the list are actress Eva Longoria, film mogul Tyler Perry, actor Will Smith, actress Jada Pinkett-Smith, singer Gwen Stefani and producer Harvey Weinstein.
At least two - magazine editor Anna Wintour and Penny Pritzker, a business owner and hotel heiress - are understood to be on Obama's short list for spots in his administration.
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe make the list, too. Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy and Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Cory Booker are each in the $200,000 to $500,000 range.
Among those rounding out the bundlers are CEOs, lawyers, members of the entertainment industry and Democratic fundraisers. Several hosted fundraisers for Obama's campaign.
Also on the list: Jon Corzine, the former New Jersey governor and senator who was CEO of the now-bankrupt MF Global where investigators say more than $1 billion in customer funds are missing.
- CNN's Gregory Wallace contributed to this report
Filed under: Fundraising • President Obama
ya rights
I bet the GOP would never have the nards to say who theirs was or should I say the donors will never let those bought political figures tell us.
March 2, 2013 01:57 pm at 1:57 pm |
Woman In California
If it is not required, why do it? Donations as much as possible and permitted by law, should be kept private IMO. I guess the Obama administration felt otherwise.
These and talented people have nothing much to gain or personally benefited but to contribute the country they love unlike the Oil greed squad that continuously unlashed unhinged people (tea party) to dismantle the US government. Thank for your selfless contribution for the betterment of society.
What a crook? When will the media start really reporting about Obama? He is taking the US backward and hops to have a one party state by 2014. Let's start talking about his arrogance of power.
If I had extra millions, then I would have as well... But I think it'd be more fun to start a Super-PAC and just talk smack about the GOP... I'd hire some big guys from the WWE and have them shout at GOP look-a-like figures, smash foamboard charts and graphs over their heads, get all crazy and politicin' on stage.// 'OH Yeah WWE fans!!, the Devastatin'_Deficit_Destroyer and Norquist_the_Nay-Sayer are locked in a brutal economic gridlock, the Destroyer counters with a heavy tax increase, Norquist throws down a sequester punch which is the Destroyer blocks with a quick health care mandate and counters with a huge GDP upswing that launches Norquist all the way up to the debt ceiling!!' ...
Steve Lyons
These people need to be in jail. They are shills for large corporate donors that use multiple id's to funnel money to the candidates that will pay them back the most. Contributions must be restricted to INDIVIDUALS to the FEC designated towards a specific candidate so the money can be traced.
Law need to restrict donations to $1,000,000 from any individual with an surcharge tax of 300% tax. A donation of 1$ will "cost" the donor $4 total.
All "donations must be conveyed through the Federal Election Comission otherwise it must be prosecuted as a direct bribe of a public official.
No individual or group or corporation may "sponsor" a fundraiser.
Name lynn
No one force them to put money on obama champagin, now what is that all the media has to do is talk about the president an money, its good money not bad money.
RCMAPP
Hey Obama Lovers; Honestly; You don't have a problem with this article ??? $1-BILLION in donations !!! How about that last line of the article about that CROOK Corzine.... You lefties, "Tree Huggers", "Hate big Business People" type ????
No problem with this article. Shame on all you fools.
Jay in NC
Obama, Mr. 1%
Sad Shame
End corporate political corruption easily and for all times. Have the American taxpayers pay a small amount to have 3 televised presidential debates. These would be the only televised debates, no commercials would be allowed to run, and political contributions and fundraisers of any kind would be illegal. Case closed and the major source of buying influence would be over. Right..like this would/could ever happen with the crooks we have in Washington... They are the lawmakers and surely will never allow any campaign finance reforms to pass.....
I'm shocked his big donors came out of Hollywood, just shocked. LOL!
David from MO
WOOW. Who said money cant buy anything?
From What We know that "Rome is not built in one day" and America cant be destroyed by one term!!!!!
Well done guys.
Two Americas.....
boston1c
can we see Mitten's Bundler's list too please?????
Look at the list of donators and make your own determination on what their goals were to contribute to the current POTUS's win over common since.
They would've ended up better off if they had just given me the money instead.
@Woman In California
If it is not required, why do it? Donations as much as possible and permitted by law, should be kept private IMO.
Unless you're Mitt Romney...
hilarious... still not understanding how positive numbers are even more negative. maybe someday we will pay for shock and awe
"lex
What a crook? When will the media start really reporting about Obama? He is taking the US backward and hops to have a one party state by 2014. Let's start talking about his arrogance of power."
Now we really know what's wrong with Washington politics.
TruthPolice
Someone here asked "why do it, if it's not required to do so?" EGO – that's why.
Both parties are losers – big spending Republicans and bigger spending Democrats. As long as they keep the country divided get ready for more of the same (and less money and jobs to fund it).
UhOk
"Also on the list: Jon Corzine, the former New Jersey governor and senator who was CEO of the now-bankrupt MF Global where investigators say more than $1 billion in customer funds are missing. "
Like that is a shock to anyone? The hypocrite in chief will take money from anyone and has. Quite the opposite of what he claimed he would do while running for office the first go around.
It's amazing to see how many butt hurt anti Obama people are here complaining. Yet the Romney campaign made just as much if not more off of donations. All of which came from big banks (who received bail out money) and auto companies (who are still paying back bail out money). Get over it and go do something for your country (like helping needy kids or clean up garbage) if you love your country so much. Crying old white men.
Monomachos
Well no wonder Ms Obama was invited to present at the Oscars – such a lovefest!
Gracky McSassypants
These are the people working against the unhinged lunatics trying to rip this great country apart.
Geoff Godshall
This is a very diverse country. Some people really do care a lot. Respect them.


text:
Anaconda Man Among Group of Occupiers Arrested in Oregon
NBC Montana
NBC Montana Published: January 27, 2016
A Montana man is among those arrested following a fatal officer-involved shooting in Burns, Oregon.
Investigators plan to charge Ryan Waylen Payne, of Anaconda, with a federal felony charge of conspiracy to impede officers from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation or threats, along with group leader Ammon Bundy.
Officials say Lavoy Finicum was killed during the arrest of occupiers in Oregon.
Finicum and several others, including Payne, were detained in a traffic stop Tuesday. Officials said when the two vehicles were stopped, everyone obeyed orders to surrender except for two -- Finicum and Ryan Bundy.
Shots were fired, but it's not known who fired first, officials said.
Ryan Bundy was injured.
BURNS, Ore. (AP) — (9:55 a.m.) Federal and state officials are restricting access today to the Oregon refuge that's still being occupied by an armed group. This, a day after one of the occupiers was shot and killed during a traffic stop. Eight more, including the group's leader, were arrested. The group seized the headquarters of the refuge on January 2nd. They want federal lands turned over to local authorities.
Filed Under: Oregon
More From KMPT-AM
Washington State Reports More Measles Cases
Officials Warn of Washington-Oregon Measles Outbreak
Investigation Begins Into Why a Montana Fugitive Was Purposely Hit by Oregon Police Car
Oregon Squeaks By Wisconsin, 45-38, In Rose Bowl Shootout


Roots of Tragedy is a metalcore/djent-project from the cold forests of North Norway.
The person behind everything is David Sandvik - Disciple of Christ, Musician, Producer, Father and Husband.
Somebody might know him best from when he was the vocalist of In Grief (Bombworks records 2008) and Recreate the Sun (Selftitled EP 2011). But from the year 2012 and until late 2017, there was silence.
Roots of Tragedy has been around since David got his first guitar and computer. In 2008 there actually was a official R.o.t release called "Awakening beyond" and was released via EEE Recordings. And there were many plans for albums and more to come. But life and its struggles became a reality and made it just a dream.
BUT now it is GAME ON!
2 singles officially released this year! You can find it on iTunes, Spotify, Gplay, Amazon, youtube ect. You can buy the singles directly from David @ the R.o.t bandcamp-page.
And there will be an album coming in 2018!!


text:
Man City extend winning run with home victory over Brighton
4 December 2022 Bethany Fisher Articles
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Laia Aleixandri of Manchester City celebrates with team mate Chloe Kelly after Jorja Fox of Brighton & Hove Albion (not pictured) scores their sides own goal during the FA Women's Super League match between Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion at The Academy Stadium on December 04, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Manchester City punched their sixth straight win in the Women's Super League on Sunday after beating Brighton at home.
Ahead of the long awaited Manchester derby, Gareth Taylor's side welcomed the Seagulls to the Academy stadium.
City went into the tie having won by at least by a five goal margin in their last three meetings with the south coast side.
Starting XIs
Roebuck; Casparij (Morgan '61), Aleixandri, Greenwood (c), Ouahabi, Hasegawa, Coombs (Angeldahl '45), Castellanos (Mace '73), Kelly (Raso '61), Shaw, Blakstad
Walsh; Fox, Pattinson, Sarri (Bance '85), Connolly, Lee, Zigiotti, Green, Carter, Williams, Robinson
How it went
From the off, Man City were utterly dominant. Just 11 minutes in and the hosts were ahead.
A Chloe Kelly corner saw the ball fly into the top left corner. While the goal was credited by both clubs to Kelly, replays appeared to show the ball may have come off a Brighton player before going in. Corrections issued post match gave it as a Veatriki Sarri own goal.
Barely eight minutes later and City had their second. Once again the No.9 was the catalyst.
With the England international's shot going just wide, it was Norweigan teammate Julie Blakstad who got the final touch to pass the ball home.
Laura Coombs also got in on the first half scoring action. Her shot from just outside the box saw Taylor's side go into the break with a healthy three-goal lead after an utterly dominant 45 minutes.
The second half brought about a completely different game.
Sloppy passing from the hosts combined with an increase in Brighton's tempo saw several nervous moments for the home side. The pressure on the hosts continued to mount until finally the Sky Blues were broken down.
Just one minute before the final whistle, former City player Geum-Min Lee found the back of the net for Brighton. The goal came amidst a scramble in the penalty box, with both teams seemingly unaware that the ball had crossed the line for several seconds.
The attendance for the match was 1,696.
City will next play Liverpool away in the Continental Cup, before hosting local rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium. Meanwhile, Brighton prepare to welcome Everton to Broadfield Stadium.
Julianne Sitch becomes first woman to lead a men's team to national championship in US
Stats and form in the Women's National League South so far
Professional women's soccer league in Canada to start in 2025
Man City stunned by West Ham in third consecutive WSL defeat
3 October 2021 Bethany Fisher Articles
Manchester City were desperate to get some points on the board as they prepared to host West Ham this weekend. Coming off the back of a resounding victory over Leicester City in the FA Cup, […]
Conti Cup: Manchester City Put Five Past Leicester
12 January 2022 Bethany Fisher Articles
Leicester faced Manchester City for a place in the quarter-final of the Continental Cup on Wednesday night. With Leicester sitting bottom of the Women's Super League, no one could fault Lydia Bedford's decision to name […]
Exclusive: Jade Pennock looks ahead to debut WSL season
29 July 2021 Aaron Hindhaugh Exclusives, Interviews
Jade Pennock is set to embark on the biggest journey in her career, a leap into the WSL with Birmingham City. Pennock was the star in the Sheffield United side, netting 25 times in 50 […]


Think On – a of project of TYO – is an international project promoting liberal arts education and critical thinking, as well as providing an international educational platform to high school students in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.
The inspiration for Think On comes from our observation of a few problems that students are facing with the current education they receive in Vietnam in general and in Tay Nguyen in particular.
First, students in Tay Nguyen face a lack of opportunities to develop a well-rounded personality through outside-of-school activities.
Second, our education is outdated so it doesn't prepare students to have the thinking skills necessary to succeed in the new wave of technology.
As a result, students coming from Tay Nguyen generally face many social prejudices and low self-esteem when entering a larger community.
Think On dedicates to bringing a platform for Vietnamese high school students to learn liberal arts education model, meet and make lifelong international friends, cultivate soft and hard skills, expand their knowledge and horizons, and explore potential academic and career life. With an intensive exposure to liberal arts education, Think On firmly believes that all participants could grasp an interdisciplinary knowledge of all disciplines, sharpen various transferable skills in career, and build a lifelong supportive and kind-hearted community of our generation.
By providing the opportunities to become our mentees for the youth in Tay Nguyen (the Vietnamese Central Highlands) solely, we aspire to bridge the educational advantage gap between Tay Nguyen and other regions in Vietnam, thus preparing our students for entering the global environment.
Be the very first and the best International Summer Camp ever in Central Highlands Vietnam.
Carry on pursuing the mission with new amazing people across the globe.
A place for Think On's alumni to share about their experience with the camp and how it affected them.
© Tuổi trẻ Tây Nguyên 2019. Allegiant theme by CPOThemes.


text:
Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Izabela Vidovic, Danielle Rose Russell, Mandy Patinkin, Daveed Diggs, Sonia Braga, Bryce Gheisar, Noah Jupe
Jack Thorne, Stephen Chbosky, Steve Conrad, R.J. Palacio (Novel)
113 Mins.
"Wonder" May Very Well Be My Favorite Film of 2017
I am 52-years-old.
I'm a paraplegic and a double amputee who was born with spina bifida.
In other words, I've always been different.
In most ways, I adjusted to this life of difference at an early age and decided I would not allow those who couldn't understand or those who wouldn't accept to define me.
But, the simple truth is I've gone very few days in my life without being laughed or stared at or otherwise being reminded that I am, in fact, different from most human beings.
From my first day leaving the sanctuary of a school for the disabled for the uncertainty of a third grade public school classroom, I was laughed at for the way I looked, for the way I ate, for the way that I moved myself around, and for a myriad of other things that were, for the most part, out of my control.
As a disabled adult, having lived long past my life expectancy, I spent far too many years willing to date women who loved my mind and heart but not my body.
Trust me, they would say it.
In ways both direct and indirect, I've been reminded of my challenges, my weaknesses, my inadequacies and much more...time and time and time again. Truthfully, it's one of the reasons I stopped asking for help when it was needed. You can only take so much humiliation in a life. Ya' know?
Wonder may not be the best film of 2017. In fact, Wonder is not the best film of 2017. However, I have very little hesitation in saying that I believe Wonder may very well be my favorite film of 2017. If you think Wonder looks excessively corny and cheesy, you need to realize that the film is directed by Stephen Chbosky, director of the remarkable The Perks of Being a Wallflower, one of the best teen/young adult flicks to enter theaters in recent years.
Chbosky infuses Wonder with a relentless dedication to truth and optimism and a fierce dedication to the simple idea that we all deserve a standing ovation at least once in our lives.
I sobbed during Wonder, not just discreet and occasional tears but tears of familiarity and old festering wounds and, at times, tears that felt almost like a primal scream of sorts. Oh, but I laughed, too. I laughed a lot, because that's how life is and Chbosky, a stunningly insightful writer/director, understands that completely. He understands that even the most inspirational people are incredibly real people with joys and sorrows, successes and failures. So, while Wonder may very well be cheesy and corny and impossibly life-affirming, it's a film that earns these things through the words and the deeds of its characters, characters that comprise one of the best ensemble casts of 2017.
The film, based upon a novel by R.J. Palacio of the same name, centers around August "Augie" Pullman, who was born with a facial deformity that, even after 27 surgeries symbolized by his mother's neatly organized collection of his hospital wristbands, has led to his early childhood being lived out in the safety and security of his family's brownstone home where his mother has homeschooled him while his father and older sister have largely doted upon him throughout the years.
Then, fifth grade happens.
Mom, Isabel, is a maternal wonder played to utter perfection by Julia Roberts. Having sacrificed her own dreams for the welfare of her son, Isabel is itching for a return to the real world having left graduate school with only her thesis to complete following Augie's birth.
The decision is made. For fifth grade, Augie, seldom seen outside of his home without his beloved astronaut helm, will enter a "real school," or at least as real a school can be when it's an obviously upper crust private school helmed by the paternal educator Mr. Tushman (Mandy Patinkin).
You may be thinking to yourself that you know exactly how all of this is going to end and, to be honest, you may very well mostly be right despite the fact that Wonder does, in fact, take a few twists and turns along the way.
Jacob Tremblay, whose break-out role was as Jack in 2015's Academy Award-winning film Room, is simply extraordinary as Augie, vulnerably embodying a young boy whose life has been the center of his family's universe for years, for understandable reasons, yet who also grows into the realization that there's a world out there that is scary yet, quite possibly, so so worth it. For those who wondered if Tremblay's remarkable performance in Room was a one off fluke by a kid, Wonder should leave no doubt that this is one kid with some serious talent.
Kudos to Stephen Chbosky for stepping back and allowing Julia Roberts to breathe life into the role of Isabel, for once not being asked to be "Julia Roberts" but, instead, to be this wonderfully amazing and insightful and tender and intelligent woman whose own story arc over the course of the film is tremendous to watch unfold. I have zero qualms about saying that this is Roberts's best performance in quite some time and it's pitch perfect with the rest of the ensemble cast.
While Owen Wilson, as the father, doesn't have quite the emotional range to play here, he's perfectly cast alongside Roberts and radiates the kind of quiet paternal presence that makes you wish he was your dad. Wilson has most of the film's genuine laughs, as one might expect, yet he gives authenticity to those laughs and makes sure we're never laughing at anyone in the film.
Finally, there's Izabela Vidovic, who has most recently been seen as Taylor in The Fosters, and whose performance as Augie's doting yet conflicted sister Via serves up a storyline that should feel extraneous yet somehow becomes essential. She's a high school student dealing with the unexpected loss of best friend Miranda (Danielle Rose Russell, The Last Tycoon) and the equally unexpected first spark with a boy, Justin (Nadji Jeter, Spider-Man television series). Vidovic believably, rather miraculously, captures the complexities of a teen girl who fiercely loves her brother yet who has also put her own needs aside for years to not overly burden her parents until she finds herself reaching the point of actually needing them. It's a beautifully rich performance of a character type often portrayed as a caricature.
Noah Jupe, recently seen in the relatively unseen Suburbicon, is tremendous as young Jack Will, an essentially good kid at the school, Beecher Prep, on a scholarship and who struggles between wanting to be "in" and wanting to be a friend to Augie. Similarly, Millie Davis (Orphan Black) shines as Summer and Bryce Gheisar (A Dog's Purpose) adds layers to the difficult role of Julian, the student who seemingly has the hardest time adjusting to Augie's presence. Of course, as always, Mandy Patinkin is simply top notch.
There are so many ways that Wonder could have gone wrong, yet it never does. Relentless in its devotion to kindness and the power all of us have to see differently and to make a difference in each other's lives, Wonder is a rather magnificent little film that left me remembering my past and those painful moments in my own journey yet also feeling grateful for those who break through my own astronaut helmet with a fierce dedication to presence and beauty and wonder.
The lensing by Don Burgess is the kind of lensing that lingers on faces and isn't afraid to lean into its subjects, while Marcelo Zarvos's original music never hits a false note.
The honest truth is that I haven't stopped thinking about Wonder since I watched it. As he did with The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Chbosky takes a story that could have so easily become a formulaic drudge and turns it into a mini-masterpiece that celebrates humanity by telling an honest story that feels like it could plop itself down in the middle of our own lives. It's an intelligent film that quietly accomplishes so much from telling an honest, positive story about someone "different" to acknowledging the truth of life in that family with all its glories and all its warts to remarkably refreshing stories of diversity within the film and, one must note, a reminder that even the most stubborn of us is not beyond a redemption of sorts.
We need each other. We really, really do...and Wonder seems to recognize that and celebrate that and give us a map of sorts to find our way back to that.
Wonder may not be the best film of 2017, but oh my...Wonder is one of those films that barged its way through all of my critical defenses and made me absolutely surrender to it and reminded me why I fell in love with film to begin with as I felt like a different human being, emotionally cleansed and immensely grateful, as I headed for the auditorium door thankful that Augie and the rest of his universe had entered my life.


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To promote professionalism in scholastic journalism.
To offer national certification to scholastic journalism teachers and advisers.
To designate as master teachers educators whose experience and expertise make them outstanding professionals.
To recognize educators who possess the education or experience to teach scholastic journalism and advise student publications.
To encourage those who are teaching scholastic journalism or advising student publications without an adequate background to increase their knowledge of journalism and to provide a model for their continuing education.
To increase the availability of courses and workshops appropriate for the scholastic journalism teacher and adviser.
To provide model certification requirements for scholastic journalism teachers in states that do not offer licensing in this field.
To improve public and school district perceptions of certified scholastic journalism teachers as professionals.


One of the leading creators of privacy-focused cryptocurrency, Riccardo Spagni, states monero (XMR) was created on the basis of the privacy ideology as a currency, but not as an investment, Financial Magnates states.
Spagni calls himself "a big advocate for personal privacy" since according to his opinion, privacy should be a basic human right.
"I think that it should be a basic human right. The way all our data has just sort of been splurged online through hacks and compromises and malware and sometimes our own stupidity, we're in a situation where privacy-preserving projects are a necessity," Spagni says.
In fact, monero is one of the few cryptos whose transactions ware almost entirely hidden. Moreover, the author and creator of the ring signature algorithm that is used in monero, Professor Joseph Liu, received the prestigious Australian award — the "ICT Researcher of the Year."
However, not all in the industry are satisfied with such a hidden player as monero. For instance, earlier, the Financial Services Agency (FSA) of Japan ordered local exchanges to delist such anonymity-focused cryptos as monero, dash (DASH), augur (REP) and zcash (ZEC).


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Serves 12-14. Artificial flavor added. Since 1987. Chocolate & vanilla with chocolate cookie crunch. Guaranteed kosher if not customized. Sustainable Forestry Initiative: Certified sourcing. www.sfiprogram.org. Uncle Harry's believes that protecting the environment and the health of our forests for future generations is the role of every business. Our boxes are certified under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) program. SFI integrates the perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the protection of wildlife, plants, soils, air and water quality. Renewable. Recycled content. Recyclable.
Deliciously moist yellow cake filled with rich, creamy vanilla ice cream with whipped topping. Let the fun begin!


text:
Nikita Biryukov: "I will fight for my project myself!"
OOO "Architectural studio Group ABV" lead by Nikita Biryukov is planning to sue its contracting developer company for distorting its architectural concept at the stage of implementing its projects.
Interviewed by:
Julia Tarabarina
Anton Mizonov
ABV Group
Yulia Otstavnova
Nikita Biryukov
Residential and administrative center at Malaya Pirogovskaya Street, Moscow
http://www.abv-group.ru/
SMOLENSKY Club House
It is about two projects whose construction is due to be completed this year - the residential and administrative center located at Moscow, Malaya Pirogovskaya, 8, Buildings 1, 2, and 3 (the developer being OAO "Moskovskaya Shelkokrurilnaya Fabrika Mosnitki"), as well as about a multifunctional complex located at Moscow, Smolensky Alley, 19-21 (the developer being ZAO "SK Donstroi"). The projects of both buildings were developed by OOO "Architectural studio Group ABV" whose leader is Nikita Biryukov.
Work on both projects began before the world economic crisis of 2008; right about that time the projects got all the necessary approvals of the "project" stage. After the two developer companies changed the project managers the newcomers asked for comparatively insignificant corrections to be made to the projects. However, when the construction work entered the stage of implementing the facades the developers stopped taking into consideration the architects' opinion altogether, making changes to the project on the fly and ignoring the comments and records in the author supervision journal.
In the case of the Malaya Pirogovskaya project (consists of four different parts) such intrusion resulted in the fact that one of the facades got unapproved by the architects giant concave reliefs showing images of Empire dames and cavaliers: what makes them different from the antique or Egyptian genre prototypes is the complete absence of any plasticity - the contours of the figures are roughly cut out in the concrete slabs. The same building on Malaya Pirogovskaya got a facade pasted onto the brickwork instead of the facade that was meant to be thrust into the brace of the brick structure, and also, instead of the brick ornaments of the facade brickwork, the customer simply glued on an enormous quantity of Styrofoam parts. During the period when the unsanctioned work was being done on the project, the developer's interests were represented by Alena Deryabina who acted on behalf of the developer on the basis of a proxy and, regretfully, would not listen to the architects' opinion on this matter.
Nikita Biryukov. Photo courtesy by "Group ABV"
Malaya Pirogovskaya, 8. The pannels unapproved by "Group ABV" and Moskomarkhitektura. Image courtesy by "Group ABV"
Malaya Pirogovskaya, 8. On the left: facade upon the project by "Group ABV". On the right: the implemented facade with arbitrary substandard elements. Image courtesy by "Group ABV"
The facades of the building in the Smolensky Alley, according to Nikita Biryukov, "suffered less but were still mangled". In this instance, "instead of white, almost crystal dolomite stone, the developer arbitrarily used rusty-yellow and beige-brown stone which made the facades look depressing" - claims the author. The picture was completed by large backlight posts made plainly visible: the backlighting project proposed by OOO "Architectural studio Group ABV" was ignored by the developers as well.
Smolensky Alley 19-21. On the left: facade upon the project by "Group ABV". On the right: the implemented facades with lements of arbitrarily chosen materials.Image courtesy by "Group ABV"
Smolensky Alley 19-21. On the left: fragment of the facade upon the project by "Group ABV".On the right: fragment of the facade with an arbitrarily installed spotlight unapproved by "Group ABV" and violating the aesthetics of the building.
Smolensky Alley 19-21. On the left: backlighting concept upon the project by "Group ABV".On the right: unapproved backighting concept. Image courtesy by "Group ABV"
Presently, OOO "Architectural studio Group ABV" has lodged a complaint with Moscow Federal Construction Supervision Board, as well as filed claims to the developer companies. Also, OOO "Architectural studio Group ABV" is prepared to seek damages for the copyright violation that will be forwarded to court upon the company getting the developer's official answer to the above-mentioned claims.
As of the moment of the publication of this article, we have not been able to get any comments from the representatives of "Donstroy".
We spoke to Nikita Biryukov about the details of this story.
Archi.ru:
- Russian architects are always complaining that this or that project of theirs was ruined at the implementation stage - but they never take this problem to court and they never stand for their rights. At least I cannot recall such a case - you are the first one on my personal record. What did it take to make such a decision?
Nikita Biryukov:
- In my case it was a lot more than just ruining the house, it's different. I really believe that these people crossed the line. I have never been in a situation where the architect's opinion would be so cynically and studiously ignored.
What they ultimately got at Malaya Pirogovskaya I cannot classify as anything but vulgarity. Everyone who knows us as architects is laughing when looking at that house and thinks that we completely lost our minds. I do not want to throw rocks at the author of the concave reliefs - but such three-meter panels with "magazine" graphics are something that just cannot be there at the facade.
- How did the idea of concave reliefs come about at all? Who was the prime mover?
- In one of our earlier versions of that project, there indeed was this concave relief idea; then we gave it up altogether and forgot about it. In our final version, we did bas-reliefs, professional and dramatic. There is a great number of examples of great architectural plastics, in Moscow alone you can take the Stalin architecture with lots of great sculptural elements - bas-reliefs and haut-reliefs.
We were categorically opposed to the idea of concave reliefs - as the authors we did not prescribe anything of the sort. We refused to participate in that but our opinion was completely ignored by the developers.
- What is your end game in court?
- First of all, we want the facades taken apart and then put together again in full accordance with our original project. We handed over to our customer all the working documents on the facades, and we have high-quality renders that we can put in court next to the photographs of the built houses. Everyone will be able to make a comparison and see just how different they are. Besides, we want to make a public statement, loud and clear: these are not our houses and this is not our architecture. We want to stand up for our rights; nobody in the architectural community does that, and I can't blame them - they are afraid of losing their job.
- Do you expect any pressure from the developers' side?
- Of course, they will try to pressure me, and for me this is not going to be a walkover. But the thing is that now they really feel that they can get away with it.
- Do you count on the support of the professional community? Did your colleagues support you? As far as I recall, this spring at "Arch Moscow" a lot was said about the architectural copyright...
- I tried to speak to my colleagues about that; many companies have similar problems with their developers but this never went anywhere beyond conversation. Strictly speaking, there's no community as such; a bunch personal interests is all there is. Because I am not what you would call a "refined" architect, but rather a fighter - and I've always been one - I do not really fit in with this architectural crowd; I meet few people and I live in a rather solitary way. I do not really care for what they call "public life". What I like about the Anglo-Saxon people is that they have unity - they line up in a boar's snout and go to fight for their rights. And as for the Russian architects, taken independently, they all are great people but there is no real architectural community in this country and I don't think there will be any time soon. This is why I stopped thinking about getting any kind of support and decided to take care of myself. My customer has overstepped the mark and I must react to it.
The project implemented by "DONSTROY". Malaya Pirogovskaya, 8. On the left: facades upon the project by "Group ABV". On the right: facade with arbitrarily self-produced elements of substandard quality, unapproved by "Group ABV" and violating the aesthetic
The project implemented by "DONSTROY". Malaya Pirogovskaya, 8. On the left: facades upon the project by "Group ABV". On the right: facade with arbitrarily self-produced elements of substandard quality installed in the wrong way, unapproved by "Group ABV"


The Playgoer: Review: "Mahida's Extra Key to Heaven"
Review: "Mahida's Extra Key to Heaven"
In this week's Voice I review Mahida's Extra Key to Heaven, about America's conflict with the Middle East. Sort of.
For a contrasting, more positive review see Cote.


Cindy Edelson is a philanthropist and advocate for children. She has served as a trustee and president of the parents association at The Spence School and All Souls School. She serves on the executive board of the Penn Fund at the University of Pennsylvania (her alma mater). Cindy worked previously in the financial sector, with R.W. Pressprich & Co., Bear Stearns and the Union Bank of Switzerland. With her husband David Edelson, she was a member of the Collegiate School campaign cabinet for their most recent capital campaign. David Edelson is senior vice president and chief financial officer of Loews Corporation, a past president of Central Synagogue and a trustee of the Jewish Board of Family & Children's Services.


Representatives of PRIDE, Green County Board of Education, Green County Fiscal Court, City of Greensburg, Green County Conservation District, Forcht Bank, Community Trust Bank and PBI Bank signed a partnership agreement Jan. 18, 2013, to establish the Green County PRIDE Environmental Education Outreach Program.
Green County teachers will have an aid in environmental education this year, thanks to a partnership agreement signed Jan. 18, 2013.
The agreement established Green County's PRIDE Environmental Education Outreach Program. The program's goals are to help students prepare for state science tests and develop life-long environmental stewardship skills.
Eastern Kentucky PRIDE, a nonprofit environmental organization, offers the program to all schools in its 42-county service area. Local partners, such as county and city governments, enroll their schools in the program and pay an annual fee, which is based on student population.
In Green County, the local partners are the Green County Board of Education, Green County Fiscal Court, City of Greensburg, Green County Conservation District, Forcht Bank, Community Trust Bank and PBI Bank.
Signing the partnership agreement today were Superintendent Jim Frank, Green County Schools, Judge Executive Misty Edwards, Green County Fiscal Court; Mayor Lisle Cheatham, City of Greensburg; Vice Chairman Gary Ferguson, Green County Conservation District; Faye Conley, Community Trust Bank; Susie Lewis, PBI Bank; Tom Noe, Forcht Bank; and Tammie Wilson, Eastern Kentucky PRIDE.
"We would certainly like to thank our partners for their contribution and for having the same vision of protecting the environment around us and affording this opportunity for our students," Frank said.
The PRIDE Environmental Education Outreach Program sends a PRIDE Environmental Education Liaison into classrooms to lead fun, hands-on activities on environmental topics, such as energy and water quality. Liaisons tailor lessons to teachers' curriculum plans. They discuss how the lessons apply to the environment of southern and eastern Kentucky, drawing from PRIDE's success with promoting environmental education in the region since 1997. Liaisons also encourage students to find ways to care for the environment, such as volunteering to pick up litter.
Genny McCubbin serves as the PRIDE liaison for Green County. She started Jan. 16, and she is working with third and fourth-grade students.
McCubbin earned her Bachelor's degree in elementary education at Lindsey Wilson College. She is the fiancé of Cody VanMeter, and she is the daughter of John and Nancy McCubbin and Sherry Loyall.


Learn how we are Connecting Our Community through local business owners who are proud partners to Golden Valley Bank. We are committed to helping local businesses thrive, connect and build.
Watch our 4th story unfold connecting Andy Keller, Owner of ChicoBag, Matt Smith, Owner of Sports LTD and Bob Malowney, Owner of Bird In Hand. The three business owners are connected through relationships, products and opportunities. Our community is built upon these kinds of connections and we are proud to be a part of helping our community thrive.


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Мэри Энн Коттон (англ. Mary Ann Cotton), урожденная Робсон (Robson) (31 октября 1832 — 24 марта 1873) — английская серийная убийца, осужденная за убийство своего пасынка Чарльза Эдварда Коттона. Точное количество ее жертв неизвестно, вероятно, она в течение двадцати лет отравила от 15 до 21 человека, среди которых трое ее мужей, любовник, мать и одиннадцать собственных детей.

Биография

Ранняя жизнь
Мэри Энн Робсон родилась в 1832 году в местечке Лоу Мурсли (англ. Low Moorsley) вблизи города Хеттон-ле-Хол на северо-востоке Англии в семье шахтера Майкла Робсона и его жены Маргарет. В 1834 году родилась еще одна дочь, Маргарет, однако она умерла спустя несколько месяцев. Еще один ребенок, Роберт, родился в 1835 году. Мэри Энн, таким образом, была старшей из двух выживших детей.

Когда Мэри Энн было восемь, семья переехала в деревушку Мёртон в графстве Дарем. Как позже, во время суда на Мэри Энн, сообщала газета The Northern Echo, учителя в воскресной школе положительно отзывались об Мэри Энн, отмечая ее невинный нрав, аккуратность, прилежность и неизменно опрятный внешний вид.

Вскоре после переезда, в феврале 1842 года, Майкл Робсон упал в ствол шахты с высоты 46 метров и погиб. Поскольку дом, в котором жила семья, был связан с работой отца, вдову с детьми выселили. В семье, и до того бедствовавшей, наступил очень тяжелый период. Однако уже в 1843 году Маргарет Робсон снова выходит замуж, за шахтера Джорджа Стотта (1816—1895). У Мэри Энн не сложились отношения с отчимом и в 16 лет она покинула дом, чтобы работать няней в соседней деревушке Южный Хеттон. Когда через три года все дети, за которыми она присматривала, отправились на учебу в школу-интернат, Мэри Энн вернулась к матери и отчиму и обучилась на портниху.

Первое замужество
В 1852 году, в возрасте 19-ти лет, Мэри Энн выходит замуж за шахтера по имени Уильям Моубрей. Вероятно, Мэри Энн была уже беременна на момент свадьбы, поскольку первый ребенок пары появился на свет очень скоро. Моубрей работал на строительстве железной дороги, из-за чего молодая семья часто перемещалась с места на место. В этот период один за другим рождаются четверо или пятеро детей, которые умирают в возрасте до двух лет. Для викторианской эпохи, а также учитывая бедственное положение английских шахтеров в то время, младенческая и детская смертность была очень высока —  до взрослого возраста доживала, в лучшем случае, половина детей, а две трети смертей приходились на возраст до года. Смерти детей не регистрировались, поскольку это не было обязательным до 1874 года.

Потеряв всех детей, пара вернулась в Юго-Восточную Англию, где в 1858 году у них родилась дочь Изабелла. Моубрей некоторое время работал пожарным на паровом судне, а затем снова шахтером. Рождающиеся у Мэри Энн дети продолжают умирать — две дочери, обе названные Мэри Джейн (родились соответственно в 1856 и 1861 г.) умерли в возрасте около 3-х лет, и сын Джон Роберт Уильям, родившийся в 1863 и умерший через год. Все дети умирают от таинственной «желудочной лихорадки» — неопределенного диагноза того времени, включавшего в себя такие болезни, как: брюшной тиф, холера, дизентерия или расстройство желудка (последнее особо часто наблюдалось у детей из бедных семей из-за нерегулярного кормления и раннего прикорма).

В январе 1865 года Уильям Мобрей умирает от «расстройства кишечника». Мэри Энн получает страховую выплату, равную 35 фунтам (около половины годового заработка шахтера в тот период) за мужа и два с половиной фунта за сына.

Второе замужество
После смерти мужа Мэри Энн переезжает в городок Гавань Сиэма, где вступает в связь с местным жителем Джозефом Наттрассом. Не сумев склонить его к браку, Мэри Энн вновь переезжает, оставив единственную выжившую дочь Изабеллу на попечение своей матери и отчима. В Сандерленде Мэри Энн устраивается на работу в инфекционную больницу, где встречает одного из пациентов — инженера Джорджа Варда. В 1865 году Мэри Энн и Вард поженились, однако Мэри Энн не спешила забирать дочь в свою новую семью. Несмотря на то, что в больнице Вард прошел необходимый курс лечения, после выписки и начала жизни с Мэри Энн, его здоровье стремительно ухудшается. Он умирает в 1866 году после продолжительной болезни, сопровождавшейся параличом и хроническими проблемами с желудком. Мэри Энн унаследовала его имущество и получила солидную страховку. После смерти второго мужа она вновь сменила место жительства.

Третье замужество
Через месяц после смерти Варда, в ноябре 1866 года, Мэри Энн устроилась няней в дом обеспеченного судомонтажника-вдовца Джеймса Робинсона. А спустя месяц после ее прихода, в декабре того же года, умирает от желудочной лихорадки один из детей Робинсона. Между убитым горем отцом и няней начинается любовная связь, и Мэри Энн вскоре беременеет. Она рассчитывала на брак с обеспеченным хозяином, однако в марте 1867 года ей пришлось уехать в родительский дом, чтобы ухаживать за больной матерью. Мать Мэри Энн умерла спустя девять дней после приезда дочери.

Со своей единственной на тот момент дочерью Изабеллой Мэри Энн возвращается в дом Робинсона, где в течение апреля в результате эпидемии желудочной лихорадки умирают двое детей Робинсона и 9-летняя Изабелла. Джеймс Робинсон не подозревал о причастности Мэри Энн и даже прервал положенный в те времена траур, чтобы жениться на ней. Свадьба состоялась в начале августа, а в конце ноября родился ребенок пары — дочь Мэри Изабелла, которая умирает в марте 1868 года, не дожив до полугода. Таким образом, за полтора года после прибытия Мэри Энн в доме от желудочной лихорадки умерли пять детей.

Вскоре у Робинсона появляются первые подозрения в отношении новой жены — она постоянно требовала денег, брала в долг без его ведома и даже заставляла оставшихся в живых детей Робинсона закладывать и продавать ценности из дома и вещи их покойной матери. Взбешенный Робинсон выгнал жену на улицу вместе с их вторым ребенком — новорожденной дочерью. Проскитавшись какое-то время, Мэри Энн оставила ребенка у своих знакомых и больше за ней не вернулась. В начале 1870 года дочь была возвращена отцу.

Четвертое замужество
В 1870 году старая подруга Мэри Энн, Маргарет Коттон, познакомила ее со своим братом Фредериком Коттоном, вдовцом с двумя детьми, Фредериком-младшим и Чарльзом Эдвардом. Маргарет помогала брату, заботясь о своих племянниках, однако вскоре она заболела и в конце марта 1870 года умерла от болезни живота. Мэри Энн и Фредерик поженились в сентябре того же года, несмотря на то, что Мэри Энн была замужем за Робинсоном, двоемужество сурово каралось законом. Мэри Энн застраховала жизнь мужа и двоих своих пасынков. Как и в случае с Робинсоном, Мэри Энн была беременна на момент свадьбы, ее первый ребенок, сын Роберт, родился спустя три месяца после свадьбы.

В начале 1871 года Мэри Энн возобновила свои отношения с давним любовником, Джозефом Наттрассом. В декабре 1871 года Фредерик Коттон умирает, оставив супруге трехэтажный дом, а Наттрасс становится квартирантом Мэри Энн. Сама же она устраивается сиделкой к состоятельному чиновнику Джону Куик-Маннингу, поправляющемуся после оспы. Отношения с пациентом вскоре перешли в любовные и Мэри Энн забеременела от Куик-Маннинга, однако браку препятствовали Джон Наттрассон, двое пасынков и собственный годовалый сын. Сначала в марте 1872 года умирает Фредерик-младший, за ним — Роберт, а после — Наттрасс. Мэри Энн осталась с одним пасынком, Чарльзом Эдвардом Коттоном.

Убийство Чарльза Коттона и арест
Известно, что в конце весны 1872 года Мэри Энн послала мальчика в аптеку за мышьяком, однако аптекарь отказался продать несовершеннолетнему мышьяк. Тогда Мэри Энн попросила соседа купить препарат. В июле Чарльз умер от желудочной лихорадки. На этот раз смерть совершенно здорового ребенка вызвала подозрение. Томас Рилей, младший правительственный чиновник, вспомнил, что незадолго до смерти мальчика Мэри Энн консультировалась о возможности нового брака и обмолвилась, что Чарльз не будет создавать проблем, так как «скоро отойдет, как и остальные Коттоны». Рилей отметил, что ребенок был полностью здоров, и очень удивился, когда несколько дней спустя узнал о его смерти. Рилей отправился к доктору, который регулярно осматривал Чарльза, и убедил произвести экспертизу для подтверждения первоначального диагноза. Доктор прислушался, однако поверхностная проверка не выявила признаков насильственной смерти. Однако доктор сохранил ткани органов Чарльза и исследовал их в лаборатории, где и были выявлены следы мышьяка. Врач обратился в полицию, и Мэри Энн была арестована. Однако суд пришлось отложить, поскольку женщина была снова беременна, по всей видимости, от Куик-Маннинга.

Одновременно к делу было привлечено внимание прессы, Мэри Энн, до того часто менявшая фамилии и места жительства, оказалась в центре общественного внимания. Количество смертей, сопровождавшее ее жизненный путь, вызвало подозрения в ее адрес, поползли слухи, напугавшие несостоявшегося жениха — Куик-Маннинга. Тела Чарльза Коттона и Джозефа Наттрасса были эксгумированы, в тканях был обнаружен мышьяк.

Суд и казнь
Суд отказался судить Мэри Энн за преступления, которые было бы сложно доказать ввиду давности лет, поэтому официально ей было предъявлено обвинение лишь по одному эпизоду — убийству Чарльза Эдварда Коттона. На суде Мэри Энн до последнего отрицала свою причастность и ссылалась на то, что причиной смерти Чарльза могли стать зеленые обои в доме его отца. Действительно, яркий зеленый цвет текстиля и обоев в викторианскую эпоху достигался за счет добавления в краситель мышьяка и случаи смерти детей от вдыхания паров или при случайном облизывании зеленых обоев, были зафиксированы в газетах того времени. По сути, мышьяк широко использовался в быту, например, при уборке, и в промышленности, поэтому продавался совершенно свободно. Суд, однако, не счел эти доводы достаточно убедительными.

Против Мэри Энн выступали результаты аутопсии ее пасынка, показания доктора и Томаса Рилея, а также других свидетелей, видевших Мэри Энн за покупкой мышьяка или радующейся полученным страховым выплатам после очередной смерти. Она была признана виновной в убийстве своего пасынка, Чарльза Коттона, и приговорена к смертной казни через повешение.

Мэри Энн Коттон была казнена 24 марта 1873 в городе Дарем. Во время казни палач неверно рассчитал длину веревки, поэтому осужденная умерла не от разрыва шейных позвонков, как это происходит при падении тела с высоты, а от удушения петлей в течение трех минут.

Список возможных жертв
Список включает в себя близких Мэри Энн Коттон, которые умирали в разное время от желудочной лихорадки или иных проблем с желудком. Список включает 21 человека; большинство исследователей предполагает, что все они или большинство были жертвами Мэри Энн.

В культуре
Народная память о Мэри Энн Коттон отразилась в детской считалочке:

Mary Ann Cotton, she's dead and she's rotten
Lying in bed with her eyes wide open.
Sing, sing, oh what should I sing?
Mary Ann Cotton, she's tied up with string.
Where, where? Up in the air.
Selling black puddings, a penny a pair.

Мэри Энн Коттон—
Она мертва, и она отвратительна!
Она лежит в своей кровати
С широко открытыми глазами.
Пойте, пойте! «О, что я могу спеть?
Мэри Энн Коттон, она связана верёвкой».
Где, где?
«В небе — продаёт кровяные колбаски — пенни пара».

 В 2015 году был снят двухсерийный телевизионный фильм Тёмный ангел, посвященный Коттон, с Джоан Фроггатт в главной роли. Экранизация была вдохновлена книгой шотландского криминалиста Дэвида Уилсона Mary Ann Cotton: Britain's First Female Serial Killer.

См. также

 Амелия Дайер
 Белль Ганнесс

 Джейн Топпан
 Мария Сваненбург

Примечания

Литература
 Appleton, Arthur. Mary Ann Cotton: Her Story and Trial. London: Michael Joseph, 1973.
 Connolly, Martin. Mary Ann Cotton: The North Eastern Borgia? West Auckland, Oakleaf Publishing, 2012.
 Flanders, Judith. The Invention of Murder. London: Harper Ress, 2011.

Ссылки
На английском:
 Мэри Энн Коттон — энциклопедия Британника
 Who was Mary Ann Cotton?
 Victorian multi-murderer
 Mary Ann Cotton — Murderpedia
На русском:
 Первая серийная убийца Англии
 Черная вдова Коттон

Женщины — серийные убийцы
Отравительницы
Серийные убийцы 1870-х годов
Серийные убийцы Великобритании
Женщины-детоубийцы
Серийные убийцы 1860-х годов
Казнённые в Великобритании в XIX веке
Казнённые за убийство
Повешенные в Великобритании

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