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Baseless accusations: Activists acquitted for 'Cast Lead' protest
Protesters in white suits covered in fake blood arrive at Sde Dov Air Force Base in north Tel Aviv to protest Operation Cast Lead, January 2, 2013. The signs read: "You have children's blood on your hands."
Four and a half years after 20 activists were arrested in Tel Aviv for protesting Operation Cast Lead, a court acquits them of all charges. The question is why — despite video evidence showing they did nothing wrong — did the police continue to aggressively push to indict the protesters on bogus charges?
It was hard to remain apathetic as difficult-to-digest reports arrived from Gaza during the Israeli attack in the winter of 2008-2009, known as "Cast Lead." According to data from B'Tselem, 1,391 Palestinians were killed in the fighting (759 of whom were not combatants, and 344 of whom were minors).
A group of Israeli activists decided to stage a protest action at the entrance of Tel Aviv's Sde Dov Airport, one of the Air Force bases from which planes attacked the Gaza Strip. The short protest, during which activists wore white suits stained with "blood" and laid on the ground for a number of minutes at the airport's entrance, ended with the arrest and indictment of 16 activists. Last week, after three days in jail, thousands of shekels in bail and four and a half years of court hearings, all of the accused were acquitted. (Read the full court verdict in Hebrew.)
Despite the fact that it was a legitimate protest and despite the fact that the protesters acceded to the police's orders, for some reason unknown, the officers on the scene decided to arrest them while they were standing on the sidewalk and causing no disruption to traffic, as can be seen in the video below, shot by David Reeb:
Still, for some unknown reason the police prosecution decided to file an indictment against the protesters, in which they are accused of attempting to enter a military base by force, among other charges. Contrast that with the video shot by Reeb, where you can see the protesters following request of the guard at the entrance — not to enter.
Additionally, they were accused of preventing pilots from arriving for their flights, even though it's clear from the video that the blockage lasted only a few minutes and that there were no cars waiting to enter the base.
If that wasn't enough, the police prosecutor requested to indict the protesters with "rioting" after the officers ordered the demonstration be dispersed. This, despite the video, in which it is clearly seen that no such rioting took place. At least by the protesters.
The police's problematic conduct, however, continued in court. In her verdict, Judge Hadassah Naor leveled criticism at one of the prosecution's witnesses, specifically. "The testimony of the prosecution's witness, Mr. Uri Elishkov, contradicts what is seen in the video. There is no choice but to reject the testimony; in the best case it is a subjective account and imprecise explanation of the events, and in the worst case, an attempt to present an incorrect and falsified picture of the event."
We asked the police spokesperson for comment on the decision to indict, on Elishkov's testimony and about protecting protesters' rights. The police spokesperson decided not to respond to the questions we sent them. "With no relation to the specific request, customarily we don't respond to judicial decisions in the media," the police wrote in their reply. "In general, all judicial decisions, especially acquittals, are honored and the necessary lessons are taken from them." The police spokesperson's decision to evade the difficult issues raised in the verdict about the police's behavior, both in the field and in court, testifies to its refusal to recognize the police's role in a democratic society.
*In the data on numbers of Palestinian deaths and their identities, there are differences between the numbers provided by the IDF and those from B'Tselem. Idan Landau's Hebrew-language blog addresses the disparity here and here.
6 sept 2013
US has no problem with Israeli crimes: Mark Dankof
Press TV has conducted an interview with Mark Dankof, political commentator, about a new video footage showing foreign-backed militants in Syria killing seven captured government soldiers execution style.
What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Well once again we are seeing just another horrific crime that has been committed by these insurgents. The more we see at these various video clips it seems they are more adamant that the United States and its allies want to support these terrorists. Why is that the case?
Dankof: Well it's clearly the case because Israel gets whatever it wants. The fact of the matter is between the Zionist ...[entity] of Israel and the Zionist occupied American government.
War crimes are okay as long as they are being committed by people that control the Israeli government or people who are fulfilling the Israeli agenda.
The United States had no problem with Saddam Hussein using chemical gas during the Iran-Iraq war against Iran, the United States has said nothing about Israel use of white phosphorous munitions both in Gaza, Operation Cast Lead in 2009 or Israeli induced white phosphorous murders in southern Lebanon in that conflict.
But the fact of the matter is what is most revelatory here is that a global research article that came out today, Michel Chossudovsky site shows that Americans opposed this conflict overwhelmingly, an American involvement in this conflict by surfing like a 499 to 1 margin in regard to calls being made to their congressmen and senators and yet obviously most people have concluded that the vote is going to go the other way because of the Israeli lobbies that control the American Congress and Senate as well as the executive branch of the government.
One other thing is that there are several polls that have been conducted by Israeli newspapers that show that Israel wants an attack on Syria, but it does not overwhelmingly, its people do not want the Israeli defense forces doing it. They want the United States and European powers to do it on their behalf.
This is what's going on here. It's clearly illegal, it is dreadful, it is murderous and once again the criminality of the Zionist regime over many years is unfortunately now mirrored by the criminality of an American government that has been in league with these people since the late 1940's.
Press TV: Well, we are looking at these type of individuals and these horrific crimes that they have committed. How likely is the United States support for this type of element likely to backfire when you are training, when you are funding, when you are arming people that appeared to not have any type of moral conscience, then isn't it likely that it will basically come back and hunt them?
Dankof: Well I think that that's true in terms of international opinion and blowback. What I'm waiting for is to see whether or not the people of the United States get off their high dance and turn off Thursday night football tonight, the opening of the NFL season and start caring about what these policies that their government is supporting are doing not only to our image in the world but in fact they are going to result in more of hundreds and millions and billions of dollars ultimately being spent by the United States government on these murderous activities as well as the deaths not only a thousands, potentially a millions of innocent people in the Middle East over time but the deaths of more American men and women for absolutely nothing other than the Israeli agenda.
And until the American public figures this out, it seems that the Zionist occupied government of United States and the media, the American media that is aiding these people would just continue but more of the same.
But Paul Craig Roberts is in effect correct. They will run out of men, they will run out of money at some point, they are already out of credibility and the fact of the matter is that there is a super whining in all of this, it is that the American empire is quite likely ultimately to collapse as the result of these policies and maybe to be replaced again by what my forefathers would have referred to as the old American Republic that was ruled by a constitution and a rule of law. (Video on the link)
Israeli writer: We used internationally-prohibited weapons, left unpunished
Phosphorous shell explosion used against civilians during 2008 war on Gaza
Israeli writer wondered "why the world did not raise a finger when Israel used weapons prohibited by international law -white phosphorous and flechette rounds- against a civilian population in Gaza, and cluster munitions in Lebanon, while wanting to attack Syria fir using the same weapons!" Gideon Levy also wondered in his article published in Haaretz newspaper "What would happen If Israel were to use chemical weapons? Would the United States also say to attack it? And what would happen if the United States itself used such measures?"
In his attempt to highlight the international double-standard policy, he said "few words are needed to describe the weapons of mass destruction used by the United States, from the nuclear bombs in Japan to napalm in Vietnam,"
"…no one can seriously think that an American attack on the President Bashar Assad regime stems from moral considerations," he added.
The writer thought that "most Israelis who support an attack – 67 percent, according to a survey by the daily Israel Hayom – are out motivated by concern for the well-being of Syria's citizens; the guiding principle is completely foreign: Strike the Arabs; it doesn't matter why, it just matters how much – a lot," the writer clarified.
He believed that United States can never be a moral superpower "the country responsible for the most bloodshed since World War II – some say as many as 8 million dead at its hands – in Southeast Asia, South America, Afghanistan and Iraq – cannot be considered a "moral power,"
"Neither can the country in which a quarter of the world's prisoners are incarcerated; where the percentage of prisoners is greater than in China and Russia; and where 1,342 people have been executed since 1976," he said.
"The attack on its way will be Iraq II. The United States - which was never punished for the lies of Iraq I and the hundreds of thousands who died in vain in that war - says a similar war should be launched. Once again without a smoking gun, with only partial evidence, and with red lines that President Barack Obama himself drew, and now he is obliged to keep his word…"
U.S. media suppressed 2009 UN report showing Israel using chemical weapons against Palestinians
This Palestinian teenager is one of the victims of the Israeli military's illegal white phosphorous missile attacks on unarmed civilians, including a UN relief compound set up to shelter and provide medical attention to Palestinian refugees. Israel's military conducted its own investigation of the incidents, apologized for the attack and called it a "grave error."
A UN fact finding mission overseen by South African lawyer and former justice Richard Goldstone called the use of white phosphorous a "war crime."
Obama ignores Israel's chemical weapons abuse while targeting Syrian government that may not be responsible for recent chemical attacks.
Few major mainstream American news outlets exposed the sordid details of a 2009 United Nations (UN) fact finding report that revealed how Israel's military illegally aimed chemical missiles at a United Nations Relief & Work Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees in a 22-day invasion of the Gaza strip that began in 2008 called "Operation Cast Lead." As the U.S. and world media watch to learn if claims that President Barack Obama will execute a military strike against Syria, without a vote of Congress or the support of the UN, the same media outlets are burying information that suggests preparation for war could be premature. Little media attention is being paid to claims from a UN commission that Syrian rebels, not government soldiers under President Bashar al-Assad's control, were responsible for recent chemical weapons attacks that killed over 300 Syrians.
"During our investigation for crimes against humanity and war crimes, we collect some witness testimony that has made to appear that some chemical weapons were used. In particular, nerve gas," said Carla del Ponte, a member of the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria. "What appears to our investigation is that this was used by the opposition, by the rebels. We have no indication at all that the Syria government have used chemical weapons."
What's also questionable is why Obama has drawn a "line in the sand" over highly questionable allegations that Syrian soldiers used chemical weapons when the Israeli military was proven, and officials have admitted, to using chemical warfare to attack a United Nations relief compound. The facility provided shelter and medical attention to Palestinian refugees in 2009.
Cleveland Challenger obtained a copy of the 575 page 2009 UN report [PDF] that a fact finding mission headed by ex-South African Judge Richard Goldstone prepared after an investigation of the events surrounding Operation Cast Lead.
The Israeli missile and ground assault on the Gaza strip began on December 27, 2008 and ended on January 18, 2009. The attack resulted in an estimated 1100 to 14oo Palestinian deaths. 13 Israeli soldiers were killed. Four died from friendly fire.
The invasion was stimulated by Israel's claims that rockets were being fired at Israeli's by Hamas militants. Three Israeli civilians and one soldier were killed by Hamas' rockets in the days leading up to the assault that led to an estimated $1.3 billion in damage to Palestinian property and businesses. Israel's military was also accused by the UN fact finding mission of violating war protocols by using Palestinians as human shields, murdering unarmed civilians, destroying water and sewer treatment plants, and wiping out food supplies and production facilities to starve the population.
The UN commission Goldstone led met extensively with Palestinian officials, victims and survivors after the Israeli military assault. The interviews and investigation led to the discovery of information and evidence that Israel's military deployed missiles containing "white phosphorous" against civilians and the hospital.
White phosphorous is a highly-combustible chemical agent that burns on contact with air. In humans it burns upon contact with skin and creates very deep tissue wounds. It can also cause death when inhaled. It's customary use has been as a "smoke screen" although it is illegal to use against civilians in times of war. The UN commission found Israel's use of the burning agent against the hospital to be particularly deplorable.
When first questioned about the white phosphorous missile allegations that struck the UNRWA compound, the Israeli military's first response was to issue a denial. On January 15, 2009, three days before the attack ended, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak called the chemical weapon attack a "grave error" and allegedly apologized to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. On the same day, Israeli President Shimon Peres apologized for the attack, but added the false claim that Israeli troops were being fired upon from inside the facility.
South African attorney and former justice Richard Goldstone was blacklisted by Israel after he headed a fact finding mission to investigate war crimes committed against both Israeli's and Palestinians after Isreal's military invaded Palestine in a campaign called Operation Cast Lead. Israeli media reported, falsely, that Goldstone promised to "revoke" the report's findings against Israel. Goldstone, who is also Jewish, was one of South Africa's liberal justices and credited with working inside the system to undermine apartheid.
In a July 2009 report of its own findings, the Israeli government now led by President Benjamin Netanyahu, claimed the white phosphorous was supposed to have only been used as a smokescreen to protect soldiers from Hamas anti-tank crews that were claimed to have been operating adjacent to the compound. Israeli officials falsely claimed that only missile "fragments" entered the compound.
The UN fact finding group challenged the claims made by Israeli officials and accused them of understating the nature and extent of the chemical missile strikes. They identified 10 strikes inside the UNRWA compound, with seven white phosphorous container shells discharging completely or very substantially in the confines of a very limited space.
"This is not a matter of a limited number of wedges falling inside the compound or shrapnel or parts of shells landing in the compound as the shells exploded elsewhere. It is important to emphasize that we are dealing with shells exploding or discharging inside the compound in areas where hazardous material was stored."
"Secondly, the claim that this result was neither intended nor anticipated has to be reviewed carefully. In the first place the Mission affirms the result to be reviewed is not fragments and wedges landing in the compound but ten shells landing and exploding inside the compound. It is difficult to accept that the consequences were not appreciated and foreseen by the Israeli armed forces."
"Those in the Israeli army who deploy white phosphorous, or indeed any artillery shells, expertly trained to factor in the relevant complexities of targeting, including wind force and the earth's curvature. They have to know the area they are firing at, possible obstacles in hitting the target and the other environmental factors necessary to ensure an effective strike. It is also clear that, having determined that it was necessary to establish a safety distance, the presence of the UNRWA installations was a factor present in the minds of those carrying out the shelling."
"The question then becomes how specialists expertly trained in the complex issue of artillery deployment and aware of the presence of an extremely sensitive site can strike that site ten times while apparently trying to avoid it."
Israeli government and military officials took issue with the report, but mainly focused effort at discrediting claims that they "randomly" and "intentionally" targeted and slaughtered Palestinian civilians. UN interviews revealed that Israeli soldiers herded an unarmed family of 29 into a home and bombed it.
Instead of sharing any of the details of the 575 page report with newspaper and magazine readers, and television viewers, the U.S. media concentrated all its attention on Israeli claims that denied the allegations.
Carla del Ponte is a UN fact finder who's continued to raise doubt that the Syrian military used chemical weapons containing "sarin" gas against the nation's war weary people. What her commission did find was evidence that Syrian rebels used the illegal gas. So why is the Secretary of State John Kerry and U.S. defense Secretary Chuck Hagel pushing to attack the government for a crime a top UN official doesn't believe they committed?
When Goldstone authored an opinion piece two years later, he said the report would have been different if Israel had cooperated and his fact finding mission had access to its officials and more information. U.S. reporters and columnists with the New York Times, Washington Post and Huffington Post used the statement to discredit the report in its 575 page entirety.
Goldstone's opinion reflected that he'd only changed his mind about whether or not Israel "intentionally" targeted civilians in the 22 day military invasion of Palestine.
"The allegations of intentionality by Israel were based on the deaths of and injuries to civilians in situations where our fact-finding mission had no evidence on which to draw any other reasonable conclusion. While the investigations published by the Israeli military and recognized in the U.N. committee's report have established the validity of some incidents that we investigated in cases involving individual soldiers, they also indicate that civilians were not intentionally targeted as a matter of policy."
Goldstone also took the opportunity to balance a legitimate Israeli government complaint that his 2009 report concentrated the majority of its criticism on Israel and made little or no reference to Hamas' attacks on innocent Israeli citizens.
Nothing, however, in Goldstone's opinion two years later, denounced his fact finding mission's findings as U.S. reporters seem to have intentionally tried to shield Israel from criticism.
As I indicated from the very beginning, I would have welcomed Israel's cooperation. The purpose of the Goldstone Report was never to prove a foregone conclusion against Israel. I insisted on changing the original mandate adopted by the Human Rights Council, which was skewed against Israel. I have always been clear that Israel, like any other sovereign nation, has the right and obligation to defend itself and its citizens against attacks from abroad and within. Something that has not been recognized often enough is the fact that our report marked the first time illegal acts of terrorism from Hamas were being investigated and condemned by the United Nations. I had hoped that our inquiry into all aspects of the Gaza conflict would begin a new era of evenhandedness at the U.N. Human Rights Council, whose history of bias against Israel cannot be doubted.
Purported IDF video has men laughing as Palestinian is brutally killed
This video, lately posted on Facebook, is said by our source to be a leaked Israel Defense Forces video that shows the killing of a Palestinian civilian carrying a white flag during the assault on Gaza in December '08-January '09.
While it is not clear to us that the target of the killing is carrying a white flag, the video soundtrack includes Israelis observing the killing and laughing at the brutality of the attack-- something like the famous Collateral Murder video from Baghdad in 2007 leaked by Wikileaks.
Our source forwarded an email in Arabic from the person who uploaded it, stating:
his message translates into: the incident took place in an unspecified location of eastern Gaza in the Cast Lead war. it has recently been leaked.
Here is a translation from Ofer of the Hebrew soundtrack on the video at about :50, which he assumed was of soldiers:
First soldier: Now pay close attention to what happens in 3 seconds
Second soldier: his head gets severed First soldier: And...beautiful! His head lands [on the ground]
The one-minute-long Facebook post contains two videos. The first is of two people in the doorway of a house; a woman waves a white flag. The second shows two figures walking in a field. One appears to carry a white flag that flutters when he or she is struck down. It is unclear whether the two videos in the Facebook post are from the same incident.
The Goldstone Report to the UN Human Rights Commission [PDF] on the Gaza conflict documented several instances of Israelis firing on and killing Palestinians holding up white flags. Note especially Chapter XI, Deliberate Attacks against the Civilian Population, beginning on page 158. In a couple of cases, that investigation documented women emerging from houses waving white flags and being shot at.
The famous "Collateral Murder" video of a US Apache gunship attack in 2007 in Baghdad that killed 11, including a Reuters employee, was documented in a military video released by Wikileaks in 2010. The video includes this exchange:
Oh, yeah, look at those dead bastards.
Good shoot.
3 men charged with extorting resident of south after Cast Lead
Three men from Hadera are suspected of extorting a man who stayed at their house during Operation Cast Lead.
At the time they suspected the man of stealing NIS 5,000 (roughly $1,390) from them while he was their guest and 'fined' him NIS 10,000 (roughly $2,780) for it.
One of the three later admitted to stealing the money. The court sentenced them to 20 days probation and 240 community services. Each will also pay the man NIS 2,000 (roughly $556).
My Family Died for Nothing
At approximately 20:30 on 14 January 2009, during 'Operation Cast Lead', Israeli forces carried out a drone strike at the house of Ezz Eddin Wahid Mousa Family, in Gaza City. At the time of the attack, the Mousa family members were sitting in the tin-roofed front yard of their house and had just finished having dinner. As a result of this attack 6 members of the Mousa family were killed and another member was seriously injured.
Mahmoud Ezz Eddin Wahid Mousa (28) was severely injured in the attack, when several shrapnel from the missile pierced his body. Among other injuries, Mahmoud sustained several injuries in his right hand and right leg, impairing the nervous system in both the limbs. More than four years after the attack, Mahmoud has still not fully recovered from his injuries, despite having been treated in hospitals in the Gaza Strip and Egypt.
In January 2010, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) filed a civil compensation case before the Israeli court on Mahmoud's behalf but, on 27 February
2013 the case was arbitrarily dismissed on the grounds that certain Israeli legal provisions, in particular a 2012 amendment to the Israeli Civil Tort Law, absolve the State of Israel of any liability arising from the damages caused by Israeli forces during a 'combat action'.
"I cannot believe that my case has been dismissed", Mahmoud explained. "I got the news that my case was dismissed through my uncle, much later, because I was in Egypt at that time. I was receiving medical treatment in Egypt when my case was dismissed. My whole family, my parents, my brother and my sister were killed in the attack and I want to know why. Why did they kill my family? I did not file this case to get money. Money cannot bring back my family". When Mahmoud learnt about the Israeli legal provisions owing to which his case was dismissed, he said, "This is not a law. How can they make such a law? They targeted my family in the attack. We are all civilians, and do not have any connections with militants. This was not a military operation; this was a civilian operation to kill my family. Why can't they give me any reasons? It feels like my family died for nothing. I want the Israeli judge to tell me what he would do if he were in my place. He should look at the case fairly. If his family was killed in such an attack, he won't have dismissed the case." Tears welled up in Mahmud's eyes as he said, "I was sure that my case will succeed. It is a very clear case. All of us were targeted without any reason. We were just having dinner. What is wrong with that? They cannot kill us like this."
Mahmoud expressed his disappointment by saying, "The reason behind this law is that they keep committing crimes against us civilians. They know that they are wrong. My case was valid and it should not have been dismissed like this. This is not right, this is wrong. They know that we are ordinary people who don't have the money to meet their high court fees. Till when will the world keep silent about such crimes? Till when will they keep killing us like this? What do they want from us? We had to leave our homes because of them, and now when we are trying to build our lives again, they keep killing us."
To file the case for a review Mahmoud need a huge amount of money but his financial condition is very weak. Despite being disheartened, Mahmoud hasn't lost hope, "If someone else was in my place, he would lose all hope. He would give up. But I won't. I will keep fighting this case, no matter how long it takes. I am not expecting anything new from them, but I still have hope that someone will do justice. If I die before that then I will tell my next generations to fight the case. But I cannot give up my family's dignity."
The medical treatment Mahmoud has received so far is insufficient to improve his condition. He explains, "After the attack when I was taken to the hospital in Gaza, they told me that they will have to cut my right leg to decrease my pain. But I did not want that. My nerves in my right arm and leg were damaged in the attack. The Palestinian Authority in Ramallah arranged for me to go to Egypt for treatment. I underwent many operations and surgeries there, and my condition improved. Now, I am at a stage where I can save my leg. The problem is that even in Egypt they cannot sure me completely. The doctors said that I need to go to Europe for treatment, and there are better facilities there. The time is running out and if I don't get treated soon then they will have to cut my leg. But I don't have the money for that. I hope that somehow I will manage to get the treatment I need." Mahmoud needs to undergo a bone-marrow transplant operation to be able to save his leg, but given the lack of financial support this seems difficult.
After the devastating attack Mahmoud's life has altered completely, and he has been having difficulties in both his personal and professional life, "No one here will hire a person whose hand and leg don't work properly. I tried working with the Ministry of Transport in Gaza as a receptionist for four months, but I could go there only for 10 days every month because I was undergoing treatment. I left later because it was very difficult for me. In Gaza there are so many people who are unemployed. When they can hire a person whose legs and hands work properly, why will someone hire me?" Mahmoud further said, "I was married earlier, but my wife divorced me after the attack. She could not live with me like this. With God's grace I am engaged again. I want to start a family and lead a normal life. To do this I need to make money, but I am not able to do that because of my condition."
Following the 2008-2009 Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip ('Operation Cast Lead'), PCHR filed 1,046 civil complaints (or "damage applications"), on behalf of 1,046 victims, to the Compensation Officer in the Israeli Ministry of Defence. These damage applications sought compensation for victims following alleged violations of international law committed by Israeli forces. Because the Israeli authorities did not act upon these damage applications, between June 2010 and January 2011, PCHR filed 100 civil cases before Israeli courts, seeking compensation for 620 victims. However, the Israeli legislature (Knesset) and the courts, through legislative amendments and recent decisions, have imposed various legal and procedural obstacles on the achievement of justice for victims.
In dismissing Mahmoud's case, the court relied upon the 2012 Amendment No. 8 to the Israeli Civil Tort Law (Liability of the State), which exempts the State of Israel of any liability arising from damages caused to a resident of an enemy territory during a "combat action" or a "military operation". This amendment, which applies retroactively from 2000 onwards, and specifically in the context of the Gaza Strip from 12 September 2005 onwards, widened the scope of "combat action" by including any operations carried out by Israeli forces in response to terrorism, hostilities, or insurrections, if it is by nature a combat action, given the overall circumstances, including the goal of the action, the geographic location, and the inherent threat to members of the Israeli forces who are involved in carrying out the action. This amendment disregards the vital question of the legality of these attacks and ignores the damages caused to the victims as a result of such attacks, which can potentially constitute violations of the rules governing the conduct of armed forces during military operations, as prescribed under international humanitarian law. Amendment No. 8 directly contravenes norms of customary international law, which establish that a State is responsible for all acts committed by persons who are operating as part of its armed forces. Moreover, as a High Contracting Party to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, Israel cannot be absolved of any liability it incurs in respect of grave breaches or serious violations, which are committed against the civilian population during military operations. Moreover, the Israeli courts charge an average court guarantee of approximately NIS 30,000 (USD 8,000) from every claimant, and if the case does not reach the trial stage the court withholds this guarantee as 'defense costs'.
Significantly, these decisions result in a situation whereby victims are financially penalised for having pursued their legitimate right to access to justice by filing civil cases before the courts. The judicial system is being used to provide an illusion of justice, while systematically denying Palestinian civilians their right to an effective remedy.
Israeli Amendment denies Palestinians the right to judicial remedy, compensation
Palestinian human rights activists have launched a judicial battle against the Israeli state, to stop its evasion of compensating the families of Palestinian victims killed by its soldiers.
The Knesset has approved, on the 23rd of last July, Civil Damages (State Liability) Law amendment No. 8, which denies Palestinians the right to receive compensations for damage caused by Israeli security forces. It applies under all circumstances.
The Israeli Southern Central Court in Be'er Sheva dismissed, on Thursday the 7th of February 2013, three civil claims cases brought before it by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR). These cases concerned three separate incidents involving the killing of 14 Palestinian civilians and wounding of 24 others during the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, 'Operation Cast Lead', in 2008-2009
Amendment No. 8 exempts the State of Israel from any liability arising from damage caused to a resident of an enemy territory during a "combat action" or a "military operation"
Raji Sourani, Director of PCHR, said that such tactics employed by the Israeli judiciary deny Palestinian victims the right to access justice and the right to an effective remedy with respect to both civil and criminal cases.
He asserted that such measures very strongly indicate Israel's unwillingness to fulfil its legal obligations towards the victims of its military operations through its domestic mechanisms.
Sourani told Quds Press Agency that recourse to international justice mechanisms, such as the International Criminal Court, is essential for achieving justice and accountability for Palestinian victims, thereby tackling Israeli impunity and ensuring respect for the rights of Palestinians in the future.
Israel classifies the entire occupied Palestinian territory as a 'conflict zone' and, since 2007, Israel has prevented Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip – whether victims, witnesses, or their lawyers – from travelling to appear before Israeli courts. As a result, the courts have dismissed many cases under the pretext of the complainants and witnesses not being present during the proceedings.
Amendment no. 8 directly contravenes norms of customary international law, which establish that a State (in this instance Israel) is responsible for all acts committed by persons who are operating as part of its armed forces.
Moreover, as a High Contracting Party to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, Israel cannot be absolved from any liability it incurs in respect of grave breaches or serious violations, which are committed against the civilian population during military operations.
Fayez Salha, a Palestinian citizen whose wife, four children and sister-in-law were killed as Israeli forces bombed his home in 2009, has sued the occupation demanding financial compensation, but the Court decided to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, and fined the plaintiffs 20000 shekels.
Fayez said he is planning to go to the Palestinian Presidency to demand it to defend his case, demanding the PA President to take it "seriously".
He has also threatened to escalate the judicial procedures, expressing surprise at the international community's silence regarding such Israeli measures.
For his part; Issam Younis, Director of Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, stressed on the liability of the international community, especially the Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Israeli Court Dismisses Three Cast Lead Cases, Denying Palestinians the Right to Judicial Remedy and Compensation
On Thursday, 7 February 2013, The Israeli Southern Central Court in Be'er Sheva dismissed 3 civil claims cases brought before it by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR). These cases concerned three separate incidents involving the killing of 14 Palestinian civilians and wounding of 24 others during the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, 'Operation Cast Lead', in 2008-2009.
The first case was filed to claim compensation for the victims who suffered losses, during the Israeli forces' targeting of paramedics of the Al Awda hospital on 4 January 2009.
The second case concerned the targeting of a 4th floor apartment with an Israeli artillery shell in the Shejaiyah area of Gaza City on 5 January 2009.
In the third case, Israeli forces attacked a family home with flechette bombs during a mourning service, also on 5 January 2009.
These cases were of a civil nature, and sought reparations for the victims of these attacks; PCHR also filed separate criminal complaints for all three incidents before the Military Advocate General (MAG). PCHR has not received any responses from the MAG in relation to two of these cases. In the third case, although the Israeli authorities commenced an examination back in 2009, its outcome has not yet been made available despite PCHR's repeated requests to the concerned authorities. The dismissal of these civil claims is a serious setback for the victims, denying them their right to accountability and redress, particularly in light of the unjust reasoning behind the court's decisions.
The court in its reasoning relied on the 2012 Amendment No. 8 to the Israeli Civil Torts Law (Liability of the State),[1] which sweepingly exempts the State of Israel from any liability arising from damages caused to a resident of an enemy territory during a "combat action" or a "military operation". This amendment, which applies retroactively from 2000 onwards, and specifically in the context of Gaza from 12 September 2005 onwards, widened the scope of "combat action" by including any operations carried out by the Israeli forces in response to terrorism, hostilities, or insurrections, if it is by nature a combat action, given the overall circumstances, including the goal of the action, the geographic location, and the inherent threat to members of the Israeli forces who are involved in carrying out the action.
This amendment disregards the vital question of the legality of these attacks and ignores the damages caused to the victims as a result of such attacks, which can potentially constitute violations of the rules governing the conduct of armed forces during military operations, as prescribed under international humanitarian law. The Amendment no. 8 directly contravenes norms of customary international law, which establish that a State (in this instance Israel) is responsible for all acts committed by persons who are operating as part of its armed forces. Moreover, as a High Contracting Party to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, Israel cannot be absolved from any liability it incurs in respect of grave breaches or serious violations, which are committed against the civilian population during military operations.
Most importantly, it must be noted that these decisions form part of a series of measures enacted by the Israeli authorities in recent years, which result in the dismissal of a large amount of cases and are intended to prevent Palestinians from claiming compensation in the event of violations of international law by Israel. Israel classifies the entire occupied Palestinian territory as a 'conflict zone' and, since 2007, Israel has prevented Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip – whether victims, witnesses, or their lawyers – from travelling to appear before Israeli courts. As a result, the courts have dismissed many cases under the pretext of the complainants and witnesses not being present during the proceedings.
Such tactics employed by the Israeli judiciary deny Palestinian victims the right to access to justice and the right to an effective remedy with respect to both civil and criminal cases. Such measures very strongly indicate Israel's unwillingness to fulfil its legal obligations towards the victims of its military operations through its domestic mechanisms. Recourse to international justice mechanisms, such as the International Criminal Court, is essential for achieving justice and accountability for Palestinian victims, thereby tackling Israeli impunity and ensuring respect for the rights of Palestinians in the future.
[1] On 16 July 2012, the Israeli Knesset accepted the Law and Explanatory Matters Bill, which was published in the Government Act Bill – 387 in May 2008, page 598.
Israeli court acquits army, justifies its killing of Gazan family
An Israeli court rejected a Palestinian lawsuit filed against the Israeli army regarding its killing of civilians and children from one family in an aerial attack on their house during the 2009 war on the Gaza Strip, and also fined the plaintiffs.
The Israeli central court in Beersheba two weeks ago refused the complaint that was filed by Al-Mizan center for human rights against the Israeli army about its bombing of a civilian house belonging to Fayez Saleha on January 9, 2009.
The court also decided to fine the plaintiffs 20,000 shekels as expenses for its adjudication.
The court acquitted the Israeli army and claimed that despite the proved failure of the army to give the residents the chance to leave their house, the Israeli aerial attack happened during wartime. According to a probe into the attack conducted by Al-Mizan center, an Israeli drone had fired one missile at the house, which is located in Beit Lahia north of Gaza, before another Israeli warplane hastened to drop a heavy bomb on it.
The bombing led to the killing of Saleha's wife, all her four children and her young sister.
The victims are Randa Fayez, the mother and her kids, Diauddin, aged 14, Bahauddin, four years, Rana, 12, and Rula, one year as well as her sister Fatima, 22. Al-Mizan center had filed a request in November 2009 with the Israeli military prosecutor demanding him to open an investigation into the incident, but he closed the probe quickly and did not make any indictments.
Israeli crime against the Samouni family continues
Amal Samouni
European human rights organization warned of a new crime committed by the occupation against the Samouni family in Gaza, after 21 of its members had been executed during an Israeli military incursion on the Gaza Strip 4 years ago.
The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory for Human Rights said in a statement on Tuesday that the girl who has survived the Israeli massacre, committed against the Samouni family in 2009, suffers today from serious health complications after being hurt in the head by seven pieces of shrapnel from the occupation's rockets.
The human rights Observatory explained that the medical reports of the girl Amal Samouni, 15, show that her situation requires a serious surgical operation that cannot be accomplished in the Palestinian hospitals.
The child's mother told the Euro-Mediterranean Observatory that the Israeli authorities has been preventing them from traveling to the occupied territories and receive treatment in the Israeli hospitals, for "security reasons".
The Geneva based organization has denounced the acquittal by the Israeli military prosecution for the officers responsible for the air strike that had killed 21 members of the Samouni family in January 2009.
It also warned that if Israel continues to prevent Amal from receiving the necessary treatment, the file of the massacre committed against her family will be re-opened at international forums.
Page: 2 - 1


As the largest manufacturer of residential garage doors, Clopay Garage Doors is the only residential garage door brand backed by the Good Housekeeping Seal, which carries a limited two-year warranty.
Clopay focuses on the customer when creating products with huge assortments and options. When it comes to customization, Clopay has a wide range of style and pricing. They have been able to achieve luxurious looks for much less without compromising the quality.
Increase your curb appeal with quality garage doors made from durable materials. Choose either natural wood or steel carriage house doors from several collections of Clopay Garage Doors. Go for the look of wood with less upkeep having a low-maintenance faux wood composite garage door from the Canyon Ridge® Collection or choose Ultra-Grain®, a wood look durable paint from the Gallery or Classic style collections. Clopay Garage Doors even has a contemporary Avante™ Collection combining aluminum and glass in sleek modern designs, as well as a Modern Steel™ Collection providing subtle modern beauty with simple upkeep. Clopay's Classic™ Collection of steel raised panel and flush panel garage doors complement most home styles. Add one of their many decorative window options will customize the door's appearance and let natural light into your garage.
If you would like to see more details and use tools that Clopay Garage Doors has to "build your own" door then link here to see more at the Clopay Door Webpage.
These garage doors are engineered and constructed for durability and low maintenance. Each one features patented Safe-T-Brackets, as well as sturdy tracks, rollers and hinges. You'll get years of enjoyment out of your garage door, due to long-lasting hardware and strong, durable springs.
You can also paint your doors to any color that suits you or choose from 1800 Sherwin Williams Solar Reflective Polane® paints. See directions on their website because their is some specific directions if you are going to paint yourself or you will void the warranty.
Choose Attractive black powder coated grip handles and hinges or antique black iron hardware.
Quality garage door contractors work with you on the design, install or repairs of Clopay Garage Doors.


Schedule: Classes run Mondays from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM on the following dates: April 15, April 22, May 13, May 27, June 10, June 24.
Kerry's Place Autism Services facilitates a comprehensive 12 module course on Autism Spectrum Disorder to its staff members, and is now offering the same course to individuals and organizations in Toronto.
Participants will explore a variety of themes relating to ASD, engage in discussions about various strategies and case studies, and complete six assignments to apply what they have learned to the individuals they support.
This course is geared towards anyone interested in gaining knowledge to enhance the quality of support they provide to persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder professionally or personally.


'Tis the giving season, and we have smokin' suggestions for every person on your list—even the furry ones!
Glass blunts * $10. This Sesh Supply all-time favorite is the paperless way to puff, puff, pass and comes in a rainbow of colors. Best stocking stuffer ever!
Torch Art * $60. Looking for originality? Our quick-fire, high-power butane torches feature limited edition prints from a selection of 420-friendly artists.
THC Molecular Necklace * $25 Show the love for the one molecule to rule them all! Comes in rose gold or silver.
Wake 'n' Bake Hand Pipe * $49. Help your favorite baker rise and shine with our handblown homage to all things sunnyside up. Remember, kids: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Leafly Straight Tube Bong * $75. Give the gift of their favorite strain! We partnered with Leafly to put their signature tiles on the thickest glass around.
HeadyPet Safety Belt * $20. Buckle up, little buddy! Keep your BFF (best fur friend) safe in the car with our clip-in safety belt. Pair it with a matching leash, harness and bowtie for the best-dressed pup in town!
Kraken 4-piece Diamond Ridge Grinder * $36. Watch your loved one's eyes light up when they open this highly-functional jewel!
Roll-Uh-Bowl * $35-$60. Got an outdoorsy type on your list? These silicone beauties fold into a pocket for smokey bubbles anywhere.
Flytlabs H2Flo Vaporizer * $220. Present a special someone with this portable vape that . Sure, it's on the "high" end, but they deserve it.
Our HoliDaze Gift Favorites of 2018!


Year-round full-service paddlesports store offering instruction, tours, rentals and sales. Best selection of equipment and events anywhere in New England. Two Rhode Island locations: Wickford and Charlestown. Stand up paddle boards and kayaks for rental & sale. Lifestyle clothing from Patagonia, Toad&Co, Carve Designs, O'Neill, Coolibar, Outdoor Research and more!


Business cards can provide a great way to maximize office supplies and other purchases, and for those who already own the personal version of a card, they offer a second opportunity to score a sign-up bonus. If you already own the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard, and are looking to earn more AAdvantage miles, you might want to check out the limited-time increased sign-up bonus for its business counterpart, the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select World Mastercard.
You can currently earn 50,000 AAdvantage miles after signing up for this card and spending $3,000 within the first three months of account opening. That's a higher spending requirement than the usual $1,000 in the first three months, but you also get an elevated bonus (50,000 miles vs. the standard 30,000). It's not clear when this offer will end, so if you're interested we'd suggest acting sooner than later.
Plus, after November 15, 2015, you'll earn 2x miles on purchases at gas stations, in addition to spending on telecommunications and car rentals. Citi's eliminated its 2x bonus on certain office supply purchases.
This is a business card, but as TPG explained in his post on the Top 10 Reasons to Get a Business Credit Card, you don't need to own a large business to qualify. If you do freelance work or manage an online store, for example, you'll likely be eligible. On the other hand, Citi is one of the stricter issuers when it comes to approving business card accounts, so you may need to provide an EIN or other information.
If you're a frequent American flyer and/or have a specific award redemption in mind, this limited-time elevated sign-up bonus can help you pad your AAdvantage account. With 50,000 miles, you could book a round-trip business or first-class award within the US or a one-way business flight to Europe. According to TPG's latest monthly valuations, American miles are worth 1.7 apiece, so the 50,000-mile bonus would be be worth $850.
On top of the higher-than-usual sign-up bonus, this card now offers 2 miles per dollar spent at gas stations. There are quite a few cards that offer extra points or miles for this bonus category, including the Chase Freedom and the Citi Premier Card, but it's always nice to have another option, especially if your primary goal is to earn American miles.
What would you do with 50,000 AAdvantage miles?


text:
Pollies want local jobs from $190m Shoalwater Bay upgrades
by michellegately
25th Feb 2016 1:08 PM | Updated: 4:44 PM
UPDATE 4.30PM: Rockhampton mayor Margaret Strelow has welcomed a $190 million investment in Shoalwater Bay, but is keen to see the region as a whole benefit.
"We're obviously excited every time there's a real focus on Shoalwater Bay or the military capacity of our region," she said.
The investment was announced in the Federal Government's Defence White Paper, released today.
"The investment will make exercises more effective and efficient, but we're keen to see much of that contract work given to local contractors," Cr Strelow said.
Cr Strelow said the investment was "setting the stage" for an increase in the size and number of military exercises held in the region, something council supports.
Capricornia Mp Michelle Landry said she hoped the investment would benefit local businesses, contractors and suppliers.
EARLIER: THE Federal Government will spend $190 million on defence infrastructure and intelligence projects in Central Queensland.
The projects at Shoalwater Bay were outlined in the Defence White Paper released today.
The paper sets out the government's long-term vision for Australia's national security.
Capricornia MP Michelle Landry said $190 million was earmarked for upgrades to Shoalwater Bay Training Area infrastructure.
$150 million will be spent upgrading Shoalwater Bay to support the range of new land combat and amphibious warfare capabilities over the next decade.
An additional $40 million is planned for 2025-26 to 2035-36.
The new facilities will also support new armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance unmanned aircraft in the early 2020s.
Protester fined $500 for trespassing on Shoalwater Bay
WATCH: $1 billion upgrade for Shoalwater Bay training centre
defence force military shoalwater bay military training

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package com.twentyfour.model;

import java.io.Serializable;

import javax.persistence.Column;
import javax.persistence.Entity;
import javax.persistence.GeneratedValue;
import javax.persistence.GenerationType;
import javax.persistence.Id;
import javax.persistence.Table;

/**
 * The database properties entity.
 */
@Entity(name="properties")
@Table(name="properties")
public class Properties implements Serializable {

    private static final long serialVersionUID = 1655994905208634229L;

    @Id
    @GeneratedValue(strategy = GenerationType.IDENTITY)
    private Long id;
    @Column(unique=true)
    private String db;
    private String state;

    public Long getId() {
        return id;
    }

    public void setId(Long id) {
        this.id = id;
    }

    public String getDb() {
        return db;
    }

    public void setDb(String db) {
        this.db = db;
    }

    public String getState() {
        return state;
    }

    public void setState(String state) {
        this.state = state;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Columbus Supply: Don't Forget to Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter!!
Don't Forget to Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter!!
Don't forget to Like us on Facebook and follow us on twitter for special promotions, discounts and new product lines.


text:
About a Boy ist eine US-amerikanische Sitcom, welche ihre Premiere am 22. Februar 2014 auf NBC hatte. Neben dem Film About a Boy oder: Der Tag der toten Ente stellt die Serie die zweite Adaption des gleichnamigen Buches von Nick Hornby dar. Die Serie spielt im selben Serienuniversum wie die Serie Parenthood, da Dax Shepard als Crosby Braverman in der zehnten Episode der zweiten Staffel von About a Boy einen Auftritt hat.

Im Mai 2015 stellte NBC die Produktion der Serie ein.

Handlung
Im Mittelpunkt der Serie steht der Songschreiber Will Freeman, der ein unbeschwertes Leben führt. Dies ändert sich jedoch, als die alleinerziehende Mutter Fiona mit ihrem elfjährigen Sohn Marcus nebenan einzieht. Mit der Zeit freunden sich Will und Marcus an. Jedoch hat Will Bedenken, da nun ein Kind sein bester Freund ist. Er entdeckt aber, dass Frauen sich zu alleinerziehenden Männern hingezogen fühlen. Um dies zu seinem Vorteil auszunutzen, machen Will und Marcus einen Deal: Marcus tut so, als sei er der Sohn von Will und im Gegenzug erlaubt Will es ihm, bei ihm zu Hause zu spielen.

Besetzung und Synchronisation
Die Synchronisation der Serie wurde bei der VSI Synchron nach Dialogbüchern von Sini Haupt unter der Dialogregie von Tatjana Kopp erstellt.

Produktion
Im Februar 2013 wurde David Walton für die erste zentrale Hauptrolle der Serie verpflichtet. Wenige Tage später folgte die Verpflichtung von Minnie Driver und rund einen Monat später die von Benjamin Stockham, der zu dieser Zeit noch in der Serie 1600 Penn mitspielte, für die restlichen zwei zentralen Rollen. Am 9. Mai 2013 bestellte NBC die Serie offiziell. Im Januar 2014 wurde bekannt gegeben, dass die Serie am 21. Februar 2014 nach einer Berichterstattung über die Olympischen Winterspiele 2014 starten werde. Kurze Zeit später wurde die Entwicklung eines Crossovers mit der Serie Parenthood bekanntgegeben. Im Mai 2014 gab NBC die Verlängerung um eine zweite Staffel bekannt. Im Januar 2015 wurde der Umfang dieser Staffel von 22 auf 20 Episoden gekürzt. Anfang Mai wurde die Serie nach dieser abgesetzt.

Ausstrahlung
Vereinigte Staaten
Die Ausstrahlung der 13 Episoden der ersten Staffel war vom 22. Februar bis zum 13. Mai 2014 zu sehen. Die ersten 14 Episoden der zweiten Staffel wurden vom 14. Oktober 2014 bis zum 17. Februar 2015 ausgestrahlt. Die restlichen Episoden wurden am 20. Juli 2015 über iTunes und Amazon veröffentlicht.

Deutschland
Die deutschsprachige Erstausstrahlung sendet Comedy Central seit dem 16. November 2014.

Episodenliste

Staffel 1

Staffel 2

Weblinks

 Offizielle Website von NBC

Einzelnachweise

Fernsehserie (Vereinigte Staaten)
Fernsehserie der 2010er Jahre
Sitcom
Fernsehserie (National Broadcasting Company)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Great Tip To Sell That Delaware Home Fast For More Money!
If you have ever walked into a new model home you will notice everything is in its place. There are no personal photos, the closet floors have no boxes on them. The basement is empty and looks huge! Agents know this is the ideal way for a home to look but lets be practical, you live in the home and besides moving out it will never look that way.
Many of our home seller clients tell us if they knew they would have to throw away this much stuff they would have done so during the listing period to make the home clutter free, show better and save the extra work just before settlement.
At Delaware Junk Removal we can help your home show better my removing the items you have no need for quickly and for a low price. The reason our prices are so low is we recycle or donate much of what we remove from homes. Its a win win for charity and for you!
Delaware Junk Removal Wilmington Newark Bear New Castle WE RECYCLE!!


text:
const fs = require('fs');
const webpack = require('webpack');
const webpackMerge = require('webpack-merge');
const commonConfig = require('./common');
const path = require('path');
const _ = require('lodash');

const AssetsPlugin = require('assets-webpack-plugin');
const HtmlWebpackPlugin = require('html-webpack-plugin');
const ExtractTextPlugin = require('extract-text-webpack-plugin');
const CleanWebpackPlugin = require('clean-webpack-plugin');
const CompressionPlugin = require('compression-webpack-plugin');

const outputPath = path.resolve(commonConfig.context, 'build', 'assets');

const prodConfig = {
    entry: {
        vendor: ['bootstrap-loader?extractStyles']
    },
    output: {
        path: outputPath,
        publicPath: '/assets/',
        filename: '[name].[hash].js',
        chunkFilename: '[name].[hash].js',
        jsonpFunction: 'jpf'
    },
    plugins: [
        new ExtractTextPlugin({
            filename: '[name].[hash].css',
            allChunks: true
        }),
        new AssetsPlugin({
            filename: 'webpack.assets.json'
        }),
        new CleanWebpackPlugin(['build'], { root: commonConfig.context }),
        new webpack.optimize.OccurrenceOrderPlugin(true),
//        new CompressionPlugin({
//            asset: '[path].gz[query]',
//            algorithm: 'gzip',
//            test: /\.js$|\.css$|\.jpg$|\.png$|\.gif$|\.svg$|\.eot$|\.ttf$|\.woff$/,
//            minRation: 1.0
//        }),
        new webpack.optimize.CommonsChunkPlugin({
            names: 'vendor',
            minChunks: Infinity
        }),
        new webpack.optimize.DedupePlugin(),
        new webpack.LoaderOptionsPlugin({
            minimize: true
        }),
        new webpack.optimize.UglifyJsPlugin({
            comments: function() {
                return false;
            },
            sourceMap: false,
            warnings: false,
            minimize: true,
            compress: true,
            mangle: true,
            beautify: false
        }),
        new HtmlWebpackPlugin({
            filename: path.join(commonConfig.context, 'build', 'index.html'),
            title: commonConfig.headTitle,
            template: '!!ejs!templates/index.tpl'
        })
    ]
};

module.exports = webpackMerge.smart(commonConfig, prodConfig);


text:
Police, medical experts talk mental health and school threats
Disturbing details found in Fair Haven suspect's 'Journal of an Active Shooter'
Updated: 6:40 PM EST Feb 21, 2018
WEBVTT >> ONE OF THE REAL CHALLENGESRENEE: CHILD PSYCHIATRIST DAVIDACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTSHE ALSO KEPT NOTES IN HISDR. RETTEW SAYS WHAT'SCRACKS WE HAVE BACKGROUND ANDIT CAN BE DIFFICULT.IT WILL SURPRISE US IN BOTH-- ACT ON THESE THOUGHTS.RENEE: BUT POLICE ARE THE ONESLT. DOUGLAS ALLEN SAYS POLICEX YOU WORK TO INVESTIGATE WHATRENEE: DOCTORS AND POLICE SAYBUT THEY ADD THAT YOUNG PEOPLE
A private journal recovered by police is now a key part of the investigation into 18-year-old Jack Sawyer of Poultney, Vermont.He's facing attempted first-degree murder charges in connection with an alleged plot to kill people at Fair Haven Union High School. But how do you tell if a young person is making a serious threat? "One of the real challenges is, despite all our background and expertise, we're not that great on predicting the future," University of Vermont Medical Center child psychiatrist Dr. David Rettew said. He said it's not unusual for young people to have dark thoughts, or even to write them down. According to court documents, Sawyer, 18, wrote about hurting himself and others. He also kept notes in his "Journal of an Active Shooter," listing what guns to buy, how much they'll cost, writing, "…it's about killing as many people as I can." Rettew said what's concerning is if thoughts like those in the journal turn into plans for action. "Even when we have background and we have known risk factors, it's relatively imprecise. And so it can really be difficult because people will surprise us in both directions and people who look really dangerous may actually never act on those thoughts and people who have very few warning signs can sometimes do horrific things," he said. Lt. Douglas Allen at Colchester Police Department told NBC5 law enforcement officers are always judging how bad things are - or could become. "Law enforcement is not set up to deal with those mental health issues," Allen said. "(Police) work to investigate to see what was behind that. What was behind that threat, behind that statement, behind that action." Doctors and police said the most important way to keep a tragedy from happening is to report any concerns. But they add that young people shouldn't be afraid to ask for help.
A private journal recovered by police is now a key part of the investigation into 18-year-old Jack Sawyer of Poultney, Vermont.
He's facing attempted first-degree murder charges in connection with an alleged plot to kill people at Fair Haven Union High School.
'I'm aiming to kill as many as I can': Journal of former student allegedly plotting school shooting
Former Fair Haven student stopped taking medication, studied Columbine
But how do you tell if a young person is making a serious threat?
"One of the real challenges is, despite all our background and expertise, we're not that great on predicting the future," University of Vermont Medical Center child psychiatrist Dr. David Rettew said.
He said it's not unusual for young people to have dark thoughts, or even to write them down.
According to court documents, Sawyer, 18, wrote about hurting himself and others.
He also kept notes in his "Journal of an Active Shooter," listing what guns to buy, how much they'll cost, writing, "…it's about killing as many people as I can."
Rettew said what's concerning is if thoughts like those in the journal turn into plans for action.
"Even when we have background and we have known risk factors, it's relatively imprecise. And so it can really be difficult because people will surprise us in both directions and people who look really dangerous may actually never act on those thoughts and people who have very few warning signs can sometimes do horrific things," he said.
Lt. Douglas Allen at Colchester Police Department told NBC5 law enforcement officers are always judging how bad things are - or could become.
"Law enforcement is not set up to deal with those mental health issues," Allen said. "(Police) work to investigate to see what was behind that. What was behind that threat, behind that statement, behind that action."
Doctors and police said the most important way to keep a tragedy from happening is to report any concerns.
But they add that young people shouldn't be afraid to ask for help.


text:
<?php
namespace Tartana\Host;

use GuzzleHttp\Psr7\Request;
use GuzzleHttp\RequestOptions;
use Symfony\Component\DomCrawler\Crawler;
use Tartana\Entity\Download;
use Tartana\Host\Common\Http;
use Tartana\Util;

class Youtubecom extends Http
{

	public function fetchLinkList($link)
	{
		if (!Util::startsWith($link, 'https://www.youtube.com/playlist?')) {
			return parent::fetchLinkList($link);
		}

		$resp = $this->getClient()->request('get', $link);

		$crawler = new Crawler($resp->getBody()->getContents());

		// Extracting the links which belong to the playlist
		$links = $crawler->filter('a.pl-video-title-link')->extract([
			'href'
		]);

		$data = [];
		foreach ($links as $link) {
			$uri = parse_url($link);

			if (!key_exists('path', $uri) || $uri['path'] != '/watch') {
				continue;
			}

			$params = [];
			parse_str($uri['query'], $params);
			if (key_exists('v', $params)) {
				$data[] = 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=' . $params['v'];
			}
		}
		return array_unique($data);
	}

	public function fetchDownloadInfo(array $downloads)
	{
		foreach ($downloads as $download) {
			// Connection check
			try {
				$data = $this->getStreamData($download);
				if (!empty($data['title']) && empty($download->getFileName())) {
					$download->setFileName($this->makeSafe($data['title'] . '.mp4'));
				}

				if (key_exists('errorcode', $data) && $data['errorcode'] > 0 && key_exists('reason', $data)) {
					$download->setMessage($data['reason']);
					$download->setState(Download::STATE_DOWNLOADING_ERROR);
				}
			} catch (\Exception $e) {
				$this->log('Exception fetching head for connection test: ' . $e->getMessage());
				$download->setMessage('TARTANA_DOWNLOAD_MESSAGE_INVALID_URL');
				$download->setState(Download::STATE_DOWNLOADING_ERROR);
			}
		}
	}

	protected function getUrlToDownload(Download $download)
	{
		$data = $this->getStreamData($download);

		if (!key_exists('url_encoded_fmt_stream_map', $data)) {
			return null;
		}

		foreach (explode(',', $data['url_encoded_fmt_stream_map']) as $streamData) {
			parse_str($streamData, $streamData);

			if (key_exists('url', $streamData)) {
				$url = urldecode($streamData['url']);
				$this->log('Youtube real url: ' . $url);
				return $url;
			}
		}
		return null;
	}

	private function getStreamData(Download $download)
	{
		if (preg_match(
			'%(?:youtube(?:-nocookie)?\.com/(?:[^/]+/.+/|(?:v|e(?:mbed)?)/|.*[?&]v=)|youtu\.be/)([^"&?/ ]{11})%i',
			$download->getLink(),
			$match
		)) {
			$headers = [
				'User-Agent' => 'Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64; rv:10.0) Gecko/20150101 Firefox/44.0 (Chrome)',
				'Referer' => $download->getLink(),
				'Accept-Language' => 'en-us,en;q=0.5',
				'Accept-Encoding' => 'gzip, deflate',
				'Accept-Charset' => 'ISO-8859-1,utf-8;q=0.7,*;q=0.7',
				'Accept' => 'text/html,application/xhtml+xml,application/xml;q=0.9,*/*;q=0.8',
				'Connection' => 'close',
				'Origin' => 'https://www.youtube.com',
				'Host' => 'www.youtube.com'
			];
			// Getting the link information initializing the cookie
			$this->getClient()->request(
				'get',
				$download->getLink() . '&gl=US&hl=en&has_verified=1&bpctr=9999999999',
				[
					RequestOptions::HEADERS => $headers
				]
			);

			// Fetching the video information
			$res = $this->getClient()->request(
				'get',
				'http://www.youtube.com/get_video_info?video_id=' . $match[1] . '&el=info&ps=default&eurl=&gl=US&hl=en',
				[
					RequestOptions::HEADERS => $headers
				]
			);

			parse_str($res->getBody()->getContents(), $videoData);
			return $videoData;
		}

		return [
			'title' => '',
			'url_encoded_fmt_stream_map' => ''
		];
	}

	/**
	 *
	 * @param string $file
	 * @return string
	 * @see http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2668854/sanitizing-strings-to-make-them-url-and-filename-safe
	 * @see http://stackoverflow.com/a/24812812/356375
	 */
	private function makeSafe($file)
	{
		// Remove any trailing dots, as those aren't ever valid file names.
		$file = rtrim($file, '.');

		$regex = array(
			'#(\.){2,}#',
			'#[^A-Za-z0-9\.\_\- ]#',
			'#^\.#'
		);

		return trim(preg_replace($regex, '', $file));
	}
}


text:
Q: Print blank line after each group of rows I have the following table to find the given value's before and after rows.
For example want to show 2 rows before and after of the given column col2 value 125 and also want to print the blank line after each group.
Table:
CREATE TABLE PreTest
(
 col1 int,
 col2 int,
 col3 date,
 col4 time
);

Sample Data:
insert into PreTest values(111,123,'2018-01-01','00:10:11'),
                          (111,124,'2018-01-01','00:10:12'),
                          (111,125,'2018-01-01','00:10:17'),
                          (111,126,'2018-01-01','00:10:16'),
                          (111,127,'2018-01-01','00:10:13');
insert into PreTest values(111,228,'2018-01-02','10:13:01'),
                            (111,229,'2018-01-02','10:13:11'),
                            (111,125,'2018-01-02','10:13:02'),
                            (111,237,'2018-01-02','10:13:30'),
                            (111,232,'2018-01-01','10:13:04');
insert into PreTest values(111,339,'2018-01-03','11:10:01'),
                            (111,338,'2018-01-03','11:10:04'),
                            (111,125,'2018-01-03','11:10:02'),
                            (111,340,'2018-01-03','00:10:11'),
                            (111,333,'2018-01-01','11:10:03');

Query:
WITH C1 AS
(
    SELECT ROW_NUMBER() OVER(order by col3,col4) rn,*
    FROM PreTest
)
SELECT * FROM
(

    SELECT * FROM C1 WHERE rn IN (SELECT rn FROM C1 WHERE col2 = '125')
    UNION
    SELECT * FROM C1 WHERE rn IN ( SELECT rn - 1 FROM C1 WHERE col2 = '125')
    UNION
    SELECT * FROM C1 WHERE rn IN ( SELECT rn - 2 FROM C1 WHERE col2 = '125')
    UNION
    SELECT * FROM C1 WHERE rn IN ( SELECT rn + 1 FROM C1 WHERE col2 = '125')
    UNION
    SELECT * FROM C1 WHERE rn IN ( SELECT rn + 2 FROM C1 WHERE col2 = '125')
) a

Expected Output:
rn                   col1        col2        col3       col4
-------------------- ----------- ----------- ---------- ----------------
4                    111         127         2018-01-01 00:10:13.0000000
5                    111         126         2018-01-01 00:10:16.0000000
6                    111         125         2018-01-01 00:10:17.0000000
7                    111         132         2018-01-01 10:13:04.0000000
8                    111         232         2018-01-01 10:13:04.0000000

12                   111         128         2018-01-02 10:13:01.0000000
13                   111         130         2018-01-02 10:13:02.0000000
14                   111         125         2018-01-02 10:13:02.0000000
15                   111         229         2018-01-02 10:13:11.0000000
16                   111         129         2018-01-02 10:13:11.0000000

22                   111         139         2018-01-03 11:10:01.0000000
23                   111         141         2018-01-03 11:10:02.0000000
24                   111         125         2018-01-03 11:10:02.0000000
25                   111         338         2018-01-03 11:10:04.0000000
26                   111         138         2018-01-03 11:10:04.0000000

A: While I agree with Sean that there is no good reason to ever want to do this in SQL Server as opposed to the presentation layer, it can be done.
You would need to use a gaps and islands approach to determine at which point your groups change, and insert an artificial row of blank values at those points in the ORDER BY.
This means that if you want a blank row between row number 4 & 5, you would need to CAST the row number as a decimal and add a blank row with row number 4.5 or something like that.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Breakfast at Chef Mickey's is a great way to start your day! Getting to your reservation at the Contemporary will take about 45 minutes using Disney transportation, but I would allow about an hour to account for any wait times.
You will want to catch the Magic Kingdom bus and from their you can either walk or take the monorail to the Contemporary. Chef Mickey's is located on the 4th floor of the resort. If you find you are running late that morning, you can also grab a taxi at the front doors of your resort and your driver can get you to the front doors of the Contemporary in about 15 minutes, with a taxi fare(approximately) under $20 including tip.
Have a great time at your breakfast and make sure to tell Mickey that I said "HI!" Enjoy!


text:
The Hateful Eight – Movie Review
Last weekend, I got the opportunity to see THE HATEFUL EIGHT's limited Roadshow, 70mm showing. This exclusive print of the film ran for approximately 6 minutes longer than the standard theatrical release, opened with an Overture, had an intermission, and you received a souvenir program. It was probably the best movie going experience I've had since I was a child seeing Batman for the first time. Unfortunately, the Roadshow release is playing in fewer than 50 of the country's biggest cities, but if you get the opportunity to see this film the way is was intended to be seen, I highly recommend you take it. If not, it's a wonderfully enjoyable film that I still highly recommend seeing in any format available to you (except for illegally pirating it, obviously).
The Hateful Eight, or The H8ful Eight as it has been horrendously stylized, is the 8th film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars many of Tarantino's favorite actors including Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and Bruce Dern, along with some new faces to the world of Tarantino such as Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Channing Tatum. All of these people play some pretty hateful characters stuck through a snowstorm in a small cabin in Wyoming. That's pretty much all you need to know, aside from the preconceived knowledge that a Tarantino film refuses to allow any character to not bleed at least a little. Believe it or not, this is a gruesome film: a lot of blood, a lot of swearing, and a lot of violence. This is nothing new in Tarantino's filmography, but at times it can be a little unsettling. Sure, there's a certain level of suspension of disbelief to be obtained here, but I'm fairly certain people's heads do not explode when shot at close range… Although, I've never seen it live.
While it's not apparent from the trailers, the majority of the story takes place in a single cabin. This was a pretty big let down for me, as the landscapes are absolutely stunning. The 70mm film format has such a large range that I wish it were more frequently utilized in this over three hour film. Regardless, it plays out like a paranoia-ridden game of Clue, very similar to 1982's THE THING also starring Kurt Russell with a score also by Ennio Morricone. And in that sense, it's really intriguing, keeping the audience guessing over who's in cahoots with whom. It was difficult for me to actually want any of the characters to succeed, because they're all so vile and cruel, but I quickly realized that that's kind of the point. It is called The HATEFUL Eight after all. No one really likes each other, and everyone just wants to get out of that cabin alive. But within a minute of everyone stepping inside, you know that not everyone is going to be leaving.
Like I said earlier, this is a Tarantino flick all in all. There's not really anything new to be seen from a directing or writing standpoint. His dialogue is off the charts, the cinematography is gorgeous, but as a director, I can't help but feeling that this film was a little stale for him. Maybe I'm just being too critical, but I wish he would step way out of his comfort zone for his 9th film to really grow and change a little bit. If you love Quentin the way he is, The Hateful Eight will be a treat. If you've got a "been there, seen that" attitude regarding his work, still check it out. It might not be refreshing, but it's a heck of a lot of fun.
THE HATEFUL EIGHT – Dir. Quentin Tarantino
Run Time: 3 hours 7 minutes (whew)
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bruce Dern, Tim Roth
4 years ago /Kurt Russell, Quentin Tarantino, Samuel L. Jackson, Tarantino, The Hateful Eight


text:
Sibley is a town in south Webster Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,218 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Minden Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Community highlights

The former Sibley High School, now known as Lakeside Junior and Senior High School, is located south of town off Louisiana Highway 7. The Sibley Town Hall was relocated to a portion of the former Sibley High School campus.

In a predominantly African American section of Yellow Pine is a community formerly known as "King Solomon Hill," centered on an actual hill on which stood King Solomon Hill Baptist Church. (The community is now known as "Salt Works.") The blues historian Gayle Dean Wardlow concluded that it was from this address that  Paramount Records chose to give the blues musician Joe Holmes, a resident of Sibley, the recording name of King Solomon Hill.

Geography
Sibley is located at  (32.540704, -93.293208).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 4.0 square miles (10.4 km), of which 3.9 square miles (10.0 km) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.4 km) (3.49%) is water.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,127 people, 554 households, and 396 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,098 people, 412 households, and 315 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 457 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 74.95% White, 23.59% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.18% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.55% of the population.

There were 412 households, out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 18.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $28,816, and the median income for a family was $34,479. Males had a median income of $34,750 versus $17,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,749. About 14.4% of families and 21.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.3% of those under age 18 and 22.1% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people
Provine Bradley (1907-1986), Negro league baseball player

References

External links

Towns in Louisiana
Towns in Webster Parish, Louisiana


text:
package utils

import akka.actor._
import akka.routing.RoundRobinRouter
import java.io.File
import akka.pattern.{ ask, pipe }
import akka.util.Timeout
import play.api.libs.concurrent.Execution.Implicits._
import scala.concurrent.duration._
import play.Logger
import play.api.Play
import scala.language.postfixOps

case class Work(file: File)
case class Result(file: File, bucketName: String, content: String)
case class QueryRunningJobs()
case class RunningJobs(jobs: List[File])
case class FinishedWork(file: File)

class AnalyzeMaster extends Actor {
  val analyzingTimeout = Timeout(Play.current.configuration.getInt("dmpster.analyzer.timeout.minutes").getOrElse(60) minutes)

  val activeWork = collection.mutable.ListBuffer[File]()

  val analyzerWorkers = Play.current.configuration.getInt("dmpster.analyzer.workers").getOrElse(2)
  val router = context.actorOf(Props[AnalyzeWorker].withRouter(RoundRobinRouter(analyzerWorkers)), "router")

  def receive = {
    case work @ Work(file) => {
      Logger.info(s"adding $file to active work")
      activeWork.append(file)
      implicit val t = analyzingTimeout
      val result = router ? work
      pipe(result) to sender
    }

    case QueryRunningJobs => {
      sender ! RunningJobs(activeWork.toList)
    }

    case FinishedWork(file) => {
      Logger.info(s"removing $file from active work")
      activeWork -= file
    }
  }
}

class AnalyzeWorker extends Actor {
  def receive = {
    case Work(file) => {
      val (bucketName, content) = DmpParser(file).parse
      sender ! Result(file, bucketName, content)
      context.actorSelection("../..") ! FinishedWork(file)
    }
  }
}


I have dinner parties on the mind lately. It makes sense, considering it's officially the season of festive holiday parties and many of those are dinner parties.
Now that I have my own office space and an 8-person dining table, I can't wait to throw my first dinner party of the holiday season! Although, does Thanksgiving count? That's a pretty big party!
Today, I have an easy, flavorful, and beautiful spiral-y potato casserole that's perfect for bringing to one of your soirees this holiday season!
Rosemary, garlic, and thyme are my three favorite flavors to bake potatoes with. These seasonings really bring out the buttery flavor of potatoes, IMHO.
These potatoes are on a new level, baked with rich gruyere cheese and a dusting of Parmesan for an extra savory kick. AND, they're beautiful – using Blade A on the Inspiralizer to make spirals, the potatoes are adorably curly.
Potatoes are underrated, I think – most are just prepared in cubes or slices. If you bring this casserole dish to a dinner party, your friends will be thankful – and you won't be tempted to grab that creamy, buttery potato gratin across the table.
Tell me – what's your favorite dish to bring to a dinner party? Maybe I can re-create it using the Inspiralizer!
Minted is giving away a $125 gift card to TWO of my followers! To enter to win, all you need to do is enter the raffle here, by entering in your e-mail address. Giveaway ends December 11th, and I'll be announcing the winner on Monday, December 12th! Good luck!
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another 1 minute or until fragrant. Add in the broth, season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes or until reduced. Add the thyme and stir, then remove the skillet from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, spiralize the potatoes with Blade A.
Then, grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Lay out half of the spiralized potatoes in an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Top with half of the onion mixture, and then sprinkle evenly with half of the gruyere cheese. Top evenly with the remaining spiralized potatoes and the remaining onion mixture, and the remaining gruyere cheese. Top with parmesan cheese.
Cover the baking pan with aluminum foil and bake for 60 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.
Remove and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of thyme.
Is it possible tomspiralize apples to make an apple pie? If so, do you have a recipe? Thanks so much.
Hi Ali! This blog post couldn't have come at a better time for me! I have been looking for the past week for a spiralized potato casserole i could serve at a friend-mas dinner we are having Saturday. I happen to be one of those weird people who don't care for cheese, do you think it would turn out fine if I omitted the cheese from it, or only did it on half for others to enjoy?
I think you can do half and half! It's better with the cheese, of course, but without, it's still a tasty way to eat regular potatoes!
I couldn't have sent my mom the link to this recipe ANY FASTER!! Every year, I'm like.. ugh mom, those scalloped potatoes are so rich and so heavy and blah blah blah. But she makes them for my dad and brother.. and of course they are IMPOSSIBLE to resist. This is a great alternative!! Indulgent.. but MUCH lighter than the alternative!! (I don't see the calories or nutritional info listed.. just points.. am I missing something?) Thanks Ali!
Hi Ali Is it possible to substitute another cheese in this potato thyme casserole?


Look through the profiles of Member members that have joined Trucker Personals that are tagged with Indian. Dating other members that have similar interests is an ideal way to find things to do on a first date. Register for a 100% Free Profile to Go out Today!
looking to enjoy life again.widowed 4 years and want to feel alive again.


An ace of a kind, a one in a million, the greatest entertainer ever, Michael Jackson will forever be missed and be spoken of. His influence in music and dance is immense and eternal. After almost a year and a half after his death, at a time when his death or birth or any other significant event in his life didn't take place, I decided to share this video after I came across it hiding among a pile of desktop icons. I made it at around the time of his death for a show we did as a tribute to him. The video is a combination of images and videos of Michael Jackson's contribution to the world as a child, musician, dancer, entertainer and humanitarian. To me, he was almost surreal; he was simply a fascinating human being and the best musical genius to ever hit the planet.


Contemporary bedrooms are characterized by clean simple lines with an emphasis on comfort and function. They exude an atmosphere of calm and orderliness without being drab or boring.
1. Choose the right paint. The walls are the most visible element in the room and need to really stand out when other design elements are minimized. Whether you choose soft neutral shades such as sand, rain-cloud gray, and khaki or go for richer tones such as cinnamon, slate or pumpkin your walls should make a statement and they should be colors you love, not just what is popular. Before you commit to a color scheme, bring home a few paint sample cards to compare in your bedroom and even buy sample jars of paint to try on the walls before you purchase enough to paint the entire room.
2. Select bedroom furniture with simple lines and understated details. Many contemporary designs feature dark finishes such as black, chocolate, mahogany or cherry. Sleek and compact furniture helps the room maintain a crisp uncluttered style. If you would rather not buy new furniture, try painting your pieces to match the updated look of your room.
3. Loose the clutter. Purge belongings that you no longer want or need by donating them. The hallmark of contemporary bedrooms is orderliness. Find a place for everything and keep it there. The more items you can store out of site, the more tidy and organized your room will appear promoting the calm peaceful atmosphere you are going for.
4. Showcase a few key accent pieces. Although you want to reduce clutter, you can still have a few accessories that bring a sense of style and luxury to your bedroom. These can include one or two throw pillows, a contemporary style floor lamp, or a throw rug with a striking pattern. Choose pieces that work with your color scheme and that go well together.


Sydney, Australia – 9 December 2011- Cat Trucks Australia has received regulatory certification of its Cat® ACERT C15 engine as meeting ADR 80-03 emissions standards for use in Australia.
"This important milestone confirms that we will continue to offer the largely unchanged and customer-preferred Cat C15 engine, which is available only through Cat Trucks Australia and has the service support of the Cat dealer network," said Bill Fulton, Cat Trucks Australia managing director.
The Cat C15 ADR80-03 engine will deliver up to 550 HP and 1850 Lb-ft of torque. The updated Cat ACERT C15 engine is based on the well-proven EPA04 Cat C15 platform. The engine software has been recalibrated to reduce emissions. No hardware changes have been made to the engine except for a crankcase breather and the addition of a passive diesel particulate filter (DPF) system.
The package will also include a Cat DPF monitoring system to continuously monitor backpressure and exhaust temperatures.
The engine development program for the updated Cat C15 was conducted in Australia and optimised for the ADR 80-03 requirements.
The emissions solution does not require the use of EGR or SCR technology, a significant advantage for Cat Trucks. Instead, a 95 percent-plus PM (particulate matter) reduction is achieved using well-proven dual DPFs with passive regeneration technology. Ongoing in-country testing has demonstrated that passive regeneration is extremely effective at all loads and speeds, negating the need for a complex active regeneration system.
Testing of emissions controls on the updated Cat C15 engine is already under way, with encouraging results to date. The first test unit has already undergone extensive in-market dyno testing, as well as more than 10,000 km of on-road testing in a Cat® CT630 prime mover.
To find that point, Bueman noted, he has been driving the CT630 under worst-case conditions for producing soot and clogging up the system. "This includes driving bobtail and empty-trailer running, in both heavy peak-hour traffic jams and stop-start conditions, and in all of these conditions, the back-pressures are remaining normal," Bueman said.
Test results to date also confirm that no active regeneration is required for the system, as the dual DPFs are cleaning themselves at about 240 degrees Celsius, far lower than the engine's peak operating temperature of 600 degrees or more.
The next phase of the on-road programme, which is expected to conclude by January, will test the C15 under typical working conditions on a range of routes in various environments throughout Australia. Meanwhile, the towing weight of the CT630 test truck will incrementally increase up to 68 000kg that will also include B-double operations.
"We expect this next phase will also show strong results, as the CT630 will be running at temperatures required to maintain the exhaust system, during the hottest time of the year, whilst always maintaining the emissions standards," Bueman said.
In addition, the C15 is demonstrating excellent fuel economy. "These results are consistent with the vehicle's low tare weight, which is lowest in its class, as well as its outstanding aerodynamics" Bueman said.
After the formal on-road testing is concluded, three units will be fitted for customer fleet testing, also in the very near term.


text:
Women report skipping scientific conferences because of child care
ANN ARBOR, Michigan -- For oncologists in the beginning of their career, scientific conferences present an opportunity to network, share their research, gain new knowledge and begin to advance in their career. But many women find themselves skipping these conferences because of family obligations, a new study finds.
Researchers surveyed 248 early career oncologists practicing at National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers. Women were less likely than men to attend scientific meetings, although both genders noted that conferences were important to career advancement. Nearly half of women said having children interfered with attending meetings, while only a third of men did.
"Amid concerns about gender inequity in advancement in medicine, it is especially important to identify innovative and visible actions that target the mechanisms fueling inequity," says study author Reshma Jagsi, M.D., D.Phil., Newman Family Professor and deputy chair of radiation oncology at Michigan Medicine and director of the Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine at the University of Michigan.
About three-quarters of both the men and the women surveyed had young children. But while 74% of women had a spouse employed full-time, only 45% of men did. And women reported spending about 10 hours more each week than men on parenting and domestic tasks. The study is published in JAMA Oncology.
"Our society continues to embrace a gendered division of domestic labor, whereby women bear the greater burden of responsibilities at home, even when they're highly committed to their careers. Facilitating work-life integration is essential, and this study provides concrete data to support this need," Jagsi says.
The authors cite onsite child care and women's networking venues as essential elements to improve access for women. Nearly three times as many women as men said having child care onsite at meetings would be extremely important and would help enable them to attend.
The annual American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in June offered professional onsite child care for children 6 months to 12 years. Jagsi says this example shows that onsite child care is feasible.
"Women want to attend these meetings. They offer critical opportunities for leadership, networking, education, mentorship, scholarly dissemination and so much more," she says. "For our profession to access the full talent pool and reap the demonstrated benefits of diversity, we need to figure out ways to promote work-life integration."
Additional authors: Miriam A. Knoll, M.D.; Kent A. Griffith, M.S.; Rochelle D. Jones, M.S.
Disclosure: Jagsi serves on the board of directors of ASCO and as vice chair of the ethics committee of ASTRO. Her work is separate from those roles.
Reference: JAMA Oncology, doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2019.1864, published online July 18, 2019
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, http://www.rogelcancercenter.org
Michigan Health Lab, http://www.MichiganHealthLab.org
Michigan Medicine Cancer AnswerLine, 800-865-1125
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan
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