The first country in the world to enshrine the rights of nature in its Constitution in 2008, Ecuador had recently set an example in the fight against climate change by banning a mining project in the protected nature reserve of Los Cedros, which is home to lush rainforest and a rich biodiversity already threatened by human activities. Today, the South American country goes beyond the limits of biodiversity protection by extending the constitutional protection of the rights of Nature to all wild animals. We come back to this good news!
“Wild animals have distinct legal rights, including the right to exist, to develop their innate instincts and to be free from disproportionate cruelty, fear and distress”
This is what I said recently Ecuador’s Supreme Court in Historic Decision interpret the country’s constitutional principles relating to “Rights of Nature”.
Generally recognized for ecosystems, this is the first time that the rights of nature, and in particular the right to exist and regenerate, are extended to animals. In fact, according to Kristen A. Stilt, a professor of law at Harvard University and director of the faculty related to animal rights, “What makes this decision so important is that now the rights of nature in Ecuador can be used to benefit small groups of animals or just one individual”.
More important, this decision now elevates animal rights to the category of constitutional rightsthus guaranteeing them the highest degree of protection enshrined in the Ecuadorian legal scenario. “Although the rights of nature are enshrined in the Constitution, it was unclear prior to this decision whether individual animals could benefit from the rights of nature and be seen as holders of rights as part of nature”delighted Hugo Echeverría, an Ecuadorian lawyer specializing in the environment.
Estrellita, the surprising fate of a hairy monkey
star, furry little monkey, had been captured in the wild, then one month old, and kept as a pet by Ana Beatriz Burbano until the age of 18. Possession of a wild animal is illegal under Ecuadorian law, in 2019, the authorities seized the primate to entrust it to a zoo. Unfortunately, after just a month, Estrellita succumbed to the stress of the change in her environment.
Before learning of the monkey’s death, its former owner filed a lawsuit, in the form of habeas corpus, a legal mechanism to determine the validity of an individual’s detention, and therefore asked the Justice to reinstate Estrellita and recognize that The Ecuadorian authorities violated the rights of the woolly monkey.
In this historic decision, the highest legal body in the country has recognized that animal rights have been violated by the government after its forced removal from its usual environment, given that the transfer, the living conditions at the zoo and the trauma caused by the separation from its owner probably contributed to the premature death of the woolly monkey. Nonetheless, the Court also found that Estrellita’s rights were violated by Ms. Burbano when he was removed from his natural habitat .
Despite his tragic fate, Estrellita pioneered the recognition of wildlife rights at the constitutional level and paved the way for greater protection of biodiversity in Ecuador.
Extended reach of the rights of nature
Among the various recognized rights of wild animals, the Court declares thatthey have the right “living in harmony, existing, having a habitat, not being hunted, fished, captured, collected, extracted, kept, retained, trafficked, traded or exchanged, as well as the right to the free development of their animal behavior, which includes the guarantee of not be tamed”.
According to the Court, these rights derive from the innate and individual value of animals, long erased in favor of their usefulness and value to human beings..
This decision is particularly important because for the first time, through the application of the rights of Nature, brings together aspects of environmental law and animal law in a single biodiversity protection mechanism.
Usually, the principles of the rights of nature applied to ecosystems entire, composed of many animals and inanimate entities of the biosphere, such as rivers, forests or mountains. Classical environmental law, on the other hand, did not protect ultimately than animals taken as a whole, when they belong to categories of species whose conservation is considered important due to the risk of extinction. As for animal rights, it is primarily concerned with animal abuse.
However, according to an argument presented to the Court in the form of aamicus curiae from the Harvard Animal Law School and the Non-Human Rights Project, species composed of individual animals, removal of a single individual from its natural environment can have negative effects on ecosystems and the entire species concerned.
Therefore, to compensate for the lack of effectiveness of Ecuadorian law in guaranteeing the effective protection of wild animals, the Court recognized the importance of challenging the traditional view that only ecosystems and species are protected by the rights of Nature, not individuals.
Each animal can now assert its rights through an individual or a representative of an animal protection association.
Greater protection of biodiversity
To avoid any incident similar to that of Estrellita, the Court adds that when the deprivation or restriction of the liberty of a wild animal is illegal, the authorities must imperatively consider the most appropriate solution ensure the victim’s protection, liberty, integrity and all other related rights.
The Ecuadorian Constitutional Court also ordered the Ministry of the Environment and Congress to draw up a protocol to assess the circumstances and needs of wild animals in captivity, in order to guarantee their protection, as well as prepare a text of law on the rights of animals that guarantees all the rights and principles developed in its judgment.
About domestic animals and livestock, the Court does not mention them directly, but the sentence implies that the rights granted to wild animals could be extended to them.
Furthermore, the Court makes it clear that certain human activities such as herding, hunting and fishing are permitted. Indeed, on the basis the right of people to benefit from the environment, in particular, she stated that these activities are consistent with the “biological interactions” between species that are essential for the balance of ecosystems. Nonethelessit is necessary to respect pre-existing environmental laws, including those relating to protected species, and to carry out these activities while limiting the suffering of animals as much as possible. .
In the context of the climate crisis, this decision, by extending constitutional protection to all animals, from the species to the individual animal, unquestionably constitutes one of the most important legal advances regarding the right of non-human communities to life. On the eve of the sixth mass extinction of biodiversity, the rest of the world must undeniably be inspired by the lessons of Ecuadorian jurisprudence.
 Ecuadorian Constitutional Court, Macaco Estrellita Case – Rights of Nature and animals as subjects of rights, Case #253-20-JH, English translation, January 27, 2022, available at: https://animal.law.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/Final-Judgment-Estrellita-w-Translation- Certification. pdf
 Surma, K., “The Supreme Court of Ecuador determines that wild animals have legal rights” in Inside Climat News, March 29, 2022, available at: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/29032022/ecuadors-high-court-rules-that-wild-animals-have-legal-rights/
 Lai, O., “Ecuador becomes first country to recognize the legal rights of animals” in Earth.org, April 4, 2022, available at: https://earth.org/ecuador-becomes-first-country-to-recognise-animal-legal-rights/
 Frost, R., “Wildlife in Ecuador now has legal rights, thanks to a monkey named Estrellita” in EuroNews, 6 April 2022, available at: https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/04/01/wild-animals-in-ecuador-now-have-legal-rights-thanks-to-a-monkey – called -estrellita
 no human rights, A historic decision for animal rights in Ecuador, March 23, 2022, available at: https://www.nonhumanrights.org/blog/landmark-ruling-animal-rights-ecuador/
 Ibid., https://insideclimatenews.org/news/29032022/ecuadors-high-court-rules-that-wild-animals-have-legal-rights/


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domain: entertainment


DJ and producer David Guetta photographed by Indira Cesarine for The Untitled Magazine.
David Guetta is a French DJ, record producer, and songwriter. Globally, he has racked up over 50 million record sales, whereas his total number of streams is over 10 billion. In 2011 & 2020, Guetta was voted as the number one DJ in the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs poll. He has been called the “grandfather of EDM”. He released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster (2004), Pop Life (2007), One Love (2009), One More Love (2010), Nothing But The Beat (2011), Listen (2014), Listen Again (2015), 7 (2018). Guetta achieved mainstream success with his 2009 album One Love which included the hit singles “When Love Takes Over”, “Gettin’ Over You”, “Sexy Bitch”, and “Memories”, the first three of which reached number one in the United Kingdom. The 2011 follow-up album, Nothing but the Beat, continued this success, containing the hit singles “Where Them Girls At”, “Little Bad Girl”, “Without You”, “Titanium”, and “Turn Me On“. In 2018, he released the album “7” featuring J Balvin, Nicki Minaj, Jason Derulo, Sia, G-Eazy, and more.
Read the exclusive interview by Indira Cesarine and David Guetta featured in the magazine:
DAVID GUETTA ON HIS LATEST TRANSFORMATION & UPCOMING ALBUM – INTERVIEW BY INDIRA CESARINE


The Dell XPS 14z, a powerful, mid-sized small business notebook in an elegant anodized aluminum body, measures less than an inch thick with the lid closed. Dell positions the XPS 14z as a premium offering suited for businesses, and claims it is one of the thinnest, full-featured notebooks with a 14-inch display that also comes with an optical disk drive and discrete graphics.
Does the XPS 14z have what it takes to serve small and mid-sized businesses well? We take a closer look to see how it fares.
Small Business Notebook Specifications
The Dell XPS 14z comes in models that incorporate second-generation Intel i5 and i7 processors with an optional discrete graphics chip. We tested a review unit powered by an i7 2640M processor clocked at 2.8GHz (with Turbo Boost of up to 3.5GHz) and an ample 8GB of system RAM. In addition, it also features two graphics cards — an integrated Intel HD 3000 and a discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M with 1GB of video memory. A glossy, edge-to-edge glass with a slim bezel tops off a 14-inch display with a 1,366 x 768 resolution.
Similar to Apple’s MacBook Pro line of notebooks, the XPS 14z’s non-removable 8-cell battery no doubt contributes substantially to its slimness. Dell says the XPS 14z is good for six hours and 42 minutes, though normal usage with Wi-Fi enabled suggests a battery life closer to five hours. Other standard built-in hardware includes Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11agn Wi-Fi wireless, a built-in 1.3 megapixel HD webcam, dual array digital microphones and a multi-touchpad.
Figure 1: The Dell XPS 14z small business laptop.
You’ll find external ports for peripherals arrayed along the back of the notebook, including one USB 2.0, one SuperSpeed USB 3.0, HDMI, Mini DisplayPort and a 10/100/1000 Ethernet port. Earphone and microphone jacks reside on the left side together with a 7-in-1 media card reader that is shielded from dust by a closely-fitted spring-loaded removable cover. A slot-loading 8x (DVD/CD-RW) rewritable optical disk drive can be found on right side.
As noted earlier, the case is made of anodized aluminum, while the bottom half consists of a formed aluminum base. The palm rest is a magnesium alloy painted in a stylish dark gray. The effect is a good looking laptop that could be mistaken for a MacBook Pro from afar. The XPS 14z weights 4.36 pounds for the hard disk drive (HDD) option, or 4.12 pounds with an optional solid state drive (SSD).
A Solid, Dependable Small Business Laptop
While we think the XPS 14z is one of the nicest-looking laptops from Dell, what impressed us is its speedy performance and solid construction. For example, boot up takes less than 30 seconds, while the notebook as a whole — even the LCD screen — is surprisingly rigid. This can probably be attributed to the liberal use of aluminum, which gives the notebook an extraordinary amount of rigidity without piling on too much weight.
And did we say that we absolutely love the built-in speakers? While lacking in terms of punch on the lows, the built-in speakers are distinctively louder than many other laptops that we’ve tried. When we played training videos, the voices sounded crisp with no hissing or crackling sounds even at the maximum volume. We imagine that it would be perfect for video conferencing, too.
And for executives who rush from meeting to meeting and wonder if there will be adequate charge left, the XPS 14z comes with a handy battery meter to help users decide if it needs to be plugged into a wall socket. You check the battery meter independently of the operating system via a built-in five-step LED gauge on the right-hand side. Simply press the battery-check button, and the corresponding number of LEDs will light up to indicate the amount of charge left.
Figure 2: The handy five-point battery gauge along the laptop’s right-hand side works even if the notebook is switched off.
Finally, another LED indicator embedded on the hinge serves as a visual indicator as to whether the laptop is switched on. The indicator is cleverly positioned in such a way that it can be read regardless of whether the lid is opened or closed. The indicator light also blinks when the notebook is in sleep mode, leaving no room for ambiguity.
In line with its positioning as a premium notebook, every key on the beautiful chiclet keyboard is individually backlit. Keys are slightly rounded, with good tactile response and depth. Dell says the full-size keyboard is spill-resistant, though this is not a claim we tested for obvious reasons. The touchpad is generous and unlike the shallow clicking of some notebooks, both the left and right mouse buttons along the bottom of the touchpad provide a deep satisfying click.
Notebook Features Leave Room for Improvement
Dell says that the 14-inch display offers 10 percent more screen real estate compared to a 13.3-inch display. Despite the larger size, the mediocre resolution display comes across as somewhat disappointing; we would have expected a slightly higher resolution given the notebook’s premium billing.
The XPS 14z comes with just two USB ports: one USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0. This is unlikely to be adequate for power users, who may be forced to pack an additional USB hub to avoid running out of usable USB ports. In addition, the lack of a VGA port may prove troublesome to businesses still stuck with VGA-only projectors or monitors. Of course, Dell is only following the trend of replacing the VGA port with the newer DisplayPort. To the company’s credit, it offers a Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter as an optional accessory.
When compared with a new generation of Ultrabooks and ultra-slim notebooks, the XPS 14z does come across as somewhat heavy. Though this is hardly a deal-breaker, frequent travelers who require less computing power may want to opt for a lighter model. Finally, some users may find the location of the various ports along the back of the notebook to be less accessible than along the sides.
Bottom Line on the Dell XPS 14z
The Dell XPS 14z sports above-average specifications and is well-positioned as a desktop replacement with a reasonable starting price of $799.99. Dell’s efforts to position it as a premium notebook also shows in terms of terms of its sleek styling and comfortable backlit keyboard and trackpad.
On the down side, Dell has positioned the XPS 14z such that you cannot add the 256GB SSD option separately; the SSD is only available with the top-end configuration priced at a much heftier price tag of $1,499.99. This is a pity as we are sure that some users would prefer a smaller SSD over a beefier processor option. Nevertheless, we think the XPS 14z a solid business performer in an elegant package.
Paul Mah covers technology for SMBs for Small Business Computing and for IT Business Edge. He also shares his passion for and knowledge of everything from networking to operating systems as an instructor at Republic Polytechnic in Singapore, and is a contributor to a number of tech sites, including Ars Technica and TechRepublic.
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Television viewers were introduced last month to Mr. Finch, a billionaire software genius who developed a computer program that can predict the identities of those connected to future violent crimes. In Person of Interest, Finch and his field agent, ex-CIA officer John Reese, work only from a list of Social Security numbers to puzzle out the crime and how the invididual is involved -- as a victim, as a perpetrator or as a witness.
Created by J.J. Abrams and The Dark Knight Rises co-writer Jonathan Nolan, the crime thriller tested so well that CBS moved CSI out of its longtime Thursday night time slot to make room for the new series.
While many procedurals would see a character like Harold Finch behind a desk staring at a computer screen, Person of Interest places the mysterious billionaire into the thick of the action, something Emmy winner Michael Emerson didn’t expect. “I’ve had to change my thinking about the character because of that,” the Lost alum told reporters at New York Comic Con. “He’s not as shy and reclusive and anti-social as I would have originally thought. If he’s able to go out there and be such a masquerade so successfully, it suggests that he’s got a – there’s something outgoing and dynamic about it and quite bold and resourceful, too.”
Finch is disabled, leading Emerson to become a bit of an expert on his physical condition as he explored how best portray that aspect of the character. “What is the exact nature of that handicap, and is it playable for many, many hours day after day after day?” he recalled questioning himself. “You don’t want to do too much of an Elephant Man-type of thing. You don’t want to contort yourself too much because then you’ll constantly need physical therapy. I had to find something that was right, believable, logical, but also something that was easy on me physically. So, using those parameters, I came up with this thing which is mainly just good posture and a neck that doesn’t move. Oh, and the one bad leg.”
“Once you start doing it, it’s so funny, I’m sort of now the authority on my own disability,” he said. “When it came time to show those X-rays, there had to be some discussion about, ‘Where do you think you’re really hurt?’”
According to Nolan, part of the inspiration for the series came from a literary concept used by Kurt Vonnegut. “We took that idea from a Vonnegut book The Sirens of Titan, which has an organization in it called the Army of Mars, which is actually secretly led by privates and the lowest on the totem pole,” he said. “I just thought that inverted power structure is an obvious and interesting and important as a way for someone to be present for all of the important goings-on and keep track of things.”
Nolan, who co-wrote The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises with his brother Christopher Nolan, offered his views on the nature of superheroes, and pointed to a connection to Person of Interest.
“The golden age of superheroes was in and around the rise of global fascism and I feel like those two things were connected,” he said. “There was a little bit of wishful thinking, a little bit of looking at the world and realizing the world has spiraled out of control and become a dangerous and hostile place and wishing that some all-powerful person could weigh in decisively. I think this is a fantasy that goes back much, much further than comic books. For me, at least, this is a genre that I’ve worked in for years and loved since I was a kid and felt that aspects of it could be adapted to television. That was a part of the slightly heightened aspect of the proceedings. The common thread of almost every superhero, almost every comic book version of a superhero is vigilantism. Almost all of them, with the exception of Superman – I think my brother … is going to make a really cool film, but I kind of don’t get that character. He’s the closest to an establishment superhero that you get. Occasionally writers and artists have gotten some great material out of that conflict for him, I think most superheroes, certainly the ones that I’m drawn to, whether you’re talking about Batman or Wolverine or Spider-Man are vigilantes and they’re working firmly on the outside and always running the risk of getting caught. Trying to help people but running the risk yourself that in helping people, you’ll wind up behind bars. That was great fun, so we definitely put some pieces of that in our show, and our show is something different itself.”
Emerson added that the thriller would actually make an excellent comic series. “It only occurred to me after watching several episodes, that superhero-ness is sort of sublimated into these characters,” he said. “It’s not a thing to play, but it’s fun to make note of. It’s like Ibsen’s characters are Norse gods and trolls, but they’re given an everyday form, an everyday voice, but it’s still in there beneath the surface somewhere. I like the look of the show, too. I sometimes look at shots in our show and I think, ‘Oh, my God, that would draw so well.’ The graphic novel of this would be really cool.”
Alongside Finch in this graphic novel of a show is his partner Reese, played by Jim Caviezel (The Thin Red Line), whom Emerson said was a real get. “I think finding Jim is the real casting coup in the show,” he said. “I’ll go out on a limb and say you can find a lot of character men to play your handicapped billionaire-type genius, but to find the guy who can live up to that kind of quiet, action hero – there aren’t that many guys out there. That’s a short list.”
One of the characters in the show, New York Police Detective Carter (Taraji P. Henson), serves as a foil to Finch and Reese as she attempts to catch them for working outside the law. Nolan compared their relationship to that of the characters from a very famous chase film. “Carter herself is a fascinating character,” he said. “We haven’t yet had a chance to explore that character, who she is and how she fits into the proceedings beyond the Fugitive model of she’s the Tommy Lee Jones to Michael and Jim’s Harrison Ford. There’s a lot more to Carter that we’re getting to. I’m just fascinated, I always have been, of characters with layers and secrets and who are chasing people who are chasing themselves and this Russian nesting doll [concept].”
While not all of the secrets and turns they’ll take have already been planned, Nolan definitely knows how the series is going to end. “To a certain degree, the networks and the studios want to get a sense, especially because there’s a serialized component to the show, that you have a sense of what’s happening to these people,” he said. “I feel a sense of responsibility that if I’m going to ask billions of people … to start engaging and caring about these characters and the story, you have to have a good idea of where it was going. I know what the end is, and along the way we have waypoints, some story moments that we have planned out. We’re about to hit one in episode nine. One of the great fun things about TV is that it’s a massive collaboration. We all build this story together.”
The executive producer also mentioned how exciting it is working in a medium where a bit part could turn into a larger concept. “A day player or a single-episode player comes on board and knocks it out of the park, we’re going to something fun with that and that’s where you start to play. That’s the fun of it,” he said. “I’ve been lucky working on a set of franchises where you just revisit characters, and that’s very rare. On TV, that’s what you do. You have a wonderful problem in the sense that you can come up with too much story. For me, I had to know where it was going from the beginning, but then you get to have a little bit of fun.”
“And we’ve had a great string of guest stars, some of whom it would be so easy to bring them back,” Emerson agreed.
“That was one of the fun things about the show, the person-of-the week aspect, which is ever so slightly old-fashioned,” Nolan said. “There’s the procedural aspect to it, which – what it does for us is … it looks at New York City one person at a time.”
Emerson later helped to illuminate the process between actors and writers to flesh out each character. “As it goes along it becomes a coded conversation between the actors and the writers,” he said. “You send them a message with your performance and they send a message back with the next script, as if to say, ‘Oh, we liked this one thing that you do, so we will honor that by including that or taking it further.’ It’s good that way.”
Part of building the story of the show and revealing the secrets is a surprise to even Emerson. “I don’t know much of either of those things. The scripts come just before you shoot,” he said. “I have an idea - I know basically how Finch got to be in the place he’s in but I don’t know the particulars. I don’t know at what rate those backstories will be revealed.”
“The show comes as a surprise to me, too,” the actor said. “I just see it on paper before I see it on the screen. It’s fun and it’s more fun because I’m not looking for it and I’m not being prepped and nobody’s spoiled it for me. In a way it’s good. Some actors might always be on the phone to the writers saying, ‘Where is it going? How are you going to develop this?’ I’m more passive that way. I’ll take it when it comes, and it’s fun.”
“At first that goes against your actor instincts. When you come up in the theater, all your training is to know everything you possibly can about the character and have a completely detailed backstory. I learned from Lost to enjoy knowing nothing. It’s freeing because you just show up on the day and you don’t have that much baggage of past or future, you just play the scenes as they come. I think in a way that helps make the show or character mysterious.”
The backstories take a flashback approach, much like Emerson’s previous series – something Nolan said he admired about Lost. “They also used flashbacks to deepen your understanding of the characters. I thought it was such a wonderful tool,” he said. “Spending time with these characters, which is fundamentally the proposition of TV, you take these people into your extended family and spend time with them. You enjoy spending time with them at a different moment in their lives.”
As to the reality of the show itself, Nolan suggests Person of Interest isn’t really that far removed. “As we got further into the project, we felt like it was science fiction at first, where we felt like this was a little bit sort of 15 minutes into the future,” he said. “By the time we were done with the research and looking at bits of the reality, it’s really not. It’s really just a question of efficient powering. The only science fiction is a firmware upgrade. The show is essentially one firmware upgrade away from our present reality.”
Person of Interest airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.


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Golf balls back charities
We are again pleased to announce, thanks to the generosity of the local golfing community, our fundraising for numerous charities has been worthwhile. We clearly owe a lot to our generous promoters, especially Jeff Reed at the Londoner and Forest City Fairways.
We could not do this without our generous donors of golf balls nor the various buyers, especially charity tournaments that used our balls as silent auction items.
We have been able to contribute, to date, more than $800 to such charities as the Lung and the Heart and Stroke associations, cancer groups, both London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London, and other donor choices.
We propose to continue selling golf balls as long as we can.
We still have good assortment of balls available. We can be contacted by phone at 519-433-7955, by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.org or at 697 Colborne St., just south of Colborne Street United Church’s parking lot near Piccadilly St.
Walt and Diana Cherwaty
— — —
Buy local and save jobs
This Christmas, I’m making pumpkin pie for dessert instead of apple pie.
Earlier in the fall, I purchased four locally grown pumpkins at Covent Garden Market. Pumpkins keep well, and I knew there wouldn’t be local apples.
Back in July, at Western Fair Market, I’d spoken to a local apple grower who told me she’d lost 95% of her crop.
Ontario-wide, growers lost 75% to 80% of their apple crop this year. At the two grocery stores I was in last week, apple prices were up because apples have had to be imported.
I’ve been thinking about food a lot this year. The Ontario Table cookbook — which has great recipes — points out that by spending just $10 a week for locally grown food we could put $2.4 billion into Ontario’s economy (through all the associated jobs).
This past year I’ve been trying to spend my $10 on local each week. This Christmas I’m really grateful for pumpkins and the farmer who grew them. What food are you grateful for this year?
— — —
Thanks Free Press carrier
I want to thank whomever delivers my newspaper every morning — and The London Free Press for hiring such a person.
The service has been exceptional lately and is much appreciated.
— — —
Calling all Laidlaw drivers
Dec. 29 will be the annual breakfast get-together for all former drivers of Laidlaw Transport.
The event will be held at Majors restaurant, 1130 Wilton Grove Rd. at 9 a.m. Contact Rick Robinson at 519-681-3484.
— — —
Roses bring smiles at mall
I would like to extend warm season’s greetings and a happy New Year to the young mother with her son who was passing out yellow roses to many senior patrons in the food court at Cherryhill Mall Wednesday afternoon.
She said she was teaching her son the spirit of Christmas giving and that they didn’t want money or donations.
The roses given with a smile by the young boy and his mother also generated many smiles from the recipients.
Thank you for your kindness towards strangers.
— — —
Lightning a true class act
I recently experienced a ticket issue with the London Lightning. After sending an e-mail to their manager, I received not only a personal apology, but also a very kind gift to rectify the situation.
The Lightning have proved to me that they are a very professional organization, and a great asset to the city.
— — —
Parking challenged driver could do better in new year
In the spirit of the Christmas season, I want to take a moment to thank the person driving the large black SUV that was parked in the fire lane directly in front of the LCBO outlet in Byron on Wednesday night.
I did notice that you were originally parked in a spot reserved for persons with disabilities and it was so nice of you to move your vehicle.
In the true spirit of the season, maybe next time you could park over with the rest of us in the mostly vacant lot and take those extra few steps to do your shopping. Look at the bright side — the exercise will be beneficial.
However, while it was kind of you to move your vehicle, “thoughtful” is still not a word that I would use to describe you and your ilk.
Regardless, I remain hopeful you will change.
— — —
Jays favoured for series?
Now that I’d like to witness
I am an all out Toronto sports fan. I am also a senior citizen.
I remember my Leafs winning their last Stanley Cup in 1967. I was part of the 50,000-plus fans many times at the Sky Dome during the Blue Jays championship years in the early 1990s. I was even at this year’s Grey Cup, when my Argos were victorious.
I am used to predicting how great Toronto teams are going to be before the season starts. Then I hope for the best. However, I have no idea how to deal with the Vegas odds makers making the Toronto Blue Jays the favourite to win the World Series.
I keep thinking, ‘What can go wrong?’ The roof won’t open, or it collapses. The artificial turf is attacked and dug up by Greenpeace. Mayor Rob Ford gets stuck in the elevator at the Rogers Centre and sues Paul Beeston, the president of the Blue Jays, for overfeeding him in the hospitality box.
All I can say is, 2013 is going to be exciting for Toronto sports fans.
John T. Ryan
— — —
Pet lover extremely grateful to those who help animals
I would like to take this time to thank all the wonderful people who give their love, care and help, to all the poor abused, abandoned and unloved animals. You truly are very special people. Whatever would all these poor creatures and us do without you?
Have a wonderful Christmas and a healthy and happy new year to one and all.
— — —
Come get a hug Saturday at Western Fair Farm Market
Need a hug? Then step right up.
In our last public showing of the year, we — the self-proclaimed “ambassadors of fun” — aim to give 1,000 hugs to unsuspecting souls before Christmas. At 831 hugs since Dec. 1, we’re almost there.
This Saturday at the Western Fair Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market, we expect to surpass our target.
The importance of hugs cannot be understated. Just Google it and you’ll find literally millions of references to support the idea that a hug a day or more is what’s needed to lift depression, feelings of loneliness and anxiety and to promote well-being.
The best hug so far came when Rosie approached an elderly man. “He just looked so sad. I went up to him and asked if he needed a hug. For a split second he looked bewildered and then his arms rose up and he actually gave me a mighty hug. As he pulled away from the embrace, I could see his eyes welling up in tears. He told me, “I’m 92 years old and I haven’t had a hug since my wife passed, 30 years ago. You have no idea how much this has meant to me.’ ”
We have heard dozens of cheers from the strangers we’ve hugged: “Thank you for bringing back the spirit of Christmas,” “Wow, that felt great!”, “You’re good huggers”, “I needed that”, “Bless you” and on and on.
A simple act of kindness can go a long way to changing how a person feels. If even for a moment their spirits have been lifted then it’s been a great success. And the best part is that it’s free, and in all of us to give.
We hope that the strangers they hugged will pass it on. We welcome you to spread the cheer and embrace the true spirit of the season.
You’ll find us near the front door of the Farmers’ Market this Saturday. Help us reach our goal.

domain: news


The multi-billion-dollar Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct on the outskirts of Darwin will be a blueprint for the future of Australian master-planned industrial hubs.
The Territory Government is determined to create thousands of well-paid jobs and diversify the economy while protecting the Top End’s cultural heritage and near-pristine harbour.
“We intend to protect the harbour for generations to come,” says Infrastructure NT Commissioner Louise McCormick.
She says extensive consultation with the community over the development will continue.
“The community will be kept informed and have a chance to provide feedback.”
Powered by renewables and lower emissions energy, the precinct is being developed to attract industries that reflect what the Territory’s future economy will look like, including hydrogen, carbon capture, natural gas, advanced manufacturing and minerals processing.
The Territory Government has issued “do not deal” commitments to five proponents over specific parcels of land at the precinct. The commitments mean that their preferred sites in Middle Arm will be set aside for up to 12 months to provide them with confidence and certainty to continue developing their proposals.
The proponents are:
• TEH2, 100 percent owned by Total Eren – renewable energy: the global independent power producer is proposing to develop a green hydrogen production facility using solar energy with the capability of producing more than 80,000 tonnes of renewables based hydrogen per annum for domestic and export potential.
• Fortescue Future Industries – renewable energy: the global green energy company is proposing to develop a green hydrogen hub made up of green hydrogen and green ammonia production and export facilities.
• Tivan – critical minerals: is proposing to produce vanadium oxides through application of innovative downstream processing technology using feedstock sourced from the Speewah and Mount Peake projects; titanium dioxide and iron oxide also produced as by-products. Tivan is also working to facilitate an industrialisation pathway for vanadium redox flow batteries.
• Tamboran Resources – natural gas: a lower CO2 emissions liquefied natural gas export facility. Gas from the facility will play an important role in the decarbonisation plans of our neighbours and trading partners in Asia and beyond.
• Avenira – critical minerals: is proposing a lithiumferro- phosphate cathode manufacturing facility, which will manufacture precursor battery cathode materials from critical minerals, including phosphate sourced from the Wonarah project in the Territory.
Collectively, these projects represent tens of billions of dollars in capital investment.
The companies can now progress their facility designs, engineering work, pre-feasibility studies and environmental impact assessment studies.
They will be required to comply with all the conditions and limits set by the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and approval process for the precinct, which is underway.
The process will set strict conditions and limits on development and operations, and implement monitoring and management.
Delivery of the SEA by the Territory Government, which will provide a precinct–wide strategic approval, will help investors make the most of economic benefits, while minimising social, cultural and environmental impacts.
The game-changing 1500 hectare precinct will be development ready – with everything from power and water supplies to access roads – which is enormously attractive to potential investors.
“It derisks their investment,” says Ms McCormick. “After all, we are asking them to invest billions of dollars.”
The master planning includes consideration of shared infrastructure at the precinct. Renewable energy infrastructure, waste water treatment, industrial water supply and common use marine facilities.
Darwin’s proximity to growing markets in South-East and East Asia is another major incentive for investors.
China’s economy is already the largest in the world by some measures and our nearest neighbour, Indonesia, is expected to have the fourth largest economy in the world by 2045 – the country’s middle class is already twice the size of Australia’s population.
Talks are well underway with potential renewable power providers for the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct.
The world’s largest solar farm – being developed by Sun Cable near Elliott, 750 kilometres south of Darwin – will generate 6.4 gigawatts per year.
Half of the energy will be sent to Singapore – the Territory Government wants the other half to go to the precinct.
It is possible that gas from the Beetaloo basin will be piped to Middle Arm, making use of either the 1500-kilometre Amadeus-Darwin pipeline or standalone pipelines.
The use of wind and hydrogen power is also being investigated by proponents.
Corridors for the pipelines and high voltage electricity transmission lines are being mapped out.
“Renewable energy, critical minerals and gas projects are all key to putting Middle Arm at the forefront of the transition to net zero,” Ms McCormick says.
“We’ve got renewable energy, we’ve got critical minerals, we’ve got a masterplanned precinct – everything is coming together.”
Territory and Federal governments are working closely to develop what Canberra recognises as a nation-building development.
The Federal Government has committed $1.5 billion to the manufacturing precinct and a further $440 million to regional logistics hubs, which will strengthen connection between wealth-creating, job-creating projects, such as mines, to export facilities in Darwin.
Middle Arm will be complemented by development of the nearby Marine Industry Park and the $515 million ship lift, which will spearhead a new marine repair and maintenance industry.
The precinct will play a pivotal role in helping the Territory grow its economy to $40 billion by 2030 while meeting commitments to net zero emissions by 2050. For more information, visit middlearmprecinct.nt.gov.au


Microsoft has redesigned its latest Xbox 360 motherboard by reportedly combining the CPU, GPU and eDRAM onto a single chip.
According to Anand Lal Shimpi of AnandTech, previous iterations of the 360 motherboard featured two discrete packages: the CPU and GPU+eDRAM.
“Bringing it all onto (presumably) a single die makes cooling much simpler as now there’s only one heatsink and one fan for all of the major heat generating components in the unit. This level of integration is made possible only by the not-so-magic of Moore’s Law,” explained Shimpi.
“At [45nm] it shouldn’t be a problem to bring all of those components onto a single reasonably sized die, which in turn reduces Microsoft’s manufacturing costs…The new CGPU is rumored to be made at Chartered Semiconductor, now under the ownership of Global Foundries.”
Shimpi added that the new design allowed the single heatsink to be cooled by one fan which made the Xbox Slim “noticeably quieter” than its noisy predecessors.
Meanwhile, the recently launched Slim has already been disassembled and modded/tricked out by the talented SoloMods team.
The end result? A very cool looking console.


Give your bar an authentic look and feel with this Jack Daniel's runner. It features a slip-resistant rubber back and woven fabric pile for high performance water absorption.
- Design: Jack Daniel's Logo Bar Runner
- Colour: Black/White
- Slip-resistant rubber back
- Highly water absorbent
- Materials: 100% polyester
- Dimensions (approx. cm): 89 x 25 (L x W)


text: We are a leading company specializing in the business of offering our clients Alovir-400 Tablets. These tablets are used to treat infections caused by certain types of viruses. The tablets are effective in treating cold sores around the mouth, shingles and chickenpox. These medications are also used to treat outbreaks of genital herpes. In people with frequent outbreaks, Alovir-400 Tablets are used to help reduce the number of future episodes. We offer these tablets at affordable prices to clients.

domain: medical


Baltimore Police say at 10:45 a.m. one Parry Hall High School student was shot. The suspect, also a student, is in custody, WJZ-TV reports.
“It sounded like a fight against the locker with all the banging," said Justin Spencer, a student. "I heard screaming and the teachers told everybody to stay calm… it was crazy. When all the teachers started running to the classrooms and locking the doors and then on the speaker we heard the teachers saying lockdown, lockdown, this is not a drill we need everyone to stay in the classrooms.”
A guidance counselor reportedly tackled the gunman and disarmed him, the Associated Press reported. The shooting occurred in the school's cafeteria.
A student witness told WJZ-TV a similar story.
"I saw the kid shooting then the teacher tackled him and the first row started running, then the second run, then everyone was running,” said Gerald Roman, a Perry Hall student.
The suspect was immediately apprehended.
Perry Hall's estimated 2,300 students were evacuated to a nearby mall, according to Business Insider.
The unnamed victim, a 17-year-old male student, was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center. He is in critical condition, according to the Associated Press.
According to WUSA-TV, parents indicate the incident may have stemmed from a threat on Facebook and that bullying may be involved.


Since the shape of the fabric is a vertical rectangle, the pattern actually stabbed more than the drawing is a vertically long, so it is a cloth that is easier to make a more traditional cowding pattern.
As the surface of the cloth is glued, it is easy to see between the weaves and susceptible.
If you use it according to the "Kenwin thread" of our product, it is just taken by adjusting the weave interval.
In order to get close to the work of traditional Kenmin, this coffin cloth is made to make the pattern actually stabbed more than the design.
There is vertical and horizontal on cloth, and a longitudinal seal is attached to the cloth, so please check before use.
Quality Display: 100% Hemp (Linen)
Size: Vertical 50 × Horizontal 44cm
Country of Origin: Japan
Please be careful
If you choose to ship in a suitable packet, it will be shipped with non-use buffers, etc. due to the thickness limit, and the package may be damaged.
Please use Yu-packet shipping only for those who can accept.
※ The image of the published may cause an error in color and texture with actual products due to your browser and display.
|area||Shipping method||postage||Elder delivery|
|North America, Central America, Oceania||Economy||Currently not available|
|South America, Africa||Economy||￥1,280-||7-21|
※ Currently, due to the influence of COVID-19, some countries can not use economy mode.
※ The shipping cost in USD is just for your reference. This will be varied depending on the exchange rate.


text:
Dylan Garand made 41 saves in Everett on Saturday as the Kamloops Blazers won a battle of WHL juggernauts.
The Blazers improve to 17-2-0-0 with the win — a 3-2 victory over the red-hot Silvertips, who fall to 16-1-0-1 with their first regulation loss of the season.
Logan Stankoven, Nick McCarry and Quinn Schmiemann scored for the Blazers. Alex Swetlikoff and Ryan Hofer scored for Everett.
Silvertips netminder Koen MacInnes stopped 26 of 28 Kamloops shots in the loss.
Kamloops sits comfortably atop the WHL’s B.C. Division standings, seven wins up on the second-place Kelowna Rockets (10-5-0-2). The Silvertips enjoy a similar lead in the U.S. Division, but are now second to the Blazers in the WHL's Western Conference standings.
The Blazers are slated to be back in action on Friday in Langley against the Vancouver Giants (10-7-1-0). Their next home game is scheduled for Dec. 4, when the Rockets are expected to visit Sandman Centre.

domain: sports


text:
Katie Getman Design: A Video about Our Lead Designer
Katie Getman Design has a motto: Design, Create, Live. You can watch the video below to learn more about our lead designer and her journey into interior design and why she is so passionate about helping you create spaces where you can truly be yourself, and live to your fullest.
Thanks for watching!
We love to serve our design clients as individuals, and pride ourselves in working with the needs of our clients (varying budget amounts, styles, etc)- fill out a connect form, we can't wait to get started on your project!

domain: design


Research In Motion got some good news to report on Thursday, saying it sold 500,000 more BlackBerry smartphones than analysts had expected in the second quarter, largely due to the popularity of the devices in emerging markets. RIM posted a smaller loss than predicted, and cash on hand improved. "Those numbers are very, very positive. RIM has taken a step up the ladder, and they can see where they're going," said Vic Alboini, chairman of investment firm Jaguar Financial.
Published in Brief:


text:
A major project is underway in Llanelli to clear the lakes in the coastal park of an invasive fish.
Topmouth gudgeon is a small freshwater fish from Asia. It was brought to Europe accidentally in the 1960s.
Experts say it's a highly damaging species. It carries a parasite that attacks other varieties of fish, and dominates the habitat and food supply.
More top news
Clear skies this evening and overnight will allow for a widespread frost. A cold, crisp and bright start to Friday.
L/Cpl Joshua Leakey, 27, says he is an "average bloke" despite receiving the highest military honour for astonishing bravery in Afghanistan.
Gwent Police has apologised for mistakes made in the way it dealt with the risk Carl Mills posed to the Buckley family.

domain: biology


text:
Ghostbusters 2 w. Candace Jane Opper
"One time, I turned into a dog and they helped me." We celebrate the coming New Year with Candace Opper, the Statue of Liberty as Godzilla and the 20th Century's greatest movie about art restoration Ghostbusters II.
You can find Candace online here.
You Are Good is a feelings podcast about movies.
You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, Patreon and Apple Plus. Patreon and Apple Plus supporters will get access to a longer version of this episode!
Multitude handles our ad sales!
The Music of You Are Good, Vol. 1 is here.
We made a playlist of songs inspired by this episode.
You can find producer and music director Carolyn Kendrick's music here. She's also on Twitter.
Louise Bichan edited this episode!
Fresh Lesh produces the beats for our episodes.
Liz Climo designed our logo!

domain: artistic


text:
We are a fast growing mobile gaming company. We make games and have a fun time doing it. We are looking for a designer who can make game designs for us which would include:
2D Characters, Backgrounds, and simple Animation Sprite Sheets.
With your response only attached TWO of your BEST work. (prefer a character or background). We don't want to go through your whole portfolio.
Respond with code word "Hammy" so we know you read this with care.
17 freelancers are bidding on average $464 for this job
Hammy!... I'm graphic designer and ilustrator. I can help you doing character design and something else illustration for your games. Check my portfolio for example of my work. Thanks for your attention. Regard.
"Hammy" Now that I have your attention I would like to offer you my services on this project. I feel my skill and creativity will be just what you need for this project.


text:
Weaving integrated care into the ESRD model
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced last month it was approving new applicants for its Comprehensive ESRD Care Model demonstration for end-stage renal disease patients. The program began Oct.1, 2015 with 13 approved End-Stage Renal Disease Seamless Care Organizations. The addition of the new applicants nearly triples that number, totaling 37 ESCOs in the demonstration.
Twenty-four of those ESCOs are being managed by Fresenius Medical Care North America. We asked William McKinney, president of the company’s Integrated Care Group, about ESCOs and why FMCNA expanded its presence in the demonstration.
NN&I: What makes up the Integrated Care Group at Fresenius Medical Care?
William McKinney: The Integrated Care Group manages the various assets supporting our dialysis clinics and drives the strategy for our value-based initiatives. Today that includes our health plans, Fresenius Health Partners, our specialty pharmacy, FreseniusRx, and our 40 MedSpring Urgent Care centers.
NN&I: Can you tell us how you define integrated care and how that works within the FMC approach?
McKinney: If I simplify the idea of integrated care down to its most basic form, it’s really all about becoming the focal point for all medical care being provided to our patients and helping ensure they can access the care they need, when they need it—kidney related or otherwise. But it’s also about creating the incentive and funding to allow that coordination to happen.
It’s always interesting to ask a group of nephrologists what we could do to lower the cost and improve the outcomes for the patients we serve. They all have ideas – many proven – for enhanced patient care. Many times, the biggest constraint to this improved care is funding the needed investments in time, systems, and staff.
The great thing about the integrated care programs is that when we can improve outcomes and lower the cost to the system, we can share in that savings which gives us the ability to make continued investment in our patients.
Finally, integrated care also means assembling the best provider capabilities to serve patients, whether provided by Fresenius Medical Care or our preferred partners. Vascular services. Pharmacy. Home health. Over time we see integrated care becoming more and more about how we find the best partners to support the clinical needs of our patients.
NN&I: Is it practical to say that all ESRD patients can be in an integrated care system? Do you see any exceptions to that?
McKinney: ESRD patients are a high-cost, high-need population and among the frailest in the Medicare program. Although ESRD patients account for only 1% of the Medicare population, they represent more than 20% of the spending in the traditional 65+ beneficiary segment and nearly 45% of the spending among beneficiaries younger than 65.
We believe that programs which provide better care coordination to these patients can have an extremely positive impact, both on their quality of life, and the cost to the health care system.
Obviously different payor segments may lead to slightly different solutions, but I believe there should and will be a time when all of our patients are being managed consistent with the idea of integrated care.
NN&I: Medicare has bought into the value-based approach to care, and the ACO demos they have launched in multiple specialties are a good indicator. What about the commercial insurance industry?
McKinney: As a company and along with our affiliated nephrologists, our strategy is to be responsible for the total cost, quality, and outcome for our patients. Our first value-based program was launched over a decade ago in 2006, and we ran a number of programs between then and 2013. It was really in 2014, however, that the overall healthcare environment became truly primed for the shift to value-based care that we’re seeing now.
The ESCOs are a significant program for us, but we also have our own Medicare Advantage special needs plan for patients with ESRD. In addition, we’re entering an increasing number of value-based arrangements, such as global capitation and shared savings programs, with payors of all other sorts. These programs cross markets and facilities not covered by the ESCOs today.
What we’re finding is that we have a complex and expensive population and that just about every risk bearing entity out there – traditional insurers, ACOs, state governments – needs help managing the complex and expensive renal patient population. It’s such a small, specialized group that many of the traditional care management programs just aren’t set up to address the needs of these patients.
As a result, over the coming years – similar to what we’ve seen in other provider segments and markets – we’ll increasingly talk to payers about total medical cost and capitation. Negotiating per-treatment rates will be the exception, not the norm.
NN&I: CKD care is not part of the CEC/ESCO demonstration, but does Fresenius have a system or an approach to identifying and monitoring patients with advanced CKD?
McKinney: We’ve had a number of approaches to CKD over time, but there is certainly more that we’d like to do in this space. CKD is important not just from an ESRD prevalence standpoint, but it’s also impossible to get the best outcomes for our patients if 50% of them are crashing into dialysis. Unfortunately, the current kidney disease programs, including our own Medicare Advantage ESRD chronic special needs plans (C-SNPs) and the ESCOs, don’t give us a mechanism to go upstream to CKD. There is a greater opportunity when we’re working with health plans through global capitation arrangements since they tend to be very focused on the health and cost of their CKD members.
That said, we’re doing a number of things now and revamping some existing programs to improve care coordination for patients with CKD stages 3-5. In addition to predictive models, treatment modality education, and other capabilities you’d naturally expect Fresenius Medical Care to have, we have had a program for a number of years called our renal care coordinator program. These have traditionally been nurses embedded in the nephrology practices and helping patients with the transition from late stage CKD to ESRD, everything from education to timely access placement.
In many ways that program was just a longstanding pilot, but with the launch of the ESCOs we have a chance to reinvent that program for the ESCOs. While we can’t do everything the same since we don’t have the protection of ESCO waivers, there is a lot we can do and investments we can make in these CKD patients when we’re in a market where we know we’ll ultimately be at risk for their outcomes in the incident period.
NN&I: Fresenius did a major expansion in the second round of the CEC application process – from the original six to now 24. Was this decision to expand based on what you learned in the first year of the demo?
McKinney: It’s both what we learned – that we can have a real and positive impact on these patients’ outcomes and the cost to the health care system – and also how the industry has continued to progress. I think the idea of value-based care has moved even faster than most expected, and the MACRA legislation has made it even more important to our nephrologist partners for us to take advantage of the advanced APM [alternative payment model] opportunity.
The ESCO program is a demo. We knew it wasn’t going to be perfect. CMS and CMMI [Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation] have acknowledged that it is not perfect, and we’ve been learning and innovating together along the way. In the end, we felt that expansion was the right thing for our patients, our partners, and Fresenius Medical Care.
Obviously expanding from 6 to 24 ESCOs has been a significant undertaking. To do so required building a significant infrastructure, but the good news is that we had a big head start. When we launched our own Medicare Advantage plan, we had to build a compliance program, a regulatory affairs department, hire actuaries, etc. We knew we would likely go down the ESCO path as well, so it pushed us to build a comprehensive infrastructure from the start. For the ESCOs we put a significant investment into building data warehouses, and we needed a medical economics team to consume and interpret the data – we’re dealing with an unbelievable amount of claims data on a monthly basis for our ESCOs.
The growth in 2017 has provided us with more scale, and therefore more opportunity to make an impact on patient care and deepen our expertise, both within and outside our dialysis clinics.
NN&I: And how did physician practices influence the ESCO models? What was their role?
McKinney: Nephrologist participation is a key part of the model. Not only is it a requirement under the program, I believe that the improvements we’re trying to make in care coordination simply won’t work without engaged nephrologist partners.
On our first six ESCOs, we looked for very strong and engaged nephrology (group) partners who believed in the idea of value-based care and thought nephrologists should take the lead for patients with ESRD. We also needed practices able to meet the minimum attribution requirement of 350 patients in each service area.
In the second year, it was unclear how many expansion applications CMS might award. We submitted applications in markets where we had interested practices who we felt could effectively contribute to the program. We were delighted when CMS awarded us 18 new ESCO markets.
NN&I: What can you tell us about outcomes to date?
McKinney: Overall, based on our own analysis, we’ve had a reduction in hospitalizations just under 18%. When you roll all of the ESCOs together, we can feel pretty good about the credibility of our results. Before we get CMS’ official results for quality and outcomes, it’s a bit early to talk about ESCO-by-ESCO results. But one of the requirements for the ESCOs is for us to publish those results on our ESCO websites once they’re available.
NN&I: So you see integrated care as the future for improving kidney disease management?
McKinney: I think you’ll find us excited about any programs that lead us to an increasingly value-based environment. That’s why we believe so strongly in the ESCOs…they’re still a demonstration, but they are a huge step in the right direction. Our community serves a very high-cost, high-need population, and I don’t think any of us has the luxury to sit on the sidelines while the rest of healthcare moves to value. It not right for us and it’s certainly not the right answer for our patients.

domain: health


text:
Those essential items we need every day are somehow so easy to forget. When you’re about to create and omelet and you don’t have eggs…well, you know the old saying. Use these 2020 coupons to find the staple food items on which your routine depends. You can happily mark stuff off your grocery list and get it at lower prices.
Need a sweet treat or a convenient quick meal? Print out a coupon for frozen pizza and other snacks, candy or ice cream. And don’t forget the condiments: nothing’s worse than an undressed burger or hot dog. Browse our 2020 printable food coupons and get a head start on planning your meals for the week.

domain: food


text:
Traditions & Culture
Updated: Monday, February 18, 2008
Song and dance are very important parts of cultural life in Fiji. These have been passed down through the generations in different ethnic communities and are performed at important life events like births, deaths and marriages.
Traditional Fijian warriors
Religious missionaries from around the world brought hymns to Fiji, which had immediate resonance with the locals. Today beautiful harmonies and bright, airy melodies are features of Fijian singing and have spawned many indigenous musical artists.
Indian bhajans are also popular for ceremonies and though there are many local artists in Hindi language, imports from Bollywood continue to dominate the air waves. Traditional Indian instruments such as the tabla and sitar are still seen played in Fiji.
With increasing urbanisation, this communal life is often only encountered in its true form in rural villages.

domain: sociology


Partnership jobs in West Midlands
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Planning Officer - Development Management - Town Planning - £25-£33/hr - West Midlands - Minor Applications - 3 months initial
A great opportunity for a Senior Planner to join a new, expanding planning team in Birmingham. Good rewards, existing work and great progression!


text:
CINCINNATI — Communities affected by recurring sewer backups in Cincinnati have been fighting for aid for years, and seeing little help from the city or Hamilton County. On Saturday, residents in Communities United for Action appealed to the Environmental Protection Agency for help.
CUFA wants the EPA to enforce a consent decree, which the group said will address sewage issues in the hardest hit neighborhoods first.
"My wife and I are now on medicine for anxiety because of the stress of the rain," said Robert Buckner, who's had four major sewer backups in his basement since 2013. "My wife stays up until five in the morning checking the basement."
Dozens of neighborhoods rallied at a meeting with the EPA Saturday afternoon with similar stories. Neighbors have complained to the Metropolitan Sewer District for years, but said the organization has been unresponsive to the complaints and aren't doing enough to fix the problem.
CUFA is demanding more affordable sewer rates, repaired sewers in the most heavily impacted neighborhoods first and some form of assistance for victims who have suffered damages as a result of the repeated sewer backups.
"Our neighborhood is being left behind and we want justice," said Stephen Baker, whose home suffered a backup in 2016.
Resident after resident came forward during the meeting to air grievances about the failure of MSD and city and county officials to address the issues. A common thread within each story was the emotional toll these issues have taken on many families.
"You constantly fear when it rains hard it's going to happen all over again, which it did," said Elder Donell Raglin, CUFA executive board member.
CUFA met with the EPA in College Hill Saturday to discuss the health and safety issues surrounding the repeated sewage backups in homes throughout several Cincinnati neighborhoods. The EPA is now looking over the complaints to determine what, if anything, the federal organization can do to help going forward.


text:
Its not the fact that I am not human that makes me cry, its the fact that no one will love me, because in movies we are always painted as the bad guy." Seth Storm.
Seth Storm is an Anthro-salamander with a few traits of of a raptor. He operates on cartoon physics and while essentially immortal, is abused constantly, for the sheer comical enjoyment of others.
Just because one is immortal, does not mean one feels pain, getting a cannonball shot down your throat hurts, don't let anyone say differently" ~Seth Storm.
Seth has never once had an easy life. He was neither born nor created as far as he knows. One day he just appeared on the streets of New York city no bigger than two inches across. When he was not running from cats and dogs trying to eat him (some succeeded), he was trying to escape large kids and angry teenagers trying to beat up on any life form smaller than them.
To survive his first two years he was forced to eat from dumpsters and scraps in the trashy streets of NYC. Unable to provide warmth for himself he would often freeze into a solid ice block during the winter and possibly be shattered until spring where his body would flow back together.
It wasn't until his second year existing that a young child found him near the alley way and thought she could cuddle up next to the stuffed animal before she froze to death. Unable to bear the thought of someone dying and unable to help them he instinctively stuck her inside of his hidden arsenal. Their combined heat was enough to keep the both of them from freezing to death, and in the years that followed the two became so close they were inseparable. They grew up together she continued to sleep in where he stored his hidden arsenal and even they had adventures together, but fate was against them and in a serious injury his friend he helped take to someone who could heal her but also wiped her memories of him.
At age 15 he was alone again, for two years he spent his time trying to forget her but fate played a cruel card. She and Seth would meet again, she would remember him and in span of 8 months she would die before his eyes, and he would not be able to save her. This single life event would haunt him for years to come.
And that is where his story begins with you.
Seth as shown above his a Salamander with some raptor elements, he is also known to feel like soft rubber to the touch. Seth is known for his unusual abilities one such is his hidden arsenal which he stores inside of him entrance by the mouth only, however whatever he want can appear in hand at ready when he need it.
Seth is a Fun-lord, whether he knows it or not, if he did he would be god-modding and that is forbidden on this wiki. He can also break the 4th wall as in interact directly with the audience, chat room users, and quite possibly the people typing on their mobile devices or computers.
Seth in many ways is probably more human than the rest of us could boast to be. He is technically a human soul that has the appearance of well as seen above. He want love, Not love directly as romantic, but as fatherly, motherly, sisterly, brotherly, a friend, anyone. He want to be needed, he craves to please, to entertain to have a use, he want to be missed when the party is on, he wants to be there for those who are struggling, and one day he wants to be there for that someone special.
He is actively ready to be friend, because he wants one so badly. But he has seen tragedy after tragedy befall him and he is not readily waiting to jump in and join, he want to be invited, he want be called up, he want the love that should be given to him. But if anything, he wants to be hugged, as his love langue is physical touch and the absence of it, causes him to think about Vore, and that it may be the only thing that will ever be come close to being loved,
So hug the thing that movies make to be the villain, hug Seth and see the human soul inside the beast.

domain: literature


text: Last week I attended a lecture by Professor Chris Bongie (Queen’s University, Ontario), one of the leading scholars in Francophone Caribbean Literature. The lecture took place in the beautiful Magdalen College in Oxford, and was organised by Dr Toby Garfitt. It was a very interesting paper and discussion about Baron de Vastey (1781-1820), ‘the first Haitian intellectual’ as Bongie defines him: a writer and politician who was very close to Jean-Jaques Dessalines and, after his death, to the famous king Henri Christophe. He wrote a lot of political and historical essays, among which Le Système colonial dévoilé (1814). Bongie’s paper was a very close and critical analysis of this text, proposing some important links with the more mainstream postcolonial thought. An English translation of this important and quite unknown text is forthcoming for Liverpool University Press in spring 2014, with supplementary essays by Bongie himself, Marlene Daut, Doris Garraway and Nick Nesbitt.

domain: library


text:
Jadzia Luba cupcake, 2017-06-30 20:28:05. Here a few of my special tips for making kids cupcakes for toddlers: 1. Make it sweet. Toddlers have a huge sweet tooth. I know this because my daughter has no problem eating two ice-cream cones- one in each hand! Don’t serve toddlers lemon or carrot cake flavored cupcakes; they may not eat them! Chocolate or vanilla is your best bet for kids cupcakes. 2. Buy special decorating tools. The more tubes and tips you have, the more designs you can make! A basic cupcake and cake decorating set will allow you to make hundreds of different designs. Decorating tools will allow you to make some really fun kids cupcakes that your toddlers will love. You can find decorating tools online or at your local craft store. 3. Use lots of color! Toddlers love everything about color; they love to color and they love to eat anything that is colorful! For instance, have you ever noticed how much kids love Lucky Charms? Guess what their favorite part of the cereal is; the colored marshmallows, of course! If I make a few different colored cupcakes, it seems my toddler always goes for the ones with the most vibrant colored frosting. 4. Remember, toddlers love texture! If you add some kind of candies to your kids cupcakes, there is no way any toddler will leave your side. A yummy cupcake with delicious looking frosting will probably make your cupcakes compelling enough to eat, but the ultimate way to hook your picky eater is to add candies. These rules are not only useful for baking kids cupcakes your toddler will love. Follow my rules and you will have an arsenal of tools and a variety of candies on hand for whatever baking adventure you pursue! Melody A enjoys baking cupcakes, cakes and party planning. She is always looking for new cupcake decorating ideas and can be found on her Party Cupcake Ideas
Macia Imber cupcake, 2017-03-25 11:29:34. If you are making cupcakes for a wedding, shower or other elegant event, you may consider purchasing edible flowers to top your cupcakes and make them extra special. Flowers like the English Daisy, Chrysanthemums, Gardenias, Marigolds, Pansies or Roses are all good choices. If you are adding real flowers to adorn your cupcakes, do make sure that the flowers are edible and not poisonous. Another way to add a bit of crunch to your cupcake toppings is with crushed up cereal. Sweetened cereals can be swirled in a food processor or chopped up with your knife (depending how fine you want it) and sprinkled over the top of your cupcake icing to add texture and a little more sweetness. Cereals that you may want to consider are honey-granola types of cereals (that include crunchy bits as well as some types of nuts), and cereals like Alpha Bits, Honey Bunches of Oats or Frosted Flakes.
Macia Imber cupcake, 2017-03-01 11:25:34. Mix the batter correctly. Mix just long enough that the ingredients combine well. Otherwise, you can end up changing the texture of your cupcakes; over-mixing the batter usually makes the cupcakes tough. Use paper liners in your cupcake tin. This makes removing the cupcakes from the pan easy and prevents the cupcakes from drying out while waiting to be served or eaten.
Jadzia Luba cupcake, 2017-03-21 11:29:30. Use the exact amounts of the ingredients. Many a would-be chef has botched the execution of a perfectly good recipe by using bad measuring techniques. (Actually, for many people who can’t bake, this is their real problem. They don’t take the time to measure accurately.) Follow the recipe and measure your ingredients correctly. It’s important for the ingredients to come out in proper proportion to one another based on the recipe. Also, don’t forget: When a recipe calls for eggs, it usually means large eggs unless otherwise specified.
Macia Imber cupcake, 2017-03-25 11:29:34. Decorating your Cupcakes, you can decorate your cupcakes with just about anything you use to decorate larger cakes. Some of the most popular cupcake decorations are grated coconut, gum drops, piped flowers and figures, shaved chocolate, whimsical designs created with candies - and of course sprinkles. Filling Cupcakes to fill a cupcake, cut out a cone from the top. Then place a teaspoon of filling inside. Before replacing the top, cut off its cone (since the space it filled is not filled with filling). Cupcake Cakes also called pull-apart cakes, these are perfect for birthday parties and youth events. Each guest pulls off a cupcake. Serving’s a cinch and clean-up’s, well a piece of cake. And a great plus with little ones - everyone gets the same size serving! You can sculpt a cupcake cake into just about any shape you can imagine: numbers (for birthday ages), sports (footballs, team logos and names, etc.) holiday figures, flowers, Easter baskets and bunnies, cats and dogs, well you get the picture. The shape doesn’t have to be exact (and probably won’t), but the decorating will add the realism. Here’s how it works: Bake cupcakes in double liners (for extra strength). Arrange baked cupcakes on a covered, sturdy cake board. Play around with this until you get the shape you want. Staggering works best, and keep them close together. Dab icing onto the bottoms of the cupcake liners, returning them as you do to their original positions. The icing will, once it dries, help hold the cupcakes in position. Crumb-coat. This is optional. Thin some icing or make a glaze. Spread over all the cupcakes. Crumbs will show, but that’s ok. When it dries, the crumbs won’t be swept up into your final coat of icing. When the crumb coat has dried, smooth your regular icing over the whole cupcake cake Decorate.
julia kettley cupcake, 2017-03-24 11:29:33. Mix the batter correctly. Mix just long enough that the ingredients combine well. Otherwise, you can end up changing the texture of your cupcakes; over-mixing the batter usually makes the cupcakes tough. Use paper liners in your cupcake tin. This makes removing the cupcakes from the pan easy and prevents the cupcakes from drying out while waiting to be served or eaten.
julia kettley cupcake, 2017-03-26 11:29:35. Use the exact amounts of the ingredients. Many a would-be chef has botched the execution of a perfectly good recipe by using bad measuring techniques. (Actually, for many people who can’t bake, this is their real problem. They don’t take the time to measure accurately.) Follow the recipe and measure your ingredients correctly. It’s important for the ingredients to come out in proper proportion to one another based on the recipe. Also, don’t forget: When a recipe calls for eggs, it usually means large eggs unless otherwise specified.
Macia Imber cupcake, 2017-03-20 11:29:29. Party guest see a cupcake, and think "portion control. It is a small cupcake, as opposed to a large slice of cake. Therefore, when one is offered a piece of cake, the "small request" can be eliminated. One doesn’t have to verbally single themselves out, requesting a "small piece". The "small piece" request always comes off as if you are trying not to indulge. It’s a party, everyone is indulging. The expression is very worn out, old and tired. Three cheers for the cupcake.
Jadzia Luba cupcake, 2017-03-23 11:29:32. A Little Cupcake History: What’s in a name? Well, for cupcakes, a lot! Cupcakes date back to the 19th Century where they were commonly known as "number cakes." These bite-sized cakes were accounted for according to the number of cups required for the necessary ingredients. Another theory for the origin of the cupcake name is the vessel in which the cakes were baked. Ramekins, tin or small clay cups were said to have contained the essential ingredients for cupcakes upon their initiation. Oddly enough, bakers today still choose to bake these fun treats in the same containers. Further down the line, cupcakes were referred to as "1234 cakes" or "quarter cakes" due to the four ingredients that were required for the recipe. Butter, sugar, flour, and eggs were the essential ingredients for these plain yellow cakes; a lighter and less expensive counterpart to the pound cake. By the 21st century, cupcakes have grown synonymous with birthday celebrations, particularly that of children. The small and personal size of these sweet cakes makes them perfect for children, possessing a dessert that fits perfectly into the palm of one’s hand. However, it wasn’t long before the adult scene caught onto this viral demand for a personalized cake. After a hit HBO series popularized a Manhattan "cupcakery," niche-driven cupcake joints popped up all across the globe. These treats went from simple and youth-oriented to gourmet and age-unspecified in a hot minute.
Minka Marjan cupcake, 2017-03-22 11:29:32. Cupcakes are presently the latest trend. Personally, and many agree, I think a trend that will never die down. As a child, when we see a cupcake our eyes open wide. Take a look around you, as adults we do the same. What do I love about the cupcake? Just about everything. I love the sweet little goodness. The prettier the cupcake necessarily does not indicate how delicious it will taste. However, the presentation does come into play when choosing your cupcake to purchase at the bakery, or at a display table. The presentation at a party or event is considerably more memorable than a square or round cake that gets sliced before you take a bite.
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text:
Rey Mysterio is a well-known veteran of the professional wrestling industry who takes great pride in his luchador lineage and reputation. In his three-decade career, he has won championships in a variety of promotions all over the world, and he has no intention of slowing down any time soon. Mysterio returned to WWE in 2018 and has since been a part of a number of high-profile feuds, especially when he has teamed up with his son Dominik Mysterio in recent years.
WWE will honour Mysterio’s career because he is adored by all employees there. To commemorate Rey Mysterio’s 20-year WWE debut, WWE has announced the “#MonthOfMysterio” celebration. Rey Mysterio first appeared on SmackDown 20 years ago on this Monday, which is a significant milestone. Since that evening, The Ultimate Underdog has achieved everything, from setting new standards for in-ring entertainment to taking home the nation’s ultimate prize, the WWE Championship.
- Tom Vitale Net Worth (2022), Career, Bio Info & Affairs
- Bob Odenkirk Net Worth, Early Life, Wife & Cars Collection
In addition to honouring the famous luchador during the #MonthOfMysterio on social media and during this week’s Raw to mark Mysterio’s 20-year anniversary, WWE will do so. Watch for original video features, such as a WWE Playback career retrospective, a look at Mysterio’s enormous influence as described by his contemporaries, and a detailed examination of some of Mysterio’s most recognisable masks.
Additionally, follow WWE on social media to get a wealth of archived content, including archival images and videos. Starting today, join in the fun by posting your fondest Mysterio memories with the hashtag #MonthOfMysterio! Rey will be honoured on next week’s SummerSlam farewell episode of RAW at Madison Square Garden, as previously announced by WWE. On the show, Mysterio and his son Dominik will square off against Finn Balor and Damian Priest. We’ll have to wait and see if they succeed in winning the game.


ADDERView Secure switches enable a KVM plus audio desktop to be shared between different classification level computers. Designed for superior usability, the switches feature configurable LED buttons and a real-time status display.
NIAP PP 4.0 Compliant Design
Assembled in the USA
Uni-directional keyboard, video, mouse and audio data paths
Uni-directional optical diodes ensure data paths travel in only one direction, thus preventing data leakage through shared peripherals. A uni-directional structure also protects against timing analysis or forced malfunction attacks and prevents computers influencing the operation of any common circuitry.
Reduce the chances of operator error by displaying a name for each channel and its security classification on the E-paper display. The color of the channel LED may also be configured to reflect the security classification.
No shared RAM between ports
The keyboard and mouse processor is powered down and reset at each switchover to thwart shared RAM leakages. All data buffers are actively cleared once they have been used.
Automatic switching (configuration option)
Free-flow KVM and audio control between ports without the need to press any buttons. Simply move the mouse between windows.
Holographic anti-tampering labels protect the product’s enclosure, providing a clear visual indication if it has been opened or compromised.
There is no access to the product’s firmware or memory through any port. Firmware is permanently stored in non-reprogrammable Read Only Memory (ROM) to prevent modification. Firmware integrity is verified through a self-test procedure during power up. Detection of a critical failure disables the device and provides a clear visual indication to the user.
Restricted USB function
The USB ports will only accept HID (Human Interface Devices), such as keyboards and mice. Other devices, such as USB storage drives, are actively prohibited.
Up to UHD 4K video resolution at 60 fps for graphics intensive applications requiring very high quality.
Assign the audio port to a specific computer while switching the KVM to other computers. Useful when a user needs to listen to audio from one computer, whilst working on another.
Approvals / Compliance
CE, FCC class A, TUV US & Canada
NIAP PP 4.0 Compliant Design for Peripheral Sharing Devices (PSD)
The system supports UHD 4K resolutions to a maximum of 3840 x 2160 @ 60Hz.
Windows, Linux, Mac host computer OS’s USB HID, including touchscreens compliant with Microsoft Digitizer.
Dual port for DP/HDMI, USB type A, Audio 3.5mm
RJ12 for remote control
Dual-head (AVS-4214 only)
8x dual ports for DP/HDMI, USB type B, Audio 3.5mm
Audio hold button and status LED
4x Channel selection button and status LED
212x104 E-paper for status display
Robust metal construction
Dual-head (AVS-4214 only)
13.54”/344mm(w), 2.4”/61mm(h), 6.5”/165mm(d)
100 - 240V AC, 47/63Hz
12V DC 18W output from power supply unit
Operating temp: 32ºF to 104ºF (0ºC to 40ºC)
Storage temp: -4ºF to 140ºF (-20ºC to 60ºC)
Humidity: 0-80% RH, non-condensing
No videos available For this product


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- London Info & Tours
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London is famed for its roster of restaurants that are Michelin-Starred – a rating system that is considered the gold standard of identifying the “best of the best.” From the exceptional collection of extremely rare Three Michelin-Starred restaurants, including Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea and Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Mayfair, to the dozens if not hundreds of 1-2 starred eateries found throughout the city and beyond, identifying restaurants that meet these high expectations is a surprisingly easy feat. Sample the best cuisine in the world, and see why the Michelin Star is a clear indication of an unparalleled dining experience.
The culinary giants of the food world flock to London. From famous television personalities to renowned chefs that continually earn a spot on the cover of food-centric magazines, the city is brimming with iconic restaurants that are owned and operated by familiar faces. Discover modern innovators like Marcus Wareing of The Berkley, or Heston Blumenthal of the acclaimed Fat Duck, or pay homage to the “Godfathers” of Celebrity Chefs like Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsey, and Michel Roux Jr. – (who trained both Pierre White and Ramsey.) The ensuing star-studded celebrity chef options found throughout the city are almost as delightful and colorful as the cuisine itself.
Hide away in a cozy booth that’s found within a historic tavern, or enjoy stunning views that span the city from a rooftop table in the heart of London. When it comes to romantic dining, the restaurants in London perfectly combine ambiance and atmosphere with exceptional flavors that will set the mood for an unforgettable night. Exquisite wine lists, incredible menus filled with decadent flavors, and romantically charming interiors are all standard at London’s best bistros, cafes and fine dining eateries, and will provide an incredible experience that will take any food lover’s breath away.
A night out in London’s Theaterland is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the city’s cultural and culinary highlights. Many of London’s top restaurants offer discounted pre-theater dining menus, giving you the opportunity to sample some of the best seasonal offerings, all the while being within moments of the city’s top West End theaters. London’s culinary scene is considered one of the best in the world, and even the city’s most prestigious restaurants are offering their finest seasonal fare to pre-theater audiences. ... Read More
Black Friday is here! With the biggest sales now on (read our blog on the best of the Black Friday deals) and Christmas shopping underway, London’s luxury department stores are extra-alluring, with their bevy of bargains and glitzy window displays. Harrods, London’s iconic store, is said to boast 11,000-12,000 lights as part of its renowned Christmas decorations – meaning around 300 bulbs are changed daily. ... Read More
London’s hotbed of gastronomic establishments is a sheer delight for the gourmand. Michelin rigorously selects the best cuisine in London and at current count has awarded 53 restaurants in the city with one-star, 9 with two-stars and two with a coveted three-star rating. We select some of the finest and most progressive restaurants, you’ll want to (try) if you can get a table. ... Read More


AutoCOL, the First Fully Automated Walk-Away Colony Counting System from Synbiosis
Jun 05 2019
Synbiosis, Is delighted to announce its new AutoCOL fully automated colony counting system has been launched. The integrated system allows microbiologists to load plates and count colonies on up to 100 plates in 30 minutes and is ideal for improving throughput and accuracy in highly regulated laboratories.
The new AutoCOL integrates a simple to set up modern interface and software with an automated plate feeder and colony counter. The plate feeder, which holds up to a hundred 90 mm plates in a 12-position carousel, automatically identifies plates using the AutoCOL’s sophisticated barcode reader and counts colonies on any agar plate. With AutoCOL, microbiologists can set pass/fail limits and the system will track and stack pass/fail plates in specific positions after reading them, ensuring accurate, walk-away counts for microbial applications such as environmental monitoring, QC labs, bioburden testing and water analysis.
Built around Synbiosis’s tried and trusted ProtoCOL 3 technology, AutoCOL features a high-resolution CCD camera and unique three colour lighting, producing precise images of a range of different plates. The system’s software counts colonies, generating accurate results which can be automatically downloaded to formats such as PDF, Excel/OpenOffice or a LIMS system, with plate images stored in an SQL database. This eliminates keying and data transfer errors, generating reproducible, traceable results that are consistent from one microbiologist to another.
Featuring user access levels and a full audit trail with user login and logout records, AutoCOL can be used in a 21 CFR Part 11 environment. The archived results are suitable for creating quality reports for audit by regulatory authorities, making AutoCOL suitable for use in highly regulated microbiology laboratories.
“We’re excited to be launching AutoCOL because it is our first truly walk-away, colony counting system,” comments Kate George, Sales and Technical Director at Synbiosis. “We look forward to showing scientists how AutoCOL saves time and improves count consistency in the high-throughput CRO and pharmaceutical company laboratories where this innovative technology is being trialled.”
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Hugo Carvajal, the former general and now accused drug trafficker, received a hero’s welcome when he returned to Venezuela after being released by Dutch authoritie in Aruba, where he was being held at the request of the United States on suspicion of working the drug trade alongside the Colombian FARC.
The Venezuelan government voiced its indignation at the arrest as suddenly as it found out about it. Maduro himself classified the arrest as a “kidnapping”. He referred to Carvajal as a “soldier of the homeland”, a hero of the Bolivarian revolution.
When Carvajal was hastily released – as suddenly and unexpectedly as he was arrested – he was immediately hushed back to Venezuela, where he was welcomed at the airport by a smiling Minister of Foreign Affairs, First Lady, and the governor of the state of Aragua.
For Maduro and the PSUV, Carvajal’s triumphant return home was, as Maduro called it, a “victory for sovereignty”.
For the revolution, perhaps. But for ordinary Venezuelans, including the ones who are still in jail for protesting, Carvajal’s return was a brutal twist to the knife in their backs.
The outrage Maduro and the PSUV expressed at Carvajal’s detention, and the words they used to describe their hero, stand in depressingly sharp contrast to the government response to the protests that have rocked the country since February of this year, and the language the government has used to define the protesters.
Maduro described Carvajal as “our brother”. He said that Carvajal “had the full support of the Bolivarian government since the first moment he was arrested”. Diosdado Cabello called him “a patriot” and “one of us”. On the day he was arrested, the government issued an official statement, saying that it was “emphatically rejecting the illegal and arbitrary detention”.
In contrast, Maduro has called the protesters who have taken to the streets in Venezuela in overwhelmingly peaceful fashion “Nazis”, “fascists”, “Nazi-fascists”, and “terrorists”. He has insinuated in several instances that the protesters are “terrorist groups” financed by the United States. A fellow National Assembly deputy called Maria Corina Machado, a high-profile opposition figure, was called “an accomplice, an instigator of murders“, a “fascist” and a “terrorist”.
It is evident from their response to Carvajal’s arrest that Maduro and the Venezuelan government beleive that everyone accused of a crime should be considered innocent until proven guilty. Yet it is obvious by Maduro’s own words that this belief does not apply to protesters. This stance is at best hypocritical, and at worst criminal.
The Carvajal Affair is viewed by opposition supporters as the most recent example of the injustice and contempt for the most basic human rights that permeates throughout the PSUV and the Venezuelan government. It is the most recent example of the inverted values that have so harmed Venezuela, the country where suspected drug traffickers are hailed as heroes and students are arrested for daring to exercise their constitutional rights.