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From miner to programmer: "I've overcome my own prejudice," says Jindřich Andrš
CZECH DOCS
Author: Martin Svoboda
The Last Shift of Thomas Hisem is a short documentary by Jindřich Andrš about the eponymous worker's last day of work before a coal mine is shut down for good. The film was recognized by the jury at the 21st Ji.hlava IDFF for its unique and authentic atmosphere. But it was only the first step for Andrš who stayed with Hisem for months to observe his attempt to become a computer programmer as the miner took a chance he and some of his friends got to retrain themselves. A New Shift is one of the three Czech projects participating in the training workshop Ex Oriente Film 2018.
The Last Shift of Thomas Hisem drew a lot of attention due to its special recognition by the Ji.hlava festival jury. That surely brought you some social capital.
It sure did. Yet I still consider competing at festivals to be only a necessary evil. First, I dislike the fact that even to get to the competition, you depend on the opinion of that institution's programmer whose choices often seem to be very unpredictable. The same movie can be rejected and not even screened at one festival and then go on to win another one. The Last Shift is a great example – we almost didn't get into the program, it was a last-minute call after we were led to believe we shouldn't count on it. And the prizes themselves aren't any better. Or does anybody really think "the best film wins"? What does it even mean?
We live in a world where festivals and, especially, festival prizes are crucial for your future work, whether it be funding or distribution, and it's quite problematic when you realize how random the process really is. Luckily, at least some institutions like the Czech Film Fund or even the IDF seem to be able to avoid this kind of thinking and their support and cooperation has deeper roots, based on professional reviews of the projects, not only a list of prizes.
It was your thesis film at the FAMU film school.
And the reactions from many teachers weren't exactly great. For example, Head of Department, Professor Vachek said it was "too little." He wanted the film to be a report about the political situation, he wanted me to comment on the billionaire Bakala and his business. It wasn't enough to just observe the workers in their routine. But that's what I'm always interested in – the impression of daily life. There's a strong tendency at FAMU to voice political agenda and progressive activism but lately, more of us see the medium in a different way and we want to use it for other purposes. Now some of us want to tell stories in a way that resembles fiction films, we aspire to build characters with inner conflicts and observe their lives as a personal struggle. I myself care also about the subculture ethos I observe – not any political agenda.
If competing at festivals is a "necessary evil" to you, who is your audience? You still depend on festivals, don't you?
By that I meant only the competition aspect of festivals, reactions from the audience is something I always look forward to. But I don't want to make films for a 'demanding audience' – I want a story full of layers in which everyone can find a level of information interesting for them. I want strong characters and conflicts so I can be sure my mother won't be bored and I want to incorporate a visual essay to add some deeper meaning for anybody who cares about it. It would be bad if a particular group of people wouldn't find anything in it.
Will Professor Vachek be happy this time? Will you get at least a little political?
It still seems we won't. And the reason is simply that politics is not a part of our protagonists' lives. They view their situation as a consequence of the current market. They don't even talk badly about their former boss Bakala who is a villain for so many other people. If you ask them why they lost their job, they will explain that the price of coal just plummeted – it's as simple as that. They're surprisingly rational about the whole thing and they don't project politics into any of it. I decided to honor that sentiment and didn't want to include something I didn't find to be true.
Is it otherwise easy to find a story in it?
Very easy, in fact. The tagline "from miner to programmer" is strong on its own, Tomáš is a typical underdog who must overcome great obstacles and lack of trust from others – our crew included, at least at the beginning. We all expected him to fail and it often seemed that failure was near – which is good from the storytelling point of view, it brings conflict and suspense. Without spoiling the end, Tomáš is now trying to find his place in a company that hired him as a programmer and he works at a skyscraper in Ostrava. Once again, he struggles to fit in so the final shooting days are again full of potential. We also pay attention to people around him – a punker with green hair who becomes a real estate agent, and Tomáš's best friend, a disabled retiree who goes back to high school. Those are also quite unique stories but we're still not sure we should include them. We have one year to figure it out.
That's the time you have for editing?
We still have 12 days to shoot but then we should focus on the first rough cut. We have 70 hours of raw material so there are many paths to take. The core conflict is clear but the nuances can vary – it is still not fully decided what the film is going to be about.
Do you have a good editor?
I sure hope so. At some meetings I was advised to find someone experienced to guide me as a debutant but at this moment I still believe in Lukáš Janičík who I worked with on other school projects. We want to participate at the dok.incubator where we're hoping to use some of their know-how to do the best we can.
Did cooperation between you and Mr. Hisem work? It must be hard to have a film crew behind you in a situation that demands so much energy and concentration.
It worked surprisingly well. I was happy to find that conflicts of Tomáš and his friends may seem fiction-like but their behavior before the camera isn't stylized in any way. They don't pretend anything they wouldn't do in real life – there are no other layers of fakeness because of the camera, which is something quite rare and hard to achieve for those who try. When we shoot, for example, with the management of the company Tomáš works for, we can easily spot how businessmen try to play a part before us. Sometimes we had to point out that we could clearly tell they were being over-correct and over-polite and it seemed unnatural. We had to ask them to try not to be so aware of us. I don't blame them, it's really hard to be 'normal' before the camera and I can't do it myself. That's why it's so special to watch Tomáš as it seems natural to him and I believe his 'act' remains authentic, in fact it's no 'act'. One would be tempted to explain it with some kind of naiveté but I know him and his friends not to be naive people. So I don't know why it is they're so natural.
Even though they weren't influenced by the camera, the situations probably were. You've mentioned the managers were acting a bit. Do you think Mr. Hisem's bosses might have been easier on him? More patient? More willing to overlook his mistakes? Could it be easier for him to succeed at work interviews thanks to you?
I think the influence was only cosmetic – it was in the communication, not in the decision making. From another point of view, you can see our presence as a negative influence for Tomáš – companies could think it is too risky to hire a man in this situation with a film crew watching his every step. If it turned out that he couldn't do his job well, it would be hard to fire him – it would cast bad light on the management and turn the company into a villain. Some other companies involved with retrained miners avoided media because they were afraid the program would eventually fail and there would be unfitting and unfireable people to deal with. So, I believe those who agreed to let us in were motivated to do as rational and standard decisions as possible – to be sure that if Tomáš fails, their conscience is clean and they can proceed without feeling any pressure.
I can tell you and Mr. Hisem became friends. Are you able to keep your distance as a filmmaker? Or is it not your goal?
I always feel conflict between me as a director and me as a human being but that is unavoidable in observation that takes some time. Especially, when you follow somebody for two years and he has to overcome the biggest challenges of his life. I came to the conclusion that during the shoot it's okay to embrace empathy and use your intuition to make choices. The time to step back and form some distance comes only in the editing room. That's why an editor is so essential. He's the one without personal stakes to tell me what the material really is about.
That's why I always say the 'truth' of the documentary film comes from the edit. When I started making films, I tried to look for the truth on the set – I wanted it to be obvious in the situations as I filmed them. Later I found out that no matter what, the meaning is born after all of this – in the editing room. And there's no way to overcome it and believe in some inherent truth of reality that is apparent.
How do you avoid it turning into a caricature? I'm afraid the story can end up being some kind of a 'fish-out-of-water' comedy. The story of a hillbilly who becomes 'one of us'.
I am well aware of that and I want to make sure the film is about more than that. There must be humor as Tomáš and his friends have a great sense of humor but I don't want to make them the punchline. It should be a positive story about people willing to change their entire lives, which is often something quite scary and hard to imagine. They're not supposed to be some funny curiosity. Luckily, it turned out that Tomáš is no hillbilly – he's able to fit into his new job. Today, he talks in a different way than he did in the mine but he isn't a 'new man'. He doesn't have to be – the miner is not too different from the programmer after all.
Personally, I've overcome my prejudice. Many of us who live in Prague, vote for progressive parties and live quite comfortable lives often think about rural voters of Miloš Zeman as unimaginably evil, stupid people that can't be reached – just as in the US in the case of Trump supporters. Now I know that their world makes sense in a way and I'd be happy if more viewers came to the same conclusion. Maybe we will play with this in editing – to start with the caricature just to reject it.
Can you imagine that after editing, Mr. Hisem might really hate your interpretation and demand some big changes?
This hypothetical scenario is always a possibility and it's hard to plan for it – you don't even want to think about it. After all that time and all those friendly encounters, you don't want to believe that something like that could happen. But in my case, I've felt self-awareness and even fear of rejection – I've shown Tomáš some fragments, always afraid he wouldn't like it. Especially with The Last Shift. Up until now, it's been okay and my fears unfounded.
It wouldn't feel right to have an observation film the protagonists don't agree with. It would be uncomfortable because it's somebody else's life you bring before other people. That's why I use an authorization process with all of my protagonists.
Of course, there are things I feel to be the truth and I believe it's necessary to include them in the film – and I would argue about them. I don't know how that would go because we've had no conflicts so far. But I'd rather cut scenes that would be harmful to people. And not just people – institutions as well.
I guess that must be resolved in some contract already.
Surprisingly, all companies were very restrained in their demands and signed quite generous contracts that don't interfere with our freedom too much. My own ethic is stronger than official rules – I wouldn't want to think I betrayed their trust. I still feel obliged to expose any kind of unhealthy working conditions should I find any evidence because it's related to our topic and in fact it's the reason we are filming at all.
A New Shift The Last Shift of Thomas Hisem


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HomeDevelopmentIt's the Council, Stupid
It's the Council, Stupid
May 3, 2019 Carolyn Fillmore 0
At an April Germantown Hub meeting, neighbors and journalists compared notes about the drama surrounding the Germantown High School property's recent sale for a mere $100k. The same name kept coming up, until finally one of the moderators stood to remind the room that a Councilwoman "only has so much power." Public land deals are a complicated process and it's wrong to blame one person.
Except no. In Philadelphia there's a thing called "Councilmanic Prerogative" – it's not a law, really, more like a legislative tradition that basically means a Councilperson has full control over all the public real estate dealings in their district. Whatever they propose to Council, if it's in their jurisdiction then the other Council members rubber-stamp it as like a courtesy:
Even if it's stupid or shady.
Even if it affects other parts of the City, not just their district.
Even if it flies in the face of every planning "Best Practice" known to modern civilization.
We are not making this up. In 2015, the PEW Research Center (a non-partisan fact tank) compiled an extensive analysis of City records and data from 2008 to 2014, which revealed ZERO recorded cases where prerogative bills did not pass. Even more troubling, PEW found most councilmanic prerogative occurs behind the scenes, which opens the door for favors and back-scratching.
When a developer's interested in acquiring public land in Philly, councilmanic prerogative behooves them to reach out to the District Council's office — technically, the City has a Zillow-like app of listings but it's pretty much a "don't-call-us-we'll-call-you" thing (where only certain people get called back). So the first official involved when there's possible development on public land is the District Councilperson. That's just the way it is.
And since this hush-hush process is all handshakes and phone calls – and donations! – no one outside privileged circles knows what's going on. Of course most of the time councilmanic prerogative is probably perfectly legit. Except when it's not.
Fun Fact: since 1981, in every instance when a City council member has been convicted, it's been due to shady stuff around land deals. Must be hard to stay honest when no one's looking and developers are throwing cash at you. "Sure the neighbors need affordable housing but Luxury Condo Guy here's buying me a campaign boat so…"
But councilmanic prerogative can work for a community, too. Indeed, many District Councilpersons earn their tributes as skilled negotiators & go-betweens for builders, neighbors and the City. Councilpersons can influence developers to adjust construction design & scale, tweak zoning, add parking, provide landscaping, community gardens, dog parks, playgrounds….
Even financial assistance for local groups, events and services. A dedicated councilperson could lay down a tight Community Development Agreement to help curb displacement and ensure that economic growth benefits everyone on an on-going basis.
Former mayor Wilson Goode is now a strong voice for equitable urban growth and development
At a recent North Philadelphia clergy summit, Wilson Goode – yes, THE Wilson Goode – was clear about who has the power to save our great city's history, culture and vitality. "District Council could end gentrification now if they wanted to," Philadelphia's former mayor told the crowd of local minority leaders & organizers, providing examples from his time in office. "The power to stop gentrification lies in the hands of the 10 district council seats."
Which brings us back to Germantown High School, which – on top of selling to a developer for just $100k – is now slated for Sheriff Sale thanks to $70k+ in unpaid taxes. If the account remains in arrears, the auction date's set for May 15th (opening bid $1500). What is going on here?!
Cindy Bass says she doesn't know, councilmanic prerogative says she does. What say you, Germantown?
UPDATE 5-1-19: According to GUCDC president Julie Stapleton Carroll, the sheriff's sale is now off — and a meeting with the community and the developer is on! Come out to Janes Memorial United Methodist Church Monday May 6th, 6:00 – 8:00PM (47 E. Haines Street). Jack Azran and his team will discuss plans and next steps for the Germantown High School property — no word yet on whether Cindy Bass will be making an appearance (let's hope she'll at least send a representative)…
Read the full PEW report on councilmanic prerogative. where you'll also find links to activist videos demanding an end to this practice. Don't just sit there, VOTE! Council at-large candidate Justin DiBerardinis's New Deal for Philly favors restricting councilmanic prerogative, just sayin'….
Rev Luis Cortes, Jr (Founder of Esperanza) and Councilwoman Cherelle Parker
Speaking Up for Fair Housing, Resources & Services
The Gentrification Summit, hosted by the PBA Ministers Council, provided attendees an all-day immersion into the issues and impacts of rampant, unregulated for-profit development. After a morning of inspiring speakers (including Dr. Goode), guests formed working groups and targeted action plans to fight displacement and induce developers to provide more resources for middle and lower incomes.
Key players in attendance included Councilwomen Cherelle Parker and Helen Gym, plus a community relations specialist and advocate from Germantown, Sharrieff Ali, who came away from the summit fired up for change. "Councilmanic prerogative should never be for sale," he told us, "It should always be a part of an inclusive, transparent, community-driven process."
A Chat with Dr. Goode
The things you learn chatting with an ex-Mayor! Where would a councilperson who wants to do good for the community start? What can neighbors do to lend a hand? Dr. Goode gives us his take. (Big thanks to Sharrieff for sharing Mayor Goode's empowering message.)
Let's say a District Councilperson was very motivated to help a community such as Germantown combat gentrification. What immediate steps could they put into action using councilmanic prerogative?
First let me say that people often blame developers alone for skyrocketing housing prices and taxes in a gentrifying neighborhood. The other side of that coin is that there are city policies and regulations in place that allow it to happen – policies that the district councilpeople have the power to change through councilmanic prerogative.
Right now, that power allows them to delay a project indefinitely or approve it based on conditions of their choosing. Those conditions could be made into regulation or policies – a set of requirements that must be met before the councilperson signs off on development initiatives.
There's examples of policies in place right now that affect development, such as a signoff from a district councilperson for zoning changes in their district. Same goes for a street renaming. If these changes require councilperson approval, why not other development initiatives?
Dramatic increases in property value in gentrifying neighborhoods (and the tax increases that go with them) can be influenced to a great degree by councilpeople if the right policies and regulations are in place.
What are the chances that a District Councilperson doesn't know about the sale of a public property in their district?
Zero. Not only would they have to know about it, they'd have to approve it.
Any examples of councilmanic prerogative being used for good?
I don't know of any. Right now district councilpeople seem to be in reactive mode. Only after things are happening do they try to do something about it. It's a piecemeal approach. They need to be proactive. They need to understand how gentrification is affecting their areas and have a plan and policies to deal with its negative effects – without those things, it's difficult to use councilmanic prerogative for good.
Developing that district-wide understanding of gentrification seems straightforward. If I were a district councilperson, I'd start with the entities in the city that have the power to approve development – and there are only a handful – the Planning Commission, Licenses and Inspections, the Redevelopment Authority, and the PIDC (Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation). You can get all sorts of information about development from those groups and it'd allow me to understand the trends in my district and formulate regulations to ensure equitable development.
There are two things – one by citizens, the other by the district councilperson.
First, citizens have to help the councilperson govern. If they see something that they believe will harm their neighborhood, they need to write a letter to the councilperson outlining their concerns and where it's happening. And I say write a letter, rather than a phone call, because if it's not in writing, it never happened. It's up to citizens to be the eyes and ears of the councilperson.
As for the councilperson, they need to connected with decisionmakers and recordkeepers (such as the Zoning Board, the Planning Commission, the Redevelopment Authority, the PIDC and the Department of Records) to monitor any type of change to land sales in their area. They can then detect unusual patterns and act to minimize negative impacts on the neighborhood.
Philly's former mayor is hard at work for the people who need him most! In addition to his non-profit Amachi, he's also leading more gentrification summits in the coming months across Philadelphia. For meeting dates and info, email him at wgoode@amachimentoring.org.
Councilmanic prerogative
Councilwoman Cindy Bass
Germantown High School development
Philly neighborhoods
Wilson Goode
Wilson Goode interview
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Watchdog Holds Pakistan Accountable on Terrorism
Abhinav Pandya • Apr 05, 2018
Peshawar, Pakistan, 2016 © Asianet-Pakistan
It was only a matter of time before the US was going to challenge Pakistan for its support for terrorist groups across the border in Afghanistan and India.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global money laundering watchdog, decided during its plenary session in February to put Pakistan on its gray list if the country fails to take satisfactory measures to check terror financing by June. The decision comes as a result of "strategic deficiencies" in Pakistan's anti-money laundering/countering terror finance infrastructure. The United Kingdom, France and Germany had complained that despite Pakistan having the right resources in place, the effectiveness of its implementation is doubtful.
At a cursory glance, the decision may seem like another routine development in the series of complex FATF bureaucratic procedures. However, this time around it has ramifications not only for Pakistan's economy, but for its domestic politics too, as well as the geopolitical dynamics of South Asia as a whole.
After US President Donald Trump withdrew $50 million in financial aid from Pakistan for not taking effective action against the Haqqani network — a terrorist group with a history of attacks on NATO forces in Afghanistan, rumored to have the backing of the Pakistani secret services — the FATF's decision hardly comes as a surprise. It seems that Pakistan's expertise in creating smokescreens has been exposed, and the damage is irreversible. It will not be possible for it to freeload on US dollars and at the same time endanger American soldiers. It was only a matter of time until Washington was going to challenge Pakistan for its support of terrorist groups across the border in Afghanistan and India.
Further, China's aggressive posturing in the world of today — seen in the People's Liberation Army flexing its muscles in the South China Sea or in the mammoth Belt and Road initiative — has changed the patterns of geopolitics in Asia. America needs India as a bulwark against China, but this support will not come if the US continues to turn a blind eye to Pakistan's political maneuvering in the region.
Beyond Any Reasonable Doubt
Pakistan's lack of cooperation during the 2008 Mumbai attacks investigation, the discovery of Osama bin Laden's hiding place near a military academy in Abbottabad, and the protection given to recognized terrorists such as Hafiz Saeed (the mastermind of the Mumbai attacks) have exposed Pakistan's complicity with terror groups beyond any reasonable doubt. The seizure of assets from Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and its charity wing, Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), both of which are on the UN list of terrorist organizations, just days before FATF session looked more like a way to placate the watchdog. The connection between Pakistan's deep state — the infamous Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) — with the Haqqani network and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based extremist group thought to be responsible for the 2001 attack on the Indian parliament as well as the Mumbai attacks, is an open secret.
The current proposal to place Pakistan on the FATF gray list was not merely the result of American power play based on narrow geostrategic calculations. While the proposal was initiated by the US, it was strongly supported by Britain, Germany and France. Previously, Western countries seemed to accept the narrative of Pakistan being on the receiving end of terrorism and believed its anti-extremism pledges and pronouncements. However, now it seems that Pakistan's position on terrorism is no longer acceptable to the global community.
The FATF decision also indicates that Pakistan will increasingly face diplomatic isolation. Trusted allies such as Saudi Arabia and China have refused to come to the rescue. There is a strong sense of realization among the intelligentsia that Pakistan cannot rely on Russia and China for unequivocal support in multilateral forums the same way it could on the US. Journalist Umair Jamal suggests in The Diplomat that although China was expected to support Pakistan in the recent FATF vote, its decision not to hardly comes as a surprise. He further stresses that it reflects Beijing's frustration with Pakistan's inaction against extremist groups more than any kowtowing under India's diplomatic pressure.
On several earlier occasions, China supported Pakistan and blocked the inclusion of Masood Azhar, the man behind the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight 814 in Kandahar, in the UN's list of terrorists. However, there is a limit to which China can afford to shield Pakistan in matters sensitive enough to arouse strong emotions around the globe. Beijing is looking for a leadership role in multilateral bodies such as the FATF. This may explain why India is believed to have convinced China to withdraw its support for Pakistan in lieu of India's support to its claim in return for a top position in the watchdog. It appears that China is still trying to establish itself as a responsible power in the existing world order, and it prefers not to lose its credibility as a nation standing with the international community in the war against terrorism.
Economic Fallout
The FATF's decision is also likely to bring a number of economic difficulties. It will entail rigid scrutiny by international banks on Pakistan's foreign transactions, and the cost of moving foreign currencies to and from Pakistan might increase. As a result, the financial sector might experience a major setback if the international banking institutions pull out of the country. Babar Ayaz, writing for The Daily Times, suggests that even the legitimate transactions will be hurt. He further informs that banks operating outside Pakistan have already begun refusing to open accounts for Pakistani citizens.
The current account deficit may witness a further increase due to a decline in foreign transactions and foreign currency inflows. Foreign investors and companies will be discouraged, access to funds from the international market and bodies like the International Monetary Fund will be affected, and Pakistan might have to face a downgrading in its international credit ratings.
It appears that Pakistan's government underestimates the economic risks, arguing that previously when the country was on the gray list between 2012 and 2015, it still received foreign remittances and loans from international institutions. However, some experts like Uzair Younus believe that in the past, strong American support ensured easy access to IMF loans. This time around, the decision to sanction Pakistan is itself a result of American will and the global consensus to hold Pakistan accountable.
Further, as Michael Kugelman, the Asia program deputy director at the Woodrow Wilson Center, points out that the country's economy is highly vulnerable. In March, the global agency Fitch Ratings downgraded its assessment on Pakistan's long-term foreign and local currency issuer default ratings from stable to negative due to the falling foreign reserves and widening fiscal deficit. Moreover, Chinese loans associated with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor are already increasing its debt burden.
Difficult Times Ahead
It appears that Pakistan is headed for difficult times ahead, facing the twin threats of economic and diplomatic isolation. However, the question arises whether Pakistan will change its policy toward extremist organizations. Domestic factors present a very different picture. Terrorist groups such as the JuD and FIF have a strong grassroots base and the backing of the military and the judiciary. Anyone who dares to question them tends to be seen as a traitor and faces threats of kidnapping and death. For political parties, including the current government that is eager to win the military's support in elections, cracking down on terror groups is not only dangerous politically, but also beyond the reach of their sociopolitical clout and the influence over state policy.
According to Raza Rumi, editor of The Daily Times, the Haqqani network and LeT are the most crucial instruments of Pakistan's Afghan and Kashmir policy. Pakistan will continue to nurture these proxies to keep its hold in Afghanistan and Kashmir. The Pakistani army views them as strong geopolitical assets to continue the disruptions in the region. This is unlikely to change any time soon.
With the next general election looming in July, no party will want to appear as capitulating to US pressure and advocate a crackdown on extremist groups. Terrorist groups such as LeT and Jaish run charities in Pakistan and enjoy popular support. Further, decades of Wahhabi radicalization have nurtured a fertile social milieu for Islamic extremist groups in Pakistan.
In this atmosphere, it appears that terrorist activity might not be purged from the country. But we are already witnessing increasing attempts to mainstream terrorist organizations, such as the rise of Hafiz Saeed's political party Milli Muslim League (MML), JuD's political wing. Allegedly, MML, with a possible ISI nudge, backed a candidate in the September 2017 by-election for the constituency vacated by ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Lahore.
Unsurprisingly, the army is exploring ways to integrate militant groups into the country's political structure, which is even more dangerous. Yet the global consensus against Pakistan's sponsorship of terrorism appears to be strong. With US pressure, it will not be easy to dodge the global watchdog.
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer's editorial policy.
Photo Credit: Asianet-Pakistan / Shutterstock.com
CategoriesCentral & South Asia, Global Terrorism News, India News, Indian politics news, International Security, Islamic terrorism news, Opinion, Pakistan terrorism news, World News TagsAfghanistan news, Attacks on NATO forces news, Financial Action Task Force, Haqqani Network, International security news, Masood Azhar news, Pakistan ISI, Pakistan news, Pakistan terrorist financing, South Asia news
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Paweł Czempiński (Czenpiński) (1755-1793) – lekarz, zoolog, autor pierwszych podręczników szkolnych w języku polskim.

Życiorys
Był pracownikiem Towarzystwa do Ksiąg Elementarnych, związany z Komisją Edukacji Narodowej, gdzie opracował pierwsze polskie podręczniki szkolne. Był inicjatorem oraz założycielem Warszawskiej Szkoły Anatomii i Chirurgii. Pisał również na tematy związane z górnictwem oraz hutnictwem.

Był członkiem konfederacji targowickiej, delegowanym przez nią do zasiadania w Towarzystwie do Ksiąg Elementarnych. Od 1769 roku związany z wolnomularstwem.

Dzieła
Był autorem publikacji związanych z zoologią, głównie podręczników szkolnych, które opracował z innym polskim przyrodnikiem Janem Krzysztofem Klukiem:

 Botanika dla szkół narodowych 1785
 Zoologia, czyli zwierzętopismo, dla szkół narodowych 1789

Przypisy

Bibliografia

Członkowie Towarzystwa do Ksiąg Elementarnych
Konfederaci targowiccy
Polscy lekarze
Polscy wolnomularze (I Rzeczpospolita)
Urodzeni w 1755
Zmarli w 1793

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Q: How to modify the value of key in nested array of struct in swift5? How to modify the value of key from struct that is under nested of array of struct. I found one of possible solution from stackoverflow but it is only for one level. I am wondering if there is any better solution? and what if the key is optional?
struct Article {
    var id: Int
    var book: [Book]
}
struct Book {
    var page: Int
    var author: [Author]
}
struct Author {
    var visited: Bool
}
// update value of visited key in nested array of struct
var a = Article(id: 1, book: [Book(page: 11, author: [Author(visited: true)])])
print(a)
a.book.modifyElement(atIndex: 0) {$0.author.modifyElement( atIndex: 0) {$0.visited = false}}
print(a)

Changing The value of struct in an array

A: "How to modify the value of property from struct that is under nested of array of struct".
Try this approach, a better more compact solution than what you have:
 var a = Article(id: 1, book: [Book(page: 11, author: [Author(visited: true)])])
 print("\n---> before a: \(a)")

 a.book[0].author[0].visited = false    // <-- here
 print("\n--->  after a: \(a)")

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets
by Dav PilkeyDav Pilkey
$4.97 $5.99 Save 17% Current price is $4.97, Original price is $5.99. You Save 17%.
George and Harold are usually responsible kids -- whenever anything bad happens, George and Harold are usually responsible! This time, their latest prank backfires, and they accidentally invent an army of terrifying talking toilets. Luckily, they know a superhero with enough snap in his waistband to save the day! This looks like another job for the amazing Captain Underpants!
Interviews & Essays
Scholastic, Inc.
Captain Underpants Series
As a child, Dav Pilkey was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD. Dav was so disruptive in class that his teachers made him sit out in the hall every day. Luckily, Dav loved to draw and make up stories, so he spent his time in the hallway creating his own original comic books.
In the second grade, Dav Pilkey created a comic book about a superhero named Captain Underpants. His teacher ripped it up and told him he couldn't spend the rest of his life making silly books. Fortunately, Dav was not a very good listener.
Dav has gone on to create award-winning and bestselling books for children. His Captain Underpants series has more than 80 million copies in print worldwide and has been translated into more than 28 languages. In 2017, DreamWorks Animation brought the character to the silver screen in the feature film adaptation Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, and Netflix is now streaming The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants TV show.
Dav's latest creation, Dog Man, continues to be a #1 New York Times bestselling series with more than 13 million copies in print worldwide and translations available in more than 21 languages. Dav is also the creator of the Dragon series, the Dumb Bunnies series, Dog Breath, and The Paperboy, which is a Caldecott Honor Book.
Dav lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife.
An Interview with Captain Underpants
Barnes & Noble.com: Did you always want to be a superhero -- or did you just "fall into" this job?
Captain Underpants: I've fallen into a lot of things in my life, but this job was not one of them. I was born to wear underwear and fight crime!
B&N.com: Did you have to undergo any special training to be a superhero?
CU: All you need to be a superhero is a heart that is pure, a mind that is strong, and underwear that is fresh!
B&N.com: You're always smiling! Don't you ever get irritated at George and Harold for causing so much trouble?
CU: No, those two boys have been a real help to me. I think every superhero needs a good sidekick. You know, Batman has Robin, Superboy has that flying dog thingy with the cape, and I have George and Harold. The only thing is that "George" and "Harold" don't sound like good names for superhero sidekicks. I've tried to talk them into "Fleegle" and "Buttercup," but, well, they're stuck in their ways, I guess.
B&N.com: How has all the publicity you've received from starring in Dav Pilkey's books changed your life?
CU: Well, I get recognized all the time. In the old days, when people saw me coming they often ignored me (or screamed). Now, they know my name and ask for autographs. They've always got requests, too, like, "Will you give my husband a wedgie?" It's great fun!
B&N.com: Do you have any dreams of starring in movies like some of your fellow superheroes have?
CU: Maybe.... I'm not sure who could play my part, though. Obviously, Leonardo DiCaprio is the first actor to come to mind (the physical resemblance astounds even me!), but I'm not sure he'd be up to the stunt work.
B&N.com: Who's your favorite superhero?
CU: Me! If I've learned anything from Whitney Houston, it's that "learning to love yourself is the greatest..." uh, something something something....
B&N.com: What do you like to do in your spare time (when you're not fighting crime)?
CU: A crime fighter's job is never finished! But on my breaks, I enjoy swimming and bowling (often at the same time, which really annoys the guys down at the bowling alley).
B&N.com: Don't you get cold running around in just your underwear?
CU: Nope. Wedgie Power keeps me warm!
B&N.com: Do you have any advice for kids who would like to join in your fight for "Truth, Justice, and all that is Pre-Shrunk and Cottony"?
CU: Yes. See my answer to your second question.
B&N.com: Well, thank you, Captain Underpants. I know you have plenty of bad guys to catch and millions of other things to do, so I'll keep this brief...er...short, and just say that it's been a pleasure meeting you -- and that you're an inspiration to everybody who wears underpants! (Jamie Levine)
The Captain Underpants Series
The critics are CRAZY about UNDERPANTS!
"Irresistible." -- Entertainment Weekly
"Call Pilkey... the savior of the 'reluctant reader.'" -- USA Today
"So appealing that youngsters won't notice that their vocabulary is stretching." --
"Pilkey's sharp humor shines, and is as much fun for parents as their young readers."
-- Parents' Choice Foundation
"Combines empowerment and empathy with age-appropriate humor and action." --
"Celebrates the triumph of the good-hearted." -- The Educational Book and Media
In this worthy sequel to The Adventures of Captain Underpants, Pilkey maintains the original's satiric, self-referential formula as he revisits fourth-grade pranksters Harold and George, along with their school principal and principle nemesis, Mr. Krupp (aka superhero Captain Underpants). Trouble begins when Harold and George sabotage a science fair and are punished with "The Invention Convention Detention." Bored, the boys collaborate on a comic book about Talking Toilets. To their surprise, the Toilets come to life and Mr. Krupp's alter ego is called into service. Worst of all, even the brave Captain Underpants may be no match for the Toilets' leader, "nearly a ton of twisting steel and raging porcelain" known as the TT 2000. Pilkey illustrates in uncomplicated black-and-white line drawings with washes of gray, and offers "Flip-O-RamaTM," which requires turning a page back and forth for low-low-budget animation ("Don't forget to add your own sound-effects!"). He promises "extremely graphic violence" in scenes of "a giant toilet getting its shiny hiney kicked," ridicules teachers named "Ms. Ribble" and "Miss Anthrope" and decides that the story just wouldn't be complete without "upchucking." Bart Simpson could learn a few things from the subversively hilarious Harold and George, who consider inventing a robot urinal ("The Urinator"), then decide, "They'll never let us get away with that in a children's book. We're skating on thin ice as it is!" Ages 7-10. (Feb.)
Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
Gr 3-6This epic novel opens with an introductory cartoon strip that tells the top-secret truth about how two kids, George and Harold, used the 3-D Hypno-Ring to hypnotize their principal, who now becomes Captain Underpants whenever he hears fingers snaping. In this second adventure, the boys are banned from attending the annual Invention Convention and sent to detention to keep them out of trouble. This, of course, is impossible, so they sneak into the school that evening and tamper with all of the inventions to wreak havoc. They also make copies of their newest comic strip of vicious attack toilets and the daddy monster of them allTurbo Toilet 2000. The copy machine is an invention that duplicates into live matter all images it copies and the attack toilets come to life. The wild story actually comes to a logical conclusion, but it really doesnt matter. The fun is in the reading, which is full of puns, rhymes, and nonsense along with enough revenge and wish fulfillment for every downtrodden fun-seeking kid who never wanted to read a book. The cartoon drawings and the amazing flip-o-rama pages make this book so appealing that youngsters wont notice that their vocabulary is stretching. Hooray for Captain Underpants! Watch him fly off your shelves.Marlene Gawron, Orange County Library, Orlando, FL Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets 3.9 out of 5 based on 0 ratings. 63 reviews.
Guest More than 1 year ago
5 yr old Grandson can't read yet but by looking at the pics he uses his imagination to make up his own story. He loves the characters and just looks at the book many many times even sleeps with this series
Most of my reading stays in crime-noir (mainly Ellroy), political satire (Primary Colors and American Hero are favorites) and other stuff I probably shouldn't be reading (Chuck Palahniuk), but over the Christmas holidays, I spent some time with my 8 year old cousin, and she showed me her Captain Underpants book, I'll just say I found another set of books I shouldn't be reading. But it is a nice relief to know I shouldn't be reading it because of all the enjoyment I get out of the childish humor. Think of Toy Story and it's sequel. Why did they have such success? Simply because they appealed to adults as well as to children. Captain Underpants follows in this same fashion. I found myself lost in the silly humor and cheesy animation (Adding your own sound effects is much more fun than you'd imagine). Children will love this because it speaks to them. Adults, give it an open mind, and you'll enjoy it as well.
SleepDreamWrite More than 1 year ago
The drawings were kind of fun and help conveys the humor.
it was agreat book i like captain underpnts.
i love this book im 14 years old and everyday that i am down i read this book
I love this this book even that I broke it!!!!!!! I am on the book of Captain Underpants And the invasion of the incredibly naughty cafeteria ladies from outer space (and the subsequent assault of the equally evil lunchroom zombie nerds). I just can't hate captain underpants because it is so funny!!!!!!! I just can't stop loving captain underpants atall!!!!!!!!!!! I am just never going to stop loving it until I hate it and that will never even happen because it is hilarious!!!!!!!!!!! I can not stop wanting to read the whole entire captain underpants seires attall!!!!!!!!!!! I would love to read this whole seiries by the first of january in 2013!!!!!!!!!! But if we finish the seiries before 2013 it would be great.
Easy to read and light hearted!
My daughter loved this book. She laughed through out the entire story, there was never a dull moment. The captions and comics drew her in and it was a hilarious story. We didn't read the first adventure before this, but are now going back and reading them.
We bought this for our 6-year-old son and read it aloud to him at bedtime. He loves the gross-out potty humor, which is pretty age approriate. The storyline is imaginative with lots of action. George and Harold aren't the best role models for kids - they're sneaky and misbehave a lot. But, we just have to laugh when Captain Underpants takes off - tra la laaaa!
Captain underpants at his greatest
spartyliblover on LibraryThing More than 1 year ago
A hilarious book about George and Harold, two inspiring cartoonists (4th graders as well), who mistakenly turn a comic strip of evil, talking toilets into a reality. George and Harold are the two main characters and are developed well in the first couple of pages, as well as through the accompanying illustrations, the principle of the school is also well portrayed. The plot is traditional starting low and building up to a point and then coming back down with a funny ending that readers will enjoy. The setting is mostly done through the illustrations throughout the book, as well as the comic that George and Harold draw. Overall this book would be great for a public library as a book to read for fun for boys in elementary school and early middle school.
Calamia on LibraryThing More than 1 year ago
Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toliets is a great epic novel series for young elementary students, particularly for boys in grades 2nd through 4th. The book is about two young boys who like to be mischievous and playing pranks on the principal and other students. In the story the two young boys want to particpate in an invention convention. The principal refuses to let the boys partic[ate because they made last years convention a disaster. Then they become even more rebellious and tamper with the other students inventions.
beckers on LibraryThing More than 1 year ago
Justin Phommathep1.0 AR points Captain underpants is back in his second book "Captain underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets". George and Harold gets in trouble so much that they cant complete in the science Fair and the winner can be princal for a day. On the same day, they are in detetion. Before that day,George and Harold mess with peoples project and in the end they got in trouble and suppend from school. George and Harold use Marlin `project to copy more comic (witch they made in detetion) but it make the comic came to live. If you would like to called Captain underpants , all you have to do is snap your fingers near Mr.Krupp(the prinal). Captain underpants get beat by the Toilet, so George made a robot to defeat the Talking Toilet , its "Robot Plumber" In my opinion , the book is funny for kids and each CU there is a fliping trick to aninetion.
J.brittain1 on LibraryThing More than 1 year ago
i thing it was strange i do not recomend it
mbuch on LibraryThing More than 1 year ago
This book is very funny! The humor of the two main characters is brilliant and creative. The hilarious story is partially told through comics, including the cartoon drawings created by the two main characters, George and Harold. These two boys have funny jokes and scheme hilarious comics about their principal, just as any two typical young boys would do. Their cartoon drawings and ideas come to life and the story gets funnier and crazier with each additional drawing.
paroof on LibraryThing More than 1 year ago
No one can make my first-grader laugh like Captain Underpants!
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book by dav pilkey
hombre perro
The All New Captain Underpants Extra-Crunchy Book O'
You'll laugh! You'll cry! You'll wet your pants with joy when you join George and ...
You'll laugh! You'll cry! You'll wet your pants with joy when you join George and Harold for more fun 'n' games with the amazing Captain Underpants and the world's smallest superhero, Super Diaper Baby. Learn how to draw your favorite ...
Captain Underpants and the Invasion of the Incredibly
George and Harold have played a trick or two on nearly everyone at Jerome Horwitz ...
George and Harold have played a trick or two on nearly everyone at Jerome Horwitz Elementary. When their latest prank causes the school's cranky cafeteria ladies to quit, Mr. Krupp hires a trio of unusual replacements -- who happen to ...
Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor
George and Harold are fourth-grade buddies with a penchant for practical jokes. When the boys' ...
George and Harold are fourth-grade buddies with a penchant for practical jokes. When the boys' latest prank drives their science teacher over the edge, their clueless principal, Mr. Krupp, quickly hires a replacement: Professor Pippy P. Poopypants. Of course, George ...
Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked
Watch out, world — it's wedgie power with a vengeance when Captain Underpants faces the ...
Watch out, world — it's wedgie power with a vengeance when Captain Underpants faces the wickedest, wildest villain yet! George Beard and Harold Hutchins don't get straight A's, aren't sports stars, and can barely walk down the hallway without getting ...
Captain Underpants Color Collection
Laugh out loud with Captain Underpants, the #1New York Timesbestselling series from Dav Pilkey, the ...
Laugh out loud with Captain Underpants, the #1New York Timesbestselling series from Dav Pilkey, the creator of Dog Man!Meet George and Harold, two fourth graders with BIG imaginations. The only thing they enjoy more than playing practical jokes is creating ...
The Captain Underpants Extra-Crunchy Book O' Fun
They defeated Dr. Diaper! They trampled the terrible Talking Toilets! They crushed the crazy Cafeteria ...
They defeated Dr. Diaper! They trampled the terrible Talking Toilets! They crushed the crazy Cafeteria Ladies from outer space! And they prevented preposterous Professor Poopypants from pulverizing the planet! Now George and Harold are back for more fun and games ...
The Dumb Bunnies
A so-dumb-it's-funny story from bestseller Dav Pilkey.Let the Scholastic Bookshelf be your guide through the ...
A so-dumb-it's-funny story from bestseller Dav Pilkey.Let the Scholastic Bookshelf be your guide through the whole range of your child's experiences-laugh with them, learn with them, read with them!Category: HumorMeet the Dumb Bunnies.They eat lunch in a carwash. They go ...
El Capitán Calzoncillos y el ataque de los
¡Otro libro divertidísimo del Capitán Calzoncillos! Jorge y Berto están nuevamente metidos en un lío. ...
¡Otro libro divertidísimo del Capitán Calzoncillos! Jorge y Berto están nuevamente metidos en un lío. Primero, destrozan la convención de ciencias de la escuela con sus bromitas. Luego, por accidente, crean una armada de malvados inodoros parlantes que tratan de ...


text:
Sichuan Airlines Flights
Sichuan Airlines is a regional airline in China that operate mostly scheduled domestic flights. The airline is headquartered in Chengdu of Sichuan Province in China. It has its primary hub at the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport.
Sichuan Airlines was founded in 1986 but did not officially start its operations until 1988 with flights from Chengdu to Wenzhou. It has since expanded to an airline with a fleet size of over 120 aircraft operating flights to more than 65 destinations. Sichuan Airlines flies mostly within East Asia, but it also offers flights to international destinations such as Sydney and Melbourne in Australia, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Vancouver in Canada, Los Angeles in the United States, Prague in the Czech Republic and Singapore.
Sichuan Airlines extends its flight network thanks to its subsidiary, Chengdu Airlines as well as with the help of its codeshare agreements with China Eastern Airlines, China Express Airlines and China Southern Airlines.
Start planning your next trip with Sichuan Airlines. Learn how to use Skyscanner's 'Everywhere' search to be inspired with destination choices and find the cheapest tickets from Malaysia.
Why Fly Sichuan Airlines
Ways to Check-in
Sichuan Airlines provides passengers with a few options to check-in for flights. Online check-in is currently available for domestic flights from two o'clock in the afternoon to two hours before the scheduled flight departure.
Passengers can still opt to check-in direct at the airport. This service is especially recommended for international passengers as the airline's English-version website is not as comprehensive as the local language version. The airport check-in counters open 3 hours up to 40 minutes before the departure time. Self-service kiosks are also available at selected airports.
Baggage Allowances and Fees
Sichuan Airlines offers complimentary baggage allowance on flights. Economy Class passengers are allowed to check-in one piece of luggage up to 23 kilogrammes. For Business Class and Economy Class passengers flying to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Russia and the Americas, passengers are allowed up to 2 pieces of luggage up to 23 kilogrammes each. Lastly, First Class passengers are allowed to check-in up to 3 pieces of luggage up to 23 kilogrammes each. Each piece of luggage should not exceed the total dimension of 115 centimetres.
For cabin or hand carried baggage, Economy and Business Class passengers are allowed one carry-on bag not exceeding 5 kilogrammes while First Class passengers can hand carry one luggage bag and one additional personal item not exceeding a combined weight of 10 kilogrammes. All hand carried items must fit in overhead compartments or under the seats.
Sichuan Airlines currently offers three types of cabin classes – Economy, Business and First Class. Availability of cabins will depend on the flight route and assigned aircraft for the journey.
In-flight Services
Sichuan Airlines provides complimentary onboard dining. This service is available for flights that have a flight journey of more than two hours and occur during mealtimes. Hot meals are offered as well as a selection of beverages. Special meals can be pre-booked during the booking process.
The airline also offers in-flight entertainment. However, most of the programmes shown will be in the local language, Chinese. Newspapers and magazine publications will also be available.
Sichuan Airlines Contact Information
+86 95378/+86 28 8888 8888
fuwu@scal.com.cn
http://www.sichuanair.com
https://twitter.com/sichuanair
Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport
Cheng Du, Sichuan Province


Valerie de Magdalena and Ray Nobriga are honored to offer the ancient Andean Nustas Karpay teachings and transmissions the weekend of July 12 to 14, 2013 at The Sanctuary at Mt. Shasta, CA. Historically these mystical teachings and transmissions were shared solely among the Qer'o peoples of the Peruvian Andes, and are now being offered to all to support Earth and Humanity in this time of great transformation.
The Nustas Karpay transmissions and teachings awaken within us the seeds of the divine feminine, connect us with the energy of the feminine powers of the Earth, and by raising and integrating them into ourselves, infuse us with vital living energy and support the creation of balance and harmony in our world.
You will be supported in preparing for and receiving the 7 Nustas Karpay transmissions which directly connect the energy system of your body to 7 sacred sites in the Peruvian Andes, aligning each chakra with one of the 7 sites that hold the purest energy living within Mother Earth. Through the transmissions, these energies are infused and aligned within your chakras to anchor and integrate with your energy body.
The teachings help you to develop and expand these energies, and give you practical ways to bring increased clarity and power to your personal connection with the sacred feminine energies that each human being holds deep within.
The gifts of the Nustas, offered ceremonially, will touch and awaken every corner of your physical and luminous bodies, bringing you more fully alive as you connect deeply with Mother Earth and awaken the divine light within yourself.
Through the receiving of the transmissions, your personal connections to the Earth energies will be enhanced as will your ability to call upon these forces directly for your own work and more importantly, to help bring the Nustas energies forward into the world.
These teachings were first introduced in North America in 2010 by our beloved teacher, don Mariano Quispe, teacher, healer and ceremonialist from the Andes of Peru, with whom we have apprenticed, and who has instructed us to carry and offer these teachings and transmissions. Although we will be using the teachings and some of the language of the Andes, the energies of the Nustas are universal.
This workshop is open to ALL who are called to experience a deeper connection with the energies of Nature and with the divine feminine within themselves. We do hope that you will be able to join with us for this extraordinary event and please contact us if you have any questions. Please click on the pdf icon to get workshop details and registration information.
Would you like to sponsor a Nustas Karpay workshop in your area? Click Here.


I'm not sure if the recording, made in Château Fallot, Salle de Musique, Lausanne is quite optimum for this kind of music. It tends to spread a bit and therefore can blunt some of Villa-Lobos's crisper more detonatory writing but it's otherwise good and I wouldn't make too much of it in the light of the first class playing of Polish-born Joanna Brzezińska.
She deals with the Suite Floral with athleticism and tonally expressive colour. Crucially she also characterises with flair and imagination, warm in the Summer Idyll, not afraid to shy away from the bass incursions of A Singing Country Girl. By the time she arrives at Joy in the Garden she is on top form, virtuosic and full of élan. The bulk of the disc is given over to both books of A Prole do Bebê and here we witness no falling off of laudable qualities. There's clarity and passagework evenness in Branquinha, Paganinian glitter in Negrinha and plangency, verdancy and colouristic prism a-plenty in A Probrezinha. She manages to evoke a burnished, teaky tone for Bruxa, contrasting it with elastic treble tracery.
In the second book she deigns, quite rightly, to stint the elation and danger of the music. Her O Comaundongo de massa is correspondingly vital and exciting and elsewhere we find a certain insouciance and darting Debussian eloquence (O Passarinho de panno). As an envoi I certainly enjoyed the way she plays with the Ragtime elements of Choro No.1 Tipico. Her rubati are clever and not self-regarding and she projects the piece with considerable accomplishment so much so, in fact, that I didn't miss its original incarnation for guitar.
As for competitors Sonia Rubinsky on Naxos splits both books of A Prole do Bebê between two discs but Alma Petchersky on ASV includes both, adding Poema Singelo, Idylio Na Rede and Alegria Na Horta. If you find Brzezińska insufficiently tensile and super-virtuosic you could try Hamelin on Hyperion CDA67176. He is always faster, sometimes remarkably so, than she is, and digs into the darker interstices of Book II more malignly. He's so fast that we have time for an arsenal of makeweights including the important Rudepoêma.


text:
Raimondo Signs Justice Reinvestment Legislation
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Governor Gina M. Raimondo, joined by members of the General Assembly and community advocates, today signed the package of legislation collectively known as the Justice Reinvestment Initiative. The bills aim to improve Rhode Island's criminal justice system while reducing costs...
October is Manufacturing Month in Rhode Island
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Governor Gina M. Raimondo today declared October as Manufacturing Month in the State of Rhode Island. Joined by Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor, Department of Labor and Training Director Scott Jensen, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Ken Wagner and other...
1,000 Days: Raimondo Expands Real Jobs Rhode Island Training Program, Celebrates Runway Extension at TF Green
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Governor Gina M. Raimondo traveled from Westerly to Woonsocket today with members of her Cabinet, holding a series of public events announcing new initiatives and highlighting progress that the state has made over the last 1,000 days. Governor Raimondo kicked off the morning...
Raimondo Directs U.S. and Rhode Island Flags to Fly at Half-Staff in Honor of the Victims of the Las Vegas Shooting
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - In accordance with a Presidential Proclamation, Governor Gina M. Raimondo has ordered that the U.S. and Rhode Island flags at all state facilities and buildings be flown at half-staff until sunset on October 6, 2017 in honor of the victims of the shooting in Las Vegas. "...
Raimondo Signs Legislation Guaranteeing Paid Sick Leave for Rhode Island Employees
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Governor Gina M. Raimondo, joined by legislative sponsors, members of her Cabinet and community advocates, today signed legislation guaranteeing paid sick leave for more than 100,000 Rhode Island employees. "Being able to recover from an illness or care for a sick relative...
Raimondo Signs 38 Studios Transparency Legislation
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Governor Gina M. Raimondo today signed legislation that makes public previously undisclosed records from the state's investigation of 38 Studios. The Governor also announced her administration will immediately file an objection to a court order obtained in June by Attorney...
Raimondo's Open Textbook Initiative Saves College Students $870,000 in First Year
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Marking the one-year anniversary of her Open Textbook Initiative designed to cut the cost of textbooks for Rhode Island college and university students, Governor Gina M. Raimondo today announced that the initiative has put more than $870,000 back in hardworking students' pockets.
Wexford Innovation Complex Breaks Ground
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Governor Gina Raimondo today joined state and local officials, representatives from Wexford Science and Technology, Brown University, the Cambridge Innovation Center, Johnson & Johnson, and members of the public to break ground on the Wexford Innovation Complex. The projects,
Statement from Governor Gina M. Raimondo on the Latest TrumpCare Bill:
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Governor Gina M. Raimondo released the following statement today in response to the most recent version of TrumpCare: "The Graham-Cassidy bill would be just as bad for Rhode Islanders as every other failed version of TrumpCare. According to most recent estimates, this plan...
Raimondo Announces Initiative to Pay DACA Renewal Fees for Rhode Island DREAMers
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Governor Gina M. Raimondo announced today that she and a coalition of individuals and organizations have secured more than $170,000 in commitments from donors to cover the $495 renewal fee for every DREAMer in Rhode Island who is eligible to apply for renewal of their Deferred...


Chemistry majors must take additional coursework in biology beyond the minimum required for a chemistry degree.
5. Completion of BIOL 211, 212, 213 (BIOL 111, 111L, 212, 212L, 213, 213L are required if courses were taken prior to catalog year 2010-11) (or BIOL 211A,B); CHEM 251, 320A,B at time of entry with grades of at least "C" in each course. Students may apply during the semester in which they expect to complete these courses.
3. Completion of BIOL/CHEM 466, Research Design and Methods - Honors (3 units).


text:
Why Cloudera's Shares Gained 13% in January
Investors were still excited about the company's earnings report from December -- but the party didn't last long.
Chris Neiger
(TMFNewsie)
Feb 12, 2018 at 10:57AM
Chris has covered Tech and Telecom companies for The Motley Fool since 2012. Follow him on Twitter for the latest tech stock coverage. Follow @tmfnewsie
Shares of Cloudera, Inc. (NYSE:CLDR) were up 13.3% in January, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence, as investors continued their optimism for the company after a strong fiscal third-quarter 2018 earnings report in December.
Cloudera's shares have been on a wild ride since the company went public this past April, but investors started believing in this machine-learning and analytics software company when it announced its third-quarter results in December, and the sentiment carried through into January.
Cloudera's subscription sales grew by 48% in the quarter, and total revenue was up 41%, both on a year-over-year basis. Investors were likely pleased to see subscription sales continue to spike, because 83% of the company's total sales currently come from its subscription revenue.
Though the company's growing quickly, Cloudera still isn't profitable. Its GAAP loss in the third quarter was $56.6 million, and operating cash flow was negative $2.4 million.
Aside from the strong sales growth in the third quarter, investors may have also been motivated to push up Cloudera's share price after news came out in January that BlackRock, one of the world's largest mutual fund managers, more than doubled its stake in the company. BlackRock owned about 16 million shares of Cloudera at the end of the year, up from seven million previously, according to Barron's.
Unfortunately for Cloudera investors, the good times haven't extended into February. The company's shares have fallen about 9% since the beginning of the month, further proving that this software analytics company is still highly volatile.
Cloudera's management is estimating revenue to increase about 34.5% at the midpoint in the fourth quarter, and for subscription revenue to jump by 44.5%. That would be another strong quarter, to be sure, but investors should keep in mind that if the latest quarter didn't bring some share price stability to the company, then it's unlikely the next will either.
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Top King Boxing has grown to be the one of the top brands of Muay Thai equipment. They're a Thailand based company, but have found recognition globally. Typically their products tend to be more protective than their competition's.
When you ask Muay Thai fighters which brand produce the best shin guards, you'll be surprised how many times Top King's shin guards are rumoured to be number one. As a result I decided it was about time I got my hands on a pair, to see for myself what all the fuss is about.
These are the 'Super Max' shin guards, one of Top King's slightly flashier looking models, however build-wise should be the same as both the 'Pro' line, and the 'Snake' line, so the points mentioned here should mostly apply to Top King's other shin guards too.
The shin guards come in S, M, L and XL, and you can use this handy guide to work out roughly how each size will fit.
Obviously, as they're made by a Thai brand, these are striking shinguards, optimised for protection and padding compared to an MMA style grappling shin guard.
The Super Star shin guards come in four colours; white, gold, red or blue, all decorated with a pattern of small, silver stars running down at a slightly slanted angle, with the main colour fading to black at the bottom. Personally I picked up a pair of these in white, because I love the fact they look great when paired with either black or white gloves, and won't clash with other colours at all. I also preferred the way the 'Top King' logo stands out on the white versions, mainly due to the logo being black rather than white as on the other colour options.
While I think these look great, there are definitely other options. As mentioned earlier, both the 'Pro' and 'Snake' ranges are based on the same model, which opens up a variety of solid colours or coloured snakeskin visuals, depending on what you fancy.
The outer material on these shin guards is leather, and feels fairly smooth and durable, similar to the leather used by a lot of the other major Muay Thai brands. There shouldn't be any problem keeping these going for a number of years without any issues. On the inside the lining is pretty comfortable. It's not the softest lining I've seen, but instead has a good grip to it which prevents them from slipping around too much or rubbing. The inner lining is so well attached that it almost feels like a part of the padding, rather than just stuck on, with no loose parts anywhere. That's usually a good sign that they'll hold up well.
The shin guard is held in place by two velcro straps, which pass through metal loops and double back on themselves to provide a tight fit, as well as two elasticated strips – one on the back of the ankle and one under the foot. These elasticated straps are often one of the first parts of a shin guard to wear down, but these actually feel quite stiff to start off with. We'd have to revisit the review later to determine whether they can stand the test of time, but seem to be holding up pretty well so far.
These shin guards are very well put together – the padding has a large raised section over the shin, which adds not only protection, but also visual appeal.
On the inside, they seem really well shaped, probably fitting my legs better than any other shin guards. While you obviously don't want these too loose, I've found I don't need to pull the straps super tight to get a good fit – they just seem to be shaped really well. I'm going to have to admit that of all the shin guards I've used so far, these have to win the award for my favourite inner shaping.
The straps on these shin guards are about an inch and a half thick, and I've found the Velcro holds firmly enough that you don't have to worry. The straps go through a loop and secure back on to themselves. Instead of the loop being exposed, which can get caught or hit, it's encased in leather, which presumably improves the durability slightly too by keeping it protected from sweat or other moisture. I find this type of strap is also great for getting the shin guards on nice and tight, which helps to prevent any slipping or unwanted movement. While many shin guards end up having a lot of wasted velcro where the step is too long, these fit me almost perfectly.
The stitching is very neatly done, there is no sign of any loose ones whatsoever, and the seams are positioned so that they're as hidden as possible. The piping around the outside of the shin guards is also very tidy, and overall they seem very well put together.
First thing's first, I can definitely tell why so many people love the top king shin guards. The protection is brilliant and the fit is just as good. When putting them on I find I have to un-loop the straps to get my feet through, but that's not a huge issue at all and only takes a couple extra seconds. Once they're on, they don't really tend to move about much at all, and when they do move it's often only by a little bit. I found the straps were a little stiff when I first got these, and sometimes rubbed or pinched when they were on too tight, but after a few sessions they broke in a bit more and I can't say I've had that complaint since.
Another part which needed a little wearing in was the in-step area. This section has a strip of padding behind a neoprene cover, which helps to protect the instep when kicking, although there's also a section of the shin guard's outer trim which sits just below that against the foot. I found that for roughly the first 5 sessions that it would rub when bending the foot and became a little uncomfortable for long periods of time, but has now softened up a little and isn't noticeable at all. It didn't really last long enough to become a negative point, however I thought it best to mention anyway in case anybody is put off after a couple of sessions.
While these are clearly optimised for protection, I must admit I found them to be a little bulky, although that might be partly because I'd previously been using my Hayabusa Ikusa Charged grappling style shin guards as my go-to. While they are a little thick, they're also fairly tall and slim, which makes them definitely not as over-kill as the Apaks Warriors Iron shin guards we've reviewed, and the Top Kings feel a lot lighter in comparison. Without weighing and comparing I can't say for certain how they match up to other shin guards, but they don't feel heavy in the slightest.
Obviously it's worth reminding that when the protection is so good that you can't feel a thing, you still need to be aware of how hard you're hitting your sparring partner. It's can be a little too easy to forget how hard you're smashing those kicks in.
Top King gear isn't always the easiest brand to get hold of in the west, and here in the UK the Super Star shin guards will tend to set you back by around £80, although if you prefer the solid visuals of the Pro range, they're a little better value at about £70. This is a little more expensive than a lot of the offerings from other Thai brands – for example, Danger Equipment's Super Max Shin Guards are the closest in terms of build that we've seen, retailing at £60. That said, there's still a slight noticeable increase in quality, so if you're looking to invest in a solid pair of shin guards, they'd be a great choice.


text:
Research ArticlePharmacology
Systems Pharmacology of Arrhythmias
Seth I. Berger,
Avi Ma'ayan, and
Ravi Iyengar*
Department of Pharmacology and Systems Therapeutics and Systems Biology Center New York, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1215, New York, NY 10029, USA.
↵*To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: Ravi.Iyengar{at}mssm.edu
Science Signaling 20 Apr 2010:
Vol. 3, Issue 118, pp. ra30
DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.2000723
Seth I. Berger
Avi Ma'ayan
Ravi Iyengar
For correspondence: Ravi.Iyengar@mssm.edu
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This article has a correction. Please see:
Is corrected by - May 11, 2010
Long-QT syndrome (LQTS) is a congenital or drug-induced change in electrical activity of the heart that can lead to fatal arrhythmias. Mutations in 12 genes encoding ion channels and associated proteins are linked with congenital LQTS. With a computational systems biology approach, we found that gene products involved in LQTS formed a distinct functional neighborhood within the human interactome. Other diseases form similarly selective neighborhoods, and comparison of the LQTS neighborhood with other disease-centered neighborhoods suggested a molecular basis for associations between seemingly unrelated diseases that have increased risk of cardiac complications. By combining the LQTS neighborhood with published genome-wide association study data, we identified previously unknown single-nucleotide polymorphisms likely to affect the QT interval. We found that targets of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved drugs that cause LQTS as an adverse event were enriched in the LQTS neighborhood. With the LQTS neighborhood as a classifier, we predicted drugs likely to have risks for QT effects and we validated these predictions with the FDA's Adverse Events Reporting System, illustrating how network analysis can enhance the detection of adverse drug effects associated with drugs in clinical use. Thus, the identification of disease-selective neighborhoods within the human interactome can be useful for predicting new gene variants involved in disease, explaining the complexity underlying adverse drug side effects, and predicting adverse event susceptibility for new drugs.
You are going to email the following Systems Pharmacology of Arrhythmias
By Seth I. Berger, Avi Ma'ayan, Ravi Iyengar
Science Signaling 20 Apr 2010 : ra30
Integration of drug and protein interaction data with genetic data enables prediction of adverse drug effects.


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A Painter's Hand: The Monotypes of Adolph Gottlieb
Organized by the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation, Inc.
Adolph Gottlieb (1903–1974), best known as one of the original Abstract Expressionist artists, was one of the leading artists of his generation and was responsible for forging a new identity for American art in the mid-twentieth century. Unlike many colleagues who concentrated their efforts on painting, Gottlieb was a more diversified artist, completing major projects in various media including sculpture, prints, tapestries, and stained glass.
The group of monotypes in this exhibition provides a unique look at this artist's final body of work. As a whole, they comprise a requiem of his mature life and career. Gottlieb began these works with no formal plan, in the spring of 1973. At that time, he was paralyzed by a stroke and was suffering from emphysema. His diminished energy and physical capacity limited the number of hours that he could devote to painting each day. However, due to Gottlieb's artistic passion in making these monotypes, he discovered that he was able to immerse himself in these intimate works for extended periods. His monotypes explore the major themes of his career and show the artist's deep joy and satisfaction in the manipulation of paint and plates.
The overall impact of these monotypes is profound. They are the personal notes of an experienced artist, who was aware that he was nearing the end of his life. He explored virtually every pictorial idea of his lengthy career and reached for new expressions with as much energy as he possessed. In a 1949 statement on printmaking, Gottlieb wrote, "The search for variations, however, is really the search for the best proof of the original idea, and when I find it, there is the evidence. "The search continued through his monotypes, where his explorations of ideas expressed as paint and inks, plate and surface, are as subtle and powerful as anything in his career.
The Fralin Museum of Art's programming is generously supported by The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation. This exhibition was made possible by a generous gift from The Fralin Museum Volunteer Board. We would also like to thank our in-kind donors: WTJU 91.1 FM and Ivy Publications LLC's Charlottesville Welcome Book.


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Dementia (from Latin de- "apart, away," + mens (genitive mentis) "mind") is the progressive decline in cognitive function due to damage or disease in the brain beyond what might be expected from normal aging. Particularly affected areas may be memory, attention, language and problem solving, although particularly in the later stages of the condition, affected persons may be disoriented in time (not knowing what day, week, month or year it is), place (not knowing where they are) and person (not knowing who they are). Symptoms of dementia can be classified as either reversible or irreversible depending upon the etiology of the disease. Less than 10% of all dementias are reversible. Dementia is a non-specific term that encompasses many disease processes, just as fever is attributable to many etiologies.
Early symptoms of dementia often consist in changes in personality, or in behavior. Often dementia can be first evident during an episode of delirium. There is a higher prevalence of eventually developing dementia in individuals who experience an acute episode of confusion while hospitalized.
Dementia can affect language, comprehension, motor skills, short-term memory, ability to identify commonly used items, reaction time, personality traits, and executive functioning. Even without signs of general intellectual decline, delusions are common in dementia (15-56% incidence rate in Alzheimer's type, and 27-60% incidence rate in multi-infarct dementia). Often these delusions take the form of monothematic delusions, like mirrored self-misidentification.
Elderly people can also react with dementia-like symptoms to surgery, infections, sleep deprivation, irregular food intake, dehydration, loneliness, change in domicile or personal crises. This is called delirium, and many if not most dementia patients also have a delirium on top of the physiologial dementia, adding to the symptoms. The delirium can go away or greatly improve when treated with tender care, improved food and sleeping habits, but this does not affect the alterations in the brain. Affected persons may also show signs of psychosis or depression. It is important to be able to differentiate between delirium and dementia.
Proper differential diagnosis between the types of dementia (see below) will require, at the least, referral to a specialist, e.g. a geriatric internist, geriatric psychiatrist or neurologist. However, there are some brief (5-15 minutes) tests that have good reliability and can be used in the office or other setting to evaluate cognitive status. Examples of such tests include the abbreviated mental test score (AMTS) and the mini mental state examination (MMSE).
An AMTS score of less than six and an MMSE score under 24 suggests a need for further evaluation. Of course, this must be interpreted in the context of the person's educational and other background, and particular circumstances. Routine blood tests are usually performed to rule out treatable causes. These tests include vitamin B12, folic acid, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), C-reactive protein, full blood count, electrolytes, calcium, renal function and liver enzymes. Abnormalities may suggest vitamin deficiency, infection or other problems that commonly cause confusion or disorientation in the elderly. Chronic use of substances such as alcohol can also predispose the patient to cognitive changes suggestive of dementia.
A CT scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scan) is commonly performed. This may suggest normal pressure hydrocephalus, a potentially reversible cause of dementia, and can yield information relevant to other types of dementia, such as infarction (stroke) that would point at a vascular type of dementia. Sometimes neuropsychological testing is helpful as well.
The final diagnosis of dementia is made on the basis of the clinical picture. For research purposes, the diagnosis depends on both a clinical diagnosis and a pathological diagnosis (ie, based on the examination of brain tissue, usually from autopsy).
The most common types of dementia are as follows and vary according to the history and the presentation of the disease: (Where available the ICD-10 codes are provided. The first code refers to the dementia, and the second to the underlying condition.)
Most common causes
(F00/G30) Alzheimer's disease
(F01) Vascular dementia (also known as multi-infarct dementia), including Binswanger's disease
(F02.3/G20) Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB)
(F02.0/G31.0) Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), including Pick's disease
Frontotemporal dementia (or frontal variant FTLD)
Semantic dementia (or temporal variant FTLD)
Progressive non-fluent aphasia
Less common causes
It can also be a consequence of:
(F02.1/A81.0) Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
(F02.2/G10) Huntington's disease
(F02.3/G20) Parkinson's disease
(F02.4/B22.0) HIV infection (leading to AIDS dementia complex)
(F07.2) Head trauma
(Q90) People with Down's syndrome have an increased risk of developing dementia of the Alzheimer's type. This risk increases as the person ages.
Treatable causes
Less than 5% of a sample of dementia cases have a potentially treatable cause. These include:
(F02.8/E01-E03) Hypothyroidism
(F02.8/E51) Vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency
(F02.8/E53.8) Vitamin B12, Vitamin A deficiency
(F03/F32-F33) Depressive pseudodementia (note: dementia and depression can coexist in many patients and can be difficult to differentiate.)
(G91.2) Normal pressure hydrocephalus
Except for the treatable types listed above, there is no cure to this illness, although scientists are progressing in making a type of medication that will slow down the process.
Snoezelen rooms that provide patients with a soothing and stimulating environment of light, color, music and scent have been used in the therapy of dementia patients.
Dementia - new research, news reports, new books, web sites
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You go for 'one quiet pint' on the first sunny day of the year.
Before you know it you just get swept away in the joy of it all, have another one and opt to ditch the car and pick it up in the morning.
But one law-abiding pub-goer almost was left in a panic this evening, after 'parking' the expensive motor to enjoy a tipple beside the River Tamar.
The sensible(ish) motorist rightly left their vehicle behind after enjoying a visit to the Royal Albert Inn in the Saltash Passage, and found another way back to their Newton Abbot home.
Unfortunately they didn't factor in the tide.
Safe at home after leaving the waterside pub, the man was told his white BMW was, er, sinking.
And he was in possession of the only set of keys.
A group of people soon formed to watch as the tide rose and rose, hitting its peak at around 8.30pm.
Onlookers were discussing how to best rescue the vehicle just as it hit its peak and, thankfully, began to subside.
A member of staff at the pub said quite a crowd had gathered by 9pm and were debating how they might manage to move the vehicle.
But thankfully they reported the water only rising to the height of the back wheels.
A relative of the red-faced motorist has since confirmed the car has indeed survived the evening high tide.
The owner would probably be advised to try and make it back to the car by 8.56am tomorrow - Thursday - when the next high tide is due.