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Music Performance Programs
Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive
Berklee Summer Semester
Bass Workshop
Berklee Global Jazz Institute Workshop at the Newport Jazz Festival®
Brass Workshop
Day Sessions: Music
Drums and Percussion Workshop
Global String Program
Gospel Performance Program
Piano/Keyboard Workshop
Spain Summer Performance Program
Vocal/Choral Intensive
Vocal Summit
Songwriting and Composition Programs
Film Scoring Program in Los Angeles
High School Composition Intensive
Songwriting Sessions in Los Angeles
Songwriting Workshop
Music Production Programs
Electronic Music Production and Sound Design Workshop
Music Production Workshop
Music Business Program
Dance and Theater Programs
Commercial Dance Intensive
Musical Theater Acting Intensive
Musical Theater Dance Intensive
Musical Theater Workshop
Summer Dance Intensive
Youth Musical Theater Summer Program
Twelve-Week Online Programs
Tuition and Payment
Parent and Student Resources
Keeping Our Community Healthy
Traveling to Berklee
Wellness and Accommodations
Policies and Expectations
How to Withdraw, Transfer, or Defer
Compare the Best Summer Arts Programs
Your education at Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive is provided by Berklee's world-class faculty and includes a mix of private instruction, instrumental labs, ensembles, theory, performance, and musicianship training.
Classes generally take place between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and are tailored to your musical interest and experience level. The program culminates with a final week of concerts where you will perform for faculty, fellow students, family, and friends. Browse course descriptions below.
General Curriculum Information
This is a half-hour lesson each week on your principal instrument.
Instrumental Labs
Three hours each week will be spent in instrument-specific small group courses to develop instrumental style, reading, and technique.
Instrumental Survey
Instrumental/vocal departments will present a survey class, which examines various performance styles and techniques from a historical perspective.
Ensembles will run for two hours each week. Instrumental and vocal groups are available in a wide range of contemporary styles, including jazz, pop and rock, funk/fusion, pop/R&B, bluegrass, salsa, and world music. Additional ensembles are available depending on instrumental balance and need. Twenty-three ensembles will be selected to record in one of Berklee's 10 state-of the-art recording studios. All ensembles will perform a short set in an on-campus venue during the final week of the program.
Musicianship
You will spend four hours per week developing your musical ear, performance skills, and reading ability. This class level is determined by your entering musicianship assessment.
Theory in Performance
You will spend three hours per week studying the rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic elements of music as they relate to playing your instrument. This class level is determined by your entering theory assessment.
Performance Perspectives
Performances/discussions are held two hours per week to expose you to valuable career insight from music professionals in every sector of the industry: performance, songwriting, film composition, music business, and more. Notable guest artists who have recently visited Berklee include Victor Wooten, Cory Henry, Crissy Collins, and Charlie Puth, among many others.
Visiting Artist Clinics
These lectures and demonstrations feature performers, songwriters, film composers, and music business experts with experience in the industry. They are open to all students.
Visiting artists are announced at the start of the program. Notable artists who have recently visited Berklee include Amanda Palmer, George Duke, Melissa Ferrick, and Dawaun Parker, among many others.
Music Technology for Blind Students
Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive offers a laboratory course on assistive music technology for blind students. The course explores digital audio workstations, notation, and Braille music. For more information on the course, contact the instructor, Chi Kim, at cgkim@berklee.edu. For more information on services for students with disabilities, contact Berklee Accessibility Resouces for Students at 617-747-2387 or accessibilityresources@berklee.edu.
Final Week Concerts
During the final week of the program, you will perform in at least one of more than 300 student ensemble concerts. Concerts are open to the public and will take place in one of the college's many performance venues including the recital halls, Red Room at Cafe 939, and the Berklee Performance Center, a 1,220-seat, world-class venue.
Please note: The Berklee City Music Scholarship Concert is the only performance that charges an admission fee. All other shows are free, but may have limited capacity. Admittance is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Electives give students the opportunity to learn more about an area that interests them in a class that meets once a week for two hours. Students will receive one elective from the list of required electives below. You may also choose to receive one additional, optional elective. You will rank your preference of electives while taking your online placement assessment before the program begins.
Required Electives
Electronic Production and Design: Producing Music with Ableton Live
Ableton Live is a powerful software tool that allows musicians to develop musical ideas in a unique, nonlinear environment and presents a way of working that is fundamentally different from other software used in music production. In this workshop, students will learn to create new musical ideas and produce electronic arrangements using software instruments and effects that come with Ableton Live. Emphasis will be placed on developing the basic skills that can be used to write and produce new works, as well as to create remixes and prepare songs for electronic performance.
Groove Essentials for All Instruments
Examine many of the essential grooves that continue to define contemporary music. The styles examined may include funk, hip-hop, and music from Brazil and Cuba. Music examples and scores will be examined to analyze the rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic components of each style. Documentaries will be shown to support the historical and social aspects of these styles with an emphasis on the innovators who made them popular.
Jazz Composition and Arranging
This lecture class will introduce you to composing and arranging techniques used by important jazz artists. Topics include orchestration, song and arrangement form, music analysis, and the process of creating and harmonizing melodies.
This course will provide you with an introduction to the music business. You will gain an understanding of how your creative works are protected by U.S. copyright law and promoted by publishers. The contractual relationship between artists and record labels will also be reviewed with discussions on how to set up and manage a small business (business formation, band agreements, etc.). This course will also explore artists' managers, their work, and their relationship with artists. You will learn why touring is a profitable component of the music business, showing how artists and promoters budget for a successful outcome.
Music Therapy Basics
This course is designed to provide a basic overview of the profession of music therapy. This includes the neurological basis for music as therapy, a brief history of the profession, and current advances in professional practice. Students will explore personal connections with music, the education and training requirements for music therapists, clinical populations and settings music therapists work with, and the treatment planning process in music therapy.
Scoring for Visual Media
This course will provide an introduction to the exciting world of scoring for today's visual media. Using a wide variety of examples from film, video games, television, and commercials, this class will give you a behind-the-scenes look at the process of composing and producing a musical underscore, from traditional linear scoring to the cutting-edge, nonlinear techniques used in current-generation video games and interactive media.
Social Media Marketing: Mapping and Mastering Your Online Identity
This class will explore and help you learn how to identify and promote yourself clearly and consistently over a broad range of platforms, and will introduce you to the fundamentals of using online marketing tools and strategies to create a personal brand that stands out in the digital marketplace
This lecture class will examine song form, strategies for creating melodies, and effective use of harmony to create forward motion in songs. Lyric writing, as well as tips to help the creative process, will be discussed with the instructor and guest lecturers.
Because technology allows the easy exchange of ideas and files, strategies and tools for improving both songwriting and production through collaboration will be demonstrated. Lastly, we will discuss an overview of how songs are currently used in film, TV, and other visual media, along with the tools needed to place your songs and start earning royalties.
Survey of Production Styles
This course will explore how a modern song is taken from inception to full mix. It includes discussion of song form, songwriting, and techniques to invoke the best performances from players on the spot. This course also addresses the creative use of modern microphone and recording techniques; the use of outboard and computer processing, such as reverb, equalizers, and compressors; and basic mixing techniques. Strong interpersonal skills are needed. An open mind and active participation are required.
Optional Electives
This ensemble will focus on large and small ensemble musical theater literature. Strong emphasis will be placed on vocal technique, ensemble singing, and lyric delivery. Students will prepare, rehearse, and perform Broadway-style selections from a variety of productions, leading to a performance at the end of the program.
Open Drum Circle
Drum circles are available to percussionists and non-percussionists alike. This weekly workshop provides an opportunity to develop skills using various percussion instruments from around the world.
Poetry Slam and Performance
This workshop is dedicated to the art of slam poetry and spoken word. Great for songwriters, poets, or hip-hop artists, this is for anyone wanting to amp up their stage presence and work past performance fears. With equal emphasis on writing and performing, this high-energy class features special guest artists, writing and editing prompts, vocal exercises, and stage movement techniques designed to emphasize your own unique style.
Singer-Songwriter Workshop
This class will provide singer-songwriters an opportunity to write and perform their own songs, and learn the tools of the trade. The class will focus on the song: how it's created and how it is used to express and communicate the songwriter's feelings and stories to the audience. You will develop the tools and techniques used by songwriters today and participate in facilitated song critiques with your classmates. The class will culminate in a live performance.
Yoga for Musicians
You will learn to practice meditation approaches and breathing techniques, play using healthy posture and technique, get more out of your practice through improved focus, use your breath to improve phrasing and ease performance anxiety, and play with deeper expression through inspiration. These concepts, exercises, and practice routines present yoga from the musician's perspective, focusing on direct relationships between using yoga and creating music.
You can choose to study the following styles:
Jazz—The repertoire will focus on music drawn from jazz standards, the Great American Songbook, blues, Latin, and modal jazz compositions by a wide range of important jazz artists, including Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, and others.
Pop/Rock—The repertoire will focus on music drawn from important performers, including Adele, the Beatles, Carrie Underwood, the Black Keys, and more.
Funk/Fusion (instrumentalists only)—The repertoire will focus on music drawn from important performers and groups such as Herbie Hancock, the Chick Corea Elektric Band, the Pat Metheny Group, and others.
Pop/R&B (vocalists only)—The repertoire will focus on music drawn from important performers such as Beyoncé, Robert Glasper Experiment, John Legend, Aretha Franklin, and others.
Performance is the centerpiece of the Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive program. Family and friends are encouraged to attend these performances as all concerts are open to the public. During the program, you will have many opportunities to put your coursework into action.
Open Mic for Singer-Songwriters and Vocalists
Monday night open mic sessions are open to all. This is a great way to get to know other students and explore your potential in an informal setting.
Tuesday and Thursday night jam sessions are open to all. Students learn to communicate in a group dynamic and experiment with different styles.
Singer Showcase
Vocalists may audition to be one of 10 featured performers at Vocal Night in the Berklee Performance Center during the final week of the program. Five soloists and five background vocalists will perform arrangements written for them by faculty members with a band of upper semester Berklee students.
Instrumental Showcase
Instrumentalists may audition to perform in one of three all-star groups. These groups will perform at the Berklee Performance Center under the direction of Berklee faculty members during the final week of the program.
Musical Theater Showcase
Auditions for the Musical Theater Showcase will be open to all students during the first week of the program. Vocalists may audition for lead and supporting roles. Instrumentalists may audition for a seat in the Musical Theater Ensemble. Students selected for the Musical Theater Showcase will perform at Vocal Night in the Berklee Performance Center during the final week of the program.
Students' schedules are tailored to their musical interest and experience level. Each schedule is different, and meeting times may vary. Below is a sample schedule of a typical week.
Monday Activities
8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m. Breakfast in the Berklee Dining Hall
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Mandatory Elective
12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Survey of Instrumental/Vocal Styles
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Lunch in the Berklee Dining Hall
3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Performance Perspectives
6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Dinner in the Berklee Dining Hall
7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. Open Mic (optional)
9:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. Homework in the Dorm Lounge (optional)
Tuesday Activities
9:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Music Theory
12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Musicianship
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. Faculty Artist Clinic (optional)
3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Musicianship Teacher Office Hour (optional)
4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Additional Elective (optional)
7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. Tuesday Night Jams (optional)
9:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. Study Group at Cafe 939 (optional)
Wednesday Activities
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Musicianship
12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Live at 160 Caf Show (optional)
2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. Reading Lab
4:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Ensemble Class
8:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. Shakespeare in the Park, Boston Common (optional)
Thursday Activities
2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. Theory Teacher Office Hour (optional)
4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Styles Lab
7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. Thursday Night Jams (optional)
Friday Activities
9:30 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Private Lesson
2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. Department Choice Lab
3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Practice Room Session (optional)
Saturday Activities
9:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Breakfast in the Berklee Dining Hall
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Yoga for Musicians (optional)
12:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. Trip to Providence, Rhode Island, for Waterfire (optional)
10:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. Caf Show
Sunday Activities
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Brunch in the Berklee Dining Hall
1:35 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Red Sox vs. White Sox game at Fenway Park (optional)
7:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. Homework in the Media Center (optional)
Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive students have the opportunity to earn college credit, which many parents find helps to significantly offset the cost of the program. Students participating in our 2021 in-person program may receive three college credits by earning a grade of B or higher in the following classes:
At least one section of Five-Week Ensemble
Five-Week students may receive a maximum of six college credits when attending more than one summer of the in-person program.
Participants in our 2020 online program who earned up to six college credits are still eligible to receive an additional six college credits through our in-person program for a total maximum accrual of 12 college credits.
These credits will count as general elective credits upon admission to Berklee College of Music and will transfer to other institutions at their discretion. Students who qualify for credit will receive an unofficial transcript in addition to a grading report.
Explore our summer programs.


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Private Medicare Advantage plans continue to upcode for billions in extra payments
Medicare Advantage Chart Reviews Are Associated With Billions in Additional Payments for Some Plans
By David J. Meyers, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Amal N. Trivedi, M.D., M.P.H.
Medical Care, Official Journal of the Medical Care Section, American Public Health Association, February 2021
Background: In the Medicare Advantage (MA) program, private plans receive capitated payments that are adjusted based on their enrollees' number and type of clinical conditions. Plans have the ability to review charts to identify additional conditions that are not present in claims data, thereby increasing risk-adjusted payments. Recently the Government Accountability Office released a report raising concerns about the use of these chart reviews as a potential tool for upcoding.
Objectives: To measure the extent to which plans receive additional payments for chart reviews, and the variation in chart reviews across plans.
Research Design: In this cross-sectional study we use 2015 MA Encounter data to calculate how many additional diagnoses codes were added for each enrollee using chart reviews. We then calculate how these additional diagnosis codes translate to additional reimbursements across plans.
Subjects: A total of 14,021,692 beneficiaries enrolled in 510 MA contracts in 2015.
Measures: Individual and contract level hierarchical condition category codes, total plan reimbursement.
Results: Chart reviews were associated with a $2.3 billion increase in payments to plans, a 3.7% increase in Medicare spending to MA plans. Just 10% of plans accounted for 42% of the $2.3 billion in additional spending attributed to chart review. Among these plans, the relative increase in risk score from chart review was 17.2%. For-profit plans engaged in chart reviews substantially more frequently than nonprofit plans.
Conclusions: Given the substantial and highly variable increase in payments attributable to chart review, further investigation of the validity of this practice and its implications for Medicare spending is needed.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov…
Billions in Estimated Medicare Advantage Payments From Chart Reviews Raise Concerns
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, December 2019
Our findings highlight potential issues about the extent to which chart reviews are leveraged by MAOs (Medicare Advantage Organizations) and overseen by CMS. Based on our analysis of MA encounter data, we found that:
MAOs almost always used chart reviews as a tool to add, rather than to delete, diagnoses—over 99 percent of chart reviews in our review added diagnoses.
Diagnoses that MAOs reported only on chart reviews—and not on any service records—resulted in an estimated $6.7 billion in risk-adjusted payments for 2017.
CMS based an estimated $2.7 billion in risk-adjusted payments on chart review diagnoses that MAOs did not link to a specific service provided to the beneficiary―much less a face-to-face visit.
Although limited to a small number of beneficiaries, almost half of MAOs reviewed had payments from unlinked chart reviews where there was not a single record of a service being provided to the beneficiary in all of 2016.
https://oig.hhs.gov…
Covered in a previous Quote of the Day:
https://pnhp.org…
Chapter 13: The Medicare Advantage program: Status report
MedPAC, March 2020
Encounter data
The Commission has long been interested in using MA encounter data to gather information about MA plan practices and utilization that can then be used to inform Medicare policies, by improving MA payment policy, providing a useful comparator with the FFS Medicare program, or generating new policy ideas that could be applied across the entire Medicare program. However, we previously found that the encounter data submitted for 2014 and 2015 (preliminary) lacked completeness and accuracy, making them insufficient for these purposes.
Risk adjustment and coding intensity
Most claims in FFS Medicare are paid using procedure codes, which offer little incentive for providers to record more diagnosis codes than necessary to justify ordering a procedure. In contrast, MA plans have had a financial incentive, since the current risk adjustment model was introduced, to ensure that their providers record all possible diagnoses: Higher enrollee risk scores result in higher payments to the plan.
Our updated analysis for 2018 shows that higher diagnosis coding intensity resulted in MA risk scores that were more than 8 percent higher than scores for similar FFS beneficiaries.
In 2018, the adjustment reduced MA risk scores by 5.91 percent, leaving MA risk scores and payments about 2 percent to 3 percent higher than they would have been if MA enrollees had been treated in FFS Medicare. In 2019 and subsequent years, the minimum adjustment for coding intensity will be 5.9 percent.
http://www.medpac.gov…
Sidley, August 2019
On August 6, 2019, the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas granted a motion to dismiss filed by Baylor Scott & White Health ("Baylor"), a network of inpatient short-term acute care hospitals, in a False Claims Act suit alleging that Baylor submitted "more than $61.8 million in false claims" by upcoding certain diagnosis codes.
In finding that the allegations did not satisfy the FCA's pleading requirements, the Court reasoned that the alleged "scheme" to identify and code MCCs was "not in and of itself one to submit false claims" and was "equally consistent with a scheme to improve hospital revenue through accurate coding of patient diagnoses." The Court noted that CMS has encouraged hospitals to code diagnoses accurately and completely and has acknowledged that taking advantage of coding opportunities to maximize payments supported by the medical record is not inappropriate.
The Court's decision represents another significant victory for Medicare Advantage providers.
https://fcablog.sidley.com…
We've been reporting for years on the upcoding of diagnoses which has allowed the private Medicare Advantage plans to cheat taxpayers out of billions of dollars. MedPAC has also been following this, but insufficient action seems to have been taken so far. There has been some success at obtaining partial refunds, but, as the Sidley report indicates, the courts seem to think that it is fine to add additional diagnosis gleaned from charts though not specific to the services billed for, since they state that "taking advantage of coding opportunities to maximize payments supported by the medical record is not inappropriate."
Rather than continuing to pay the private Medicare Advantage plans billions of dollars extra, it seems more logical to dismiss them and move on with an improved, single payer version of the traditional Medicare program instead. As taxpayers we would certainly do better.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Parents who support their children recovering from post-concussion syndrome or symptoms (PCS) are in challenging circumstances. Many times parents and their injured child, are not fully supported throughout recovery. Often they are left with unanswered questions, and they are left searching and seeking resources to help them to help their child. We have asked parents of our patients, and parents of those who take care of individuals with PCS for things that would help others in their journey and this is what we gathered.
We know this process can be frustrating, overwhelming, and it is a roller coaster of emotions for all involved. Throughout this process, you may experience feelings of frustration, empathy, and in some cases even heartache, hopelessness, and fear. It's hard to watch your child suffer and feel you can't do anything about it.
As a parent, it is essential to know that symptoms can evolve and get worse over time. When you document and log their feelings and emotions, along with your own emotions, it can help you better understand what is happening.
As they struggle in their process of recovery, your child may have personality changes, act out, or get angry quickly. Eating and sleeping habits can change. Your child may have chronic headaches or pain. Your child is scared. They may even talk about dying or giving up, and we know that it is hard to hear, and hard to understand what to do. You may wish that you could take away all of the struggles and challenges. We know that this journey is not easy.
A concussion or brain injury can impact everyone involved and their quality of life. Give yourself space to feel what you need too. To grieve, to adjust, and adapt.
Recovery takes time and patience. It is not a one size fits all recovery, which requires resilience. Resilience means taking things one day at a time, and every time it feels like you are knocked down, or your child is knocked down you get up, and then you help them get up too. Being persistent, and continuing to press forward even when it seems as if all odds are against you will help you and your child to progress throughout your recovery.
Help the person with the injury to learn new self-calming techniques like mindfulness, deep breathing, and other activities that help them manage their current state of life. Give them a safe place to calm down, let them calm down at their own pace. If something is going on you don't understand, avoid engaging in arguments.
Recognize some of their behavior changes are due to the concussion, and changes in the way their brain functions this is not choice. You may learn not to expect logical behavior, in the beginning. Try to see things through your child's eyes. It will help your relationship. Work to develop a new love and respect for this new person.
Because of an injury, it can be hard to process emotions, and to sort out what is happening, not only for the person who is injured but even for those who are close to them. Parents can feel like they're going crazy and no one else gets it. During this time it is vital that you have support and someone you can talk to, and find support for your child or teen.
If you are feeling lost, confused, and don't know where to turn, don't give up. There are many support groups for caregiver's and other parents who are facing similar challenges. Talking about how challenging this is and that you need support, only shows how much you care. You can also ask for help in taking care of your child and supporting your child. You do not have to be the sole person to support them.
Many times we as humans are afraid to ask for support, but we are not meant to face things alone. Just like your child cannot meet their injury alone, you cannot face the impact this injury has on your life alone.
Learning to encourage and uplift one another during the hard times, makes a huge difference. Instill in your child a sense of humor about the learning and growing. Don't look at setbacks as a failure instead recognize it is all part of the process, and that is encouraging.
We know it can be hard to watch someone you love struggle or do things that may seem impossible for them. We know it is tempting to do things for your child because you love them, but it can be to their detriment and will establish an unhealthy codependent relationship.
The best way you can support your injured teen is to support them and love them, but do not do everything for them. The end goal is always that your child will be self-sufficient and able to handle their challenges in a healthy way. They still need accountability and responsibility in their daily routine and throughout their recovery.
Overall, we know that this journey and recovery is by no means easy or straightforward. We want to acknowledge you for taking care of the person you love. We want to thank you for not giving up on them for believing in them, and for caring enough about them to do what it takes to keep going every day, even when it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
Quite frankly, we know that for many of our patients they would have given up much sooner if they didn't have the support and care from a loved one. We hope that you can see just how vital your role is in their recovery and that every small win is a huge win. Because a big win is made up of a collection of small choices, and small actions, choices, and actions that you contribute to. Thank you for being there for those you love, particularly your children.


Over many years Brooke Coghlan has been a stoic supporter of the Echuca community. Not only has he succeeded in operating a solar and electrical business, but he is willing to put effort into supporting local charity that values his contribution. Echuca Special School has received fundraising and generous support for its programs thanks to Brooke's genuine efforts to help vulnerable students succeed. His efforts in charity collection are second to none and we wish him all the very best in his business.


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Category: Max Jacobson
FERRARO'S Italian Renaissance
(ELV loves this pic cuz he thinks it's artsy)
ELV — the man, the myth, the inveterate Italianate — has eaten in Ferraro's more times than he can count. His first meals there — at the west Flamingo location — were probably when chef Mimmo Ferraro was in short pants. He has eaten at Ferraro's in its pre-great wine list phase, in its "the-only-good-Italian-restaurant-in-town" phase, through its pink neon phase and through its "let's-get-closer-to-the-Strip" phase. ELV has seen Ferraro's through so many phases you would think it was one of his unruly children.
Continue reading "FERRARO'S Italian Renaissance"
Kerry and Max
(Slapsie Maxie enjoying a remarkable Italian repast at Ferraro's two weeks ago.)
I've had the opportunity to visit with both Kerry Simon and Max Jacobson recently, so I thought a short post was in order for those of you who are always asking about them and wondering how they're doing.
Continue reading "Kerry and Max"
Incredible Cantonese (if you can get it) at HK STAR
I've been to HK Star Cantonese Restaurant four times since it opened in the mid-part of the last decade. The first time, back when my law office was around the corner, I strolled in solo, noticed I was the only gweilo in the joint, and had to argue with my well-meaning waitron about what I wanted to eat. (I think he said "you no like" at least ten times before he accepted my order. What arrived — egg drop soup, sweet and sour pork, tepid shrimp — was definitely not what I wanted to eat…or what I thought I ordered.)
Continue reading "Incredible Cantonese (if you can get it) at HK STAR"


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Women's soccer advance to NCAA Tournament
The women's soccer team watches the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Selection Show.
Evan Laux
Evan Laux, SPORTS EDITOR FOR THE COLLEGIAN
For the second year in a row, the Ashland University women's soccer team has received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
On the evening of Monday, Nov. 17, the announcement was made live on the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Selection Show on NCAA.com.
The bid comes after the Eagles were eliminated from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament by Saginaw Valley State (2-0) in the semi-final on Nov. 15.
"I think it's super exciting for us because we have this second opportunity to get into the NCAA tournament," junior goalkeeper Hannah Lee said. "We have players who were injured last year, and players who were freshmen last year have another year under their belt now."
The Eagles achieved a record of 10-5-5 in the 2018 season, the first year under head coach of women's soccer Taylor Clarke. After being eliminated from the GLIAC Tournament on Nov. 2, 2018, the team received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament as the No. 7 seed in the Midwest Region. They were knocked out in the first round of the tournament on Nov. 8 by the Ohio Valley Fighting Scots, who entered the tournament as the Great Midwest Athletic Conference champions.
This season, the team improved their record to 14-4-1, taking an early lead by winning 12 of their first 14 games.
"It's everything to this group to get to the [NCAA] tournament again, it's something we've talked about since our loss last year," Clarke said. "We knew we had the opportunity and the resilience to come back and they put in the hard work since that day and throughout this season."
The Eagles will play No. 5 seed McKendree on Friday (Nov. 22) in Allendale, Mich. Kickoff is at 10 a.m. The region's No. 1 seed Grand Valley State will play No. 8 seed and Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament champion Southern Indiana in the bracket's other game.
"It's super exciting for us and we just need to regroup from what happened at the conference tournament, we know what to expect now," senior forward Deijah Swihart said. "We get to play new teams now which will be a good refresher as well."
The other teams in the Midwest Region include No. 2 seed Walsh, No. 3 seed Findlay, No. 6 seed Rockhurst and No. 7 seed Indianapolis.
"I think more than anything, we're just kind of gonna work on the same thing leading up to the (NCAA) tournament," CLarke said. "At this point, to get to where we're at, you don't really need to change much at this point. We'll just kind of keep fine tuning the stuff we've been doing all season."
MAJOR: Digital Media Journalism Major with a minor in Digital Media Production
INVOLVEMENT: The Collegian, AUTV-20, Intramural Sports
INTERESTING FACT:...
Part two: equality within female athletics


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Mental Health problem and Sustainable Development in India: An Overview
Aijaz Ahmed Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh
Keywords: Schizophrenia, Demarcated, Sustainable Development, Mental disorder
Mental health is an emerging problem in the world, particularly in the developing countries like India, which is a big challenge for the sustainable human development. Health is a vital requirement for sustainable human development, and there can be no health without mental health. The role of mental health is very important in accomplishing social inclusion and equity. It also plays a vital role in acquiring universal health coverage, access to justice and human rights, and sustainable economic development. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health is not only the absence of disease but it implicates the physical, social, spiritual and mental health (Park, 2015:12-13). Since primordial eras, India, has emphasised on the health of its citizens and has underlined the need for a physically and mentally healthy society. In the new SDGs, the UN has lastly demarcated that mental health is one of the most universal development precedence, and set the scene for an ambitious plan to tackle the world's challenges in the coming 15 years. WHO has also projected two indicators to strengthen mental health in the SDGs, which are fully aligned with the WHO Global Mental Health Action plan, both within the health goal: (1) suicide rate; and (2) service coverage (proportion treated) of persons with severe mental illness (World Health Organization, 2015). This paper is based on secondary data. The main thrust of this paper was to explore the frequency and pattern of mental disorder and its impact on families or household. This paper also analysed the mental morbidity rate and its cause in India. The findings demonstrated that 13.7 per cent of India's general population has various mental disorders; 10.6 per cent of them need instant mediations. Whereas, almost 10 per cent of the population has common mental disorders, 1.9 per cent of the masses suffer from severe mental disorders. The result shows that the frequency of schizophrenia is more in urban metros then rural counterparts. The occurrence of mental illness is found to be very high in urban centres, where there is a higher prevalence of schizophrenia, mood disorders and neurotic or stress-related disorders.
Ahmed A. Mental Health problem and Sustainable Development in India: An Overview. Indian J Community Health [Internet]. 2019Jun.30 [cited 2021Jan.20];31(2):173 -178. Available from: https://www.iapsmupuk.org/journal/index.php/IJCH/article/view/1109


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Home/Eurasia/Turkish army urges parliament to order cross-border operation
Turkish army urges parliament to order cross-border operation
General Yasar Buyukanit, chief of the Turkish Army General Staff, called again on Wednesday (June 27th) for a cross-border operation against the terrorist organisation Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in northern Iraq. "We cannot say entering Iraq would eliminate the PKK. But it would deal a blow, something that would bring great benefits," Buyukanit said at a press conference, calling on lawmakers to order the action. At the same event, the commander of Turkish Land Forces, General Ilker Basbug, announced a planned restructuring of the forces, with the goal of better tackling issues related to the PKK threat.Also on Wednesday, Turkish troops killed eight PKK fighters in the province of Sirnak, near the border with Iraq. The local governor's office said an army unit spotted a large group of guerrillas and engaged them in a battle that lasted the whole day.
The same day, US forces said they killed two Turkish members of al-Qaeda, in a battle near Hawija on Saturday. One is described as a senior al-Qaeda operative whose cell brought foreign fighters into Iraq and reportedly recruited Turks to fight in Afghanistan in 2001.
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I don't look for technical perfections, says Dangal actor Aamir Khan
Bollywood Actor Aamir Khan Says He Never Feels The Burden Of Being Called A Perfectionist As He Does Not Believe In The Tag.
PTI | Updated on: 09 Dec 2016, 11:15:36 AM
His meticulous choice of films,attention to details has given him the title of MrPerfectionist but superstar Aamir Khan feels it is not a correct name for him and says he should rather be called Mr Passionate.
"It puts no pressure on me because I don't believe in the title. So that title is an inaccurate title. The correct title that fits me is not Mr Perfectionist, it should be Mr Passionate, that is what I am," Aamir told reporters during a group interview.
Also Read: Dangal title song is out in powerful voice of Daler Mehndi, Pritam and Amitabh Bhattacharya
The actor, who will be next seen in Nitesh Tiwari's sports-based drama "'Dangal", says in a creative field of films, there are varied opinions and it is not possible to find perfection.
"Perfection according to me does not exist. Their is no such thing. Certainly not in the creative field. There are so many different opinions, so how can there be a perfect idea?"
Aamir says for him perfection in a shot is not about being technically faultless but more about capturing the heart of the scene. "When I am in a shot there are many elements that need tobe right.
There are lot of technical problems because of whicha shot has to be done again. I don't look for technical perfections. "What I look for in a shot is whether one has been able tocapture the heart of the moment. Then you see the shot, you feel that it happened and everything fall in place."
"'Dangal" also starring Sakshi Tanwar, Fatima Sana Sheikhand Sanya Malhotra, will release on December 23.
For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
First Published : 09 Dec 2016, 10:51:00 AM
Aamir Khan Aamir Khan Dangal Dangal Sakshi Tanwar


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Jariet Waldina Paz (born 15 June 1966 in Tegucigalpa) is a Honduran journalist and politician. She currently serves as deputy of the National Congress of Honduras representing the Liberal Party of Honduras for Francisco Morazán.

References

1966 births
Living people
People from Tegucigalpa
Honduran journalists
Honduran women journalists
Liberal Party of Honduras politicians
Deputies of the National Congress of Honduras
21st-century Honduran women politicians
21st-century Honduran politicians
21st-century Honduran women writers
21st-century Honduran writers
20th-century Honduran women writers
20th-century Honduran writers

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


In our society, confidence is a major asset. As parents, you want your kids to bloom and find happiness. Therefore, you may feel a little disconcerted when you notice that your little one is shy and fearful. However, provided that you do a bit of introspection, you can be of great help for your kid to improve his self-image. Here is our advice to support your children in their quest for self-confidence.
As a parent, you must set an example. Kids are very observant and easily influenced in their behavior. Therefore, if you have low self-esteem, it won't be easy for them to reverse the trend.
Failure is seen as a burden, a difficult experience that it is hard to rise from. It damages your self-esteem. Yet people learn a lot from failure. It is an opportunity to take a step back and analyze a situation, draw knowledge from it, and do better the next time.
We, the parents, know that we'll succeed – because we have confidence. When we face an obstacle or a hitch, we adapt and keep moving. Taking up challenges allows to strengthen self-esteem – and our children see that.
We project a lot of expectations on our children, whether we do it consciously or not. We expect them to be perfect, according to our own criteria. We want them to be nice and well-behaved, get good grades at school, be the best player in the soccer team… But our little ones can't always match our expectations perfectly. It'll make them feel like they're not good enough and bring down their self-esteem. Let them be themselves, it's what they are best at.
Let's comfort our little ones on this question: we will always love them, no matter what happens. A parent's love is not subject to success, failure, highs and lows. And being loved is an unbeatable weapon to develop and boost self-confidence.
Sometimes, in the grip of anger, you may blame your children, tell them they're not enough this or that. But a person is not defined by an isolated action.
Highlight the positive things in your kids' behavior. It'll encourage them and build their self-esteem.
Avoid judgement and comparisons as much as possible. Competition doesn't help self-confidence.
Our kids are fully-fledged individuals. Considering them as such will help them develop a positive sense of self. Point out their qualities and the efforts they make to be good. Include them in daily decisions by taking their opinion into account. Listen and acknowledge their emotions. If a child feels respected and valued, he/she will gain self-esteem.
It is important that your children don't get all of their self-esteem from you. To help them gain confidence, let them come and go on their own. Depending on their age, you can let them walk to a neighbor's house or to the local bakery, for instance. Use a Weenect GPS tracker to ease everybody's mind. Value the path travelled rather that the result of a completed project. If you see your children struggle on a difficulty, help them find the solution with their own resources. It'll bring them to think for themselves – and take pride in it.
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I'm excited to announce that Barefoot Truth will be playing a small handful of top notch shows this summer, including Jonathan Edward's Winery (Sun July 13), Gathering of the Vibes (Sat Aug 2nd), and two nights (Sat Aug 16 & Sun Aug 17) at The Sinclair in Boston. All of us are extremely excited to get back together for each of these special dates, and hope to see you all there. Check my tour dates page for links to buy tickets early for these shows.


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Shop for pink ladies costume online on Target.com. Find pink ladies costume at Target.


A "non-techie" Twitter sleuth with 3,000 followers has just caused Hillary Clinton's campaign a new headache: According to screenshots she published Sunday — which are now reportedly under review in the House Oversight Committee — the IT specialist who deleted Clinton's emails may first have turned to Reddit for advice on the technology.
The Reddit posts in question come from a user named stonetear, and were made in July and December 2014. @GOPPollAnalyst, the woman who unearthed the posts, claims stonetear is Paul Combetta, a computer specialist with Platte River Networks who worked with Clinton's staff during her time as secretary of state.
In the posts, stonetear asks for technical advice on retaining and deleting email messages that are more than 60 days old, as well as on removing the email address of an unnamed "VERY VIP" client from email archives.
"The issue is that these emails involve the private email address of someone you'd recognize," another one says.
The big question, of course, is whether Combetta is in fact stonetear — and what that would mean for both the IT specialist (who was granted immunity by the Justice Department during the Clinton email investigation) and for Clinton herself. The posts do not appear to reference deleting emails, but rather to hiding email addresses. That could signal nothing of note.
Still, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) told The Hill that his Government Operations subcommittee would like more clarity on why the changes were requested, if they were in fact requested by Clinton or her staff. Critics have also raised questions about the propriety and security of a computer technician asking strangers for help with a government project.
Putergod.net is, for what it's worth, also registered to stonetear@gmail.com.
@GOPPollAnalyst did not immediately respond to The Washington Post's request for comment, but it would appear that she's not quite done yet. The (yet-anonymous!) woman, who has said she's studying law "with concentrations in eDiscovery/eLitigation," has spent the past 36 hours tweeting constantly with conservative power-users and media outlets.
She credits the story's virality to the Twitter parody account @RepStevenSmith, who retweeted her findings shortly before they were picked up by Reddit.


Henkel operates globally with a well-balanced and diversified portfolio. The company holds leading positions with its three business units in both industrial and consumer businesses thanks to strong brands, innovations and technologies. Henkel Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the adhesives market – across all industry segments worldwide. In its Beauty Care and Laundry & Home Care businesses, Henkel holds leading positions in many markets and categories around the world. Founded in 1876, Henkel looks back on more than 140 years of success. Henkel employs around 53,000 people globally – a passionate and highly diverse team, united by a strong company culture, a common purpose to create sustainable value, and shared values. As a recognized leader in sustainability, Henkel holds top positions in many international indices and rankings. Henkel's preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX.
Henkel currently employs approximately 950 employees in the UK & Ireland across six sites, which include manufacturing, packaging, R&D, sales & marketing, customer care, technical assistance and support offices. The UKI headquarters are in Hemel Hempstead and in the region there are two Technology Centres of Excellence; one in in Hemel Hempstead (UK) and one in Tallaght (Ireland), and an Innovation and Interaction Centre for Adhesive Technologies, also in Tallaght.
Henkel's brands and technologies are used in many different applications and industries, and for many different consumer needs. Henkel is the name behind many well-known brands such as Loctite, Pritt, Sellotape, UniBond; Schwarzkopf, Right Guard, got2b; Bloo, Colour Catcher, Dylon Dyes and Jeyes.
The Beauty Care business unit is leading in the Branded Consumer Goods sector with Hair Cosmetics, Body Care, Skin Care and Oral Care, as well as the professional Hair Salon business.


A history of Cable Street Beat, the musical wing of Anti-Fascist Action, from Fighting Talk magazine. This article was digitised as part of the collection at uncarved.org.
Four dubious individuals turned up... they were told that they could stay and watch the gig and if their right arms got above shoulder height that they would be pulled off and raffled.


Offers business coaching and corporate training including presentation skills, leadership and client service programs. Focuses on commitment, accountability and measurement to ensure sustainable results.
Management training programs are available on the following topics time management training, leadership training, teamwork training, Communication Skills, marketing strategy, Finance executive and effective management skills in India.
Sanhit Technomation industrial automation training institute. We have automation training institute in Gurgaon, Delhi, NCR India. We are an provide PLC Programming for PLC based motor derives, instrumentation and DG synchronization.


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Kosmos 2276, ruski navigacijski satelit iz programa Kosmos. Vrste je GLONASS (Uragan br. 60L).
Lansiran je 11. travnja 1994. godine u 07:49 s kozmodroma Bajkonura (Tjuratam) u Kazahstanu. Lansiran je u srednje visoku orbitu oko planeta Zemlje raketom nosačem Proton-K/DM-2 8K82K. Orbita mu je 19059 km u perigeju i 19200 km u apogeju. Orbitna inklinacija mu je 64,80°. Spacetrackov kataloški broj je 23044. COSPARova oznaka je 1994-021-B. Zemlju obilazi u 675,71 minuta. Pri lansiranju bio je mase 1400 kg.

Izvori
Heavens-above (engl.)
NASA (engl.)
Planet4589.org Tablični prikaz podataka o satelitima (engl.)

Vanjske poveznice
N2YO.com Search Satellite Database
Celes Trak SATCAT Format Documentation (engl.)
Kunstman Satellites in Orbit (engl.)

Sateliti Kosmos


The Swede became the first woman to complete 100 metres under 52 seconds in the first leg of the 4x100 metres freestyle.
Sarah Sjostorm says there is more in the tank, with the women's 100m freestyle world-record again under threat after powering her way into Friday's final at the world championships.
The 23-year-old Swedish sprinter became the first woman to swim under 52 seconds last Sunday during a powerful first leg in the 4x100m freestyle.
In the semi-finals, Sjostrom was the fastest of a powerful field, clocking 52.44 seconds, and having bettered her time from the heats, she can go faster still.
"I'm really happy that I went half a second faster, even though it was the same effort for me," she said.
Sjostrom is predicting a tight battle – similar to last year's Olympic final when Simone Manuel of the USA and Canada's Penny Oleksiak, 17, who are both into the Budapest final, shared the gold.
Defending champion Bronte Campbell of Australia and 2012 Olympic champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo also went through with quick times.
"Just remember though what happened in the Olympics, I'm looking forward to it but it can go either way," added Sjostrom.
Olympic champion Ryan Murphy was the second fastest into the men's 200m backstroke final behind China's Xu Jiayu, who clocked 1:54.79 when the pair met in the semi-finals.
Xu won the 100m title on Monday, beating Murphy, also the Olympic champion over the shorter distance, into bronze.
"I wanted to just go hard in the last 50, but Xu really pulled us all out there, he went out really hard," said Murphy.
The defending champion Mitch Larkin of Australia bowed out in the semi-finals, finishing 15th fastest after only squeezing his way through in the morning's heats.
The men's 200m breaststroke world-record is also under threat in Friday's final after Russia's Anton Chupkov swam a new championships record of 2:07.14 in the semi-finals.
Japan's Ippei Watanabe, who set the current world record of 2:06.67 in Tokyo in January, was second fastest behind Chupkov at 0.30 back.
With no Adam Peaty over the longer distance, Ross Murdoch will fly the flag for Britain having qualified as third fastest, just 0.48 behind Chupkov.
"I don't know if I will break the world record tomorrow, it's a secret – you will find out," teased Chupkov.
The Olympic champion, Dmitriy Balandin of Kazakhstan, was a casualty in the semi-finals as he bowed out in 13th place, while defending champion Marco Koch of Germany also failed to advance in 11th.
Russia's Yuliya Efimova set the pace for the women's 200m breaststroke final, but Lilly King of the USA, who broke the 100m world record on Tuesday only scraped in as eighth fastest.
King, 20, had been the quickest in the morning heats, while Australia's Taylor McKeown, the 2014 Commonwealth champion, was third fastest.


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American Basketball Players
Maya Moore Net Worth
What is Maya Moore Net Worth? Net Worth: $500 Thousand Name: Maya Moore Date of Birth: 11 June 1989 Annual Salary: $250 Thousand Monthly Income: $25 Thousand Profession: Basketball Player Nationality: American Maya Moore has a net worth of $500 thousand. Moore is a professional basketball player who had a successful career in the WNBA … Read more
Categories Athletes, American Basketball Players, Basketball Players
Smush Parker Net Worth
Smush Parker is a former professional basketball player with a net worth of $1 million. Parker was famously recognized by fans after Kobe Bryant stated that he should not have made it into the NBA. Parker recently made headlines when it was announced that he may return to the NBA not as a player but … Read more
Tyrell Terry Net Worth
Tyrell Terry is an American professional basketball player who has a net worth of $5 million. He was a point guard for the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association, the country's top basketball league. According to reports, Terry "broke a record" in a basketball IQ test given by several NBA front offices during the … Read more
Categories Basketball Players, American Basketball Players, Athletes
Ben Gordon Net Worth
Ben Gordon is a British-American professional basketball player who has a net worth of $20 million. Gordon grew up in Mount Vernon and attended Mount Vernon High School before becoming one of UConn's finest top players. Gordon played three years at the University of Connecticut before joining the NBA, guiding the Huskies to the NCAA … Read more
Richard Jefferson is a former American basketball player who has a net worth of $50 million. He played the forward position in 17 NBA seasons and also does a job as a sports analyst on ESPN. He was an Arizona Wildcats college basketball player. After being selected with the 13th overall choice in the first … Read more
Charlie Villanueva Net Worth
What is Charlie Villanueva's Net Worth? Name Charlie Villanueva Net Worth 2022 $30 Million Profession NBA Player Country United States of America Born August 24, 1984 Salary $8 Million (annual) Last Updated 2023 Charlie Villanueva is a Dominican-American former professional basketball player who has a net worth of $30 million. Villanueva has played power forward … Read more
Miles Bridges Net Worth
What is Miles Bridges' Net Worth? Net Worth: $5 Million Profession: Basketball Player Age: 24 Years Old Country: United States Born: 21 March 1998 Salary (Annual): $20 million per season Last Updated 2023 Miles Bridges net worth and Income: Miles Bridges is an American professional Basketball player has a net worth of $5 million. He … Read more
Devin Booker Net Worth
What is Devin Booker's Net Worth? Net Worth: $30 Million Profession: Basketball Player Country: United States of America Born: October 30, 1996 Income (Annual): $5 Million Source Of Wealth: Contracts, Brands Last Updated 2023 Devin Booker Net Worth and Income: Devin Booker is an American basketball player who has a net worth of $30 million. … Read more
Caleb Swanigan Net Worth
What is Caleb Swanigan's Net Worth? Net Worth: $5 Million Profession: Basketball Player Age: 25 Years Old Country: United States of America Born: April 18, 1997 Salary (Annual): $1.2 Million Per Year Last Updated 2023 Caleb Swanigan Net Worth and Salary: Caleb Swanigan was an American professional basketball player who had a net worth of … Read more
Categories Basketball Players, American Basketball Players, Died Basketball Players
Chris Bosh Net Worth
What is Chris Bosh's Net Worth? Net Worth: $110 Million Profession: Basketball Player Age: 38 Years Old Country: United States of America Born: 24 March 1984 Salary (Annual): $10 Million Last Updated 2023 Chris Bosh is a former American Basketball player who has a net worth of $110 million. Christopher Wesson Bosh, mostly known as … Read more
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T.J. Holmes Net Worth
Ted Sarandos Net Worth 2023: Income, Salary, Career, Bio
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Big Meech Net Worth 2023: Income, Salary, Career, Bio
Scott Minerd Net Worth


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Comfortex manufacture specialist foam based healthcare products for the domestic and international markets. Our expertly engineered healthcare products specialize in pressure care mattresses, along with making wheelchair cushions as well as innovative physiotherapy products and support cushions.


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Google parent to pull plug on bipedal robot development
Alphabet, the holding company behind Google, will cease development of bipedal robots, giving up on the prospect of early commercialization. The company is expected to dissolve the project later this year and relocate employees involved in development to other departments within Alphabet or help them find jobs elsewhere.
Google entered the robotics business in 2013 by buying Schaft, a tech startup founded by University of Tokyo researchers, and other companies. But the company scaled back the business, due in part to the departure of Andy Rubin in 2014, who has led the robotics business.
SoftBank Group in June 2017 announced that it had agreed with Alphabet to purchase Schaft, but one or more Schaft employees refused to be part of SoftBank, according to people familiar with the matter. SoftBank's attempt to buy Schaft apparently broke down.
"Following Softbank's decision not to move forward with the Schaft acquisition," an Alphabet spokesperson told Nikkei, "we explored many options but ultimately decided to wind down Schaft. We're working with employees to help them find jobs elsewhere within or outside of Alphabet."
Yuto Nakanishi, assistant professor of the University of Tokyo, and others established Schaft in 2012. The startup has developed bipedal robots, which can be used to save human lives at disaster sites.
Schaft couldn't find investors to provide growth capital in Japan and asked Google for help. The company won first place in a robot technology contest hosted by the U.S. Department of Defense immediately after it became part of Google.
It also has drawn attention as an example that Japanese investors could not spot the potential of promising technology and let it flow overseas.
Google established holding company Alphabet in 2015 and began managing separately the main business centered on online ads and investment in new ventures.
At the same time, it separated businesses like Schaft from Google and shifted to a system whereby Alphabet directly manages them.
Rubin, who led the robotics business, is also known as the creator of the Android operating system. Some media reports claimed that his departure from Google was sparked by his sexual misconduct at the company. Earlier this month, Google employees were angry that the company had paid him a handsome retirement allowance, leading them to organize a massive strike.
According to the company's financial results for the July-September quarter, released on Oct. 25, sales at 'Other Bets' including Schaft, in Alphabet parlance, jumped 25% on the year to $146 million. It also posted an operating loss of $727 million, compared with an operating loss of $650 million for the same period last year.
Japan grants certification for first time to 'information banks'
S&T Policy
The Information Technology Federation of Japan has certified FeliCa Pocket…
Doctors and patients in parts of Japan with few pediatricians turn to mobile apps for advice
With many areas experiencing a severe lack of pediatricians, local governments…
Govt, firms aim to offer short space trips in 2020s
Aiming to realize outer space travel operated by Japanese companies, the…


Me and brother Steve at the Dubai marina. Steve is pursuing business interests in the booming region. I am just a curious bystander.
Dubai – the newest city in the world!
Imagine if Disneyland leaped its boundaries and swallowed up a large chunk of a country. Then you would have some idea of Dubai, with its luxury residence, hotel and business towers, with its luxury malls (an entire indoor ski slope with lifts in the Dubai Mall – just outside of the city they are busy building the world's largest mall).
Imagine beaches where there are never waves, a city where the buildings are new and the streets are always clean, where there are amusement parks with rides. You can skydive, or dune bust in 4x4s, or do as I did and take a Heritage Desert Tour.
Yes the Islamic prayers echoing over the city once in a while are a bit disquieting, but you can pretend they are garbled theme park announcements.
And just wait a couple years – they are busy building Jurassic Park (with real dinosaurs?) along with the world's largest conglomeration of vacation parks. This push to make a Disneylandish country is the ruling family's plan to replace oil reserve income with tourist income – and so far it has worked well. Tourists are pouring in for the plethora of worldly pleasures.
On the Heritage tour you use 1950 land rovers and drive on one of the ruling sheik's desert preserves/farms.
Also Dubai has established itself as THE place to do business in the Middle East, luring IBM, AMD, and a hundred other companies with free tax zones and lax partnership deals that the other countries in the region require. Too every restaurant franchise you can imagine dots the street corners, from Pizza Hut to KFC to Subway – even Texas Roadhouse in the Mall of the Emirates (next to the world's tallest building).
I have to admit Dubai proper is not my cup of tea, but I did find the modern architecture impressive. Mostly I enjoyed getting out in nature with a Heritage desert safari and dinner. Something about a cool night breeze and sand at my feet and good food and company.
Still something rings false here. The implication that personal success is all about how much money you have (there is actually a sign on the main freeway from the Dubai airport advertising Trump Estates with the slogan – "A sure sign of your success"). No, I don't think that is right – I don't think owning a residence in Dubai is a sign of anything except one's ability to spend money. Yet I understand this is just advertising, and that the rulers want their people to have jobs, so maybe they are compromising a bit on the Islamic pursuit of holiness – to get more dollars into their country.
Comic con contest at Dubai Mall (not Mall of the Emirates) – this one's a Stormtrooper cosplaying Pikachu!
Ray, I'm running behind, I'm still in Dubai. I must tell you that I love the buildings and all the shapes. I might not trust them to go up into them. It is a fascinating place. I'm so glad you could go. I'll wait and go when the new Park is there!


Crape myrtle bark scale on bark is most evident in the summer when all life stages are present.
It's probably true that misery loves company. For the past several years we gardeners in the Dallas area have sadly watched our beautiful crape myrtle trees succumb to a new insect pest. The crape myrtle bark scale is a messy little critter that causes trunks to blacken and plants to drip sticky bug poop.
True, it's small consolation to know that the scale that invaded Texas has now spread to at least six other states and appears to be ready to follow crape myrtle in the U.S. wherever it is grown. But at least we're no longer alone in our woes.
The scale was positively identified this year as Eriococcus lagerstroemiae, an insect previously found only in and around China (including Korea and Japan). Most likely introduced to the Dallas area by a traveler smuggling a crape myrtle cutting to plant in a private backyard, we've known the scale problem for over ten years. Now the crape myrtle bark scale has its own website, and a distribution map that you can help update.
Identifying the pest is not difficult. It is one of very few white scale-like insects that will cluster on the bark of crape myrtle trunks and branches. When crushed they ooze a purplish blood.
The fine folks at EDDMaps (Early Detection & Distribution Mapping Sytem) have just finished creating an interactive way to share pictures and data about suspected crape myrtle infestations at your backyard or town. If you suspect you have the scale in your neighborhood, take a picture of the infested tree and save to your phone or computer. Then go to http://www.eddmaps.org/cmbs/ and register if you are a first time user. After you're official, click on the Report Sightings tab and start filling in your information about your suspected infestation. You don't have to manually enter Latitude and Longitude, simply use the interactive map to locate where your crape myrtles are located. If you zoom in and turn on the satellite image option (my favorite part) , chances are that you can point to the actual tree in question.
After you mark your location, you can upload up to five digital images and submit your report. The report goes to a local entomologist who verifies the image and your report goes into the mapping database. If your sighting is confirmed, your county will light up with a color indicating the year of your report, and your record will go down in the entomological archives forever.
The map itself will likely not help keep the scale from spreading. The USDA has determined that the cat is already out of the bag, and so there is no real use for quarantining nurseries in infested states. Nevertheless, we entomologists would like to know how fast it's spreading. And, like telling teacher about a naughty child on the playground, even if we can't stop this pest from spreading at least it will make you feel better to report it.
For more information about crape myrtle bark scale and its control, click here.
This entry was posted in Exotic pests, News, Pests of landscapes and tagged citizen science, crape myrtle bark scale, EDDMaps, Eriococcus lagerstroemia. Bookmark the permalink.


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Masters / Scholarships
Aix-Marseille University TIGER Master Excellence Scholarships 2022 For International Students
May 3, 2022 October 15, 2022
DETAILS | Aix-Marseille University TIGER Master Excellence Scholarships
The Aix-Marseille University is inviting applications from intellectual and outstanding students for TIGER Master Excellence Scholarships 2022 for the international students. This is available to international Masters students who wish to start the program at the University so students must apply for this scholarship as soon as possible.
From the start of the 2022/2023 academic year, the University is going to finance international students, innovation and high-level research for the students in the Aix University
Also See: University of South Australia UniSA Scholarships 2022-23 For International Students Fully Funded
Scholarship Sponsor(s): Aix-Marseille University, France
Scholarship Type: Academic Award for students
Host Institution(s): Aix-Marseille University, France
Scholarship Worth: €10,000 for one academic year & Accommodation for students
Study Level: Masters
Nationality: Home & International Student
Also See: Bangor University Vice-Chancellors Scholarships for International Students Fully Funded
Aix-Marseille University has made international mobility and the welcome of international students a pillar of its internationalization policy for the eligible candidates in the Aix-Marseille University. It has therefore set up a unique scholarship system to finance excellent students wishing to enroll at the university for the students so never miss this opportunity. From the beginning of the new academic year for the students, 16 master's programs will be able to award these scholarships to their best international candidates for the students.
The TIGER Master Excellence Scholarships are awarded under selection for the students so see 16 selected programs from the beginning of the 2022/2023 academic year for the students in the Aix-Marseille 2022.
Also See: Internship of World Food Program 2022 For International Students| Fully Funded
To be eligible for Aix-Marseille University TIGER Master Excellence Scholarships, applicants are expected to meet the following conditions so read the details carefully:
Applicants can apply from any nationality are eligible for the Aix-Marseille University
Applicants must be ready to enroll in masters degree program are eligible for the Aix-Marseille University
Master in Microbiology, Integrative and Fundamental Microbiology track are eligible for the Aix-Marseille University
Also See: DAAD Master Study Scholarships for International Students 2022-2023
Eligible courses
Master of Nanoscience's and Nanotechnologies, Nanoscale and quantum engineering (NQE) / Nano-ingénierie et dispositive Qu antiques (NDQ) track for the students
Master of Nanoscience's and Nanotechnologies (co-accredited CNE) track (Erasmus Mundus) for the students
Master of Physics, Euro photonics (Erasmus Mundus) for the students
Master of Physics, Fun Phys
Master of Mechanics, Fluids and Solids for the students
Master of Mathematics and Applications – Computer Science, Computer Science and Discrete Mathematics track for the students
Master of Integrative Biology and Physiology
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How-to-Apply: For the 2022/2023 academic year, the application for TIGER scholarships is automatic when you apply for the students (via the Etudes en France or candidateplatforms) for the students in the Aix-Marseille University
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Application Deadline: Not Specified
Visit the Official Website for Further Details
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