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Tag Archives: mike napoli
ALDS Pitching Match-Ups
Posted on October 6, 2016 by Cameron Stuart
The importance of pitching in the postseason has been abused to the point that it is now clichéd. The focus of the Red Sox-Indians ALDS pitching will be no different. So much has been made about the starting rotation for both teams that it is tough to find a more crucial factor in this series. Plenty of question marks occupy the starting slots for these two division winners, which is why it's imperative to take a deeper look at each game.
Game One ALDS Pitching Match-Up
Game One seems like a rare postseason mismatch, at least on paper. Going for the Red Sox is Cy Young-frontrunner Rick Porcello, toting along his ML-leading 22 wins. Porcello has nary had trouble with the Tribe in his career. The Indians may have home-field advantage, but that shouldn't faze Porcello either. In the past three seasons, he has two wins there with an ERA of 0.90. On the other hand, Trevor Bauer's numbers don't quite stack up. Bauer has had his struggles this year, which includes a stint in the bullpen, culminating in a 12-8 record with a 4.26 ERA. This year, Bauer is 0-1 with an ERA of 9.00 against the Red Sox. Also, the normal Red Sox lineup (with Travis Shaw and Brock Holt) is hitting .455 against Bauer in his career, that per Boston Sports Info on Twitter. Give the advantage to Boston in Game One.
Game Two ALDS Pitching Match-Up
Friday will bring about quite an intriguing match-up in Game Two. The Red Sox turn to their 217 million dollar man, David Price. While Price has picked it up in the second half, his frightening postseason numbers still lurk in the shadows. In eight postseason starts, Price has a 2-7 record and a 5.12 ERA. In 63.1 postseason innings, he's allowed 12 home runs, 11 walks, and about a hit per inning. For Cleveland, there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding their former Cy Young winner, Corey Kluber. Kluber did win 18 games again this year, but he has had a nagging groin hinder the last month of his season. Kluber has won 10 games at home this year, but also has a 4.38 ERA against Boston in 2016. When Kluber is on, he's on, no matter the situation. Price's uncertainties outweighs Kluber's, advantage Cleveland.
Game Three ALDS Pitching Match-Up
To conclude a massive day in Boston sports sunday, the Red Sox will host Game Three. Clay Buchholz will go to the hill for Boston and Josh Tomlin for the Indians. This is part of the "roll the dice" mantra for the Red Sox after starting Porcello and Price. Buchholz has been sharp in the second half with a 5-1 record and a 3.22 ERA. Tomlin doesn't offer much deception outside of his fastball and has proved to be hittable this season. He hasn't started much lately (only three in September), and has a 4.76 ERA at Fenway the past three years. Coming home in a tie series, the upper hand will go the Red Sox here.
Games Four-Five ALDS Pitching
Game Four on Monday brings a dilemma to Terry Francona's Indians. It appears as if they'll start their "ace" Trevor Bauer on four days rest. With Eduardo Rodriguez going for the Red Sox, there will be plenty of crooked numbers on the left field scoreboard. They will surely be playing long ball at Fenway in Game Four (if necessary.) With that, give me the league's best offense in a shootout. Advantage Red Sox.
While I don't think Game Five will necessarily happen, it's definitely a toss-up. It is always hard to pick a winner-take-all game like that. If we are to look at the raw statistics though, it looks like no contest. Picking against Rick Porcello at all the past few months would have been foolish. Also, Cleveland still does not know what to expect from a laboring Corey Kluber. If it gets to that, I don't care where it's being played, give me the Red Sox.
Obviously, there are plenty of other factors to think about in this series. Bullpens, switch-hitters, and a struggling Mike Napoli are not to be forgotten. But if we're purely going on starting pitching, this is the Red Sox's series to lose.
Posted in Post Season	| Tagged 2016 ALDS, Boston Red Sox, clay buchholz, Cleveland Indians, Corey Kluber, David Price, Eduardo Rodriguez, fenway park, Josh Tomlin, mike napoli, rick porcello, Terry Francona, Trevor Bauer	| Leave a reply
Travis Shaw Making His Case for 2016
Posted on August 20, 2015 by Conor Frederick
The good thing about the Red Sox being so far out of playoff contention at the moment is the team getting a good, hard look at some of their guys down on the farm. Notably, guys like Henry Owens and Travis Shaw have gotten an extended look at the big league level, and for the most part they have responded pretty well.
Especially Travis Shaw. With Mike Napoli traded to the Texas Rangers, there is now an opportunity for a guy like Shaw to fill in, and he has responded very well. Since his August 1st call up, he's hit .372, and has hit all 5 of his big league home run since his call up. Overall, he's hit .321, 5 home runs and 10 RBI's in 21 big league games for the Red Sox.
For the time being, Travis Shaw has dismissed any doubts about bringing up Allen Craig from the Pawtucket Red Sox or potentially moving Hanley Ramirez over to first from left field. And, for the time being, can anyone complain about that? His production more than warrants his place in the lineup at the moment, and the other 2 possibilities are far less appealing at the moment.
Hanley's offensive production has been there for the most part, but his defense is an entirely different story, and the idea of moving him to one of the most important on the field scares me. While Allen Craig might be a better defensive option, his performance at the plate has been pretty disappointing for the most part since being sent to Boston in the deal that sent John Lackey to the St. Louis Cardinals at the 2014 trade deadline. While Travis Shaw is still finding his feet with the big league team, he is the team's best option at first base at the moment, outside of possibly Brock Holt, who has shown he can play just about every position.
There is plenty of time between now and Opening Day 2016, but right now, I would put Travis Shaw as the front runner to start at 1st on Opening Day next April. Obviously, a lot can happen between now and then, but I would be happy with him as our Opening Day first baseman.
Posted in Red Sox Prospects	| Tagged Boston Red Sox, mike napoli, Mike Napoli Traded, red sox 2015, Red Sox Prospects, Travis Shaw, Who will play first for the Red Sox	| Leave a reply
Who Will Play First Base for the 2016 Red Sox?
Posted on August 17, 2015 by Ryan Ferguson
The recent departure of Mike Napoli to Texas opened up fresh questions about the Red Sox' immediate future. While the slugger is enduring an awful 2015, with a poor .207/.307/.386 slash line through 98 games with the Red Sox, he at least figured to be in the team's conversations for next year, despite being a free agent. However, by cutting Napoli loose, the Red Sox displayed their willingness to move on, which raises questions about the team's first baseman in 2016 and beyond.
In recent times, Boston has enjoyed great continuity at first, with Napoli, Adrian Gonzalez and Kevin Youkilis holding down the fort for the past decade. However, such certainty at the position is no longer possible for the Red Sox, who face some difficult decisions in recruiting a new first-sacker.
Initially, the front office will likely consider all internal options at its disposal, which immediately draws attention to Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval, two expensive free agent signings who have really struggled this year. Hanley's transition to left field has been an unmitigated disaster, with the former shortstop ranked by Fangraphs' metrics as the worst defensive player in all of baseball. Moreover, Sandoval has shown a shocking lack of range, and he is rated as the fourth-worst fielder presently playing in the Majors.
If the Red Sox are to compete moving forward, this situation just has to be rectified. Ramirez is clearly incapable of playing left field, while Sandoval is plainly awful at third. To seriously contend in 2016, Boston needs new players in those positions. That's an irrefutable fact. Therefore, in an ideal world, either Sandoval or Ramirez would move to first base, a far less challenging position, where they wouldn't hurt the team as much.
However, Red Sox management can be stubborn and, though it's plainly obvious for the world to see, they likely won't admit their mistakes in signing Hanley and Pablo. Quite incredibly, Ben Cherington has already said that he doesn't foresee a position change for either player, which leaves Brock Holt and Travis Shaw as other organizational options for the first base gig next year. Holt's greatest value is as a super utility guy, while Shaw doesn't inspire much long-term confidence, despite a strong performance this season.
Thus, with a lack of strong internal candidates, Red Sox may once again be forced into the free agent market, which is always an adventure with this front office. Yet, aside from Napoli, the only available first baseman of note is Chris Davis, who is too inconsistent to be worth a large financial investment.
A few first basemen may be available via trade over the winter, with Joey Votto and Pedro Alvarez being the most intriguing chips, but the Red Sox have been hugely disinclined to move any of their top prospects in recent years, so that would also be an unlikely move.
Ultimately, the Red Sox should use the remainder of this desperately disappointing season to evaluate their internal candidates at first base, with Ramirez and Sandoval and Holt sharing time with Shaw. If they stumble upon some success, that's great. But if they discover that none of those options are viable antidotes to the first base conundrum, at least Ben Cherington will know that it's time to go shopping again this winter.
Posted in Red Sox	| Tagged 2016 Boston Red Sox, 2016 Red Sox, 2016 Red Sox first base, Boston Red Sox first base, first basemen Boston Red Sox, hanley ramirez, mike napoli, MLB Free agents, MLB offseason, Pablo sandoval, Red Sox, red sox first baseman	| Leave a reply
The Rusney Castillo Question
Posted on August 8, 2015 by Conor Frederick
The Red Sox invested $72 million in outfielder Rusney Castillo towards the end of last season, assuming that he would be an integral part of the team's plans in the future. Yet, so far, it hasn't panned out that way. He's spent a significant time in AAA Pawtucket and struggled to get significant playing time with the big league Red Sox when he has been up.
I find it most curious that Rusney Castillo hasn't nailed down a consistent spot, especially recently. He's been slashing .385/.429/.577 in the last nine games he's played, with a home run and 2 doubles. According to Over the Monster, the rationale behind the team's decision might be that they want to respect the veteran guys on the roster, like Mike Napoli, but it could also have to do with showcasing guys like Nap with the waiver deadline coming up.
The latter is probably the case with Nap, and also with a guy like Alejandro De Aza. Both guys will be free agents at the end of the season, and it seems probable that they won't be wearing Red Sox uniforms come the end of the 2015 season. This is speculation, but I'm guessing that the Red Sox would rather get something for those guys than just let them walk for nothing at the end of the year, which makes sense to me. I would think playing a guy they gave $72 million to would trump that.
This is just my opinion, but if it were me, I would play the $72 million guy as much as possible—at least in his first full season with the club—and give him a chance to let him show what the organization paid so much money for. I think he has the talent to justify the big contract, but he just needs a consistent opportunity to show it. And yes, I know we have other guys—Mookie Betts, Hanley Ramirez and Jackie Bradley Jr.—but of those guys, Hanley is the only other guy making big money. If Rusney Castillo doesn't work out I'm all for having the 3 guys I just mentioned be our starting outfield (OK, probably minus Hanley if his defense doesn't pick up), but for now I say give the guy a chance.
Posted in Red Sox	| Tagged Alejandro De Aza, Boston Red Sox, hanley ramirez, jackie bradley jr., mike napoli, Mookie Betts, red sox 2015, Rusney Castillo	| Leave a reply
Mike Napoli Headed Back to Rangers
On Friday, Mike Napoli was dealt to the Texas Rangers along with cash considerations for a player to be named later or cash according to ESPN. Mike Napoli became the latest member of the 2013 World Championship team to be dealt, joining the likes of Jon Lester, Jonny Gomes and John Lackey from last year, and Shane Victorino this year.
While this seemed inevitable, I can't say I wasn't a little disappointed and sad that he's going back to the Rangers. He was big for the Red Sox in 2013, both on and off the field. Off the field, he was one of original guys who started the beard trend, and of course that was a big part of the culture change from 2012 to 2013. On the field, he hit .259, but more importantly, he hit 23 home runs and drove in 92 runs that year. He struggled a bit in the postseason, but he did hit a big home run off Justin Verlander in the ALCS, and a big 3-run double in game 1 of the World Series.
So, yeah, I'm sad to see him go. The struggles he had this season were definitely unfortunate, but he is still a fan favorite. He'll always be one of the guys that stands out for me from the 2013 team. At least now he has a chance to compete for a potential playoff contender, as well as a team that he is familiar with. He was extremely close to winning the World Series MVP with the Rangers in 2011, but the Rangers lost out to the St. Louis Cardinals that year.
The Rangers are 3 games out of the 2nd wild card spot at the moment, and a guy like Napoli could really push them over the top if he plays well. Even just having a guy who has played in 2 World Series, and won 1, should be a big help for the Rangers.
See ya, Nap. Thanks for what you did in 2013.
Posted in Red Sox	| Tagged mike napoli, Mike Napoli Traded, Napoli goes back to the Rangers, Napoli Traded to Rangers, Red Sox Trade Mike Napoli, Red Sox Trade Napoli, Texas Rangers get Mike Napoli From Red Sox, Texas Rangers Mike Napoli	| Leave a reply
Red Sox Acquire Ryan Cook from A's
The Red Sox had a quiet trade deadline not dealing any of the veterans many of us expected them to. Mike Napoli and Alejandro De Aza were still in the lineup for Friday nights game with the Rays, while many Sox fans feel the Sox need to look elsewhere and give the younger players a shot.
The Sox did make one small move in acquiring A's pitcher Ryan Cook. Cook, now 28, was the A's former closer, who was an All-Star in 2012. It is expected Cook will be activated tomorrow and supply some help in the Red Sox depleted bullpen. Cook was pitching in Triple-A Nashville, but did appear in 4 games with the A's this season allowing 5 runs. He also was once traded for now teammate Craig Breslow, when he was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Cook had a 4.05 ERA in 30 appearances with the Nashville Sounds this season, so the Red Sox seem to be taking a flier on a player they expect to rebound while controlling him for two additional years. Cook does come cheap, as the Sox will either surrender a player to be named later or cash in the deal. Cook spent two stints on the disabled list last season but this year has been working to get his effectiveness back, as he sometimes has trouble find the plate.
Obviously the Red Sox did not seem to find a taker for any bad contracts they have signed in recent years and did not want to deal of of their prospects with many of the top prospects in the lower levels. The Red Sox bowed out of the Cole Hamels sweepstakes after Hamels had listed the Red Sox on his no trade list but I feel if they offered to pick up his option for 2020 he would likely have approved the deal. Tyson Ross' name was tossed around Friday as well who were looking for a shortstop of the future but apparently Deven Marrero was not the shortstop they were looking for.
The Red Sox can still make moves until August 31 but the player needs to pass through waivers to be dealt. Mike Napoli and his salary would likely pass through waivers but the Pirates who were rumored to have interest in Napoli, acquired Michael Morse on Friday so they seem to have a right handed hitter to platoon as first.
Posted in Red Sox	| Tagged 2015 Red Sox, Alejandro De Aza, Boston Red Sox, Cole Hamels, Craig Breslow, Deven Marrero, john farrell, michael morse, mike napoli, Pirates, Red Sox, red sox trade, Ryan Cook, Tyson Ross	| Leave a reply


the largest community-powered bike recovery service.
Let our community know, and have hundreds of eyes on the look out for your bike.
Find a bike? Buying a bike?
Check to see if it's been reported stolen with us or any of our partners.
The 529 Shield's unique ID makes it easy to contact you if your bike is recovered.
Cities, law enforcement, schools, property managers and clubs: We're the dashboard for your communities' bikes.
What is the 529 Garage?
Quickly capture all the important information about your bike from your computer or your smartphone. It's free!
Our tamper resistant 529 Shield acts as a deterrant, warning would-be thieves to keep their paws off your bike, and making it easier to find you if your bike is recovered.
Make the most of the 529 community to find your stolen bike. Our community includes over 400 law enforcement agencies, universities, bike clubs and bike shops around the world, as well as 529 users like you.
Thousands of bikes are recovered by law enforcement and the community. If your bike is registered, it's easy to get back to you!
Be sure to search our registry to make sure that a bike you are considering buying wasn't reported stolen. And, if you find a bike, or see something suspicious, post it with us to help get it back to it's owner.
The world of organized bike crime stretches from small-scale to large-scale, Chow said, noting some thieves use bicycles to commit other crimes, others may sell off bike parts, while organized groups may move costly bikes across borders.
"Even though we've seen the amazing change in statistics from two years ago to today, we are not giving up"
Project 529 is fast becoming the best way to register your bike and utilize technology to assist in its recovery should it ever become stolen.
Bike theft in Vancouver drops 30% thanks to new app. Will other Canadian cities catch on?
"The system is far superior to what we use in our basic police databank, it's an awesome tool for us."
"We're very happy to pass the baton to the team at Project 529 to attack the bicycle theft epidemic," said Eddie Orton, who has sponsored the NBR effort for over two decades. "The passion and capabilities of the team at 529 will be able to take our work to the next level and better serve our customers and partners."
Thieves be warned: Stolen bike recovery service expanding across B.C.
"When I registered, I was more worried about what would happen if my bike was stolen," Creasy said. "But I think it's a great way to encourage the cycling community to help each other and to get more eyes out there."
"In attacking the $500-million bike theft epidemic in North America, we felt it was vital to create more than a bike registration database," said J. Allard, founder of Project 529.
"Today, Vancouver is recognized as the leader in addressing this epidemic, so much so that so that cities across North America are looking to the blueprint that's been established here to bring to their own cities," said Allard.
"We have a huge problem in terms of bicycle theft in our city," Josh Fraser, public information officer with Guelph Police said. "It's a huge market for resale... a lot of bikes now are high-end."
Granville Island's Bicycle Valet service parked and monitored over 11,000 bikes between late-June and early-October. Additionally, over 900 bikes were registered with Project 529, a free bike logging service app endorsed by the Vancouver Police Department.
"I think we could make more arrests and recover more bikes with that tool for sure, with the ultimate goal being deterring future bike theft," Johnson said.
It will take only five minutes and it will help your protect owners' bicycles from theft. A 529 Garage decal will be provided and will serve as a deterrent against thieves, RCMP say, as they would know the bicycle is listed in a bike registry.
Life gets tougher for bike thieves in Delta, B.C.
"It puts a lot of power back in the hands of bicycle owners," said Sgt. Sarah Swallow with Delta police.
People registering their bike with 529 Garage, according to Oceanside RCMP, can significantly increase the chance of getting their bicycle returned in the event it is stolen.
"Bike theft is an issue that people need to take more seriously, especially as citizens turn to alternate modes of transportation," said Connie Marciniuk, a community safety liaison with Edmonton's Neighbourhood Empowerment Team, a partnership between the city, Edmonton Police Service, Family Centre and United Way. "Our goal is to create a climate where cyclists feel more confident that their bikes are safe."
"One of the successes 529 Garage had — and it was a huge success — in Granville Island, they had an 80-some per cent decrease in the number of thefts they had on Granville, which is one of the highest bike theft locations.
The VPD say a woman was recently reunited with her stolen bike in Vancouver after 36 hours thanks to the registry.
"Our goal is to make Vancouver the most secure city in Canada to ride a bicycle," says avid cyclist and VPD Deputy Chief Constable Warren Lemcke. "The 529 Garage registry will allow officers to quickly and efficiently recognize a stolen bicycle and get that bike back to its owner."
Both companies agree that the key first step in bike security is using the proper lock and using it correctly. The understanding that no lock offers 100-percent protection against a well-equipped thief is the basis for the partnership. Project 529 and its 529 Garage platform pick up where ABUS's locks leave off, by providing easy bicycle registration and crowdsourced recovery assistance in the event of theft.
Stolen bike registries have been around since the early days of the Internet (which explains why so many look like they were designed in 1998) but most offer little more than a registration form and reassuring words. The 529 Garage, however, takes the venerable bike database model and gives it a shot of 21st century technology.
In 2013, we set out to create a sustainable program that helps reduce bike theft, promote cycling, and make cities and campuses more bike friendly. The result is the 529 Garage.
Over the last 2 decades, bike theft in North America has grown to epidemic proportions - affecting about 2 million riders each year. Beyond the half-billion dollar cycling black market, many stolen bikes are involved in secondary crimes - serving as a modern "getaway vehicle" for criminals.
Our strategy is simple - galvanize riders, shops, police, schools and cities with a common set of tools that allow communities to become better organized than the criminals. Cities that we have joined forces with have seen meaningful, double-digit results in the first two years.
Two of my bikes were stolen out my garage at around 9am in the morning. By noon that afternoon, an officer working the Downtown Eastside, found one of my bikes and alerted me, through Project 529, that it had been found. Really cool as the email that came contained a picture of the officer and the recovered bike. One's emotions go from feeling violated to elation within a single day. From the picture, I knew that he had found it on Hastings Street. Thank you to everyone who made it happen, including Officer (Lee) who found it, and the volunteers helping people register their bikes.
Biking is a huge part of my life - I depend heavily on my bike to get to work. I was devastated when my bike was stolen in Vancouver. Thanks to the collaboration between Project 529 and the VPD I was able to recover my stolen bike. I am so grateful to live in a city that has implemented this program and recognizes the importance in recovering stolen bikes. Project 529 has helped to cultivate an environment where people are protected from bike theft and are therefore more encouraged to choose cycling.
The Vancouver Police Department recovers over 2,000 stolen bikes a year. Locating the victims is a significant challenge. Project 529 supports our ability to pursue criminal charges, serves to prevent future thefts and ultimately assists in reuniting victims with their stolen property.
After years of spreadsheet based registration records and ugly stickers that never really stuck, we couldn't have been more excited to partner with Project 529 to bring this easy to use program to our campus community. Our students love being able to use the phone in their pocket to quickly get their bike registered and our admins love being able to quickly find the information on those bikes and their owners when they need them.
The cost of bicycle theft is bigger than the loss of the bike. It discourages cycling, invites unsavory people to our campus and ultimately hurts our university's brand. 529 Garage is a welcome addition to the UO campus.
Many years working bike theft in Portland has demonstrated the importance of the community tackling this problem together. Registration has always been the weakest link. If we can help cyclists register their bikes effectively, we will crush bike theft.
529 Garage is an awesome match for us. It lets us protect our inventory and rental fleet and helps us get customers in the door. But the real win is helping rescue our customers' bikes.


text:
package water.fvec;

import water.H2O;
import water.MemoryManager;
import water.UDP;

import java.util.Iterator;

/**
 * Created by tomasnykodym on 3/26/14.
 */
public class CXDChunk extends CXIChunk {
  protected CXDChunk(int len, int nzs, int valsz, byte [] buf){super(len,nzs,valsz,buf);}

  // extract fp value from an (byte)offset
  protected final double getFValue(int off){
    if(_valsz == 8) return UDP.get8d(_mem, off + _ridsz);
    throw H2O.unimpl();
  }

  @Override protected long at8_impl(int idx) {
    int off = findOffset(idx);
    if(getId(off) != idx)return 0;
    double d = getFValue(off);
    if(Double.isNaN(d)) throw new IllegalArgumentException("at8 but value is missing");
    return (long)d;
  }
  @Override protected double atd_impl(int idx) {
    int off = findOffset(idx);
    if(getId(off) != idx)return 0;
    return getFValue(off);
  }

  @Override protected boolean isNA_impl( int i ) {
    int off = findOffset(i);
    if(getId(off) != i)return false;
    return Double.isNaN(getFValue(off));
  }

  @Override final boolean hasFloat () { return true; }

  @Override NewChunk inflate_impl(NewChunk nc) {
    final int slen = sparseLen();
    nc.set_len(len());
    nc.set_sparseLen(slen);
    nc.alloc_doubles(slen);
    nc.alloc_indices(slen);
    int off = OFF;
    for( int i = 0; i < slen; ++i, off += _ridsz + _valsz) {
      nc.indices()[i] = getId(off);
      nc.doubles()[i] = getFValue(off);
    }
    return nc;
  }

  public Iterator<Value> values(){
    return new SparseIterator(new Value(){
      @Override public final long asLong(){
        double d = getFValue(_off);
        if(Double.isNaN(d)) throw new IllegalArgumentException("at8 but value is missing");
        return (long)d;
      }
      @Override public final double asDouble() {return getFValue(_off);}
      @Override public final boolean isNA(){
        double d = getFValue(_off);
        return Double.isNaN(d);
      }
    });
  }

  public int pformat_len0() { return 22; }
  public String pformat0() { return "% 21.15e"; }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Bodily tissues degenerate over time from everyday wear and/or certain lifestyle circumstances, like diet and exercise. Further, injuries or conditions like Osteoarthritis can become painful as the body struggles to cope without its full complement of tissues. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) uses the body's own natural healing properties to reverse the effects of degeneration by creating new tissue. This procedure resonates with our approach of restoring health and functionality to the body while relieving pain.
While the providers at Austin preferred typically recommend non-invasive, physical medicine techniques, we also understand that more direct techniques are sometimes necessary for the best effects. It is for this reason that PRP serves as an excellent complement the renowned Chiropractic and Physical Therapy services we offer.
During the appointment, the patient first undergoes a simple blood draw. Once the PRP is prepared in our laboratory, it is injected into the sites of the patient's pain. The procedure is quick, virtually painless and can produce lasting results where traditional modalities have failed. PRP is even considered a viable alternative to surgery in some cases and can be similarly effective with lower cost and a shorter recovery period.
Given its applicability, PRP can promote notable healing for many more conditions than just the ones listed here.
Health insurance doesn't yet cover this PRP in Texas. Consequently, we only offer Platelet Rich Plasma at the self-pay rate. With that said, we do offer free consultations to serious candidates.
Call (512) 442-2727 for more information or to schedule an appointment at our South Austin clinic. You may also refer to our Services and Conditions pages for more information on treatment at our practice.
Q: How do I know if I'm a candidate for PRP in Austin?
A: Because of its broad range of applications, PRP can help treat numerous musculoskeletal conditions. It is for this reason that we offer free consultations to interested candidates.
Q: Does health insurance cover Platelet Rich Plasma injections in Austin?
A: While this form of therapy continues to grow and is covered for government employees in some states, it is not yet covered by health insurance carriers in Texas. However, Austin Preferred's self-pay prices for PRP are among the most competitive in Austin.
Q: My condition could require an operation in the future. Can Platelet Rich Plasma help me avoid surgery?
A: While each case is different, there are instances in which this technique can help patients avoid surgery for certain conditions. However, there is no guarantee that PRP will accomplish this for you personally.


text:
News & Insights / Press Releases / ICER to Use Aetion Observational RWE to Update Value Assessment of Treatments for Hereditary Angioedema
ICER to Use Aetion Observational RWE to Update Value Assessment of Treatments for Hereditary Angioedema
— New ICER pilot will incorporate more than 24 months of observational real-world demographic, utilization, and cost data to further clarify therapies' value —
— Through continued use of the Aetion Evidence Platform®, ICER advances the use of transparent, replicable real-world evidence in health technology assessment —
BOSTON and NEW YORK, April 12, 2021 – The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) today announced it is using observational real-world evidence (RWE) to update its 2018 assessment of three therapies for long-term prophylaxis against hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks: lanadelumab (Takhzyro®, Takeda), and two C1 esterase inhibitors (Haegarda®, CSL Behring; and Cinryze®, Takeda).
ICER's updated assessment will leverage observational RWE analyzed by Aetion, as part of the ongoing collaboration between the two organizations, and consistent with ICER's commitment to expand use of RWE to complement other sources of information used in its value assessments. Aetion researchers will use Optum's de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart, Commercial and Medicare Advantage claims database, to generate the RWE. In addition to this specific pilot to use RWE to update ICER assessments completed more than 24 months ago, Aetion has analyzed RWE to support ICER's earlier assessment of treatments for sickle cell disease.
"As ICER noted throughout our earlier assessment of these HAE therapies, our economic models were very sensitive to small changes in assumptions about the frequency of attacks, the amount of on-demand treatment required, and the exact dosing regimens of prophylactic therapy," said Jon Campbell, PhD, MS, ICER's Senior Vice President of Health Economics. "Three years later, we hope to use observational RWE from the Aetion Evidence Platform® to help close some of these information gaps. By defining the baseline demographics and utilization characteristics of patients who start HAE prophylaxis, evaluating HAE attack rates before initiation of prophylaxis, and updating our health cost assumptions accordingly, ICER aims to further clarify the overall value of these HAE therapies in real-world settings. We appreciate Aetion's continued partnership as we work together to set new standards for how decision-grade RWE can be appropriately applied alongside high-quality clinical trial data to better inform the consequential decisions that biopharma manufacturers, insurers, and other stakeholders make every single day around drug pricing and patient access."
"We commend ICER for continuing to improve the ways in which RWE can be integrated responsibly into US health technology assessment," said Carolyn Magill, CEO of Aetion. "Pilots like this will help inform efforts of HTA organizations around the world in their quest to evaluate how and when to base their decisions on RWE, while advancing how we as a health care industry—and a society—determine value."
As part of this pilot, ICER has engaged clinical experts and the manufacturers of these HAE therapies, and each manufacturer was provided several weeks to respond to ICER's data request and comment on the proposed approach. ICER, Aetion, and ICER's academic collaborators from the University of Washington incorporated manufacturer and clinical expert feedback into the revised Research Protocol and Modeling Analysis Plan. As broad stakeholder input was included within the initial assessment of these therapies, ICER will be proceeding with a condensed timeline for incorporating RWE into this re-assessment, and we expect to publish our RWE update on July 27, 2021.
About Aetion
Aetion is a health care technology company that delivers real-world evidence for life sciences companies, payers, at-risk providers, and regulatory agencies. The Aetion Evidence Platform analyzes data from the real world to produce transparent, rapid, and scientifically validated answers on treatments, costs, and outcomes. Founded by Harvard Medical School faculty with decades of experience in epidemiology and health outcomes research, Aetion informs health care's most critical decisions — what works best, for whom, and when — to guide treatment development, commercialization, and payment innovation.
Aetion is based in New York City, and backed by investors including New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Flare Capital Partners, Lakestar, Town Hall Ventures, McKesson Ventures, Sanofi Ventures, Amgen Ventures, UCB, and Horizon Health Services, Inc. Learn more at aetion.com, and follow us at @aetioninc.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame (born 1968) is a Somali politician and a constitutional expert. He is currently the leader of the Wadajir Party. He served as a member of the Somali Parliament from 2009 to 2010, and as the Minister of Planning and International relations under President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed between 2009 and 2010. He contested in the 2017 Somali presidential elections against Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo. Warsame was one of the most prominent opposition politicians in Somalia, and a fierce critic of the Farmajo administration, in 2017-2022.

Early life and education

Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame was born in Bulobarde town in Hiiraan region towards the end of 1960s. He is from the influential Habar Gidir clan. He completed his primary and secondary education in Bulobarde, before receiving a Bachelor of Law from International University of Africa in Khartoum, Sudan, Specialising in Comparative Law, in 1997. He received a Master of Laws, Specialised in Constitutions Law, from the National University of Malaysia in 2002. He also completed several courses on planning, leadership, peace building and strategic relations at the Leadership and Management Institute in London.

Career
He was the head Imaam of Finsbury Park Mosque ,  taking over when Abu Hamza was arrested.
Before joining politics, Warsame was involved in humanitarian activities. He was one of the founders of Somali Concern Group and Somali Diaspora Conference.

He was the Executive Director of Muslim Welfare Centre, the third largest centre in the United Kingdom, between 2004 and 2007. He was editor in chief of Goobjoog News Online and a deputy chief editor with the Hiral Magazine in London.

He is a member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House).

He was the chief negotiator representing the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia during the Somali reconciliations held in Djibouti between 2008-2009, which ultimately led to the formation of the Transitional Federal Government.

In May 2022, Cabdiraxmaan Cabdishakuur Warsame was appointed Special Envoy for Drought by President Xasan Sheekh Maxamuud.

Public service
In 2009, Warsame became a member of the Somali Parliament. He was appointed the Minister of Planning and International Relations of the transition government in the same year.

While holding this position, Warsame was part of several diplomatic successes achieved by Somalia. For the first time in 20 years, Somalia, represented by Warsame, chaired the Arab League Foreign Ministers' annual Summit. He was the parliament's chief negotiator at the Kampala conference, at the end of which then Parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan and President Sheikh Sharif signed the Kampala Accord, which resolved the dispute between the parliament and the executive.

After the formation of the Federal Government of Somalia in 2012, Abdirahman became a policy advisor to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamed. He was a leading member of the London conference. He also played a part in the agreement signed between the federal government and Jubbaland. He served as a political adviser to two consecutive UN envoys to Somalia, Ambassador Nicholas Kay and Michael Keating.

Wadajir Party

Following long consultations that took place inside and outside the country, Warsame formed the Wadajir Party and became its presidential candidate in the 2017 Somalia presidential election.

He was one of 20 candidates running for the country's presidency. After the election loss, Warsame did not leave the country like many of his fellow candidates, but remained in the country and continued to present his political philosophy and expanded the Wadajir Party. He gave numerous speeches and organised debates and seminars on state-building, democracy, as well on the shortcomings of the government, in accordance with the role of an opposition party.

Attack on Wadajir Party headquarters

On 17 December 2017, the Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency attacked Warsame and other members of the Wadajir Party, killing five security members guarding the party headquarters and injuring four others, including Warsame.

Later, Warsame would say that he did not retaliate as many expected, with some of his supporters even urging him to do so. He said he instead chose to the supremacy of the law and compromise for the sake of national interest, so he flew from the country due to threats from opposing parties

References

1968 births
Living people
Government ministers of Somalia
International University of Africa alumni
National University of Malaysia alumni

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Jason Quigley means business with a new mindset
written by Chris McNulty December 5, 2019
JASON Quigley says he means business as the Ballybofey man gets ready for his return to action in California.
By Chris McNulty in Los Angeles
Quigley goes up against Mexican Abraham Cordero in an eight-round super middleweight contest at The Hangar in Costa Mesa on Thursday night.
Now working with former world champion Andy Lee, Quigley (16-1, 12KOs) touched the scales at 164.6lbs at the weigh in ahead of the bout.
"I'm feeling good and I'm feeling confident," Quigley said.
"I got a good look at the opponent, stared him in the eyes. I'm ready for action and I mean business."
Cordero (13-4-2, 7KOs) weighed in at 164lbs, but Quigley has warned that he's got a different mindset this week.
He said: "We've been working on a few different things in the gym. Nothing major, but you're going to see a different mindset, a few different tweaks in my technique. I'm going in there to do damage."
Jason Quigley with his coach, Andy Lee, along with Lyle Green and Ken Sheer of Sheer Sports Management
A couple of months after he lost to Tureano Johnson at Fantasy Springs in July, Quigley linked up with Irish boxing icon Lee. Quigley can already feel the Impact.
He said: "It's ben top class and every day has been a learning day with Andy. The relationship has just got better and better every single day. The preparation has been top class. I'm feeling really, really good and I'm ready for action.
"Everything has gone smooth with me and Andy. He's been there, he's done it, he's been through the mill with ups and downs. He's a pleasure to be around because he's so calm, controlled and collected. It's a dream team."
Jason Quigley means business with a new mindset was last modified: December 5th, 2019 by Chris McNulty
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text:
Local MP Alan Mak Hails Hampshire Firm
MP Alan Mak has hailed Hampshire-based business iRed as the type of company that is leading Britain's future.
Ray Faulkner (right) demonstrates thermography and drones to Alan Mak MP
The thermal imaging pioneers were early to utilise drones in order to enhance the capability of the technology.
Mr Mak, Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, visited the fast-growing firm near Portsmouth and was shown around.
The company provides thermal imaging cameras and bespoke drone packages and also runs training courses in the use of the technology.
Thermal imaging has endless applications and is used in the building, electrics, veterinary and solar industries amongst many others.
iRed's managing director Ray Faulkner said: "It's is great that our MP has a real and genuine interest in technology and what we are doing.
"He spent an hour with us and we were able to demonstrate how thermal imaging works and what cameras and drones we use and supply.
"One of the challenging things we have is getting access to funding and Mr Mak understood this problem and saw how this can potentially restrict our growth.
"He made several suggestions which we are now pursuing.
"Mr. Mak also understood the need to promote high-tech business and is passionate about Britain become the world leader of the Fourth Industrial Revolution."
iRed has grown rapidly in the last two years and now employs 11 staff and trains hundreds of people in the use of thermography.
One of its popular products is the 'search and rescue' drone package that is being purchased by emergency services across the country.
Alan Mak, MP for Havant, said: "iRed is a fantastic local business creating highly skilled jobs that is helping Britain lead the world in advanced technology.
"Drones and thermal imaging are key to creating a modern future-focused economy. I'm proud that iRed operates from Emsworth."
Chris Allington, non-executive director, Alan Mak MP and iRed MD Ray Faulkner
Chris Allington, non-executive director, Alan Mak MP and iRed MD Ray Faulkner, with the iRed team behind.
Jack2019-01-03T11:03:15+01:00November, 2018|Press Releases|


The plumbing professionals at Bath Works are available to assist you with your selection of Duravit products.
Bath Works is proud to present this decorative vessel bathroom sink, by Duravit. The 04541008601 is made from premium materials, this Vessel Bathroom Sink offers great function and value for your home. This fixture is part of Duravit's decorative Vero Collection, so make sure to check out other styles of fixtures to accessorize your room.


text:
1/1/2009 | 11 MINUTE READ
Gain Access to the Recession-Proof Medical Market
Moldmakers who want to diversify into medical—or maintain their competitive edge—need up-to-date, high-tech engineering and fabrication capabilities in order to meet the toolmaking industry's most stringent quality standards.
Ultra 350 valve gate from Husky achieves 18-mm. pitch spacing with the company's synchronized valve stem actuation system. Photo courtesy of Husky Injection Molding Systems.
Cold Deck LSR valve gate system from D-M-E is a standardized design that can be used for different parts. Photo courtesy of D-M-E Co.
The tight dimensional tolerance of medical molds is evident in this LSR tool machined by Sil-Pro. Photo courtesy of Makino.
Patrick A. Toensmeier
Moldmaking Skills Give Mar-Lee a Business Boost
Across the Bench: One-Man Solution
Across the Bench: Let the Run Begin
DME - Milacron
Husky Injection Molding Systems
INCOE Corporation
Makino Inc.
Mold-Masters / Milacron
Moldmakers will find growing opportunities in the medical market as product demand, especially in disposables, maintains solid growth for the foreseeable future.
Factors affecting this include demographic trends that point toward an older population and increasing numbers of the elderly, along with the social and economic benefits of healthier lifestyles and the devices that go along with that, more home healthcare treatments and growing numbers of chronic-care patients who will be treated in hospitals and rehabilitation centers.
A Taste of What's New at Amerimold, Day One
Your 2019 Technology Purchasing Guide
According to figures from The Freedonia Group Inc. (Cleveland, OH), the value of the U.S. medical market will post 8% average annual growth through 2016. Demand for medical products will rise to $575 billion in 2011 from $412 billion in 2006, and to $800 billion in 2016. Leading end-use markets include disposables—a broad category ranging from pipettes and syringes to wound-management supplies and nonwovens—which will account for 12.2% of medical products in 2011 and 10.9% in 2016. Though the 2016 figure is a 10.6% decline, it is based on a market that is predicted to increase by 39% during that period.
Growth Means Competition
As the market grows, however, it will attract moldmakers who are looking to diversify as a way of remaining competitive and profitable. The well-documented problems of the Big Three automakers and prospects for a downsizing of their operations, for example, are likely to push many mold shops that specialize in automotive to markets like medical where their advanced mold engineering and fabrication capabilities are a good fit.
"There will be more competition for everything that's not automotive," says Dave Preston, President of toolmaker Accu-Mold Inc. (Portage, MI). In speaking about the U.S. automakers' problems and the bad economy, Preston adds, "I would guess that there's going to be another one-third dropout of tool and die makers from the industry—companies that haven't diversified or are living entirely on automotive work. I see the strong getter stronger and the weak getting weaker."
Toolmakers seeking an edge in the medical market have plenty of options available to improve their capabilities and stand apart from competitors. Equipment and component suppliers are providing a number of products that improve the accuracy, cycle time and versatility of medical injection molds.
Notable here is the continuing trend to size reduction in medical products. "Technology is driving design to smaller parts, thus the requirements for dimensional tolerances are becoming more critical," says John Blundy, Vice President of Business Development at Incoe Corp. (Troy, MI).
One company specializing in components that improve process quality and enhance small-part production is Mold-Masters Ltd. (Georgetown, ON). The company offers a servo-actuated valve-gate system for tight pitches and small shots called Synchro Plate. Designed for mounting on the hot runner side of a mold, Synchro Plate, part of Mold-Masters' E-Drive, assures that all valve pins open and close at the same time, says Bruce Catoen, Vice President of Marketing, Business and Product Development. This happens because all the valve pins in a mold are attached to the servo-driven Synchro Plate, rather than each pin being driven by a piston powered by air from a manifold.
In addition to consistent valve gating for all cavities, Catoen says another benefit of the Synchro Plate is that by eliminating pistons, moldmakers achieve tighter pitch spacing with nozzles. "Your limit on pitch becomes the nozzle as opposed to the piston." The system permits a minimum pitch spacing of 18-21 mm. for nozzles, Catoen says.
The system was introduced at K2007, but relaunched at last October's Fakuma show with a new feature—an automatic pin disconnect. Catoen says that adding a patented magnetic connection to the Synchro Plate lets a molder turn an individual drop off if a problem develops. Otherwise, he would have to run all cavities in a mold. Turning off one or more drops could affect the balance of a hot-runner system, Catoen admits, which would be critical in some parts. "But in a number of instances our customers can turn off drops and still make quality parts."
High-Precision Valve Gates
In another development with application for precision medical molding, Mold-Masters unveiled an electric valve gate at last month's Euromold show. Called EVG, the device generates almost two times the gate-closing power of a pneumatic valve pin, which virtually assures repeatable molding cycles. EVG, available in 55- and 75-mm. pitches, is also energy efficient, using about 0.14/kw./hr. of electricity compared with 1.5 for conventional systems. Catoen says this would translate to savings of about $900 per year on a four-cavity mold.
Another company with an electric valve gate is Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. (Bolton, ON). The electric synchronized valve stem actuation system also assures that all valve stems are actuated together, thereby preventing imbalance caused by some valve gates opening or closing too soon or too late.
Bill Gunn, Medical Market Manager, says that OEMs are paying closer attention to the cost of resins, scrap and operations. As a result, they are keen on any device that contributes to process savings. With its consistent valve-gating, the electric actuation system minimizes scrap, especially with small, thinwall parts. When paired with the company's Ultra 350 valve gate, one of Husky's smallest (resin throughput of 2-20 grams/sec.), pitch spacing of 18 mm. is achievable. This means OEMs that turn to higher-cavity molds to reduce production costs don't necessarily have to invest in larger injection machines, since they may be able to hold down mold size with the Ultra 350 valve gate.
Husky has also developed a version of its Ultra 500 nozzle (throughputs to 20 grams/sec.), which Gunn says is designed for high-pressure molding that's typical with thinwall parts. The new version of the Ultra 500 reportedly withstands 50,000 psi.
To meet clean room molding requirements as well as tight dimensional tolerances, medical molds are often fabricated of stainless steel and other hardened metals. In an effort to provide optimum machining of these metals during continuous operations that last 24 hours or more, Makino (Mason, OH) has upgraded its V33 hardmilling vertical machining center to improve its productivity. The new version, the V33i, is designed for metals with Rockwell hardness of 50 or more. The company has fine-tuned the spindle to increase stiffness and rigidity and minimize tool chatter, and improved the cooling system to reduce thermal growth and other heat-related problems that affect dimensional accuracy.
Standard on the V33i is a 20,000-rpm. spindle. Options include 30,000- and 40,000-rpm. spindles. The machine, which has a 450 X 750-mm. (18 X 30-in.) cutting table, can be equipped with a proprietary spindle-core cooling system that circulates chilled coolant through the spindle and bearings. Other features include core-cooled ball screws, lubricated ball nuts, servomotor cooling jacket and temperature-controlled passageways.
"We achieve better spindle accuracy because we attack sources of heat, rather than just look for ways of controlling it," says Mark Rentschler, Marketing Manager.
Combined with integral, hardened guideways and heavy castings, the V33i machining center achieves peak motion performance with a range of tools while maintaining tight dimensional tolerances on complex shapes, Rentschler says.
LSR Projected to Grow
This is especially important when it comes to machining molds for liquid silicone rubber (LSR) parts. Rentschler notes that LSR, a thermoset, can be difficult to process. Moldmakers need to maintain high levels of dimensional accuracy to prevent flashing and precise shutoffs to prevent shrinkage. Rentschler says the precision of the V33i suits it for use on LSR molds.
LSR has always had a place in the North American medical market, though it's more widely used in Europe and elsewhere. Some experts believe, however, that LSR—and LSR molds—will make strong gains as medical OEMs tap its inherent properties of chemical inertness and sealability, elastomeric features and soft touch for a range of products. Some forecasts call for 10-15% total growth in LSR consumption in North America in coming years.
Component supplier D-M-E Co. (Madison Heights, MI) is selling a standardized valve-gate system for LSR molds called Cold Deck. The product has been available in Europe for some time, where more than 600 are in the field, but was brought to North America last year in anticipation of greater demand for LSR parts, says Mike Kreitner, Business Manager for Quick-Change Mold Systems and Emergent Technologies.
Kreitner says that one strength of the Cold Deck system is its standardized components, which can be purchased off-the-shelf and maintained more easily than if they were custom. The system, which has a quick-clamp mechanism, also permits interchanging of cavities and cores, a benefit that contributes to a project's overall economy and which can make molders more competitive. Instead of building one Cold Deck system for one mold, a system can be used with different cavities and cores, as long as they are in the same X, Y, Z configurations as the original cavities. It's a feature that has to be designed into a mold, but the "Cold Deck can be used over many different part configurations," he says.
Different part configurations, moreover, would not need to have the same shot volume, due to the fact that LSR cures in a mold and is not as temperamental in terms of residence time as thermoplastics.
For now, the product is sized for molds with up to 32 drops, though this will probably increase in the future. Cold Deck nozzles accommodate shot sizes starting at less than 1 ounce.
Versatile Hot Runners
D-M-E is offering a similar feature with an upgraded version of its Stellar thermoplastic hot-runner system. It has redesigned the hot runners, which come in 27 manifold and pitch layouts, into standard (commodity resins) and high-performance (engineering and high-heat resins) versions that are now called Stellar 5000. These hot runners are designed to fit easily into the company's Master Unit Die systems and accept material changes as long as the right hot-runner version is used and the new cavity inserts match nozzle pitch, says Bob Ameel, Global Business Manager for Hot-Runner Systems.
"This permits different parts with similar shot weights to be run with one hot-runner system."
Stellar 5000 hot runners are for part weights of 1-20 grams.
D-M-E also introduced on Dec. 1 a heater for use with the standard hot runner and one for the high-performance version, along with new tips that are designed to enhance resin flow.
The large proportion of disposable medical parts raises the same issues of waste disposal and sustainability that other large-volume industries face. One way to meet "green" part requirements is with the use of bioresins like those made from polylactic acid (PLA). These materials have different flow characteristics, which means mold components like hot runners need to be adapted for their use. D-M-E has developed a hot-runner system called Ecosmart, which is for use with compostible or biodegradable resins, including PLA.
Ameel says the company has specified a different grade of steel for the hot runner and designed nozzles to address the flow and molding challenges these resins present. Ecosmart comes in four nozzle sizes—A lengths of 45, 50, 65 and 70 mm.—and 1.25-inch center-to-center pitch dimensions. Shot weights run from 20-120 grams, depending on tip geometry. The hot runner will be formally introduced during the first quarter.
Incoe has developed a hot runner system that Blundy says resolves problems of resin imbalance in filling multicavity molds. The company achieved this by eliminating "steel-induced inconsistencies" in cavity designs and nozzles. The result is nozzles and manifolds that are verified by thermal imaging to "ensure uniform heat profiles."
Incoe also partnered with Beaumont Technologies Inc. (Erie, PA), a specialist in melt delivery systems, to deal with shear-induced filling imbalances in hot runners. "Resolving filling imbalances provides injection molders with dimensional stability, physical property consistency and the potential for cycle time reduction due to a wider process window," Blundy says.
Other components are being designed to meet the demands of medical molding, notably long life, clean operation and compact size. Progressive Components (Wauconda, IL) has at least three that are suitable for medical molds, according to Al Hickok, Midwest sales manager.
One is the Slide Retainer, part of the Friction Free line, which maintains a mold's side actions. The compact component has a roller that fits into a groove within a side-action assembly. Its spring mechanism withstands millions of cycles, Hickok says. The device is compact, which makes it easy to machine and integrate within a mold, yet it supports more weight than most competitive retainers.
Another product in the line is the Needle Bearing Lock, which helps realign molds to prevent flash and achieve complicated shutoffs. The lock provides smooth, consistent positioning and precise registration between the mold halves, Hickok says, and shows virtually no wear after 1 million cycles.
The third product, UltraPin, is ideal for clean-room molding, Hickok reports, as it's a chrome-plated ejector pin that needs no lubrication, and thus will not introduce contaminants to a protected molding environment.
One supplier says that medical is a strategic market for his company, since even in a recession, it's one of the few industries with opportunities for growth. "People will continue to eat, drink and get sick," he notes, "so medical, along with personal care and packaging, is a very attractive market to invest in."
It is indeed attractive. But in the current business environment, opportunities mean competition. Moldmakers who want to maintain their edge in medical, or diversify by expanding into it, need the high-tech engineering and fabrication capabilities necessary to meet some of the toolmaking's most stringent quality standards.
This is not a market for companies that aren't on the leading edge of technology, or which haven't learned how to work faster, better and more productively. Medical is a challenge, but one worth taking. Those who succeed will have plenty to show for it in business and profitability.
For more information from Patrick A. Toensmeier e-mail toensmeier@ sbcglobal.net or visit www.moldmakingtechnology.com.
How to Design Hot Runner Plates
Moldmakers are often required to design and make hot runner plates for molds. Being aware of these best practices can make the process easier.
Baffle Blades in Plastic Injection Molds
Turbulent-flow plastic baffles eliminate blow-by, significantly improving cooling and cycle times.
For Better Mold Venting, Start with the Metal
Selecting the right material for specific mold components can help prevent a number of costly issues
Hot Runners
Medical/Optical/Dental
Mold Components


RASUWA, April 7: A group of 21 Nepali citizens have left for Tibetan Autonomous Region of China to scale the Mt. Everest from the Chinese side.
Immigration Office in Rasuwa facilitated those Nepali citizens who left for the TAR via Rasuwagadhi border point on Saturday. According to immigration officer Bishnu Gharti, the climbers started to get permission to scale the world's highest peak through this route since last year.
"More groups are coming to scale the Mt. Everest through this route in coming days," he said.
According to Lama, the climbers can reach the Everest Base Camp in two days from Rasuwagadhi.


text:
Q: How to detect the text above lines using OpenCV in Python I am interested in detecting lines (which I managed to figure out using hough transform) and the text above it.
My test image is below:

The code I have written is below. ( I have edited so that I can loop through the coordinates of each line)
import cv2
import numpy as np

img=cv2.imread('test3.jpg')
#img=cv2.resize(img,(500,500))
imgGray=cv2.cvtColor(img,cv2.COLOR_BGR2GRAY)
imgEdges=cv2.Canny(imgGray,100,250)
imgLines= cv2.HoughLinesP(imgEdges,1,np.pi/180,230, minLineLength = 700, maxLineGap = 100)
imgLinesList= list(imgLines)

a,b,c=imgLines.shape
line_coords_list = []
for i in range(a):
    line_coords_list.append([(int(imgLines[i][0][0]), int(imgLines[i][0][1])), (int(imgLines[i][0][2]), int(imgLines[i][0][3]))])

print(line_coords_list)#[[(85, 523), (964, 523)], [(85, 115), (964, 115)], [(85, 360), (964, 360)], [(85, 441), (964, 441)], [(85, 278), (964, 278)], [(85, 197), (964, 197)]]

roi= img[int(line_coords_list[0][0][1]): int(line_coords_list[0][1][1]), int(line_coords_list[0][0][0]) : int(line_coords_list[0][1][0])]
print(roi) # why does this print an empty list?
cv2.imshow('Roi NEW',roi)

Now I just don't know how to detect the region of interest above those lines. Is it possible to say crop out each line and have images say roi_1 , roi_2 , roi_n where each roi is the text above the first line, the text above the second line etc?
I would like the output to be something like this.

A: Here is one way to do that in Python/OpenCV.

*

*Read the input

*Convert to gray

*Threshold (OTSU) so that text is white on black background

*Apply morphology dilate with horizontal kernel to blur text in a line together

*Apply morphology open with a vertical kernel to remove the thin lines from the dotted lines

*Get the contours

*Find the contour that has the lowest Y bounding box value (top-most box)

*Draw all the bounding boxes on the input except for the topmost one

*Save results

Input:

import cv2
import numpy as np

# load image
img = cv2.imread("text_above_lines.jpg")

# convert to gray
gray = cv2.cvtColor(img, cv2.COLOR_BGR2GRAY)

# threshold the grayscale image
thresh = cv2.threshold(gray, 0, 255, cv2.THRESH_BINARY_INV + cv2.THRESH_OTSU)[1]

# use morphology erode to blur horizontally
kernel = cv2.getStructuringElement(cv2.MORPH_RECT, (151, 3))
morph = cv2.morphologyEx(thresh, cv2.MORPH_DILATE, kernel)

# use morphology open to remove thin lines from dotted lines
kernel = cv2.getStructuringElement(cv2.MORPH_RECT, (3, 17))
morph = cv2.morphologyEx(morph, cv2.MORPH_OPEN, kernel)

# find contours
cntrs = cv2.findContours(morph, cv2.RETR_EXTERNAL, cv2.CHAIN_APPROX_SIMPLE)
cntrs = cntrs[0] if len(cntrs) == 2 else cntrs[1]

# find the topmost box
ythresh = 1000000
for c in cntrs:
    box = cv2.boundingRect(c)
    x,y,w,h = box
    if y < ythresh:
        topbox = box
        ythresh = y

# Draw contours excluding the topmost box
result = img.copy()
for c in cntrs:
    box = cv2.boundingRect(c)
    if box != topbox:
        x,y,w,h = box
        cv2.rectangle(result, (x, y), (x+w, y+h), (0, 0, 255), 2)

# write result to disk
cv2.imwrite("text_above_lines_threshold.png", thresh)
cv2.imwrite("text_above_lines_morph.png", morph)
cv2.imwrite("text_above_lines_lines.jpg", result)

#cv2.imshow("GRAY", gray)
cv2.imshow("THRESH", thresh)
cv2.imshow("MORPH", morph)
cv2.imshow("RESULT", result)
cv2.waitKey(0)
cv2.destroyAllWindows()

Thresholded image:

Morphology image:

Result:

A: You have detected the lines. Now you have to split your image into regions between the lines using y coordinate and then search for the black pixels (words) on the white background (paper).
Building a histogram along the x and y axes will likely give you the area of interest you're looking for.

Just to answer your questions in the comments, for example, if you have an image img and area of the interest with y coordinates (100,200) spanning the whole width of the image, you may crop that area down and search for anything there like this:
cropped = img[100:200,5:-5]  # crop a few pixels off in x-direction just in case

Now the search:
top, left = 10000, 10000
bottom, right = 0, 0
for i in range(cropped.shape[0]) :
    for j in range(cropped.shape[1]) :
        if cropped[i][j] < 200 :    # black?
            top = min( i, top)
            bottom = max( i, bottom)
            left = min( j, left)
            right = max( j, right)

Or something along the lines...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The valley of balls or Torysh, as it's called in Kazakh, is located at the Northern tip of the Western Karatau, close to the town of Shetpe in Western Kazakhstan. The area consist of numerous ball-like rock formations strewn across a wide range of steppe land. The balls come in different sizes, but most are 3-4 meters in diameter.
The balls are believed to be concretions —a hard, compact mass formed by the precipitation of minerals. They are often spherical and usually forms in sedimentary rock or soil. The phenomenon is not rare — examples of such concretions are found all over the globe. What is rare, however, is the size these concretions have reached. Concretions as large as those in valley of balls are found only at few places on earth. The Moeraki Boulders of New Zealand is another example.


Blackwing Slate was designed to be the ultimate Blackwing pencil companion.
Every Blackwing Slate features 160 pages of high-quality, 100GSM paper, a durable dual-sewn binding, wear-resistant matte black hardcover, canvas spine and unique pencil holster that comes loaded with a Blackwing 602 pencil. The Blackwing Slate is available in blank or dot grid paper.
A portion of every Blackwing sale benefits music and arts education in schools.


text:
Q: Removing a list entry in a list in pyMongo I have a database collection that has objects like this:
{
    "_id": ObjectId("something"),
    "name_lower": "total",
    "name": "Total",
    "mounts": [
        [
            "mount1",
            "instance1"
        ],
        [
            "mount2",
            "instance1"
        ],
        [
            "mount1",
            "instance2"
        ],
        [
            "mount2",
            "instance2"
        ]
    ]
}

Say I want to remove every mount that has the instance instance2, How would I go about doing that? I have been searching for quite a while.

A: You can do something like this
[
  {
    $unwind: "$mounts"
  },
  {
    $match: {
      "mounts": {
        $ne: "instance2"
      }
    }
  },
  {
    $group: {
      _id: "$_id",
      name: {
        $first: "$name"
      },
      mounts: {
        $push: "$mounts"
      }
    }
  }
]

Working Mongo playground

A: This answer is based on @varman answer but more pythonic and efficient.
The first stage should be a $match condition to filter out documents that don't need to be updated.
Since the mounts key consists of a nested array, we have to $unwind it, so that we can remove array elements that need to be removed.
We have to apply the $match condition again to filter out the element that has to be removed.
Finally, we have to $group the pipeline by _id key, so that the documents which got $unwind in the previous stage will be groupped into a single document.
from pymongo import MongoClient

client = MongoClient("<URI-String>")
col = client["<DB-Name"]["<Collection-Name>"]

count = 0
for cursor in col.aggregate([
{
        "$match": {
            "mounts": {"$ne": "instance2"}
        }
    },
    {
        "$unwind": "$mounts"
    },
    {
        "$match": {
            "mounts": {"$ne": "instance2"}
        }
    },
    {
        "$group": {
            "_id": "$_id",
            "newMounts": {
                "$push": "$mounts"
            }
        }
    },
]):
    # print(cursor)
    col.update_one({
        "_id": cursor["_id"]
    }, {
        "$set": {
            "mounts": cursor["newMounts"]
        }
    })

    count += 1
    print("\r", count, end="")

print("\n\nDone!!!")


text:
Local businesses have a critical need for more staff
By: Roxie Elliott Facebook | Twitter
NOW: Local businesses have a critical need for more staff
New post-employment program helps pay for South Bend firefighters'...
Furniture store donates to healthcare worker and single mother...
Federal strike team deployed to help Memorial Hospital amid COVID-19...
Just plain cold to end January
Salvation Army Kroc Center celebrates 10 years in South Bend
Take a ride down the Toboggan Run in Pokagon State Park
Cold but quiet Friday; warming trend starts this weekend
How you can protect yourself from student loan scammers
City of South Bend hosts first ever quarterly public safety update...
Meet the father-son duo who starts every shift with a special...
ABC57's Pet of the Week: Meet Mack
BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- A panel of local business owners met to discuss the labor shortage they're now facing as a result of the pandemic and just how much it's impacting their ability to operate.
From manufacturing, to restaurants, to retail, all industries are struggling with understaffing in some sort of way and in Southwest Michigan, it's brought them to a critical point in keeping their business open.
There are 2,000 job openings right now between Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties, according to Kinexus Group, which hosted Thursday's panel.
Lana's Boutique in St. Joseph is preparing for tourist season, but fears they won't have enough staff to meet the demand
"By now, I would have my summer crew ready to go for Memorial weekend but I'm still trying to find people to even apply," said manager Mazi Heppler.
While Soulard's in Coloma is concerned about the toll it could take on their current staff.
"They're getting burnt out and we're not even in business season, this has been what we consider slow season, they can't realistically work all of the hours we would need these workers for," said owner Taylor Prestige.
The biggest issue, they said, is trying to compete with unemployment benefits aimed at providing stability to many who are struggling financially from the pandemic fallout.
"I think people have gotten used to not going to work and still getting by and until that's a struggle for them, it's not going to be an issue for them," said Heppler.
Some businesses are now even offering incentives to work.
But, that's not an option for many of these mom-and-pop shops struggling financially themselves.
"There was a place that offered $50 just to interview and that's just not realistic for my business," said Prestige. The restaurant industry has been shut down for a year, so we're already hurting and now dipping further into our pockets to pay people just to sit in for an interview."
All businesses in Thursday's panel are still hiring, they were: Lana's Boutique, the Inn at Harbor Shores, Cameron's Restaurant, Soulard's and Gaishin Manufacturing.
Kinexus is also available to help anyone looking for work.


text:
Trimdon Parish Council > Documents > Financial Reports > Payments over £500
The Council produces a quarterly list of all payments (excluding salary related payments) made over £500 exclusive of VAT
Payments over £500 1 October – 31 December 2022
Uploaded on January 23, 2023
Payments Over £500 1 July – 30 September 2022
Uploaded on October 24, 2022
Payments over £500 1 April – 30 June 2022
Uploaded on July 26, 2022


text:
About Us & Services
Parish Council Vacancies
Locum Clerk Service
Vacancy & Recruitment Service
About Local Councils
Role of a Local Councillor
Support Cambridgeshire
Local Council Award Scheme Information
Borrowing Applications
Legal Advice & Templates
Latest News from CAPALC
CAPALC Bulletin
CAPALC Annual Conference
CiLCA Training
CAPALC Ltd Board
AGM & EOM Agenda's and Minutes
Membership is open to Town, Parish or Community Councils or Parish Meetings. Being a Member gives your Councillors and Clerk direct access to a range of expert advice, support and services specifically for the Parish sector.
Membership Benefits 2021/2022
For further information about joining your County Association please email office@capalc.org.uk
Code of Conduct 2021 Guidance
The Local Government Association have published supporting guidance which is aimed to help understanding and consistency of approach towards the new model code of conduct. The code, together with the guidance, has been designed to protect our democratic role, encourage good conduct, and safeguard the public's trust and confidence in the role of councillor in local government.
Code of Conduct 2020
Section 137 limit for 2021-2022
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced that the appropriate sum for the purpose of section 137(4)(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 (the 1972 Act) for parish and town councils in England for 2021-22 is £8.41 per elector.
This is the amount as a result of increasing the amount of £8.32 for 2020-2021 by the percentage increase in the retail index between September 2019 and September 2020, in accordance with Schedule 12B to the 1972 Act.
Press release - On 4 May 2020 Companies House approved our incorporation as a company limited by guarantee, company number 12585308.
CAPALC is now Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Association of Local Councils Limited. On 4 May 2020 Companies House approved our incorporation as a company limited by guarantee, company number 12585308.
This means that CAPALC has a proper legal status that enables it to employ staff and enter into contracts. The former board members have become the directors of the new company and will be free to make decisions in the best interests of the company and its shareholders, without having to worry about personal liability.
Once our 2019-2020 accounts are finalised the old CAPALC will be wound up and all its interests transferred to CAPALC Ltd. This is likely to happen in the next month.
In practice this will make little difference to our operation and to our members. The main change for our members is that any theoretical liability is now capped at £1 which will be reserved from the membership subscription.
I would like to thank all our members for their support and look forward to providing new and better services.
Henry Clark
Update to LTN 31 Local Council General Powers - GPC & S137
On 14th May 2020, NALC published the updated version of LTN 31 Local Council General Powers. This LTN specifically deals with Section 137 and the General Power of Competence. The LTN clarifies the scope and nature of the legislation and the councils legal power to spend under each statutory power..
To download this essential document please log into NALC's Members Area where you will find it under the tab 'Legal Topic Notes'.
Financial Assistance to the Church
Click on the link below to read the most up to date information from NALC about parish/town councils considering offering financial assistance to the church
Temporary Reduction in VAT rate
There has been a temporary reduction in the rate of VAT for hospitality, holiday accommodation and attractions 5% Reduced Rate.
In response to the economic difficulties caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, HMRC has announced a reduction in the rate of VAT to 5%, affecting hospitality, holiday accommodation and attractions. The reduced rate covers the period from 15 July 2020 to 12 January 2021.
For the full briefing please go to the Members Area under Legal Advice & Templates.
Each year approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health condition and at least 1 in 6 employees experience common mental health problems in the workplace.
How to support mental health at work publication
Village Survival Guide 2019
The Princes Countryside Fund has produced a 'Village Survival Guide' for 2019 which you can access by following the link below:
Village Survival Guide
Neighbourhood Planning and Community Health and Wellbeing
Councils will recall the CIL Briefing sent out earlier this year by NALC Legal Services, and in line with neighbourhood planning, All Things Neighbourhood Planning consider that Councils could and should go one step further and this article looks to explore health and wellbeing through neighbourhood planning.
Neighbourhood Planning and Community Health and Wellbeing Bulletin
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Association of Local Councils (CAPALC)
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Telephone Office Mobile 07507 520849
Telephone Helpdesk on 07594 766229
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text:
Q: Laravel to SQL Server (sqlsrv). [PDOException] could not find driver Intro. My laravel app was using mysql, now it needs to be hosted in the network of the company I am working ( I am a remote-worker). And this company are Microsoft peeps, so I need to integrate the laravel to their SQL Server.
I have this in my .env
DB_CONNECTION=sqlsrv
DB_HOST=ip.address.of.server
DB_PORT=3306
DB_DATABASE=my_db
DB_USERNAME=my_username
DB_PASSWORD=my_password

After using the php artisan migrate
Error:
  [PDOException]
  could not find driver

I am using Ubuntu, a remote box dedicated for me (from my employer). I have tried using sql server in my laravel app before (using my Windows PC). As far as I remember, I edited some texts in the xampp php.ini. As a newbie Linux user, it is too hard for me (since i was using only CLI).
EDITED ( new version )
So I already got the connectivity from Ubuntu to the Database server. I used the the sqlcmd -S <host> -U <username>
and I tested the queries (such as SELECT * from users_data) and it works.
Now, I modified the config/database.php and I added this.
'sqlsrv' => [
                'driver'   => 'MSSQL',
                'host'     => env('DB_HOST', 'host.of.the.database'),
                'database' => env('DB_DATABASE', 'my_database'),
                'username' => env('DB_USERNAME', 'my_username'),
                'password' => env('DB_PASSWORD', 'my_pass'),
          'port'     => '1433',
                'prefix'   => '',
            ],

but I got an Error:
[InvalidArgumentException]
  Unsupported driver [MSSQL]

"MSSQL" is the name I use to configure the FreeTDS.

A: Also had the could not find driver error, resolved the issue after installing following packages:
sudo apt-get install freetds-common freetds-bin unixodbc php5-sybase

However i am using the sqlsrv driver, here's my config/database.php:
'sqlsrv' => [
        'driver'   => 'sqlsrv',
        'host'     => env('DB_HOST', 'localhost'),
        'database' => env('DB_DATABASE', 'forge'),
        'username' => env('DB_USERNAME', 'forge'),
        'password' => env('DB_PASSWORD', ''),
        'charset'  => 'utf8',
        'prefix'   => '',
    ],

A: When installing sybase, ensure that it matches up with the version that your VM uses.
Run
php --version

and then install the right sybase version:
sudo apt-get install freetds-common freetds-bin unixodbc php7.#-sybase

If you're getting encoding errors, you'll need to update your freedts and php.ini configuration as well. Change the /etc/freetds/freetds.conf so that it looks like:
[global]
        # TDS protocol version
        tds version = 8.0

        # Whether to write a TDSDUMP file for diagnostic purposes
        # (setting this to /tmp is insecure on a multi-user system)
;       dump file = /tmp/freetds.log
;       debug flags = 0xffff

        # Command and connection timeouts
;       timeout = 10
;       connect timeout = 10

        # If you get out-of-memory errors, it may mean that your client
        # is trying to allocate a huge buffer for a TEXT field.
        # Try setting 'text size' to a more reasonable limit
        text size = 64512
        client charset =  UTF-8

# A typical Sybase server
[egServer50]
        host = symachine.domain.com
        port = 5000
        tds version = 5.0

# A typical Microsoft server
[egServer70]
        host = ntmachine.domain.com
        port = 1433
        tds version = 7.0

[mssql]
        host =
        Port = 1433
        tds version = 8.0

Add this to your php.ini:
client charset = UTF-8

A: For those who came after
Make sure of the PHP version you use (for me homestead currently using php 7.1, so I installed php7.1-sybase)
sudo apt-get install freetds-common freetds-bin unixodbc php7.1-sybase

And the driver is
'sqlsrv' => [
            'driver' => 'sqlsrv',
            'host' => env('DB_HOST', 'localhost'),
            'database' => env('DB_DATABASE', 'forge'),
            'port' => env('DB_PORT', '1433'),
            'username' => env('DB_USERNAME', 'forge'),
            'password' => env('DB_PASSWORD', ''),
            'charset' => 'utf8',
            'prefix' => '',
        ]

You can make sure that the connection information is correct using tsql
TDSVER=8.0 tsql -H Host -U Username -D DatabaseName -p 1433 -P Password

Note: After that you need to re-run command php artisan serve.

A: Always run sudo apt-get upgrade before trying to run these commands.
Thanks, these answers helped great. Please let me explain what I did using laravel/homestead vagrant box version 7.1.0 and PHP 7.3.
I ran the command sudo apt-get install freetds-common freetds-bin unixodbc php7.3-sybasein my vagrant homestead virtual box.
This command prompted me twice to either keep the local php.ini configuration file or use the "installer's version". I chose to use the installer's version both times, and everything worked great. Here is my database.php file in my laravel config folder. Also, I set default => env('DB_CONNECTION', 'sqlsrv')


text:
Women of the Century: Selection panelists reflect on impact of Oklahoma women
Clytie Bunyan
Women of the Century: Country singer Reba McEntire, Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller among inspiring women from Oklahoma USA Today: Women of the Century More videos: Women of the Century Outlook 2020: The Way We Live Outlook 2020: Business and Technology Outlook 2020: Innovators Outlook 2020: Education and Careers
In early February, a group of women gathered in a conference room at The Oklahoman to pore through biographies of Oklahoma women who have claimed a spot in history these past 100 years. Their task was to choose a diverse group of 10 who have made an impact not just in the state but on a national level.
The exercise was part of USA Today Network's Women of the Century project. Candidates ranged from artists, educators and authors to politicians and scientists, activists and philanthropists.
Numerous Oklahoma women have earned the honor of Women of the Century, but the task was to select 10 who have left a beneficial mark on society in public policy, civil rights, media, sports and the arts.
In the end, the 10 selected included 20th century trailblazers who changed laws and societal norms and bold 21st century go-getters who continue record-breaking achievements — Clara Luper in civil rights; Wilma Mankiller as a tribal leader; Shannon Lucid as a scientist; Edith Gaylord as a journalist and philanthropist; the Native American ballerinas known as the 5 moons, who all achieved international acclaim; historian Angie Elbertha Debo; Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher, the first Black student admitted to the University of Oklahoma law school; Shannon Miller as an Olympic gymnast; entertainer Reba McEntire; and author Susan Eloise Hinton.
They are women whose works remain as relevant today as when their achievements were gained or victories were won.
The assembled selection panel included community leaders, educators, historians and activists: Joyce Henderson, educator and civil rights activist; Marion Paden, CEO of Leadership Oklahoma and a former college administrator; Jessica Martinez-Brooks, former interim diversity and inclusion advocate at Oklahoma City University; Linda Kukuk, Native American artist; Dr. Deena Fisher, president of the Oklahoma Historical Society and dean emeritus for Northwestern Oklahoma State University and professor emeritus of History; Elizabeth Bass, editor of the Chronicles of Oklahoma; Sue Hinton, community activist and retired college professor; Donna Lawrence, co-founder of the Oklahoma Women's Coalition; and Linda Lynn, researcher at The Oklahoman.
All are leaders in their own right, difference-makers guided by their convictions and inspired by women who came before them.
They used words such as "courage," "confident" and "persistence" to describe the selected Women of the Century, who continue to inspire new generations. After about an hour of discussion, about half of the women were selected unanimously; the other half by a process of elimination.
"These wonderful women persevered through the hardships, challenges, highs, and lows. That made them emotionally strong," Fisher, the historian, said about the candidates. "Tough, but with a tender heart for things that are truly important in life. They cared enough to serve others. I have turned to them seeking perseverance, emotional fortitude, and wisdom."
Henderson, who as a child helped Luper desegregate lunch counters in Oklahoma, said the selected Oklahoma women "provided strength when courage became their DNA."
"We are a generation of women who feel empowered to make this city, state and nation a better place," Henderson said. "These courageous women had the 'I Can' attitude. It was evident they had strong values and passion for their respective calling."
Oklahoma's Women of the Century were hailed for their initiative to act instead of demurely sitting back, said Bass, who also is director of publications with the Oklahoma Historical Society.
"Women like Cherokee Chief Wilma Mankiller and astronaut Shannon Lucid did not achieve their dreams by staying silent and waiting to be acknowledged," she said. "They were confident that their contributions were useful and important, and they were not afraid to challenge the predominantly male voices around them. They worked to create an equal seat at the table for themselves not only through collaborative effort, but also through the power of their own desire to be heard."
For Kukuk, an opportunity to illustrate a children's book about Mankiller's life brought renewed efforts to share the former Cherokee Nation leader's story about how overcoming obstacles can make a person stronger. Kukuk said she was hesitant when Disney Hyperion Publishing called about illustrating the book.
"But after reading about her life and how many things she had done which she had never done before, and her ultimate success, that gave me the courage to accept Disney's offer," Kukuk said. "Deciding to step out and do something I had never tried before, was one of the best decisions I could have made. ... Hopefully, I will be able to share Chief Mankiller's legacy of courage and persistence with many more people in the future."
Panelist Sue Hinton remembered meeting activist Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher at an awards ceremony in the 1990s where she recalled her history-making effort to be admitted to the OU law school. Hinton was 2 months old when Fisher was admitted to OU in 1949.
"Meeting Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher was one of the memorable moments of my career. ... One does not often meet a living legend," Hinton said. "I felt like I was speaking to a saint. I admired her stamina. She continued in public service to the end."
For panelist Lawrence, who has spent years working toward better outcomes for women and girls, the selected Oklahoma 10 is a reminder of her own heritage from five generations of strong women who still influence her actions.
"I believe my tenacity and courage to push boundaries and policies that improve lives is a direct reflection of a family heritage," Lawrence said. "I was raised with the belief that it was my responsibility to help those in need and to help change the community for the better. That was instilled into the fiber of my being and I hope my children feel the same drive to make a difference."
Today, as we celebrate our Women of the Century, we also lift up those who have worked and continue to effect the betterment of others and those who aim to achieve personal goals. They are continuing a progressive history of Oklahoma women who more than a century ago pushed for an amendment to the state's constitution and won the right to vote, nearly two years before the federal law that granted that right on Aug. 26, 1920. History should make it clear, however, that for Black women, the 19th amendment did not end their struggle. Women like Luper continued the fight for more than 40 years until the Voting Rights Act in 1965 disallowed racial discrimination in voting.