text:
Reported via mobile anonymously at 11:18, Friday 19 March 2021
Sent to Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council less than a minute later
Local vagrants have used tree by river opposite number 52 water lane as a toilet. Ongoing problem in area.
Provide an update


text:
BV Positive Control
NATtrol products are ready-to-use, inactivated full process controls designed to evaluate performance of molecular tests. They can be used for verification of assays, training of laboratory personnel and to monitor assay-kit lot performance. NATtrol products contain intact organisms and should be run in a manner similar to clinical specimens.
NATtrol BV Positive Control includes L. jensenii Z264, G. vaginalis Z247, A. vaginae Z242, and BVAB2 recombinant.
• Formulated with purified, intact organisms
• Organisms are chemically modified to render them noninfectious
• Refrigerator stable—store between 2 and 8°C
• Purified protein matrix treated with 0.09% sodium azide
• 6 x 0.15 mL vials
For Research Use Only. Not for use in Diagnostic Procedures.
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. Quality control materials should be used in accordance with local, state, federal, and accreditation requirements. This product is not intended to replace the manufacturer's controls provided with the assay. Propagation or commercialization are prohibited without prior written consent from Antylia Scientific.
When used as a control for nucleic acid tests, the same protocols as those used to amplify extracted clinical specimens should be employed.
The suitability and performance characteristics should be determined by your laboratory for each intended usage.
NATtrol™ BV Positive Control (NATBVPOS-BD) is intended for use as an assayed quality control material to monitor the performance of in vitro diagnostic laboratory nucleic acid testing procedures for the qualitative detection of targets on the BD Vaginal Panel for BD MAX™ System. NATtrol™ BV Positive Control is a qualitative control containing intact and inactivated Lactobacillus jensenii, Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae containing BVAB2 (Bacterial Vaginosis-Associated Bacterium 2) sequence and intended to be used solely with the BD Vaginal Panel for BD MAX™ System. This product is not intended to replace manufacturer controls provided in the package insert.

domain: chemistry


Re: nat issue
Oleg a écrit :
> On Sat, Feb 05, 2011 at 12:57:16PM +0100, Pascal Hambourg wrote:
>> Another option may be to use a virtual network between virtual machines
>> instead of a bridge, so the host does not see the traffic between them.
>> I don't know whether KVM provides such option, otherwise VDE (vde2)
>> could be used instead.
> kvm support vde. I've tested it. It works well. But what about perfomance
> and stability? Which of two (vde vs bridge&tap) is better?
I have no clue, not having used VDE yet. VDE being entirely userland
without the need to call the host's kernel networking stack, my first
guess would be that it may have less overhead. But that is just a guess.


text:
District 3, Post 1 Tucker City Council candidates discuss urban camping, zoningLeft to right: Candidates Alexis Weaver and Neal Stubblefield
Tucker, GA — Candidates for District 3, Post 1 Tucker City Council are David Deaton, Neal Stubblefield and Alexis Weaver.
Stubblefield and Weaver met in a virtual forum on Sept. 18, moderated by Decaturish Editor and Publisher Dan Whisenhunt. Deaton was unable to attend. Each candidate delivered an opening and closing statement, along with an answer to questions from staff and readers. Tucker Observer is bringing you the highlights of the forum.
Neal Stubblefield is a retired consulting engineer who has lived in Tucker for 31 years. He was involved in the cityhood effort in 2015, testifying before the Georgia legislature. He serves on the Zoning Board of Appeals and the 2070 Wastewater Master Plan task force. “We need to do what we’ve committed to do through our charter. Those three services that are provided by the charter – parks and rec, planning and zoning, permitting and code enforcement – we need to do that at our very best level,” he said.
Alexis Weaver, 8-year resident of Tucker, is running to represent values of inclusion and diversity. Weaver has two decades of economic and community development experience and volunteers at NETWorks Cooperative Ministry in Tucker. One of my passions is how we can increase citizen engagement … I’m looking forward to getting the chance to hear all these ideas and see how we can shape our community for the next few years.”
Here is the recording of that forum:
Here is our recap of some highlights from the Sept. 18 forum:
Q: This election has brought out many different candidates with a diverse range of perspectives. This year, there are people of color running, members of the LGBTQ community running and single parents running. What does that say to you about the future of Tucker?
“Tucker has a bright future because we’ve got so many folks from so many different walks of life who are engaging in the public process. One of the things that I noted about Tucker is we’ve got a great spirit of volunteerism in this city,” said Stubblefield, noting he counts at least 30 volunteer organizations in Tucker.
Whether you’ve lived here for 30 years or three years, your voice is as equally important, said Weaver.
“We haven’t had a lot of discussion and dialogue because we’ve had uncontested races historically, so I think it’s a really good, healthy time for us as a community to be talking about what types of leadership that we’re looking for, how we can make sure that people feel represented by their city leadership,” she said.
Q: From a reader: Tucker’s comprehensive plan is an opportunity to demonstrate measures and progress towards success and Tucker. What additional measures of success will you add to the plan?
Weaver said evaluating the success of a plan means asking what has been done, how well was it done and if anyone is better off because of the work.
“I’d love to see us do interactive dashboard on the city website… something that lets the community know where are we in terms of not just progress, but how well are we doing it, what can we change, how can we get better,” she said. “Having a continuous improvement process is really important.”
The comprehensive plan is made up of a plan for trails, parks and recreation, transportation and the downtown grid. A revision of Tucker’s comprehensive plan is due in 2026, but Stubblefield said it takes about a year of public input, meetings, draft process and public hearings. A charter review committee is required to look at the city’s charter every three years. Stubblefield served on the committee, and said the process “provides an opportunity for us to reassess what [are] our services and what is our service delivery.”
Q: From a reader: I am a member of the LGBT community. I’m a spouse and a mother of two kids. What you will do to make the city more inclusive and family-focused and foster utilization of our diversity for the good of Tucker?
Stubblefield said he has seen Tucker change tremendously, in size and in the variety of people who have come to live in Tucker over the last 30 years. He hopes people who move to Tucker feel it is a welcoming community.
Stubblefield supports Tucker Open Door’s sticker program that “allows businesses and other organizations to indicate their support for an inclusive community. It goes beyond mere virtue signaling, in my opinion. To me, it says, ‘Hey, we’re all-in as a business, as an organization. You’re welcome. We have a contract, if you will, with our employees and people within our organization, but we also have expectations of [public facing] customers. We have expectations of our clients and suppliers, and that then everybody be treated fairly and equally.’”
“It’s really important that all of our neighbors feel that this is a welcoming place. I’m not sure that they do right now,” said Weaver, who is pushing for an equity assessment. “The lack of action on the non-discrimination ordinance really shows how our leadership and our community is afraid to have that conversation in 2021. I think it’s past time that we make a clear statement that discrimination does not have a place in our community, so we need to start there. We shouldn’t put the onus entirely on the businesses.”
She said the city’s marketing and communications materials should reflect all types of families.
Q: What are your goals in the next four year for these three city services: zoning, code enforcement and parks?
Weaver said with a long-term vision, the city can determine how housing, businesses and density intersect so the direction of the city is not changing constantly.
“We need to make sure that across the lifecycle, we have housing that fits everybody’s needs,” she said. “I hear over and over again from people who’ve lived here about as long as I have … if they tried to move to Tucker today, they wouldn’t be able to do it.”
Code enforcement, historically and systemically, can be used as a tool for oppression and has some racist undertones, said Weaver.
“We want to [review] priorities for code enforcement, so that those things are being done equitably across our community, and that there aren’t populations that are targeted whether unintentionally or not,” she said.
Finally, with parks, Weaver is a proponent of more connectivity between parks.
Stubblefield said there are opportunities to acquire more green space.
“The folks down in District 2, for example, would say they’re underserved. I think we need to actively look for some additional green space for those folks,” he said.
Code enforcement, which needs use more consistency and standardization, is largely a public safety and health issue, he said. Tucker Civic Association’s Lifelong Community committee is organizing volunteers to help residents who have been cited but cannot make repairs due to age or ability, he added.
“Zoning densification … is needed so that we can continue to enjoy what I think is still some of the best real estate opportunities in the county,” said Stubblefield. When we decided to downsize, the type of house that we gravitate to is often the one that first time homebuyers are going to – a ranch-style house – so we need to convince some developers to build a different product.”
Q: What is your position on implementing a non-discrimination ordinance in the city of Tucker?
Stubblefield said during his campaign he has reached out to the proponents of the NDO, who have all served on appointed city boards. He supports non-discrimination laws, not necessarily an ordnance in Tucker.
“The proposed ordinance required the city employee staff to field complaints, make determinations, impose fines and I just don’t think the proposed ordinance is currently drafted in the best interest of the city of Tucker or its residents,” he said. “I’d be willing to consider [an NDO] that doesn’t duplicate existing federal and state laws, preserves these logical exemptions and doesn’t create an unnecessary burden on the city of Tucker or its taxpayers or imposes liability on the city.”
“I support non-discrimination laws generally in the desire to eliminate unlawful discrimination, but the proponents of the proposed ordinance, they have a laudable goal however I don’t think they understand the scope of the existing laws are in place that prohibit discrimination, the breadth of the ordinance that has been proposed, or the unintended consequences that would have if it’s adopted,” he added.
Weaver calls herself “an enthusiastic supporter of the NDO.”
“What is really unfortunate is that we had a group of very smart, passionate, citizens put this together, based on what is standard practice in surrounding cities, and ask the City Council to discuss it, and it sat on a shelf for two years,” she said, adding protections start at a local level.
“When it comes down to it, this the ordinance is around protecting LGBTQ families and individuals. And that’s something that isn’t necessarily covered by federal and state laws as comprehensively as it should be,” she said. “The ordinance sets out a really straightforward process for how to handle concerns that citizens may have. I don’t think that it’s an undue burden, but I also would like to just have that discussion.”
“It’s also the goal to not to wait until discrimination happens, right? We want to make sure that we are being proactive, and saying that we do not accept discrimination in this community,” she said, referring to hate crime bill proposed in Georgia after the murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Ga.
Q: Do you think Tucker should have its own police department? If so, how will the city pay for it?
Both candidates said Tucker does not need its own police department at this time.
“We have a great relationship with the Tucker precinct of DeKalb County PD here in Tucker, and I think they do an excellent job. We can do even more to advocate for our residents’ concerns and for our business owners’ concerns with that department,” said Weaver.
Stubblefield said staff retention has been an issue in Tucker, and all over the country. He is a proponent of using American Rescue Plan funds to reward police officers with retention bonuses. He also said using technology at residences and businesses and connected neighborhood watches will “help police immensely.”
Traffic speed monitoring with mobile digital signs will provide the city with data on how to better deploy law enforcement, he said. Still, the city would still have to get services from DeKalb County like SWAT units, helicopters, drug intervention.
Q: What is your opinion of Tucker’s current urban camping ordinance? If you were elected, what is your plan to address the problem of homelessness in the city of Tucker?
Stubblefield said he talked to Melvia Richards, a Tucker resident and Housing Program Director in DeKalb County for the last 15 years, about additional shelter resources.
“The question is always where do you put something like that? Where do you put it in such a way that it’s not obvious that’s what it is? And also, how does that get managed? I think back to that opportunity at these intersections like at Lawrenceville Highway at I-285 and Mountain Industrial Boulevard and US-78 as opportunities to look at something like that,” he suggested.
“We need to look at opportunities for redevelopment. What if we could take some of these extended stay motels and hotels and develop those facilities either for housing for homeless and transient population?” he said. “I think there’s real opportunities there.”
The city needs to continue to encourage and collaborate with NETWorks, an organization granted from the city $1.2 million of American Rescue Plan funds to help residents with rent relief, said Stubblefield.
“The reason I’m running for City Council is because I started paying attention when the city chose to pass the urban camping ordinance, even though over 50 residents showed up at a city council meeting to say they didn’t agree with it,” said Weaver. “As someone who has worked in the nonprofit space specifically around poverty alleviation for decades, I think that it was a misguided decision that put the cart before the horse, if you will. The ordinance does three things. It says that the police have to issue a verbal warning, then a written warning with offer of services and if the person chooses to stay on public property, then they will be jailed.”
Weaver said there is no strong data on how many homeless people reside in Tucker. The response by local leaders and experts was rushed by City Council in her opinion.
“If the city isn’t willing, or able to because of the charter, to provide direct social services, the city can function in a leadership role to convene social services,” said Weaver, who helped Waco Chamber of Commerce create a robust task force. “There are not enough social services. To me, it’s plain lip service to say that you have to offer social services to someone who is homeless before you can arrest them. It was actually stated in that City Council meeting that we just don’t want them here.”
In her housing development strategy, Weaver addresses what kinds of zoning could help provide permanent, supportive housing.
“As it stands, you’re going to have a ‘not in my backyard’ problem. We need to make sure that we’re getting ahead of that, to make sure that there’s a place for everybody,” she said.
All Tucker Observer elections coverage can be found at Tuckerobservervotes.com
The election will be Nov. 2. Early voting will begin on Oct. 12. The voter registration deadline for the upcoming city elections is Oct. 4. To register to vote, click here.
To see a list of important dates in the 2021 election year, click here.
Voters in DeKalb County are eligible to apply for an absentee ballot as of Aug. 16. The county will hold municipal elections on Nov. 2, as well as a county-wide E-SPLOST vote for DeKalb County schools.
To apply for an absentee ballot:
— Visit the Georgia Secretary of State website: www.sos.ga.gov.
— Complete the absentee ballot application using the state’s official paper form or request an absentee ballot in writing. Use blue or black ink only.
Applications can be mailed to the county elections office and voter’s should use this address: DeKalb County Election office, 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur, GA 30032-1239.
Applications can also be submitted through fax, 404-298-4038 or email, [email protected].
Voters may send an absentee ballot request for multiple people who live in the same household in the same envelope or email.
If an absentee ballot is not mailed to you, contact your county’s elections office. You may still vote in person, either early or on Election Day.
In accordance with SB202, a new voting bill signed by Governor Brian Kemp in March, a voter ID is required to apply for an absentee ballot. A Georgia driver’s license, Georgia voter card, U.S. military ID, employee ID issued by any branch of the federal or state government, U.S. Passport, tribal ID, or a document verifying a voter’s name and address – including a paycheck, utility bill, or bank statement – are accepted forms of ID.
Voters can obtain a free ID at the DeKalb County Elections office at 4380 Memorial Drive in Decatur or at the following locations:
– On Aug. 25 from 3-6 p.m. at Doraville Marta Station, 6000 New Peachtree Road, Doraville 30340.
— On Aug. 30 from 3-6 p.m. at Indian Creek Marta Station, 3901 Durham Park Road, Stone Mountain 30083.
— On Sept. 15 from 3-6 p.m. at Chamblee Marta Station, 5200 New Peachtree Road, Chamblee 303041.
— On Sept. 14 from 3-6 p.m. at Kensington Marta Station, 3505 Kensington Road, Decatur 30032.
The Tucker Observer is a new community news website owned by Decaturish.com. We provide locally sourced news about Tucker, Clarkston and Stone Mountain.
Want the latest news from the Tucker Observer delivered to your inbox every morning? Click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.
To become a paying supporter of Tucker Observer, click here.

domain: sociology


A hard drive is a storage device that is located next to other components inside your computer. It is necessary for all processors to be able to store all your information permanently. Each hard disk drive is composed of one or more discs coated in a magnetic field, usually, they can be made of materials such as aluminum, ceramic or glass, and when your computer is on hard drive trays rotate to a speed defined by each model that is measured in revolutions per minute.
Nowadays the use of the glass disc has been replacing the ceramic and aluminum facts, as a result of the technological advances, the manufacturers prefer to use glass compounds and magnesium alloys that offer superior quality, reducing the vibration of the discs hard at high speed and improve the transfer of files.
All this information and much more can be found in an expanded way at http://lonewarriorshow.com. If you have a processor and want to improve its performance, expand its storage capacity and have questions, here you can find how to do it, quickly, safely and free. Lone Warrior provides all about computers offers support guides and help to store information and data recovery service.
Before buying a hard drive it is necessary to know all the necessary features according to your needs and the use you are going to give it. All hard drives are not equal, their performance and durability vary according to the type of material, use, speed and other variables. Hard drives are sensitive to shocks and vibrations, so proper handling is important for their conservation.
Today the SSDs came to help overcome many of the problems we encountered in traditional hard drives. SSD stands for Solid State Drive and belongs to the new generation of storage devices for processors such as USB and memory cards of digital cameras.


text: Sherman, Texas, is a bustling city in the northern region of the state and offers a variety of eateries. Along the I-75 corridor that runs from Dallas to Oklahoma, diners will find traditional fast, casual choices for quick and easy meals. In downtown Sherman, several coffee houses and bistros offer light breakfasts, soups, sandwiches and snacks. Historic buildings from the 1870s are set along the courthouse square and provide the perfect setting for upscale, owner-operated restaurants featuring steaks, chops, seafood and pasta dishes. Sherman is a college town that caters to college students and their families. The city has a popular retro-themed diner as well as a host of burger joints, pizzerias, barbecue shacks and Mexican restaurants.

domain: geography


People who stop by the Houston County Administration Building will soon have an easier time finding a parking space.
Spaces in front of the building can be hard to come by, especially around the end of the month when a lot of people buy their car tags.
So, the Road and Bridge Department has broken ground on a parking lot addition.
The project should help alleviate congestion by creating some new entrances and exits for vehicles.
Chairman of Houston Co. Commission Mark Culver said, “It’s going to give us twenty additional spaces it will also give us a way to get through the parking lot without having to go around. It will exit right into the lead in the big parking lot we have across the street. We are going to rename parking spaces to get more parking spaces over there also.”
The project is expected to be completed by the end July.


text:
Piedmont College associate professor of music Andrea Price will lend her soprano voice to songs ranging from the 18th through the 20th century during her voice recital.
The free concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, in the college’s chapel at 992 Central Ave. in Demorest.
Featured compositions will be Giuseppe Verdi, Gaetano Donizetti, Pauline Viardot, Heitor Villa-Lobos, W.A. Mozart, Amy Beach, Kurt Weill and Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Price will be accompanied by Benji Stegner on piano and Kyle Dawkins on guitar.
Price teaches studio voice, vocal pedagogy and diction at Piedmont. She earned a Bachelor of Music in voice performance and music education from Meredith College, a Master of Music in voice performance from Appalachian State University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in voice performance from the University of South Carolina.
For more information, call 706-778-3000 or visit www.piedmont.edu/events.

domain: artistic


text:
$4,000per month $4,000/m2
Boeung Prolit, 7 Makara, Phnom Penh
Business Land For Rent Near Phnom Penh Tower,Rental Price: $4000/month Land Size: 20m x 25m
Location: Phnom Penh Tower ( Boeng Prolit )
Rental Price: $4000/m
Land Size: 20m x 25m
Long Term Contract is OK..!!!
Safe and No Flooding Area..!!
The Land is Very Good For All Kinds Of Business..!!!!
- Property type: Land
- Land area: 500 m2
- Agency: Sovannphum Real Estate Investment Co., Ltd
- Property ID: 107678
- Listed: 4 months ago
- Rent: $4,000 per month
- Rent per m2: $4,000 per month
Sovannphum Real Estate Investment Co., Ltd was established in 01-January-2017. Sovannphum Real Estate Investment Co., Ltd is one of the leading companies in the Cambodian real estate industry, spec...See Profile
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domain: economics


text:
Hi, I’m Tracy !
I’m a wife, homeschooling mama of 2, modern-day homesteader and certified aromatherapist. We live on 55 acres in the Appalachian Mountains.
A little about me:
* I’m a follower of Jesus Christ. I love God and try to obey Him. I believe God has given us the resources to be healthy on this earth.
* I love my husband and children. I feel called to teach my children at home.
* I’m a bit of a pc nerd…majoring in computer science.
* I use natural remedies and essential oils. I have used oils since 2010. I have become passionate about sharing my love for oils because they have helped my family in so many ways. Follow my blog, facebook, instagram and pinterest to explore the ways I use essential oils.
* I try to incorporate whole, organic foods into my families diet. There’s much research on the harm pesticides and chemicals can do to our bodies.
* I love my chickens and cattle. I was not raised on a farm but have become passionate about living a natural lifestyle.
* I love to learn! I’m a book worm and I love to research things for myself.
My journey into modern day homesteading all began when we purchased our land to build a home to hunt. Little did we know, we would be building a barn, fences, chicken coops and such. I never intended to be a homesteader but here I am and my family loves it.
I believe most people have a bit of homesteading spirit in them. I started this blog to share these experiences with you and help you explore the ideas of simple, natural living. I hope these posts can inspire you to live a more natural lifestyle whether you live in the country or a high rise apartment.
Are you ready to experience natural living?
The statements in this blog have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Any references or blog posts are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Essential Homestead is also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. I often link to Amazon when recommending certain ingredients in my recipes.
When you click a link on the Essential Homestead, it’s safe to assume it’s likely an affiliate link and I may earn a small percentage of the sale if you are to make a purchase after clicking that link. However, clicking/purchasing something through an affiliate link does not cost you any extra.

domain: hobby


text:
According to a federal judge in Michigan, business owners can legally discriminate against gay people as long as they explain why they did so on Facebook. The ruling will no doubt be appealed to a higher court, but this is the second ruling in recent weeks that has allowed businesses to discriminate against groups they dislike, setting a very dangerous precedent. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins explains why these rulings show that America is moving backwards rather than forwards.
This past Friday a judge in Michigan handed down a verdict that allowed a business owner in Michigan to discriminate against gay people because, and this is probably one of the weirdest things I’m ever going to have to say, this guy’s allowed to discriminate against gay people, as is anybody else in this area, because he explained why he was doing it, on Facebook. So, according to this judge, you can treat other people like crap, you don’t have to let them utilize your businesses or your services, as long as you go and make a Facebook status update saying why you don’t like gay people. Or more importantly, let’s put it in terms that actually mean something, why you think you’re better than gay people, because that’s what this is all about, right? At the end of the day, that’s what this is.
This judge, who was a George W. Bush appointee, ruled in the case for this guy in Michigan, he owned a farm, and he wanted to go sell his goods at a farmer’s market, but the farmer’s market wouldn’t let him, because they know he’s a huge anti-gay person, and they were like, “No, we’re not going to let you come sell your goods here, you’re a bigot, you’re full of hate, go away.” So he said, “Okay, okay. If I come to your market I will sell my goods to gay people, but I also rent out rooms on my property to couples that are about to get married and I just will continue to not rent those rooms out to gay people, because my religion says marriage is between a man and a woman.” It’s that little explanation, which he gave on Facebook, that the judge says, “Hey, he explained it, it’s religion we’ve got to let it go. He’s allowed to do this.”
Now, here’s something that I think these judges need to understand, including the one who a few weeks ago ruled that, yeah, businesses can discriminate against anybody they want, based on religious reasons. That’s actually illegal, that’s actually been ruled on by the Supreme Court, and no, you can’t. You can’t advertise a business or operate a business that does not, for example, want to allow black people to use its services, or that says, “Black people need not apply,” or that, “Women need not apply.” You can’t do that according to the United States Supreme Court, and this case is no different, regardless of this man’s religious affiliation, you can’t discriminate against other human beings in the United States, according to the US Supreme Court.
Now this ruling by this W. appointed judge, is definitely going to be appealed and it’s going to go up to a higher court, where hopefully some of the folks on that bench have a bit of a brain, but right now what we’re seeing with this decision, and the one a few weeks ago, is that judges across this country are perfectly fine with allowing business owners to discriminate in both cases, specifically against gay people, but again, it is a snowball effect. First it’s going to be the gay people, then it’s going to be Blacks and Muslims and Hispanics and women, and then maybe bald men or fat people, who knows? Who knows where it could go?
That’s why these are so dangerous. It’s horrible for the LGBTQ community that they even have to go through this. And if everybody else doesn’t step up and defend them and support them in their fight against these oppressive businesses, then you will be next. Eventually they’re going to come after you, because you’re going to do something they don’t like and they’re going to want to discriminate against you too.


text:
While at the Mobile World Congress I stopped by at the Nvidia stand and was able to try out, among other things, the Project Shied with the fighting game Real Boxing. They almost had to drag me away!
When Nvidia presented Project Shield during the CES in Las Vegas for the first time, I was half excited, half sceptical. A portable game console run on Android, which basically combines a remote and a screen sounded compelling and thrilling. On the other hand, I had doubts about the player's ergonomic gaming comfort, once I saw the first pictures. My doubts however were thankfully unwarranted, since Project Shield has a comfortable hold and the controls are easily operated.
Our video shows Project Shield in action. We are playing the game Real Boxing, which was specially optimized for Tegra 4 and offer ''face-slappingly'' awesome graphics.


Our IMPACT READY® screwdriving accessories now come in ToughCase®+ system, the latest addition to our accessory storage line. The ToughCase®+ system is a connectable case system designed to optimize storage space and keep your bits organized. The patented bit-bar design allows for easy bit removal and the clear lid allows you to see inside at a glance. Specifically made to handle the force from impact drivers, IMPACT READY® bits are made of a special steel designed to be ultra-durable. Each bit uses a black oxide process for greater wear resistance and strength. The tips can be used with impact tools rated for up to 2,000-Inch/lbs. of torque.
|Make & Model
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For California Residents:
WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm - www.P65Warnings.ca.gov


text:
Shudder celebrates the Queer films and Queer creators with new visions and lasting impact on horror.
The Mario Bava Collection
Discover one of horror's most enduring masters, Italian legend Mario Bava
The Family Table
In the season of togetherness, Shudder gathers our most dysfunctional families.
Gather round for the punchy, petrifying, pithy tales in Shudder’s selection of anthologies.
Chilling, Thrilling Sounds
Hear fear in this collection of titles with the very best soundtracks on Shudder.

domain: literature


Christina Milian is all over the place these days! According to ABC, she is on the covers of “Rolling Out, Unleash’d, Denim, Hydrogen and Cielo Magazines”, is the owner of an “E-Hookah line by the name of Platinum E- Hookah” and is also “the brand ambassador & equity owner of Viva Diva Wines”. Most recently, she has been the social media correspondent on “The Voice”.
To add to her duties, which also includes an appearance on The Stafford Brothers’ “Hello” with Lil Wayne, Milian will be competing for the title on Season 17 of “Dancing With The Stars” with professional dancer Mark Ballas. Ballas has previously won the #DWTS title with Kristi Yamaguchi in Season 6 and again in Season 8 with Shawn Johnson.
DWTS can be seen on ABC at 8/7c.
Are you tuning in tonight to support Milian?


text:
Not obsessive. Just curious.
"Umm, mind telling me why you're in my boxers?" he says, blinking down at me and scratching the back of his head, brows furrowed. His bleached blonde hair is sticking up everywhere, and he's in his favourite blue and white striped pyjamas. "And chained to the tree in my front yard? My pine tree, which you have discarded all the decorations off..."
He gestures to the tree and bites his lip. I look up too, not surprised at all to see the tree in all it's ornament nakedness, as I'm the one the took them all off and put them at the back of the rose bush. He's just lucky I'm the one that took them off, and not any of my friends. They would have kept them.
I look back to him, and shrug with lazy eyes. I let out a yawn. "Why aren't you happy for me? I finally got up before that God forsaken seven you seem to love going out for runs at."
He blinks, and looks to the tree again, opening his mouth and closing it again. He sighs, and looks to me, eyeing me warily and reaching up to flatten his hair out a bit.
"I'm happy for you..." he says gently, rolling back on his heels, "...I just don't know why you're in my boxers, and why you've taken all of mum's ornaments off the tree...and..." he glances at the rose bush, "...hidden them in the rose bush and chained yourself to the tree."
I stare at him. Of course he's not getting this. I can't believe he's not getting this. I mean, he's the one that's used to be up so early in the morning and I'm not, and I get this. I sigh at him and roll my eyes, "Oh, Donald, well the Christmas decorations, for starters..." I nod back with my head, as my hands are tied, "are because you wished me a merry Christmas."
He blinks, furrows his brows again and says, looking at me like so? and crossing his arms over his chest, "What of it? Don't call me Donald."
"I'm not Christian, I don't celebrate Christmas," I explain in monotone, very slowly, and then add for good measure – or maybe just to get on his nerves, which is a fun thing to do with Donnie, "Donald."
"My parents gave you a Christmas present." He says flatly. "If you're not Christian and don't celebrate Christmas – why did you accept their gift?"
I ignore his words and go on, explaining myself, "And so by being completely disrespectful to my religion – saying merry Christmas and assuming I'm Christian – you forfeit your mother's Christmas ornaments. As for your boxers you left them when you visited my brother."
I nod down towards my superman tee and his superman boxers.
"And what exactly is your religion?" he wants to know, looking at me with a sarcastic expression. "And just because I leave them in your house, doesn't mean they're yours and that you're allowed to wear them."
"Jediism," I tell him, "and he told me to take them to you. So I took them to you."
"That's fictional, and you haven't even watched Star Wars," he points out, cleverly remembering my telling him said fact not so long ago. I just blink, pressing my lips together and thinking for a moment.
"Jediism is a religion based around the force, and the Jedi path is my philosophy and way of life. I am a Jedi Realist and a individual that recognises –" I prattle off proudly, thanking the goodness that I have done my research on it – even if I haven't gone so far as to watch the movie.
But I'm interrupted.
"That's nice. I don't care. And that would also be 'an individual', not 'a'." He cuts in, staring at me expressionlessly and shaking his head. "Someone's obviously been looking up ."
"Calling people on their mistakes isn't very nice." Is all I have to say.
"I'm not nice, darling." He says and then looses his arms and stretches them behind his head, bringing his knees up high one by one, starting his morning exercises. "Besides, you still haven't told me why you're chained up to my pine tree."
I look away, biting my lip.
I want to know why he did what he did that day. I want to know why he told me to forget it. I want to know why it felt so amazing. And I'm not moving until he tells me.
Because I, frankly, am confused about the entire situation.
"I might say it's because of the 'merry Christmas' thing again." I say, and pause. He notices the pause and I feel his gaze boring into my head. He clears his throat and I hear him doing a couple more stretches. "But then I'd be lying."
I look up and eye him, and he stands up straight and glares at me, crossing his arms over his chest again, this time defensively. "Oh?"
I can't help but ask the question. It's been on my mind ever since, and I just can't get it all out of my head for some reason – some reason, a couple of weeks ago, I got kind of an inkling of when I broke up with my then boyfriend of three months.
"Why?" I say exasperatedly.
Three weeks ago
"Why does everyone think I'm paranoid?" I ask my boyfriend, Freddie, eyes narrowed at him as he backs me up against a bedroom wall. "Do you discuss this behind my back?"
"No sweetie," he says with a smile and twinkling eyes, leaning forward to give me a peck on the lips and squeezing me tight, "what fun would talking behind your back be? You know I'd much rather tease you to your face."
I hold up a fist in jest, raising my eyebrows at him and he laughs, reaching up and taking my fist in his hand before letting me go with his other hand and slipping it into his pocket, pulling out a small, pink box. I blink at it.
"Honey," he pops open the box and just as he does the door opens.
Donnie walks in, hands in his pockets, "Hey Delly do you have any of the Star Wars DVD's in here because I can't seem to find The Empire Strikes Back –"
He stops and stares and I roll my eyes, looking at him sarcastically, "As if I know where it is and as if I'd have it – I haven't even watched any Star Wars, God," I look away and back to the box, which Donnie seems rather fixated on too. "So what's in the box?"
"Tea's ready, I've come to tell you that tea's ready," Donnie says urgently, "you're going to get cold, and your mum's made some of her famous guacamole, just like I heard you like. I'll be a sec with Della. I've got something funny to tell her."
You're going to get cold? Doesn't he mean the food is?
"Guacamole," Freddie says and Donnie nods. Freddie snaps the pink box shut and grabs my face, giving me a big wet one on the lips before rushing off the door with a, "princess, I'll give it to you later in private the moment's spoiled anyway."
I blink. Well. He does like guacamole but...
I stare at Donnie, who's scowling out after Freddie. I cross my arms and quirk an eyebrow, waiting a moment or two before finally catching his attention. His head turns back to mine and he lingers in front of my door for a little before walking a teensy bit forward.
"My mum has tea ready at six on the dot, it's three to six, not six." I say suspiciously. Because it's the truth. Mum's never late, never early. She's always ready at the time she says she's going to be. "So what's up? What's so urgent and funny?"
He looks at me, like he's trying to tell me something. But I just don't get it. He's my brother's best friend; he's over all the time – what's so funny he has to interrupt a moment with Freddie for?
He starts walking closer and closer, that same look in his eyes. I look right back in bemusement, arms still crossed, eyebrow still raised.
He stops in front of me and says, sombrely, "What's funny is," he puts on this strange little smile, a glint in his eye, "he thinks he can give you a damn promise ring while I'm still alive and kicking."
"What?" I spit and he pulls me flush against him, his lips pressing to mine. I'm so surprised I freeze in his arms. I can feel all his muscles pressing up against my chest, and my heart skips a beat, and dances around in my chest.
I pull my mouth from his and am about to ask him what he thinks he's doing, kissing me, when he presses his lips back against mine for a second time, his hands holding me tight to him, and his blonde hair touching my forehead.
My heart skips again, and I can't seem to fight it. But then I hear footsteps.
"Honey your boyfriend is already waiting at the table for you and dinner is – oh." Oh no. My mum. Oh no, oh crap, oh no. My boyfriend's in the dining room and I'm in here with my brother's best friend, kissing him. Only I'm not kissing him, he's kissing me.
But that's so not how it's going to float with anyone else in the house.
Donnie steps away from me slightly, still holding his arms around me as he looks to my mother while I'm concealing an inward panic attack. He opens his mouth, and all he offers to my mum's – and my – incredulity is, "Don't tell her brother," he says, and letting go of my waist he slides past my incredibly awkward and embarrassed self, "thanks Mrs Alice."
He gives her a one armed hug and walks down the hall, leaving me in the room with her, and she blinks, looking at me and crossing her arms, "Delilah..."
"He started it." is all I say, bemused out of my brains. "I didn't even kiss him back."
She sighs and leans against the door frame, looking at me. I look back at her. Donnie just kissed me. He just kissed me, and then leaves me to explain, save a comment he said to save his own ass. The jerk, the fiend – how could he do this to me?
"What are you going to do Della?" Mum wants to know.
What am I going to do? What am I going to do? Why do I have to be the one to do something about it; I didn't even start this. I didn't even kiss him back. So why do I have to do something about it?
I don't. I don't have to do anything about it. He has to. I'll just let him deal with it.
"Nothing," I answer honestly.
Because I didn't do anything wrong, and there's no need for Freddie finding out about this, either.
But he does, eventually a week later, when he's trying once more to present to me that small pink box and it contains just what Donnie said it would. A promise ring. A promise ring after three months, and to a girl who doesn't even trust him not to break up with her when another boy kisses her – even though she didn't kiss him back.
I had to break up with him, especially since I realised the reason I didn't tell him was because even though I didn't kiss Donnie back – I wanted to. God, did I want to kiss Donnie back, and I probably would have if mum hadn't come in.
I want to kiss him now. But I'm chained to a tree.
So you can see my predicament. Why I had to break up with Freddie. I feel so bad about it, really I do. But I also want to know why Donnie did it in the first place.
But seriously a promise ring after three months??
No freaking way.
Donnie throws his hands up in the air, looking at me like I'm mental, "Look, Dell, are you obsessive, or something? I told you not to mention it. But here you are, again, mentioning it."
He glares at me some more, hands clenched and at his sides. I just look at him, waiting for him to explain himself. He doesn't, though, he just looks right back, looking very annoyed with me, too.
"Look, I'm going to go have my run, okay?" He says, looking out to the path in front of his house and then back to me. "I'm just going to go inside, get some clothes on, and if you're still here by the time I'm back – I'm ringing for your brother to come pick you up."
"I'm not obsessive," I tell him, and he doesn't look like he believes me, "I'm just curious. Tell me why you kissed me; or I'm going to tell my brother you did."
He stares down at me.
"Where's the keys?" he wants to know.
"I'm not going to give –"
"Well I'm not going to tell until you do." He says defiantly. "Where are the keys? I promise you; you won't regret it."
I blink at him, annoyed. He can't just take control of the situation like this. I'm in control of this situation, not him. I'm in control! Me! I'm not relinquishing it to him!
"Fine, they're in the rose bush," I say with a small frown, and he looks over to the rose bush and back to me. He narrows his eyes and I look back up at him, innocent as pie and sweet as sugar – well as sweet as one can be with a frown on their face.
"No they're not, you little liar," he says and then puts a foot up and hovers it over my stomach, threatening to step down with a raise of his eyebrows. I raise my eyebrows back up at him, because he wouldn't do it; not to me. "They're in your superman tee pocket."
I bring my knees up against my chest and wriggle around as his hands reach out for my pocket, and he laughs, "I'm going to tickle you," he threatens, "you wear pretty tight tees, Della, maybe if you didn't you wouldn't have these problems..."
His hands poise near my stomach, and I stop wriggling, "I'm going to kick you in the face," I threaten him, "I really will. Don't come any nearer."
But he leans down and slips his fingers into my pocket, making my heart speed up, and then he pulls out the keys and as I glare at him I hear a click and the cuffs fall off, "Overconfident, cocky, arrogant as hell how did you know I wasn't –" he pulls me up in his arms, and he kisses me once more.
He's kissing me. He's kissing me again. I can't believe it. I feel wonderful, I feel happy, I feel –
I feel his lips pulling hesitantly away as I'm not really responding.
I stand up on my tip toes to stop him, "No..." I murmur with a shake of my head, "don't stop."
I kiss him back, wrapping my arms around his neck, and that's all the encouragement he needs. He swings me around and starts backing me towards his house, kissing me with more ardour then a kid opens presents on Christmas.
He explains himself as he goes, kissing me all the way.
"I liked – like – you, and I didn't want your brother kicking my ass for it," He says and presses me up against the boards of wood that make up his house, his hands crawling up my shirt and resting on my bare stomach, and instead of tickling; it tingles, "but I also didn't want you with anyone else but me, you see."
"Holy shit," I say as my eyes roll back into my head as he kisses me some more, rendering me weak, he smiles against my lips and presses his on my cheeks, and on my forehead, his hands sending tingles through my back as his arms go around me once more, touching bare skin.
"Shits not holy..." he murmurs.
Freddie never kissed me like this.
"Freddie never loved you like this," he says and I look up, and he looks down, his forehead resting against mine.
My heart does a little dance, and I look at him, breath catching, "You love me?" I demand, tracing little patterns down his forearms with my hands.
He nods and kisses my nose, "I've loved you since you were five years old, Dell."
I find my eyes watering, getting all embarrassingly emotional; I hate crying, and I definitely don't want to be crying in front of him. "I...love...you...too..." I say between attempts to stop from choking on my words. Damn it. Damn it, damn it, damn it.
"Are you..." Donnie's eyes widening and I shrink away from him, my cheeks burning bright red, no, no, no I'm not. "Are you crying? Did I really just make Della Hanson cry, and about me, because I said I loved her?"
I bring my arms back from around his neck and to my eyes, rubbing away at my stupid tears, embarrassed beyond belief, Oh God, I think to myself.
"Shut up, shut up, shut up, Donnie," I tell him, choking on my words and then pressing my hands to my face even harder, "or I'll kick you, this time I really will," and he starts laughing at me, but not in a mean kind of way, in a you're so silly kind of way. Which really, is even worse than being mean because it's even more embarrassing. I take my hands away revealing blotchy cheeks, "I will you know."
"Oh I'm so sure," he laughs and pulls at my blotchy cheeks, "really you're adorable when you're embarrassed and trying to pretend you're all angry and grr. I should have said it sooner."
"I hate you, and said what sooner?" I demand, pushing away at his hands with annoyance, not liking him babying me – or rather, liking it embarrassingly too much.
"I love you," he replies sweetly and I let out a whimper and he laughs, dipping me back and giving me a whopping kiss on the lips, stopping me mid-sob. All I can do is lie helpless in his arms, embarrassed beyond belief and letting him kiss that all away – and liking it.
It goes around the world just – lalalala!
Here's my SHOUTout response. I'm not quite sure if voting is involved – but if so, vote for me :p If not. Judges, I hope you like-y. I'm pretty much happy with this. Which is good. Probably won't win o.o. All of my favourite writers – practically – are in that contest.
Although I'm not sure my awkward moment (with the mum walking in) is awkward enough. Oh well.
Here's the rules guys:
-You must be called out to submit and entry
-The story has to be no less than 2000 words
-It must include a really awkward moment
-There must be a girl who's chained to a tree
-Must include these quotes:
"I'm not nice, darling."
"Holy **!" "**'s not holy..." (as a package)
"Umm, mind telling me why you're in my boxers?"
"I'm not obsessive, I'm just curious."
"That's nice. I don't care."
"Why does everyone think I'm paranoid? Do you discuss this behind my back?"
And these are the other people participating:
Scary eh? Very scary. I think so anyway.
You know you love me,


Monday, May 31, 2010
The Central African Republic and Trinidad and Tobago are the latest counties to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which opened for signature in 1996. Click here for a full list of parties to the CTBT.
Indonesia also announced its intention to ratify the treaty. Click here for more information.
C. Peter Erlinder is a law professor at William Mitchell College of Law in Minnesota. Click here to read his law school bio. He is the director of the International Humanitarian Law Institute at William Mitchell. Erlinder is also president of ICTR-ADAD (Association des Avocats de la Defense) and past-president of the National Lawyers Guild in New York City.
According ot a report in today's Chicago Tribune, Professor Erliner travelled to Rwanda on May 23 to help defend opposition presidential candidate Victoire Ingabire against charges of promoting genocidal ideology. Ingabire was arrested earlier this year.
Professor Erlinder was arrested on Friday at his hotel in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. Attorneys were allowed to visit him on Saturday but were denied access on Sunday "and told to pay up if they wanted Erlinder to continue to eat in jail."
Professor Erlinder's daughter Sarah told the Chicago Tribune that she thought that his arrest had very little to do with the 1994 genocide in Rwanda but was related with representing an opposition candidate.
Professor Erlinder started working as a defense attorney for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in 2003. He also runs the Rwanda Documents Project, which publishes articles that are critical of the government of Presdient Paul Kagame. Click here for an example.
Erlinder was arrested on Friday on charges of denying genocide. The crime carries a possible sentence of 20 years.
Erlinder had warned that he might be targeted by the government of President Paul Kagame.
President Kagame has been lauded abroad for social and economic reforms. The president is running for another seven-year term. The elections will be held on August 9. Some human rights groups are reported to say that Kagame's administration rules with an iron hand and quashes dissent. Click here to read more.
The dean of the William Mitchell College of Law issued the following statement:
Statement from President and Dean Eric S. Janus on Prof. Peter Erlinder’s arrest in Rwanda
On Friday, May 28, we were notified that Professor Peter Erlinder was arrested in Rwanda. At this time, he has not been charged with any crime. Our primary concern is for Prof. Erlinder’s safety and we hope the situation is resolved both fairly and promptly.
William Mitchell is working with the United States Department of State, the U.S. Embassy in Rwanda, and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to monitor the situation and provide any assistance possible. In addition, we are in contact with representatives from the offices of Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Betty McCollum, and Rep. Keith Ellison to make them aware of the situation and provide information about Prof. Erlinder’s work in Rwanda.
William Mitchell has a 110-year history of legal education that is engaged with the legal profession, and we support and encourage the legal pursuits of our faculty beyond the college. Prof. Erlinder is in Rwanda to represent Victoire Ingabire, an opposition candidate for President of Rwanda who was arrested over accusations of promoting genocide ideology. In traveling to Rwanda, Prof. Erlinder exemplifies the great tradition of lawyers who take on the representation of unpopular clients and causes. That Prof. Erlinder did so at great personal risk demonstrates the strength of his commitment to justice and due process. We support his commitment to justice, the rule of law, and public service, which are the core of the lawyer’s function in society and values Prof. Erlinder works to instill in the students he teaches at William Mitchell.
We look forward to Prof. Erlinder’s return to the college and will continue to monitor his situation and work with the United Nations and the United States government until the issue is resolved.
The International Law Prof Blog is two years old this month. We thank the thousands of visitors from more than 100 countries and territories around the world who are regular readers of our blog. Thank you, everyone.
Mark, Cindy, Cyndee, Laurent, and Michael
Australia has reportedly exhausted all diplomatic efforts with Japan over its whaling program. Radio Australia reports that Australia is expected to file a case against Japan this week in the International Court of Justice.
Radio Australia also reports that New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully said that his government share's Australia's concerns over Japanese whaling but that New Zealand would continue diplomatic efforts for the time being rather than joining the case or filing its own case against Japan.
Hat tip to the East-West Center.
Israel attacked a flotilla of six ships that tried to break its blockade of Gaza. The Israelis killed 9 activists on those ships, 8 of them from Turkey. The ships were carrying 700 people and 10,000 tons of supplies, including electric-powered wheelchairs, prefabricated homes, and water purifiers.
The attack has set off a diplomatic storm. Click here for a video report from Reuters.
After the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled plans for a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today expressed his shock at the deadly raid on boats loaded with relief supplies headed for Gaza, calling on Israel to fully explain its actions. According to media reports, early this morning in international waters, Israeli forces raided the six-ship aid convoy, also carrying hundreds of activists, with more than ten people having been killed. “I condemn this violence,” Mr. Ban said from Kampala, Uganda, where he presided over the first review conference of the International Criminal Court. “It is vital that there is a full investigation to determine exactly how this bloodshed took place,” he said. “I believe Israel must urgently provide a full explanation.”
The Security Council is scheduled to meet this afternoon in an emergency session to discuss the incident.
The League of Arab States may also hold an emergency meeting tomorrow. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa is reported to have said that "Israel's attack indicates that Israel is not ready for peace. Israel attacked the liberty fleet because it feels it is above the law."Egypt summoned the Israeli ambassador. The Israeli Academic Center in Cairo, which aids to build ties in Egypt, has canceled all lectures for the coming week.
The Lebanese prime minister Saad al-Hariri called Israel's attack a "crazy step" that risked inflaming conflict in the region.
Turkey, an Israeli ally in the region, has called off three joint military exercises with Israel. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has cut short an official visit to Latin America. Turkey summoned Israel's ambassador and said it may recall its own ambassador. Israeli nationals have been advised to avoid travel to Turkey and to keep a low profile if they are already in the country. Demonstrators are reportedly assembling in front of the the residence of Israel's ambassador to Turkey.
The United Nations has repeatedly spoken out against the closure of Gaza and raised concern over the insufficient flow of material into the area to meet basic needs and spur reconstruction. Mr. Ban cautioned in a recent meeting that the closure “creates unacceptable suffering, hurts forces of moderation and empowers extremists.”
Also speaking out against today's raid was UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, who emphasized that “nothing can justify the appalling outcome of this operation.” She called for a probe into the incident and underscored the need for accountability. “I unequivocally condemn what appears to be disproportionate use of force, resulting in the killing and wounding of so many people attempting to bring much-needed aid to the people of Gaza, who have now been enduring a blockade for more than three years,” Ms. Pillay said. She called on the Israeli Government to heed the “almost unanimous international view that the continued blockade of Gaza is both inhumane and illegal.” The blockade, the High Commissioner pointed out, “lies at the heart of so many of the problems plaguing the Israel-Palestine situation, as does the impression that the Israeli Government treats international law with perpetual disdain.” Without the blockade, she noted, “there would be no need for flotillas like this.”
Richard Falk, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, said that “Israel is guilty of shocking behavior by using deadly weapons against unarmed civilians on ships that were situated in the high seas where freedom of navigation exists, according to the law of the seas.” He echoed the calls by the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for an investigation into today's incident, stressing that it is “essential that those Israelis responsible for this lawless and murderous behavior, including political leaders who issued the orders, be held criminally accountable for their wrongful acts.” Mr. Falk characterized the blockade of Gaza as a “massive form of collective punishment” that is tantamount to a crime against humanity. “Unless prompt and decisive action is taken to challenge the Israeli approach to Gaza all of us will be complicit in criminal policies that are challenging the survival of an entire beleaguered community,” he said.
The French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner was reported to have said that the violence could not be justified and that he was "profoundly shocked by the tragic consequences of the Israeli military operation against the Peace Flotilla for Gaza."
Israel denies that it has created a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and says that it allows sufficient food and medicine into the territory. Click here for more statements from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The International Visitors Center of Chicago (IVCC) has changed its name to "World Chicago."
The organization began in 1952 as the Hospitality Center of Greater Chicago and for the last 40 years as the International Visitors Center of Chicago. The latest name change is intended to update the organization's image and expand its efforts at citizen diplomacy.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
U.N. Secretary General Welcomes Pardon of Gay Men Sentenced in Malawi, Calls for Malawi to Reform its Outdated Laws
Steven Monjeza, 26, and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, 20, were convicted in Malawi earlier this month of "indecent practices between males" and "unnatural offences." They had been arrested in December, a day after they publicly celebrated their engagement.
A judge in Malawi, Nyakwawa Usiwausiwa, sentenced them to 14 years hard labor in prison, the harshest penalty available under Malawian law.
President Bingu wa Mutarika of Malawi pardoned the men, who were released from prison yesterday. Click here for details. “These boys committed a crime against our culture, against our religion, and against our laws,” President Mutharika is reported to have said. “However, as head of state, I hereby pardon them and therefore order their immediate release without any conditions.”
Steven and Tiwonge had not returned to their home, fearing that they could be attacked. Their case drew a great deal of attention in Malawi, with large crowds attending their trial and taunting the couple. The couple has endured horrible treatment both in prison and during the trial itself, including beatings by police when they were in jail.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon lauded the “courageous” decision of the President and voiced hope that Malawi would update its national laws to reflect international standards and repeal the colonial-era laws against sodomy. In an address to Malawi’s parliament, Mr. Ban said that we cannot “stay quiet when people are denied fundament rights – whatever their race or faith or age or gender or sexual orientation.” He said that it was “unfortunate that laws that criminalize people on the basis of their sexual orientation exist in some countries.” He called for reforms of these laws and expressed confidence that the Malawian Parliament “will take appropriate steps to update laws discriminating based on sexual orientation in line with international standards.”
A UN press release stated that Malawi is one of 37 African countries that continues to have anti-gay laws.
The couple will likely continue to have a difficult time in Malawi and may seek asylum in another country. A gay man who fled to the United Kingdom five years ago speculated that Steven and Tiwonge would not be safe in Malawi.
Friday, May 28, 2010
The students were studying International Organizations. They also visited the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Museum of the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC).
Thursday, May 27, 2010
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton issued the following message on the occassion of Guyana's independence day.
On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I extend my congratulations to the people of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana as they celebrate 44 years as an independent nation. Our countries are united by shared values and our common commitment to promote environmental sustainability that safeguards the health of our people and our planet, economic development that spreads prosperity further and deeper, and democratic governance that respects human rights and the rule of law. Our partnership is based on mutual appreciation and respect, and we look forward to continuing collaboration on the common challenges facing our nations, our hemisphere and the world.
On this occasion, I want to reaffirm the enduring friendship of the United States and offer our warmest wishes for the year ahead.
The Chicago Tribune reports today that the law firm of Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal will merge with London-based Denton Wilde Sapte, a British firm. The new entity, to be called SNR Denton, will create a global firm with more than 1,300 lawyers. The merger must be approved by partners at both firms in a vote scheduled for June 9.
The United States has signed but not yet ratified the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Last year, the U.S. State Department included CEDAW as the only human rights treaty on its Treaty Priority List.
The Illinois State Bar Association (a voluntary association of lawyers and law students in Illinois) will consider two questions this year:
1. Should the ISBA take a position on CEDAW?
2. If yes, what should that position be?
A draft resolution and report is about to be circulated to ISBA Section Councils and Committees for their comments. We welcome your comments on it as well (contact information is contained in the document. There may very well be a 1.5 version of the document before the ISBA Assembly votes on this issue in December 2010. Comments on the draft resolution are requested by October 1, 2010.
Mark E. Wojcik and Cindy Buys
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Manfred Novak visited police stations and prisons across PNG. He told Radio Australia that evidence of police brutality amounting to torture was not hard to find. "We found abundant evidence of beatings with fanbelts, with gun butts, with bamboo and wooden sticks, etc.," Mr Novak said.
Mr. Novak said police watch-houses and prisons were overcrowded, filthy, and lacked ventilation. There was no access to food or water.
Mr. Novak said that inmates who escape are often tortured on recapture. In the most severe cases, he said, they have tendons in their legs cut to disable them.
Mr Novak called on the PNG Government to ratify the Convention Against Torture.
Assassinations, abductions, and threat continues to grow under the successor to the coup government in Honduras. Human rights activists are calling for more attention to be paid to the ongoing human rights abuses in Honduras. Click here to read about the assassinations of Adalberto Figueroa, Gilberto Alexander Núñez Ochoa, Jose Andres Oviedo, Olayo Hernandez Sorto, and the death threats against Carlos H. Reyes.
Hat tips to Jim Vondracek and the Chicago Religious Leadership Network.
Lori Berenson, a 40-year-old New Yorker who has spent the past 15 years in a Peruvian prison, was released yesterday by Judge Jessica Leon in Peru. She had been accused of collaborating with a Marxist rebel group in a foiled attempt to overthrow the Peruvian Congress. Click here for more information and background about the case. She must remain in Peru while on parole.
The New York Times reports today that the South African Justice Ministry has set up 56 special courts to handle offenses associated with the World Cup. The courts open for business on Friday and will have 93 interpreters to translate court proceedings.
The International Law Students Assocation (ILSA) will hold an international conference in Istanbul, Turkey on July 7-10. The conference is organized by the ILSA Chapter at Bahcesehir University and is titled “Discussing Global Issues within the Framework of the United Nations.” Registration for the conference is now open.
The conference, like the Jessup, is expected to be an enthusiastic academic and cultural exchange fuelled by participation from students from around the world. Conference events will include:
- Lectures by leading academics and practitioners from the international legal field;
- Panel discussions among students and academics about the UN Security Council and its role in the 21st century, the proliferation of courts within the UN system, and the involvement of the UN in non-international armed conflicts, among other topics;
- The opportunity for students to participate in Model UN negotiations; and
- Social and networking events including cocktail parties and tours of Istanbul.
Hat tip to the ILSA Executive Office.
The Netherlands District Court of Rotterdam began Europe's first trial of Somali pirates this week. The five pirates are charged with "sea robbery" for hijacking a cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden last year. The ship is registered in the Netherlands Antilles. A Danish Navy frigate sunk the pirates' boat. The trial is scheduled to last 5 days and, if convicted, the pirates could face up to 12 years in prison.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The George Washington (GW) University Law School announced today that Thomas Buergenthal, a judge on the International Court of Justice (ICJ), will retire in September 2010 and re-join the GW faculty. Judge Buergenthal joined the ICJ in 2000 and thus has served on the court for a decade. A prolific scholar, Judge Buergenthal is particularly well known for his writings on international human rights.
As for his replacement, while there is technically no U.S. seat on the Court, each of the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council traditionally has been able to nominate a judge to the court. Accordingly, it is very likely that another U.S. person will be nomiated to replace Judge Buergenthal.
What are the actual effects of a free trade agreement?
The United States International Trade Commission is looking into that question. It announced the institution of an investigation entitled the “Actual Effects of the Free Trade Agreements with Chile, Australia, and Singapore.” The investigation and proceeding report will examine the effects of the phasing-out of tariffs, anomalies in U.S. export levels (and the possible causes for these anomalies), and related matters.
Written submissions are due by July 15, 2010. The Intenational Trade Commission Report will be transmitted on December 13, 2010. Get more information at volume 75, page 28059 of the Federal Register.
Hat to the ABA Governmental Affairs Office.


Bikes have both front and rear derailleurs. . By not attempting to select these gear combinations, you will enjoy improved performance, greater . New to mountain biking & this has really made me want to just ride locally and around the block.
To view our range of derailleurs, Click Here! Michael has always loved bikes, and began turning his passion into a career while still in high school, selling MTB parts from underneath his parent's house. Things have transformed since then and he's now co-owner of Mountain Bikes Direct. He works on our tech systems and project managers some of mountain bike rear derailleur big system implementations.
When he's not out riding one of his many mountain bikes, he's looking after his two little girls and teaching them to ride!
Turning the adjuster anticlockwise increases tension on the cable, bringing the derailleur closer to the wheel; clockwise decreases bikw tension, moving it back towards the frame. If mountwin chain seems hesitant to shift up, increase the cable tension by turning the barrel adjuster anticlockwise.
If it skips over mountain bike rear derailleur gear, turn the adjuster clockwise to decrease the tension. You want it to run as quietly as possible.
Shift into the largest sprocket. Find the crosshead screw marked L below the H screw. It dictates how far towards the wheel the derailleur can rdar the lower mountain bike rear derailleur. The back side of the RDGS. Short-cage SS model on top, medium-cage Cannondale stem size model at the bottom.
Driving the joining pin into the chain. Rear derailleur and chain swap complete. A better view.
Share this: Twitter Facebook. Like this: Like Loading Hopefully u can learn from you. If you do proceed, make sure you run as long a chain as you can.
Good luck Like Like. You measure cage length from the axle of the guide pulley to the axle of the tension pulley. Deraipleur little research on Google will point you the right way. Thank you for the info! Leave a Reply Cancel reply Enter topeak rear basket comment here Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: Email required Address mountain bike rear derailleur made public.
For an example of the rigorous equation, assume a mountain bike rear derailleur speed bike has a 15 inch chain stay, a 58 tooth front ring and an 11 tooth rear sprocket. In this there is derailleue derailleur, so the extra one-inch is not added into the length.
The extra inch is added for derailleur bikes only. The short equation in our extreme track bikes yields an answer of Mountain bike rear derailleur rigorous equation derailpeur an answer of Again, in the example only, the extra inch is not added in for the derailleur cage, as there is none.
The simplified mountain bike rear derailleur equation would be an inch too short. This again is an extreme situation. Even in this one-speed example, if the chainring is reduced to a 55t, the two equations come up with the same answer. Chain Replacement: Derailleur Bikes View Article. Chain Length Sizing: My Account. mouhtain
Trade Resources. Chain Tool CT Master link L and connecting rivet R chains. Slight bend at each pulley. Correct derailleur position and chain tension.
Master link. Disengage with MLP Bring tool into contact with rivet. Drive out in straight line. Add master link for comparison. Match rivets on used chain to new chain.
Pass chain through front derailleur. Hold at five o'clock position.
Pull lower section snug. Reference rivet.
News:Feb 22, - The efficiency of your front and rear derailleurs can significantly affect Choosing the right front mech can become a touch cumbersome so keep it It's taken off in the world of mountain bike and is starting to make inroads in.
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text: Thrill Jockey Opening on ominous sampled church bells before quickly switching into grinding guitars, Love Amnesia is the second single from Japanese metal innovators ENDON s new album Boy Meets Girl, out February th Listen to Love Amnesia Boy Meets Girl is available to pre order now on rasberry vinyl and CD ENDON will be playing their native Tokyo with Neurosis and Converge on February th, before Coin Thrill Coins, Currency, Commentary Got this coin for Xmas and keep meaning to share it with you A half a penny hah Crudely cut, and at least years old as you can barely make out the from in the year mark before it got chopped off, haha Play games online Gin rummy, cribbage, dominoes Play FREE games online or compete for prizes in gin rummy, backgammon, cribbage, dominoes,mahjong, solitaire, poker solitare, freecell, blackjack, , poker rush Blueberry Thrill Farm Farm Location Eaglesfield Road Gibsonville, NC Click here for detailed directions to the farm At Blueberry Thrill Farm you and your family can relax in the country and gather your own fruits and flowers in an attractive well groomed environment. The Thrill of It All by Sam Smith The Thrill of It All Special Edition Choose music service Play Play Thrill Girl Kindle edition by Jack Curran Mystery Thrill Girl Kindle edition by Jack Curran Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Thrill Girl. Mel Carter Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Music I was in the US Air Force in the s, it was a wonderful time for great music and artist of all genre It was the music of my time When one was young, in love and The Thrill of the Chase Poem by Forrest Fenn Mysterious The following poem is found in the book The Thrill of the Chase by Forrest Fenn It is said to contain nine clues, and upon complete understanding, will lead a person to a bronze treasure chest filled with over a million dollars worth of treasure. Featured Question with Forrest Subtle Clues in The Thrill So does subtle way not equal a hint to the correct answer of what the blaze is, for example Maybe in a subtle way something alludes to or describes what the blaze may symbolize or look like, but not exactly what it is physically in the wilds. New camp or old The thrill is still there rvsue and Tuesday, March The crew and I move to a new camp Fun times One aspect of full time boondocking with solar power and everything we need in the Best Little Trailer and Perfect Tow Vehicle is exploring and discovering new campsites.

domain: entertainment


text:
Electron and Hole Photoemission Detection for Band Offset Determination of Tunnel Field-Effect Transistor Heterojunctions
Wei Li, Qin Zhang, R. Bijesh, Oleg A. Kirillov, Yiran Liang, Igor Levin, Lianmao Peng, Xuelei Liang, S. Datta, David J. Gundlach, Nhan V. Nguyen
The electrical performance of a tunnel field-effect transistor depends critically on the band offset at their semiconductor heterojunction interface. Historically, it has been difficult to experimentally determine how the electronic bands align at the heterojunction interface. We report here on experimental methods to ascertain a complete energy band alignment of a broken-gap tunnel field-effect transistor based on an InAs/GaSb hetero-junction. By using graphene as optically and electrically transparent electrode in a traditional internal photoemission measurement, both the electron and hole barrier heights at the InAs/GaSb interface can be quantified. Specifically for Al2O3/InAs/GaSb layer structure, the barrier height from the top of InAs and GaSb valence band to the bottom of Al2O3 conduction band is inferred from electron emission whereas hole emissions reveal the barrier height from the top of Al2O3 valence band to the bottom of InAs and GaSb conduction band. Subsequently, the offset parameter at the broken gap InAs/GaSb interface is extracted and thus can be used to assess electron quantum tunneling efficiency of the transistor performance.
Internal Photoemission, Tunnel field-effect transistor, band alignment, graphene, transparent electrode


The Opera Department of the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music and Dance has become one of the most creative forces in Kansas City. Under its director, Fenlon Lamb, the department has been presenting satisfying and ingenious productions, like last year’s “Hansel and Gretel,” with sets and costumes made entirely from paper. Now Lamb and her students are presenting two important 20th century works in an operatic double-header.
Poulenc based his opera on a play by surrealist Jean Cocteau. It’s a demanding showcase for a soprano that lets the audience eavesdrop on a disturbing phone call between a suicidal woman and her lover, who has informed her he’s leaving her for someone else.
Ravel’s “L’Enfant et les Sortilèges,” however, will lighten the mood. The opera is a setting of a fairy tale by French author Colette. It’s the story of a brat who gets his comeuppance from the objects, plants and animals that have been victimized by his tantrums. The work has its dark moments, but, spoiler alert, like all good fairy tales, it has a happy ending.
2:30 p.m. March 25. White Recital Hall, 4949 Cherry. $12. 816-235-6222 or tinyurl.com/y6u34j2n.
Kansas City Chorale
Along with robins and cherry blossoms, one of the harbingers of spring is the Kansas City Chorale’s concert at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art the day before Easter. Charles Bruffy will lead his multi-Grammy Award-winning chorale in “Springsong” on Saturday, March 31, at Kirkwood Hall.
Bruffy always chooses spiritually uplifting music for the concert, which is incredibly popular. If you’d like to go, you’re encouraged to get your tickets soon, as Kirkwood Hall fills up fast.
5:30 p.m. March 31. Kirkwood Hall, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St. $25. 816-235-6222 or kcchorale.org.
Scottish composer James MacMillan is unusual among contemporary composers. A devout Catholic, MacMillan often reflects his deep faith in his works, which are the antithesis of happy-clappy, contemporary Christian music. They are challenging while at the same time spiritually nurturing.
The Te Deum Chamber Choir, led by its artistic director Matthew Christopher Shepard, will perform one of MacMillan’s most moving works, “Seven Last Words From the Cross,” Sunday, March 25, at Village Presbyterian Church.
BBC Television commissioned the piece in 1994, with each section played on a different night during that year’s Holy Week. Te Deum will present “Seven Last Words” in its entirety. Like a Renaissance artist, MacMillan creates a vivid musical painting of Christ’s last moments on the cross. “Seven Last Words” is now considered one of the great choral works of the 20th century.
3 p.m. March 25. Village Presbyterian Church, 6641 Mission Road, Prairie Village. $15. Tickets available at the door. For more information about Te Deum, visit te-deum.org.
Musica Vocale, conducted by its artistic director Arnold Epley and assistant artistic director Jay Carter, will present “Shared Music Transcends Time” Sunday, March 25, at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral.
The program will feature music by Bach, Brahms, Krzysztof Penderecki and Kansas City composers such as Anthony Maglione, Ian David Coleman and Geoffrey Wilcken. Musica Vocale is led by two of Kansas City’s finest choral conductors and is made up of immensely talented singers who are devoted to their craft. Any concert by Musica Vocale is worth consideration for any lover of choral music.
2 p.m. March 25. Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral, 415 W. 13th St. $10-$15. For more information about Musica Vocale, visit musicavocale.org.
You can reach Patrick Neas at firstname.lastname@example.org and follow his Facebook page, KC Arts Beat, at facebook.com/kcartsbeat.


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On election night, my first emotion was sadness. Then I felt some shame and some guilt. Then a bit of anger. Still a bit of anger.
Yet I'm wired to see the opportunity. If our country is this closely divided, then there are three possibilities that stick out.
1) We continue down the same road of stand-off division that we're living in now. Tit-for-tat.
2) We erupt into larger chaos and division. Skirmishes, if not a form of civil war. (Hopefully more civil than war.)
3) We realize that the only way forward is together. That there are too many on each side for one side to win. A decisive victory on either side could have created another swing of the pendulum. Another new cycle of left or right.
So the opportunity for change – the opportunity for a different path that I see is #3. That's where I'm choosing to put my energy.
I saw it last summer on the project that I've been sharing about the Duality Derby – the demolition derby with a soul. I witnessed Urban and Rural come together. Red and Blue. Artistic and Practical. Hunters and Hippies. To create something powerful and do so with dignity and mutual respect, regardless of views.
I'm also a personification, in many ways. Military brat. Construction worker. Computer engineer. Theatre artist. Entrepreneur. A wordsmith who happens to enjoy owning a bit of land and chopping up his own wood. An avid shooter who believes that people have the right to live their own lives, in their own ways, regardless of religion, sexuality, or creed. I've had millions of dollars and I also own a double-wide trailer home. I have helped warriors find peace.
I don't want the left trampled by the right or the right trampled by the left. I want us to see and respect each other and to move forward with compassion and dignity to be a lighthouse in this world of chaos and storm. A beacon that others would want to join.
I do not stand for a party, I stand for People. I stand with People.
Big Love, my fellow humans. Be well and treat each other well.
P.S. In the time since I first posted this, I've had several deep conversations with good people on both sides. There is a lot of pain, hurt, and fear all around. Each believes this is a fight for survival and believes the other side is a mortal enemy. I can feel and understand many of their points. To those who read this, I suggest that cooperation is more powerful than conflict. The rise of humanity is not a story of individuals in conflict, but of groups working together. The next era will require even more cooperation if we and this world are to thrive.


text: On June 14, 2017 Peter Jedadiah Wittlieff, of Manistee was arraigned in Manistee on one count of Maintaining a Meth Lab and one count of Possession of Methamphetamine. In September of 2016, members of the Manistee City Police Department responded to a medical emergency in the 100 block of 12th Street. On scene officers observed items used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine. SSCENT detectives executed a search warrant at the home and several items used in the production of methamphetamine were located. Wittlieff was originally arrested on May 28, 2017. He posted a cash bond of $2,500.00 at that time. The most serious charge is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a $25,000.00 fine.

domain: news


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The posters “In the Dark” convey the special situation of boys and girls who have become victims of domestic violence. Sometimes victims choose to be silent and do not dare speak out, although at night they often re-experience the pain in the form of nightmares that repeatedly leave physical and psychological scars. This “telling” silence is symbolised by a boy in the picture who is quietly yet insistently looking at the viewer. The intention is to make clear the distress that these children experience when night comes. The visual depiction of apparent tranquillity on the surface aims at conveying the pain that these children are silently hiding.
[Red Dot: Junior Award]
National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei
Jia-Yun Chang, Department of Interaction Design, National Taipei University of Technology


Community Health, Youth Voices
Rapper Kanye West garnered a firestorm of criticism after saying in an interview with TMZ that slavery was a choice. Among the most disappointed and repulsed by this comment are his most loyal fans. “What you said on TMZ though made me question you for the first time in a very very long time. How are you going to say ‘slavery was a choice?’” Read more at the kNOw.


When you’re selecting a new HVAC system for your home, the first critical step is conducting a load calculation. Your costs, long-term energy bills and comfort depend on getting the size right for your home. An HVAC contractor who skips this step and goes by the size of your existing equipment could be overlooking any changes or improvements made to your home to improve its energy efficiency.
Load calculations take into account the energy efficiency of your home, the amount of heat you and your family contribute to the conditioning load, along with its orientation to the sun. Contractors use software tools called Manuals J and D that take into account these factors:
- Cubic footage;
- Layout of your home;
- Insulation levels in the attic, walls and floor;
- Windows, their energy efficiency and orientation to the sun;
- Air infiltration rates;
- Heat-producing appliances indoors and your lighting types;
- Household members and their ages;
- Preferred indoor temperatures; and
- Landscaping factors.
Once the contractor has run the Manual J calculation to size the system, he or she moves onto the ductwork size and capacity using Manual D. It’s also important for the HVAC contractor to check your existing ducts and check for leaks or other problems. Proper duct design and tight sealing help the system run as efficiently as it was designed to do.
One of the biggest benefits of doing the load calculation first is that you learn how you can improve your home’s energy efficiency, which could result in a lower conditioning load. Anytime you can use a smaller system, you save money initially and each time it runs.
Systems that aren’t properly sized reduce your comfort. One that’s too large short cycles, driving up energy bills and leaving humidity behind in the summer. It starts and stops more often, which also increases the wear on all the parts. A system that’s too small won’t condition your home comfortably during weather extremes.
Please contact Stack Heating & Cooling to learn more about the importance of a load calculation. We’ve provided exceptional HVAC services for the greater Cleveland area since 1976.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Cleveland, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about load calculations and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock


text:
- A 33 year old male gamer
- United States
- Joined on September 28th 2012, last online 13 hours ago.
- Profile Views: 15,519
- Forum posts: 3,148 times which averages 1 posts per day
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How's the married life? Anyways, just popping in to say that if you could actually complete your list for me ASAP I'd really appreciate it. Thanks again. ^_^
Check out the awesomeness of 2014:
Hey there, just popping in to say that you and your 50 (amazing) games are missed in the Top 50 Thread! Whenever you have the time, we'd love to see your awesome list in the Official Thread (remember to only post once and edit your games in) and we'd love to talk about your games in the Discussion Thread. Thanks again for your time and effort. ^_^
Was just messing with you. You were only an hour late. Nice try though. Don't let it discourage you from posting.


text:
Held at 6 pm, Saturday, 24th March 2012, Town Hall in Bangalore
“Arrest Ankit Garg, Release Soni Sori”
“Attn: Ms. President, Mr. Prime Minister, Chattisgarh state, NHRC, Stop Torture of Soni Sori”
These were among the slogans from nearly 20 Karnataka based human rights organizations to the Government of India in support of Soni Sori, a 35 year old adivasi school teacher who has been incarcerated in Chattisgarh police custody since October 2011 despite medical evidence revealing their brutal custodial torture, electrocution, beating, and sexual assault on her, shoving stones into her private parts. Around 100 persons gathered at 6 pm on 24th March 2012 in front of Town Hall in Bangalore to appeal for the immediate transfer of Soni Sori out of Chhattisgarh police custody and her speedy trial. Expressing solidarity with Soni Sori, the people also demanded the arrest of Ankit Garg, Superintendent of Police, Dantewada under whose supervision Soni Sori was subject to verbal and sexual assault in jail. They join people across the country in condemning the award of the Police Gallantry medal to Garg on Republic Day, 2012.
The protesters angrily burned an effigy of Ankit Garg, shouting slogans shaming him, and held a candlelight vigil for justice for Soni Sori. The brutality of police torture was also depicted by protesters masquerading as police and victims, while protesters held up signs condemning the functioning of the criminal justice system and asking for the freedom of adivasi journalists Lingaram Kodopi of Chhattisgarh and Vittala Malekudiya of Karnataka and many other political prisoners such as Manish Kunjam. Venkatesh of Dalit Bahujan Chaluvali, Manohar of SICHREM, and transgender political activists Charu of LesBiT and Veena of Praja Rajya Vedike spoke about the several ways in which the police system and false charges have been used to routinely detain and torture human rights activists and members of the adivasi, dalit, muslim and transgender communities in Karnataka. Comrade Balan of AITUC, Com. Nagaragere Ramesh of PDF, Com. Vishwa of New Socialist Alternative, Arati of PUCL and Pushpa of WSS stirred the crowd into thinking about whether the government today has prioritized the care and protection of its own citizens, or instead persecuted citizens for the benefit of exploitative private corporations. As the rousing songs of Dalitha Mattu Mahila Chaluvali questioned the freedom we have attained in more than 60 years of independence, members of the crowd signed a banner with messages to the President of India to ensure justice for Soni Sori.
– Immediately transfer Soni Sori out of the custody of Chhattisgarh police and ensure the provision of appropriate health care to Soni Sori without police interference.
– Set up an independent investigation into the conduct of Chhattisgarh law enforcement officials in the custodial sexual assault and torture of Soni Sori, and the immediate suspension of the responsible officers and prosecution under the PoA Act pending this inquiry
– Ensure the speedy completion of trial of Soni Sori, Lingaram Kodopi, Manish Kunjam and countless others so that they do not languish for years in custody when their guilt has not been proven.
– Show public proof of the good health and safety of Lingaram Kodopi and other prisoners in Chhattisgarh police custody.
– Set up a high-level independent investigation team to look at the condition of prisoners, especially women, including in the state ofChhattisgarh, to determine whether other women may have been subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, and investigate the reality ofprisoners’ access to health care.
– Enact the Prevention of Torture Bill and remove the need for prior state authorization to initiate criminal action against the officialsimplicated in custodial torture. Ratify the Convention on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
– Ensure that the latest central government grants to states to set up police stations in Maoist areas include support for independentmonitoring of detention facilities including station lockups and jails by human rights commissions and civil society groups. Considerrequiring police to videotape interrogations, especially in police stations in Naxalite areas and train police on proper conduct toward women in custody.
– End the use of custodial torture, lengthy custodial holding on false charges, and constant police harassment as tools of repressionagainst the adivasi and other residents of Chhattisgarh.
LesBiT, SICHREM, New Socialist Alternative (CWI-India), People’s Solidarity Concerns, Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression: WSS-Karnataka, PUCL-Bangalore, Peoples’ Democratic Forum, Dalitha Mattu Mahila Chaluvali, Concern (IISc), Maraa, Dalit Bahujana Chaluvali, Samanata Mahila Vedike, Vimochana, Sangama, Samara, Pedipics, Alternative Law Forum (ALF)


A former employee of the Contra Costa County public defender’s office has been charged with murder, court records show.
William Melvin Edwards Jr. is due in court on Sept. 18 on counts of murder and conspiracy to commit a crime. He did not enter a plea in his initial court appearance Tuesday.
Prosecutors are accusing Edwards, 38, of Richmond, of killing a man he thought was testifying against gang members in an attempted-murder case.
Contra Costa County Public Defender Robin Lipetzky said Edwards worked as a seasonal clerk for the public defender’s office until October 2017, when he left to take another job.
Court documents allege Edwards staked out 22-year-old Taison Calderon-Lopez’s house in North Richmond around 5:30 a.m. on June 1, and about an hour later shot him to death as he walked to his work truck.
In 2006, Edwards was sentenced to prison for manslaughter in a similar case of witness murder in Oakland, and in 2016 after serving his time and getting the job at the public defender’s office he presented himself on social media as a reformed man who wanted to serve as an inspiration.
Ashley McBride is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: email@example.com Twitter: @ashleynmcb


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FreedomPop on verge of being purchased by a major carrier
Once SoftBank founder and Sprint Chairman Masayoshi Son decided that he couldn't fight City Hall (namely the FCC and the FTC), he decided to stop pursuing T-Mobile. He also replaced long time Sprint CEO Dan Hesse with Marcelo Claure. But Claure's goal is to allow Sprint to challenge the Verizon and AT&T duopoly alone, without requiring an acquisition. Thus, we would be very surprised if FreedomPop became the target of Sprint.
On the other hand, from its earliest days, FreedomPop was supposed to be living on the edge, offering free monthly data to subscribers. Hmm. Which carrier does that remind you of? Would T-Mobile be interested in a unique boutique like FreedomPop to help spread the word from the good book of Legere?
FreedomPop CEO Stokols said that the carrier will reach the one million subscriber mark by the end of next year. By the end of this year, FreedomPop will be available in small and large retail stores in eight major markets like New York City, Dallas and Houston. FreedomPop's wireless service will also be available in 1700 Staples stores from coast to coast before the holiday season starts.
A growing company like FreedomPop will certainly be targeted by bigger carriers who would love the opportunity to capture fresh growth. And the best part is that an acquisition like FreedomPop would probably fly under the regulator's radar. An acquisition by T-Mobile would put it that much closer to leapfrogging over Sprint, something that John Legere says will take place before the end of the year.