text:
THE DARK FACE OF JEWISH NATIONALISM
Dr Alan Sabrosky – Redress
Alan Sabrosky considers the characteristics that differentiate Jewish nationalism from other nationalisms, highlighting in particular its intrinsic extremism, its xenophobia, racism and militarism, its undermining of civic loyalty among its adherents in other countries and its propensity to hatred and racial exclusivity.
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu once remarked to a Likud gathering that "Israel is not like other countries". Oddly enough for him, that time he was telling the truth, and nowhere is that more evident than with Jewish nationalism, whether or not one pins the "Zionist" label on it.
Nationalism in most countries and cultures can have both positive and negative aspects, unifying a people and sometimes leading them against their neighbours. Extremism can emerge, and often has, at least in part in almost every nationalist/independence movement I can recall (e.g. the French nationalist movement had The Terror, Kenya's had the Mau Mau, etc.).
But whereas extremism in other nationalist movements is an aberration, extremism in Jewish nationalism is the norm, pitting Zionist Jews (secular or observant) against the goyim (everyone else), who are either possible predator or certain prey, if not both sequentially. This does not mean that all Jews or all Israelis feel and act this way, by any means. But it does mean that Israel today is what it cannot avoid being, and what it would be under any electable government (a point I'll develop in another article).
The differences between Jewish nationalism (Zionism) and that of other countries and cultures here I think are fourfold:
1. Zionism is a real witches' brew of xenophobia, racism, ultra-nationalism and militarism that places it way outside of a "mere" nationalist context — for example, when I was in Ireland (both parts) I saw no indication whatsoever that the Provisional Irish Republican Army or anyone else pressing for a united Ireland had a shred of design on shoving Protestants into camps or out of the country, although there may well have been a handful who thought that way — and goes far beyond the misery for others professed by the Nazis;
2. Zionism undermines civic loyalty among its adherents in other countries in a way that other nationalist movements (and even ultra-nationalist movements like Nazism) did not — e.g. a large majority of American Jews, including those who are not openly dual citizens, espouse a form of political bigamy called "dual loyalty" (to Israel and the US) that is every bit as dishonest as marital bigamy, attempts to finesse the precedence they give to Israel over the US (lots of Rahm Emanuels out there who served in the Israeli army but NOT in the US armed forces), and has absolutely no parallel in the sense of national or cultural identity espoused by any other definable ethnic or racial group in America — even the Nazi Bund in the US disappeared once Germany and the US went to war, with almost all of its members volunteering for the US armed forces;
3. The "enemy" of normal nationalist movements is the occupying power and perhaps its allies, and once independence is achieved, normal relations with the occupying power are truly the norm, but for Zionism almost everyone out there is an actual or potential enemy, differing only in proximity and placement on its very long list of enemies (which is now America's target list); and
4. Almost all nationalist movements (including the irredentist and secessionist variants) intend to create an independent state from a population in place or to reunite a separated people (like the Sudeten Germans in the 1930s) — it is very rare for it to include the wholesale displacement of another indigenous population, which is far more common of successful colonialist movements as in the US — and perhaps a reason why most Americans wouldn't care too much about what the Israelis are doing to the Palestinians even if they DID know about it, is because that is no different than what Europeans in North America did to the Indians/Native Americans here in a longer and more low-tech fashion.
The implications of this for Middle East peace prospects, and for other countries in thrall to their domestic Jewish lobbies or not, are chilling. The Book of Deuteronomy come to life in a state with a nuclear arsenal would be enough to give pause to anyone not bought or bribed into submission — which these days encompasses the US government, given Israel's affinity for throwing crap into the face of the Obama administration and Obama's visible affinity for accepting it with a smile, Bibi Netanyahu's own "Uncle Tom" come to Washington.
The late General Moshe Dayan, who — Zionist or not — remains an honoured part of my own Pantheon of military heroes, allegedly observed that Israel's security depended on its being viewed by others as a mad dog. He may have been correct. But he neglected to note that the preferred response of everyone else is to kill that mad dog before it can decide to go berserk and bite. It is an option worth considering.
Alan Sabrosky (Ph.D, University of Michigan) is a ten-year US Marine Corps veteran and a former director of studies at the US Army War College. He can be contacted at docbrosk@comcast.net.
GO TO ORIGINAL – REDRESS
(Join the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) campaign toprotest the Israeli barbaric siege of Gaza, illegal occupation ofPalestine, the apartheid wall, and its inhuman and degrading treatmentof the Palestinian people: DON'T BUY products whose BARCODE starts with 72 9, which indicates that it is produced in Israel. DO YOUR PART! MAKE A DIFFERENCE! 7 2 9)
WOMEN IN THE VENEZUELAN REVOLUTION: `WE'RE NOT INVISIBLE BUT INVINCIBLE'

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Yahoo mail users can access Ymail account on any devices (iPhone, Android, iOS, iPad, Blackberry etc) and email platform ( Outlook, Gmail, SBC Global, AT& T) as it is very easy to create and very easy to install by users at any time. In case user get stuck with any issue and unable to perform any action then user can have the trustworthy Ymail tech support service to solve the issue on the issue on the right time.
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Q: Comparing input type date with current date <input type="date" name="bday" id="biday" required>

I have to take the date from input type date field from the user and if the entered date is greater than the current date i have to print some error in the alert box. I Have tried various methods but none of them worked for input type date. I tried to take two variables one which stores the current date and the second which takes the value of date input element `
var startDate = Date(document.getElementByID('biday').value);
    var today = new Date();
    if (startDate > today) {
        alert("The first date is after the second date!");

`.Can someone please help me the procedure to get the task done.

A: Here is the another way.
HTML
 <input type="date" id="dval" value="" />
 <button onclick="test()">TEsting</button>

JS
 function test() {
     var q = new Date();
     var date = new Date(q.getFullYear(),q.getMonth(),q.getDate());
     var mydate = new Date(document.getElementById('dval').value);

     if(date > mydate) {
        alert("Current Date is Greater THan the User Date");
     } else {
        alert("Current Date is Less than the User Date");
     }
  }

DEMO
Note: type="date" is not supported in Firefox, or Internet Explorer 11 and earlier versions.

A: You've got a little typo at getElementByID it should be getElementById
Also it is possible to compare date strings as the MYSQL Format 'YYYY-MM-DD' so you could actually compare two values directly as a string.
 '2017-12-1' < '2017-12-3'
 // true

If you are operating with another format you can either create a new Date Object and parse it to a TimeStamp like following:
// Receives a date String or Object
// and returns the aprox TimeStamp
function valueifyDate(date){
    if(typeof date == 'object'){
    return date.getTime();
  }else{
    return new Date(date).getTime();
  }
}

var bday = document.getElementById('birthday');
bday.addEventListener("change", function(e){
  var today = new Date();
  if(valueifyDate(today) < valueifyDate(e.target.value)){
    console.log("younger than today");
  }
})

https://jsfiddle.net/jbnLx3v3/

A: To check whether you have date in startDate it is better to use Date.parse (which is implicitly used in Date constructor) and compare check if it is not NaN. As already mentioned, you need to get numeric value corresponding to the time by using today.getTime(). Then you can compare parsed startDate and today.getTime(). Also it should be getElementById not getElementByID. Please see corrected code below:

function compareDates() {
  var startDate = Date.parse(document.getElementById('biday').value);
  var today = new Date();
  if (!isNaN(startDate) && startDate > today.getTime()) {
    alert("The first date is after the second date!");
  }
}
<input type="date" name="bday" id="biday" required onchange='compareDates()'>

A: There are number of errors on your code like getElementByID should be getElementById and you are not taking the value from input and so on. Check below snippet for reference.

function checkDate() {

  var startDate = new Date(document.getElementById('biday').value);
  var today = new Date();
  if (startDate.getTime() > today.getTime()) {
    alert("The first date is after the second date!");
  }
}
<input type="date" name="bday" id="biday" required>
<input type="submit" value="check" onclick="checkDate()">

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


More than 500 students from Steyning Grammar's sixth form college gathered to mark the formal end of the academic year last week.
The college reflections service, held on Friday (May 5) presented students with awards for characteristics such as self-control, curiosity and the ability to understand others.
Head teacher Nick Wergan opened the celebrations with his thoughts on the widely recognised characteristics of the students.
He said: "You are 21st century citizens. You are born into a world where having a black president in America is normalised not a momentous achievement, where gay marriage is already legal, you don't remember 9-11.
The overall self-control with learning awards went to three technically savvy students who helped the Henfield and District Lions with their new website. Each of the three year 12 students; George Ralph, Charlie Sleight, Jack Matthews were pivotal in the development of the website.
Students were praised for their ability to think other people's feelings in acting considerately.
Killian Glemas, Daniel Hurrell, Gemma Darling and Geenuka Bandaranayake were awarded for their work as Literacy Leaders.
Mrs Nicky Mc Ivor from Steyning First Responders praised the large number of year 12 students who had undertaken defibrillator training.
An outset community volunteering award was presented to students who have volunteered for more than 150 hours or more. This included, volunteering in local hospitals, charity shops, clubs for those with disabilities and local conservation projects.
A special award went to Gemma Coulson for her volunteering work of more than 340 hours service at PAWS Animals.
Over the Easter holidays, the Rotary Clubs of Storrington and Pulborough, together with the Steyning and Henfield Club sponsored four of year 12 students to attend a week's residential course for the Rotary Youth Leader award.
All four learnt a lot about themselves, made strong friendships and appreciate the value of teamwork.
Rotarian representatives Mr Firth and Mr Parfitt presented certificates to Prema Purcell, Kathryn Whitting, Benjamin Beazley, Jacob Liley.
Mr Luke Talbot, director of sport, reviewed the sporting year with the football, rugby, hockey, dance and netball teams.
Members of the first XI football team were given engraved glasses to mark their achievement in reaching the county cup final, before losing 1-0 to Worthing College.
Special congratulations went to Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award students Emma Vickers, Emily Anderson, Hannah Randall, Harriet Williams, Anna Mosely and Megan Haigh for completing the qualification as they now await their visit to the Palace to receive their Gold Awards.
Mrs Gue, chairman of Steyning Grammar School Governors, dedicated a Gratitude Award to Paisley Thompson.
Paisley has shown endless concern for others, supporting aspects of sixth form life by being an active member of the Student Liaison Committee and helping with fundraising events for Red Nose Day, with further charity work in support of Target Ovarian Cancer.
Mr Wergan added: "I am so optimistic in such an uncertain world because I have the utter privilege of seeing you in action, day in day out. I am proud of every one of you.
"Today we celebrate why I am so optimistic by reflecting on your achievements, on your embedded learning character. Many of you have won individual plaudits today, and we celebrate those. I want to thank every one of you, now, for the part each of you have played in such great achievement.
Steyning Grammar School Sixth Form College celebrated another record charity fund raising year with more than £11,060 raised for their chosen charities: NSPCC, Comic Relief, Macmillan Cancer Trust, Cancer Research UK, East Clayton farm Project, Cystic Fibrosis Trust and Meningitis Research Foundation and Right to Play.
Mrs Sally Randall, director of the Sixth Form College (Assistant Head), said: "I am always amazed at how much we acknowledge and applaud in these two hours.
"The awards, presentations and performances represent so much of what make Steyning Grammar school such a wonderful place to be.


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text:
Topics: Student loans
Biden cancels up to $20,000 in student loan debt for millions of borrowers
President Biden announced the cancellation of up to $10,000 in student debt for borrowers making less than $125,000, and up to $20,000 for those who received Pell Grants.
Inflation spurs tuition hikes, as student loan interest rates set to increase
U.S. colleges and universities are announcing inflation-related tuition increases while voicing concern about the impact on students and their families.
Ohio State University plans to go debt-free for all undergrads
Ohio State University, which enrolls more than 40,000 undergraduates, said it will work to eliminate loans from all undergraduate financial aid packages across the next 10 years.
Changes ahead for Public Service Loan Forgiveness program
Federal education officials have announced a slate of temporary changes to the troubled federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program—added flexibility that could benefit more than 550,000 borrowers.
Student debt: Officials extend loan repayment pause, analysis shows growing racial wealth gaps
Federal officials announced a final extension of the temporary pause on student loan repayments, sparking renewed calls for debt cancellation to address racial wealth disparities.
Loan forgiveness: Biden says $50K is too much, signals next steps
President Joe Biden this week reiterated his support for writing off up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt for individual borrowers but said he will not pursue the $50,000 threshold being urged by some legislators and advocates.
Biden to propose $35B more aid for higher ed, pursue debt cancellation
Colleges and universities wondering what a new administration and unified Congress could mean saw clear signals this week as President-Elect Joe Biden proposed a new infusion of support for higher ed and aides spoke of cancelling student loan debt.
How much do parents borrow for their children's college education?
The U.S. Department of Education for the first time has released data on the amount of Parent PLUS loan debt parents shoulder for their children to attend specific colleges and universities.
Robert F. Smith initiative aims to ease HBCU students' debt burden
The billionaire—who made headlines last year for clearing the student debt of 400 Morehouse graduates—now hopes to help thousands of students at historically Black colleges and universities bypass high-interest, fixed-payment private loans.
What's ahead for law students unable to take the bar or attend summer jobs?
Whether they're graduating this spring, preparing for a summer program, or just starting their legal education, students at the nation's law schools are facing unique challenges and an uncertain future in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
Administration temporarily halts federal student loan interest
In an unprecedented effort to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Education will automatically halt interest collection on all federal student loans until further notice.
A fix for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program?
The U.S. Department of Education is simplifying the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program's application process, amid frustration from the thousands of borrowers who took up careers in public service and later had their requests rejected.


By Emily Guy Birken · Filed Under: Small Business · November 11, 2018 · · Part-Time Money is supported by you. When you sign-up for services or buy something through links below, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about how we make money.
It's been almost four years since former PayPal Chairman and CEO Peter Thiel started the 20 Under 20 program—the controversial initiative that paid 20 college students up to $100,000 to drop out of school.
Basically, Thiel's initiative hoped to show that the best path to success is not necessarily through education (and its attendant debt burden), but through entrepreneurship and innovation.
While none of the young entrepreneurs that Thiel sponsored back in 2010 have catapulted to success and business stardom, the actual question behind the initiative still seems to be a valid one: Is it worthwhile for an eager and hard-working young person to go into debt for a college education when they have a great idea for a business?
For many of us, going to college is simply what you do after high school. We've had it drilled into our heads that getting at least a bachelor's degree is imperative if you hope to succeed. And we so believe in the worth of a college degree that we are willing to go into significant debt in order to earn one.
As it turns out, we're mostly right about college. Yes, college costs are spiraling upward at an obscene rate, and graduating with a four-year degree and $100,000 in debt is an objectively terrible position to be in. However, millennial college graduates have a significantly lower unemployment rate than their less-educated friends: 3.1% unemployment compared to 8.1% for those with only some college or a two-year degree, and 12.1% percent for those with only a high school diploma.
In addition, college graduates on average make a great deal more money than those without a degree—the difference between $45,000 and $28,000 per year.
Overall, going to college really does increase your earning potential and ability to find a job.
Of course, just because a degree will help your career does not mean that college is always the answer. The excessive costs of college are problematic and it is reasonable to ask if an 18-year-old is able to understand the consequences of taking on $100,000 worth of debt.
Mitchell's complaint is hardly rare. Geoff Weiss of Entrepreneur laments the education system's emphasis on compliance, conformity, and a linear path to success. It's difficult for game-changing ideas and innovation to thrive in such an atmosphere, as Mitchell discovered.
For the majority of college students out there, the compliant, conforming and linear path through school will take them where they want to go. As long as college students recognize and plan for the potential financial pitfalls of their education, there is no reason not to follow the well-trodden path.
Becoming an entrepreneur also has myriad pitfalls, not the least of which is that your startup could fail, as 75% do.
But the sort of person who has the passion to turn an idea into a business will likely be able to follow through no matter the circumstances. That's true whether they are 18 or 81 when they decide to become an entrepreneur.
I think the concept of college needs to be rethought with more of a focus on practical life skills and a significantly reduced price tag. All I know is, I have a super expensive degree and make terrible income and my boyfriend dropped out after freshman year and makes close to 6 figures as a skilled carpenter.
Entrepreneurship is not for everyone and so is college but college can provide a foundation to build upon and get a job and get your self in a position where you can take some risks and start your own company.
This is perhaps one of the greatest quandaries of our time – is college worth it? After completing a bachelors and MBA in management, I began a business PhD program. However, after 6 months of it I discovered that it wasn't worth my time and now am primarily a freelance writer. Does my business knowledge help me? Of course. Could I have received an equal amount of knowledge from sources beside college? I think so.
I still wonder, does the knowledge pay, or is it just the degree?


text:
Nuclear Medicine? It's Probably Not At All What You Think It Is
Jean-Luc Urbain, M.D., Ph.D., has worked in nuclear medicine for more than 30 years in three countries. He is a recognized leader in the field – he was recently elected president-elect of the World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology – and an avid proponent of the discipline's numerous capabilities.
He also knows his chosen field has a serious image problem.
"Nuclear medicine is largely unknown, even among medical professionals," said Urbain, who joined Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center as head of the section on nuclear medicine in May 2018.
"And when most people hear 'nuclear' or 'radiation' they think of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, Fukushima, all negative associations. That's unfortunate."
So if nuclear medicine doesn't have anything to do with atomic bombs or reactor meltdowns, what is it?
Simply put, it's a medical specialty that employs radioactive materials and advanced imaging technologies to diagnose and treat disease.
The radioactive materials – generally called radiopharmaceuticals or medical isotopes – consist of a radioactive atom bonded to targeting molecules that are formulated to go to a specific part of the body. These compounds are usually administered to patients by intravenous injection in doses determined by the individual's body weight, the reason for the scan and the part of the being examined.
In the body the radiopharmaceuticals emit energy in the form of rays that are detected by special devices which work with computers to produce precise images of the targeted areas.
Those images differ from those produced by other technologies. X-rays, CT scans and ultrasound send forms of energy into the body from outside and produce images of physical structures. Nuclear medicine's PET and SPECT scans, on the other hand, use the radiation coming from inside the body to depict activity in tissues and organs at the molecular and cellular levels.
"Other scans show you anatomy, what a part of the body look like," Urbain said. "Nuclear medicine shows how it's functioning."
This allows physicians to determine the presence, location, extent and severity of a wide range of diseases – including cancer, heart disease and brain disorders – often at very early stages, before they can be detected by other methods.
Nuclear imaging also can help doctors select treatments, evaluate their effectiveness, measure changes in cellular activity and track the progression or remission of disease.
Nuclear medicine is not, however, a first option for diagnosis. Physicians order and review the results of conventional testing or imaging – which provide sufficient information about a disease or condition in the majority of cases – before referring patients to nuclear medicine specialists.
"Nuclear medicine is safe, and a noninvasive imaging tool that provides precise information you don't get from other methods," Urbain said.
And it has gotten better in recent years through the development of hybrid imaging, in which nuclear PET or SPECT scans are done simultaneously with CT scans. This practice produces composite images that contain well-defined functional and anatomical information from both technologies.
Still, the radioactive aspect of nuclear medicine can be a little intimidating – if not outright scary – for some people. But there's little reason for that.
Nuclear medicine procedures have been performed on people without adverse effect since the 1950s. The amount of radiation exposure in nuclear imaging is comparable to that from X-rays and CT scans. And nuclear medicine specialists follow the ALARA principle.
"That stands for 'As Low As Reasonably Achievable,'" said Jonathan Richardson, the chief nuclear medicine technologist at Wake Forest Baptist. "This means using the amount of radioactive material that will produce a useful image with the least amount of radiation exposure for the patient."
Similarly, the amount of time that the radioactive material remains radioactive is kept to a minimum.
"It depends on what you're looking at and what you're looking for," Urbain said. "For some scans, the radioactivity can last for just 10 minutes. For others, it might be three days. But it's always the shortest time possible."
While nuclear medicine is most frequently used for diagnosis it is effective as a treatment, notably for certain forms of cancer. The amounts of radioactivity and the times of exposure are greater for therapy than diagnosis, but the level of risk to patients remains low.
Treatment is widely regarded as the area of nuclear medicine with the greatest potential for growth, especially the practice of theranostics, which is the use of a single targeting compound in both therapy and diagnostics.
"It's a great type of precision medicine," Urbain said. "First we locate the problem cells, then we go back to that exact location with internal radioactive probes to kill them."
Under Urbain's direction, Wake Forest Baptist established a theranostics clinic in September 2018. Using radiopharmaceuticals approved by the FDA earlier this year, the clinic is devoted to the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors, an extremely rare form of cancer related to hormone production. To date, six patients have begun the clinic's eight-month therapy regimen, and there are 14 on a waiting list.
Urbain said that as more new radiopharmaceuticals are developed and gain Food and Drug Administration approval the use of theranostics will expand to include the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, prostate cancer and other more common forms of the disease.
"It's a comprehensive, personalized medicine approach that works," he said.
Marguerite Beck, marbeck@wakehealth.edu, (336) 716-2415
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I'm not going to lie, the second I saw Milly wear this midi dress, I just HAD to buy it. I didn't even give it a second thought! It's one of my favourite go-to dresses of the year. I love the tutu feel you get from the tulle overlay, but the jersey top makes it so comfortable to wear and also versatile for any occasion (nothing a bit of statement jewellery can't sort out). I can't wait to wear it with military boots and chunky jumper on top to be honest, this dress is definitely going to be making appearances! And yes, I completely agree with Milly - I also feel very 'Carrie Bradshaw' in it!
So much to update on, and so little time! I swear I struggling to find a spare 5 minutes to myself, but thankfully I have to write up this blog post. My holiday was fabulous - so relaxing and lovely. We had a few cloudy days (and a couple of quick storms too!) but we also had some lush sunny days too, so luckily I managed to get a bit of a tan! It went so quickly though and I almost feel like I need another holiday already... Don't you just hate that feeling?!
Since I've been back, I attended Social Media Week in London for a couple of days. Very insightful and interesting for my job, so I'm glad I went! It was my first time going to SMW, and as tiring as it was, it was great fun and fab to meet some other people in the industry.
After my London trip, I went to Style Birmingham Live which was brilliant - more on that in a separate blog post :) I also went to a Christening last weekend, which was a lovely day spent with my friends. Seeing my friend's little boy being Christened was adorable, and yes, I got a bit emosh.
In fact, this whole month is going to be so busy for me. I'm off to a wedding on Saturday (hence the beautiful Topshop shoes having another outing!), but also wedding fayres, leaving parties, birthday parties, work outings, gigs... Bloody hell. That's a lot now I've written it in black and white. See you in November :/ jokez.


Yesterday the group had the chance to visit two facilities where parts of wind turbines are manufactured and assembled. Both are used by one of Denmark's leading turbine manufactures, Vestas.
Yesterday the group had the chance to visit two facilities where parts of wind turbines are manufactured and assembled. Both are used by one of Denmark's leading turbine manufactures, Vestas. The first stop was at their facility in Ringkobing. There they assemble the Nacelle portion of the machine (where the blades are attached to the generator). It was amazing to see the size of the machines up close!
After this visit, we took a bus to Lem, a nearby town, where Vestas manufactures blades for their turbines. They walked us though the process of manufacturing the blades and gave us a tour of their facility. We then had lunch at their cafeteria and made our way to Aalborg where we stayed the night. On our way, Bo took us to one of Denmark's underground caves. There were a number of underground streams with amazingly clear water that had purified though chalk and other minerals in the ground.
When we arrived in Denmark, Bo's wife, Michelle, arranged a very nice buffet dinner at a local restaurant.


text:
This week, stories where a longtime standoff keeps both sides coming back for more. Including a story about the time in Poland's recent history where the country's two political blocks came together and believed, however briefly, they'd be able to set aside their differences. And another story about a college rivalry gone viral, and personal.
frogDNA
Host Ira Glass speaks with Columbia University professor Peter Coleman, who shares some surprising details about the battle surrounding the abortion debate in Boston during the 1990s. We learn what secret meetings between the warring groups could accomplish, and what they couldn't. Coleman wrote about this topic in his book The Five Percent: Finding Solutions to Seemingly Impossible Conflicts." (7 minutes)
Solidarity For Never
Amy Drozdowska-McGuire
After a 2010 plane crash killed dozens of Polish dignitaries, including the president, some thought that the country would cross the political rift and come together to mourn. Reporter Amy Drozdowska-McGuire tells what happened instead. (26 minutes)
"You Don't Make No Sense" by Woozyhelmet
Act Two
A Tale of Two Jerseys
When Chris Gethard was attending a run-down Rutgers University in the late 1990s, another student down the way—at a university called Princeton—became his nemesis. This is the title story of Chris's book A Bad Idea I'm About to Do, which comes out in January. He also hosts The Chris Gethard Show, a public access TV talk show. (20 minutes)
"Revenge" by Spoon & "Nemesis" by The Abramson Singers
If you enjoyed this episode, you may like these
459: What Kind of Country
Act Two: Dream Come True
Perhaps the biggest proponent of smaller government in the United States is lobbyist and activist Grover Norquist, head of Americans for Tax Reform.
598: My Undesirable Talent
Act Two: Uganda Be Kidding Me
Zora Bikangaga grew up in a mostly white California suburb, the son of Ugandan immigrants.
497: This Week
At Guantanamo Bay, hearings resumed for Abd al Rahim al Nashiri, who is accused of organizing the attack on the USS Cole, in 2000.
Tell Me I'm Fat
Maybe it's time to rethink the way we see being fat.
Dr. Gilmer and Mr. Hyde
Did a beloved family doctor with no criminal history suddenly up and strangle his own father?


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Economic Resilience Panel
As part of the UK's G7 2021 presidency, the Prime Minister nominated Lord Sedwill, former UK Cabinet Secretary and National Security Advisor, as G7 Envoy on Economic Resilience, and Chair of an independent G7 Panel on Economic Resilience. The Panel is composed of representatives appointed by G7 Leaders, and from Guest Nations in an observer capacity, supported by a working-level group of expert officials.
The Panel published its final report titled 'Global Economic Resilience: Building Forward Better'. Read the report here.
The Panel has been advising G7 Leaders on how to:
improve the resilience of global supply chains in critical sectors
promote high standards, good governance and competitive global markets
support open economies and societies in harnessing and retaining the benefits of new technology and innovation
The Panel developed proposals for the G7 Summit in June 2021 in line with the UK G7 Presidency's wider agenda - including to build back better from the Covid-19 crisis, promote inclusive growth, and meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Other areas of focus for the Panel included supporting the transition to net zero carbon and improving resilience to climate change and other environmental challenges.
The Panel consulted widely across the G7 and beyond, including with industry, academia, civil society and international organisations.
The Panel members have been nominated by G7 Heads of State and Government:
UK: Mark Sedwill, former Cabinet Secretary and National Security Adviser. Chair of the Atlantic Future Forum.
Canada: Carolyn Wilkins, former Senior Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada.
France: Professor Thomas Philippon, Economist and Professor of Finance at New York University's Stern School of Business; Economic Adviser to Emmanuel Macron.
Germany: Dr Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute in Berlin, Adjunct Lecturer Hertie School, and former Head of Department for External Economic Policy at the Federation of German Industries.
Italy: Professor Mariana Mazzucato, Special Economic Adviser to the Italian Prime Minister (2020), and founding director of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose at University College London.
Japan: Professor Nobukatsu Kanehara of Doshisha University, Tokyo; former Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
USA: Dr Felicia Wong, President and CEO of the Roosevelt Institute.
EU: Thomas Wieser, the former President of the Euro Working Group and the European Financial Committee.
The following Panel Observers have been nominated by the UK Presidency Guest Nation Heads of State and Government:
Republic of Korea: Professor Keun Lee Vice-Chairman of the National Economic Advisory Council, and Professor of Economics at Seoul National University.
Australia: John A Fraser, Businessman and former Secretary to the Australian Treasury ( 2015 to 2018).
India: Sanjeev Sanyal, Principal Economic Adviser, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
The G7 Panel has concluded its summary recommendations, which Lord Sedwill discussed with G7 Leaders in Carbis Bay, on the basis of which a full report will be published on 13 October 2021. The summary recommendations included a 'Cornwall Consensus' - a new long-term approach to global economic resilience - which Leaders are encouraged to adopt, supported by a set of initial actions that could be taken to begin meeting that approach.
Gender Equality Advisory Council
The UK has committed to putting gender equality and fairness at the heart of our G7 Presidency. The Gender Equality Advisory Council (GEAC), an independent panel ...


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Christo's oil-barrel Mastaba dreams materialise in France
By Natalie Huet • last updated: 08/06/2016
For 30 years, Bulgarian-born artist Christo has wanted to build a monumental 'Mastaba' – a type of ancient Egyptian tomb – out of oil barrels in the desert of Abu Dhabi.
This is an artist widely known as 'avant-garde,' with projects dating from 1967, who today at the age of 81 still has this incredible ability to reflect on the world, and to offer experiences
His project has just materialised on a smaller yet still impressive scale: nine meters high, 17 meters long and nine meters wide, the work is on display at the Fondation Maeght, a museum of modern art in the south of France.
Christo has been working with oil barrels for decades. He and his late wife Jeanne-Claude used them to barricade a Paris street in 1962, in protest against the Berlin Wall.
Over the years, the couple worked on various sketches of Mastabas. After Jeanne-Claude passed away in 2009, Christo worked on this one as a solo project.
"The first Mastaba was a bit like a sculpture of emotions, this Mastaba is really exploding in space. I made the proportions on purpose, this 60-degree angle is like a staircase towards the sky," he explained.
Christo poses at the #FondationMaeght during the Mastaba exhibition. #AFPPhotopic.twitter.com/FayTtV5seK
— Valery HACHE (@ValeryHache) June 4, 2016
The Mastaba is the latest & definitely the largest Christo-wrapped eco art installation ever https://t.co/EWOCMdORQI
— Elizah Leigh (@elizahleigh) June 3, 2016
Christo and Jeanne-Claude reached fame with their large-scale land art – wrapping up in fabric the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris, the Reichstag in Berlin, and "eleven islands":
http://miami.curbed.com/2013/8/29/10207970/wolfson-moving-image-archives-christo-surrounded-islands in Biscayne Bay near Miami.
Olivier Kaeppelin, director of the Fondation Maeght, said of Christo: "This is an artist widely known as 'avant-garde,' with projects dating from 1967, who today at the age of 81 still has this incredible ability to reflect on the world, and to offer experiences."
The exhibition also showcases 50 years of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's work — including sculptures, sketches and photographs. It runs until November 27.
Dubai's eclectic music scene
London's National Gallery displays single Da Vinci painting in 'immersive' exhibition
Global artists celebrate musical freedom at the Baku Jazz Festival
Singer-songwriter says 'sorry' and dies on stage during performance
Vienna Philharmonic marches to its own tune
Gladiator of Auschwitz: New film tells the story of Pole who boxed his way through hell
Not just for kids: 'Cartoon Movie' sees boom in adult animation films
Comedy without the clichés: Don Pasquale charms Zurich


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The CYME Power Engineering software is a suite of applications composed of a network editor, analysis modules and user-customizable model libraries from. The Power Flow module software is the power flow analysis module of the. The Transient Stability Analysis module of the CYME power engineering.
The CYME Protective Device Analysis module provides engineers with a wide . CYME Server brings CYME network model and analysis engines into your IT . The Network Editor is the graphical user interface underlying the CYME.
CYME for ArcGIS Desktop™ is the solution to embed power systems analytics. Cooper Power Systems offers an extensive line of Power Engineering Software that feature some of the most advanced analysis tools for transmission. Cooper Power Systems offers the extensive CYME line of Power Engineering Software that features some of the most advanced analysis tools for transmission, . The world-class CYME power system analysis software is a robust, and emerging challenges of the electrical engineers that support power network planning. CYME offers an extensive line of Power Engineering Software that feature some of the most advanced analysis tools for transmission, distribution and industrial.
23 Jan Distributed energy analytics software leader, GridUnity, is partnering with elastic cloud computing platform to power engineering analysis and. As a planning electrical engineer at Toth & Associates, you will work on all with software modeling and analysis tools such as Milsoft Windmil (or CYME), SKM. 23 Jun Jury finds CYME International T&D directly liable for willful false of ETAP's software and awarded ETAP $ million in damages. For the past three years, CYME and its agent (posing as "Independent Power Engineers"). Power engineering software is software used to create models, analyze or calculate the design Power software as ETAP, CYME, DINIS, IPSA, PSS/E and DIgSILENT are pioneers at the category power engineering software. Most of this .


If you're looking for great novels, 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die is a must read. The 1001 Books App helps you track your progress with all 5 editions of the 1001 books list. Tailor the list to your reading history by adding your own images, notes, ratings, reading time, tags, etc. Take advantage of powerful sort and filter features and see detailed progress statistics as you take on the challenge of 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die.
Updated with 10 new books added to the 2018 edition.
Used to work but now every time I press the List Chooser icon the app crashes. I'm stuck on '1st Edition'.


Most operations, maintenance and repair work is performed based on work orders submitted though the Facilities Department work order system. To submit a work request or HVAC room request use the link on the right to access the online form provided by School Dude. If this is your first time creating a work order you will need to register.
**Please download the directions on the right for step by step instructions on how to register and submit a work order. There are separate passwords for logging into the system, and for submitting the form.
If this is an EMERGENCY, please call extension 4057 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. After 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, and on weekends, please call Campus Police at extension 4010.
Emergency Examples: Overflowing toilets, sewer backups, floods, roof or ceiling water leaks, major plumbing leaks, gas leaks, chemical spills, electrical outages, elevator entrapment, inoperative door locks or fire alarm activation.
*Facilities does not handle repairs to telephones, Internet or cable TV. For assistance please contact the IT helpdesk fo at 4357.
How do I log in to submit a work order?
If you have used the system before click on the Online Work Order and HVAC Form under Links on the right hand said of the page. If you are new to the submitting work orders, please read the direction under the Download section titled How to register and submit a work order.
How quickly will my request be handled?
That depends on the priority, type of work order, and resource availability. Work orders are assigned a priority based on the type of request.
Priority Emergency: Emergency work orders will receive immediate attention until completion.
Priority Medium: Medium priority work orders are considered routine corrective maintenance requests and are addressed ASAP, typically within 1-4 weeks. Examples include a light that is out, basic carpentry repairs, and minor plumbing problems.
Priority Low: Low priority work orders are categorized as "new" or discretionary work. These items are scheduled according to available resources and may take considerably longer to complete than Emergency, High, or Medium priority work orders. Some examples include picture hanging, or painting.
**Please note that material, equipment availability, and space availability will determine or may extend the completion time.
Can I just stop or call/email a facilities staff member I know and get them to take care of a problem?
We strongly recommend submitting all work orders through the online request form. This way, your request will be properly dispatched and tracked. You will also receive email notifications throughout the process, updating you on the status of your request. You are also able to monitor your requests by selecting 'View Work Order Status' link on the right, under Facilities online work request.
If you have a key request, please submit a signed key request form to Campus Police. Please do not submit an on-line work order request for keys. A copy of the form under Downloads on the right hand side of the page.


Seniors are more likely to suffer from diseases such as chronic fatigue, arthritis, falls and injuries, chronic pains in the back and joints, elevated blood pressure, sleep disorders and many other conditions. Lifestyle habit and diet changes are often part of the overall treatment of these conditions. But there is also much to be said for time-tested techniques such as heat therapy and its latest version, Far Infrared Therapy, to FIR Therapy, which can provide natural pain relief.
Far infrared light is the frequency of invisible light that is generated naturally by the sun. FIR Therapy is a type of low energy therapy that takes advantage of the heat generated by waves of energy from the far end of the infrared spectrum. This safe and natural alternative therapy can be used in the treatment of a variety of health problems such as arthritis, muscle pain and spasms and shoulder or joint stiffness.
Far infrared waves can penetrate up to three inches deep to generate warmth that can provide immense relief to muscles and internal organs. The gentle heat produced in far infrared heat therapy exerts an analgesic effect and can help reduce or eliminate chronic pains that seniors often experience in various parts of the body. Stiffness in the joints from arthritis can be significantly relieved. Studies show that far infrared heat makes connective tissue more flexible, permits greater joint movement and brings about increased levels of endorphins, which ease pain.
Far infrared therapy also causes blood vessels to expand. This expansion leads to improved circulation and allows the immune system cells and chemicals to converge on the injured areas to facilitate the healing process. Despite the heat induced, FIR therapy does not cause any significant rise in core body temperature or in blood pressure, which makes it safer for seniors with cardiovascular problems.
There are several types of far infrared therapy devices on the market today that provide both direct and indirect heat therapy. FIR saunas can be used to deliver whole body or indirect therapy while far infrared heating pads, clothing and bedding supplies may be used for localized applications.
Each of these types of FIR therapy uses different means to produce far infrared heat. Far infrared saunas use carbon/ceramic heaters to generate indirect heat in the form of low energy far infrared waves. Heating pads utilize individual natural jade stones, and far infrared clothing and far infrared bedding such as undergarments, therapy gloves, joint braces, socks, sheets and pillows use specially designed infrared emitting fabrics to produce the infrared heat. All of these different types of therapy generate radiant heat that penetrates deep into the body to provide natural pain relief and other health benefits.


If you'd like to make a booking at Belford Cottages, you can check availability and book online. Alternatively please email us using the form below.
Take the M1 expressway north and then the M15 (Hunter Expressway) which flows directly on to the New England Highway in the vicinity of Branxton heading west to Singleton. Hermitage Rd is about 8 km on the left after you see the Branxton/Greta exit. Turn left down Hermitage Rd and Belford Cottages are approximately 4 km down on the left. Look for the blue picket fence.
Approx travelling times: M1 from Wahroonga to Seahampton 70 min then on M15 (Hunter Expressway) from Seahampton to Hermitage Rd 35 minutes.
Turn right onto the New England Highway after the Hexham Bridge. Follow the signs to Maitland, Singleton and Muswellbrook. Watch out for the fixed radar camera in the 40/60 zone at Lochinvar. Pass through Greta and follow the signs to Singleton. 12 km further on is Hermitage Rd (well sign-posted) on the left. Belford Cottages are 4 km down Hermitage Rd on the left.
Travelling SE on the New England Highway from Singleton, Hermitage Rd is about 15 km southeast of Singleton on the right.


Many animal species, such as the pygmy-owl, will be affected by the proposed border wall extension.
Although the controversy over whether or not to extend the 650-mile border wall between the United States and Mexico largely centers around immigration, it is also important to consider the effects a wall would have on the environment of the borderlands.
A New York Times article reported that if U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to extend the wall to 1,000 miles succeeds, it will divide areas where no natural barrier currently exists. This would separate habitats and prevent many animal species, even those that can fly, from crossing the border.
It is expected that more than 1,500 native animal and plant species would be affected by the wall, including 62 listed as endangered or vulnerable, according to an article published in BioScience in 2018.
Typically, the Endangered Species act would require projects as large in scope and potentially environmental impactful as the border wall to undergo extensive analysis, investigation of alternatives, and continued monitoring afterwards. However, construction of the border wall will be exempt from these regulations, allowing for the possibility that the wall will significantly disrupt native species.
There are many possible effects of a border wall extension on the environment of the borderlands. Three will be explored in this article: the division of landscapes, the cutting off of animals and the disruption of wildlife refuges.
Along U.S.-Mexico border, one can find some of the nation's most diverse landscapes, which house more than 1,500 native animals. These include six separate ecoregions, ranging from desert scrub to forest woodlands to wetland marshes, both freshwater and salt. A border wall could potentially put these habitats at risk because of the soil erosion a wall would cause, as well as the alteration of natural water flows and the patterns of wildfire.
The border wall will be designed to keep humans from crossing; however, it will also be a barrier for local animals. While ingenious humans could design new ways to go past the wall, four-legged animals would be left helpless.
Aaron D. Flesch, a research scientist at the University of Arizona, told the New York Times that even some low-flying birds like the ferruginous pygmy-owl could have trouble crossing the impending border.
"You think a bird's just going to fly over a wall, but that's not necessarily the case," Flesch said.
Additionally, this division would limit the resources available to the animals by preventing them from finding food and mates in the areas blocked by the border wall.
The extended border could leave endangered animals with already small populations stranded on either side of the border. Such animals include the Mexican gray wolf and the Sonoran pronghorn. This could potentially lead to some species being more likely to die out.
"For a critter that's nearly extinct in the U.S., you need to promote connectivity, not curtail it," Flesch said.
While Trump has proposed a wall that incorporates bollards, or slats, this could still disrupt wildlife, according to Flesch. These spaces would allow smaller animals to pass through, but larger animals would still be affected. Permeable vehicle barriers already built in some areas can create "behavioral barriers" to animals that naturally avoid fences. This includes species like the Sonoran pronghorn.
According to National Geographic, seven Texas wildlife conservation areas, which include the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge and Big Bend National Park, could potentially be sites for the extended border wall. These areas are celebrated as locations for ideal night sky viewing, due to their remote locations. The National Butterfly Center is another refuge that would find itself affected by the construction of a border wall. This 100 acre sanctuary is home to more than 200 butterfly species, and the plans for the border wall might separate about 70 acres from the American side, leaving 70 percent of it in Mexico.
Can sustainable investment fight climate change?


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New Tree Strategy
Tree Watering
Report a Damaged Tree
You are here: Home / Projects
2017 National Tree Week Project
Tree Warden Jenny Fornasier volunteered to oversee our 2017 Wandsworth Tree Warden project to celebrate National Tree Week. Jenny approached several local schools and two got involved in her eco/tree education project; Earlsfield Primary and Sherringdale. Trees were provided for planting and to highlight the importance of greening the environment. Each school had an eco-team or green-team and the children gave presentations on the planting and benefits of trees. It was very cold on the planting days which were scheduled for 1st December (although one school had organised a picnic). The events were advertised in Brightside and the Enable newsletter
i-Tree survey
Introduced in 2006, i-Tree (www.itreetools.org) is a state of the art, peer-reviewed software suite from the US Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, which provides urban forestry analysis and benefits assessment tools. i-Tree is now regarded as the gold standard for tree evaluation.
The results of the I-Tree project were published in the USA in December 2015. Visit www.forestry.gov.uk/london-itreeurbantreecover.org for more information.
London i-Tree project
The London i-Tree project was mainly delivered by volunteers, unlike the American surveys which are 100% delivered by paid workers. Initially the London i-Tree project attracted 60 volunteers. However, using social media this number increased to 300 volunteers in one month. The Forestry Commission and the GLA donated £15k each towards the project. The project was delivered in 2014 using 250 volunteers, with support from professionals, to survey 725 plots. Some of the volunteers were our own Wandsworth Tree Wardens.
The project is almost complete with only a few plots still to be surveyed after which the results will be analysed in the USA and the results will be made publically available.
Fruit trees in schools project
Tree Wardens are encouraged to set up and/or take part in events and projects in their local community which promote the benefit of trees in the urban environment.
Tree Warden Gwen Rosen's project to campaign for 'Fruit Trees in Schools' is a great example of an imaginative community project and her work was commended by the Forestry Commission at the 2013 RE:LEAF Awards.
Gwen was successful in getting local schools Altons, Sherringdale and Greenmead (Putney), Christchurch and Falconbrook (Battersea), Ravenstone (Balham), Graveney, St Boniface and St Anselms (Tooting), all in the borough of Wandsworth, to plant and nurture a variety of fruit trees including peach, cherry, kiwi, apricot, plum and nectarine.
National Tree Week
In celebration of National Tree Week, the Wandsworth Tree Wardens donated an English Oak to be planted on Wandsworth Common. Cllr Sarah McDermott planted the tree at a small ceremony on the common on 28 October.
Tree planting on behalf of the Putney Society
Councillor Jim Madden led the tree planting ceremony in Wandsworth Park on 13 January, assisted by John Horrocks (Putney Society) and Pat Gross (Friends of Wandsworth Park). The Putney Society provided a Catalpa (Indian bean tree) to be planted at the eastern end of Wandsworth Park.
150th anniversary of Wandsworth Common
Congratulations to the Friends of Wandsworth Common (FoWC) who marked the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Wandsworth Common act in July 2021 by launching a tree planting appeal which raised over £12,000. These funds were put towards three projects:
Planting additional trees
A total of 80 conventional, seven-year old saplings, all native species, have been planted on the Common over the past two years, with much valued support from Enable.
A Mini Forest
The planting of a mini forest. This was based on a Japanese concept – miyawaki, which consisted not only of freestanding trees (in this case four disease resistant elms) but also an understory of shrubs and wildflowers to encourage biodiversity. Advised by Enable, FoWC agreed this was as good, if not a better way to promote biodiversity than planting individual trees. The site, on the eastern side of the Common, extends and joins up existing areas of woodland to maximise the biodiversity impact.
Whip planting
To encourage biodiversity and act as an antipollution screen from road traffic, over 1,800 whips were planted in three areas of the Common in March 2022. This project, promoted and organised by the Wandsworth Common Management Advisory Committee (the MAC) with help from Enable and volunteers from FoWC, involved planting hedges and shrubbery using several different native species, including gorse, which once grew extensively on the Common, holly, buckthorn, guelda rose, hawthorn, spindleberry and dog rose. The main sites for these whips are the St Marks triangle in the north east, the corner of Trinity and Bellevue roads in the southwest and the newly rewilded area next to the playground near the Skylark café.
Altogether, an amazing achievement!
Wandsworth Tree Wardens © 2018
Website designed and maintained by Little Shock


A unique community healthcare event was held in Wardleworth community centre earlier today (20th Nov 2017). The event was attended by Rochdale environmental health talking recycling, McMillan Cancer research, Rochdale Mind who were offering healthy eating options, head massage and blood pressure check for all attendees. This was Rochdale first, pulling together both the wholistic and statutory service have come together to raise the profile of community health and its aspirations.


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Select Author Frank Lunding (79) Harvey H. Liss (41) Carolyn Inmon (38) Larry Agran (27) Phyllis Agran, M.D. (19) Joel Smith (19) Jake Jacobs (15) Terry Schilling (13) Harris E. Kershnar (12) Marilyn Vassos (10) Sarah Mosko, Ph.D. (8) Angelo Vassos (3) Roger Gloss (2) Avram Grossman (2) Ed Sharman (2) Fran Tardiff (2) Roger Gloss & Sarah "Steve" Mosko (2) Beth Krom (1) Mark Tabbert (1) Carl Mariz and Harvey Liss (1) Carl Mariz and Ed Sharman (1) Carl Mariz (1) Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow and Senait Forthal (1) Tessa Kershnar (1) Ed Pope (1)
Irvine's Mayoral Race
Posted by Frank Lunding | October 1, 2016
Although there are five candidates officially running for Mayor of Irvine, a study of the candidates' records — and where they stand on the issues — clearly reveals the one best choice for Mayor: Irvine Community News & Views endorses Mary Ann Gaido for Mayor of Irvine.
Mary Ann Gaido (pronounced Guy-Doe) is the only Mayoral candidate with the knowledge, experience — and proven record — to deal with the excessive growth, traffic and overdevelopment that is now eroding Irvine's quality of life. Her campaign pledge is to "put the people back in control" through a Comprehensive Growth and Traffic Control Ordinance that will control and limit the number of building permits issued and require a ballot-box vote of the people before any major new residential development can go forward.
Gaido has amassed a 40-year record of service to the Irvine community, including as a former two-term City Councilmember and long-time Irvine Planning Commissioner. (Full Disclosure: I served with Gaido during the late 1980s, when I was a Transportation Commissioner and then a Planning Commissioner.)
Mary Ann Gaido's devotion to the City of Irvine and to the City's master plan — known as the Irvine General Plan — is legendary. She believes in the General Plan and the limits it places on growth, development and traffic. Respected as the "Guardian of the General Plan," Gaido has shown the courage to say NO to big developers who have pretty much "bought" the current Planning Commission, Mayor and City Council. While they are intent on shredding the General Plan, Gaido remains determined to uphold it.
In recent years, Gaido's courage has cost her. Because she said NO to FivePoint Communities when the mega-developer wanted to build 10,000 houses at the Great Park, FivePoint Communities and allied developers spent more than $500,000 on a TV and mail blitz to defeat her by just 954 votes in her 2014 bid to unseat pro-developer Mayor Steven Choi. This time, FivePoint and other big developers are again backing Gaido's chief opponent in the Mayor's race — termed-out State Assemblyman Don Wagner. FivePoint and other developers/special interests encouraged Wagner to run.
Because Wagner's campaign is essentially being "outsourced" to FivePoint Communities, and professional campaign management firms, Gaido's grassroots, pro-resident campaign is emerging as a real "David vs. Goliath" contest — with Gaido in the role of "David." Read our excellent Page 1 story to learn more about the Mayor's race. And see the "Candidate Comparison Chart" we've included in our Open Forum/Community Voices section, Page 14 of the printed edition.
Publisher & Editor
Frank Lunding
Franklin J. Lunding is the founding Publisher and Editor of Irvine Community News & Views. A lawyer and businessman, Mr. Lunding has served on the Irvine Planning Commission and, prior to that, as Chair of the Irvine Transportation Commission.
Latest posts by Frank Lunding (see all)
Yet Another Bad Idea from Mayor Shea - July 9, 2019
Publisher's Perspective:More than 22,000! - July 9, 2019
Thanks to Citizen Activism AB 368 Passes! - June 24, 2019
PreviousOpen Forum: October 2016
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Updated 5:14 p.m. ET with President Obama's remarks | The United States and European forces attacked Libyan air defense systems along that country's Northern coast Saturday in an effort to enforce a no-fly zone and prevent the Libyan regime from further attacks on its own citizens and opposition groups.
At the Pentagon Saturday, a senior military official briefing reporters on background said U.S. forces would lead an international coalition, providing command and control, and other unique military capabilities such as cruise missiles and electronic attacks.
The official said in the coming days the U.S. would transition command and control to others in the coalition, although the U.S. would continue to provide unique military capabilities that other countries in the coalition lack. At this point, the Pentagon official said, the other countries in the coalition were France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Canada, and that they expected some Arab countries to join in the coming days.
When asked if the Libyan regime leadership was a target, the senior military official declined to answer. However, Libyan ground forces could be attacked by the U.S. because they were around the air-defense system, the official said.
Officials did not say if U.S. aircraft were involved in the operation. French officials reported their planes had been involved in an attack.
The senior defense official also said the operation, called Odyssey Dawn*, was being lead by Gen. Carter Ham, the commander of U.S. Africa Command.
He said the U.S. will contribute its "unique capabilities at the front end," but did not specify what that meant.
"In this effort, the United States is acting with a broad coalition" that is committed to enforcing the U.N. Security Council resolution that called for protecting the Libyan people.
The president reiterated that the U.S. will not send in ground troops.
Obama said he had given Muammar Gaddafi the chance to avoid this outcome. "Despite the hollow words of his government, he has ignored that opportunity," Obama said.
"His attacks on his own people have continued, his forces have been on the move and the danger faced by the people of Libya has grown," he told reporters.
"We must be clear, actions have consequences and the writ of the international community must be enforced," he said.
World leaders met in Paris Saturday to decide on military action in Libya.
Read our earlier post on the decision by world powers to launch military action against Libya.
Several news organizations are tracking developments in Libya. Among them, Al Jazeera English has a live blog; BBC News has a live blog and news stream; the Telegraph has a live blog; and The New York Times is tracking events, with features like this interactive map of the Libya rebellion.
James Foley of GlobalPost filed the following video report from Benghazi as rebels were grabbing knives, grenades and guns to battle Gadhafi forces encroaching on the city.
We'll have more on the Rundown as events warrant and more analysis of all these developments on Monday's PBS NewsHour.
*An earlier version of this post had the incorrect name of the military mission as "Audacity Dawn." This version has been corrected.
View all of our international coverage on World and follow us on Twitter.


Business is the art of human activity. The core objective of business is solving the problem. In this modern and dynamic world, everything needs to be fast and accurate which will make our life easy, comfortable and saves our valuable time.
This is the first thing you need to do when you decide to start an e-commerce business. A business plan generally includes the market, capital, products, channel, legal things, pricing, employee plan, marketing plan, future plan, exit strategy and so on. The important thing is it shouldn't be much complicated. A simple business plan is the best for getting started. Check again if your business plan includes all the fundamental things.
> Choose someone who is smart.
One of the most mistakes that every new entrepreneur do is, they try to do everything perfectly. Doing so many things at the same time may just bring no result and it will be waste of time and energy. You don't have to do everything perfectly. You just need to do it.Remember the quote of Facebook, "Done is better than perfect". So just go forward and do it.
Market research is the most important thing before you start your e-commerce business. You will face massive obstacle if you don't research well your potential and existing market. You won't be able to sell products to the market that has no customer. Keep in mind the marketing mix (4Ps- Product, Price, Place and Promotion). A well market research is helpful to capture the maximum value in return. Again researching the market is very much important and the most fundamental thing to do before you start your e-commerce business.
A beautiful and complete website is the precondition to start your e-commerce business. First, you need to have a unique domain name according to your business. Dedicated hosting is recommended for powerful sites. There have many popular CMS (Content Management System) for small and medium business, for example, you can use WordPress, Magento, Drupal etc. Your website should be user-friendly and eye-catching. Looking great doesn't mean you have to make it complex with the fancy coloured template. Keeping your site simple and resourceful is a good way to get the attention of your customers. Give your site visitors a great experience so that they will love to make a purchase and come back again to your site.
If you care about the quality you will be able to deliver satisfaction to your customers. Quality is much important than the quantity. So give importance to the quality and your customers will love it.
Aftermarket research and several research you'll see the strengths and weakness of your competitors. You have to stand out in the market. Your strategy should be effective toward the success. Delivering great experience by satisfying your customer will help you to stand out from the crowd.
These are the 7 important strategies to apply before starting an ecommerce business. Share your thoughts in the comments. Please share it with your friends if you found this post helpful!
Yes! Planning is very important. Please share the post if you find this helpful.


Has your house been affected by the flu at all? Ours hasn't been <runs to find wood to knock on>, but Hubby had a horrible cold for a several weeks recently. Not that I need an excuse to pull out my favorite chicken noodle soup recipe from The Gluten Free Girl.
Head on over to Her View From Home to check out this easy, yummy, and soothing recipe that has become one of my family's favorites.
And may health be with you until we can get some warmer weather!
Remember to click the Best Mom Blogs button before you go. Thanks!!!


Sleeve gastrectomy is a surgical procedure for weight loss. In this procedure, the stomach is reduced to about 15% of the original size of the stomach by removing a large portion of the stomach along the greater curvature. The portions of stomach which secretes Ghrelin (hormone which increase appetite and cholesterol) and acid (which digests food) in excess is removed.
Ghrelin or the "hunger hormone" is also called lenomorelin. Ghrelin is secreted when the stomach is empty and when the stomach is stretched the secretion of Ghrelin stops. Ghrelin acts on hypothalamic brain cells to increase hunger and to increase the secretion of gastric acid and motility of gastrointestinal tract to prepare the body for intake of fodd.
Sleeve Gastrectomy leads to reduction in food intake and also alteration in hormonal milieu which leads to usage of stored fat for caloric requirement. Thus, by natural way, weight gets reduced and in few months' time major portion of excess weight is lost. There is no need for taking medicines continuously and the weight loss will be sustained. Studies show this as the best method.
Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (more than 30 BMI patients): Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (LSG) is a well established bariatric procedure of treatment for people who are obese and having type 2 diabetes, not achieving desirable control with medical and dietary therapies, especially when there are other major co morbidities.
Obese class I patients with obesity related comorbidities that could not be controlled with medicines.
The portion of stomach which secretes Ghrelin and acid in excess is removed. This leads to reduction in food intake and also alteration in hormonal milieu which leads to usage of stored fat for caloric requirement. Thus, by natural way, weight gets reduced and in few months time major portion of excess weight is lost. There is no need for taking medicines continuously and the weight loss will be sustained. This has got very good results without significant nutritional deficiency and hence most preferred.
It is safe and effective in weight reduction as well as resolution of associated co morbidities especially diabetes mellitus in obese class II and obese class III categories. LSG is generally recommended in patients with BMI>35 kg/m2. The study conducted by Dr. R. Padmakumar et al. shows that laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is effective in obese class I group as well (resolution of diabetes is 86.6% in patients with obese class I) and the resolution of type 2 diabetes achieved is sustained  (Figure 2).


text:
Q: Router malfunction due to electric fluctuations? As I'm studying computer engineering I'm the tech support at most of my family, including my grandparents. When going there this evening, I didn't get internet on my phone. They have been having trouble with internet off and on for quite a while now, and apparently they had that problem three times earlier today. After a quick check it turns out DHCP isn't working, as setting a static IP gives internet access right away.
A lengthy phone-call to the provider turned up nothing, as before they could find anything the DHCP magically started working again. Not a clue why.
A bit later my grandparents mention the TV showing errors when flicking light switches every so often. But of course, as it's random, it seems impossible to reproduce while I'm around.
These two issues got me thinking, could the cause of both issues be in the power lines? Maybe a small change in current could cause the modem router to malfunction, causing both TV and DHCP malfunctions.
Now being an IT-guy, I've got only a small bit of insight into electronics. My three questions therefore are:

*

*Has anybody ever heard of a case like this?

*Does my theory sound plausible?

*How could I check if this is the cause? And if so, how could I remedy it?

As a possibly important side-note, the house they live in is about 50/60 years old, as would the wiring be. It's originally built for the old Dutch 220V AC, which has been replaced by 230V AC.

A: Power glitches can potentially cause all sorts of random problems with a router, although it's more likely going to cause a reset than a partial failure.  Very brief power interruptions (less than a tenth of a second or so) will probably not cause problems.  It's hard to know.  I would get a small UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) and plug the router into that.  This will protect against most power spikes and dropouts.
But this DHCP-only failure is probably not a power-glitch problem.


text:
fiction, flash friday, free fiction, funny, humor, humour, short story
Flash Friday 19/07/2013: Unpleasant Supplies
"I don't think that a zombie apocalypse can actually happen, though," Tracy said. "It's all a load of bollocks."
"Sure, I'll give you that," Mary said, opening the door to her bunker and climbing in. "But there's other stuff too. Nukes, for instance."
"I think they've gone past using those, hun," Tracy said, looking in. "Although you do look like you're all ready in case they're not."
Mary gestured to the shelves all around her. "Lots of non-perishable foods," she said. She stopped by a load and began offloading them into a pile in her hands. "Would keep you going for weeks, if not months. You could probably manage years if you sacrifice after-dinner snacks, but c'mon. A woman's gotta have her mini-bites. Here."
"It looks like you're–whoa," Tracy said, taking the stack of food thrust in her arms. "Okay, so where do you want these?"
"Just line them up on the garden wall."
"Okay," Tracy said. She was clearly not the survival expert of the two, and as such performed her duty without asking for a reason. "Like I was saying, it looks like you've got it set. You've got your food here, your bunker…"
"And the water," Mary said, pointing to the tank attached to the side of the bunker, a water droplet icon on its side. Her other hand held her trophy aloft. "And the rifle, of course."
"Holy smokes, Mary. Is that even legal to have?"
"Perhaps," Mary said.
Tracy was now less worried about the fact that Mary owned a fully-fledged rifle, and was now worried that she was currently loading bullets into it.
"But hey, apocalypse, right?" Mary continued. "No government or anything like that. Just you and the zombies, or the mutants, or the irradiated giant cockroaches. You think that could happen, Tracy? I mean, they can survive nukes, right?"
"What are you doing with the gun?"
"Well, it's simple, isn't it? In an apocalypse situation, both ammo and food are super scarce, aren't they? They practically become the new currency in those kind of worlds. Saw it in the movies."
"Well, right," Tracy said. "That's common knowledge."
"Know what else I learnt in the movies?"
"What's that?" Tracy said, positioning the last of the supplies on the wall.
A crack rang out. Tracy didn't have a chance to see where the noise came from before she heard the zinging sound beside her, coupled with the metallic ting of bullet against canned pie. One of the supplies, mortally wounded by a shot to the midriff, flew off of the wall and onto the floor.
"What the hell did you do that for?" Tracy said. "I thought you said you wanted to save all of these."
"I never said I wanted to," Mary continued, loading the next bullet into the barrel and murdering a vacuum-packed instant stew. "I said that people do it. To survive, and all that. You ever think about where those guys end up?"
"Still living," Tracy said, pausing for the next gunshot. "The term 'survivor' gives it away a little bit."
"And then what happens?"
"Well, they…live on, and form communities, and live together, and rebuild society."
"And," Mary added, taking another shot, "they betray one another. Stab each other in the back. One guy sneaks off with all the petrol. One guy gets zombified and spreads it to the others. Then there's the miserable bit where the main character's friends are all dead and they have to make their living by themselves. You know what I say to that? Sod it."
"So your proposition, instead, is…?" Tracy said, watching a tin of baked beans spill its guts.
"Die," Mary said, with a shrug. "Living after the apocalypse is rotten. Being a part of it? Much more fun. Maybe I can be the zombie that grabs the ankle of the main character's wife. Maybe I can be the mutant that blows a hole in the survivor's final line of defence. Maybe I can be the dead, rotting corpse with the main plot point of the story in my rigour-mortis hands and be hunted for for several story arcs. Point is, being a survivor blows. I'd much rather be a baddie. They get all the fun."
"So you're destroying your chances?" Tracy said, finally coming to terms with the madness.
"You bet. All of my food from now on? Milk based. Fish. Fruit. If it can live in a cupboard for more than a month and not become a repulsive mess, I'm not interested. Like soups for example." A tin of French onion bit the bullet. "I bought a lot of stuff during my ignoramus phase. You wanna help clean out?"
"Sure," Tracy said, gathering the surviving supplies. "I'll dump these off at a homeless shelter, but only if you let me have a bite on the main character when you grab them."
"Okay," Mary said, cleaning up her expended ammunition. "I'll even let you have those slow-motion head exploding shots if they nail you. They have in the movies all the time these days."
Tracy laughed, carrying the stack of supplies to her car. They were ready for the apocalypse, given the fact that they totally and utterly weren't.
Friday Flash, a collector of flash fiction every Friday
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Beverly Fox permalink
Loved the humor in this, and you can't argue with the logic.
I found the dialogue a bit confusing though, seems like there were some line breaks and quotation marks missing.
S.E. Batt permalink
Thanks for the comment! I went back and found all the problem spots in the story. Thanks for pointing them out!
Katherine Hajer permalink
So all you really need for a proper apocalypse is a well-fortified secure bunker and a blister pack of cyanide pills?
This was a lot of fun. It was definitely scary-yet-plausible how much Mary and Tracy structured their lives based on information from films.
Leave a Reply to S.E. Batt Cancel reply
« Flash Friday 26/07/2013: Other Left
Flash Friday 12/07/2013: Dimension Dissension »


-HDMI female to male Arbitrary Angle Adjustabe rotating adapter.
-Gives you the flexibility you need without risking bending your HDMI cables excessively which may damage the cable or even worse the ports on your expensive equipment.
-Ease the strain at the point of connection to eliminate damage to the HDMI ports on your devices.
-With gold-plated connectors that resist corrosion while offering optimum signal transfer.
- Compact size, easy to carry.


Ocean City Factory Outlets - Outlet mall in Maryland. Location & hours.
Ocean City Factory Outlets offer more than 33 brand name factory outlet stores. Ocean City Factory Outlets is located on 12741 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842, Maryland.
Directions to Ocean City Factory Outlets: Located on Rte. 50 & Golf Course Rd.


text:
Big Companies Preparing for Regulations
As the Food and Drug Administration's deeming rules for e-cigarettes are getting closer to being the law, some companies are preparing for the rigorous testing that their vaping products will have to go through in order to remain on the market. The companies getting ready are mostly the ones who can afford it; the testing is very costly, and some say it goes overboard and is unfair. The prohibitive cost could wipe some companies out of business.
Avail Vapor LLC is the largest e-cigarette retailer in the United States and has 100 retail stores. Avail has been planning for the FDA rules and is prepared to comply with all the testing and other regulations that will be required by mid-2018. As a manufacturer of e-liquid, the company's primary lab is located at its corporate headquarters in Chesterfield, Virginia. The lab has been outfitted with complicated-sounding equipment such as chromatograph spectrometers, for both liquid and gas, as well as machines that mimic the act of a person using an e-cigarette. In addition, Avail has hired chemists and a regulatory compliance team. All of this is designed to ensure that the company will continue to be able to produce e-liquid and sell it in America.
Most companies that produce e-liquid are much smaller and unable to afford the type of testing the FDA rules will require. The American E-Liquid Manufacturing Standards Association says that the rules are unfair. A representative of the organization claims that the FDA rules were designed specifically so that most manufactures won't be able to comply.
E-cigarettes are currently being regulated right and left by policy makers who cite concerns about the "unknown" health hazards of vaping as their reason. Unlike nearly all other products that exist in the U.S. market, e-cigarettes and e-liquid are being restricted despite existing testing showing them to be safe, with opponents of vaping insisting that the possibility of some harmful effect that hasn't been found yet being enough of a reason for bans.
Avail's CEO says that the cost for the company to comply with the FDA rules will hit about $10 million. The company's chief operating officer speculates that smaller companies that can't afford the cost of testing might end up asking Avail for help. Some companies do contract out lab testing, and Avail has provided lab testing services for other companies.
Efforts are currently underway to persuade the FDA to change its rules. The testing requirements will apply to all vaping products manufactured since 2007, but opposition campaigns are trying to get the date to be changed to 2016 so that most products currently on the market can stay. Even if that happens, all newly manufactured products will have to comply with the testing and other FDA requirements beginning in 2018. Small companies that can't afford the cost may be able to save themselves by contracting testing out to other companies. Otherwise, they may have to close their doors.
Electronic Cigarettes • April 5, 2017
Montana Looks to Tax Vape Products at 74%
New Mexico to Apply Smoking Laws to Vaping


text:
package stroom.util.shared;

/**
 * String utilities for client side or shared code
 */
public class StringUtil {

    private StringUtil() {
    }

    /**
     * @return obj.toString() or an empty string if obj is null.
     */
    public static String toString(final Object obj) {
        if (obj == null) {
            return "";
        }
        return obj.toString();
    }

    /**
     * @return params as is, unless it is empty or blank, in which case return null.
     */
    public static String blankAsNull(final String params) {
        if (params != null && (params.isEmpty() || isBlank(params))) {
            return null;
        } else {
            return params;
        }
    }

    /**
     * GWT doesn't support {@link String#isBlank()}
     *
     * @return True if str is null, empty or contains only whitespace.
     */
    public static boolean isBlank(final String str) {
        if (str == null) {
            return true;
        } else if (str.isEmpty()) {
            return true;
        } else {
            return str.chars()
                    .allMatch(Character::isWhitespace);
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub