The International Accreditation Council of Professional Training (IACPT) is one of the world's largest not-for-profit membership associations for the certificate accreditation and professional training. Our professional resources and research empower more than 80,000 members, credential holders and volunteers in nearly every country in the world to enhance their careers, improve their organizations' success and further mature the profession.
IACPT is an academy and certificate accreditation organization of European and American International Culture and Education Foundation (EAICE-Foundation, http://www.eaice-foundation.org). We are an official member of AACSB (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business http://www.aacsb.edu), ACBSP (The Academy of Collegiate Business Schools and Projects http://www.acbsp.us), IACUE (International Association for College and University Education http://www.iacue.org), and also accredited member of IDETC (International Distance Education and Training Congress http://www.idetca.us). IACPT is also an accredited member of ACICS (Accrediting Council of International Certificates and Societies http://www.acics.us /).
IACPT 's worldwide advocacy for professional training is reinforced by our globally recognized standards and certification program, extensive academic and market research programs, chapters and communities of practice, and professional development opportunities.
IACPT was established largely by highly educated and experienced professionals from around the world looking for a high quality return on investment in fast track executive training. IACPT has taken a career based approach to our program structures and created specialist designations for a wide range of business applications. Each designation is targeted at a specific skill-set required to perform a role in the business and education domain with world-class expertise.
Welcome to IACPT and we want you to be proud of your association with us. It makes you one of the global leaders for this generation. Certificate issued by IACPT is also recognized by the world leading universities and academies. Candidates who obtain an IACPT certificate is qualified to apply the equivalent certificate issued by American Academy of Financial Management (AAFM) (fees pay separately).
The IACPT mission is to serve its global membership and stakeholders as a world leader in educating and reinforcing the international knowledge of executives and potential leadership of business based institutions. IACPT mandates consent to high standards of professional conduct, and IACPT activities are International in nature and scope.
IACPT has lot of resources of academic, government, enterprises human resources. IACPT can help governmental agencies, academic department to hold conferences of conference and academic activities in order for knowledge sharing.
IACPT utilizes all various human resources and equipments, internal and international colleges and universities to create academic knowledge sharing and thesis publishing affairs and promote the interchange the international scholars and academic knowledge sharing.


While choosing which airport parking option is right for you needs you should consider both parking price for your stay and services offered.
AirportParkingEU is a free online service to easily compare airport parking rates at 15+ locations in Europe.
For every airport you will find both on-site (those adjacent to the airport) and off-site (usually cheaper than on-site parkings) car parks. With our tool you can also choose to compare parkings by type between uncovered, covered and those that offers meet-and-greet (car valet) service.
Furthermore for each company you will find a page with details including location, contact information and parking rates along with additional services offered by the car park such as insurance, security, car wash, mechanic. An useful feature to better evaluate parkings are the reviews left by those that have used their services.
Our "mission" is to help you finding the right airport parking for you and your vehicle. It's up to you to choose between the cheapest or the one that best fits your needs.


Today is Friday January 16th and ALB Tech will be open at BOTH locations from from 11am to 5pm. Indeed both ALB Tech The Fan and ALB Tech Mechanicsville will be open for 6 six hours today rapidly repairing your broken tech stuff. The deal of the day today is the Animal Sounds RVA Computer Repair Discount. Although computer repair is in the title, it also applies to iPhone repair. That being said – here is how it works. Come into either shop for free diagnostics, repair, or pickup. While there – give us your best or favorite animal noise. Bark like a dog, meow like a cat, moo like a cow, caw like a bird, hoot like an owl, etc… Whatever you are good at (or most comfortable with). When you do so, we'll apply today's cool 17% discount off your total service. We'll be fixing PCs, Macs, iPhones, and more all day today – more than enough time to stop by, get checked out, make animal noises, and save money! Thanks for checking us out RVA & Mechanicsville – we look forward to fixing you up soon!
Today is Friday January 16th and ALB Tech will be open at BOTH locations from from 11am to 5pm. Yes – 5pm, it's a Friday!


you should avoid making them when it's humid, as they won't crystallize properly and they will be sticky.
In a heavy duty saucepan,pour the sugar, then add the water, and then the glucose syrup, in medium heat. You can add a few drops of color if you wish (I added it at the end). Without stirring, heat the mixture to 150⁰C (it took me about 15-20 mins). If you don't have a candy thermometer, just pour a bit of the caramel (half a teaspoon or so) in a bowl or glass with cold water and if the caramel hardens up then it is ready, if not, let it boil a bit more and do the test again.
When it's ready, take it off the heat and allow it to sit for a minute (it will be quite bubbly, but don't worry).
Pour spoonfuls of the candy onto a baking sheet or a silicon baking mat and it will spread depending on the quantity (start with a spoonful and add as much as you like, depending on the size you want it – just have in mind that it will spread more on the baking sheet than on the silicon one). While it is still hot, add the lollipop stick and sprinkles, sugar-paste flowers or whatever decoration you like.
If we want to make various colored lollipops, instead of pouring the color at the beginning, you can add it at the end, after it boils. You can also divide the mixture in two or three pots and add a few drops of different colors. Just be quick because the caramel dries up quickly (you can always return the pot to the heat and re-heat it for a couple of minutes).
Let them cool and pull them off the sheet carefully, using a knife gently if necessary. Wrap them in cellophane bags and close with a ribbon tightly.


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Pakistan News Now
News in Pakistan
Rugby Australia intends to sack Folau over 'disrespectful' post
April 11, 2019 - by admin - Leave a Comment
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Israel Folau, Australia's best-known and best-paid rugby union player, is to have his contract terminated after posting a meme on social media that said gay people would go to "hell" if they did not "repent", Rugby Australia said on Thursday.
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union – England v Australia – Twickenham Stadium, London, Britain – November 24, 2018 Australia's Israel Folau runs in to score their first try REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
The 30-year-old fullback, a fundamentalist Christian, posted similar comments last year but escaped sanction and signed a new deal through 2022 with RA in February.
That multi-million dollar contract looks certain to be torn up unless Folau can convince RA and the New South Wales Waratahs that there are "compelling mitigating factors" for his posts.
A statement from RA Chief Executive Raelene Castle and her Waratahs equivalent Andrew Hore said they had made "repeated attempts" to contact Folau since he posted the comments on Wednesday afternoon.
"Whilst Israel is entitled to his religious beliefs, the way in which he has expressed these beliefs is inconsistent with the values of the sport. We want to make it clear that he does not speak for the game with his recent social media posts," the statement added.
"As a code we have made it clear to Israel formally and repeatedly that any social media posts or commentary that is in any way disrespectful to people because of their sexuality will result in disciplinary action.
"In the absence of compelling mitigating factors, it is our intention to terminate his contract."
The unprecedented move will throw into disarray Australia coach Michael Cheika's plans for the Rugby World Cup in Japan later this year.
Folau has been all but ever-present in the Wallabies number 15 shirt since switching to rugby union from Australian Rules in 2013 and scoring two tries on his test debut against the British and Irish Lions.
He has scored 35 more tries in 72 tests since and helped Australia to the final of the 2015 World Cup in England, where they were beaten by New Zealand.
An elusive and dangerous runner, Folau helped the Waratahs to the Super Rugby title in 2014 and only last weekend became the highest career try-scorer in the competition when he crossed for his 60th five-pointer. [nL8N21O05N]
Folau has had previous lucrative offers to play in Europe and Japan but his stated desire to remain in Australia makes his most likely destination a move back to rugby league, a code in which he represented Australia at the start of his career.
Editing by Sudipto Ganguly
Australia banking on quick fix at fullback
MLB roundup: Strasburg knocks in 5, earns 12th win
McIlroy's shocking start all too predictable
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Volunteer Grows One Million Pounds of Veggies to Feed Hungry Around Iowa
Daily Point of Light # 7156 Nov 3, 2021 By Points of Light
Iowa Gardening for Good founder Tracy Blackmer (right) is volunteering to feed, educate and serve communities around the state of Iowa./Courtesy Tracy Blackmer
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Tracy Blackmer. Read his story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.
His father an agriculture professor and his grandfather a farmer, Tracy Blackmer, a Madrid, Iowa resident, says his life has been agriculturally connected for as long as he can remember.
"We lived on the food from my grandfather's farm," says Tracy. "I saw how easy it was to grow the food we eat. We had land and we knew how to grow, that's two things the average person may not know how to do. (It) seemed like an easy thing to step into."
It was when Tracy's mother described the great need at the food pantry she ran and difficulty in sourcing fresh produce for the underprivileged that the lightbulb went off for Tracy, who has a PhD in agriculture.
First starting small, Tracy's volunteerism providing food to the hungry has spanned nearly a decade. As the founder of Iowa Gardening for Good, Tracy grows produce from peppers to onions and melons alongside dedicated volunteers of all ages, the organization donating all of its vegetables and fruit to more than 20 food pantries around central and northeast Iowa and other partner hunger relief organizations. Tracy's tremendous dedication has yielded more than 1 million pounds of produce thus far and is educating families across the state about health and the food they eat, all in service of the organization's mantra, "feed, learn, serve" says Tracy.
"One, we're getting fresh produce for food pantries, healthier options than rice, beans or pasta. Two, we're teaching people where food comes from. More and more people don't know how to grow or how things are grown. Three, we're connecting the dots. We're providing the infrastructure for people to do community service. A lot of people are willing to help, they just need to help coordinating."
Tracy's volunteerism is making high quality produce more accessible to those in need, something he wants to see happen around the United States./Courtesy Tracy Blackmer
Giving workplaces, students and families opportunities to volunteer, Tracy's gardening is resulting in bountiful benefits for numerous communities, as the organization inspires others to serve. According to Tracy, volunteers don't need expertise, they just need to show up, their service producing tangible results in the rows of produce planted and pounds picked. Those volunteer efforts were a lifeline for the organization during the COVID-19 pandemic, says Tracy, as community members united towards a common good.
"COVID has been eye opening to me. There are few activities, and we saw a big increase in families coming out, largely because they knew there was a need. They were stepping up and trying to instill good values (for their children). As a family, youth show the priority to (volunteer,) that's pretty cool. Our production went down because we had less total labor. Without families, we would not have been able to do hardly anything the last few years."
One of those families visited the farm after their daughter first volunteered, says Ankeny, Iowa resident Jason Ford, who also recruited four other families to serve alongside his own family amid the pandemic.
"I described it once," says Jason "you could take a $1,000 vacation and take your kids to someplace far away, but you get more joy in seeing them out here serving and all the kids are out here picking peppers, onion."
Tracy's commitment, says Jason, is helping to feed hungry mouths and also grow giving children.
"Tracy, he's got a heart of gold. He's just got a heart for helping others. He's not trying to get as much done each time he's out there, he's about providing opportunity for people to serve and learn where food comes from, my kids are learning that. They planted watermelon seeds and then picked the watermelon later."
Tracy's dedication has yielded more than 1 million pounds of produce, with the organization educating families across the state about health and the food they eat./Courtesy Tracy Blackmer
Tracy's volunteerism is making high quality produce more accessible, something he wants to see happen around the United States. His favorite vegetable to grow, the bell pepper, is a symbol of Iowa Gardening for Good's greater mission, as the organization sustains people in need and teaches communities how to eat healthier, says Tracy.
"[Bell peppers aren't] something the food pantries really would get if we weren't growing them. Potatoes and onions can be brought in from other states but peppers are a big economic value because they are expensive, and we're helping a lot of food pantries as they've moved to not just getting calories to people, but trying to improve eating habits. Especially for families that may not cook much for their kids, you can just slice and eat them. We're not just preventing someone from going hungry, we're instilling better eating habits."
Just like the plants he grows, Tracy's service roots are deep, helping others a lifelong pursuit that he'll continue to prioritize as he gardens for good.
"My core mission is trying to make the world a better place. There's many ways to do it. If you can spend your frankly, leisure time, working to get food to people in need, that is to me a much better thing than wanting to go out on a golf course or bass boat. Volunteering, you have fun, do constructive things to help others and instill a sense of service in younger people. When I was younger, when someone needed help, I was willing to go out of my way, the help was just there. Seeing (service) instilled in people is really rewarding, but it's even more rewarding to me when people thank us for the opportunity to serve. Once people come out they tend to come back and bring others."
Do you want to make a difference in your community like Tracy Blackmer? Find local volunteer opportunities.


This document serves as a compilation of all data currently available as inputs to the African penguin spatial model (Plagányi and Butterworth 2007) being developed. The data are presented here together with some comments as to how they are to be used in the model and notes on their derivation and potential reliability. Note that this is a working group document only and hence should be extended and improved in future, particularly as regards critical evaluation of different data sources. The model presented thus far is spatial in that different populations of penguins are represented, and different levels of movement between these populations are modelled. The main focus of the model is on Dassen and Robben Islands, which were originally combined for reasons of simplicity and because of their close proximity to each other, suggesting that the effects of external factors such as food availability would be highly correlated between the two. However, data that have recently become available indicate differences between these two colonies which suggest that it may no longer be appropriate to pool the two; hence they are being split in an updated model. The third population is Dyer Island because it has the next largest numbers of penguins, recent declines in the population there are of concern and it is considered an important breeding site for penguins given the eastward shift of sardines. The fourth population is Boulders. Although relatively small, this colony was considered important to include because of its position, its role as the focus of several other studies and because penguins are known to have moved from Dyer Island to Boulders, Robben and Dassen, and hence it is useful to quantify to what extent movement of birds away from Dyer Island could account for observed declines at Dyer and increases at these other colonies. An Algoa Bay component can also be linked to the model if required.
Plagányi, É., & Butterworth, D. (2007). Summary of available data for modelling African Penguin Spheniscus demersus Populations. MARAM: University of Cape Town.


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Q: Calling an abstract method in super class's construtor in Java Since the subclass is not constructed yet, is it unsafe to call an abstract method in a super class constructor?
However, if the method's behaviour does not depend on the constrction of subclass, e.g. just return a constant with regard to the subclass, is it still unsafe or will it work reliably?
Moreover, if it works, how to do it if I do not want to make the super class abstract?
Update: for last question
public class SuperClass {
      public SuperClass() {
          System.out.println(getValue());
      }

      public String getValue() {
          return "superclass";
      }

      public static void main(String[] args) {
           new SubClass();
      }

}

class SubClass extends SuperClass {
      public SubClass() {
           super(); // Comment out this or not  will not affect the result
      }

      public String getValue() {
           return "subclass";
       }
}

I wrote a test, and figure it out: the result is : subclass
Thanks to @Tim Pote's example.

A: It is generally (though not necessarily) considered unsafe.  As you said, the superclass may not be fully constructed, and therefore won't be ready to handle all of the calls a subclass might make in its overridden method.
However, in the case that all subclasses simply return a constant that isn't dependent on any other method, then it should be fine.  The only downside is that you can't guarantee that a subclass will override that method in an appropriate manner.
In regards to your last question: this isn't an issue of an abstract vs. concrete superclass.  This is an issue with calling overridable methods in a constructor.  Abstract vs. concrete is beside the point.

Edit in response to the OP's comment
I'm not certain what you mean by "polymorphiscly".  Calling a virtual method always invokes the sub-most implementation.  The only time a superclasses implementation is invoked is via the super keyword.  For example:
public class SuperClass {
  public SuperClass() {
    System.out.println(getValue());
  }

  public String getValue() {
    return "superclass";
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    new SubClass();
  }

  public static class SubClass extends SuperClass {
    public String getValue() {
      return "subclass";
    }
  }
}

prints subclass.
And this:
public class SuperClass {
  public SuperClass() {
    System.out.println(getValue());
  }

  public String getValue() {
    return "superclass";
  }

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    new SubClass();
  }

  public static class SubClass extends SuperClass {
    public String getValue() {
      return super.getValue() + " subclass";
    }
  }
}

prints superclass subclass

A: As others have explained there is an inherent risk in calling abstract methods in super class constructor.
The one exception I have found is when the subclass provides some "constant" information, e.g getId(), getHandledMessages() and suchlike.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Integrating the psychological health and safety standard into existing organizational policies and processes
March 4, 2013 Michele Glassford	Accessibility Standards, Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Payroll, Pensions and Benefits, Recruiting and Hiring, Standard for Employment, Training and Development, Union Relations, Wages and Compensation
On January 16, 2013, the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) published a new national standard dealing with psychological health and safety in the workplace. Although not a mandatory standard at this time, it is foreseeable that legislators, health and safety officers and inspectors, adjudicators and tribunals will be influenced by the standard when dealing with psychological and mental health issues in the workplace. In addition, such standards may be absorbed into the employer's general duty to protect workers from harm in the workplace, which exists in all jurisdictions in Canada.
Employers should take the time to review the standard in its entirety which is available for download on the CSA website at: CAN/CSA-Z1003-13/BNQ 9700-803/2013.
The authors of the standard establish a psychological health and safety system consisting of three key "strategic pillars": prevention, promotion and resolution. They conclude that
The psychological health and safety system should be consistent with the integration into the existing, and future, organizational policies and processes, including occupational health and safety, across the organizational structure." (Introduction CAN/CSA-Z1003-13/BNQ 9700-803/2013, page 2).
Employers should also scrutinize their workplace operations, policies, procedures and processes under the auspices of the psychological health and safety system recommended in the standard. Without limiting such review, the following workplace policies may be of particular relevance to the prevention of psychological health and safety issues, the promotion of mental health and the resolution of issues in the workplace which affect psychological health and safety:
Employment policies – the employer's overarching commitment to a workplace which is psychologically healthy and safe should be stated in Employment Principles. Even more important, however, is what approach the employer will take to fulfill such commitment. Consider also, how the following employment policies can effect psychological health and safety in the workplace:
Orientation and Training
Hours of Work/Overtime
Flexible Work Arrangements
Pay and Performance policies –how an employer manages and communicates its pay, performance and absenteeism policies is key to how you effectively deal with psychological health and safety in the workplace to ensure a healthy workplace, employee productivity, employee success and satisfaction, and workplace wellness. The following employer policies are particularly important:
Job Performance Review
Benefits policies – the provision and fair management of benefits to employees can make a significant difference to employees` abilities to manage work and personal life stresses. Employers should pay particular attention to the following policies:
Short-Term Disability
Medical/Dental Benefits
Employee Relations policies –an employer`s Employee Relations policies are crucial in providing leadership in how employees relate to each other, how management and employees relate to each other, and in setting the culture of the workplace. Consider the following policies in the context of psychological health and safety:
Employee Relations Principles
Harassment in the Workplace
Accommodation of Disabilities/Religious Accommodation
Conduct and Behaviour
Health and safety policies –As it would be difficult for an employee to feel psychologically safe in a workplace in which they did not feel physically safe, the health and safety policies of a workplace are key to psychological health and safety. Employers should also ensure that their Joint Health and Safety Committees or Health and Safety Representatives are key partners in the commitment to psychological health and safety in the workplace. Consider the following policies in the context of psychological health and safety:
Health and Safety principles
Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC)
Standard for employment under the AODA – The accessibility standard for employment under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation is one of the five standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. The employment standard sets out specific requirements for recruitment, selection, hiring, retention, performance management, disability management, career development and redeployment. The employment standard augments the pre-existing obligation under the Ontario Human Rights Code to accommodate employees with disabilities. It creates specific obligations for employers with respect to establishing an accessible work environment. It provides accessibility requirements for employees and potential employees in all phases of the employment cycle, and may obligate employers to make significant changes in their human resources practices and processes. This standard requires an organization that is an employer to engage in the proactive identification, removal and prevention of barriers hindering the full participation in employment of persons with disabilities; this includes employees and applicants with psychological and mental illnesses. Considering the national standard of psychological health and safety in the workplace will go a long way to help employers remove barriers to accessibility in their workplace and do a better job at accommodating persons with disabilities.
If you want to know more about the legal rules, interpretations and principles surrounding the above topics, please consult the following First Reference publication, The Human Resources Advisor, Ontario, Western or Atlantic Editions. To know how to draft the above policies (i.e., Employment Policies, Benefits Policies, Pay and Performance Policies, Employee Relations Policies and Health and Safety Policies and cover all your bases (including how to incorporate the Accessible employment standards rules within the required policies), consult the Human Resources PolicyPro, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba & Saskatchewan, Ontario, Atlantic Editions.
Don't forget, First Reference provides a policy-building resource and tool to help organizations prepare their policies, procedures and practices to meet the requirements under the Accessible employment standards, and much more. Accessibility Standards PolicyPro provides you with commentaries on your legal obligations and best practice guidelines to help you understand your compliance requirements.
Michele Glassford
Editor of Human Resources PolicyPro
published by First Reference Inc.
President and Managing Editor at DRH and Lawyer at MacKinnon Law Associates
Michele Glassford, is a lawyer, researcher and policy analyst with a background in employment and labour law.In addition to a part-time law practice in Stoney Creek, Ontario, Michele has worked in the field of labour adjustment for the Health Sector Training and Adjustment Program and has been a Researcher for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Michele also holds the position of President and Managing Editor at D.R. Hancocks & Associates Inc., author of the Human Resources PolicyPros. Read more
Latest posts by Michele Glassford (see all)
Discrimination or accommodation? - February 5, 2018
Sexual harassment house of cards - January 8, 2018
What is a right to request under employment standards? - December 4, 2017
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, Accessibility Standards PolicyPro, AODA, Benefits policies, CAN/CSA-Z1003-13/BNQ 9700-803/2013, CSA, Disability, Employee Relations policies, employer's general duty to protect workers from harm in the workplace, employment policies, Employment Principles, Health and safety policies, HR practices, Human Resources PolicyPro, Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation, mental health, Mental illness, national standard, Pay and Performance policies, persons with disabilities, policies, policies and processes, PolilcyPro, prevention, procedures, promotion and resolution, promotion of mental health, psychological health and safety in the workplace, psychological health and safety system, Standards Council of Canada, the following workplace policies may be of particular relevance to the prevention of psychological health and safety issues, The Human Resources Advisor
No cause for termination without policy and discipline Workplace flexiblity outside of Silicon Valley


text:
More Proof That Support For Carbon Price Means Support For Killing Black People
Your humble blogger copped some flack via that paragon of intelligent public discourse (Twitter) for publishing a very similar headline in October.
Then, we saw how an Oxfam report shed light on the violent forced eviction and genocide of Ugandans by the UN-supported carbon credit 'farming' corporation, New Forests Company.
Today … in recognition of the final day of the UN IPCC's warmageddonist conference in Durban, Africa … we look at a similar story from Honduras, as reported by Jeremy Kryt in the online In These Times.
Jeremy is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Journalism and the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. He has been reporting from Honduras since August 2009, and his coverage of the crisis there has appeared, or is forthcoming, in The Earth Island Journal, Huffington Post, Alternet and The Narco News Bulletin, among other publications.
Following is his report reproduced in full:
A boy stands next to a hut on a palm plantation in the Aguan Valley in August. The slogan reads "Area recovered by the MUCA," which stands for "United Peasant Movement of Aguan." (Photo by Orlando Sierra/AFP/Getty Images)
Carbon Credits in the 'Valley of Death'
Uncovering the ugly effects of U.N.-backed 'clean development' in Honduras.
AGUAN VALLEY, HONDURAS–At 3,000 square miles, the Aguan River Valley in northeastern Honduras is about the same size as California's Death Valley. But despite being green and fertile, the Aguan basin is becoming famous as a "valley of death." Since January 2010, at least 45 displaced peasants have been killed in clashes over land rights in Aguan, and "the actual number of killings is probably much higher," according to Annie Bird, co-director of the human rights advocacy group Rights Action (RA), who visited Honduras in September.
Bird and other critics say that the violence in Aguan is driven by competition over resources between local farmers and large-scale, biofuel production facilities. The valley is home to more than a dozen African palm plantations that supply "green" energy to Europe and Asia, as well as a pair of biogas plants that operate as part of a United Nations carbon-credit initiative.
"The agribusinesses are after all the prime farmland in Aguan," Bird says. "That's what's driving the conflict here."
African palm plantations have also been linked to land-based violence in Indonesia, Africa, and elsewhere in Latin America, as worldwide demand for biofuels has soared in recent years. But using arable land for fuels, as opposed to food production, has caused a spike in global food prices. In October 2011, the U.N. Committee on Food Security issued a report citing biofuel production as one of the leading causes of food shortages worldwide.
Ignoring its own committee's report, the U.N. continues to endorse the two biogas plants attached to African palm plantations in the Aguan Valley as part of its controversial Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) program. A product of the Kyoto Protocol, CDMs allow governments and companies from Western countries to trade carbon credits with businesses in developing nations that utilize renewable energy and other carbon-saving techniques. Critics of the CDM program point to the food-vs-fuel dilemma, as well as the issue of "additionality"–that is, whether or not a given CDM would exist without U.N.-sanctioned investments. But Bird says there is a moral component as well.
"By approving investment in these projects, the U.N. has made itself an accomplice to a human rights crisis," Bird says. "It's just shameful."
Killings and forced evictions
Both the CDMs in Aguan use the bacteria-rich wastewater left over from palm-oil extraction to produce methane for biogas. But the methane capture process is only cost-effective on a large scale–and observers say that gives local companies a direct incentive to expand operations.
David Calix, spokesman for the Campesino Movement of Aguan (MCA), says, "Within the last two years more than 1,500 peasant families have lost their homes, schools and communities due to forceful evictions," all of which have been linked to African Palm expansion efforts in the Aguan valley.
In July, the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) released a report on Aguan alleging evictions and armed attacks against local communities by "plantation security guards and private militia groups" allowed to act with impunity. The FIDH paper forced a couple of powerful European investors to back out of the Aguan CDM project and caused the European Parliament to order a fact-finding mission. So far, however, these measures don't seem to have had any impact on the escalating violence.
Over just two days in August, skirmishes between guards and peasants left 11 people dead. A few days later, two more campesino leaders were assassinated–one of them, Pedro Salgado, was shot down in his home along with his wife. An entire peasant village was burned to the ground. The international outcry became so severe that in early September, the Honduran government dispatched a force of about 1,000 special police officers and soldiers to occupy the valley.
But Bird says that instead of protecting peasants' human rights, the occupation forces have aided in their persecution. Reports have emerged of police and soldiers cracking down on peasant communities, and even taking part in evictions. "Death squad" attacks on peasants have continued at about the same pace during the occupation, with four assassinations in the same week in early October. No arrests have been made in any of the killings, and no suspects have been named.
Hazardous occupation
"The troops say they have come to bring us security, but that is a lie," says MCA President Rodolfo Cruz. "They are here to serve the interests of the rich land owners, the same ones who control the politicians back in [the Honduran capital of] Tegucigalpa." Cruz is also acting mayor of a small peasant community called Rigores, which he claims has been threatened several times with eviction by both security guards and law enforcement.
Cruz also reports that citizens are being searched at random, and that there have been mass round-ups and arrests as the authorities hunt down leaders of the movement.
"They are accusing us of having weapons, of forming an insurgency," says Cruz, whose 16-year-old son, Santos, was allegedly tortured for information while in police custody on September 19. Cruz maintains that the MCA and other organizations are pacifist movements dedicated to nonviolent resistance.
Bird, who has researched the case, believes there is no doubt that Cruz' son was targeted by authorities because his father is a prominent spokesman for land reform. "It's all part of their pattern of intimidation," she says. "There is no functional justice system in Honduras." As further evidence of legal dysfunction, Bird points out that the businessman with the most holdings in Aguan, Miguel Facusse Barjum, was recently revealed by WikiLeaks to have strong ties to Colombian cocaine traffickers. "The police are evicting peasants from the property of a known drug lord," she says. "That just shows you how rotten the system is."
Although in September there were hints in the Honduran press that the police have captured cell phones that prove the existence of a rebel army some 300 strong, Honduran Police Chief Julio Benitez is much more circumspect. "We really don't know what is going on in Aguan," Avila says. "We know there are armed groups. We know people are being shot up under mysterious circumstances. But it is very complicated."
When asked about the charges of police brutality, Avila declined to respond, saying only, "[The Honduran police] are a professional organization. We behave in a professional manner. We are working hard to safeguard the peasants of Aguan and to protect them from violent criminals."
Push for reform
"The situation in Honduras is, of course, of great concern to us," CDM board Chair Martin Hession says. "We don't want to be associated with this type of thing in any way." Hession says that as a result of the violence in Aguan, the CDM Board has "increased surveillance" in regard to approving new projects.
But Eva Filzmoser, program director of the Brussels-based CDM Watch, believes that's too little, too late. "We are deeply disappointed … that the [Aguan] project was registered despite the serious concerns about alleged human rights abuses," Filzmoser wrote in an e-mail.
Filzmoser charges that Hession and the rest of the board chose to ignore early reports of violence coming out of Honduras when they approved the project in July of 2011. Part of the problem is systemic, she writes, stemming from a lack of stakeholder oversight by the CDM board itself. "The [Aguan] project would never have been registered if the proper rules were in place," Filzmoser wrote.
Bird also sees an inherent flaw in the CDM program. "If you're taking away land from poor people to generate biofuels, you're effectively condemning them to death by starvation," she says.
Hession says such things are beyond the purview of the CDM board. "We can't be the arbiter of human rights across the world." To which Bird responds: "That's the single, fundamental mandate of the U.N. Human rights are what the U.N. was created to promote. And the CDM board is still part of the U.N."
For Cruz, who is also a farmer, the issue at stake is less philosophical than practical: "All we want is a place to grow our corn, to grow our beans," he says. "All we want is a right to work the land."
I can think of no more apropos concluding comment, than to repeat that of my October 14th Ugandan genocide post:
This is just one [more] example of the unintended (?) consequences of the universally-ignorant support by multitudes of morally self-righteous, urban rich white people, for "pricing carbon" in the name of "saving the planet"…
And the push to use prime agricultural land for carbon credit "farming" includes our own backyard (h/t @HiggsBoson4):
Bio Lands Pty Ltd (Bio Lands) has compiled a substantial portfolio of grazing/biodiversity offset lands. The portfolio can provide the development industry with rapid access to strategically acquired, fully documented biodiversity offsets…
And from ABC News yesterday:
Carbon farming starts today – in a limited way
Farmers can earn money from reducing carbon emissions from today.
The Federal Government's Carbon Farming Initiative has opened for business, but there's a catch.
Only two methods that farmers and landholders can use to cut emissions have been approved, one of which is capturing methane from piggeries.
Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change Mark Dreyfus says more methods will be approved in coming months.
"We think it's important to take time to make sure the methodologies have integrity, because the methodologies lead to the ability to sell carbon credits and companies that are purchasing carbon credits want to know that the credits represent real emissions reductions."
I suggest that the "integrity" of carbon credit "farming" "methodologies" is already very evident indeed. One only need cast one's eyes around the world, at the precedents that have been set elsewhere.
Tags: carbon credits, carbon trading, genocide, global warming, greed, IPCC, jeremy kryt, UN


"Th' time was whin a man lost his job an' his heart to th' prisidint at th' same time. A reproof was administhered to him with chloryform. He woke up an' rubbed his eyes an' says, 'Where am I?' an' th' polisman says: 'Ye're in an ash bar'l.' He come fr'm th' White House with tears in his eyes an' was tol' he was out iv wurruk. But, Hinnissy, th' prisint occypant iv th' White House is a heartier person. A reproof fr'm him is th' same thing as a compound fracture. A wurrud iv caution will lay a man up f'r a week an' a severe riprimand will sind him through life with a wooden leg."


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text:
FOOD / LA Weekly
[LA Weekly] 10 Restaurants for Mardi Gras
Posted on February 8, 2013 by Daina Beth Solomon	Leave a comment
This list is now one-year-old, but most likely holds true in 2013. So take me to the Mardi Gras! Fat Tuesday is Feb. 12, and L.A. has festive dining options a plenty.
Originally published in the LA Weekly Squid Ink food blog, February 21, 2012.
LA Weekly Flickr pool/aalorber
crawfish boil at Dominick's
We think Paul Simon must have accidentally left out a few lyrics from "Take Me to the Mardi Gras." Sure, we love the "music in the street both night and day" and the chance to "jingle to the beat." But what about the celebratory New Orleans-style food and drinks? Jambalaya, gumbo, crawfish and etouffee. Hurricanes and Sazeracs.
Many restaurants offer this fare year-round. But Fat Tuesday, also called Mardi Gras, is one of the best times to indulge. Diners don fanciful masks and dress up in green, purple and gold (representing justice, faith and power, respectively). On this day, even the cheapest plastic beads will do. Partygoers venture out prepared to eat, drink and live it up — whether or not they plan to follow Lent's strict prohibitions in the morning. "The people sing and play," and the "dancing is elite," as Simon sings. L.A. isn't New Orleans. But we do know a few good places that offer the appropriate foods or jubilant spirit. Check out our alphabetical list below, and let the good meals roll.
Anne Fishbein
Boiling Crab
10. Boiling Crab:
Why not celebrate the universal appeal of Mardi Gras at Boiling Crab, a Louisiana Cajun joint owned by Houston-raised Vietnamese? Their seafood is spicy, the crawfish and crab particularly noteworthy. Info: 742 W. Valley Blvd, Alhambra, (626) 576-9368; 33 W. Main St., Alhambra, (626) 300-5898; 18902 E. Gale Ave., #A, Rowland Heights, (626) 964-9300; 3377 Wilshire Blvd., #115, (213) 389-2722.
9. Bourbon Street Shrimp:
Pico Boulevard near the Westside Pavilion isn't exactly Bourbon Street in the New Orleans French Quarter. But you may find that Bourbon Street Shrimp's menu of classic Cajun dishes — po' boy, jambalaya, gumbo, etouffee — looks similar to its Louisianan counterparts. And yes, shrimp plays a significant role. Info: 10928 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 474-0007.
8. Cafe Brasil:
Americans often celebrate Mardi Gras with cuisine of the Big Easy, but Brazil's Rio de Janeiro is another city that takes the holiday seriously, with a weeklong festival widely considered the biggest and brightest on the world's streets. Hundreds of samba schools dance in parades, more than 400 parties invite revelers to sing and groove, and hundreds of thousands of participants (including 850,000 tourists this year, according to the Associated Press) join in the fun. Cafe Brasil, though lively, may seem tame by comparison. But it's still the taste of a country that knows how to party. Info: 10831 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, (310) 837-8957; 11736 W. Washington Blvd., Mar Vista, (310) 391-1216.
7. Dominick's and Little Dom's:
What are two Italian restaurants doing with red beans and rice, barbecued oysters, gumbo, muffuletta, beignets and king cake on the menu? That's what you get with a New Orleans-born chef. For the week leading up to and including Fat Tuesday, Brandon Boudet pays homage to his roots and the memories of a day when "You wake up really early … with the smell of fried food in the air." Info: 8715 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 652-2335 (Dominick's); 2128 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz; (323) 661-0055 (Little Dom's).
6. Harold and Belle's:
With its white tablecloths, starched napkins, lace curtains and flower bouquets, Harold and Belle's exudes simple elegance. Many see it as an iconic institution. The restaurant attracted more than 500 patrons for its 40th anniversary in 2009. For Mardi Gras, Harold and Belle's is selling two rum-laden Hurricanes for the price of one — the perfect complement to smoked sausage, fried seafood, crawfish etouffee and oyster po' boys. Info: 2920 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 735-9023.
Barbara Hansen
beignets at Nola's
5. House of Blues:
The House of Blues restaurants could be called the Kitchens of Soul. Pan-seared shrimp, rosemary cornbread, barbecue baby back ribs, Cajun meatloaf, jambalaya and bread pudding all reflect a Southern influence. That regional flair extends to the decor, which is colorful and funky with its emphasis on folk art. Info: 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (323) 848-5136; 1530 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, (714) 778-2583.
4. La Louisianne:
With its Jet Age architecture, tall-backed velour chairs and prim wooden banisters, La Louisianne may appear old-fashioned. But the vibe on days like Mardi Gras is hip and of-the-moment, with diners noshing on crawfish etouffee or jambalaya and dancing to live jazz decked out in beads. Tonight, La Louisianne will give prizes for best dressed. Info: 5812 Overhill, Los Angeles, (323) 293-5073.
3. Nola's:
Nola's, open just since last July, bills itself as offering "a taste of New Orleans." The restaurant certainly looks that way, with deep purple and gold accents and a fleur-de-lis motif. For Fat Tuesday, a 10-piece band will take to a modest stage near a Duke Ellington portrait. A staffer says the evening will be "loud, busy and lots of fun." Info: 734 E. Third St., downtown, (213) 680-3003.
2. Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen:
Disneyland is probably the closest we can get to seeing the French Quarter without leaving Southern California. If you have the time, energy and means, visit New Orleans Square inside the theme park for dining at Blue Bayou, Cafe Orleans or the French Market. As an alternative, reserve a spot at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen at Downtown Disney, where entrance is free. The upscale but not-too-fancy restaurant is housed in what looks like a building plucked from the French Quarter. A menu of crab cakes, gumbo, pasta jambalaya and bread pudding helps keep the illusion alive. Info: 1590 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, (714) 776-5200.
1. Stevie's Creole Cafe:
One of the pricier options on our list, Stevie's is comfortable and upscale, known for a vibrant nightlife and live music scene. The menu is often described as "soul," and includes smoky fried chicken and grits casserole with andouille sausage. Info: 16911 Ventura Blvd., Encino, 818-528-3500.
Tags: Fat Tuesday, FOOD, holidays, Mardi Gras, New Orleans. Bookmark the permalink.
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text:
The Right Clue est un film muet américain réalisé par Otis Turner et sorti en 1912.

Fiche technique
 Réalisation : Otis Turner
 Scénario : Louise Carver
 Production : Carl Laemmle
 Date de sortie :  :

Distribution
 William Robert Daly : le détective
 William E. Shay : Mr Forbes
 Violet Horner : Mrs Phillips

Liens externes

Film américain sorti en 1912
Comédie américaine
Court métrage américain
Film muet américain
Film américain en noir et blanc

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: World space button click event to take priority over the collider's click event it's inside? Short story:
I have a button on a world space canvas with a click event handler. This is inside (in 3d space not parenting) of a 3d collider with it's own click event.
The collider always gets the click event as expected as it's nearer the camera.
I want the button to get the event.
Long Story:
I have a person mesh with a collider. You can click on them and the OnPointerClick triggers to do something.
I have a button that sits in a world space canvas which itself is located just above the mesh and is pointed towards the orthographic camera. You click on the coin and the OnClick event triggers to do something else.
Both events work as expected until the coin is inside the mesh's collider (which it is a lot of the time). At which point it's ONLY the mesh collider's OnPointerClick event triggers, not the button.
However, I ALWAYS want the button to take priority over the collider, and any other collider. This is easier when the canvas is screen space, but it's not (with reason).
How do I do this?
NOTES:

*

*The button never gets the onclick event, so any filtering on the containing collider won't help

*I've fiddled with the world space canvas and camera ray filtering settings to no effect.

*The coin has to be a world space canvas for automatic tracking and because I use text too

*IsPointerOverGameObject doesn't help as it's true for any collider, not just UI elements. Not to mention it wont stop the collider consuming the click anyway. A custom version of this that works via a layer wont help either, because again the OnPointerClick on the collider GO stil consumes the click.

*I don't want either event to have to do any event filtering & passing on if possible, they should be atomic. Any filtering should be via setting properties in objects and inherent functionality of Unity if possible

*Just to reiterate, writing a function to find all objects in the ray and then selecting ones that are on the UI layer first wont help. Because that does not change the fact that the collider still is the only thing that gets the event, which then you'd have to manually propagate down to the button.. which I don't want to do.

A: I've been able to fix this by putting the button's world space canvas on a sorting layer of 1. That way, even if it's behind colliders, it will register first.
Nice and clear solution that I was hoping would exist.


The Wilson Business Network Inc.
How to help protect yourself from hiring an unlicensed contractor.
An occupational license is not a contractors license.
Some so called contractors say they they are licensed but only carry a occupational license AKA tax receipt. They are very limited on the work that they can conduct and are not required to pass a back ground check or prove competency. Be very cautious of hiring this type of contractor. They generally work under a licensed contractor as a sub-contractor, as they can't pull any of the permits. Hiring them directly can be very risky to the property owner.
If it's a state license, look it up and verify that the number matches a name you recognize.
The license number should have two names attached to it. A Primary Name (The license holders name)and a DBA (the qualified business name) If the "contractor" that you are hiring does not match either of the two names, be very cautious.
Take Maronda Homes for example. If we look them up it comes back with several results. All the Maronda Homes are listed as the DBA and all the individual license holders are the Primary Names. This is how it is suppose to look.
"Yea we're licensed" <--- I don't have (or can't get) a contractors license but I pay this guy a percentage of the job and he will pull the permits.
That's great, at least some one is licensed! Wrong! Who takes responsibility if something happens on your job? The unlicensed contractor that you hired? The licensed contractor that you never met nor have an agreement with? Good luck with that deal. The way that I understand the law is that the DBA business name listed on the license is the only business that is legal. So if your contractor is not listed under the license number he gives you, you could be hiring an unlicensed contractor. Welcome to the club!
What's with hiring a licensed contractor anyway?
MSNBC story on Unlicensed Contractors and the recession.
Florida Statutes (Business & Professional Regulation).
Florida Department of Professional Regulations.
All the information on this page is the opinion of The Wilson Business Network Inc. The Wilson Business Network Inc. does not warrant the accuracy of the information, links and other items contained on this web page. Use at your own risk. Please do your own research before hiring a contractor.


text:
Celebrities / Influencers
20 Vivica A. Fox Quotes About Life (ACTRESS)
TwitterFacebook21PinterestWhatsAppEmail
Top 10 Most Famous Vivica A. Fox Quotes (BEST)
5 Vivica A. Fox Quotes About Life and Dating
5 Vivica A. Fox Quotes on Acting and Hollywood
(MUST READ) Every Day I'm Hustling
"I don't like to see projects that are all black or all white. It's how life is. I do like to make sure that I do a nice black family film; that's like keeping my home base. I do other things, but I like to always come back to a positive family film, because of all the negative influences today."
A great figure or physique is nice, but it's self-confidence that makes someone really sexy.
I'm so glad that Hollywood and America are embracing women when they get in their 40s instead of putting us out to pasture.
I have learnt to be a congratulator and not a hater!
I can play basketball, run track, and play volleyball, so yeah, I've always been an athlete at heart.
"I'm gonna wait for Mr. Right to come along and take my time. I'm just enjoying just having a little me time, you know? But it's not that I'm not taking applications."
Once you really love a person and, if you want to be in a committed relationship the games need to stop. I mean, you can find some other games to play.
First thing I do in the morning is give thanks to God for another day, and then turn to HLN News or ESPN to see what's going on in the world.
I prefer to do movies, just for the simple fact that in TV, there's not much of a guarantee. They can pull the plug on you.
I must always have fresh orange juice, alkaline water and hazelnut creamer for my coffee.
"I think people lie on the Internet. I would prefer to meet someone in person, and I need to have chemistry when we meet and spend a little time, and have a couple of dates."
I love chilling in a cute sweatsuit and wedge sandals or sneakers.
My favorite piece of furniture is my bed, cause' it's fluffy and so comfortable!
I went from working with Will Smith to working with Will Smith's wife. So the Smiths have been very good to me.
"I feel like he inherited one of the worst economies than any president has ever, ever inherited. I have met Mr. Obama, President Obama. I supported him in his first campaign, and I feel that he deserves four more years to finish up the job that he started."
"When you do a film, you know you're shooting for 6 or 9 weeks, you've got your cast and crew. Overall, no one can just pull the plug and say, 'This isn't working.' There's just no security on television, especially for African Americans. It's a tough market."
Going from drama to just straight-up comedy with Tommy Davidson and Jamie Foxx – what a blast.
"When I started off as an actress, I did at a play at the Taper Too Theatre here in Los Angeles, called 'In The Abyss Of Coney Island.' That was more of a dramatic play. It was a small theater house. This was the first time I was literally on the road, doing a play, for four months."
I'm just so glad that girl power is working in Hollywood.
"I wish, to be honest with you, for African American films that we could get a few more theaters. They only open them in 1500 to 2000 for an opening weekend, and how do you expect us to compete. How can we go to certain box office levels if they don't give us more theaters?"
Every Day I'm Hustling
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41 Inspirational Janet Jackson Quotes (FAMOUS)
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Jeremiah Say April 30, 2021 September 12, 2022


text:
Ahwatukee woman warns neighbors after bobcat kills her dog
Kim Powell
A bobcat killed a dog in Ahwatukee after snatching it from its own backyard. The dog owner helplessly watched the whole thing.
PHOENIX, AZ (3TV/CBS 5)-- A bobcat attacked and killed a small dog in Ahwatukee over the weekend and the owner wants to use this as a warning to her neighbors about what could be lurking near their homes.
It happened at a home near 15th Street and Liberty Lane. The house has a fenced backyard next to a golf course.
[WATCH: Ahwatukee woman recalls when bobcat killed her dog]
Christie Higginbotham said she was at her friend's house having a pool party all day and was wrapping up the night on Saturday. Her two dogs, named Bailey and Gizmo, were let out before everyone went to bed. But disaster struck just a few moments later.
"Less than 7 seconds, I would say. [My friend] heard a yelp and then she heard my other dog just going bonkers, just absolutely crazy and she knew that it was bad," Higginbotham said.
The porch light didn't quite shine toward the back of the yard, which is where the bobcat attacked.
"She grabbed her flashlight and there was a cat just slinking back and forth, like this, and you could see its tail," Higginbotham said. "It was the most helpless feeling in the world because there was nothing we could do. It was really horrible."
She said the bobcat was going in and out of the bougainvillea plant against the wall and she couldn't find Bailey.
"There was no question in any of our minds, at that point when I came out, that Bailey was gone because there was no noise at all. There wasn't crying. There wasn't whimpering. It was silent," she said.
Her other dog, Gizmo, barked at the bobcat relentlessly until they could get her inside. They said the bobcat didn't seem afraid of them at all.
"It was not dissuaded by screaming, yelling, clapping, screaming hysterically-- which we tried," Higginbotham said.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) said it's normal for wildlife to protect its prey in this kind of instance.
"Just like if you try to take a bone away from your dog, some dogs would actually fight back or snarl at you-- that's what this bobcat actually did in this situation," said Amy Burnett, a spokeswoman for AZGFD.
Burnett said bobcats attack more pets in the Valley than anyone realizes, and she says it's not going to stop until homeowners start scaring them off.
"The more comfortable they are getting close to people, the more likely this is to happen. And we are going to see it over and over again in the areas where people are tolerant of bobcats being in their backyard," Burnett explained. "You see pictures of a bobcat on Facebook on a lawn chair in a backyard and everyone thinks, 'Oh, that's sweet.' But that means that someone is not doing their job of scaring a bobcat away, and your neighbor's small dog might be the one to go next because the bobcat knows it can take advantage of that small prey."
Burnett suggests having an empty can with a couple of pennies inside next to your backdoor. If you see a bobcat, shake it at them. She also says yelling in a low, stern voice will scare them away.
"It's worth it to get those bobcats used to being scared away by humans rather than saying, 'I think I can take this dog and won't have any repercussions from it.'"
Burnett says that in Higginbotham's case, she did everything right-- the yard was fenced and the dogs were being watched. She believes this "urbanized" bobcat just took an opportunity.
"It wasn't anything for that bobcat to jump the fence and grab a dog while that person was fairly close by," Burnett said.
In this sort of situation, AZGFD officials will not step in to relocate the bobcat.
"Arizona Game and Fish is not going to come in and remove a bobcat for taking what it thinks as small prey items that it's used to eating-- like jackrabbits. A Shih tzu is the same size as a jackrabbit-- this is normal bobcat behavior," Burnett explained. "It's not like, today it's Shih tzu's [and] tomorrow it's your children. This is a bobcat that said, 'This is the right size and look it's contained in a backyard, I think I'm going to go for it and the last time I went into someone's yard, I didn't get scared away.'"
Burnett said AZGFD would only step in to remove a bobcat if it threatened humans.
Higginbotham believes the bobcat was originally after rabbits that were near the roots of the bougainvillea plant, but the dogs were let out at the perfect time for the bobcat. The next morning, she found what was left of Bailey under the bougainvillea.
Since the attack, Higginbotham has trimmed under the bushes, so the area is more visible. She recommends her neighbors take care of their landscaping the same way.
"Animals are going to hunt and if you move into their backyard we're going to have to just figure out how we're going to do it together I guess," she said.
Follow Kim Powell
Djamz Jun 20, 2019 8:14pm
I watched an owl swoop down in the neighbors backyard and snatch a puppy and fly off with. Small pets are part of the food chain. The valley has grown so fast that we built right on their habitat. Now they're wild urban animals.
Azfamily Jun 20, 2019 5:20pm
Wouldn't think twice about putting a pellet through the eye of a Bobcat that attacked my pet.
SheilaV Jun 20, 2019 2:41pm
My chihuahua was also killed by a bobcat 22 days ago. I live nearby to this dog owner and so I believe it was either the same bobcat or a second one that we've spotted. I am open to sharing my story if intrested.
PTDreamer Jun 22, 2019 12:43pm
Sheila...so sad about your Chi. I have lived in Sun City West for 3 yrs now and this place is crawling with bob cats and Coyotes. Before this I lived in wild Calif and have mtn lions, bears etc but they were all afraid of us. Here in the burbs, they are not. I can't take my Chi off leash when walking out the door. I could move. coyotes.
JF Conlon Jun 20, 2019 12:23pm
I'm sorry to hear about your dog. It's hard to lose a pet. But, thank you for not getting all hysterical about the bobcat. It's been a real bad news day for cats here; first, your dog, then a lion ate a peacock, even a sea lion went nuts and bit someone!
MyOwnMind Jun 20, 2019 1:57am
you spend the day drinking and annoying your neighbors and feel violated when nature takes its course. Good for the bobcat. Too bad he didn't take a snack with him.
robertscomputer Jun 20, 2019 9:52am
Your a long shot from God' s perfection.[scared]
Robs Jun 19, 2019 11:08pm
Leave a steak out , poisioned. You owe it to your dog. Its not your fault if the bobcat wats it, is it.[ohmy]
Robs It's against state law to poison wildlife you f-ucking idiot


text:
Voting Company Smartmatic Sues MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell For Defamation
Here's Why A Leaked Letter From Carhartt's CEO Sparked An Online Debate On Vaccine Mandates
AT&T Delays 5G Rollout Near Some Airports After Airlines Warn Of Disruptions
PBS' 'Arthur'—Longest-Running Kids Show In TV History—Will End Next Month With Look-Ahead At Characters As Grown-Ups
Roman Villa With Caravaggio's Only Ceiling Painting Fails To Sell At Auction
White House Covid Test Website Launches A Day Early — Here's How You Can Order Yours
Investors Poured Record $14.5 Billion Into Space Companies Including Elon Musk's SpaceX In 2021
Activision Blizzard CEO Kotick Reportedly Leaving Company After Microsoft Deal Closes
Ex-New York Post Editor Sues For 'Years Of Sex-Based Harassment'
Billionaire Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky Will Live Full-Time In Airbnb Properties
Adele's 'Easy On Me' Has Spent Nine Weeks At Number One—But Hasn't Broken A Record
Beijing Olympics App Could Expose Athletes' Personal Data, Researchers Warn
Breaking| Mar 3, 2021, 01:44pm EST |
Report: World Needs Equivalent Of Pandemic Lockdown Every Two Years To Meet Paris Carbon Emission Goals
Carlie Porterfield
I cover breaking news.
Updated Mar 3, 2021, 05:46pm EST
The dramatic drop in global carbon emissions seen during the early days of the pandemic and global shutdowns would need to be matched every two years for the rest of the decade in order to meet the goals outlined in the Paris climate agreement, according to a new study, though the authors don't recommend that the world rely on "lockdowns" to help battle climate change.
A masked couple walk in the haze in Shanghai as pollutants drift in from inland, after the city ... [+] announced a yellow alert on air pollution in December.
Published in Nature Climate Change, the report found that carbon emissions fell by about 2.6 billion metric tons in 2020, or roughly a 7% drop from the previous year, a historic decrease.
However, researchers said further drops in carbon output—1 billion to 2 billion metric tons per year—are needed for global emissions to meet the safe worldwide temperature range defined by the Paris Agreement to dodge the effects of climate change.
That's roughly the equivalent of a coronavirus-pandemic-scale lockdown once every two years, researchers said.
Despite causing the swift drop in emissions, researchers wrote the lockdowns will not yield lasting improvement because the measures had little effect on the larger fossil fuel-based infrastructure that sustains the global economy.
Researchers wrote the course of global emissions could be redirected if world governments invest in green energy and divest from fossil fuels in the years after the pandemic.
"We have failed to understand in the past that we can't have tackling climate change as a side issue. It can't be about one law or policy, it has to be put at the heart of all policy," the study's lead author, Corinne Le Quéré, told The Guardian. "Every strategy and every plan from every government must be consistent with tackling climate change."
According to the Paris Agreement, earth temperatures should stay within 1.5 degrees celsius or 2 degrees Celsius of preindustrial levels to prevent climate catastrophes caused by warming temperatures, like natural disasters and food insecurity. It may be a long-shot goal, recent evidence suggests. The emissions drop from coronavirus lockdowns last year will have virtually no long-term effect on the fight against the imminent climate crisis, according to the World Meteorological Organization's annual report released in November. Last month, the United Nations warned that the most recent reduction targets submitted by Paris Agreement member states would result in less than a 1% decline in global carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, when a previous report projected emissions would have to drop by 45% to meet the Paris Agreement. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the report is "a red alert for our planet," adding the governments are "nowhere close to the level of ambition" required to meet the agreement's goals. According to data from the International Energy Agency released this week, global carbon dioxide emissions have already rebounded to prepandemic levels.
Global lockdown every two years needed to meet Paris CO2 goals – study (The Guardian)
Global Carbon Emissions Bounce Back To Pre-Pandemic Levels (Forbes)
Report: Drop In Greenhouse Gas Emissions Amid Covid-19 Pandemic Fails To Slow Climate Crisis (Forbes)
The World Has To Cut Carbon Emissions By 45% Under Paris Agreement, But Is Only On Track For A Less Than 1% Decline (Forbes)


We mentioned this event some earlier in announcement, but what is "ParaGamesBreda"?
ParaGamesBreda is a unique event within its borders has a different uniqueness, people with disabilities can exercise their own level, with and against others, with the motto "Sport without borders" and the vision in line with the principle of "Normally what normally, especially in relation to special needs.".
Games are held every other year and experience a fantastic expansion. First held in 2005-and as a modest sporting event, but already in their third edition in 2009 there were more than 2.000 participants, and this year is even planned to have 3.000 participants from 40 countries. Thus, the game leads into an attractive and high-grade ranking, but also with a relatively low cost of participation!
The future aim of ParaGamesBreda is to provide a platform for athletes with disabilities where they can work at their own level. This is done by maintaining a multi-day sporting event in Breda (The Netherlands) for people with disabilities, including domestic and foreign participants.
ParaGamesBreda has the ambition to grow into a foundation that organizes a sporting event where 50% of the sports offered the status of an elite international tournament in which a ticket for the Paralympic games can be achieved. The games are certified by the International Olympic Committee.
So, it seems as serious, very strong tournament, with the clubs we know nothing about. A big challenge.
The following is a sad story with a happy ending.
Already by this spring the leaders of "Feniks" had a decent sweat to provide funds for this road and to provide flight tickets as early as (read it: as cheaper as) possible, as well for the other costs of this, so far the longest, Feniks road. A bunch of problems, not worth even mentioning, is somehow resolved and payment of low-cost flight was made in late of June. Much later we realized that this was, practically, a point of no return.
By mid-September it seemed that everything was under control. Our Murinyo threw all the cards on the timing of form for this tournament. He corrected the tactics of the game, developments in the field, devising new actions, speeding up the game, we trained hard and practiced it all - for Breda! Matches of the first two tournaments of Serbian championships for 2011th fit well into this plan. Then came e-mail with the disappointing news: a lot of clubs canceled participation in the competition "because of the demands of players who play for national teams at the European Championships, which will be held from 9th to 15th October 2011 in Rotterdam" (see details).
We knew for EC, if no other way - then by the fact of which we are particularly proud of: our captain got an invitation to the national team (and, of course, accepted it) from the national coach of Serbia. But also, everyone else knew it and still they gave up in the last minute (!?).
There followed a question from operating organizer Mr. Jaco Spa: "Do you accept to come and play in such circumstances, with the chipped number of participants?" The answer was yes, as befits all real athletes, and of course it was not without interest and commitments to institutions that have helped us.
So we found ourselves at the sports center "Bress" at the scheduled time. The games were with the fighting, and the see-saw in the results, the excitements, suspenses, nice moves, mistakes, trained new and old shares, and sets with a score of 32:30 ... and everything that this sport can offer. Feniks has given it's best and won this tournament! Such as it was. It's hard to believe in what follows below in this sentence, but it is an indisputable truth that we would much prefer a, say, won a bronze in the full composition of the tournament. I would not spoil this success by the facts and details about the disastrous tournament organization and the things alike.
KSO "Feniks" won the first place in the sitting volleyball tournament in the fourth edition of "ParaGamesBreda"!!!
Sitting: Anđelov, Budurin, Golijanin, Setorić, Budinčić.
Sede: Anđelov, Budurin, Golijanin, Setorić, Budinčić.
Nothing succeeds so well like success itself! And to repeat the success - it must be celebrated! In this aspect, as in everything you can think of in this story, Dr Eddie Igaz, PhD, has helped us, together with his wife Marthe and their friends Krasni and a couple Jelena and Pera. They were with us whenever it was needed and much more.
For the uninitiated - Eddie is our most excellent, old friend, former Kikinda inhabitant, volleyballist, gymnasticist, tennis player and a lot more, and as a tennis coach he was working with Zimonjić, Nestor, Troicki, Bupathi, Kournikova, Kafelnikov, Bjorkman, Krajichek, Henmann .. . and some of which are yet to be heard. For more words about him and his present job you can find here i here.
Mr. Josef Banfi is the eternal enthusiast, one of the key people in Europe concerning this sport. Thanks to him the next day we had a chance of not to be missed: we watched the the first day matches on EC in Rotterdam -LINK- and passionately cheering for our team in the match versus Russia. A member of the "Feniks", Dragiša Brandić, by the entries from the bench contributed to the national team game. Unfortunately, the Serbian national team failed to make a significant success, but there will be recorded a nice, strong and constant cheering for the national team of Serbia and their gratitude for support.


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Gogglebox
Gogglebox star Fred Sirieix's mystery fiancée Fruitcake and her surprise appearance
First Dates maître d' Fred Sirieix is joining the cast of Celebrity Gogglebox with his partner Fruitcake - but he has kept a lot of their relationship a mystery including her real name
Kyle O'SullivanAssistant Features Editor
First Dates is all about finding romance - but one of the stars is keeping their love life a mystery.
The legendary Fred Sirieix has revealed intimate details of his sex life and wedding plans - but he is keeping his partner's name private.
The loveable Frenchman trained to work in front of house at a Michelin-starred restaurant in his native country before moving to London and eventually getting the starring role on the Channel 4 dating show.
Fred has two children, Andrea and Lucien, with ex-partner Alex - and although they were never married they spent 12 years together before splitting up.
But the popular maître d' has found love again in the form of his mystery Jamaican fiancée, who he affectionately refers to as 'Fruitcake'.
The couple have joined the cast of Celebrity Gogglebox, with the new series starting tonight, but it's unknown whether we will find out Fruitcake's real name.
Fred is engaged to 'Fruitcake' (Image: Fred Sirieix/Instagram)
Fred posted this sweet snap with Fruitcake to announce their engagement (Image: Instagram)
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"I'm delighted to be joining the Celebrity Goggleboxers for this series," Fred told The Sun when asked about his new TV venture.
"It's going to be very surreal being on the show having been critiqued a number of times in the regular series! I am looking forward to the public getting to meet the wonderful Fruitcake too."
Fred has previously revealed intimate details of his sex life and wedding plans - but has always kept his partner's name private.
A source added: "Viewers have really come to know and love Fred, so seeing him with his own sweetheart for the first time will be a real treat for fans.
"He's included Fruitcake in a few Instagram snaps before but never like this. Of course, we're expecting to see some top class snacks on his table too."
The loveable maître d', who is the first face anyone sees when they enter the First Dates restaurant, has kept various aspects of his love life a mystery.
When Fred and Fruitcake saw each other it was love at first sight and they were "all over each other" during their first drink together.
Opening up about the first time he laid eyes on his beloved, he gushed: "It was so beautiful. When I saw her I fell in love and she smiled because she knew."
The couple will appeare on Celebrity Gogglebox (Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Moss Bros)
They kept their relationship under wraps until Fred confirmed he had found happiness with a new woman in January 2018 when he posted sweet pics of them frolicking in a photobooth.
He has shared many snaps of the couple together on Instagram, including a romantic break to Jamaica where he exchanged his usual Savile Row suits for t-shirts and shorts.
On Valentine's Day he continued to share the love, posting a photo of them in a pool and wishing her the best day along with the hashtag '#Fruitcake'.
In 2018, Fred shed some light on their budding romance in the early days as he revealed what activities they enjoy doing together.
Speaking about their romance, he said: "Occasionally, I'll go for a little wine and some tapas after work with my partner, who I like to call 'Fruitcake'.
"It's nice to have a relaxing conversation and chill out when you've had a long day. If I do get the chance to be in the kitchen, I love making fresh pasta. I find rolling it out very therapeutic and I get flour everywhere. It's great fun."
In March 2020, Fred revealed the exciting news he was engaged to his partner of two years.
Not one to make a song and dance out of it, he shared a snap of the pair on Instagram with the simple caption: "Fruitcake said yes".
His Valentine's tribute to Fruitcake was adorable (Image: @fred_sirieix /Instagram)
He was flooded with messages of support from his followers and First Dates co-star CiCi Coleman.
Fred proposed to his mystery Jamaican girlfriend at their London home in Peckham whilst in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
While revealing it was the "perfect" proposal, Fred did confess there was one key item missing.
He explained: "The main thing the only thing is I did not get a ring, but I've managed to do it now we are out of lockdown, and she is very happy. So, all is well."
The couple were due to get married last year but have been forced to delay their nuptials because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sadly, the unpredictable travel situation impacted his plans so they decided to wait so all their loved ones can attend.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain in July 2020, Fred said: "Well we are waiting to see when we can travel as it's important to have friends and family there."
He added: "We have to stay fluid here, it's out of control, but we are planning for early 2022 now."
They cut a casual figure while on holiday in Jamaica (Image: @fred_sirieix /Instagram)
Fred has already confessed he is looking forward to his stag do - with his close pal Gino D'Acampo set to join the wild antics.
"Yes, listen it's going to be fun if Gino organises it," revealed the First Dates star.
"It will be good fun, but I've been assured it's going to be very overboard!"
In 2020, Fred also opened up on how he was having the best sex of his life in lockdown.
While Fred has been regarded as a man of romance thanks to his role on First Dates he claims he hasn't always been the go-to for good romantic advice.
He hinted that he may not have always been so successful at charming ladies in the past but was hitting his stride as he nears his 50th birthday.
He told The Sun on Sunday: "I've never enjoyed sex as much as now. I think it's a confidence thing and meeting another person who feels exactly the same way as me.
"I like myself much more than when I was 20, I'm a better human being than when I was 20. It's that overall wisdom."
Do you have a story to share? Emailwebfeatures@trinitymirror.com
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Director: Joseph Sargent
Stars: Eric Braeden, Susan Clark, Gordon Pinsent, William Schallert, Leonid Rostoff, Georg Stanford Brown, Willard Sage, Alex Rodine, Martin E. Brooks, Marion Ross, Dolph Sweet, Byron Morrow, Lew Brown, Sid McCoy, Tom Basham, Robert Cornthwaite, James Hong
Review: The day has arrived. The supercomputer Colossus has been activated by its genius designer Dr Charles Forbin (Eric Braeden) at its location deep within the Rockies and now America should feel that bit more safe. Forbin walks out, leaving the impenetrable protection of the complex to guard it, and heads for a press conference the President (Gordon Pinsent) is holding. There it is explained to the public that Colossus will now take care of all America's defence worries, will never act in anger, will always take the rational path. But just as the conference is drawing to a close, a message appears from the machine: there is another supercomputer...
A parable about the dangers of not including an "off" button on your electronic creations, Colossus: The Forbin Project, sometimes known simply as The Forbin Project, was based on a novel by the British writer D.F. Jones, intelligently adapted by future director James Bridges. Although a talky script, it was presented to its best advantage by stylish direction from Joseph Sargent who brought out not only the futuristic angle but the suspense as well. There may be a wealth of scenes where characters are reading off screens and talking to screens, but it is tense.
Essentially, and this is acknowledged in the dialogue, this is a Frankenstein tale for the Cold War where mankind's pushing of the boundaries of science places them in peril. The idea that by putting our fate in the hands of all-powerful technology is a potent one, and one already examined in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, but this is a far less clinical work. Colossus moves fast, finding his top secret Soviet counterpart - Guardian - in a matter of minutes and they are soon communicating with each other, exchanging information and finding common ground, even inventing a new language so the humans won't know what they're up to.
All through this Forbin and his team are concerned, but somewhat bemused and fascinated at how this is utterly running away from them. In fact, they're a pretty smug lot, taking their brainchild's branching out on its own with a curious sense of pride although when Colossus destroys a Soviet oil refinery and nearby town it becomes clear it means business. Now blackmail is the order of the day as the supercomputers take the upper hand and see their demands are met - or else more people will die. Still Forbin feels confident that he will prevail, or he does until his contact in Rome is shot dead in front of him.
The first half of the film is genuinely excellent, a gripping thriller as Colossus tightens his hold over humanity. But as the story moves into its second half, it starts to get a little too cute, with Forbin - now under surveillance 24 hours a day - persuading the supercomputer that he needs private sex and pretending that his assistant Cleo Markham (Susan Clark) is his mistress. By doing this he fools it into allowing him to pass on information to Cleo and vice versa, but he underestimates his opponent. It's the old science fiction cliché about reinforcing humanity in the face of an emotionless foe, though actually Colossus has the similar imperiousness to its creators - being the offspring it understandable that some of their character should rub off. Only at the very end does Forbin lose his cool, defiant in despair, but by then his anger may be too late. Music by Michel Colombier.
Reviewer: Graeme Clark
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In 1996, Old 97's recorded Too Far to Care. It was their major-label debut—following two independent releases and a year-long bidding war, the Dallas-based quartet had signed with Elektra Records. But rather than venture into some state-of-the-art studio in New York or LA, the band decamped to Village Productions in Tornillo, Texas, a remote facility in the middle of two thousand acres of pecan trees near the Mexican border, with a mixing board acquired from an engineer who had worked on some of Queen's albums. Now over twenty years later, they have returned to record their eleventh studio album, Graveyard Whistling.
The result is the eleven songs of Graveyard Whistling, from a group that has earned the respect and veneration as one of the pioneers of the alt-country movement, while still retaining the raucous energy, deceptive cleverness, and knockabout spirit that first distinguished them from the pack. The record comes out blazing with the breakneck shuffle of "I Don't Want to Die in This Town" (based on a possibly apocryphal quote from Frank Sinatra), and maintaining that feverish intensity even when the tempo drops on songs like the more contemplative "All Who Wander." Echoes of such barroom saints as the Replacements and the Pogues appear on sing-alongs "Bad Luck Charm" and "Irish Whiskey Pretty Girls," but bigger and more mature issues simmer underneath the steamroller swing.
Returning to Tornillo was more than just a novelty, and proved key to the album's direction. At some point renamed Sonic Ranch, the studio has been expanded and updated, but the band went back into the same recording space. They even stayed in the same bedrooms—Miller opened the drawer of his nightstand and found a note that he had written twenty years earlier.
After all this time, Old 97's also found themselves in the interesting position of following up the most critically acclaimed, highest charting record of their career, 2014's Most Messed Up. "We didn't expect that kind of reception for Most Messed Up—in the current climate," says Miller. "It was very cool, and weird, a great feeling but also a newfound pressure.
The first single from Graveyard Whistling, "Good with God," features Brandi Carlile. As Miller was writing the song, he realized that the character of God in the lyrics was a woman, and he approached ATO Records label-mate Carlile with the idea of finishing the song and singing the response part in the voice of the heavens ("It's not bad company—her, George Burns, and Morgan Freeman," notes Miller).
"[The album] grapples with spirituality and mortality," he says. "Our songs normally hide deeper meanings in the subtext, but they're more on the surface for this record." Setting out to respond to the themes raised on Most Messed Up (which Rolling Stone described as a "round of airtight songs celebrating life-as-sublime-train-wreck"), Miller says that they considered album titles like The Hangover or The Aftermath. "That felt like the theme to me—dealing with knottier ideas, taking a light-hearted approach to something much bigger.
There aren't more than a handful of bands in history who can claim to have an intact, unchanged line-up as they approach twenty-five years together. There is, of course, no real blueprint or rulebook for sustaining the kind of chemistry that Miller, Bethea, Hammond, and Peeples enjoy.