|Save Our Subways
|New mayor of Toronto: "Transit City is over"
|Page 1 of 1|
|Author:||victor [ December 1st, 2010, 2:51 pm ]|
|Post subject:||New mayor of Toronto: "Transit City is over"|
‘War on the car is over’: Ford moves transit underground
Urban Affairs Reporter
The $8 billion Transit City light rail plan championed by the former mayor David Miller — years in the making and with construction underway — is “over”, Mayor Rob Ford declared on his first morning on the job.
Ford made the remarks while being mobbed by reporters Wednesday morning as he emerged from his new office to go downstairs to the cafeteria.
Ford said he met at around 7 a.m. with Toronto Transit Commission chief general manager Gary Webster to emphasize that subways are preferable to the 120-kilometres of streetcar routes laid out by Miller.
“We just had a meeting about subways,” Ford said regarding his chat with Webster.
“I just wanted to make it quite clear that he understood that Transit City’s over and the war on the car is over, and all new subway expansion is going underground. And that’s pretty well it,” Ford said.
“I just told him that everything moving forward is underground. And he accepted that. And I look forward to working with him.”
Ford, who wants to build a subway to the Scarborough Town Centre, said he didn’t specifically insist that ongoing work on the new Sheppard light rail line be stopped.
“No, I just told him whatever we’re doing is going underground, so we’re going to build subways. I was elected on that mandate, and I’m going to deliver my promises to the taxpayers that subways will be built in the city.”
Ford said he has yet to speak to Premier Dalton McGuinty, whose provincial government has put up most of the money for Transit City.
The new mayor did indicate he would like to see light rail money diverted underground.
“I look forward to meeting with Mr. McGuinty about the funding with respect to subways,” he said. “Again, I’m going to talk to Mr. McGuinty and we’ll take it from there. I’m trying to set something up as soon as possible.
Ford was non-committal when asked who will be responsible for the money already spent if the light rail plan is scrapped. The Ontario government says it has so far spent about $130 million and signed contracts worth $1.3 billion.
Ottawa is contributing $330 million for the Sheppard line, about one-third of its cost. The province has said it will cover the rest of Transit City’s $8.15 billion bill — for Sheppard, a Finch light rail line, an Eglinton crosstown route, and conversion of Scarborough’s aging rapid transit line to light rail.
“Again, I’m going to deal with the province with respect to that and take it from there,” Ford said.
The mayor’s power to act unilaterally was, however, quickly questioned. City council as a whole approved Transit City and council as a whole would have to agree to kill it.
“I think it’s premature,” rookie Councillor Josh Matlow said of Ford’s pronouncement. “I believe that council should have an opportunity for discussion about public transit in this city — transit affects everyone in every corner of the city and there are millions of tax dollars at stake.” There are several council meetings scheduled for next week but traditionally they are just ceremonial. It is not clear if any motions will be introduced.
Matlow (Ward 22, St. Paul’s) acknowledged Ford was elected with a large mandate promising a subway plan, rather than Transit City, and wants to people to know “there’s a new sheriff in town.
“But many councillors were elected with large mandates supporting Transit City — let’s not invalidate those elections. We need a responsible, thoughtful discussion.”
Webster, after emerging from his early-morning meeting with Ford, told reporters: “The plan we have in place was put together with a lot of thought and we supported it and we do support the plan as a good transportation plan.
“The mayor is saying ‘Fine, but I’m looking at a new plan.’”
Webster said provincially funded work by the TTC will continue on a Sheppard Ave. underpass at the Agincourt GO Station, noting it would happen whether a subway or light rail line goes there.
Webster said he was directed to go back to Ford with a new plan, which could take up to six weeks.
At noon in Nathan Phillips Square, a few dozen protesters from groups including the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty huddled in cold drizzle in front of a banner stating: “Rob Ford’s gravy train will just feed the pigs.”
Lisa Schofield of OCAP said the protesters are demanding changes to the way welfare is administered, the elimination of the waiting list for subsidized housing and better public transit for the poor.
“As (Ford) is cutting Transit City, he’s also going to be cutting services to poor and working-class people,” Schofield told reporters.
“Our biggest fear is a (former premier Mike) Harris-style era in this city, which we can all be terrified of, quite frankly.”
|Page 1 of 1||All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]|
|Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group


text:
LogMeIn Files for IPO to Raise Estimated $123 Million - Woburn, MA
LogMeIn, a Woburn-based provider of remote-connectivity technology for Internet-enabled devices, has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for its initial public offering of stock to raise an estimated $123 million. Founded in 2003, LogMeIn entered into a service and marketing agreement with Intel in 2007 to jointly develop a service that delivers connectivity to computers built with Intel components. Under the four-year agreement, LogMeIn is adapting its service delivery platform to work with specific technology delivered with Intel hardware and software products. In conjunction with this agreement, Intel invested $10 million in LogMeIn, which had $17.2 million in revenue for the three months ended March 30 and a profit of $2.3 million. That compares to $9.9 million in revenue and a loss of $3.7 million in the same period a year ago. LogMeIn estimates that it will price about 7.7 million shares at $16 million in its IPO.

domain: news


**Bhubaneswar: ** As incumbent Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice J.S. Khehar retires on August 27, he is said to have recommended Justice Dipak Misra as his successor, as per media reports.
In pursuance of the laid down procedure, the Union Law Minister formally seeks the recommendation of the CJI on his successor.
Media further reported that the memorandum of procedure that guides the appointment, transfer and elevation of judges of the Supreme Court and the 24 High Courts, the CJI appointment should be of the senior most judge of the Supreme Court considered fit to hold the office.
Justice Mishra (63), hailing from Odisha, is the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court after incumbent CJI Justice Khehar.
Justice Misra will retire on October 2, 2018, the media reports added.
Notably, Justice Ranganath Mishra had been the first ever legal luminary from Odisha to be the CJI from September 1990 to November 1991.


text:
A plaque with with a hooded figure and the words "Ku Klux Klan" on it was discovered at the entrance to Bartlett Hall, the science center at the United States Military Academy, West Point, reports CNN. Established in 1965, the plaque was “originally dedicated to West Point graduates who served in World War II and Korea.”
The marker also includes the words Ku Klux Klan as a part of a larger piece of artwork, called a triptych, referring “to the history of the United States as told in bronze relief.” It has three panels, that are each 11 feet by 5 feet. The second panel displays the Ku Klux Klan in a “small section” titled “One Nation, Under God, Indivisible," the Academy’s Public Affairs office said in a statement.
The Congressional Naming Commission, which made the discovery, recently offered recommendations to the Department of Defense on renaming Confederate markers on U.S. military installations. The report focused on Confederate markers at both West Point in New York and the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
According to the commission the plaque “falls outside” of its domain, because its primary function is to identify and provide recommendations on new names for Confederate markers at military installations.
“The marker falls outside the remit of the Commission; however, there are clearly ties in the K.K.K. to the Confederacy,” stated the report.
The commission recommended that the Secretary of Defense “address DoD assets that highlight the K.K.K.” and “create a standard disposition requirement for such assets.”
Per the Academy’s Public Affairs office, Laura Gardin Fraser, the triptych’s late sculptor, “wanted to create art that depicted ‘historical incidents or persons’ that symbolized the principled events of that time, thereby documenting both tragedy and triumph in our nation’s history.
“West Point does not accept, condone, or promote racism, sexism, or any other biases. The Academy continues to graduate its most diverse classes ever with respect to ethnicity, gender, experience, and background,” the Public Affairs office said in the statement.
The U.S. Military Academy’s Public Affairs office acknowledged they had received the naming commission’s report and said they are “reviewing the recommendations,” in an earlier statement Wednesday.
“We are reviewing the recommendations and will collaborate with the Department of the Army to implement changes, once approved,” the statement said. “West Point’s mission is to develop leaders of character who internalize Army Values, the ideals of Duty, Honor, Country, and the Army Ethic. As a values-based institution, we are fully committed to creating a climate where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.”
The removal of Confederate markers and other historic racist images across the country has dramatically increased in recent years. Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas are among the states that have removed Confederate monuments and racist structures .


BSC143 type multi-pair instrumentation cable
Screened and armoured cables designed for the transmission of analogue and digital signals in instrument and control systems.
Foundation fieldbus 1 pair A, B or high-speed
Single pair bi-directional digital cables designed for use in process automation industries, blue or orange sheath as standard.
H05BQ-F, H07BQ-F orange PUR halogen free flex
Tough polyurethane sheathed halogen free flex suitable for external or internal use, including low temperature and harsh environments.
0361TQ black or orange EPR/CSP welding cable
Exceptionally sturdy single core HOFR cables for use indoors, outdoors, in damp or oily areas and under adverse conditions.


text:
"To dilute the primacy of the duty of the BOFI director to shareholders to accommodate a new accountability to other stakeholders would risk changing fundamentally the contractual and legal basis on which the UK market economy operates. It would introduce potentially substantial new uncertainty for shareholders as to the value of their holdings and would be likely to lead to shareholder exodus from the sector and a rise in the cost of capital for BOFIs. Broadening the range of board responsibilities and, to take one suggestion, statutory provision for addition to the board of a representative of a particular stakeholder interest (such as that of employees or of minority shareholders) would distract and dilute the ability of NEDs to concentrate in the boardroom on the most important strategic matters."
Friday, 17 July 2009
No revolution in banks boards...
From Walker, page 31

domain: law


text:
GHIT 0336: NASA’s TREC Endurance racing series with Bryan Lingruen
As you know, we love endurance racing. Endurance racing allows us to get a huge amount of track time and competition in a single weekend. NASA has recently started an endurance racing series to compliment their sprint racing and HPDE weekend events. The TREC series currently races at the same tracks on a Friday and the races range from 3 hours to 8 hours depending on the event and the venue. We talk with Bryan Lingruen about the start and history of the NASA TRES series and how NASA Great Lakes organizes and holds their events. This is a great option for additional racing and track time if you are going to a NASA weekend.
If you would like to help grow our sport and this podcast:
You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice, including the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc.
Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating, that we would appreciate that very much. Even better, a podcast review, would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving and we would appreciate it.
We hope you enjoy this episode!
PS If you are looking to stream or save your integrated telemetry/racing data with you video, Candelaria Racing Products Sentinel System may be the perfect solution for you. We are amid installing the system in two of our cars. If this sounds like something that may help you and your team, please use our discount code “GHIT” for a 10% discount during the checkout process at https://candelaria-racing.com/
PS2 Please do not forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, do not forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems you will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount, a savings of $40. Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order from https://apextrackcoach.com/
Vicki, Jennifer, Ben, Alan, and Bill
Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

domain: hobby


text:
"How I Met Your Mother" and "Avengers" star Cobie Smulders has teamed up with Tom Cruise for the second installment of the "Jack Reacher" franchise, "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back."
Smulders' debuted the footage on Entertainment Tonight saying that "It's not a spy film. We don't have tools, except this and this." She held up her fists as she said that last part. The footage showed Cruise reprising his role as series' lead Reacher, who risks his life to rescue and prove the innocence of Smulders' character.
In the first "Jack Reacher" film it was Reacher who had to prove his own innocence, which he successfully did, with the help of "Gone Girl's" Rosamund Pike.
Check out the footage and Smulders' introduction in the video below:
The first "Jack Reacher" earned $218 million at the global box office. "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" is opens in theaters October 21.

domain: celebrity


text:
It’s safe to say that getting older is somewhat inevitable. So is showing some signs of ageing. As you age, your skin will develop wrinkles and you will also go grey. It doesn’t matter how much you try to resist it either. That being said, just because you are getting older, doesn’t mean that you should feel older. In fact, it’s more than possible for you to feel way younger than you ever have done, if you know the steps that you need to take. Take a look below to find out more.
Spend Time with your Friends
When your schedule fills up, it is very easy for you blow off all of your friends so that you can spend a night in. That being said, you need to try and avoid cancelling your plans. Studies have found that having some very strong friendships can help you to live longer and it can also make a huge difference to how youthful you feel as well. People who meet up with friends and who are more social tend to have a lower obesity rate and they also have low levels of cholesterol as well. If you have friends who you haven’t seen in quite a long time, then now is the time for you to meet up with them.
Spending time in the great outdoors is fantastic for the soul. It can also help you to live longer, and it can make you feel more youthful too. Spending time in the great outdoors can make you feel way more energised, and it can also make you feel way more youthful. Something as simple as going on a walk in the park can also give you a very similar effect.
Believe it or not, you can actually feel way younger by just smiling. Studies have shown that those who smile more are often perceived as being younger than they actually are. Grinning can make you feel younger too. It gets rid of stress, and it can also make you feel ready to take on the day.
Everyone knows how important it is to hit the gym on a regular basis. This is probably a given, but aside from helping you to keep your body in shape, it also helps you to feel younger. Studies have found that those who workout tend to age more slowly. If you don’t have the energy or the motivation to workout, then this is understandable, but you still need to push yourself. It may be that you go on a walk instead of going to the gym, for example.
Take a Class
You don’t need to think about going back to school, but you should know that taking some classes will help you to expand your knowledge. It will give your brain a boost and it will also make you feel younger. If you can, see what classes are in your area, and also find out if there is anything that you can do to your friends to go with you. This will double the benefits you get.
Plant some Trees
One great way for you to feel younger would be for you to plant some trees. Studies have shown that those who live in an area with lots of trees, tend to feel younger. If possible, take the time to plant some trees in your garden or even try and explore the idea of helping to plant some in your local community. This will work wonders for your mental health.
Did you know that drinking a glass of wine could help you to feel way younger? Studies have also shown that drinking red wine could slow down brain ageing and this will help you to get the youthful boost you are looking for. You can savour every sip and you can also learn more about wine in general.
If you want to feel younger, then it may be wise for you to try and wear a grapefruit scent. Studies have been done and they have found that those who wear a grapefruit-scented perfume are perceived to be up to five years younger than they actually were. If you can grab a citric-style scent, then this will help you to feel fresh and far more youthful.
Change your Style
If you can, you need to change the way that you dress. If you wear clothes that make you look old, then you will certainly feel old. Wear a leather jacket if it makes you feel good, but combine it with a nice fresh t-shirt or a youthful shirt. If you can do this. then you will soon find that you can refresh your style and this can work in your favour more than you realise. If you have always wanted to get a piercing, then finally going ahead with it can also make you feel more youthful. Simply contact a reputable piercing shop to find out more.
Don’t Skip out on Breakfast
It is incredibly easy for you to skip out on breakfast. After all, you may find that mornings are just too hectic for you to sit down and that you also struggle to keep your hunger levels in check too. Studies have found though that if you eat breakfast, then this can help you to keep your sweet cravings in check. it can also help you to boost your energy levels and this is exactly what you need to feel younger.
When you are dehydrated, you won’t feel good at all. You may feel tired, and you may also feel as though your energy levels are bad too. If you try and drink the right amount of water every day, which is around 8 glasses then you’ll feel a major difference. You may find that you feel more youthful and that you are able to hydrate yourself too. This is the best way for you to take control of your situation and empower yourself to feel younger.

domain: psychology


is in the design, engineering and manufacturing of critical fluid delivery subsystems for semiconductor capital equipment.
By default, purchasers at Ichor
make starting offers of not more than 50% of the asking price when purchasing from the website of a used equipment vendor.
also conducted preclinical studies of anthrax on animals to initially secure biodefense work, but the company agrees that this type of vaccine work carries with it several challenges.
On the introduction of the concept of ichor
, see Kirk 1990, p.
Gagne sees Persephone as representative of Demeter's maidenhood rather than as an actual daughter, offspring of flesh and blood--or rather ichor
, as the case may be.
Gall and insect ichor
trickled down the fronds, and from the bubbling seal came a sweet stench of wax and a buzzing murmur.
and~ this lowering of the pupil was accompanied by the profuse out-flowing of a yellowish ichor
(from beneath the lids) of a pungent and highly offensive odor" (1242).
The German translator of It's Me, Eddie distilled the ichor
of that book and this one too as the single English obscenity which served in the title of the German edition: Fuck Off, Amerika.
Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:ICHR) disclosed on Tuesday that Jeffrey S.
California, US-based semiconductor capital equipment fluid delivery subsystems maker Ichor
Holdings (NASDAQ: ICHR) has closed the acquisition of US-based industrial systems designer and fabricator Cal-Weld, Inc in a stock purchase transaction valued at USD 50m, the company said.
Systems, the electronics manufacturer, has moved its Scottish process to Blantyre to Hamilton after a Au500,000 investment.


Rajesh Mishra and his family were allegedly threatened with death and company managers abused them on the direction of the directors, Mishra said.
Digital Desk: In Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur, a case has been filed in Raipurwa Police Station alleging major offenses, including fraud, against Anand Mahindra and 13 employees of the Mahindra Company. According to the man, Mahindra staff allegedly sold the Scorpio without airbags, resulting in the death of his only son in the accident.
Rajesh Mishra, a resident of Juhi claimed to have bought a black Scorpio from Tirupati Auto in Zarib Chowki on December 2, 2020, for the sum of Rs 17.39 lakh. Information was given by the company regarding the vehicle's safety and characteristics. He had also seen the advertisement displayed by Anand Mahindra on various social media.
Apoorva was travelling with friends from Lucknow to Kanpur on January 14, 2022, when their car flipped over after hitting a divider due to fog. In this incident, Apoorva lost his life.
He went to Tirupati Auto on January 29 to report the problems with the vehicle and to complain that the airbag did not open even though the seatbelt was on at the time of the collision. He also accused them of fraud. According to Rajesh Mishra, his son would not have died in the accident if the car had undergone a thorough inspection.
The company's employees got into an argument while discussing this issue, so they called the directors Chandra Prakash Gurnani, Vikram Singh Mehta, Rajesh Ganesh Jejurikar, Muthiah Murgappan Muthiah, Vishakha Nirubhai Desai, Nisbah Godrej, and Anand Gopal Mahindra to let them know what had happened. Rajesh Mishra and his family were allegedly threatened with death and company managers abused them on the direction of the directors, Mishra said.
The Scorpio was recovered from the scene of the collision and parked in the Mahindra Company's Ruma store. He claimed that the company failed to add airbags to the car. According to the concerned police personnel, a technical investigation will be carried out in this case.


I think the world is ready for some healing. We’re ready to forgive and forget… about that awful Super Mario Bros. movie from 1993. We’re past the 20 year mark, and there have been some great Mario-themed fan films recently. A few months ago we posted a CG/live-action fan-made short that our readers seemed to love (it also now has over 1 million hits on YouTube). Here’s another great fan film that places a CG Mario in the real world. This doesn’t have the same hilariously destructive outcome as the other film, but the CG in this is much better. The video is a fan trailer by Japan-based visual effects artist Dean Wright that features Mario rushing through Tokyo to get to the Super Smash Bros. tournament.
From the looks of the trailer released yesterday, the new SpongeBob Squarepants movie is perhaps the first promising looking CG/live-action hybrid film. I don’t know what it is about that extra dimension, but most other 3D hybrid films have yet to live up to their 2D ancestors, like Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Space Jam. Maybe there's a writing team out there who could find the right balance and scenario, which the SpongeBob movie seems to have done, for a CG Mario to be in the real world. But, if we’re looking for a gritty live-action take on the plumber, Evan Daugherty’s Four Players series gave us a fantastic taste of what that could be like.


text:
VICE interviews Gretchen Andrew about human desire and manipulating Google.
This ‘Search Engine Artist’ Tricked Google Into Displaying Her Art
By Varsha Rani
If you’re reading this, chances are you have some sort of a relationship with Google. Most of us rely on the search engine to look for information instead of storing it on our own brains (which experts say is making us stupid), heading to it for searching, surfing and sometimes even contributing to the endless databases. I don’t know about you but life without the internet is unfathomable for me and my fellow Gen Z counterparts, making me think the Internet is our master than the other way round—no matter how much we might pretend to control our own choices.
But Gretchen isn’t having any of this BS.
The Los Angeles-based “search engine artist” who worked at the Google headquarters in Silicon Valley before pursuing a career as a full-time artist is in turn manipulating, tricking, undermining and basically making Google her bitch.
In late October, when the whole world was glued to their screens to follow the U.S. presidential drama that was unfolding like a reality show, a weird thing happened. For some time, if you’d search for the hot keywords “the next American president”, instead of Trump or Biden what would pop up were a series of paintings inspired by the aesthetics of vision boards to “manifest” the ideal leader—“a kind, democracy-respecting, loving person”. The collages would rank high up on the list, suddenly breaking the myth we all believe in when it comes to the powers of the internet.
Gretchen has pulled off such a stunt earlier as well when she made Google believe she’s won the Turner Prize—one of the best-known prizes for the visual arts but in a world tricked by Gretchen, actually a pancake “turning” competition.
We spoke to Gretchen about her work, how and why she tricks the internet, and what this means for the rest of us.
VICE: Looking up “the next American president” and getting to your messages was genius. How did this idea come into play, and how exactly did you do it?
Gretchen: I was really over people talking about foreign governments interfering in elections as if what enabled this was some sort of incomprehensible spy stuff and not the concentration of monopoly power by a handful of tech corporations. Manipulating the internet is not that hard. I wanted people to see that an artist like myself, someone without the traditional markers of power like political position, great sums of money, an army, etc., can play this game too. I think this is one of the reasons my work has resonated so strongly in places like India, where you have a highly trained and very skilled technical workforce that is often subjugated by the technology companies that employ it. Taking personal power back through technology is hugely important everywhere in the world.
I achieved this by using the concentration of power in technology against itself. I found loopholes in the way technology processes our lives, and forced Google and its artificial intelligence to fail because technology cannot parse desire. Wanting something and admitting to that desire is still the most powerful tool on earth.
Exposing the internet’s shortcomings and the ability to kinda easily hack your way through is great, but where do your personal motivations with these acts lie? Is there a bit of a power trip involved in this too?
The educational and activist implications of my work are important to me but ultimately my practice is about achieving the life and career I want and doing it in a way that requires no permission or access from anyone. I only need to say yes to myself. The vision boards themselves are also very personal. They are about the life I want, the future I want, the material possessions and shiny things I want, the love I want. They are covered in symbols of universal celebration and desire, but also in very personal symbols.
You talk a lot about “Internet imperialism”. What is this, who does this impact, and what change do you seek by overthrowing it in your own way?
Internet Imperialism is a term I invented to acknowledge the dark implications of my work and the way my methods are and have been used in history for much more sinister aims. My internet manipulations are global. They impact everyone. They impact the way AI is being educated. I seek to change my own life and also inspire others to take power and control from systems they were not designed to benefit the “user.”
So, how do we go about hacking the system and get a little bit of control over big tech in our hands?
My particular form of revolution is not to overthrow the system but to use it in unexpected ways. The rules that have been set up by algorithms, by technology companies, and by society more broadly are not made to benefit everyone equally, but they can also be used against their creators. Everything I do is totally legal and totally within terms of service, the key is to identify where technology fails in a way that can benefit your own life and power. Failure always brings opportunity and the internet is no different. I look at the gap between the “letter” and “spirit” of each rule and find a way to make it work for me. I am teaching a workshop soon at Arebyte.
What is the one startling thing about the internet that you realised as you made your way through it, bending its rules and making SEO your own?
Not only can technology not parse human desire but human desire is stronger than any technology. Everything relates back to language. Language is powerful but even human-to-human misunderstandings are frequent. It is the core problem of post-structuralism. This is where art comes from. Art can do more, communicate more, than language and technology.
What’s up next?
In Feb 2021, I’ll have my first exhibition with Annka Kultys in London and will be taking on Brexit and formal education.

domain: artistic


text:
Hello and Happy New Year! I’m back from two wonderful weeks in Michigan and ready to jump into several posts about 2008 (mainly 2008 reading) that I have planned/started. I will also post my goals for 2009 reading.
First up – my Polysyllabic Spree for December:
Books Purchased (or received as gifts)
The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J. K. Rowling
The Best American Short Stories edited by Stephen King
Reborn: Journals & Notebooks, 1947 – 1963 by Susan Sontag
Bad Behavior by Mary Gaitskill
The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein
Love Letters of Great Men edited by Ursula Doyle (gift)
The Emperor’s Children by Claire Messud
The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers
Poetry 180: A Turning Back to Poetry selected by Billy Collins
Eleanor Roosevelt Volume 1 1884-1933 by Blanche Wiesen Cook
Words in Air: The Complete Correspondence between Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell (gift)
The Time of Their Lives by Al Silverman (gift)
Shakespeare Wrote for the Money by Nick Hornby (gift)
Very Far Away from Anywhere Else by Ursula K. Le Guin
Eva Luna by Isabel Allende
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (gift)
The Best American Short Stories of the Eighties edited by Shannon Ravenel
With Love and Squalor edited by Kip Kotzen and Thomas Beller
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie
I received many wonderful books for Christmas. I also got several fantastic cookbooks, which I do not include on my official book lists. The cookbooks I received were: The Art and Soul of Baking, Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook, and The America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book. It seems my books acquired stack is destined to always be towering, but this month its size is mainly due to the many awesome $1 to $2 book deals I found at Book Off, Skyline Books, The Book Nook, and the KPL Friends of the Library bookstore. Oh well, there’s always next year to try to accumulate less books. :)
(Also not pictured is my collector’s edition of Tales of Beedle the Bard. It’s absolutely gorgeous, in fact – a little too gorgeous to actually read. Instead of buying the US edition as a reading copy, I fell in love with the cover of the UK edition, so I ordered it from Amazon UK. Yes, I’m that fanatical about my Harry Potter collection.)
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (library)
Rebel Angels by Libba Bray (library)
The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray (library)
I only finished three books in December. I blame the holidays. I started a lot of things that I didn’t finish in December, and hopefully will soon. I did really enjoy the three books I read this month though. I read the complete Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray. It’s a teen fantasy saga and it’s much better than the Twilight series. It’s very dark and gothic, which was just what I was in the mood for during the busy holidays – something completely absorbing that would be very fun to read. Rebel Angels, the second book, is my favorite in the trilogy. If you’re interested in learning more about this series, the official website has descriptions of each book, and a link where you can read the first chapter of A Great and Terrible Beauty. Also, according to IMDB, A Great and Terrible Beauty is going to be made into a movie, coming out in 2010. The status is only “announced” so I hope this actually happens, it would make an excellent movie. An added bonus of this series – the love interest, Kartik, is completely wonderful.
Short Stories Read:
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” by F. Scott Fitzgerald
(There are many collections that include this story, including several cool new stand alone editions, but I read the story in a book called Before Gatsby: The First 26 Stories.)
I’ve decided to try logging short stories that I read into my monthly posts. However, I’m not going to list individual stories when I read an entire collection at once, or if I plan on finishing the entire collection soon. I’d like to read more short stories from various places (like the New Yorker, McSweeney’s, The Paris Review, and various anthologies of short stories by multiple authors). I’m not very good at making time to read them though, so I think having a running list will help. In December I wanted to read “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” before seeing the movie. I love most of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short stories, and this one was good too. I saw the movie on New Year’s Day. I enjoyed it a lot, but it was completely different from the short story. If you’re interested in reading the story for yourself, it’s available for free online right here.
Currently reading: Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon.
As a bonus this month, since I’ve been absent for over 2 weeks, here are three more fun book related photos from this month:
Here’s a photo of some awesome bookplates I found at Schuler Books in Michigan (a fabulous independent bookstore I love to visit when I’m there). The picture is one of my favorite paintings, The Bookworm.
This is an old photo I found in a book I bought at the Book Nook in Cadillac, Michigan.
Here are old bookmarks that were free from the KPL Friends Bookstore.
(This post was brought over from emilyw.vox.com. Click here for the original post and comments.)

domain: library


Embroidery is the handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins.
I love Embroidery and think people can create such wonderful things using it. I’ve embellished a few tops in my time when i was super bored and wanted to take my mind off things!!
^^^A waistcoat that was very plain and needed something to jazz it up! ^^^^
Here are some simple stitches to get you started,
Split Stitch: The split stitch is great for everything. Outlines? Yep! Letters? You betcha! Fills? Heck, yea! It’s the perfect stitch to use on clothing or accessories or anything that’s going to get a lot of action since each stitch locks the stitch before it down. I like to use shorter stitches for outlines and letters because they give you more control on curves and such, and a longer stitch on fills so that I’m not stitching until the next Olympics.
|Start your split stitch by coming up through the middle of your first stitch, splitting it in half.|
That’s why it’s called a split stitch!
|Make the rest of your stitches the same length as your first to get a nice, even line.|
|Start your stitches in the middle of the stitch before. Use the end of the stitch two stitches before as a guide.|
The back of your split stitch should look like the front of the back stitch. That’s how you know you’re doing it right!
Stem Stitch: It has a cool ropey look about it that makes it great for lettering. Like the split stitch, use shorter stitches when you’re working anything with curves.
|The first stitch of your stem stitch should be half the length of the rest of your stitches. Start your second stitch alongside your first stitch.|
|Start each stitch at the end of the stitch two stitches before, so the start of the third stitch should be at the end of the first.|
This stitch is great to work “from the front,” which means you can poke the needle through and out of the fabric without switching your hand from back to front. This makes stitching go much faster and makes the whole process easier on your hands.
|Make sure all your stitches start on the same side of your stitch line.|
Just like with your split stitch, the back of your stem stitch should look like a back stitch.
Back Stitch: The back stitch is a great outline, especially if you want a homespun effect to your work. It’s also great when using a few strands of floss to get thin, almost pen-and-ink-style line for backgrounds and fills. I’ve used it several times when doing black and white embroidery to add lowlights and textures. As a fill, it makes for great texture. Make the stitches in a bricklike fashion, and you’ve got a pretty long/short style fill (I used to call this a running stitch until I was corrected by a lovely commenter, normasews. A running stitch actually looks like a broken line! Thanks normasews!)
|Start your back stitch as you would any other line stitch. Start the second stitch on the other side of your stitch.|
Since you can’t start the second stitch at the end of the first without pulling the first stitch out, you need to start the stitch on the away side of the stitch.
|Start the third stitch at the end of the second stitch.|
The back stitch line should look like a perforated line in paper.
|Make sure all your stitches are the same length.|
The back of the back stitch will not look like the back stitch! It should look like a running stitch when done correctly.
Chain Stitch: I love the chain stitch as much as I love the stem stitch. Ask me which one I love better and I couldn’t choose—it’d be like picking a favorite child. Don’t make me do it! Big and loopy, it makes a great accent stitch, while tighter it makes a great old-timey-looking outline for patterns and letters. I’ve also used it as a fill and find that the openness of the chain makes for great texture when stitching hair or fur.
|The first stitch of your chain stitch is a loop. It should start and stop in the same place. Start the second stitch at the top of the loop.|
|All your loop stitches will be made in the same way. Use your free hand to add a bit of tension to the previous loop.|
This is another great stitch to work from the front and goes like rockets once you get it down.
|The bigger your loops, the more chainlike your stitches will look.|
Like the split stitch and the stem stitch before it, the back of the chain stitch will also look like our friend the back stitch.
Blanket Stitch: The blanket stitch is my go-to joining stitch. If you look in my shop, you will see it over and over and over. I love the old world of this stitch and like to use it to add a handcrafted look to mundane, everyday items. This stitch looks hard, but it’s so very easy once you get it down. The stitch is worked right to left, like the pictures below. The pictures may look strange or flipped but that’s just because I was stitching upside down for the camera, the stitches are still going the right direction.
The first stitch of the blanket stitch is a three-point stitch. Starting on the bottom fabric, insert your needle diagonally into the top fabric. Bring the needle down in line with the first stitch over your floss.
|The second stitch starts on the top fabric. Bring your needle down into the bottom fabric as you did on the first stitch.|
This stitch is also great to join edges or as a decorative border on blankets, quilts, home accessories, and clothing.
|This stitch gets its name because it’s often used to edge blankets. The more even your stitches are, the more polished your finished work will look.|
If you’re using the blanket stitch on an edge, the front and back should look the same. If you’re using it to join two flat pieces, then the back will look like evenly spaced vertical lines.


text:
Racing is in the Demaras family’s blood. From an early age, Daniel Demaras, a third-year political science student at U of T, was introduced to racing by his father, Chris. Demaras saw the unique excitement motorsport brought as he watched Formula 1 as a kid.
“There’s nothing really like it in other sports,” he explained in an interview with The Varsity.
The early days
The human aspect of motorsport, combined with its machinery, creates exciting battles on TV, but it was the personal challenge — trying to improve yourself by continually getting faster — that drew Demaras in. It wasn’t long before he found himself racing around the Nascar SpeedPark in Vaughan at age five. K1 Speed and Polson Pier in Toronto were two other early stomping grounds for Demaras and his family.
The safe environment they provided allowed Demaras to get a taste of what driving by himself felt like. Although he wasn’t going as fast as the racers he watched at the Honda Indy Toronto and the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, it didn’t matter. “[Even] if you go 10 kilometres an hour, you feel like you’re Fernando Alonso,” Demaras said.
When Demaras was 13, he began competing in the Canadian Rookie Karting Championship, where he won two championships. Next up was the TRAK Championship, a competitive racing series at the club level in Southern Ontario.
Yet, starting in TRAK in 2017, Demaras encountered his first roadblocks. He struggled for the next three years. Karting is incredibly chaotic: as Demaras explained, “there [are] 1,000 things that can go wrong,” with crashes being commonplace. Frustration can also set in easily when competing alongside drivers with much more experience, some of whom even began racing as far back as 2003 — the year Demaras was born.
But struggles and adversaries are a pivotal part of any story. Look no further than the appropriately named Will Power, one of Demaras’ heroes.
Before winning the 2014 IndyCar Series and the 2018 Indianapolis 500, Power encountered several struggles. Prior to 2014, Power found himself in close fights for the championship in different seasons but lost out each time, often due to crashes that brought his seasons to an end. Some of these even happened in the final races of the season. “It broke my heart every time,” Demaras reminisced.
However, it was overcoming that very struggle that made him Demaras’ hero. Taking inspiration from Power, Demaras adopted his number, 12, and with it Power’ unyielding attitude.
Persistence was key for Demaras, and his commitment paid off in 2020: he broke through and won his first race in TRAK. He didn’t stop there: he won the championship that year and again in 2021. Demaras also competed in the K1 World Championships in California, finishing third in 2019.
Into Formula 1200
After winning his second TRAK championship, Demaras found himself test-driving a Formula 1200 car at the end of 2021. In 2022, he began racing in Formula 1200, a transition that brought on a whole new set of challenges.
The series focused on close-quarter racing, leaving even less of a margin of error than before. Additionally, Demaras is now competing in more races than ever. A weekend in Formula 1200 consists of practice sessions, qualifying, and three races: one on Saturday, with two more happening on Sunday.
There is also a step up in competition. One of Demaras’ fellow competitors is Phil Wang, who has won each Canadian season between 2015 and 2022. His wealth of experience means he often can predict what other drivers will do. “If you’re moving to the left to pass him, he already knows you’re going to do that,” Demaras explained.
Other newer competitors bring a level of aggression with them that can be equally challenging to deal with. The accumulation of these various challenges in Formula 1200 requires drivers like Demaras to be focused at all times, as the slightest mistake can mean the end of your day.
Despite finding himself on a few podiums and finishing third overall in his first year, frustration set in once again as his first win evaded him. Yet, he didn’t have to wait long to overcome it, as he earned his first Formula 1200 win in 2023. Demaras won three more times that season, leading to him being crowned the 2023 Canadian Formula 1200 Champion.
Racing is difficult to advance further into due to the lack of a ladder system found in other sports, such as hockey. Finances are another issue. For example, Formula Three requires hundreds of thousands of dollars to race. For Demaras, continuing to compete any way he can is his focus. “If that’s Formula 1200, then I’m happy to be there,” Demaras said.
Rally against hunger
As Demaras waits for the next season of Formula 1200 to begin in May, the Demaras family is giving back for the holiday season. The Rally Against Hunger, which they held on December 3, consisted of a charity go-kart race — in which some audience members participated — and a food drive.
“It’s disheartening to see because we’re a world-class city, but we’ve got a lot of people who can’t afford to feed themselves,” Demaras said.
Demaras Racing was able to help the community at the event — which they organized jointly with Race Lab and Can-Jam Motorsports — gathering 1,220 pounds in food donations.
Editor’s note (January 14): A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Power lost several IndyCar championships in 2014. In fact, it should state that Power lost several championships prior to 2014, when he won.


text:
Who Owns Todd-Soundelux, LLC Remnant Assets?
Oak Point Partners, Inc. acquired the remnant assets of the Todd-Soundelux, LLC Bankruptcy Estate (Todd-Soundelux) in December 2016.
On May 21, 2014, Todd-Soundelux filed a voluntary petition for relief under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California, Los Angeles Division, and assigned Case No. 14-19980. On November 20, 2015 the Court entered an order approving the Joint First Amended Disclosure Statement and Plan for Todd-Soundelux, whereby all Todd-Soundelux property was transferred to and vested in a liquidating trust and a Trustee was appointed. Oak Point Partners, Inc. acquired the remnant assets of the Todd-Soundelux Bankruptcy Estate in December 2016.
Related Entities: Todd-AO
Contact Information Regarding Payments to Todd-Soundelux, LLC
Inquiries regarding where to send: Overpayments, Undeliverable Funds, Insurance Refunds, Refunds, Warrants, Unclaimed Funds, Rebates, Uncashed Checks, Restitution, Credit Balance, Escheat, Judgment Balance, Abandoned Property, Settlement Proceeds, or any other funds belonging to Todd-Soundelux, LLC.
Requests for reasonable referral or finder fees will be considered.
Contact Info: Todd-Soundelux, LLC
About Todd-Soundelux, LLC
Founded in 2008, but with roots dating back to the early 1950s, Todd-Soundelux was a post-production sound company that provided services for film and television. At its peak, the company was Hollywood’s leading independent provider of postproduction sound services. The company provided its services to thousands of films and TV shows, including Skyfall, Django Unchained, Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Entourage, and Family Guy. Todd-Soundelux employed approximately 200 people.
Todd-Soundelux also operated as Todd-AO and Soundelux.
The former headquarters of Todd-Soundelux was located in Hollywood, CA, and also had a corporate address in Burbank, CA.


text:
Bev's Nails & Beauty is located in Moreton Bay Region of Queensland state. On the street of Thorson Street and street number is 23. To communicate or ask something with the place, the Phone number is 0413 000 583. You can get more information from their website.
|Category:||Beauty salon, Point of interest, Establishment, (Edit)|
|Address:||23 Thorson St, Caboolture QLD 4510, Australia|
|Phone:||0413 000 583|
Beautifully done nails once again! Thank you lovely 🧡
Lovely lady, great value, no rush job to get the next bum in the seat. Prices very reasonable.
Highly recommend. You won't be disappointed.
Always leaving with a smile. Oustanding customer service. Highly recommend!
Lovely lady, been going every month for well over a year :)

domain: geography


text:
Isolation Ward. Joshua Spanogle. Delacorte. $22. 391 pp.
Medical thrillers are not a personal favorite of mine. Too often the authors let the science overshadow the character and plot so that the story resembles a textbook rather than a novel.
Which makes Joshua Spanogle's debut all the more impressive. In Isolation Ward, Spanogle expertly weaves in a good deal of science but keeps his main focus on his smart-aleck, very likable hero and a well-developed, engrossing plot. Still, Spanogle, a Stanford medical student, knows how to add in just enough science to inject credibility and realism. Those who want sufficient doses of science in their medical thrillers will be pleased; the rest of us can enjoy the story without our eyes glazing over.
As an investigator for the Centers for Disease Control, Dr. Nathaniel McCormick is familiar with the bizarre. When three mentally handicapped women in Baltimore develop unusual, and fatal, symptoms, Nate fears that an exotic virus may be being used as bioterrorism. His investigation takes him to San Francisco and San Diego, and back in touch with a mentor and two former lovers as he follows a trail of medical fraud and out-of-control research.
Spanogle propels Isolation Ward on a fast track that doesn't slow down. The author handles each twist like a pro. This is especially true in his shaping of Nate -- brash, intelligent, likable and flawed. An indiscretion early in his medical career has left him tarnished and wiser.
Nate's job with the CDC should provide no shortage of plots. As Isolation Ward illustrates, Spanogle should be able to have a dual career -- doctor and author.
20th in series a winner
Gone. Jonathan Kellerman. Ballantine Books. $26.95. 384 pp.
There is a certain comfort, not to mention reliability, in Jonathan Kellerman's thrillers. A permanent resident of the best-sellers lists for nearly two decades, Kellerman seldom disappoints, crafting each novel with a solid story, realistic characters and plots that are just tough enough, but eschew graphic violence.
Kellerman always can be counted on to deliver the goods. It's a bit like eating at a chain restaurant, but in Kellerman's case the restaurant is akin to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, not a fast-food joint.
The core of Kellerman's novels is the buddy relationship between psychologist Alex Delaware and LAPD homicide detective Milo Sturges. The deep friendship, mutual respect and quick banter between Alex, who is straight, and Milo, who is gay, elevate the series.
Gone, Kellerman's 20th novel in this series, starts at an accelerated pace and never slows down, even after the de rigueur twists and double twists. A young couple's claim that they were kidnapped quickly unravels. The two are acting students and they thought this hoax would be their ticket to a reality show. But the young woman's murder leads Alex and Milo to a shady acting school run by a wealthy, flighty teacher and a string of disappearances of other aspiring actors.
Kellerman keeps Gone tightly wound, accented by authentic dialogue and acute insight into the grudges and longings that drive people.
Action is fast, furious
Prior Bad Acts. Tami Hoag. Bantam. $26. 375 pp.
Multilayered stories and acute social commentary aren't Tami Hoag's forte. But the author does excel at first-class thrillers that start strong and hold the reader's attention. Sure, the plot twists are predictable and the writing is a bit more formulaic than that of the genre's true artists, but Hoag knows how to wring a nicely complex plot and keep the reader engaged.
In Prior Bad Acts, Minneapolis judge Carey Moore makes an unpopular ruling that seems to favor a serial killer. Then the judge is attacked in a parking garage, the killer escapes and a renegade cop decides to take justice into his own hands. It's hardly a simple case for homicide cops Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska (Ashes to Ashes).
The breakneck pace well serves Prior Bad Acts. Hoag's 13th suspense novel is a winner.
Oline H. Cogdill can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.

domain: literature


text:
The statement comes after a report by Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper cited an unidentified person connected to South Korea's intelligence services, who said North Korea began tests to load the bio-agent anthrax on to its intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Trump's National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said earlier this month that North Korea was the "greatest immediate threat to the US" In reaction to North Korea missile tests and threats, the US has engaged in a major joint military exercise this month with the South Korean army that involved more than 12,000 personnel.
Another report by the U.S.' National Security Strategy published Monday stated that biological weapons being developed by North Korea could be delivered by missiles, triggering fears of a potential biological war.
The Asahi newspaper report said the USA government is aware of the tests, which were meant to ascertain whether the anthrax bacteria could survive the high temperatures that occur when warheads re-enter from space.
The United States also has come to the same conclusion.
In response, North Korea said it would "take revenge" on the US for saying it is developing biological weapons. USA troops stationed in South Korea have been vaccinated against anthrax for over a decade, according to the newspaper.
The North Korean regime has started tests with a view to loading intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) with anthrax, according to regional media reports.
Virginia woman mauled to death by her pet pit bulls
Agnew also revealed the captured animals being euthanized, after having received the family's consent on Saturday. A woman was mauled to death by her own pitbulls in an "absolutely grisly " attack in the United States.
A spokesperson for South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the proposed delay was "confined to our efforts to host a peaceful Olympics".
North Korea's state-run Central News Agency vehemently denied the claims, saying, 'Properly speaking, it is the USA stereotyped method to cook up untruths as truths, stubbornly insisting that black is white and fabricating anything for satisfying their aggressive greed.
The DPRK is the abbreviation for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"It is the USA that conducts military aggressions and cruise missile attacks on sovereign states in broad daylight while faking "possession of WMD" and "use of chemical weapons" of those countries", said the statement.
North Korea's leader has repeatedly infuriated world leaders by carrying out a variety of illegal nuclear tests.
It recollected when United States troops openly used biological weapons during the Korean War and inflicted needless suffering on innocent civilians. He was believed in some quarters to still be China's favored ruler of North Korea.


text:
Washington, DC – Today, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition applauded a letter from 32 Members of Congress to FHFA Director Mel Watt, and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, urging them to ensure that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are adequately capitalized. NCRC members first introduced and urged Members of Congress to sign on to this letter at the 2016 NCRC Annual Conference Hill Day.
NCRC President and CEO John Taylor made the following statement:
“We applaud Congressman Mike Capuano for his leadership and the Representatives from across the country for bringing attention to this critical issue, and we applaud the many NCRC members and others who have worked hard to get this issue on the radar of their Members of Congress. We believe this letter provides Director Mel Watt with Congressional support to take action on what he has identified as ‘the most serious risk‘ facing the Enterprises — their lack of capital.”
“For some time, NCRC has been advocating for the recapitalization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. With their current paper-thin capital buffer, a complete loss of capital at Fannie and Freddie is a real danger. This would be a further detriment to the GSEs’ mission of supporting affordable housing for low- and moderate-income borrowers and securitizing loans for millions of middle class people.”
The letter to Director Watt and Secretary Lew can be read here.
Earlier this week, NCRC and other groups sent a letter to FHFA Director Mel Watt calling for the recapitalization of the GSEs.
Also earlier this week, NCRC President and CEO John Taylor authored a piece for the Urban Institute’s Housing Finance Reform Incubator series.
In 2015, NCRC released a white paper calling for the recapitalization and continued reforms of the GSEs and an end to their conservatorship.
NCRC and its grassroots member organizations create opportunities for people to build wealth. We work with community leaders, policymakers and financial institutions to champion fairness in banking, housing and business development.


text:
Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
Lost Christianities: Christian Scriptures and the Battles over…
References to this work on external resources.
Wikipedia in English
No descriptions found.
Twenty-four lectures on the history and varities of Christian doctrines in the early church.
Is this you?
Become a LibraryThing Author.

domain: history


text:
Bahrain Interfaith, expresses concern an the disruption of the process of releasing approximately 80 young prisoners, and calls on the Government of Bahrain to carefully deal with the anxiety and suffering of the families of young prisoners awaiting the release of their young ones.
(BI) additionally calls on the Govt. of Bahrain to respond to the demands of the families of detainees and urgently reveal the names of those who were released through alternative punishments, in addition to the names of detainees who can benefit from alternative sentencing.
(BI) believes that revealing the names of the (80) young prisoners raises the doubts that surround the families of detainees, in light of the estimates that indicate that the young prisoners released so far have not exceeded 40.
The Center stresses the need for the Government to be fully transparent with the families of all political prisoners in Bahrain, and calls on the concerned bodies to announce the list of names of prisoners to whom the alternative penal procedures were applied, after announcing on December 15th, that 530 beneficiaries will benefit from alternative sentencing. The Center also expects the Govt. to remove the ambiguity surrounding the release of prisoners, especially after the disappointment and frustration that prevails amongst citizens and hundreds of Bahraini families after acknowledging that the majority of the 269 individuals, released by the royal pardon issued on December 16, 2019, were non-political cases.
(BI) urges the Government to take broader corrective steps in addressing the urgent need to release political prisoners, and to not limit alternative sentencing to partial and small batches. The Center fears that obstructing the release of political prisoners will be another missed opportunity by the Government to create momentum towards resolving the political crisis and taking important steps towards dialogue and national reconciliation.
Kingdom of Bahrain 23 December 2019

domain: sociology


text:
Call in to speak with the host
About Apothecary by Design
Combo Pharmacy Services, a design to Succeed
Their mission is to help people get – and stay healthy by coordinating care between health care providers, patients, and their pharmacists; advocating on their patients behalf; and by integrating conventional and alternative pharmacy services supported by their dedicated and highly trained clinical team.
They are a locally owned, independent pharmacy offering a range of integrated pharmacy services that include retail prescription services, disease management, pharmaceutical compounding, and nutritional health and wellbeing.
Sorry we couldn't complete your registration. Please try again.
Please enter your email to finish creating your account.
old-style code for hosted blogs
300 x 295
400 x 370
640 x 550
It's good to talk.

domain: medical


text:
MIRROR DISC EARRINGS
- Unit Price
Overlapping ring earrings set with Swarovski crystals and baguette hand-cut polki mirror in gold plating. You simply can't go wrong with these geometric, classic studs. Pair them with any day look to amp up your style and watch how easily they continue to work around the clock.
Please keep your jewellery away from water & perfume.
Please store in the packaging when not wearing. For detailed instructions, please click here
For returns & exchange, please read our policies here.

domain: design


text:
Summary List Placement
The US is currently administering, on average, 1.7 million COVID-19 vaccines per day. But budget experts say that is not enough to prompt the economic recovery the country truly needs.
In a report released on Monday by Penn Wharton Budget Model — a nonpartisan economic research organization at the University of Pennsylvania — it found that if the US increased daily vaccine doses to 3 million, then 2 million more people would find themselves employed. Also, 3 million daily doses would boost real gross domestic product by about 1% over the summer, with smaller effects details ⇒
BusinessMediaguide.Com portal received this content from this noted web source: BusinessInsider.Com


text:
Ob-gyns in San Francisco, CA
Need to make an ob-gyn appointment this week? Use Zocdoc to find ob-gyns in San Francisco who take your insurance. It’s simple, secure and free.
OB-GYNs in San Francisco, CA
San Francisco OB-GYNs make women's health a priority, assisting patients with cancer screenings, pregnancy checkups, menopausal changes, and birth control. With ZocDoc, you can uncover top obstetricians in local neighborhoods like Nob Hill, Mission Bay, and Alamo Square. Make the search easier by only including gynecologists who participate in your insurance plan. Read credible reviews from verified patients to help you choose a doctor, and book your appointment online by selecting a time slot.


As the restrictions are gradually eased in Australia, cities prepare for more people returning to their workplace. Sydney is implementing pop-up cycle lanes and Melbourne is fast-tracking the delivery of 40km of new lanes. Both initiatives aim to provide a safe alternative for people to move around whilst, hopefully, removing cars from the road and reducing the number of public transport users.
Although this should be seen as great news, often new cycling infrastructure is not welcomed by residents and business owners. In particular when they result in the removal or relocation of on-street parking spaces.
Contrary to popular belief, at least from a business point of view, several researches show that bike lanes have a positive or at least neutral impact on local businesses.
A study conducted in Toronto between 2015 and 2017 corroborates these findings. Researchers analysed data from pre and post implementation of a bike lane in a section of Bloor Street, Toronto. For control purposes they also collected data in Danforth Street, which has no bike lanes and a similar business.
Some of the key findings point out to a neutral effect of bike lanes. For instance, the number of businesses that reported having 100 or more customers per day increased in both streets. Likewise, reported spending increased at a similar rate in both areas.
On the other hand, frequency of visits demonstrates a positive outcome of the new bike lane. Visitors indicated coming to Bloor Street three days more per month after the new cycle way implementation, whilst Danforth Street recorded no change.
The implementation of a safe and connected cycling network is essential to encourage cycling uptake and in turn reduce traffic congestion. To debunk myths that may prevent community support of this type of initiative, it is necessary to provide actual data from other similar areas and case studies during the consultation process.


Serena Williams' fiancée Alexis Ohanian believes the couple are expecting a baby girl together, but he's looking forward to the surprise when the tot is born.
Alexis Ohanian believes his fiancée Serena Williams is pregnant with a girl but he's looking forward to the surprise of finding out their baby's gender.
The couple - who got engaged in Rome last December - are expecting their first child together but made the decision not to find out the sex of the tot.
However, both the Reddit co-founder and tennis legend have a hunch the baby will be a girl because of the circumstances surrounding Serena's pregnancy.
During an interview on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' on Tuesday (01.08.17), Alexis said: ''We're going to be surprised. I will say this, though - we have our hunches. She put it really well, actually. Obviously, she won the Australian Open while pregnant and she remarked that she feels like it has to be a little girl, because everything that little baby went through and handled like a champ, only a woman could be strong enough to take on.
''I was very lucky to be raised by a very strong, amazing mother - and she's got a good point. This is our first child. If anything, it's really just reinforced how just amazing and strong and powerful and awesome women we are, and how useless we [men] are during this whole thing. Because it's like, 'I can make you a grilled cheese. Does this help?' We are worthless!''
Alexis, 34, also opened up on the early stages of his romance with Serena, 35, to host Jimmy.
Despite her being one of the most successful female tennis players in history - and the younger sister of fellow racket legend Venus Williams - internet entrepreneur Alexis insists he didn't know much about Serena's illustrious career which includes seven Wimbledon championship wins.
He said: ''I was so ignorant when we first met. I had never even watched a match on television. Like, I would change the channel. I was such an arrogant football snob that I changed the channel when tennis was on. She's actually offered to give me lessons. I turned them down. Because I want to be the only person in the world who would ever turn down Serena Williams for tennis lessons - and because I know there was no benefit to her seeing me be that bad.''
With a fourth solo album having just dropped and his 50th birthday celebrations behind him, John Grant kicked off the UK leg of his latest tour in...
Tristan Corrigan on the difficulties of making music within a genre that is so popular.
They've just announced their 2019 70-date world tour and they've dropped a new single and video just to get fans even more excited.
Seven months after the release of his second album 'Staying At Tamara's', George Ezra unveils the video to his newest single 'Hold My Girl'.
Kesha's latest single is 'Here Comes The Change' from the soundtrack of an important new biographical drama entitled 'On the Basis of Sex'.
Former My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way unveils a solo single for the Halloween season entitled 'Baby You're A Haunted House'.
It's been four months since her split from Liam Payne, and now she's poured her heart out into a brand new single entitled 'Love Made Me Do It'.
From their newest EP 'What Did You Think When You Made Me This Way', Nothing But Thieves drop the lyric video for their single 'Take This Lonely...
The Lumineers honour their friend and hero Tom Petty with a sensational cover of his 1996 song 'Walls' from the 'She's the One' soundtrack.
Watch Olly Murs get his nerd on as he blags his way into an exclusive Snoop Dogg party (where Rowan Atkinson is the bartender) in the video for their...
Mariah Carey is the picture of glamour in the black and white video for her brand new single 'With You'. It's the lead single from her forthcoming...
Eminem draws attention to the negative response his 2017 album 'Revival' received in the video for his latest song 'Venom'; a song recorded for the...
With the recent release of her third, very well received album 'Hunter' just behind her, Anna had plenty of relatively new songs to showcase.


Slender Man rumours have been confirmed as a Screen Gems studio will be bringing the creepy internet meme onto the silver screen.
The announcement for the movie is long overdue as Slender Man has long inspired doctored images, fan fiction, fan art and video game. It even took life as a documentary, Beware the Slenderman, which was released earlier in March.
The thin, unnaturally tall man with a featureless face and wearing a black suit created by Eric Knudsen first appeared on the Something Awful website. Slender Man came to be when Knudsen posted photos of children with his creation photoshopped in and built a horror narrative around those pictures.
Implying that the creepy figure is responsible for the disappearance of the children and other terrifying acts. Consequently snatches of text, allegedly from eyewitness account that accompanies the photos of Slender Man, brought the meme to prominence.
With the rise of the meme it spurred works of fiction, along with real-life violence. In 2014, two 14-year old girls lured one of their friends to a secluded spot and stabbed her multiple times. The girls claimed that the murder would allow them to become “proxies” of the Slender Man. Luckily, the victim survived and the two perpetrators are currently awaiting trial.
This incident served as the material for the documentary, Beware the Slenderman. It examines the girls’ worship of the figure, and the workings of internet meme culture and the legal intricacies involved for the pair of underage girls who could not separate fact and fiction.
The upcoming feature film will be produced by James Vanderbilt the writer of Zodiac, along with Bradley Fischer and William Sherak of Mythology Entertainment. David Birke previously wrote 13 Sins will be writing the screenplay.
At the moment, they are on a hunt for a director and hope to start production later this year.


text:
“Diet” soda drinks are extremely dangerous for health.The so-called “diet” sodas with sugar substitutes, particularly colas, can cause a stroke.
This was stated by the experts of the Association of cardiologists with the United States, reports the Chronicle.info the channel 24.
The so-called “diet” sodas are very popular, because, as advertised, they will not add extra pounds.
But actually this is not so. In particular, diet Cola increases the risk of stroke, and can cause a number of health problems.
If you consume a glass of diet pop daily, the risk of stroke increases three times.
And even drinks with artificial sweeteners increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases (group of heterogeneous diseases of the nervous system).
Food additive aspartame may enter the human body in toxic compounds. This soda is very dangerous for health.


FoamWerks Straight or Bevel Cutter
Sold Out + shipping
Economy and versatility combine in the FoamWerks Straight/Bevel Cutter. Simply rotate the angled base block and the FoamWerks Straight/Bevel Cutter transforms from a straight cutter to a bevel cutter. Features include adjustable blade depth, ergonomic handle and on-board blade storage. The Straight/Bevel Cutter works with 3/16â€³ (5mm) foam. The Straight/Bevel Cutter includes two blades and can be used with any suitable straight edge. Use replacement blades WC-5 or WC-20. IMPORTANT: Always use a cutting mat underneath the piece you are cutting. This is to protect the tool and extend the life of the blades.
WARNING: By placing this OUT OF STOCK item in your cart, you are agreeing to place your ENTIRE ORDER on BACKORDER! This means your order will not ship until it can be completely fulfilled by the backordered item(s). Orders cannot be split after they are placed. If you need available items sooner, please purchase them on a separate transaction. Please visit our Restock Page for details on when this item is expected to restock.


text:
Numerous and frequently-updated resource results are available from this WorldCat. Please choose whether or not you want other users to be able to see on your profile that this library is a favorite of yours. Finding libraries that hold this item You may have already requested this item.
|Published (Last):||3 November 2006|
|PDF File Size:||11.61 Mb|
|ePub File Size:||7.13 Mb|
|Price:||Free* [*Free Regsitration Required]|
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Other editions. Enlarge cover.
Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page.
Preview — Los convidados de agosto by Rosario Castellanos. Los convidados de agosto by Rosario Castellanos. Get A Copy. Paperback , pages.
Published October 15th by Ediciones Era first published August 15th More Details Original Title. Other Editions 3. Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Los convidados de agosto , please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Los convidados de agosto. Lists with This Book. This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 4. Rating details. Sort order. Start your review of Los convidados de agosto. Feb 27, Eduardo Mendoza rated it really liked it. This type of literature isn't my favorite because of the themes Rosario Castellanos writes about. With that stated, I like the way she wrote this book and in the last pages I was totally submerged in the story.
What an unexpected ending. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Readers also enjoyed. About Rosario Castellanos. Rosario Castellanos. Throughout her life, she wrote eloquently about issues of cultural and gender oppress Rosario Castellanos Figueroa 25 May — 7 August was a Mexican poet and author.
Throughout her life, she wrote eloquently about issues of cultural and gender oppression, and her work has influenced feminist theory and cultural studies. Though she died young, she opened the door of Mexican literature to women, and left a legacy that still resonates today.
Despite being a ladino — of mestizo, not indigenous descent — Castellanos shows considerable concern and understanding for the plight of indigenous peoples. Rosario Castellanos said of the collection of her letters in Cartas a Ricardo that she considered them to be her autobiography.
Castellanos' poem, "Valium 10," is in the confessional mode, and is a great feminist poem comparable to Sylvia Plath's "Daddy. Books by Rosario Castellanos. As dedicated readers already know, some of the best and most innovative stories on the shelves come from the constantly evolving realm of young ad Read more Trivia About Los convidados de No trivia or quizzes yet.
Quotes from Los convidados de Welcome back. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account.
"Otro modo de ser humano y libre": La mirada feminista de Busi Cortés en el nuevo cine Mexicano


text:
An at-a-glance view of July’s news about fracking and onshore oil and gas. For the current month’s news click here
1st August 2014 A group of Balcombe residents have welcomed the go-ahead for their legal challenge into the decision to grant planning permission to Cuadrilla.
1st August 2014 A group of Balcombe residents has won the right to challenge in court the decision by West Sussex County Council to grant planning permission to Cuadrilla to flow test and flare in the village. A judicial review will now be heard by a judge in […]
31st July 2014 We’ve added another interview to the review of life in Balcombe one year after the start of protests in the village against Cuadrilla and fracking. Alison Stevenson, the chair of Balcombe Parish Council, reflects on: Tensions in the village The No Dash for Gas camp […]
30th July 2014 Francis Egan, chief executive of the drilling company, Cuadrilla, went on the radio yesterday to answer questions from listeners about fracking. Mr Egan rarely gives interviews or answers questions from journalists. So we’ve transcribed his answers to the points raised by listeners to BBC Radio […]
30th July 2014 Ministers ignored the views of the vast majority of people and organisations who responded to the government consultation on new oil and gas drilling licences.
25th July 2014 A year ago today, the first lorry arrived to deliver equipment to Cuadrilla’s oil exploration site at Balcombe. Its passage was blocked by a group of anti-fracking campaigners. The stand-off marked the start of a protest that lasted 65 days. It made Balcombe a household […]


text:
Everyone knows that you can sell handmade products on Etsy or Amazon. But if you sell large items that are hard to ship — or if you just prefer to sell items to customers in your own community — it can help to have some local options.
Where to Sell Handmade Items Locally
There are plenty of options for growing your customer base in your own backyard. Here are some of them to consider.
Craft fairs are events that are normally held in halls, schools, churches, or other community venues. They usually feature mainly handmade products, so you can be fairly certain that the shoppers will be interested in that type of purchase. It’s one of the most popular ways for artisans to branch out from online selling and get their name out there in other ways. It can even have benefits beyond just the sales you make that day.
Ashlea Konecny, crocheter and blogger behind Heart Hook Home, wrote in a post, “The obvious goal, when paying the entry fee to a craft fair, is to sell your wares and recoup your cost (and then some). But, you also want people to remember you and your name so that they can find you later on your Facebook page, your website or find you on Etsy etc.”
Flea markets usually feature a wider array of products, though some are more focused on handmade goods. So it’s important for you to choose the market and the mix of products you offer carefully.
Steve Gillman, author of 101 Weird Ways to Make Money, recently spent a summer as a flea market vendor. He said of the experience on the Penny Hoarder blog, “Consider whether you plan to specialize or sell a variety of things. Vendors can make good arguments for both strategies, but we were experimenting and didn’t want to invest much in this business, so selling lots of different items made more sense for us.”
If you want to branch out and sell your products at multiple locations around town, you might consider setting up wholesale accounts with retail boutiques through the area. Think about where your target customers like to shop and then contact the owners to see what their process is. This also gives you an opportunity to build relationships with other local business owners.
Similarly, some shops offer to sell products for makers on consignment. Basically, you let them display your products in their store and then you get a percentage of the sale.
Pop-up stores are usually temporary retail setups. They tend to be especially popular around the holidays. This strategy might be a plus for those who are interested in learning more about selling in a retail setting but aren’t ready to commit to any long term agreements.
You can still go online to sell products locally. Craigslist is an especially popular outlet for people looking to sell various items to neighbors. This could be especially relevant for those who make furniture or other large handmade products that would be difficult to ship if you were to sell elsewhere online.
Facebook marketplace is another online option for local sellers. It is gaining popularity because it’s free and already has a huge built-in user base. Plus, it’s extra convenient if you’re already on Facebook.
Jenny Keefe shares on MoneySavingExpert.com, “Facebook selling’s major, erm, selling point is its sheer convenience. Facebook is free to join and there are no fees for selling either, so it’s very low-risk – and because so many of us use the social network anyway for keeping up with friends and family, it’s easy to get to grips with. What’s not to ‘like’? (Sorry…).”
Not specific to local sellers, but Instagram can help you facilitate sales nearby. Simply post a photo or video of the item you’re looking to sell and then ask people to bid in the comments. You can even tag your location on the platform to make it really easy for people to find you and facilitate the logistics.
Similar to flea markets, farmers markets tend to include vendors selling a variety of goods. But many do offer non-food sellers in addition to those who might make packaged cookies, canned jams, or other edible products with a handmade touch.
If you’re looking to make connections within your industry, especially with retail outlets that you might want to sell products to, consider setting up a trade show booth. There are tons of these events throughout the country, some geared specifically toward handmade sellers and others geared toward specific niches.
You can even sell handmade products from the comfort of your own home — or a friend’s home. Shopping parties are popular with direct selling companies, but they can also work for handmade businesses.
Deb Bixler or CashFlowShow wrote in a post on the Work at Home Woman blog, “Though it takes discipline, effort, perseverance and a dedication to marketing, the home party plan business is an enjoyable way to earn money. The ability to be your own boss, set your own pace, and work in a fun and casual environment, makes this the perfect business model for many entrepreneurs.”
Art galleries often offer space for artisans to display their work and offer it for sale. This is especially relevant for those that work with traditional art techniques like painters or sculptors, but may apply to others as well on occasion.
Some cafes or coffee shops even offer space for artwork or handmade products. They might have a small cabinet near the register or just hang artwork throughout the location with small prices attached in case one of the patrons wants to make a purchase.
Local events that aren’t specifically for shopping can also be useful for handmade sellers. Music festivals, family fun events, or local carnivals might offer some small spaces for vendors nearby. Just see if there are any events in your area that might be popular with your target customers.
Charity races or other fundraisers also offer space for vendors on occasion. This could be relevant for businesses that offer products related to a particular cause or those that are willing to donate a portion of their profits to the host organization.
Photo via Shutterstock
More in: Popular Articles


How To Connect Jbl Speaker To Alexa?
- Randall Mullins
How to Connect JBL Bluetooth Speaker to Alexa
- Find the Alexa app on your Mobile Device.
- Run the Alexa App.
- Tap the More (Hamburger) Control.
- Tap the Settings Option on the Main Menu to Continue with How to Connect JBL Bluetooth Speaker to Alexa.
- Tap the Alexa Device you Want to Connect.
- Tap the Bluetooth Devices Item.
How do I put my JBL speaker in pairing mode?
Step 1: connect the first JBL speaker – Is your JBL speaker already connected to your smartphone? Turn your speaker on and skip this step. Note: The above roadmap asks you to put the speaker into pair mode halfway through the roadmap. With JBL speakers, you activate pair mode by pressing and holding the Bluetooth button for 3 seconds.
How do I connect my speaker to Alexa?
The short version –
- Put your Echo in Bluetooth pairing mode
- Search for devices on your smartphone
- Start playing
- Connecting to other speakers
As long as your Echo device is powered on and connected to the internet, just say “Alexa, pair” or “Alexa, search for Bluetooth devices”. The indicator LEDs should pulse blue and it will begin looking for devices to connect to.You can also use the Amazon Alexa app on your smartphone.
Which Echo speakers can be used as a Bluetooth speaker? Every Echo speaker has Bluetooth built in. : How to use an Amazon Echo as a Bluetooth speaker
Can you pair a JBL flip to Alexa?
This post shows how to connect the JBL Flip 4 mini Bluetooth speaker to Alexa smart speakers. Since this pairing happens between the JBL and Echo devices directly, you need not turn Bluetooth on in the mobile device you’re using to set up this connection.
Can I connect Bluetooth speakers to Alexa?
Stream Via Bluetooth – Don’t want to futz around with cables? You can instead stream the sound from your Dot to a Bluetooth speaker, Amazon certifies compatible speakers with the Works With Alexa (Opens in a new window) label, so you know which devices to buy. Once you have a Bluetooth speaker, make sure it’s in pairing mode. Fire up the Alexa app and open Devices > Echo & Alexa, Tap the name of the Alexa device that you wish to connect to your speaker. Select Connect a device under the Bluetooth Connections section. The Alexa app will search for nearby Bluetooth devices to pair with your Echo Dot. Tap the name of your speaker when it pops up. After the pairing is successful, the speaker will show up in the Alexa app as a Bluetooth connection for that Echo device. Alexa also announces the successful pairing. You can now ask Alexa to play music and perform other tasks, and the sound is piped through your Bluetooth speaker. If you wish to disconnect the speaker, tap the name of the speaker in the Alexa app and tap Disconnect, You can also say “Alexa, disconnect.” Alexa tells you that your Echo Dot is now disconnected from your speaker. To re-establish the connection, say “Alexa, connect.” Alexa will connect your Echo Dot to the last connected Bluetooth device. You can permanently remove the entry for your speaker by tapping the name of the speaker in the Alexa app and selecting Forget Device, You will then need to go through the pairing process again to reconnect it. Tips & Tricks newsletter for expert advice to get the most out of your technology.”,”first_published_at”:”2021-09-30T21:23:24.000000Z”,”published_at”:”2022-08-31T18:37:00.000000Z”,”last_published_at”:”2022-08-31T18:36:55.000000Z”,”created_at”:null,”updated_at”:”2022-08-31T18:37:00.000000Z”})” x-show=”showEmailSignUp()”>
Can Alexa control a speaker?
Functions of the Alexa voice control – After successful pairing, Alexa responds with a voice message. Now you can hear the voice of the voice assistance software over your speakers. You can also control the playback of Amazon Music and Spotify with Alexa and hear it through your speakers.
Deezer and TuneIn are also directly supported by voice control. Furthermore, there is the possibility to extend the range of functions via Alexa Skills. In the Skill Store, a variety of specific skills are available. For example, radio fans might be interested in the Deutschlandfunk News Skill, which allows you to listen to the news by voice command.
In addition, a number of other audio applications are available for download in the audio area of the Skill Store.
Can I play Amazon music on JBL speaker?
Yes, you can listen to Amazon Prime by paring this speaker with your smartphone, tablet or any other Bluetooth-enabled device. Answered by CommunityAnswer 4 years ago
Can I pair any Bluetooth speaker with Alexa?
How to connect Alexa to a Bluetooth speaker Amazon Echos don’t have the most powerful speakers. But you can synch your Amazon Echo with any Bluetooth speaker to have your music play from both your Amazon Echo and your Bluetooth speaker to add some more volume or spread out sound to multiple rooms in your home.
The Amazon Echo is a speaker and smart home device that houses Alexa, Amazon’s voice-operated virtual assistant. Alexa can do a variety of tasks from reading you the news to reminding you of an appointment and yes, Alexa can play music,, The Echo just isn’t that loud, so it’s helpful to pair your Echo with a Bluetooth speaker for the best listening experience.
Below you will find how to connect Alexa to a Bluetooth speaker.


text:
in this issue
Markets :: Fine Chemicals/Biotech :: Pharmaceutical ingredients
Ampac Fine Chemicals: Relying on Technology Capability to Drive Growth
6:16 AM MDT | March 19, 2012 | Alex Scott
Ampac Fine Chemicals (AFC; Rancho Cordova, CA), the wholly owned pharmaceutical fine chemicals subsidiary of American Pacific Corporation (AMPAC; Las Vegas, NV) reported a loss for the first nine months of fiscal 2011. But, things are turning around at AFC. AFC president Aslam Malik tells CW that the company has a burgeoning project pipeline and that it is once again poised for growth. The business reported a loss of $1.2 million and sales of $21.5 million for its fiscal first quarter of 2012 ended December 31, 2011. This compares with a loss of $3.6...
This information is only available to Chemical Week subscribers.
Forgot your user ID or password?
Not an IHS Chemical Week member yet?
Here's why you should be:
100% Satisfaction Guarantee

domain: economics


text:
German Incense Smoker: Christmas Market Seller
This guy reminds us of, well... us. Here he is showing his handmade wares at a Christkindlmarkt, just like we do each December. He "smokes" when you burn an incense cone inside him. His top half separates from his bottom half, revealing a metal tray to hold the smoldering cone. When you close him up again, the smoke has no where to go but out his mouth (suggesting a very cold day). We'll include a box of 24 German incense cones, but you may want to buy some extra boxes. He is, by the way, content to smoke for you all winter long––not just at the Yuletide season. Handmade in Germany of painted and natural woods by artisans of the Dregeno Company, a cooperative of woodworkers founded in 1919 in Seiffen, in the heart of the Erzgebirge Mountains. About 6 1/2" tall and 4" wide from the front of his tray of artisan goods to the back seat of his trousers.
We Also Recommend


Clareidoscope is a one-day virtual festival on Saturday, March 18, 2023, from 12:00 noon – 6:00 pm (eastern time zone) featuring performances, clinics, performance competition, and composition contests, and all sorts of clarinet fun! This event is free and open to anyone who loves the clarinet and wants to spend some quality time with the other clarinet advocates. Come and meet fellow clarinetists from around the world! Clareidoscope is free to attend. This event is sponsored by the ICA United States State Chairs.
|12:00 PM||State Chairs Introduction||20 minutes||Live|
|12:30 PM||Student Performances||25 minutes||YouTube Premiere|
|1:00 PM||State Chair Performances||40 minutes||YouTube Premiere|
|2:15 PM||Julia Heinen Masterclass||60 minutes||Live|
|3:30 PM||Cohler/Cook Live Presentations||30 minutes/15 minutes – 5 minutes for questions after each one||Live|
|4:30 PM||Listening Panel||45 minutes||Live|
|5:30 PM||Closing Ceremony||30 minutes||Live|
Thanks to our sponsors of prizes for the competitions!
|North Country Winds|
|Ongaku Records, Inc.|
|Backun Musical Services|
|Selmer Paris and Conn Selmer|
|Carl’s Pro Band|
A special thank you to the ICA’s Sustaining Sponsors Buffet Crampon, F. Arthur Uebel, and Vandoren for supporting the ICA year-round in 2023.
Congratulations to the competition winners!


text:
Simulation is increasingly recognized as an important supplement to operative training. The live rat femoral artery model is a well-established model for microsurgical skills simulation. In this study, the authors present an 11-year experience incorporating a comprehensive, longitudinal microsurgical training curriculum into a Canadian neurosurgery program. The first goal was to evaluate training effectiveness, using a well-studied rating scale with strong validity. The second goal was to assess the impact of the curriculum on objective measures of subsequent operating room performance during postgraduate year (PGY)–5 and PGY-6 training.
PGY-2 neurosurgery residents completed a 1-year curriculum spanning 17 training sessions divided into 5 modules of increasing fidelity. Both perfused duck wing and live rat vessel training models were used. Three modules comprised live microvascular anastomosis. Trainee performance was video recorded and blindly graded using the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills Global Rating Scale. Eleven participants who completed the training curriculum and 3 subjects who had not participated had their subsequent operative performances evaluated when they were at the PGY-5 and PGY-6 levels.
Eighteen participants completed 106 microvascular anastomoses during the study. There was significant improvement in 6 measurable skills during the curriculum. The mean overall score was significantly higher on the fifth attempt compared with the first attempt for all 3 live anastomotic modules (p < 0.001). Each module had a different improvement profile across the skills assessed. Those who completed the microvascular skills curriculum demonstrated a greater number of independent evaluations during superficial surgical exposure, deep exposure, and primary maneuvers at the PGY-5 and PGY-6 levels.
High-fidelity microsurgical simulation training leads to significant improvement in microneurosurgical skills. Transfer of acquired skills to the operative environment and durability for at least 3 to 4 years show encouraging preliminary results and are subject to ongoing investigation.


text:
Assessing skin sensitizing potential of chemicals in vitro
Transfer of a two-tiered keratinocyte assay: IL-18 production by NCTC2544 to determine the skin sensitizing capacity and epidermal equivalent assay to determine sensitizer potency (2013). Toxicol.In Vitro, 27 (3), 1135-1150 available from PubMed
Teunis, M., Corsini, E., Smits, M., Madsen, C.B., Eltze, T., Ezendam, J., Galbiati, V., Gremmer, E., Krul, C., Landin, A., Landsiedel, R., Pieters, R., Rasmussen, T.F., Reinders, J., Roggen, E., Spiekstra, S., & Gibbs, S.
At present, the identification of potentially sensitizing chemicals is carried out using animal models. However, it is very important from ethical, safety and economic point of view to have biological markers to discriminate allergy and irritation events, and to be able to classify sensitizers according to their potency, without the use of animals. Within the Sens-it-iv EU Frame Programme 6 funded Integrated Project (LSHB-CT-2005-018681), a number of in vitro, human cell based assays were developed which, when optimized and used in an integrated testing strategy, may be able to distinguish sensitizers from non-sensitizers. This study describes two of these assays, which when used in a tiered strategy, may be able to identify contact sensitizers and also to quantify sensitizer potency. Tier 1 is the human keratinocyte NCTC2544 IL-18 assay and tier 2 is the Epidermal Equivalent potency assay. The aim of this study is to show the transferability of the two-tiered approach with training chemicals: 3 sensitizers (DNCB, resorcinol, pPD) and 1 non sensitizer (lactic acid) in tier 1 and 2 sensitizers with different potency in tier 2 (DNCB; extreme and resorcinol; moderate). The chemicals were tested in a non-coded fashion. Here we describe the transferability to naïve laboratories, the establishment of the standard operating procedure, critical points, acceptance criteria and project management. Both assays were successfully transferred to laboratories that had not performed the assays previously. The two tiered approach may offer an unique opportunity to provide an alternative method to the Local Lymph Node Assay (LLNA). These assays are both based on the use of human keratinocytes, which have been shown over the last two decades, to play a key role in all phases of skin sensitization.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Figure 1: The methodology is quite simple: Human-skin derived cells are exposed to chemicals and cell death as well as expression of a signal molecule (IL-18) is determined. If te expression of IL-18 is above a certain treshold the chemical is than classified as a skin sensitizer. The second tier in the assay consists of the exposure of reconstituted human skin models to the skin sensitizer. The amount of cells death and the expression of the signal molecule IL-1alpha is derict measure for the potency of the chemical.
Copyright © 2012 M. Teunis, Innovative Testing, No reproduction without permisson.