The year 2016 shook the very existence of Nagorno-Karabakh to the core. The short four -day April war was prevented from becoming a disaster thanks to the heroic resistance and self-sacrifice of our soldiers. The war revealed shortcomings in intelligence, ammunition and military hardware. The war was abruptly halted just when the Armenian side was set to regain lost territories. In Armenia, the war set off resentment towards Russia for not honoring its commitments, and outrage at our unpreparedness. Worldwide, there was an outpouring of support for Artsakh and specially our soldiers, among Armenians. The war ultimately left deep scars in our psyche.
A lot has changed since the April war. It exposed vulnerabilities related to our defense structure, such as supply mechanisms to the soldiers guarding the front line and inadequate fortifications. It revealed a major foul up in our intelligence capabilities. We found out that military hardware that was promised was never delivered by the Russians. Our lagging foreign policy was misdirected, our negotiating stance had been weak. Our relationship with friendly as well as adversarial countries is incoherent and unreliable.
On the diplomatic front, it is still a stalemate. The American and French representatives in the OSCE Minsk group have been replaced. James Warlick's departure is particularly welcome as his views were more in line with Baku. The OSCE chairmanship will be handed over from Germany to Austria. Germany was not able to enforce its resolve to implement monitoring mechanisms. Hopefully, Austria will be able to instill new impetus to the negotiations. For now, it seems that the Russians are increasingly playing a larger role in the mediation efforts. Surprisingly, the Armenian government is sticking to its precondition that the agreements reached in St. Petersburg and Vienna have to be executed before negotiations can be resumed. In Hamburg, the OSCE did reiterate- without pointing fingers, of course- that those agreements have to be executed, that there can be no military solution and that war crimes should not be committed.
The hope is that Armenian government authorities have learned their lesson. They seem ready to change course. Asked what he thought of a step-by-step resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharian stated that the attack by Azerbaijan in April proved that Azerbaijan is not interested in a package deal. He went on to say that the only viable solution would be for Azerbaijan to recognize the independence of the republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, return territories belonging to Nagorno-Karabakh and start negotiations to designate the frontiers between the two nations.
What is troubling is a speech given by failed first president Levon Terpetrosian. His recommendation is to resign to the fact that the only solution to Armenia's economic viability is to be ready to cede territories. He is oblivious to the fact that one cannot talk of concessions with an untrustworthy megalomaniac like Aliyev who has laid claim to Yerevan and has sworn to conquer it. Terpetrosian's kind of thinking desecrates the memory of all those who fought and died for the liberation of Artsakh. Most disturbingly, Azerbaijan has garnered military support from Israel and the president of Belarus- a member of the Collective Security Organization- has sided with Azerbaijan.
An unexpected but refreshing statement was made by Kostantin Zatulin, director of the CIS Institute, where he directly named Azerbaijan as responsible for the April attack. He reiterated Russia's responsibility in helping Armenia. According to him, Nagorno-Karabakh cannot be part of Azerbaijan, since there are no longer Soviet Azerbaijan territories as such.
1. Azerbaijan, by initiating its attack in contravention of its cease fire commitments, proved once again that it is not negotiating in good faith and that a step by step agreement cannot survive nor can be trusted.
2. Armenia, surviving and overcoming the attack with minimal territorial losses.
3. Armenia, acquiring Iskandar missiles (this might be offset by Azerbaijan acquiring the Iron Dome and the Barak 8 missile systems from Israel).
4. Armenia, insisting on monitoring mechanisms all along the line of contact.
5. Nagorno-Karabakh, strengthening its defense fortifications along the front line.
6. Nagorno-Karabakh, investigating and exposing to the world human rights community proven war crimes committed by Azeri forces, on the military as well as civilians.
7. Diaspora Armenians, strengthening support for Artsakh.
A much needed change in the terms of our negotiating stance.
Building better fortifications on the frontier.
Creation of an arms industry.
Organization and training of volunteer army reserves.
Refusal to attend any negotiations until resolutions reached are enacted.
Clearing of corruption from the armed forces.
Creation of a ministry of Veteran's Affairs to help the families of fallen or injured soldiers.
Initiating and reinforcing new settlement projects in front line villages.
allow this to happen again. For this not to happen, we need to be more aggressive both on the diplomatic as well as the military front. It is unfair on our part to rely solely on the bravery of our soldiers and their love and commitment to the homeland to compensate for our shortcomings as a nation. This is even more dramatically true for us residing in the Diaspora, when we don't do our share in contributing to the survival of Artsakh.
In this endeavor, all efforts should be directed to reinforce and fulfill the drive to statehood. The time has come to break the mold and take bold steps to reach for the humanly probable. It is, in the long-run, counter to the national interests of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to hope for a just settlement of the conflict. The all-out attack in April proved that running down the clock is not the right approach. It is a time bomb ready to explode into another devastating all-out war. There needs to be a shift away from negotiations, directed instead towards garnering support with our friends for the recognition of the right of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, to statehood.
Peace and freedom for the people of Artsakh.


text:
Q: Can a PHP function expect a type? I'm trying to do something like this:
function get_value($value)
{
    if (is_null($value)) {
        if ($value expects array) {
            return ['hello', 'world'];
        }
        else {
            return 'hello world';
        }
    }

    return $value;
}

So that I can call it in an echo or a foreach like this:
$value = null;

foreach(get_value($value) as $value) {
    echo $value;
}

echo get_value($value);

So the foreach would expect an array, but the echo would expect a string.
Is this possible?

A: It is not possible to use functions like that.
However, if you go a bit further and start using objects then you can actually achieve that by creating a class that implements the IteratorAggregate interface together with defining the __toString() magic method.
class GetValue implements \IteratorAggregate
{
    private $value;

    public function __construct($value = null)
    {
        $this->value = $value === null ? ['hello', 'world'] : (array) $value;
    }

    public function getIterator() {
        return new \ArrayIterator($this->value);
    }

    public function __toString()
    {
        return implode(' ', $this->value);
    }
}

$valueIterator = new GetValue();

echo $valueIterator;

foreach ($valueIterator as $key => $value) {
    echo "\n" . $key . ' => ' . $value;
}

Example on sandbox

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Resources & Initiatives >
Risk Assessment, Risk Management, Safety Planning >
Risk assessment, management, and safety planning are crucial to reducing exposure to further violence, including homicide, with families experiencing domestic violence. Moreover, risk assessment, management and safety planning needs to be informed by the unique nature of vulnerable individuals and communities.
You can also access online learning related to risk and safety here.
The Canadian Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative (CDHPI) strives to:
Foster collaboration and communication among organizations that work with victims and perpetrators of domestic violence;
Identify missed opportunities for intervention and prevention in prior cases of domestic homicide and develop recommendations aimed at different helping systems to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future;
Ascertain and analyze best practices for risk assessment, management and safety planning within vulnerable communities.
Key Resources: Risk & Safety
A risk-led approach to domestic violence: The MARAC model in the UK.
This presentation by Robinson, describes the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARAC). Within the presentation, results are discussed from a previous study that examined the impact that this tool had in a community. Overall, repeat victimization was reduced after the use of the MARAC. The author recommends using a multi-agency network of professionals to protect high-risk victims and the need for cooperation to overcome challenges around implementing these networks.
Accounting for risk and danger practice checklists: Coordinating risk assessment in domestic violence cases.
This document, by Sponsler-Garcia, provides practice checklists in a number of areas (e.g., Advocacy Programs) that can be used to examine agencies' responses to domestic violence and their collaboration with other agencies. These checklists were developed by the Battered Women Justice Project (BWJP) in order to assist jurisdictions with making sure that potential risks to victims are identified and addressed. The checklists take a number of factors into consideration, such as: confidentiality, ongoing risk assessment, and utilization of different sources of information. The document presents practice checklists for the following areas: Advocacy Programs, emergency communications, reducing risk by maximizing victim safety and offender accountability, emergency communications, responding officers, investigating officers, jail/detention, conditions of release/bail, prosecutors, judges, probation, batterer's programs.
Agir pour prévenir l'homicide de la conjointe (Preventing domestic homicide of women: an intervention guide).
This document, written by Drouin et al., is an intervention guide that provides shelter workers with assessment and intervention skills to prevent domestic homicide. It includes: an overview of domestic homicide; key principles for intervention when there is high risk; risk assessment tools; recommendations to support workers following a crisis; ways to provide support for a woman navigating through the judicial process using a feminist approach; and ethical considerations with these interventions. Risk assessment recommendations focus on the use of specific tools. Recommendations for risk management relate to the specific needs of the woman. The guide states that safety planning is a high priority and should be developed through collaboration with the woman and worker. Concrete components of safety planning are provided in the guide, along with recommendations for safety planning when children are involved.
An analysis of the domestic violence lethality assessment in Johnson County, Kansas.
The report, written by Schott et al., examines the validity of the Domestic Violence Lethality Assessment (DVLA). Two hundred and seventy-two cases were analyzed and the DVLA was found to have predictive validity in its current construction. However, an analysis of the items found that some of the individual items are not related to outcomes in their current form. A recommendation made by the authors is to divide the DVLA into three categories of risk (low, medium, high). In addition, the DVLA and the Domestic Violence Screening Instrument-Revised (DVSI-R) seem to agree on the way in which levels of risk are measured. Increases in DVLA score are associated with increases in the level of risk as assessed by the DVSI-R. The DVLA in its present form should continue to be assessed for validity.
Assessing the Risk of Domestic Violence Offenders
This research summary provides information regarding how to best assess risk of reoffending among domestic violence offenders. The report concluded that the Spousal Assault Risk Assessment guide (SARA) is a useful scale for measuring domestic violence offenders. The SARA is empirically supported and has shown to be moderately accurate at predicting which offenders are more likely to reoffend.
Domestic Homicide Prevention: The Importance of Collaboration
This set of videos offers information and opinions from national and international experts regarding domestic homicide risk assessment, risk management and safety planning, and the importance of information sharing and collaboration. Speakers include Jacquelyn Campbell, Randy Kropp, Stephen Hart, Katreena Scott, Verona Singer, Peter Jaffe, Jeff Edleson, Linda Baker, Neil Websdale
Domestic-related homicide and domestic violence risk assessment tools
This is a presentation by Rollings et al. that describes the risk assessments used by police services in Australia and risk factors commonly found in cases of domestic homicide. Reasons for using risk assessment tools, as well as the drawbacks of doing so are listed. The presentation concludes with a proposal of a project titled, "Risk factors for domestic violence and domestic-related homicide" with Queensland Police.
Domestic violence MARACs (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences) for very high-risk victims in Cardiff, Wales: A process and outcome evaluation.
This study, written by Robinson, provides a description and evaluation of the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARAC), which focus on managing violent and sexual offenders. For the purposes of the evaluation, interviews and data from police files (from 146 women) were used. MARACs were evaluated over a 6-month period. This report includes the findings from a process evaluation that involved site visits and key informant interviews, and an outcome evaluation that incorporated police data and victim interviews. Results indicate that respondents view MARACs as an important tool in responding to domestic violence. Respondents felt that MARACs make information sharing between agencies easier, assist in identifying key contacts, promote awareness about the impact of domestic violence on children, and improve victim safety. These findings highlight the benefits of using a multi-agency approach to helping victims of domestic violence.
Domestic Violence Risk Assessment: Informing Safety Planning & Risk Management Brief
View Printable PDF French version
Engaging men and boys in domestic violence prevention: Opportunities and promising approaches.
This report, written by Wells et al., analyzes the literature on engaging men and boys in the prevention of domestic violence and identifies promising practices. Seven promising areas of engagement are identified: (1) engaging fathers in domestic violence prevention, (2) men's health and domestic violence prevention, (3) the role of sports and recreation in domestic violence prevention, (4) the role of the workplace in domestic violence prevention, (5) the role of peer relationships in domestic violence prevention, (6) men as allies in preventing domestic violence, and (7) Indigenous healing and domestic violence prevention. The report recognizes that further discussion is needed on working with men and boys in violence prevention.
Escalating violence: How to assess and respond to risk: A review of international experience.
This review, written by Murphy & McDonnell, analyzes frameworks of domestic violence assessment and current practices in Ireland. The benefits of developing formal violence risk assessment frameworks are highlighted. The authors make recommendations that include: 1) conducting further research to identify best practices for risk assessment and safety planning in Ireland, 2) having service providers present during risk assessment, 3) creating protocols and procedures for next steps after a risk assessment is made, 4) having a jointly maintained database of domestic violence related statistics, and 5) forming a domestic violence multi-disciplinary team to develop risk-assessment frameworks.
Greater Newburyport Domestic Violence High Risk Team: Safety and Accountability Annual Report (2005-2011)
This is a brief report providing an overview of the background of the Greater Newburyport Domestic Violence High Risk Team and the 3-step model they use to intervene in the escalation of violent situations. The 3-step model begins with a risk assessment, followed by an intervention from a multi-disciplinary team, and concludes with ongoing monitoring and containment. The report also includes a breakdown of domestic violence statistics in Greater Newburyport from 2005-2011.
Interagency Case Assessment Team Best Practices: Working Together to Reduce the Risk of Domestic Violence
This manual was developed to guide and support the operation of local high risk domestic violence Interagency Case Assessment Teams (ICATs) in British Columbia. The manual also helps to enhance collaboration among members of existing ICATs; guide and support communities interested in developing an ICAT; and encourages consistent ICAT practices in different parts of the province. The manual was developed collaboratively with representatives from criminal justice, child welfare, and community-based anti-violence programs and published through the Ending Violence Association of BC.
Intervening with perpetrators of intimate partner violence: A global perspective.
Rothman et al. examined batterer intervention programs across the world. Seventy-four programs (56 classified as 'batterer intervention programs') were identified from 38 different countries. It was found that most often these programs grew out of existing counselling or advocacy services. Most practitioners in these programs choose intervention models based on a number of factors including knowledge of and access to curricula; reputation or name recognition of the model; theoretical orientation; and the model's definition of intimate partner violence (IPV). The authors recommended that work be done toward the development of international best practice guidelines on batterer intervention; practitioners be provided with simply written translated syntheses of the empirical research on IPV causes and consequences; and international collaboration among programs to improve services.
Intervenir auprès des hommes pour prévenir l'homicide conjugal. (Intervening with men to prevent spousal homicide).
This reference guide, written by Drouin et al., is for professionals who work with perpetrators of intimate partner violence, especially in situations of high lethal risk. The guide provides an overview of domestic homicide and strategies for risk assessment and management after separation. The guide recommends conducting risk assessment using the Assessing the risk of spousal homicide tool. Recommendations for risk management and safety planning are discussed.
Intimate Partner Violence Risk Assessment Tools: A Review
This report is a comprehensive review of various intimate partner violence risk assessment tools. The report provides information regarding the use of risk assessment tools in situations of intimate partner violence, as well as the types of assessment tools available and their approaches, strengths and limitations.
Intimate Partner Violence Risk Assessment Validation Study
This report assesses the predictive accuracy of the Danger Assessment (DA), the Threat Assessment Method (DV-MOSAIC), the Domestic Violence Screening Instrument (DVSI), and the Kingston Screening Instrument for Domestic Violence (K-SID) in assessing risk of repeat assault or potential lethality in domestic violence cases. The results concluded that, for the most part, the majority of the aforementioned assessments have strong psychometric properties. However, if available, additional information should be considered when making decisions regarding a victim's safety.
Intimate partner violence risk assessment validation study: Final report.
This document, written by Roehl et al., describes a multi-site field test to analyze the predictive accuracy of different risk assessment methods and tools for repeat assault or lethality in domestic violence cases (i.e., SARA, The Domestic Violence Inventory – Risk and Needs Assessment, K-SID, The Domestic Violence Screening Inventory, Danger Assessment, DV-MOSAIC). A sample of 1307 women were interviewed, provided questionnaires, and were randomly assigned to receive certain risk assessments. Findings compare the different risk assessment methods in terms of predicting future assaults or risks for lethal violence.
Intimate partner violence risk assessment validation study: The RAVE study
This report, written by Roehl et al., examined the accuracy of different domestic violence risk assessment approaches. Four risk assessments methods (i.e., Danger Assessment, DV-MOSAIC, Domestic Violence Screening Instrument, and Kingston Screening Instrument for Domestic Violence) were tested, along with the victim's own risk assessment. Data are based on baseline and follow-up interviews with a sample of 782 women and arrest information of the offenders. The study found that all four of the risk assessment tools were significantly related to subsequent severity of abuse, although they were not very highly related. In addition, all of them predicted assault and severe assault significantly better than chance. The DA and the victim's self-report were found to be most strongly correlated with subsequent abuse, however, these correlations were low. The report further describes differences that were found between the measures.
Inventory of spousal violence risk assessment tools used in Canada
This report from the Department of Justice Canada provides a summary of domestic violence risk assessment tools, checklists, and protocols used by criminal justice workers in Canada in 2008. Findings revealed that although some organizations were using validated risk assessment tools, others used ones they developed themselves. Investigative checklists and case management tools do not have the same predictive abilities as risk assessment tools, however they still have important functions (e.g., the development of victim safety plans and offender risk/need plans; raising risk factor awareness among police; providing evidence for trials and sentencing). Findings for factors related to effectiveness of reducing risk and increasing safety are described and the potential for national standard risk assessment practices.
Issues in risk assessment in the field of intimate partner violence: What practitioners need to know
This is a presentation by Campbell & Wolf that outlines a study on intimate partner femicide within 11 cities. Data are drawn from police records and proxy interviews about cases of actual and attempted femicides, and surveys with battered and non-battered women (controls). Findings reveal that most items from the Danger Assessment tool were more likely to be present in femicide and attempted femicide cases than in cases of abuse, and 65% of the cases had missed opportunities for prevention. The authors recommend that stalking be added to intimate partner femicide risk assessment and that while the Danger Assessment can be a good basis for safety planning, cutoffs should not be used for deciding protection for women.
Keeping Women Alive- Assessing the Danger
This report investigates the utilization of the Danger Assessment tool in Alberta with the purpose of informing women's shelter practices, providing evidence-based research to community stakeholders, and piloting a train-the-trainer model. The report provides a number of recommendations on how to enhance the safety of women and children who are involved with women's shelters in Alberta.
Lessons Learned from Domestic Violence Tragedies: Emerging Research, Policies, and Practices to Prevent Domestic Homicides
This paper summarizes key ideas and recommendations from a national think tank on the prevention of domestic homicides. The think-tank brought together 39 practitioners, researchers, and government officials representing Canada from coast to coast. The purpose of this discussion paper is to reflect on the current research, policy, and practices across Canada that have been directed at preventing domestic homicides and provides a framework for future directions.
Lethality Assessment Tools: A Critical Analysis
This report is a critical analysis of the use and effectiveness of lethality assessment tools. The author analyzed several assessment tools, and applied them to domestic homicide research to determine their usefulness. Ultimately the researcher concluded that these assessments would most appropriately be used as methods for evaluating future dangerousness, as opposed to predicting lethal outcomes.
ProActive Resolutions: Release of the SARA-V3
ProActive Resolutions: The SARA-V3 is the latest version of the Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide (SARA), developed by Drs. Randall Kropp and Stephen Hart. The SARA is a set of structured professional judgement guidelines for the assessment and management of risk for intimate partner violence (IPV). The SARA provides evaluators with a systematic, standardized, and practical framework for gathering and considering information when making decisions about IPV risk. It is designed to help evaluators exercise their best judgment. The SARA has been extensively evaluated and is being used in over 15 countries spanning 5 continents.
Recognizing and Responding to Risk Factors for Domestic Homicide in New Brunswick
This is a presentation created by Dr. Deborah Doherty outlining the areas surrounding risk factors for domestic homicide. The presentation includes an overview of the risk factors associated with New Brunswick domestic homicides and murder-suicides, a comparison of the differences between rural and urban experiences of abuse, and an exploration into unique rural-based solutions.
Reducing Recidivism in Domestic Violence Cases
This report provides an overview of the literature available on domestic violence recidivism; evaluates the risk assessment tools available to predict recidivism; as analyzes and discusses recidivism data related to incidents of domestic violence in western Canada. The results concluded that a number of risk factors for recidivism exist including mental illness, a history of complaints by the victim, and violations of no-contact orders. Furthermore, the researchers recommend the use of risk assessment tools that can be used by police officers, particularly those that provide certification through one-day training.
Research results from a national study of intimate partner homicide: The Danger Assessment instrument.
This is a report written by Campbell et al. that examines the ability of the Danger Assessment (DA) to predict intimate partner homicide among women in violent relationships. The study uses interviews with proxy informants for intimate partner homicides and with women experiencing violence in their intimate relationships. The sample was gathered from 12 cities in the U.S. The core findings are that: (a) 15 of the 17 DA items distinguished IPH victims from abused women (all but partner and victim suicidality); (b) use (or threatened use) of a weapon and threatened with being killed were the strongest predictors of IPH over abuse; (c) the average DA score was significantly higher among IPHs than abused controls; and (d) internal consistency of the DA was acceptable among the IPHs (0.73) and controls (0.76). Results suggest that a score of 4 or higher should be considered as indicating serious risk.
Risk Assessment, Risk Management & Safety Planning Knowledge Exchange
This paper summarizes the presentations and discussions that arose out of the Risk Assessment, Risk Management and Safety Planning Knowledge Exchange that took place on October 17-19, 2012 in London, Ontario. The purpose of the knowledge exchange was to bring together professionals from across the country who work in the violence against women sector to begin a national dialogue that would also help facilitate the development of a national strategy to examine, address, and share the issues, challenges, and best practices in the area of risk assessment, risk management and safety planning among cases of domestic violence. Topics include: domestic violence death review; an overview of domestic violence risk assessment; collaborative risk assessment within a system context; recognizing children at risk for domestic homicides; risk assessment with vulnerable populations; risk management; safety planning; and developing a blue print for a national strategy.
Risk Factors for Femicide in Abusive Relationships: Results From a Multisite Case Control Study
This paper identifies risk factors for lethality for women living with domestic violence. The researchers interviewed 220 proxies of victims of intimate partner femicide/homicide, as well as 343 abused women. Common risk factors identified were the perpetrator's access to a firearm, previous threats with a weapon, perpetrator's stepchild in the home, and separation/estrangement. Additional risk factors are identified and discussed.
Safety Planning Across Culture & Community: A Guide for Front Line Violence Against Women Responders
This guide was developed to help professionals who support survivors of woman abuse broaden their approach to safety planning by including more specific factors and considerations relevant to women with differing social locations. The guide outlines: 1) general risk identification and safety planning with women who are victims of violence in an intimate relationship; 2) risk identification with women across culture; immigrant and refugee women; older women; sex workers; younger women; women with disabilities; lesbian, bisexual, and queer women; and trans people; and 3) resources available to survivors of woman abuse. The guide was created by the Community Coordination for Women's Safety and the Ending Violence Association of BC.
The development of the Brief Spousal Assault Form for the Evaluation of Risk (B-SAFER): A tool for criminal justice professionals.
This report, written by Kropp & Hart, outlines the development and assessment of the Brief Spousal Assault Form for the Evaluation of Risk (B-SAFER). The authors began by assessing the Spousal Assault Risk Assessment Guide (SARA) and a modified version for police. The authors used these findings, which suggested a need to shorten, simplify, and revise the forms, to develop the B-SAFER. The B-SAFER was tested by looking at forms completed by police for spousal violence cases in Canada and Sweden. The findings of the evaluation are discussed.
The family violence risk assessment project and its domestic violence screening instrument (DVSI-R).
This document was developed by the State of Connecticut Judicial branch and provides a review of the Domestic Violence Screening Instrument-Revised (DVSI-R). It identifies four variables found by previous research to have significant effects on predicting recidivism: 1) the DVSI-R risk score, with a higher score being associated with a greater likelihood of reoffending; 2) type of violence, with intimate partner violence associated with greater recidivism compared to other forms of family violence; 3) number of victims, with more victims being associated with greater likelihood of reoffending; and 4) imminent risk as rated by a counsellor. A future study on family violence offenders is also briefly described.
The validity of risk assessments for intimate partner violence: A meta-analysis.
This report, written by Hanson et al., provides a quantitative review of spousal assault risk assessments through a meta-analysis. It analyzes the predictive validity of different approaches to risk assessment of repeated spousal assault that were identified in 18 studies. The findings of the meta-analysis describe the predictive accuracy of the approaches and describe the most accurate tools. The authors make the claim that the predictive accuracy can be improved through combining specific and general risk factors, alongside information from different sources.
The Western Australian Family and Domestic Violence Common Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework
This manual outlines the Western Australian Family and Domestic Violence Common Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework. The manual includes a background of the framework, a history of risk assessment, key information service providers need to be aware of when screening or assessing family and domestic violence, supportive legislation of integrated responses to manage risk and improve safety, and a guide for family and domestic violence screening and risk assessment.
Threat Assessment and Risk Management in Domestic Violence Cases: An Overview of Ontario Justice and Community Collaboration for 2010 and Future Directions
In 2010, the Centre for Research and Education on Violence against Women and Children (CREVAWC) hosted a conference entitled "Reducing the risk for lethal violence: Collaboration in threat assessment and risk management." The purpose of the conference was to initiate more dialogue with community and justice partners around the issues of threat assessment, risk management, and collaboration among systems. Two hundred and eighty-six people attended the conference and represented justice, community, and government sectors. The conference was funded by the Ontario Women's Directorate. This paper summarizes the discussions at this conference on the challenges of collaborating on risk management, solutions to the barriers of information sharing, and potential actions plans to enhance collaboration on risk management and threat assessment in different jurisdictions.
Tools help police prevent domestic abuse; Domestic Assault Risk Assessment evaluates likelihood of future violence
In March, police services are introducing the Domestic Violence Risk Management Screening tool, an improved Domestic Violence Supplementary Report Form created years ago by the Ministry of the Solicitor General and OPP.
Training Needs of Community Professionals Involved in Threat Assessment and Risk Management in Domestic Violence Cases: Feedback from an Ontario Multidisciplinary Forum
This is a brief report highlighting the feedback received from the forum titled "Reducing the Risk of Lethal Violence: Collaboration in Threat Assessment and Risk Management: From Theory to Practice." The feedback was collected in the form of a survey, and assessed whether or not the information provided in the forum was helpful in changing practices in communities regarding threat assessment and risk management.
Validation and expansion of the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA) Instrument: An early warning system.
This paper, written by Moser & Campbell, describes a study to assess the validity and expansion of the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA). A random sample of 200 offenders selected from police reports of intimate partner violence (IPV) were followed for six years. Findings reveal that the instrument is able to distinguish recidivists from non-recidivists, regardless of gender (victim or perpetrator) or type of violence that was perpetrated. The ODARA is also effective in distinguishing between low, moderate, and high risk for IPV perpetrators, regardless of whether the violence was physical or non-physical. The study found similar risk profiles and offending patterns between male and female perpetrators. There was no relationship between police officers' decision to arrest the perpetrator and their risk of IPV, however situational factors were found to be relevant to their decision-making. It is recommended that police formally assess risk to triage offenders and victims to suitable interventions based on level of risk.
Validation study of the Domestic Violence Screening Instrument (DVSI): All assessments completed between August 2003 and July 2007.
This report, written by Hisashina, examines the validity of the Domestic Violence Screening Instrument (DVSI), by examining its distributions and accuracy from assessments completed in Hawaii between 2003 and 2007. Results revealed categories of risk that were most commonly used to classify offenders, and commonly reported risk factors. Overall, the accuracy of the DVSI is supported.
WAYPOINT Centre for Mental Health Care – Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA) e-learning program
Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care in Penetanguishene, Ontario offers an interactive e-learning program for assessors to learn to use the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA) tool. The ODARA is an actuarial risk assessment tool was created by the Research Department at Waypoint in collaboration with the Ontario Provincial Police Behavioural Sciences and Analysis Section and the Research Department at Waypoint. The ODARA assesses the risk of re-assault for men who have abused their intimate partners. Professionals who work with perpetrators and/or victims of woman abuse can use the ODARA. The interactive e-learning program provides the research background and validations of the ODARA; detailed scoring instructions; and practice cases. The program takes 4-6 hours to complete and is free for Ontario agencies responding to intimate partner violence.
Risk & Safety: Online Learning

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The young mother drew the blanket close to shade her baby. The sun burned down on Susanna and the hundreds of others waiting patiently in line, hoping to see a doctor. Born just weeks before in rural Honduras, her baby boy was a gift from God. Her stomach throbbed in pain as she held her child, she prayed the line would move faster.
Like most mothers, Susanna had put the care of her newborn before herself. It had been weeks since Susanna had given birth and now she was ill. The burning in her stomach was unbearable. The medical missionaries working in the "clinic" set up in the local school promised they would get to everyone. The line of people snaked across the schoolyard and out the entrance gate.
For many, this would be the only doctor or nurse they would see for months, if not that year.
One of the medical mission workers noticed Susanna carrying her baby and gave her a seat as she waited. When a nurse finally reached her, she feared it was the baby who was sick. Instead, Susanna told her of the ongoing gastrointestinal issues she was suffering. Her stomach hurt all the time; she couldn't eat.
This is a story rarely heard in the United States. Expectant mothers do not have to wait in fields to receive care from medical missionaries.
Expectant women living in the developing world are often malnourished when they become pregnant. Their bodies are in are ill-equipped to provide the nutrients a growing baby needs. Both the mothers and their babies are vulnerable unless they have access to prenatal vitamins. These vitamins are easily accessible and commonplace in the US but can be rare and life-saving in resource-poor communities.
Blessedly for this woman, a medical mission team was able to help her. And, these devoted servants were well-equipped with prenatal vitamins and other medicines provided by MAP International.


text:
Discover We're All a Little "Crazy" Episode 8 - Season 1 - Featuring Pam Shriver, American former professional tennis player & current broadcaster for ESPN & BBC; Prim Siripipat, Former Duke NCAA Tennis Star & Professional Tennis player, and current TV/Radio Host
Episode 8 - Season 1 - Featuring Pam Shriver, American former professional tennis player & current broadcaster for ESPN & BBC; Prim Siripipat, Former Duke NCAA Tennis Star & Professional Tennis player, and current TV/Radio Host
We're all a little "Crazy" is brought to you by the #SameHere Global Mental Health Movement & The Hockey Podcast Network.
Darren Rovell: Sports business insider
Theo Fleury: NHL great, mental health advocate & member of the #SameHere Alliance
Eric Kussin: 20-year professional sports executive, mental health advocate, and founder of the #SameHere global mental health movement
Episode 8: Pam Shriver & Prim Siripipat
Prim is a former Duke tennis team star, now an Anchor for SportsCenter. Prim made a comeback tour after SportsCenter to become a pro tennis player before working as an analyst for US Open. She is now working on her Ph.D. in sports psychology.
Pamela Howard Shriver is an American former professional tennis player. She currently is a tennis broadcaster for ESPN and a pundit for BBC tennis coverage. During the 1980s and 1990s, she won 133 titles, including 21 women's singles titles, 111 women's doubles titles, and one mixed doubles title. She is a mental health advocate and close with Naomi Osaka.
We're all a little "Crazy" is available on ALL Podcast Apps! Do us a favor and download each episode before you listen, and if you are an Apple user, please rate & review the podcast as it helps us get these important conversations out to reach a larger audience.
"This topic isn't for 1 in 5 of us with mental illness, it's for 5 in 5 whose mental health has been impacted".- Theo Fleury
Episode 26 - Season 1 - Featuring Brent Sopel
Episode 25 - Season 1 - Featuring Brian Cuban
Episode 24 - Season 1
Episode 23 - Season 1 - Note on Evander Kane
Episode 22 - Season 1 - Featuring Jocko Sims, American Film and Television Actor
Episode 21 - Season 1 - Featuring Jack Riggins, Retired Commander in the US Navy SEALs & Shaun Arntsen, Retired Corporal Canadian Military 3PPCLI
Episode 20 - Season 1 - Featuring Kevin Stevens (American Former Hockey Player and Current Scout in the National Hockey League)
Episode 19 - Season 1 - Featuring Tyler Hamilton & Dr. Rick Rosa (American Former Professional Road Bicycle Racer; Sports Chiropractor &Recovery Specialist)
Episode 18 - Season 1 - Featuring Brent Sopel (Retired NHL Player & Stanley Cup Champion, Founder of the Brent Sopel Foundation, and Mental Health Advocate)
Episode 17 - Season 1 - Featuring Dr. Will Van Der Veer (Integrative Psychiatry, Practitioner, Researcher, and Educator)
Episode 16 - Season 1 - Featuring Samantha Arsenault-Livingstone (American Olympic Gold Medalist in Swimming)
Episode 15 - Season 1 - Featuring Reggie Walker (American Football Linebacker who played in the NFL and also NCAA College Football at Kansas State)
Episode 14 - Season 1 - Featuring Michael Sweetney (An American Professional Basketball Player who played Four Seasons in the NBA)
Episode 13 - Season 1 - Featuring Chukwunweze Sonume "Chukky" Okobi (Former American Football Center, NFL Super Bowl Champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers, & Actor)
Episode 12 - Season 1 - Featuring Riley Cote (Former Canadian NHL Winger, Assistant Coach with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL, and Now Creative Entrepreneur Focusing on Mindfulness)
Episode 11 - Season 1 - Featuring Jimmy Conrad (American retired soccer player, four-time MLS Best XI, the 2005 MLS Defender of the Year, and FIFA World Cup Tournament veteran)
Episode 10 - Season 1 - Featuring Dr. John Rosa & Marc Stcherbina (Discussing Andrew Yang's comments on the Mental Health Challenges in New York City)
Episode 9 - Season 1 - Featuring Randall Telfer, former NCAA & NFL American Football Tight End
Episode 7 - Season 1 - Featuring Matt Szczur, American professional baseball outfielder in the St. Louis Cardinals organization & Digital Artist
#SameHere & The Hockey Podcast Network


Who made Kelly Ripa's blue floral dress?
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Who made Kelly Ripa's yellow leopard dress?
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Who made Kelly Ripa's tiger floral dress?
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Who made Kelly Ripa's white sweater and turquoise pants?
Who made Kelly Ripa's leopard print shirt?
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Who made Kelly Ripa's black polka dot dress?


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Colts News
Miami Dolphins Land HBO's Hard Knocks, Colts Miss Golden Opportunity
By Brad Wells May 29, 2012, 3:30pm EDT
Share All sharing options for: Miami Dolphins Land HBO's Hard Knocks, Colts Miss Golden Opportunity
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 4: Andrew Luck #12 of the Indianapolis Colts participates during a rookie minicamp at the team facility on May 4, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
It looks like the Colts missed a golden opportunity to help reignite the fanbase. Mike Chappell reported over the weekend that Indy had told HBO's Hard Knocks 'thanks for offer, but no thanks.' Today, Miami coach Joe Philbin told reporters that HBO's football show chronicling an NFL team during preseason will focus on the Dolphins.
Interestingly, just like the Colts, the Dolphins have a new head coach (Philbin) and a new franchise quarterback in Ryan Tannehill. Also like the Colts, the Dolphins are struggling to reconnect with fans. Though, to be fair to Miami fans, there hasn't been much to cheer for since Dan Marino retired in 1999.
The Colts would have been a more compelling story for Hard Knocks had team ownership not been so seemingly close-minded about allowing them in. It's important for fans to know who Andrew Luck is; who new head coach Chuck Pagano is. Local TV station interviews, profiles in newspapers like the Indianapolis Star, and silly little video clips on Colts.com don't do that.
Too scripted. Too phoney.
It would have helped this franchise to see a young, new, exciting team profiled, warts and all. Oh well.


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Indianapolis Colts-New England Patriots kickoff flexed
By Marc Sessler NFL.com
Published: Nov. 5, 2012 at 01:13 p.m.
Updated: Nov. 5, 2012 at 08:06 p.m.
Atkins off Bengals' PUP list
Panthers kicker pushes trombone player at halftime
Gather the children around the fire and listen up: Flex scheduling is back.
The NFL on Monday announced a change to its Week 11 slate of games, shifting the Sunday, Nov. 18 affair between the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots from 1 p.m. ET to 4:25 p.m. ET.
Jeremiah: Luck makes Colts legit
In his Week 9 notes, Daniel Jeremiah says the Colts are bound for big things in 2012 with Andrew Luck under center. More ...
More importantly, "Sunday Night Football" between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers remains unaltered.
Flex scheduling runs through Week 17 and allows the NFL to promote its best games to a wider audience, while pushing potential prime-time stinkers back into the wider mix of Sunday fare. To sum it up: Everybody wins.
The NFL must announce tweaked Sunday start times at least 12 days prior to that weekend. The only caveat is the final Sunday of the season. Week 17 changes can be made on just six days' notice to ensure an afternoon doubleheader and night game with playoff implications.
Is there a living person who disagrees with this plan?
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
"Garoppolo thankful to have studied under Brad..."
Elway: Flacco and Lock to solve Broncos' QB struggles


Living only a short drive from the lovely market town of Alnwick in Northumberland certainly has its benefits, and if you're in the North East for a short break, or just looking for a day out, Alnwick is always worth a visit. I've decided to compile a short list of things for you to do in the centre of Alnwick, making sure you don't miss out on any of the best bits the town has to offer!
Ever walked through a garden full of plants that could potentially kill you? Me neither. Well, that is until I visited The Alnwick Garden's Poison Garden! The guided tour of the Poison Garden is one of the many great things about this place, where the gardens and attractions change with the seasons. It is a place full of beauty, tricks of light and interesting sights and sounds – it is a fantastic sensory experience. It is also home to The Treehouse, a restaurant, café and wedding venue set amongst the treetops. Its log fire, swinging walkways and twinkling fairy lights have been marvelled by many. Alongside this, the fact that the restaurant featured on Michel Roux Jr's 'Hidden Restaurants' TV programme has ensured The Treehouse has been firmly stamped on the UK's map of unique restaurants. Not only is the food superb but this cosy and romantic restaurant is a feast for the eyes – book well in advance to avoid missing out!
If you're planning on visiting The Alnwick Garden, I'd say it's well worth purchasing a combined ticket and walking along to Alnwick Castle too! Home to the Duke of Northumberland and his family and renowned for it's links to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Harry Potter fans need to check out the broomstick training!), Downton Abbey, Transformers and Blackadder amongst other productions, Alnwick Castle is a great place to visit. It is as splendid on the inside as it is on the outside; as a self-confessed history buff I've visited my fair share of castles, but the interior of Alnwick Castle amazed even me. The exhibitions are as informative as they are beautiful, and you get a real insight into the lives of the Duke of Northumberland, his ancestors and the people who have worked at the castle over the years.
Every Saturday, the Market Place in Alnwick town centre is flooded with market stalls and traders, offering the best local produce and the best of local businesses. You'll find everything from Northumberland cheese to vintage clothes at Alnwick Markets, and being right in the heart of the town it's hard to miss. Not around on a Saturday? Make sure you can make it to the Farmers' Market which is held on the last Friday of every month. The Market Place is also home to some lovely cafés and eateries such as Melvyn's café – a great place to sit and watch the world go by and tuck into a homecooked meal or a yummy cake. Head over to the website to see which traders are attending these fab, traditional markets.
In a building thought to originate in the 1600s, cursed by an innkeeper who suddenly dropped dead whilst interfering with the bottles in the window, now lies The Dirty Bottles Inn, Taproom and Smokehouse! 'Thi Dorty Bottles' (so the website tells us local Alnwick residents call it) has a lovely bar and roof terrace, which were absolutely packed and I wasn't surprised when I heard the barman say that they'd had to turn away many people on opening night! Although I only managed to enjoy a pint of Alnwick Amber Ale on the roof terrace and didn't get a chance to go through to the restaurant, it looked like a really cool concept! Each table has technology installed so you can pull your own pint at the table – coupled with some tasty smokehouse food and a trendy twist on a historical building, it's somewhere I'd definitely return to and would recommend to anyone visiting Alnwick.
For those of you who have ever heard of the Danish concept of 'hygge' (if you haven't, check out 'The Little Book of Hygge' by Mike Wiking), Barter Books is the epitome of hygge! The amount of comfort you can get from sitting with a good book and a cup of tea by an open fire, surrounded by thousands of other books is really quite astonishing. This is what Barter Books provides! Situated in an old railway station, it's a place not just for people searching for books, but for people searching for somewhere peaceful and homely. Barter Books is one of my favourite places of all time.
The family-run Carlo's Fish and Chip Shop near to the Market Place in Alnwick is an award-winning fish and chip shop and restaurant that prides itself on its use of only wild fish, and it's family recipe for light batter. I enjoyed some really lovely fish, chips and tartare sauce there and after seeing another couple with some delicious looking mushy peas, we certainly had food envy! The staff were very friendly and accommodating and the food was just what we needed to line us up for a fantastic day exploring the bustling, beautiful town of Alnwick.


The SoftLayer and Cloudera partnership offers enterprises Big Data solutions with the ultimate level of performance and scalability. When it comes to running Hadoop, your company no longer has to choose between high-performance or on-demand deployment. Now, you can have both. This joint solution allows organizations to quickly design and deploy Hadoop on purpose-built bare metal server configurations that give Cloudera its best performance.
SoftLayer, an IBM Company, operates a global cloud infrastructure platform built for Internet scale. With 100,000 devices under management, 13 data centers in the United States, Asia, and Europe and a global footprint of network points of presence, SoftLayer provides Infrastructure-as-a-Service to leading-edge customers ranging from Web startups to global enterprises. SoftLayer's modular architecture provides unparalleled performance and control, with a full-featured API and sophisticated automation controlling a flexible unified platform that seamlessly spans physical and virtual devices, and a worldwide network for secure, low-latency communications.
Big Data is a big deal. Organizations looking to utilize Big Data solutions can create their own by selecting, installing, and configuring the hardware and software needed. But many seek for a more ready-to-use solution from the experts to avoid trial-and-error and to save money and time.
To meet this demand, many providers are using multi-tenant options to lower the cost. SoftLayer and Cloudera have partnered to bring a turnkey, cloud-based Big Data solution with Cloudera pre-installed and pre-configured, focusing on single tenant, high performance architecture.
SoftLayer dedicated servers can be deployed in two to four hours enabling large enterprise deployments in hours not months.
SoftLayer servers (ranging from entry-level quad-core servers to sixteen core powerhouses) provide a higher level of performance than virtualized solutions are capable of delivering.
Get the level of compute options desired by selecting from a wide range of dedicated servers with the memory and storage options ideal for the Cloudera deployment.
SoftLayer solution designer tool makes it easy to design and deploy complete Cloudera architectures, allowing Cloudera to be provisioned at the push of a button.
Handle large workloads by scaling out on demand. Add new and better hardware with the latest processors without having to reconfigure the platform.
SoftLayer collaborated with Cloudera, the creator of CDH, to optimize the platform. The configurations have been certified for Cloudera best practices, based on Cloudera and SoftLayer's insight, expertise and experience and provide a range of options for any Cloudera deployment specifications.


Aluminum expanded sheet is a kind of metal platemesh products, the quality is relatively light as the name suggests, it was made of aluminum. As all known, aluminum products are popular because of their own corrosion resistance and soft plasticity. Aluminum expanded mesh, it is with these characteristics, so it can meet different customer needs. We have a kind of thiner and thiner expanded alumminum mesh, called Aluminum Foil Mesh. It is used in Air filter and air conditioner.
Anping Xinzheng Company can also provide stainless Steel Wire Mesh, Crimped Wire Mesh, Expanded Steel Diamond Mesh, Perforated Metal Mesh, Filter Disc , aluminum foil mesh and Other Metal Mesh Products.
Looking for ideal Expand Aluminium Mesh Manufacturer & supplier ? We have a wide selection at great prices to help you get creative. All the Extended Aluminum Mesh are quality guaranteed. We are China Origin Factory of Extended Steel Mesh. If you have any question, please feel free to contact us.


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When you want long-lasting vinyl siding for your home that won't break the bank, look to us to provide you with the best quality materials and workmanship to result in the home of your dreams. So many contractors lure clients in with cheap prices and shoddy work but the old saying "you get what you pay for" certainly applies here. Enhancing the exterior beauty of your house is crucial for curb appeal. Vinyl siding, when installed well with the highest quality materials, will transform the look of your home and even boost its value. There's a reason why vinyl is the material of choice for so many homeowners looking to improve their property, surpassing wood and other materials in recent decades to become the preferred material in new construction and remodeling. From starter homes to luxury homes, we can transform your abode from boring to beautiful using trusted brands like MASTIC. Trust us with your vinyl siding needs for your next project.
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Heart, Brain, Blood
Rumors, Questions & Myths
Experts Debate: Is meat from cloned animals safe to eat?
(Click here to skip introduction and go straight to debate.)
On January 15, 2008, the FDA announced that meat from cloned cows, pigs and goats was safe to eat. But the USDA asked companies not to put it on the market yet because the public was afraid of it. Oh, and actually, said the FDA, newborn cloned cows "may pose some very limited human food consumption risk." And sheep weren't approved.
Cloning opponents were up in arms, claiming the FDA came to its conclusion too quickly.
But proponents said, calm down. Meat from cloned animals is the same as from non-clones. It's cloning. Besides, farmers don't even want to put it on the market. That's expensive! They want to sell clones' offspring.
CLONE-RELATED MEAT AND YOUR GROCERY STORE
Q: Why clone animals?
A: To reproduce the most desirable animals—exactly.
Fast-forward to today. Meat from clones' offspring is on the market. It's been there for a while—even before 2008. We just don't know where it is because it's not labeled and no one's keeping track of it. (Though organic meat is not supposed to be clone-related.)
We invited each participant to write an argument, then read the opponent's argument and, if desired, write a rebuttal. Neither was allowed to read the other's initial argument before writing his own, and neither could read the other's response before rebutting.
Meat from the clones themselves, however, shouldn't be on the market, if everyone's sticking to the voluntary hold-off. "The moratorium was asked for by USDA for an orderly transition to market," Leah Wilkinson, spokeswoman for the cloning company ViaGen, told My Family Doctor. "We are constantly communicating with the industry to ensure the orderly transition."
Researchers have done no long-term studies on eating cloned animals, according to the FDA. But that doesn't worry them. "Cloning doesn't put any new substances into an animal, so there's no 'new' substance to test," says the FDA Web site. And, Wilkinson pointed out, "The risk assessment was conducted by FDA over a seven-year period and consisted of over 400 studies that were reviewed."
We turned to two experts and asked, bottom line, is meat from cloned animals safe? You can get in on the debate here.
Sign up for the FREE MyFamilyDoctorMag.com newsletter here!
Argument: Meat from cloned animals is safe to eat.
Yes. That is what all of the studies done to date show.
A clone is an exact genetic copy of a plant or animal. The cloning process does not introduce any new genes, and so there is no fundamental reason to suspect that clones would not be safe to eat.
Alison Van Eenennaam, Ph.D., animal genomics and biotechnology specialist, University of California, Davis; Ph.D. in genetics.
The primary concern is that the cloning process might result in subtle changes in food composition that could pose food-consumption risks. But the data do not show that to be the case. Studies from several independent laboratories located in different countries examined the composition of products derived from animal clones. They all found that there were no biologically significant differences in the composition of milk or meat from cloned animals, as compared to their non-clone counterparts.
Federal and state regulations require that for milk and meat to enter the food supply, it must be derived from healthy animals. Cows produce milk following the delivery of a calf. By definition therefore, milk comes from animals that have reached puberty and been able to successfully reproduce. Clones that reach reproductive age appear to be normal in all ways.
After years of detailed study and analysis outlined in a 900-plus-page report, the FDA concluded in 2008 that the meat and milk from clones of cattle, pigs and goats, and the offspring of clones from any species traditionally consumed as food, were as safe to eat as food from conventionally bred animals.
We eat food from cloned organisms every day. Many fruits and vegetables (such as bananas) are produced asexually (in other words cloned). Cloning doesn't introduce any new substances into food; by definition clones are exact genetic copies! Milk and meat from healthy animals is safe to eat. The data show that milk and meat from clones is similarly safe to eat.
Argument: We don't know whether meat from cloned animals is safe to eat.
Jaydee Hanson, policy analyst on cloning and genetics, Center for Food Safety (environmental and public- health advocacy group), Washington, D.C.
The safety of meat and milk from clones is unproven.
The FDA approved food from cloned cows, pigs and goats after reviewing very few and small studies. The largest study (on cloned cows' milk) used only 15 animals but found significant differences in cloned animals' milk.
Get in on the Debate!
Sound off! Share your opinions about the safety of meat from cloned animals in the comments section below.
Only one study assessed the toxicity of cloned products: Twenty rats ate meat and milk from clones for 14 weeks. The rats had significant immune-system changes.
Most beef studies found differences in clones' meat composition; both pork studies found significant differences. These small sample sizes would not be adequate to assess a new drug; they cannot assure the safety of meat or milk from clones. Nevertheless, at the end of the Bush administration, the FDA hurriedly approved clones.
Most clones die before birth or in the first few weeks of life. Cattle clones often suffer "large-offspring" syndrome, wherein the fetus grows twice as large as normal, sometimes causing death for both the cow and calf. The surviving calves are often sicker than ordinary calves.
Some studies found that defects in clones could pass down to offspring. The data on cloned pigs' offspring display troubling findings: smaller litters, slower growth, 25 percent of progeny dying, and an abnormality rate two-and-a-half times that of normal pigs.
The European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies says the risks of negative effects are grave enough to keep cloned products off the European market. Most people in multiple polls say they don't want to eat food from clones. The few who would risk it still want it labeled. The National Organic Standards Board has rejected clones and their offspring for organic products. The largest dairy company in the United States has said it won't buy cloned cows' milk. The largest meat packers won't buy cloned animals' meat.
REBUTTALS
Hanson's
Consumers don't want food from clones. Companies pledging not to buy products of clones include: Kraft Foods; General Mills; Gerber/Nestle; Campbell Soup; Gossner Foods; Smithfield Foods; Ben & Jerry's; Amy's Kitchen; California Pizza Kitchen; Hain Celestial; Cloverland, Oberweis, Prairie, Byrne, Plainview and Clover-Stornetta Dairies; PCC Natural Markets; Albertsons; Supervalu; and Harris Teeter.
Unlike plants, mammals don't clone naturally; embryo engineering is required. Most of the 900-plus pages reviewed by FDA were company data on only a few animals, not independent studies. While the FDA approved clones, the USDA asked cloning companies to keep clones off the market.
Van Eenennaam's
The topic under discussion is the safety of cloned meat. Numerous studies, evaluated in an extensive and hardly "hurried" 968-page FDA report, identified no subtle hazards that might indicate cloned-meat-consumption risks. There are no studies that demonstrate otherwise.
The FDA's assessment that clones do not pose food-safety concerns is shared by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and also the European Food Safety Authority, which concluded, "it is very unlikely that any difference exists in terms of food safety between food products originating from clones and their progeny compared with those derived from conventionally bred animals."
Debate: Is high-fructose corn syrup bad?
Does grilling cause cancer?
Universal health care: Pros and cons
Click here for more debates!
Last updated and/or approved: February 2010. Original article appeared in September/October 2009 print issue .
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Cloned food
written by Mariana , May 01, 2012
This days we don't know what we're eating.Cientifics are cloning animals, vegetales, grains and fruits and there are not labels specifying it. I believe we, the consumers have the write to know and choose if we want to go natural or cloned food.
Votes: -4
this is stupid
written by ricky , April 28, 2012
why cant anyone just give me the pros and con of cloned meat in resturants
written by Joey , February 22, 2012
trololololololol it is food and none have died of it yet have they? Cloning could be the answer to world hunger...
Rediculous
written by kati , January 12, 2012
I think cloning is rediculous it takes just as long to have a natural born animal produced i could see colning being a good thing when giving food to those who need it and if it was being produced faster but fact is its not it takes just as long if not longer than having two animals produce the natural way that we KNOW is safe.
NO, TO CLON FOOD!
written by Mariana , November 14, 2011
It is dam to be eating clon food when we can eat natural,healty food. All this cloning marer is against the nature, and we humans are the esence of nature. By cloning we are going against our slves. I can bisualise the future with so many anknown deseases, por people, we are destroying our world and our healt. PLEASE SOMEBOBY STOP THE DESTRUCTION.
cloned meat is it safe?
written by Sarah Lentz , April 21, 2011
i dont know too much about cloning but i do know is that some of these scientists need to try it more because they need more info for people who arent on their side with cloning. I am in seventh grade we had a digital doc*mentary due in science we had to choose a big topic. Our group chose to do cloning so we had to do a few little topics inside of it and one of them was meat and clones is it healthy and safe. we found that since 2008 people have been eating cloned meat we googled how many people got sick from this we couldnt even count the number of pop up reviews. So if you can just send me back i am in class right now so just i would like to know some more info on clonoing. Oh and can you send me some things too like cloning pics or any thing you can send in a package i will give you my addres later. thanks
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Zaira Leal. Yoga Teacher, Author and Radiant Woman.
To meet Zaira Leal is a shower of blessings. She is an outstanding Yoga Teacher with a deep knowledge about Yoga & Indian Philosophy and shares her great heart wisdom with international yogis at ZUNRAY Yoga in Palma de Mallorca and abroad.
Recently Zaira bundled her knowledge in a book called "Una Fiesta para la Alma" (...yes, she wrote a book!) an excellent companion for Yogis & Newcomers with short exercises and reflections about Health, Yoga and Ayurveda. On top of that, she is NOW teaching SRIDAIVA, a 21st century body-mind postural method, in Mallorca - woohooo!
Zaira, you are a child of bohemic & hippy parents, who brought Eastern spirituality to Spain. Now it's you who is a pioneer bringing a new yoga movement to Europe: It is called "Sridaiva". What is it about?
Thank you for calling me a pioneer, I have always been kind of an avant garde person and love the idea of adventuring into unexplored territory, after all, being into yoga is being an explorer of the inner Universe, right? I would like to mention that pioneer work is not possible without the support of others. Francesca & Roeland, owners of ZUNRAY, my teaching home, have been amazing visionaries of a loving world and their openness has made Sridaiva possible in Mallorca.
This new holistic training for body-mind-soul has been created by Desi Springer and John Friend and there are a few other people teaching it here in Europe. Sridaiva means "divine destiny" because every human being is entitled to fulfill his/her own divine destiny, which is ultimate freedom, truth and compassion. A Sridaiva student cultivates a positive mindset, a dynamic posture and a healthy lifestyle, including high vibrational nutrition. We use an integrative system of alignment called the Bowspring which is a revolutionary postural practice for optimal health on all levels of body-mind-heart. Sridaiva offers an "East meets West" approach to metaphysics, philosophy and biomechanics. The Bowspring is the quintaessencial "power pose" for any human being, it is functional, dynamic and leads to an incredible level of vibrancy. It truly meets the needs of the modern society.
My approach to life is also integrative and universal. I was born in Madrid, lived for years in various exotic places and have always been interested in a way of living that draws from the intrinsic truth of all traditions. Lineage and tradition are like a river, they flow through you, the original spring waters are present as much as the waters from the affluents that merge into the main body of the river until it reaches the sea.
Sridaiva and the Bowspring are the perfect tool for today´s human being because it is simple, effective, relatable and functional. I am interested in contributing to the wellbeing of todays practitioners and if someone comes up with a new system of alignment that is based on the best and most updated studies of anatomy and biomechanics, I am all for that.
You are teaching this "Practice for a modern Yogi" at ZUNRAY Yoga Studio in Palma de Mallorca. What do you recommend to beginners or even more interesting, to already advanced yoga students? Isn't it quite challenging for practicioners of traditional yoga styles to "change" their moves?
The guidelines are the same for everyone. First, always remain a student, be open to learn and discover. A person who stops learning, stops growing. Learning means to be open and receptive, sensitive and humble.
Second, know that even what you think of as "traditional yoga" is a path in which there have been a lot of changes. Classical poses like the triangle or the tree pose didn't exist before the XIX century. Hundreds of years ago yogins practiced something very different than what is being done today in most studios around the globe, including India. It is not better nor worse, it is just an example that yoga has transformed according to the needs of the people that practice it. Sridaiva fits in as one more turn in the upward spiral of evolution.
And last, the system recommends that you try at least five classes before making any assessment of your experience. The Bowspring form is different from what people are used to or from what they identify as a yoga posture. It breaks old body-mind patterns and it is very moving at a somatic level in the beginning. Give yourself the time to feel and explore.
Interestingly, experienced yoga students are the ones that have the hardest time because the old patterns are more ingrained, but when they soften, specially in the mind, their practice expands and grows with a freedom, energy and playfulness like never before. One just has to be patient to learn and integrate the Bowspring and then "boom!" fireworks happen.
Your own personal experience with Sridaiva was very deep. What exactly happened - and does it mean, that you are on a new path of yoga?
My first encounter with Sridaiva was when its founders Desi Springer and John Friend presented the system in Europe. It was the Summer of 2013 and they were teaching a weekend workshop in Madrid, my hometown, so I said "Why not?" In the last year and a half before that my body had been a little stuck, rigid and hardened in a way that I wasn't very happy about. Desi and John introduced us to the Roots practice, a Sridaiva sequence that they did with their students in Denver. It was mentally and physically challenging, but I felt as if I had taken a corset off my being and pure, fresh and powerful energy started to flow again. So liberating!! I felt at peace with my body, stopped trying to fit into outer poses and started to really work from the inside out.
Sridaiva is not really a "new path of yoga". I think it is more accuratly defined as a holistic system for healthy living. Its principles are applicable to all styles of yoga, fitness, sports or functional daily activities. The philosophy behind it is universal and, yes, it draws from the roots of yoga.
Personally, I use the language and the teachings of yoga because I love them and because they have been my companions since I was in my mother's womb, but they are only valuable if they can help us understand the mysteries of life and lead us to live miraculously. Spirituality is universal, yoga is one of the paths. The question to ask ourselves everyday is "Am I a better human being as a result of my practice?" And I am positive that the answer is "yes" when one practices with body, mind and heart, with the purpose to reveal the true spiritual self in all those three components of being. Yoga without a spiritual purpose, values and lifestyle is "gymnastics in Sanskrit" (this term in not my creation), which is not a bad thing per se, but there is already plenty of that in the Western world.
Keeping the essence of Yoga, that's the secret. As we recently have heard, the growth of yoga teachers is 4 times faster than the growth of students. How does that work!? I mean, it's a great development, and it hopefully brings a lot of peaceful, happy-minded people out of it! Or will it only cause a "Yogic Photo Marathon" on Instagram, haha!? How do you feel about this teacher boom?
I think it is uplifting that there are so many people interested in this path. A lot of students want to deepen their knowledge of Yoga and enroll a Teacher Training program. Some end up teaching, but the majority do it as personal enrichment. Everyone benefits from doing such a thing because you change and transform through the process, rising your own level of vibration and therefore impacting positively the family group and the bigger community. It is the butterfly effect in action!
It is cute to see people taking yoga selfies and posting their poses in social media, but I wouldn't use that as a barometer to know if they are accomplised yogins or teachers. When I look for a teacher I not only ask about their level of expertee, I also inquiry about their ethical foundation, their involvement in their community, about their personal relationships and lifestyle. I am interested in their sensitivity, their capacity to get people excited about learning. We all can share the wisdom in our own way, but knowing something very well doesn't make us teachers of the discipline. I have been formally a teacher since I was 18 and every class I try to refine my skills and make it better that the previous one. The reason why I offer "Mentoring programs for yoga teachers" is to raise the level of "teaching" in our community.
Alright. Back to the beginning of your practice. When did Yoga become a permanent part of your life - and how would life be without it?
Yoga has always been a permanent part of my life. As a child I prayed to baby Jesus and Krishna at the same time, I said traditional catholic prayers and the Hare Krishna mantra indistinctively, went to mass with my grandmother and to the temple with my parents. Children don't separate, they embrace all. But it is true that it wasn't until my teenage years that I started doing postural yoga and embraced it as a teaching career when I moved to the United States in 1999. "What would life be without yoga?", you ask and I reply, "What would a rose be without its fragrance?" The fragrance is part of the rose, they are inseparable, the one is within the other and this is how I feel about yoga and my life. If someone told me "as of tomorrow, you can not teach this stuff anymore", I am certain that the Light would find its way to shine through.
To feel rooted - big thing. To know what you really want - even bigger.
How can we discover our authentic self and live the life we really want?
Being is who you are, meditation is your natural state. The sense of grounding that you ask me about is inherent in you, just create the right conditions and it will manifest itself. It is the feeling that you have when you are in nature, when you look at your loved ones or when you hold beautiful baby Ellie. You don't have to do anything, really, just breathe, be aware and it happens.
In regards to the second part, for me the best advice has always been to shift the question. Instead of asking "What do I want?" ask "What does the Universe want from me?" Life is constantly showing us the way, it only gives us what is right for our evolution, one step at a time. We get too worried and stressed when all we need to do is relax and let life happen through us.
The quest for the truest vision of who we are lays at the depths of any therapy, treatment, myth and philosophy. There are several components that make us succeed in that journey: one is to set ourselves on the right path, two is to embrace it with deep trust, to adhere to the practice and never give up and three is to let the universe do its work and get your ego out of the way.
One of my favorite parts of my job is when I work one-to-one with people. Coaching others into the fulfilment of their own destiny is such an honor for me. There are few things that I love more than to witness others manifesting the highest vision for their body-mind-heart. I get chills from thinking about specific men and women that have gone through the one-to-one sessions with me. I recently got the news from a woman that found the job of her life, the man of her dreams AND they are getting married in a couple of months. I am in love with miracles!
Next to your public yoga classes at Zunray you are offering special workshops. What is upcoming?
At Zunray I teach public classes every week, an anual "Yoga expansive studies and teacher training program", the mentoring for yoga teachers program that I mentioned above and signature workshops of diverse kinds.
The readers will be interested in knowing about "Radiant Living" an ayurvedic lifestyle program based on the Perfect Health program that I was certified to teach at the Chopra Center in California. It is a comprehensive, holistic and step-by-step weekend workshop for embodying a fulfilling, amazing life. Students learn about the 4 pillars for healthy living, the layers of life, their constitution, diet and nutrition, emotional release, daily purification techniques, meditation and a lot more. Everyone receives incredible benefits from it. The next one will be offered at Zunray in December 18th to 20th, just before the holidays!
The other weekend workshop that I want to highlight is "Radiant Woman". I will be teaching it for the first time in Spain next Summer and it is a journey into the sacred feminine and the secret practices of the yoginis. Students will be exploring archetypes, the feminine qualities of the heart, the harnessing of female power, the cycles of the woman's life, sacred sexuality, the radiance of inner beauty, the role of women or the reclaiming of true womanhood in society among other subjects. I am soo thrilled to finally offer it here!
I also write the Zunray Spark twice a month and every Friday I publish my personal newsletter from zairalealyoga.com. I only travel to teach workshops outside Mallorca a few times a year because I am also the mother of the most delightful 12 year old girl and motherhood is the priority in my life.
My goodness, everything is the answer! I love this big question ;) but if I start giving you a detailed answer, readers would get bored because the list of things that I am grateful for is infinite… But I will share an easy Gratitude practice that I like to do when I get in bed: I close my eyes, take a few breaths and make a list of five things that I am thankful for that day. You can write it down or do it mentally, but if you do it steadily overtime you will see that your life overflows with an abundance of light, wisdom and love.
Learned with: I have learned from many teachers, many books throughout life and many disciplines, but if I have to put a list of physical beings with whom I have studied "Modern Yoga" directly and who are a significant influence in my own teaching, this would be it (in chronological order of appearance in my life): Parvathi Nanda Nath Saraswati, Shari Simon, David Swenson, Shjamji Bhatnagar, Sharon Gannon, Shiva Rea, John Friend, Sue Elkind & Naime Yezzeni, Sianna Sherman, Swamini Mayatitananda, Deepak Chopra, David Simon, Desi Springer.
There are other teacher who I have not mentioned, as well as all the students that have come to my classes throughout the years… they have taught me as much or even more! Also, my spiritual teacher whom I met at age 19 is not mentioned here.


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Meet Gumby, AKC's First Champion Pumi
Back To Feature
By Ranny Green
Aug 09, 2016 | 2 Minutes
Once the American Kennel Club provided full recognition to the Pumi July 1, Gumby has been on a mission – and in the process notched his way into the breed and AKC record books.
The 14-year-old dog, owned by Chris and Tom Levy, of Salem, Ore., has become the first of its breed to earn an AKC championship and second to win a group (herding) placement (two Group 2s). In other words, he was as hot as the sizzling summer weather last month.
An import from Hungary at age 2, Gumby has competed internationally, winning a wide mix of titles in addition to being a four-time Best of Breed winner at the Hungarian Pumi Club of America National Specialty. He is also the first Pumi to gain an AKC Herding title, AKC Coursing Aptitude title and AKC Certificate of Merit title for conformation.
"We had hoped that Gumby would be the first AKC champion, but as time went on and it took longer than expected to fulfill AKC's requirements for breed recognition," says Chris Levy, "we had given up hope that he would last long enough."
But when the breed was recognized July 1, the couple held out a sliver of hope Gumby would pull it off. Since then, they have been on 6,000-mile road trip competing in six all-breed shows in California, Texas, Wisconsin and North Dakota.
"If he could take Best of Breed at five shows, he could get his championship," she explained. He won those titles at the first three and a Group 2 July 3 at the Lost Coast Kennel Club Dog Show in Ferndale, Calif. The following weekend he finished his championship in two more shows, and to top that off, he added a second Group 2 at the Santa Maria Kennel Club Dog Show in Camarillo, Calif.
"He has really been our dream-come-true dog," she adds.
In addition to Gumby, several other Pumi earned group placements last month in all-breed competitions nationwide.
Learn more about the Pumi here.
Header photo: Tom Levy, of Salem, Ore., is shown with Gumby after winning Best of Breed at the Lost Coast Kennel Club Dog Show in Ferndale, Calif., in early July. Gumby went on to take a Herding Group 2 in the event, the highest placement yet for a Pumi in an AKC all-breed dog show since the breed was formally recognized July 1.
5 Tricks You'll Want to Show Off
Are you looking for inspiration on new tricks to teach your dog? If the answer is yes, then this is the e-book for you!


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ZIPS Gets PE Boost
JPB Capital Partners announced a strategic investment in Value Drycleaners of America, LLC, the parent company of ZIPS Franchising, LLC, ("ZIPS"), one of the largest franchisors of retail dry cleaners in the Mid-Atlantic region. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
ZIPS began in 1996 with a group of eight dry cleaners in the Baltimore-Washington region and has grown to 36 franchise operations in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC. ZIPS offers dry cleaning and laundry services to customers according to a differentiated system including on-premise cleaning, competitive flat-rate pricing, same-day services, and, a highly efficient, integrated production process.
"We believe that ZIPS has created great brand awareness and a unique model within the dry cleaning industry," stated Jim Bolduc, Senior Managing Director of JPB Capital Partners. "With this foundation in place, and the combination of our capital and our team's knowledge and experience in both retail and franchise operations, we believe that we can move the concept through its next phase of growth including improved execution of the existing system and further geographic expansion of the concept."
"The investment from JPB Capital Partners will enable us to achieve our long-term vision for the brand and the concept," said Brett Vago, one of the original ZIPS members and a director of ZIPS. "We are very excited about joining forces with the JPB team to leverage their track record and experience in growing both retail and franchised businesses with our knowledge of the dry cleaning industry."
The investment was funded with equity from JPB Capital Partners III, L.P. the firm's third and most recent private equity fund. Three members of the JPB team—Jim Bolduc, Greg Carey and Mark Rohde—will join Brett Vago, Dennis McMahon and Theresa Casiello on the ZIPS board of directors, as will Robert Barry, the current CEO of The Greene Turtle Franchising Corporation (a portfolio company of JPB Capital Partners II, L.P.).


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Rudinka – wieś (obec) w północnej Słowacji, w powiecie Kysucké Nové Mesto, w kraju żylińskim. Po raz pierwszy wzmiankowana w 1506 roku.

Przypisy

Miejscowości w powiecie Kysucké Nové Mesto

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Cheap Fitness Accessories I Love!
Stepping for Weight Loss is easy with a Pedometer! Pedometers can be pretty inexpensive, they are easy to use, and convenient, most of them you wear and forget about it. Can this small inexpensive tool help you lose weight? YES!
Do you do warm up stretches?
Your first three months at the gym.


text:
SiReen
=========

Similar Image REcommendation ENgine

#Introduction

The code is a implementation of similar image retrieval engine. The implementation is mainly in C++ and Python. The following functions are included:

* Dense SIFT feature extraction
* Local-constrained Linear Coding based on Dense SIFT.
* Fast high dimension feature retrieval by KD-Tree using Best-Bin-First algorithm and optimized comparison method

##References:
Jinjun Wang; Jianchao Yang; Kai Yu; Fengjun Lv; Huang, T.; Yihong Gong, "Locality-constrained Linear Coding for image classification, " Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), 2010 IEEE Conference on , vol., no., pp.3360,3367, 13-18 June 2010

Lowe, D. Distinctive image features from scale-invariant keypoints. International Journal of Computer Vision, 60, 2 (2004), pp.91--110.

#Requirements

The codes are compiled depends on several libraries:
* OpenCV (the open source computer vision libraries - [OpenCV Homepage](http://opencv.org) )
* Vlfeat (an efficient and compatiable open source computer vision C libraries - [Vlfeat Homepage](http://www.vlfeat.org/) )
* Eigen ( a C++ template library for linear algebra - [Eigen Homepage](http://eigen.tuxfamily.org/index.php?title=Main_Page))
* C++ boost (All C++er should know)

#Compile

To build the programs by make:

cd SIREENROOT

make

#LICENSE
See the LICENSE File

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The vapor produced in an electronic cigarette comes from a nicotine-based liquid known as E-Liquid. This liquid is heated by the atomizer to deliver the appearance, taste, and sensation of inhaling cigarette smoke. You can have the best e-cigarette in the world, but the vaping experience will not be enjoyable without quality e-liquid. E-liquid can vary in flavor, consistency, throat hit, and nicotine concentration.
The flavor of e-liquid varies depending on where it comes from, what components were used to make the liquid, and what flavorings were added. Naturally-derived nicotine manufactured from organic plant sources usually tastes better and is safer to use than synthetic nicotine.Our e-liquid is manufactured using only natural tobacco extract. Natural flavorings from concentrates are usually added to the liquid to give it a distinctive flavor. These flavors are usually the same as those used in food or beverages.
What is E-Liquid Made of and What Determines its Consistency?
E-Liquid is usually made up of mostly a propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerin (VG) base. Most e-liquids are made entirely from propylene glycol and are usually more preferred; some are made with a combination of the two depending on the consistency desired. Go-Liquid E-Liquid range consists of 80% PG and 20% VG.
Throat hit is the sensation felt in the back of the throat when e-cigarette vapor is inhaled. In the early days of vaping, people felt that vaping an e-cigarette was like inhaling air instead of the smoking sensation they enjoy with traditional cigarettes. Increased throat hit makes using an e-cigarette feel and taste like an authentic smoking experience. The flavor and consistency of the liquid base, concentration of nicotine, and voltage of the e-cig all affect throat hit.
What is the Best Nicotine Concentration of E-Liquid?
E-liquid nicotine is diluted with pure PG or VG to a safe concentration of 0mg – 32mg per ml of liquid. The nicotine concentration varies by user preference, but the typical range desired by most smokers is around 18 mg. As the concentration of nicotine increases, the throat hit is substantially increased. 0 mg e-liquids usually feels like inhaling warm flavored air, whereas 24 mg e-liquids are more suitable for experienced or extreme vapers. Every nicotine concentration is unique for each person based on his or her tolerance level, years they have smoked, and what type of tobacco they smoke. Typically, we recommend new vapers begin with 18 mg to determine tolerance for a few weeks, then slowly decrease or increase the strength depending on how they feel. It is recommended that nicotine concentration of e-liquid is reduced by about 4 mg every three to four weeks, with the ultimate goal of reaching 0 mg and thereby easing the body off of nicotine dependence.
Is E-liquid Safe to Use?
Most of the components in e-liquid are well known and are used in many food and household products. Currently only pharmaceutical grade (USP) or food grade PG and VG are safe to use. E-Liquid contains nicotine and should only be used and handled by adults aged 18 or older. Please be aware that nicotine is a known poison and stimulant. E-liquid should never be handled by anyone underage, and should only be used by people who are smokers and have a tolerance for nicotine. In small concentrations such as 32mg and below, e-liquid is safe to handle. Should any amount get on your skin, wash immediately with soap and water.


We are about helping "appearance attorneys." In some jurisdictions, appearance attorneys are referred to as "step-up" or "coverage" attorneys.
No matter what the nomenclature, these attorneys appear in court on behalf of other attorneys. Law firms hire appearance attorneys because the firm can't make a calendar call due to other obligations - e.g. having to be in another court at that time. Also, law firms might not want to lose the day waiting to be called before the judge for a simple appearance that might take ten minutes or less.
The foregoing paragraph also covers the reasons why firms may hire another attorney for depositions and other matters, such as creditor meetings in bankruptcy proceedings.
Court House Regular is a website that works to bring appearance attorneys and those law firms that might hire them together – without intermediaries.
Who are the intermediaries? Appearance brokers for the most part. These are businesses that charge law firms a premium over what the appearance attorney makes to send someone to court. Get rid of the premium and the firm pays less while the appearance attorney makes more.
Win-Win-Lose for the law firm, appearance attorney and the appearance broker respectively.
If you are a licensed attorney, at Court House Regular, you will be able to set up a profile and choose which courthouses and courts you are willing to appear in.
Law firms can set up profiles as well and are able to search by the courthouse and/or court that they need to have a lawyer appear in and can find those profiles that match.
It's getting to be a "gig economy" out there and Court House Regular is here to help attorneys with it.


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