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Wenger on Samir Nasri and Arsenal's chances of winning the Premier League
After yesterday's victory over Fulham, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger spoke with the media.
On Nasri's two goals, the manager said:
"It was a combination of touch, intelligence, special talent and calmness as well.
"He needed to be patient to finish on both occasions and he did that very well.
"I'm happy because he had a game that was, at the start, only based on coming to the ball.
"But now he has more variation in his game: turns, runs in behind without the ball, and as well coming to the ball and taking it to his feet.
"So his game is improving and he is, of course, more efficient."
On why Wenger kept faith with Nasri and brought him to the Grove in the first place, he said:
"It's always difficult to compare. But what is important when you are a manager is you want to get the best out of a player and I always was a strong believer in him.
"Many people questioned me when I took him here but he is showing that he is an exceptional talent and I think there is more to come from him."
On Nasri's development during his time at Arsenal, he said:
"He was a bit too much attracted by the ball and we wanted him to do more once off the ball, go in behind without the ball, because we have many players who can keep the ball."
On Arsenal's chances of winning the league this season, he said:
"We are good enough to go on, that is for sure. As you see, every single team struggles to be consistent.
"At the moment, we are where we are despite having lost three games.
"Today, you could see again every game is a cup final. And if you're not completely up for it, you don't take the three points.
"We have the spirit, we have the quality but we face tough opponents. And it will be down, as I have said already many times here, to consistency.
"We are far from winning the championship yet.
"The only thing I can say: we have the desire and the spirit to fight for it. Will it be good enough? We'll have the answer in May."
Follow Ashburton Grove on Twitter, chatting Arsenal throughout the day. To receive the blog everyday you can subscribe via e-mail or take the RSS feed to your favourite reader.
Labels: Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Fulham, Post match interview, Premier League


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The Rutherford Institute: Drivers Beware: The Deadly Perils of Traffic Stops in the American Police State
ppjg	corruption, Government, Police State, The PPJ Gazette	American Police State, blank check policing, corruption, deadly traffic stops, goverment, know your rights, license to effect seizures, militarized weaponry, police brutality, police encounter, police shootings, Police State, recording police, The PPJ Gazette, TheRutherford Institute, traffic stops, trigger-centric fear in a police officer's	Leave a comment
By John W. Whitehead
"The Fourth Amendment was designed to stand between us and arbitrary governmental authority. For all practical purposes, that shield has been shattered, leaving our liberty and personal integrity subject to the whim of every cop on the beat, trooper on the highway and jail official. The framers would be appalled."—Herman Schwartz, The Nation
We've all been there before.
You're driving along and you see a pair of flashing blue lights in your rearview mirror. Whether or not you've done anything wrong, you get a sinking feeling in your stomach.
You've read enough news stories, seen enough headlines, and lived in the American police state long enough to be anxious about any encounter with a cop that takes place on the side of the road.
For better or worse, from the moment you're pulled over, you're at the mercy of law enforcement officers who have almost absolute discretion to decide who is a threat, what constitutes resistance, and how harshly they can deal with the citizens they were appointed to "serve and protect."
This is what I call "blank check policing," in which the police get to call all of the shots.
So if you're nervous about traffic stops, you have every reason to be. More
Cultural dictatorship hijacked
ppjg	corruption, DOMESTIC TERRORISM, Government, government sponsored terrorism, James Hufferd PhD	9/11 organization, acivists, corruption, DOMESTIC TERRORISM, goverment, government sponsored terrorism, James Hufferd Ph.D.	1 Comment
by James Hufferd, Ph.D., Coordinator 911 Truth Grassroots Organization
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" But, the vanguard of the conditioning monopoly of elite power over us appears to be crumbling now, with the establishment media falling rapidly out of favor with the public and with a spate of harmful elite policy stances – open-borders and hostile militarization being two huge facets, sold as advantageous to society – now being roundly questioned."
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We activists who began as part of the 9/11 Truth Movement several years ago gradually learned that the object of our scorn and rage, the September 11 false-flag attacks, was just one uniquely prominent part of an out-of-sight, behind the scenes colossal, ongoing for longer than a century, shadowy directed enterprise of what's now called the Deep State / Unelected Shadow Government / emerging New World Order to rigidly manipulate and change western and particularly American culture to serve their own interests and peculiar ambitions. That is, of what is perhaps the largest, most-sweeping and largest-cast conspiracy in world history, and likely the most damaging in a permanent sense.
9/11 itself was all about changing American and allied minds to accept the need for and participation in vast militarization and overseas imperial invasions, ultimately galore, simultaneous, and unending, the dual purpose to satisfy blood lusts and sweep the lion's share of the earnings of wage-earners into the hands of corporate moguls and mega-investors.
Other forced culture changes, both earlier and after 9/11/01, have been, though perhaps gentler, more-or-les equally sudden and sweeping, disorienting in their cultural impact, ultimately good or bad. The "artists" with the right words and the right look at the right time saw their careers promoted. Hence, the lyrical and wistful style of music of the 1940s and '50s was quite suddenly swept away by the divisive and jarring sudden entrance of rock-'n-roll. Which was steadily intensified to accompany and bring on the jarring drug culture and youth rebellion by the late '60s and'70s – met gladly or (mostly) not, along with the apparently spontaneous Civil Rights and Anti-Draft/Anti-War Movement, producing a powerful, coordinated backlash, that hasn't yet entirely subsided. The main effect was to vaccinate the country and chastise deviance, after the disaster of Vietnam and a rash of dispiriting staged assassinations, against a cultural regimen seeming delivered from on high. By the end of the '80s, the stage was set for 9/11 and a forced scale-back in domestic concern. The Gulf War and attendant one-offs introduces a different type of domestically manufactured foe to fill our nightmares, the international terrorist. More
The Answer is No. The Time is Now
Lynn Swearingen	10th amend. Center, 1st Amendment, 2nd amendment, 4th Amendment, 5th Amendment, Articles, Constitution, corruption, Government, HEALTH, Immigration, nullification/federal mandates, PROPERTY RIGHTS, REAL ID, Social Engineering, Social Security, Taxes, Uncategorized	2010, change, choice, civil disobedience, Democrat, election, freedom, goverment, repbulican	5 Comments
by: Lynn Swearingen (c) copyright 2o10 ALL RIGHTS RSERVED
If I had the opportunity to sit in each living room of America, this would be the conversation I would have with each individual who believe they have no power.
America – why are we making this so difficult? The endless discussion, the banter back and forth, the reconciliation game being played in Washington, D.C., Republican, Democrats, Constitutionality?
The answer, though simple, is quite clear once the muck is removed from the discussion. No. Polite, firm and insistent. "No Thank you Mr. Republicrat. The answer to Health Care Reform is No. The answer to an increase in Taxes? No." Not a qualified maybe, not a "wait and see", the answer is No.
Can one not see the return of the Republican's to the discussion is no more than their attempt to grab what little power and money not already jingling in the pockets of the Democrats? The call sweeping the Nation now is – "The Vote in 2010 is going to wipe out the corruption in Washington, by replacing the Democrats with Republicans." Do you really believe that?
I say the answer is No. No incumbents. Each and every one of them has contributed to the conflagration that currently abides in this Nation. If you truly believe that through the election process a single one is going to carry through for your wants or needs, take the blinders off and open your eyes.
The only path to the return to simple Government of the People By the People is the People.
Not promises, additional Regulatory Practices, endless debate or bargaining. More

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Municipality in Kosovo turns to Constitutional Court
The municipal assembly in the town of Zvecan in northern Kosovo met on Monday for an extraordinary session to discuss the local elections.
(kosovocompromisestuff) Tuesday, August 27, 2013
The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Serbia should state its view as to whether the participation of Kosovo Serbs as Serbian citizens in the Kosovo local elections is in keeping with the provisions of the Constitution and the laws of Serbia, the councilors concluded.The conclusions read out by Zvecan Municipal Assembly President Momcilo Gvozdic, the councillors reiterated that they are against the participation of Serbs in the elections and the staging of the elections itself which have been scheduled for November 3. They underscored that they will not overstep the constitutional and legal framework of the Republic of Serbia and that they will not enter the constitutional and legal framework of another, unrecognized country. The Zvecan municipal assembly wants representatives of Serbs and four northern Kosovo municipalities to address once more the Constitutional Court through a letter and ask for a decision on the constitutionality and legality of the Brussels agreement on the normalisation of relations with Priština and accompanying agreements, decrees and other acts for the implementation of the agreement adopted on April 19.


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From virtual reality to driverless cars, the future of digital technology is upon us and it's set to change the way we live, work, and interact – in a big way.
At last year's World Economic Health Forum, Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, predicted that the infiltration of digital into our lives would become all encompassing, "like air".
Here are five technologies that are set to become part of our digital vocabulary in the coming decade:
Touted as the next phase of mobility for the internet, virtual reality – such as Google Glass – represents a new era, says Dr Jeffrey Cole, director of the Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg (University of Southern California).
"Smartphones moved the internet from laptop to mobile, and now virtual reality is moving it to our line of sight," says Cole. "It's just like having a 65-inch screen without having to have one."
Despite this great innovation, it is not yet clear what impact it will have on the corporate world, Cole adds. On this point, director of BanterMob mobile marketing, Kelly Slessor, agrees. "Virtual reality is still very niche," Slessor says. "The short answer is we haven't worked out where it's going to add the value yet. We're still playing with it and testing it out."
Apps that inspire
Marketers often miss the point of apps altogether, says Slessor. "We've shoved this great big screen into a little screen and we haven't added the functionality or benefits that mobile can bring on the interactivity," she says.
Having personally read and classified 40,000 app reviews, Slessor says the creators of most apps tend to forget the simple consumer mindset. "In the retail app space, people either want you to save them time or money," she says.
Smartphones moved the Internet from laptop to mobile, and now virtual reality is moving it to our line of sight.
– Dr Jeffrey Cole, director of the Center for the Digital Future, University of Southern California Annenberg
AI was once considered a thing of the future, but it's soon to be a part of everyday life. The proliferation of products such as the Amazon Echo – a 10-inch black cylinder with seven speakers, eight microphones and a soothing voice named Alexa – are bringing fun and helpful technology into the home, Cole says.
It can download your favourite song, turn lights in the house on and off, and even make orders to restock your fridge. Alexa is a self-updating device that has new functionalities added each week. "She is now completely integrated into the house, a device with artificial intelligence that you can talk to," Cole says.
This post originally appeared on IN:SIGHT
Many of those who do survive and thrive in this new environment will be companies who embrace cloud technology to stay competitive.
Doing business in Asia - Indonesia
Partnerships enable businesses to offer a 'whole product' – integrating third party applications and services to extend the usefulness of their own products.


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Recent Updates on microRNA as Potential Biomarkers for Diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes mellitus
Kazi Mahmuda Akter, Badar Uddin Umar, S M Niazur Rahman
Subject: Medicine & Pharmacology, General Medical Research Keywords: microRNA; diabetes; pregnancy; prenatal testing
Background/Aims: Screening for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are currently done at 24 - 28 weeks of conception, missing out on the most vulnerable period of organogenesis and thus preventing clinicians from starting treatments until the late second or third trimester. MicroRNAs (miR) are small non-coding RNA molecules that could aid in detecting or predicting GDM through establishing a novel non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) tool. The objective of this study was to summarize the most recent updates on plasma microRNAs as GDM diagnostic biomarkers. Methods: Between April and June 2021, a PubMed literature search was undertaken to review recent articles on human plasma miR associated with GDM. Animal studies and papers that are written in languages other than English were excluded. Only plasma miRNAs were used to avoid coagulation biases. Results: A total of 31 miRNAs were found significantly upregulated in the plasma samples of patients with GDM. It was found mainly during the 2nd or 3rd trimester except for miR-223 and miR-23a that were upregulated at 9 – 11 weeks of gestation. Conclusion: Though extensive prospective cohort studies are required, miR-223 and miR-23a should be considered the most promising to develop a successful NIPT tool because they were found to be upregulated earliest, during the first trimester.
Next-Generation Counseling: Noninvasive Prenatal Screening Results Disclosure and Management
Aishwarya Arjunan, Rotem Ben-Shachar, Jamie Kostialik, Katherine Johansen Taber, Gabriel Lazarin, Elizabeth Denne, Dale Muzzey, Carrie Haverty
Subject: Medicine & Pharmacology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology Keywords: cell-free DNA analysis; genetic counseling; noninvasive prenatal screening; prenatal screening; results delivery; telehealth
Background: As noninvasive prenatal screening usage grows in the general obstetrics setting, proper patient education on the screen's benefits and limitations is needed. Objective: Describe the use of a technology platform designed for large-scale dissemination of noninvasive prenatal screening information and results. Study Design: The technology platform functioned as follows: Patients were emailed a link to an noninvasive prenatal screening general-education video upon laboratory receipt of a test requisition. Providers were then notified upon availability of patients' results. If noninvasive prenatal screening results were negative, the patient was sent an automated email with instructions to access results through a secure portal where she could watch tailored informational videos, request "on-demand" or scheduled genetic counseling, or decline any further services. If genetic counseling was elected, a summary of the session was sent to the ordering provider and patient upon completion. If noninvasive prenatal screening results were positive, either the ordering provider or a board-certified genetic counselor contacted the patient directly to communicate test results and provide counseling. The number and type of results issued through the platform, the number and type of genetic counseling consultations completed, and factors associated with requesting laboratory-delivered genetic counseling were tracked and analyzed for a 39-month period. Results: Over the study period, 67,122 noninvasive prenatal screening results were issued through the platform, and 4,673 patients elected genetic counseling consultations; 95.2% (n=4,450) of consultations were for patients receiving negative results. Over 70% (n= 3,370) of consultations were on-demand rather than scheduled. Median consultation time was 14 minutes for positive results and six minutes for negative results. A positive screen, advanced maternal age, family history, previous history of a pregnancy with a chromosomal abnormality, and other high-risk pregnancy were associated with the greatest odds of electing laboratory-delivered genetic counseling. Conclusions: By combining web education, automated notifications, and genetic counseling, we implemented a service that effectively facilitates results disclosure for ordering providers. These data demonstrate the capability to deliver noninvasive prenatal screening results, education, and counseling—congruent with management guidelines—to a large population, which is imperative to quality care as uptake increases.
Frail Males on the American Frontier: The Role of Environmental Harshness on Sex Ratios at Birth Across a Period of Rapid Industrialization
Ryan Schacht, Mike Hollingshaus, Heidi Hanson, Tim Bruckner, Shane J Macfarlan, Douglas Tharp, Ken R Smith
Subject: Social Sciences, Other Keywords: sex ratio; prenatal stress; demography; ecological stress
While sex ratios at birth (SRB) have been shown to vary within and across populations, after over a century of research, explanations have remained elusive. A variety of ecological, demographic, economic, and social variables have been evaluated, yet their association with SRB has been equivocal. Here, in an attempt to shed light on this unresolved topic within the literature, we approach the question of what drives variation in SRB using detailed longitudinal data spanning the frontier-era to the early 20th century in a US population. Using several measures of environmental harshness, we find that fewer boys are born during challenging times. However, these results hold only for the frontier-era and not into a period of rapid industrialization. We argue that the mixed state of the literature may result from the impact and frequency of exogenous stressors being dampened in post-industrial societies.
Direct Implications between Prenatal Alcohol Consumption and Gut Microbiome in the Neurodevelopment of Mice Offspring – Focusing On Foetal Alcoholic Spectrum Disorders
Cristiano Pedroso-Roussado, Fergus Guppy, Lucas Bowler, Joao Inacio
Subject: Life Sciences, Microbiology Keywords: prenatal alcohol consumption; gut microbiome; neurodevelopment; FASD; mice
Disorders associated with substance abuse are a major public health crisis with few treatment options. According to World Health Organization (WHO) ethanol is the most widely used drug in the world, and it represents a risk factor for the advent of disease, disability, and eventually death. Foetal Alcoholic Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is a diagnostic term to describe the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects encompass both physical, mental, behavioural and further lifelong disabilities. Besides, ethanol can harm the gut microbiota. Gut microbiome is firstly acquired from the mother and it is crucial for intestinal homeostasis during hosts' lifetime. It is responsible for producing metabolites that benefits and protects the host from harm microbial colonization. Knowledge about the interactions between human gut microbes and the developing nervous system is still scarce. Nevertheless, animal models have shown that gut bacteria and microbial metabolites are strongly associated with Central Nervous System (CNS) homeostasis. Endotoxins such as Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are hypothesized to have a major role in neurodegeneration, however, conclusions must be taken with care due to differences in sensitivity between humans and mice. In this review we focus on the role of gut microbiota on the neurodevelopment of mice when ethanol consumption is one of the major stressors during prenatal period. We detail the range of the endotoxin hypothesis in describing endotoxins' contribution to neurodegeneration and the influence that kynurenine pathway has on the process.
An Examination of the Complex Pharmacological Properties of the Non-Selective Opioid Receptor Modulator Buprenorphine
Leana Pande, Brian Piper
Subject: Medicine & Pharmacology, Allergology Keywords: opiate; mu; kappa; delta; nociceptin; addiction; overdose; prenatal; postnatal
Buprenorphine, an analogue of thebaine, is a Schedule III opioid in the United States used for opioid-use disorder and as an analgesic. Research has shown drugs like buprenorphine have a complicated pharmacology with characteristics that challenge traditional definitions of terms like agonist, antagonist, and efficacy. Buprenorphine has a high affinity for the mu (MOR), delta (DOR), kappa (KOR), and intermediate for the nociceptin opioid receptors (NOR). Buprenorphine is generally described as a partial MOR agonist with limited activity and decreased response at the mu-receptor relative to full agonists. In opioid naïve patients, the drug's analgesic efficacy is equivalent to a full MOR agonist, despite decreased receptor occupancy and the "ceiling effect" produced from larger doses. Some argue buprenorphine's effects depend on the endpoint measured, as it functions as a partial agonist for respiratory depression, but a full-agonist for pain. Buprenorphine's active metabolite, norbuprenorphine, attenuates buprenorphine's analgesic effects due to NOR binding and respiratory depressant effects. The method of administration impacts efficacy and tolerance when administered for analgesia. There have been eleven-thousand reports involving buprenorphine and minors (age < 19) to US poison control centers, the preponderance (89.2%) with children. The consequences of prenatal buprenorphine exposure in experimental animals and humans should continue to be carefully evaluated. In conclusion, buprenorphine's characterization as only a partial mu-agonist is an oversimplification. Contemporary research shows the traditional explanation of the pharmacology of buprenorphine does not take into account changes to receptor theory, pharmacological terminology, route of administration, and biologically active major metabolites.
Prenatal Mercury Exposure and Postnatal Outcome: A Case Series in Bogotá, Colombia
Nelsy Niño-Rodríguez, María Margarita Manrique Andrade, Diana María Perez-Castiblanco, Cesar Alejandro Geney, Diana Patricia Castro Aguilar, Adriana Ruíz, Angélica María Téllez, Luis Jorge Hernández-Florez, Oscar Andrés Bociga, Helena Groot de Restrepo, Diana María Narváez
Subject: Medicine & Pharmacology, Pharmacology & Toxicology Keywords: mercury; prenatal exposure; postnatal outcome; environmental health; epidemiological monitoring
Background: It is well known the adverse effect of mercury exposure on pregnant women and newborns. Interactions between environmental factors and individual genetic susceptibility have been identified, particularly polymorphisms of codifying genes for the Glutathione S-transferase family (GSTs). Herein, we report a case series of patients with high Hg levels in biosamples. Case Series: Fourteen cases with high Hg levels were identified. Non-occupational or home exposure risk factors were identified. All mothers reported fish consumption during pregnancy. Almost 60% of the individuals were null for either one GSTs gene. To date, in the subsequent mother-child pairs toxicology controls no signs or symptoms of poisoning were identified and most of the mercury levels decreased and are below the accepted limit. Discussion: In this case series we found some similarities with the literature; among them, the relation of Hg ratio in maternal blood and umbilical cord, a possible exposure factor is the consumption of fish during pregnancy and, the high levels of Hg may be related with susceptibility biomarkers such as GSTs gene polymorphisms. This case series highlights the need to develop studies that evaluate the interactions between environmental factors and individual genetic susceptibility. Additionally, the importance of evaluating which Colombian fish species present the highest levels of Hg.
Is Excessive Prenatal Ultrasonography a Risk Factor for Autism? A Literature Review
Hissa Moammar, Rabi Sulayman
Subject: Medicine & Pharmacology, Pediatrics Keywords: autism; autistic spectrum disorder; children; behavior; ultrasonography; prenatal; pregnancy
For the past several decades, abdominal prenatal ultrasonography has been the most significant technology in obstetrics with a long-established application. However, the frequency, exposure time, thermal and cavitation exposure indices, and increased acoustic output of the ultrasonic waves may be harmful to the embryo/fetus and might increase susceptibility to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The increase in the prevalence of ASD is associated with an affluent ethnicity, high socioeconomic status, and high parental education where prenatal ultrasonography is readily available and affordable. Enhanced biophysical adverse effects may link the analogous increase in prenatal ultrasonography and autism, and prenatal ultrasonography may emerge as a risk factor for autism. Radiography usage provides historical evidence for this fact: the predominant past opinion was that exposure to X-rays during pregnancy caused no significant risk to a fetus. However, the association between X-ray exposure and childhood leukemia was only established 40 years after X-ray use began. This review focuses on excessive PUS usage and ASD development. Public Abstract Advancements in medical technology over the past several decades have made prenatal ultrasound more frequently accessible to expecting mothers during their pregnancy, especially for the affluent. A parallel development in health care is the increase in autism diagnoses (Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD) in children of affluent families. There is a general lack of studies of the impact of prenatal ultrasound on fetuses, especially around varying attributes such as frequency, duration of exposure, and thermal and cavitation indices. There is also a historical precedent set, where exposing fetuses to X-rays was not found to be harmful until it was linked to the development of childhood leukemia decades later. This paper seeks to establish a need to further study these attributes of prenatal ultrasound overuse and their possible impact on a developing fetus, with a special focus on the occurrence of Autism.
Quantitative Fluorescent Polymerase Chain Reaction for Prenatal Diagnosis and Its Application in Vietnam: A Literature Review
Thuan Phan
Subject: Medicine & Pharmacology, Allergology Keywords: QF-PCR; cytogenetics; prenatal diagnosis; aneuploidy; chromosome abnormalities; screening test
Early identification of fetal abnormalities is a huge challenge for modern obstetrics. Quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) has quickly become an effective means of chromosome anomaly detection due to its advantages in terms of timing, manpower and accuracy. The QF-PCR results also make a significant change in clinicians' attitude to some extent, assisting them providing parents with professional and valuable advice on pregnancy management. In this review, the advantages and drawbacks of QF-PCR will be explored. By reviewing studies published in Vietnamese Medical Journals, we conclude QF-PCR can become a potential screening test in the field of prenatal diagnosis.
Prenatal Exposure to Bisphenol A and Phthalates and Behavioral Problems in Children at Preschool Age: The Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health
Machiko Minatoya, Sachiko Itoh, Keiko Yamazaki, Atsuko Araki, Chihiro Miyashita, Naomi Tamura, Jun Yamamoto, Yu Onoda, kazuki Ogasawara, Toru Matsumura, Reiko Kishi
Subject: Medicine & Pharmacology, Behavioral Neuroscience Keywords: SDQ; bisphenol A; phthalates; prenatal exposure; birth cohort; behavioral problems
Studies reported adverse behavioral development including internalizing and externalizing problems in association with prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, however, findings were not sufficient due to using different assessment tools and child ages among studies. This study aimed to examine associations between maternal serum levels of BPA and phthalate metabolites and behavioral problems at preschool age. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to assess behavioral problems at 5 years of age. BPA and phthalate metabolite levels in the 1st trimester maternal serum was determined by LC-MS/MS for 458 children. Variables used for adjustment were parental ages, maternal cotinine levels, family income during pregnancy, child sex, birth order and age at SDQ completed. The median concentrations of BPA, MnBP, MiBP, MEHP and MECPP were 0.062, 26.0, 7.0, 1.40, and 0.20 ng/ml, respectively. BPA level was associated with increased hyperactivity/inattention risk among girls (OR=1.66, 95% CI: 0.95-2.90) and∑DBPm (MnBP + MiBP) level was associated with decreased total difficulties risk overall and among girls (OR=0.48, 95% CI: 0.20-1.13, OR=0.24, 95% CI: 0.06-1.03, respectively) without significance. MECPP level was associated with increase conduct problems risk (OR=2.78, 95% CI: 1.36-5.68). Our analyses found no significant association between BPA or summation of phthalate metabolite levels and any of the behavioral problems at 5 years of age, however, suggested possible association between MECPP levels and increased risk of conduct problems.
Effects of Air Pollution on the Risk of Low Birth Weight in a Cold Climate
Hamudat Balogun, Aino Rantala, Harri Antikainen, Nazeeba Siddika, A.Kofi Amegah, Niilo Ryti, Jaakko Kukkonen, Mikhail Sofiev, Maritta S. Jaakkola, Jouni Jaakkola
Subject: Medicine & Pharmacology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology Keywords: Air pollution; low birth weight; prenatal exposure; joint effects; cold climate
There is accumulating evidence that prenatal exposure to air pollution disturbs fetal growth and development, but little is known about these effects in cold climates or their season-specific or joint effects. Our objective was to assess independent and joint effects of prenatal exposure to specific air pollutants on the risk of low birth weight (LBW). We utilized the 2568 children of the Espoo Cohort Study, born between 1984 and 1990, and living in the City of Espoo. We conducted stratified analyses for births during warm and cold seasons separately. We analyzed the effect estimates using multi-pollutant Poisson regression models with risk ratio (RR) as the measure of effect. The risk of LBW was related to exposure to CO and (adjusted RR 1.44, 95% CI: 1.04-2.00) and exposure to O3 in the spring-summer season (1.82, 1.11-2.96). There was also evidence of synergistic effects between CO and O3 (relative risk due to interaction, RERI, all year 1.08, 95% CI: 0.27-4.94, spring-summer 3.97, 2.17-25.85) and PM2.5 and O3 (all year 0.72, -0.07-3.60, spring-summer 2.80, 1.36-19.88). We present new evidence of both independent and joint effects of prenatal exposure in a cold climate on the risk of LBW at low levels of air pollution.
Meier-Gorlin Syndrome: Clinical Misdiagnosis as Jeune Syndrome, Genetic Testing and Functional Analysis of ORC6 Mutations and the Development of a Prenatal Test
Maria S. Nazarenko, Iuliia V. Viakhireva, Mikhail Y. Skoblov, Elena V. Soloveva, Aleksei A. Sleptcov, Ludmila P. Nazarenko
Subject: Life Sciences, Genetics Keywords: Meier-Gorlin syndrome; Jeune syndrome; ORC6; exon skipping variant; prenatal genetic testing
Meier–Gorlin syndrome (MGS) is a rare genetic developmental disorder that causes primordial proportional dwarfism, microtia, absent or hypoplastic patellae and other skeletal anomalies. Overlapping skeletal symptoms make MGS difficult to diagnose clinically. We describe a 3-year-old boy with short stature, recurrent respiratory infections, short-rib dysplasia, tower head and facial dysmorphisms who was admitted to the Tomsk Genetic Clinic to verify a clinical diagnosis of Jeune syndrome. Clinical Exome sequencing revealed two variants (compound heterozygosity) in the ORC6 gene: c.2T>C(p.Met1Thr) and c.449+5G>A. In silico analysis showed the pathogenicity of these two mutations and predicted a decrease in donor splicing site strength for c.449+5G>A. An in vitro minigene assay demonstrated that variant c.449+5G>A causes a complete skipping of exon 4 in ORC6 gene. The parents asked for urgent prenatal testing for MGS for the next pregnancy, but it ended in a miscarriage. Thus, this case report may help to prevent MGS misdiagnosis in the future. We also performed in silico and functional analyses of ORC6 mutations and developed a restriction fragment length polymorphism and haplotype-based short-tandem-repeat assay for prenatal genetic testing for MGS. These findings should elucidate MGS aetiology and improve the quality of genetic counselling for affected families.
Clinical Utility of Expanded Carrier Screening: Results-Guided Actionability and Outcomes
Katherine Johansen Taber, Kyle A. Beauchamp, Gabriel Lazarin, Dale Muzzey, Aishwarya Arjunan, James D. Goldberg
Subject: Medicine & Pharmacology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology Keywords: expanded carrier screening; prenatal diagnosis; pregnancy management; clinical utility; at-risk couple
Purpose: Expanded carrier screening (ECS) informs couples of their risk of having offspring affected by certain genetic conditions. Limited data exists assessing the actions and reproductive outcomes of at-risk couples (ARCs). We describe the impact of ECS on planned and actual pregnancy management in the largest sample of ARCs studied to date. Methods: Couples who elected ECS and were found to be at high risk of having a pregnancy affected by at least one of 176 genetic conditions were invited to complete a survey about their actions and pregnancy management. Results: Three hundred ninety-one ARCs completed the survey. Among those screened before becoming pregnant, 77% planned or pursued actions to avoid having affected offspring. Among those screened during pregnancy, 37% elected prenatal diagnostic testing (PNDx) for that pregnancy. In subsequent pregnancies that occurred in both the preconception and prenatal screening groups, PNDx was pursued in 29%. The decision to decline PNDx was most frequently based on the fear of procedure-related miscarriage, as well as the belief that termination would not be pursued in the event of a positive diagnosis. Conclusions: ECS results impacted couples' reproductive decision-making and led to altered pregnancy management that effectively eliminates the risk of having affected offspring.
Application of Telehealth in Prenatal Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic - A Cross-Sectional Survey of Polish Women
Dominik Jakubowski, Dorota Sys, Anna Kajdy, Roksana Lewandowska, Ewa Kwiatkowska, Aneta Cymbaluk-Płoska, Michał Rabijewski, Andrzej Torbé, Sebastian Kwiatkowski
Subject: Medicine & Pharmacology, Allergology Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; Prenatal Care; Standard of Care; Telemedicine; Cross-Sectional Studies; Poland
Online: 5 May 2021 (10:32:26 CEST)
To reduce the risk of infection of SARS-CoV-2 during the commute to the clinic or due to the contact with medical staff, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended ar-ranging part of the appointments in the form of "telehealth". The aim of the study was to assess the access to medical care in pregnancy during the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic and the role of telehealth in implementation of prenatal care standards. This is a cross-sectional study. The study group in-cluded 618 women that were pregnant and or gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. The majority of participants experienced difficulties in access to medical care because of the pandemic. Correlation between this experience and the use of hybrid healthcare model was es-tablished. However, affiliation to public or private healthcare group was irrelevant. There was no relationship between healthcare (private/public or in-person/hybrid) and implementation of the prenatal care standards. To ensure safe access to prenatal care for pregnant women, recommen-dations for a hybrid pregnancy management model should be created with detailed information for which appointments patients must be present and which can be done remotely. To reduce movement risk and interpersonal contact, all visits during which tests and screenings take place should be done in-person. Other appointments can be arranged in the form of telehealth
Preprint BRIEF REPORT | doi:10.20944/preprints202208.0474.v1
Persistent Human Pegivirus Infection across Two Pregnancies without Evidence of Vertical Transmission
Mathieu Garand, Susie Shih Yin Huang, Lisa S. Goessling, Donna Santillan, Mark Santillan, Anoop Brar, Todd N. Wylie, Kristine M. Wylie, Pirooz Eghtesady
Subject: Life Sciences, Virology Keywords: prenatal infection; virome; viral antibody; VirScan; ViroCap; maternal viral infection; viral protein; GBV-C; placenta; fetal viral infection
Human pegivirus (HPgV) is best known for persistent, presumably non-pathogenic, infection and a propensity to co-infect with human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis C virus. However, unique at-tributes, such as the increased risk of malignancy or immune modulation, have been recently recognized for HPgV. We have identified a unique case of a woman with high levels HPgV infection in two preg-nancies, which occurred 4 years apart, without evidence of human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis C virus infection. The second pregnancy was complicated by congenital heart disease. A high level of HPgV infection was detected in maternal blood from different trimesters by RT-PCR and identified as HPgV type 1 genotype 2 in both pregnancies. In the second pregnancy, the decidua and intervillous tissue of the placenta were positive for HPgV by PCR but not the chorion or cord blood (from both pregnancies), suggesting no vertical transmission despite high levels of viremia. The HPgV genome sequence was remarkably conserved over the 4 years. Using VirScan, sera antibodies for HPgV were detected in the first trimester of both pregnancies. We observed the same anti-HPgV antibodies against the non-structural NS5 protein in both pregnancies, suggesting a similar non-E2 protein humoral immune response over time. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of persistent HPgV infection involving placental tissues with no evidence of vertical transmission. Our results reveal a more elaborate viral-host interaction than previously reported, expand our knowledge about tropism, and opens avenues for exploring the replication sites of this virus.


Yes member Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, and Trevor Rabin have a big release for Yes fans coming in September. Available on DVD, Blu-Ray, CD and LP is a concert that took place last year at the Manchester Apollo.
It's titled quite simply, "Yes 50th Anniversary Live at The Apollo" and of course has all of the Yes classics you would hope to hear. Songs like "Owner of a Lonely Heart", "Roundabout", "I've Seen All Good People", and many more fan favorites. September 7th is the official release date and the timing is pretty good as Yes have recently wrapped up their huge European tour and their North American tour dates start in late August. The whole tour is 100 stops to celebrate their 50th Anniversary. You can get information on tour dates as of now and see if any are coming close to you here.
For now, check out the trailer for their upcoming release.


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The Wooster Group: The B-Side (Feb. 8-11, 2018)
THE B-SIDE: "Negro Folklore From Texas State Prisons" A Record Album Interpretation
Performances Feb. 8-11, 2018
The Wooster Group, Buffalo Rehearsal, Feb. 2018. Photograph by Bruce Jackson.
What Critics Are Saying
'The B-Side' Is an Extraordinary Masterclass in Listening ⎯ NYTimes
Sometimes, a play with music can't be improved upon — like the Wooster Group's impeccable 'The B-Side' ⎯ Washington Post
As efficient as the swing of an axe, The B-Side is many things at once: a concert, a tribute to the vanished dead, a vivid evocation of the past and a furious reckoning with it. ⎯ TimeOut
The Wooster Group, an innovative company of theater and media artists, presented four free performances of the critically acclaimed "The B-Side: 'Negro Folklore from Texas State Prisons' A Record Album Interpretation" as part of its residency in the University at Buffalo's Creative Arts Initiative (CAI).
Chosen by Ben Brantley of The New York Times as one of the best shows of 2017, "The B-Side" is based on performer Eric Berryman's interest in the LP Negro Folklore from Texas State Prisons, which was recorded in 1964 by CAI co-director Bruce Jackson, SUNY Distinguished Professor and the James Agee Professor of American Culture at UB. The LP features work songs, blues and spirituals performed by a group of inmates in Texas' racially segregated prison farms. Mr. Berryman plays the album and transmits the material live, by channeling, via an in-ear receiver, the voices of the men on the record. Accompanying him are Jasper McGruder and Philip Moore. Mr. Berryman also provides context from Jackson's book Wake Up Dead Man: Hard Labor and Southern Blues.
The Wooster Group develops and presents work in New York City at The Performing Garage at 33 Wooster St. Their national and international touring productions have received BESSIE and OBIE awards for individual productions and for sustained achievement.
Check out more photos from rehearsals for The B-Side in Buffalo
Video Clips: Eric Berryman-Rehearsals
With "The B-Side," The Wooster Group returns to an artistic form that it has explored throughout its 42-year history: working with record albums as source material for original theater pieces. These works have included NAYATT SCHOOL (1978), L.S.D. (…JUST THE HIGH POINTS…) (1984), and, most recently, EARLY SHAKER SPIRITUALS: A RECORD ALBUM INTERPREATION (2014), a piece based on a 1976 album of Shaker songs recorded by the sisters of the Shaker community in Sabbathday Lake, Maine.
Eric Berryman saw EARLY SHAKER SPIRITUALS in 2015 and brought the album Negro Folklore from Texas State Prisons – which had been in his record collection for years – to the Group, and together they collaborated on THE B-SIDE.
Mr Berryman commented, "After I saw EARLY SHAKER SPIRITUALS, I was inspired to have the black convict work song tradition of these men honored in the same way."
Director: Kate Valk
Mise en Scène: Elizabeth LeCompte
Lighting: Ryan Seelig
Sound: Eric Sluyter
Video: Robert Wuss
Costumes: Enver Chakartash
Musical Director: Gareth Hobbs
Stage Manager: Erin Mullin
Videographer: Zbigniew Bzymek
Set Building: Joseph Silovsky Studios
Production Manager: Bona Lee
General Manager & Associate Producer: Pamela Reichen
The Buffalo presentation of the Wooster Group's The B-Side has been made possible by major support from UB's Creative Arts Initiative, College of Arts and Sciences (Robin G. Schulze, dean), James Agee Chair in American Culture (Bruce Jackson), Edward H. Butler Chair in English (Cristanne Miller), James H. McNulty Chair of English (Myung Mi Kim), and David Gray Chair of Poetry and Letters (Steve McCaffery). Significant support has also been provided by The Robert and Patricia Colby Foundation, Riverrun (Patrick Martin, President), and Rigidized Metals (Rick Smith, president)
Video by Zbigniew Bzymek
About the Wooster Group
The Wooster Group makes original works for the theater. The company integrates visual media, sound, architectonic design, and text with live performance. Founded in 1975, it has remained at the forefront of experimental theater for decades.
The Group's major works include: Rumstick Road (1977), Nayatt School (1978), L.S.D. (…Just The High Points…) (1984), Frank Dell's The Temptation of St. Antony (1988), Brace Up! (1991), The Emperor Jones (1993), The Hairy Ape (1996), House/Lights (1999), To You, The Birdie! (Phèdre) (2002), Poor Theater (2004), Hamlet (2007), the 360º video installation There Is Still Time . . Brother (2007), the opera La Didone (2009), Vieux Carré (2011), Early Shaker Spirituals: A Record Album Interpretation (2014), The Room (2016), The B-Side: "Negro Folklore from Texas State Prisons," A Record Album Interpretation (2017), and A Pink Chair (In Place of a Fake Antique) (2017).
The Group's founding members were Spalding Gray (1941-2004), Elizabeth LeCompte, Jim Clayburgh, Ron Vawter (1948-1994), Willem Dafoe, Kate Valk, and Peyton Smith. Wooster Group director Elizabeth LeCompte has received fellowships from the MacArthur Foundation and the Guggenheim Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts Distinguished Artists Fellowship for Lifetime Achievement in the American Theater, as well as the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award and the 2016 Dorothy & Lillian Gish Award. Director Kate Valk has received the Guggenheim and TCG/Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowships, as well as the Foundation for Contemporary Arts Performing Artist Award. The Group and its members have also won nine Obie Awards, six Bessie Awards, and the National Endowment for the Arts Ongoing Ensembles Grant.
The Performing Garage in the Soho neighborhood of lower Manhattan is The Wooster Group's permanent home and performance venue. The Group owns and operates the Garage as a shareholder in the Grand Street Artists Co-op, which was originally established as part of the Fluxus art movement. The Group regularly tours its productions throughout the United States and internationally. For more information, please visit www.TheWoosterGroup.org.
Jacob Bigelow, Zbigniew Bzymek, Enver Chakartash, Matthew Dipple, Mike Farry, Ari Fliakos, Clay Hapaz, Cynthia Hedstrom, Gareth Hobbs, Elizabeth LeCompte, Bona Lee, Erin Mullin, Michaela Murphy, Pamela Reichen, Scott Shepherd, Eric Sluyter, Kate Valk, Robert Wuss
Eric Berryman, Matthew Brown, Dennis Dermody, Jim Fletcher, Mia Fliakos, Linus Ignatius, Bruce Jackson, Modesto Flako Jimenez, Ken Kobland, Juliet Lashinsky-Revene, Andrew Maillet, Frances McDormand, Bobby McElver, Jasper McGruder, Greg Mehrten, Bebe Miller, Tommie Mitchell, Philip Moore, Matthias Neckermann, Jamie Poskin, Scott Renderer, Suzzy Roche, Kaneza Schaal, Andrew Schneider, Ryan Seelig, David Sexton, Casey Spooner, Lucy Taylor, Maura Tierney, Jennifer Tipton, Danusia Trevino, Ariana Smart Truman, Victoria Vazquez, Wladimiro Woyno, Omar Zubair


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Home > The Twilight Zone
Patricia Barry (1922 – 2016)
by Legacy Staff October 12, 2016
The veteran soap opera actress appeared on "Days of Our Lives," "All My Children," and "Guiding Light."
George Clayton Johnson (1929 – 2015)
by Legacy Staff December 26, 2015
George Clayton Johnson, the legendary science fiction author and screenwriter for "The Twilight Zone, "Star Trek" and many other television shows, died Christmas Day of cancer in Los Angeles, according…
Richard Kiel's Giant Legacy
by Legacy Staff September 11, 2014
Easily recognizable, thanks to his 7-foot-2 frame, Kiel enjoyed a long and fruitful career in Hollywood.
Jack Klugman Across the Decades
by Legacy Staff April 27, 2013
From 1950 until his death in 2012, Jack Klugman enjoyed an acting career that just wouldn't quit…
Rod Serling: The Twilight Man
Ingenious premises, twist endings, the uncanny – nobody did these better than The Twilight Zone and its creator, Rod Serling.
Burgess Meredith: Comedy, Drama and Dragons
by Legacy Staff September 9, 2012
Burgess Meredith was no one-trick pony – he was an actor with a range that was hard to match.
Cliff Robertson, Remembered by Family
Cliff Robertson was an award-winning actor. He was also a loving father, devoted friend, dedicated professional and honorable man.
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Range Rover SVAutobiography
2021 Range Rover revealed, packs new inline-six diesels
Land Rover has unveiled the new 2021 Range Rover lineup, including the range-topping SVAutobiography Dynamic. The new model is claiming to be the most connected version ever, offering state-of-the-art convenience and safety technologies. The new...
PerformanceDrive's top 10 best new cars of 2017
Here at PD we don't do 'car of the year' features, mainly because we aren't paid by any of the car manufacturers to do so. But it has been a massive year for the Aussie...
Ultra-luxury Range Rover model on the cards, take on Bentley Bentayga
Land Rover is reportedly considering a new halo flagship Range Rover model to sit at the very top of its food chain, helping the British brand fend off the likes of Bentley Bentayga and even...
Boxing champ Anthony Joshua gets Range Rover SVAutobiography
The world's newest MMA boxing world champion, Anthony Joshua, of England, has taken ownership of a very special Range Rover with unique SVO enhancements. Fresh from his victory against Wladimir Klitschko on April 29, Joshua...
2017 Range Rover revealed, SVAutobiography Dynamic added
Model year 2017 updates for the Range Rover lineup have been announced, with a new SVAutobiography Dynamic variant added. The MY17 Range Rover update sees the introduction of more advanced technologies, including its All-Terrain Progress...
Range Rover SVAutobiography revealed, new super-luxury variant
After the most luxurious, grandest, largest Range Rover on the market? This is it. The new Range Rover SVAutobiography. It makes its official debut at the New York Auto Show in a few days. The...


Admiral Group CEO Henry Engelhardt has announced that he is stepping down from the role at the company he founded nearly a quarter of a century ago.
The insurer has said he will be replaced in a year's time by co-founder and current Admiral Chief Operating Officer (COO), David Stevens.
Engelhardt has been chief executive of Admiral since its creation in June 1991 and throughout its life as a listed company.
Stevens has also been with Admiral since August 1991, prior to the company's January 1993 launch, and has been CEO of the UK insurance business since 2008.
David is also the group COO. Prior to Admiral, David worked for both McKinsey and Cadbury Schweppes and holds an MBA from Insead.
Alastair Lyons, group chairman, said: "There is no way to measure adequately the contribution of the founder of a business that has grown from zero to over £4 billion market capitalisation, employs over 7,000 people and serves more than 4 million customers.
"On behalf of the board and the entire group I want to thank Henry for everything he has done over so many years and will continue to do until he steps down in 12 months time.
Stevens said: "After working alongside Henry for the last 24 years I will be very sad to see him no longer at the helm of Admiral. I am delighted that the Board is offering me the opportunity to succeed Henry and build on his formidable legacy.
Engelhardt said: "Don't bury me yet, guys! I still have 12 months on the job and lots to accomplish in that time.


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Oviston is a settlement in Walter Sisulu Local Municipality in Joe Gqabi District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.

Township 8 km north of Venterstad, on the southern bank of the Gariep Dam. It was established in 1964-65 to accommodate workers on the Orange-Fish River Tunnel. The name is derived from the Afrikaans Oranje-Vis-tonnel, 'Orange-Fish Tunnel', near the entrance to which it is situated.

See also
 Oviston Nature Reserve

References

Populated places in the Walter Sisulu Local Municipality
Tourist attractions in the Eastern Cape

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Earlier publications
Matthew Crandall, 23.01.2018
The changing world order and President Trump: year one in review
The 2016 United States presidential election elevated a temperamental populist to the presidency during a volatile time in world politics. The United States had not seen a president like Trump since perhaps Andrew Jackson (1829-1837). As a presidential candidate, Trump destroyed common norms for a prospective president with blustering tweets and inappropriate speech. The world hadn't seen such turmoil since the breakup of the Soviet Union: a nuclear North Korea, resurgent Russia, lingering conflicts in Africa, war in the Middle East and the accompanying great wave of migration. Critics of Trump warned of doomsday scenarios and the need for calm, steady leadership in a time of turmoil. The world is still in turmoil and Trump continues to tweet whatever comes to his mind, but none of the doomsday scenarios have come to pass. With one year already having gone by, it is a good time to evaluate President Trump's presidency and its impact on the world order and transatlantic relations in particular.
The world President Trump inherited was one in transition. The dominance of the United States and the legitimacy of US leadership had sustained serious blows from the ill-advised 2003 Iraq War and the 2008 financial crisis. The rise of China and the rise of non-Western institutions (BRICS, ASEAN, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank [AIIB] were well under way before Trump was elected president. The UK's vote to leave the EU also happened before the election of Trump. Although Trump was voted into office as an agent of change, he should be seen as part of a larger process. Though Trump did not cause the change in world order, he has taken several steps that have accelerated this change.
One of the self-adopted themes of Trump's presidency was 'America first'. In accordance with this theme, the first year of Trump's presidency has focused on domestic issues: health care, immigration, and tax reform. Trump's domestic agenda has had rocky moments, including judicial and legislative defeats to immigration and health care reform. Despite the setbacks, the Republican-controlled Congress passed sweeping tax reforms, dropping the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%. Trump's priority will likely remain on his domestic agenda at least through 2019. As most presidents come to realize, advancing one's domestic agenda is significantly harder than pursuing an international agenda due to the system of checks and balances, including judicial and Congressional oversight.
President Donald Trump addresses new American citizens on a taped video shown at a naturalization ceremony on January 22, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. Immigrants from 32 different countries became citizens at the event held by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in Newark. AFP/Scanpix
Continuity in US foreign policy
'America first' is also a foreign policy strategy. Though Trump's focus has been his domestic agenda, he has still been active internationally bringing both change and continuity to US foreign policy. Relations with Russia have remained frosty. A US president has more flexibility in determining foreign policy, but it is not completely without constraints. Relations with Russia have remained frosty largely due to pressure from Congress as well as investigations into Russia's election meddling and connections between Trump's campaign and Russia. Trump's decision to launch missile strikes on a Syrian air base that was used in a chemical weapons strike certainly contrasts with Obama's decision to pursue diplomacy after Assad crossed the same 'red line'. A closer inspection reveals more continuity than change in US policy towards Syria with the US largely staying on the sidelines. Trump's decision to increase troop levels in Afghanistan also places his policy within the expectations of the foreign policy establishment.
Tensions with Iran and North Korea also are nothing new to US policy makers. Though Trump is taking a harder line towards Iran than Obama, dynamics in the Middle East would have prevented any real thaw in US-Iranian relations. Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and to move the US embassy there has long been a Republican priority. Mitt Romney campaigned on the same promise in 2012. In regard to North Korea, the rhetoric has changed, especially when considering Trump's Twitter activity. At the policy level, the US is largely attempting to gather international support for stricter sanctions. This is a process that has been going on for decades. Overall, there has been a surprising amount of continuity in Trump's foreign policy.
Trump's foreign policy and the changing world order
There have been important differences that should be noted due to their impact on the changing world order. One of Trump's first foreign policy decisions was to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations. Although the remaining nations have not abandoned TPP negotiations, Trump's withdrawal creates a void in regional economic leadership. Trump has talked tough on trade and it remains to be seen what, if any, changes will happen to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Perhaps the most groundbreaking foreign policy decision Trump has made was to pull out of the Paris climate accords. This decision was met by international criticism, but was done largely for domestic reasons.
In the wake of Trump's 'America first' foreign policy, and the reduction of US leadership, China has made steps toward filling the void. China is forging ahead as a leader in environmental cooperation and green energy. It is also pushing its own economic agenda in the Asia-Pacific region, including the One Belt One Road initiative and its own free trade agreement, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). China is developing a web of economic interdependencies that place the country at the economic center of the region. Trump's aversion towards multilateral institutions and treaties is accelerating the pace of change in the world order.
Trump and transatlantic relations
While Trump's policies have accelerated change on the global level, in Asia and the Middle East in particular, transatlantic relations have remained surprisingly stable. As was mentioned, Trump withdrew from the TPP but it is important to note that he did not withdraw from the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations. There have been tensions in German-US relations with Germany, notably downgrading the United States from "friend" to "most important partner" in Angela Merkel's party's electoral program. Though concerning, this tension is not any worse than the tensions when the US was caught spying on Merkel's telephone conversations when Obama was president in 2013. Minor bumps aside, Trump's commitment to transatlantic relations has been surprising.
It can be said that NATO is the glue that holds transatlantic relations together. As a candidate, Trump carried a populist tune about NATO being obsolete and focusing on European member state's low financial commitment to defense. This combined with the potential of rapprochement with Russia concerned European countries. No one was expecting a Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact 2.0 but there was concern that the high point of NATO solidarity was over. One year on, that does not appear to be the case. President Trump and his administration have supported NATO's Article 5 in word and deed. The United States has continued to support NATO's enhanced forward presence and recently pledged $100 million in military aid to bolster the Baltic states' national defense. For now, NATO seems to be the exception to how Trump sees multilateral institutions.
Behind Trump's foreign policy of continuity in transatlantic relations, we should note the actors that have also had a role in maintaining relations. Baltic leaders in particular, have had extraordinary contact with high-ranking US leaders in Trump's administration as well as from Congress. Visits have occurred both in the US as well as in the Baltics.
One down, three to go
With one year down, President Trump still has three years left. That is plenty of time for doomsday scenarios to occur. On the other hand, inexperienced presidents often improve over time. President George W. Bush was much better in his second term once he shuffled his foreign policy team. Trump is a political outsider and setting up his team has been rocky. He has already replaced his national security advisor (Michael Flynn), chief of staff (Reince Priebus), and press secretary (Sean Spicer). Reports say that Rex Tillerson will be replaced as secretary of state sooner rather than later. The State Department's will likely remain in a diminished role even under a new top diplomat. Trump will likely continue to lean on the military. How his foreign policy team comes together will be important in determining his success over the next three years.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, right, and Woody Johnson, U.S. ambassador to Britain stand outside the new U.S. embassy in London, Monday Jan. 22, 2018. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has become the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the new American embassy in London, a building that President Donald Trump derided for its cost and location. AP/Scanpix
With the threat of ISIS fading, Trump's priorities will likely remain trade and immigration. It appears that Trump has not decided exactly what he will try to do with the future of NAFTA. Trump's ambition to build a border wall and hardline immigration policies mean that relations with Mexico and other Latin American countries will be worth following.
Lastly, global events will also dictate Trump's agenda and his ability to succeed. A nuclear North Korea will likely remain the dominant threat to US security for the next three years. The likelihood of an Iranian-style deal will be more difficult with the Pyongyang regime. At the same time, military options are not likely, either. Key US allies such as South Korea and Japan are less willing to support such measures which make military action difficult for the US. This means that high-stakes tensions and bluster will likely continue for the foreseeable future.
For transatlantic relations, more continuity will likely continue and relations should be able to weather the storm of Trump's blustery tweets. However, European leaders will need to proceed with caution. The top priorities for the Trump administration will remain outside of Europe and Trump will likely retain his transactional temperament. A transactional, disinterested United States will not be as valuable as a strategic partner as the United States of the past.
Trump's first year as president has been one filled with headline-grabbing news. A closer look at policy revealed more continuity and fewer gaffes than were expected. Hopefully Trump can beat expectations in the next three years as well. The world order will continue to change, but with luck, the world will still be turning.
Matthew Crandall is an Associate Professor of International Relations at the Tallinn University


If you're in the workforce or have been in the past, you may have experience some sort of labor law violations without even being aware.
You probably already know what the basic labor laws are in the state.
Chances are you know that for non-exempt employees, anything worked over eight hours is overtime, which is pay one and one-half times regular pay.
But did you know anything worked over 12 hours a day, or for anything worked over eight hours on the seventh day, is double the regular rate?
As surprising as it may seem to some, there are many people in the workforce that aren't aware of this laws.
One of the most common labor law violations employers attempt to get away with, at least from my own experience, is overtime as they might attempt to deny it to employees, depending on whether you're full or part time.
In some cases, employers don't pay overtime for anything worked over eight hours as they say over 40 hours a week is required to receive overtime pay.
Yes, under Federal law employers are required to pay overtime after 40 hours worked a week, but under the state law of California there is also daily over time, which covers overtime for more than eight hours worked a day.
The only case this isn't applied to is if the company you work for has adopted an alternative workweek scheduled.
According to California Labor Code 511, it's any regularly scheduled workweek requiring an employee to work more than eight hours in a 24-hour period that can't exceed 10 hours a day or 40 hours a week.
Perhaps it's easy for employers to step over these laws every so often if employees don't know it's happening, or maybe it is easy for them to target younger employees as our time in the workforce is limited, as well as our knowledge about labor laws.
If you are or have previously been in a situation at work where you know your employer didn't pay you overtime for the extra hours work, or your full earned wage and you aren't an exempt employee or working an alternative workweek schedule, know that it's your right to get compensated the amount stated by law.
First, talk to your employer. Address the issue and if he or she still declines to pay your proper earned wage, then file a wage claim or file a lawsuit, but don't let employers get away with corruption.
The majority of college students who work are working in places where we're already earning the minimum, yet many employers want to get away without paying us what we have already worked for and expect us to agree when they asked us to work extra hours.
If you put your time, work, effort and are even sacrificing a huge portion of your days and hours trying to earn money for your needs and expenses while going to college and earning the minimum, employers shouldn't be getting away with corruption.
Speak up and take action!


3- Riding 40 miles for EPILEPSY FREE and to raise awareness of Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders!
For this issue, we are featuring a new seizure-detection device that was recently approved by the FDA and that is showing good potential to help persons living with non-responding epilepsy who might not have been considered candidates for epilepsy surgery.
Jeannine S. Garab is the Executive Director of the Epilepsy Foundation of Northeastern NY, an energetic foundation that spends the whole year planning activities and supporting its members through a multitude of services. We sat down with her to hear about how she came to work in epilepsy and what her plans are for the future.
Riding 40 miles for EPILEPSY FREE and to raise awareness of Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders!
Four members (Lorna, Renata, Jill, and Mari) of Team EPILEPSY FREE will be riding in the 5-borough Bike-a-Thon to raise awareness on epilepsy and seizure disorders and funds for EPILEPSY FREE. Every year EPILEPSY FREE donates summer camp and continuing education scholarships for persons living with epilepsy and psychogenic seizures.
Even though we want to be optimistic in life, when someone is living with epilepsy, it is always important to be prepared for the possibility of future seizures and the best way to be prepared is by having a Seizure Preparedness Plan. This plan is for relatives, friends, and caregivers or anyone who might be with the person when a seizure occurs. Patients are encouraged to come up with a personalized plan and to share with anyone they think might benefit from knowing.
Stay tuned because there are a ton of epilepsy and seizure disorder events and activities coming up this year including walks, runs, conferences, and workshops.


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Nollywood movie review: Is "Soole" worth the hype or a total time waster?
There are many expectations when a film is hyped, and eventually, it is either the film meets up to expectation or not. So for the Nollywood movie "SOOLE", let's see if it is worth the hype or a total waste of time.
"Soole" means "cheap ride", is a story of different travellers who decided not to go to the park, but instead enter a cheap bus to Enugu. A particular lady comes to drop a box which she said she would like to deliver to someone in Enugu. The crux of the story centres around the happenings in a long journey, from a Pastor, preaching and collecting offering afterwards to another selling sex enhancement products.
Eventually, the travellers are being waylaid by thieves and the bag of one of the travellers was stolen.
The thieves later discover that they carried the wrong bag, and instead of taking a bag with money, they carried the bag with dildos.
The thieves had an accomplice in the car, and they decided to call this accomplice to make sure the money is found. The people in the car become curious, wondering why the bag is being targeted and decide to check it. When they find out it is money in the bag, everyone in the vehicle becomes desperate to get the money. Who is the accomplice in the car? Who eventually gets the money?
The storyline has prospects, but it seemed like the writer was trying to achieve too many things at the same time. An hour into the movie, you are still trying to understand where the story is headed, and no visible twist is seen until later. All the actions, shootings, and drama didn't even happen until later in the movie, and if there is an impatient viewer, the person would have walked away before getting to the movie's main plot.
The directing is poor, and there are too many unbelievable scenes in the movie.
You cannot easily ignore the scene where Adedimeji Lateef is using a pocket knife to threaten about 12 people, and none of them could attack him. It is even worse because, there are two police officers with guns, a Hausa man with a bow and arrow and a spiritualist. The question is; Is a pocket knife rationally enough to scare these men?
Another disturbing scene is that of the driver waking up in the bush 11 months after he was shot. And then we discover it is the dollars he stacked in this stomach that prevented him from dying. So he was actually in that bush for 11 months? The director could have done a better job. The director's attempt to infuse comedy was a total failure as the actors were using curse words as their form of humour.
The acting was just fair, and at some point, it seemed like every actor was trying to show their acting prowess. No doubt, there were beautiful actors in the movie, but the characters didn't just sync. Instead, the actors looked like in each person playing different parts.
More disturbing is the fact that there was just so much noise, and at some point, the dialogues were becoming long, unnecessary and boring.
The production is fair, but the subtitling could barely be seen as it was placed below the screen level. Regardless, Good pictures, Fair costume, Fair make up too. The whole team tried, but for the standard of movies now showing in the cinema, Soole is a NO-NO. To rate it, it would be 3/10
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