Its a sign of how desperate savers have become that the launch of so-called pensioner bonds at the start of thisyear generated so much excitement.
When National Savings & Investments (NS&I) launched the 65+ Guaranteed Growth Bonds inJanuary its phone lines were jammed and its website crashed under the weight of demand. More than a million pensioners locked into the Government-backed bonds, lured by the market-beating rates on offer.
Roll with it
So what was all the fuss about? A one-year bond paying 2.8% a year and a three-year bond paying 4% a year. Thats hardly rich pickings, although its certainly far more attractive than what follows. When one-year pensioner bonds start to mature from 15 January, savers are being offereda rollover rate of a meagre 1.45%, viathe NS&I standard Guaranteed Growth Bond. This is the default rate if you simply leave your money be.
Those who want to lock in for longer can fix for two years at 1.7%, for three years at 1.9%, and five years at 2.55% a year. These rates are unlikely to spark another stampede.
In a fix
Savers who put the maximum 10,000 into their one-year bond will have 10,280 to re-invest, minus any tax they pay on the interest. Thats a lot of money and youneed to investit wisely. What you dopartly depends on your personal circumstances. For many older people with a low-risk outlook, cash is the only sensible option, probably in the shape of another fixed-rate bond.
Youll get a better deal by shopping around on the open market. For example, challenger bankShawbrook currently offers the best one-year fixed bond at 2.15%, comfortably beating NS&Isdefault rollover rate. The FirstSave two-year bond pays 2.4% while its three-year bond pays 2.73%.United Trust Bank pays 3.1% over five years, but some may be reluctant to fix for so long, as risinginterest rates could quickly make that return lookderisory.
Pensioners who retired relatively recently should consider the higher potential returns available from stocks and shares. As life expectancy grows, many will spend two or three decades in retirement, and over such lengthy periods stockmarkets should give you a far betterreturn than cash, although with more short-term volatility.
Hit the jackpot
Through company dividends, shares can pay you a higher incomethan cash. Many leading FTSE 100 namesoffer yields of 4% or 5% a year, far higher than youll get from any fixed-rate savings bond. Plus you also get the potential for capital growth on top as well. You can either take those dividends to top up your retirement income, or reinvest them to boost the long-term value of your pension. That can turbo-charge yoursavings over the years, while cash chugs alongin the slow lane.
You should never invest money in stocks and shares that you might need inthe next five years or cant afford to lose if markets correct. Whatever you choose to do,dont simply roll over and accept that measly 1.45%.


text:
Photos by: Katrina Lat – Toronto-based jazz/hip-hop band BadBadNotGood, who released their newest album, IV, on July 8th, 2016 via Innovative Leisure, which featured the singles “Speaking Gently”, “Time Moves Slow”, “Confessions Pt II”, “Lavender”, and “In Your Eyes”, performed at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto last night (March 30th) with New York City-based free jazz/experimental band Standing On The Corner, who released … Continue reading
Photos by: Timothy Nguyen – Jazz artist Norah Jones, who released her sixth solo album, Day Breaks, on October 7th, 2016 via Blue Note, which followed up her 2013 album, Foreverly, which served as a collaborative album with Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, performed at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver.
Photos by: Julian Avram – Grammy Award and Juno Award-winning jazz pianist and singer-songwriter Diana Krall, who released her twelfth album, Wallflower, on February 3rd, 2015 via Verve, which was produced by Grammy Award-winning producer David Foster (Christina Aguilera, Michael Bublé, Céline Dion, Jennifer Lopez), performed at Massey Hall in Toronto last night.
By: Daniel Gerichter (@ZenDonut) – It was -32C in Toronto the night of February 19th. It’s an important fact to remember because despite all that bitterness hundreds of people lined up outside. Clearly, numb extremities were not enough to keep people away from the Opera House for a rare chance to see Ghostface Killah and local heroes BadBadNotGood align. Yes, Ghostface books numerous Toronto dates … Continue reading
By: Anan Rahman (@anan_ra) – Geneviève Bellemare sounds slightly reticent over the phone. The Canadian-born songstress who recently released her debut EP, Live and Die, sounds hesitant, as if unsure of how much she should reveal to a complete stranger. She takes her time, choosing her words carefully; but when she hits upon an idea that sparks something … Continue reading
By: Curtis Sindrey – Jazz is ripe with tradition and history, and while many people cling to that history and its stars, Canadian crooners like Toronto’s Matt Dusk has taken what he has learned from the greats and molded it for a modern audience. With his new album My Funny Valentine: A Chet Baker Songbook, … Continue reading

domain: artistic


SPECIAL REPORT PART THREE: Avoid an FCC Fine.
March 7, 2011
In our continuing series regarding FCC fines and how to avoid them, we spoke to communications lawyer John Garziglia of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice in Washington. Although the FCC says it has not stepped up enforcement of its rules or increased the number of inspections being done, we thought it would be a good idea to provide you with as much information as possible to keep you clean and fine free. In today's report, Garziglia provides stations with some great tips on how to avoid being fined.
What is the easiest way to avoid any and all FCC fines?
JG: Many stations, to routinely avoid FCC problems, have one station staff person appointed as the person who tracks FCC requirements and serves as the point person to insure FCC compliance. or instance, this person will be the person who must be notified whenever a job vacancy occurs at the station and it is this person who confirms that those who are doing the hiring are following the FCC's EEO requirements of wide outreach and documentation that are inherent in the FCC's EEO requirements. It is this same person who confirms that issues/programs lists are prepared and put into the local public file for the preceding quarter each January 10th, April 10th, July 10th and October 10th, and compiles and puts into the local public file the annual EEO public file report.
Likewise, this person insures that the Chief Engineer is signing off on the station's logs on a weekly basis, keeps a record of all authorizations and any expiration dates, insures that station contests are complete with rules that meet FCC standards and when necessary, calls the station's communications law attorney for advice and review of FCC issues that may arise such as political broadcasting questions, EEO compliance questions, and on-air content issues. Having one person responsible to the station management for an overview of FCC rule compliance goes a long way to avoiding FCC fines.
What does the commission go after first?
After anything safety related such as tower lights being out without the FAA being notified and EAS non-compliance, the FCC next appears to focus most on EEO and local public file issue such as up-to-date issues/programs lists.
Specificaly, what should stations make sure they have in their public file?
For local public file rule compliance, available at www.garziglia.com/checklists are convenient one-page local public file checklists for each state (different states have different due dates for certain things in the local public file) that can be used by station personnel to periodically audit the contents of a broadcast station's local public file. Some of the things on the checklist are rather obtuse such as the requirement that the FCC's publication "The Public and Broadcasting" be included in the local public file and sent on request to someone requesting it but once the person who is made responsible for the checklist goes through it, that person will know what that document is, as well as the other documents that are to be in each broadcast station's local public file. It is a "one page" checklist so as to make the task not seem too daunting. The checklist gives the person responsible for public file compliance a good guide to the FCC's local public file rules and compliance, along with references to the specific sections of the FCC's rules for each document required to be in the local public file.
How does a station know if a photo is copyright protected with everything that is shared these days?
The nature of copyright law is that, as a general matter, everything on the web should be presumed to have an enforceable copyright and therefore should not be used by another without permission or a license to do so. There are exceptions, but as a general rule no photo should be taken from the web and used without permission. In addition to copyright issues which can be very expensive to resolve, if the photo is of a person there are issues in using the likeness of a person without that person's consent in furtherance of a commercial venture as well as other possible issues.
How in the world can anyone get fined for not renewing a license?
The FCC routinely fines broadcast stations for failing to timely file a license renewal application. In previous license renewal cycles, the FCC did not send out notifications to stations that licenses were set to expire. Rather, the FCC expects broadcast stations to be aware of the terms of their licenses and to timely file license renewal applications without a reminder. With radio licenses starting to expire in the current cycle this year, and license renewal applications due for stations in Maryland, Virginia, DC and West Virginia this June 1, 2011, it is important for each broadcast station to ascertain when a license renewal application will be due.
John can be reached via e-mail at JGarziglia@wcsr.com
Add a Comment


text:
Most companies that employ commercial cleaning solutions make cost-effective investments. A well-maintained work environment by a professional cleaning company will have a positive effect not only for image of the business but also for its workers.
Many companies benefit when they employ a janitorial or commercial cleaning business. The expense of hiring a commercial cleaning company might seem like an unnecessary one, but it is a good investment. But, keep in mind that hiring in-house cleanup employees may have some hidden charges. A few of these costs might include the salaries and wages paid to the employees, materials, equipment, training and time to control or supervise them. Firms who are trained professionals will have the knowledge of specialization cleaning solutions that the in-house cleanup may not have. Hiring a commercial cleaning service that is effective for a business when compared to their in-house workers.
There are numerous reasons why a firm should invest in such services. A professional and clean environment will improve the environment and appearance of the company. The employees will be more productive and motivated by a tidy and well-maintained work environment. Every time a commercial cleaning company removes the mold, allergens, dust and other items which could diminish the air quality, the health of the employees enhances. A tidy and well-maintained office area will enhance the image that the employees have of the company they work for. This may also improve the way the customers see the firm.
A few businesses can benefit from the professional services offered by a commercial cleaning company like this beyond their workplace. For example, realtors might use the services of expert cleaning firm as part of the staging process. Hiring such a company will help in improving both the exterior and the interior look of a business or home for sale. These experts are trained to take care of problems where routine cleaning isn’t enough like scents that result from cigarette smoke or pets, mold and mildew problems. For houses that are older with this old home odor or houses where no one has lived for long, selecting a commercial cleaning business is likely to make the home more attractive to buyers.
When you have emergencies, a company that is cleaning your office currently on a schedule will be a wise investment. Commercial cleaning services offer 24-hour emergency cleaning solutions every day of this week. These solutions consist of clean-ups due to fire or smoke damage or water damage from leaks or flooding. A commercial cleaning company which already has such cleaning services with your company will know what to do when these emergency situations occur.
A neat and clean working environment will enhance the well-being of the workers and the image of your enterprise.

domain: economics


text:
Watch Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
- 1 hr 29 min
In the 1992 film Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, the Szalinski family is back with more mayhem and shenanigans. The movie stars Rick Moranis reprising his role as the lovable and quirky scientist, Wayne Szalinski, alongside Marcia Strassman as his wife, Diane, and Robert Oliveri as their son, Nick. The movie begins with the Szalinskis relocating to Las Vegas, where Wayne has taken a job at the Sterling Labs. He is working on a new invention that will allow him to grow plants to enormous sizes with the hopes of solving world hunger. However, his experiment goes awry when his two-year-old son, Adam, accidentally wanders into the lab and is zapped by the machine, causing him to grow at an alarming rate.
What follows is a comedic adventure as Wayne and Diane try to find Adam and reverse the effects of the machine. Throughout the film, they are chased by the careless and ruthless security guard, Clifford Sterling, played by John Shea, who wants to capture Adam and use him as a sideshow attraction at his casino.
As Adam grows bigger and bigger, he becomes more and more difficult to control. He throws tantrums, destroys buildings, and causes mass chaos. At one point, Diane has to climb up Adam's body to a giant piece of gum in his ear where she tries to communicate with him and calm him down.
Along the way, they meet a group of wild animals, including a friendly scorpion named Quark, who helps them navigate the desert and avoid danger.
In the end, the Szalinskis must use their scientific knowledge and ingenuity to stop Adam from wreaking more havoc and find a way to bring him back to his normal size.
One of the highlights of the film is the impressive special effects used to create the giant Adam. The filmmakers used a combination of practical effects and computer-generated imagery (CGI) to make the character come to life. The scenes featuring the oversized toddler interacting with the real world are well-executed and entertaining.
Another standout element of the movie is the chemistry between the cast. Moranis and Strassman have a great dynamic as the loving, but sometimes bickering, couple. Oliveri is charming as the curious and adventurous Nick, while actor Lloyd Bridges provides a fun cameo as the chief of police.
Overall, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid is a fun, family-friendly film that delivers laughs and excitement. The film may not be considered a classic, but it is certainly an enjoyable ride that will leave audiences smiling.
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid is a 1992 adventure movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 29 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.9 and a MetaScore of 50.


text:
Opportunistic Urbanism is a two-way exchange between two contrasting metropolises: Southern Randstad, a polycentric urban region with a state led and well-regulated model, and Melbourne, a sprawling monocentric city with a more flexible and 'spontaneous' housing production.
Opportunistic Urbanism is a collaboration between Deltametropolis Association, Melbourne School of Design and TU Delft.
| Photo report - closing event | (Flickr)
| contact |
|Opportunistic Urbanism - Closing event:
(inter)national debate, pitches and presentations
(september 9- Science Tower Rotterdam)
Through presentations, short pitches and debate with six (inter)national experts, we sought answers to the following questions: "Do we make the best out of our cities’ potential? How can we best utilize the latent opportunities of the available space in our existing cities?"
| more info | presentations |
With Bianca Seekles (ERA Contour), Rory Hyde (Victoria & Albert Museum), Rients Dijkstra (Maxwan), Daan Zandbelt (DeZwarteHond), Eric van Winsen (BPD), Paul Gerretsen (Deltametropolis Association), Katherine Sundermann (MGS Architects), Andy Fergus (City of Melbourne), Gabor Everraert (Rotterdam) and others.
Based on the outcomes of the on-going project | Atlas Slimme Verstedelijking |, Deltametropolis Association 'opportunistically' invited the students of Melbourne University to work on a selection of unconventional Atlas sites and propose design solutions for new metropolitan living environments in the Netherlands. The Opportunistic Urbanism studio is a two-way exchange between two contrasting metropolises: Melbourne, a sprawling monocentric city, and the Southern Randstad, a polycentric urban region.
|Opportunistic Urbanism is a collaboration between Deltametropolis Association, Melbourne School of Design and TU Delft University.|
Learning from Melbourne
Melbourne is | the world's most liveable city | and offers a promising example regarding urban development challenges, with less government control and a more flexible planning system. Melbourne's market-led development culture and 'laissez-faire' approach to planning has resulted in a unique urban situation. Set within the context of rapid population growth and a strong economy, a dynamic, opportunistic approach to development has emerged. A key component of housing delivery is the diverse range of development parties active in Melbourne: from amateur family syndicates and small time builder-developers through to commercial developers building apartment towers fuelled by foreign investment.
Such a dynamic housing production is supported by a flexible planning system that aims to organize diverse interests under a coherent vision precincts, in order to raise the standard of living environments. As a result, an inventive architectural culture has emerged, providing highly varied and creative responses to unconventional sites within existing urban areas. In Melbourne’s opportunistic urbanism, no site seems to be too difficult for development.
Towards a new model in the Southern Randstad?
In the Southern Randstad by contrast, careful state-led planning - facilitated by several large development agencies - has led to high quality and equitable development, with the rowhouse enshrined in the national psyche. However, this housing system tended to prefer unconstrained urban fringe sites, leaving behind complex and underutilized inner urban sites of considerable potential. There remains a significant opportunity to craft a more dynamic and diverse Metropolis, through the strategic redevelopment of these sites.
The challenges of Southern Roundstad invite the question as to whether lessons can be drawn from the dynamism of the Melbourne context:
- Can more diverse development actors combined with a flexible planning system provide a new opportunity in response to a contracting public sector and growing reliance on private sector development?
- Can encouraging do-it-yourself, participative development create more diversity in existing neighbourhoods to address changing demographic needs?
- Can new typologies and creative design approaches introduce a distinctive metropolitan character to South Holland, unlocking a potential critical mass and intensity within existing urban areas?
| Katherine Sundermann | – MGS Architects
| Andy Fergus | – City of Melbourne
| Alan Pert | – prof. Melbourne School of Design
| Anastasia Chranioti | – Deltametropolis Association
| Paul Gerretsen | – Deltametropolis Association
| Daan Zandbelt | – Technical University of Delft
| Birgit Hausleitner | – Technical University of Delft

domain: design


The Los Angeles Lakers failed to carry over their run of excellence from the NBA In-Season Tournament to their recent game against the Dallas Mavericks.
The Purple and Gold were handed a close 125-127 defeat by Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.
Although the Lakers lost the game by a close margin, the defeat was enough to kill their momentum from their last few games.
Apart from that, it seems like the Lakers may have to deal with another injury to their superstar, Anthony Davis.
After the loss, Davis mentioned that he suffered a hip injury during the NBA In-Season Tournament finals matchup against Indiana Pacers, but the injury reaggravated against the Mavericks via Dave McMenamin on Twitter.
“There were some moments in the game where I felt it,” Davis said.
Anthony Davis details his left hip/groin injury, telling reporters that he tweaked it in the Indiana game on Saturday and it flared up in Dallas too pic.twitter.com/DawUaKWFoB
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 13, 2023
While Davis pointed out that there were a few moments where he felt the injury, as of now, it’s nothing but a day-to-day issue.
Considering Davis is finally consistently playing at an elite level for the Lakers, a long-term injury could completely kill the team’s momentum over the next few games.
In the Lakers’ most recent defeat against the Mavericks, Davis had 37 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks to his name.
The 8x NBA All-Star also shot a remarkable 71.4% from the field and 50% from the three-point line.
Although Davis gave his heart and soul during the game, it still wasn’t enough to get the better of Luka Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks.
Following the defeat, the Lakers are now the sixth seed in the Western Conference with a 14-10 record.
The Lakers are scheduled to play against the San Antonio Spurs next, which should be an easy win for the team.


text:
Thirty-two years ago my Grandmother gave me a bag with a quilt in as a wedding gift. The quilt wasn't quite finished. It needed the binding. My Grandmother said the long arm quilter had messed up the backing on the quilt which she had intended to use as the binding. Well, I didn't know what to do with the quilt and have carried it with me from house to house, from state to state. Occasionally, I would take it out and look at it. Each time, liking it a little better. This winter I decided it was time to finish it. Here are the results of "Grandma's Quilt" -
I can say with certainty that the long arm quilter messed up more than the backing on this quilt. There were places where the batting was missing, the batting was quilted to the front of the quilt. I did have to do a little stitch removal on it. The quilt isn't even remotely square but I decided not to square it up. I see it as part of the charm of the quilt.
Here's a close up of one of the squares:
I'm not sure if this particular pattern has a name but I'm sure is it a postage stamp variation. I did find a look alike on pinterest that called it a Postage Stamp 9x9. It is definitely a wonderful, scrappy sort of quilt. My Mom said that many of the fabrics were most likely a flour sack. There are many unusual fabrics in the quilt. I was a little afraid of washing it but I did and it turned out fine. Currently, I working through the process of stain removal.
I have lots of wonderful memories of my Grandmother. She taught me how to crochet and use it to decorate towels and such. She purchased my first sewing machine for me. It was a beautiful turquoise color. The one thing she never showed were her quilts or any of her quilt designs. I did find a book that had one of her designs in it but have been unable to locate any of the other published designs. As a child, I most likely slept under the quilts that she had made.


text:
An Engaging Journey with Major 2nd
A Fresh Take on a Classic
As we explore the world of Major, a long-running and highly acclaimed sports manga and anime franchise, we are met with an unexpected surprise in Major 2nd. Mitsuda Takuya, the mastermind behind Major, has taken a daring and brilliant step in delivering a sequel that captivates both loyal fans and new viewers alike. Major has always been synonymous with baseball, and Major 2nd keeps the essence of this sporting adventure alive while introducing a fresh perspective. Adachi Mitsuru, another revered author in the baseball manga genre, has created remarkable works, but none have matched the longevity of Major. While Adachi’s focus revolves around the humanity within the sport, Mitsuda emphasizes how baseball manifests as the core of character development.
The Phenomenal Protagonist, Daigo
Daigo, the protagonist of Major 2nd, shines brightly in the footsteps of his predecessor, Goro. However, Daigo’s journey is even more intriguing as he navigates his path with humility, determination, and servant leadership. Mitsuda’s decision to depict Daigo’s quest for self-improvement by prioritizing the well-being of others instead of solely focusing on personal success is groundbreaking. Daigo’s relentless dedication and support are commendable, as they enable individuals who would never have the chance to experience baseball to partake in the sport. Witnessing Daigo’s remarkable growth as a person and a leader is inspiring, but it does come at a cost.
The Troubling Father Figure and the Glass Ceiling
Within the narrative tapestry of Major 2nd, two knots emerge that require our attention. Firstly, there is Goro’s role as a father in the series, which raises questions and concerns. Goro’s deep attachment to baseball hinders his ability to be present in his family’s life, making him not inherently malicious but rather a tragic figure ensnared in his weaknesses. However, Mitsuda-sensei’s intentions regarding Goro’s character remain ambiguous, leaving viewers to ponder the true nature of his shortcomings. On the other hand, the glass ceiling metaphor takes center stage as Daigo challenges societal norms by forming a team primarily composed of girls. Daigo’s actions empower those around him but come at the sacrifice of his personal growth as a baseball player. As Hikaru harshly dismisses Daigo’s choices, we are confronted with conflicting narratives that highlight life’s unfairness and the complex trade-offs we face.
A Glimpse into the Future
Major 2nd not only captivates with its present storyline but also tantalizes us with glimpses of what lies ahead. Daigo’s potential is a subject of intrigue, particularly when he showcases his pitching talent during a game of catch with Goro. Could this be a stepping stone towards a future battery partnership between father and son? Such a development would mirror the earlier series but also draws attention to the significance of the catcher position in baseball. While uncertainties remain, witnessing Daigo’s happiness as he explores his passion for pitching brings a sense of joy and fulfillment.
The Impact of Major 2nd
Embracing Realism in Anime
Major 2nd’s continued success lies not only in its engaging characters and gripping narrative but also in its commitment to authenticity. By acknowledging the challenges faced by Daigo and his teammates, Major 2nd dives into complex themes that resonate with viewers. Mitsuda’s ability to tackle real-life issues within the realm of sports is noteworthy. Amidst a world reeling from unprecedented stress and hardships, a series like Major 2nd comforts and inspires. The show serves as a reminder of the unwavering determination, resilience, and sense of camaraderie that can be found in the world of sports.
An Anime Gem in Trying Times
In a time when the pandemic has disrupted the anime industry, depriving fans of much-anticipated releases, Major 2nd shines as an absolute gem. This outstanding sports anime provides solace and entertainment, going beyond being a mere comfort food. Daigo’s relatable character, the diverse and endearing cast of teammates, and Mitsuda’s bold storytelling captivate audiences, making Major 2nd one of the standout series of 2020. Kudos to Watanabe Ayumu for his exceptional direction, and heartfelt gratitude to Mitsuda for taking risks and exploring new horizons within the Major universe.
Major 2nd defies expectations and breathes new life into the beloved franchise. With its fresh perspective, complex character dynamics, and exploration of societal barriers, the series offers a thought-provoking and engaging experience. Daigo’s journey tugs at our heartstrings, reminding us of the importance of personal growth, teamwork, and pursuing our passions. Major 2nd is not simply an anime; it is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of sports in bringing people together.
1. Will there be future seasons of Major 2nd?
While not officially confirmed, given the popularity of Major 2nd in Japan, and the consistent release of previous seasons, it is highly likely that the anime will continue. Fans, both manga readers and anime-only viewers, can look forward to further developments in Daigo’s inspiring journey.
2. How does Major 2nd compare to its predecessor?
Major 2nd stands on its own as a remarkable series, with a different tone and approach compared to the original Major. While both explore the world of baseball, Major 2nd places a stronger emphasis on character development and societal challenges. Both series, however, unite fans with their captivating storytelling and endearing characters.
3. Is Major 2nd accessible to newcomers?
Absolutely! Major 2nd serves as a perfect entry point for those unfamiliar with Major. While prior knowledge of the franchise adds depth and understanding, Major 2nd’s unique story can be enjoyed independently.
4. How does Major 2nd address societal barriers in sports?
Major 2nd fearlessly tackles the barriers that exist within society and sports, particularly the glass ceiling that limits opportunities for female athletes. By challenging these norms, the series encourages viewers to question and confront the inequalities present in sports and beyond.
5. Does Major 2nd resonate with viewers beyond sports enthusiasts?
Yes, Major 2nd goes beyond the realm of sports, resonating with viewers of all backgrounds. Its themes of personal growth, resilience, and the power of teamwork are universally relatable, crafting a compelling narrative that transcends the boundaries of the baseball genre.

domain: entertainment


text:
Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with a relative risk of about 2 compared with age-matched controls 5,21,26. We recently confirmed the presence of endothelial dysfunction in long-term actively treated RA patients 8. Since vascular endothelial dysfunction is closely linked to the development of atherosclerosis, this condition may be an early step in the development of atherosclerosis in RA patients.
Macrovascular disease is generally observed in patients with atherosclerosis. Case-control studies have shown that increased intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery is an indicator of generalized atherosclerosis 3,10. It may precede the development of atherosclerosis by many years. Thus, determining the carotid IMT using ultrasound techniques provides useful and early information of atherosclerosis in subclinical stages of the disease in individuals at risk 14,19. The IMT corresponds to the width of the vessel intima and media, which consists of endothelium, connective tissue, and smooth muscle 19. This is also the site of lipid deposition and plaque formation 24. The close correlation between the common carotid artery IMT measured by B-mode ultrasound and the presence of coronary artery disease 13,25 supports the use of this noninvasive technique in the study of individuals with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality.
An increase in thrombotic markers in RA patients compared with controls has been described 15. Besides increased mortality due to cardiovascular disease 16, high morbidity due to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications is also present in RA patients 5,28. Japanese and Korean investigators have described an increased carotid IMT in RA patients compared with ethnically matched controls 11,17. However, these studies included some patients with cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, or smoking. Also, the mean disease duration for the whole group of Korean RA patients was only 4 years 17.
Information on carotid IMT as an early marker of atherosclerosis in white populations is limited 1. In a recent report, investigators from the United Kingdom described increased carotid IMT in a series of 20 men and 20 women with RA compared with matched controls. However, as with the former studies, smokers and patients with hypertension and diabetes were not excluded from the analysis 1.
To further investigate the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in a western population, we assessed the carotid IMT and the presence of carotid plaques in a series of long-term treated, white RA patients from a defined population without clinically evident atherosclerosis or its complications.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Patients who met the 1987 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for RA 2 and were treated by the same group of rheumatologists (MAG-G and CG-P) were recruited from Hospital Xeral-Calde, Lugo, in northwest Spain. The cohort constituted a series of patients attending hospital outpatient clinics seen over 1 month (May 2001). RA patients were considered seropositive if the rheumatoid factor (by nephelometry) was positive at least twice during the course of the disease. At the time of this study only 10 of the 47 patients had clinical criteria of active disease (disease activity score 28 greater than 3.2) 20.
Since the purpose of this study was to examine whether there were subclinical morphologic atherosclerotic changes in RA patients who had been treated chronically, only those treated for at least 5 years and currently being treated with 1 or more disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) at the time of the study were included. Patients had to be nonsmokers or ex-smokers for at least 5 years. Also, RA patients seen during the period of recruitment who had hypertension (systolic blood pressure > 150 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure > 90 mm Hg), diabetes mellitus (fasting overnight venous plasma glucose concentration in all RA patients included in this study was less than 110 mg/dL) or renal insufficiency, had suffered cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events, had evidence of cardiovascular disease, or used estrogen or drugs affecting the cardiovascular system were excluded. During the period of recruitment only 47 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria described above. All had been treated with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (indomethacin: 100 mg/day, naproxen: 500–1000 mg/day, or diclofenac: 100–150 mg/day) and all but 1 had received treatment with low doses of prednisone immediately after disease diagnosis. Most patients had started treatment with prednisone 5 mg bid. All of them have been treated and were in treatment with 1 or more DMARDs, including chloroquine, sulphasalazine, gold, methotrexate (median dose, 15 mg/week) and cyclosporine A (median dose, 3 mg/kg per day). Treatment with DMARDs was initiated as soon as a diagnosis of RA was made. When the ultrasonographic study was undertaken, 46 patients were being treated with methotrexate, generally in combination with chloroquine. Ten were on combined therapy with MTX and cyclosporine A. Five patients who had been treated with methotrexate plus cyclosporine A were switched to methotrexate plus antitumor necrosis factor-α monoclonal antibody-infliximab because of the severity of the disease.
Age- (±3 yr) and sex-matched controls from the Lugo region were also studied. All (n = 47) were ethnically matched (white), and could trace their ancestry in the region for at least 3 generations. None had a history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, renal insufficiency, or cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events or had smoked within the 5 years before the study. None of the controls had used estrogen or drugs affecting the cardiovascular system. Informed consent was obtained from all cases and controls.
Carotid IMT and carotid plaques were measured in the right common carotid artery. The study was performed using high-resolution B-mode ultrasound (Hewlett Packard SONOS 5500), with a 10-MHz linear transducer.
Patients and controls were examined in supine position with the neck extended and the chin turned contralateral to the side being examined. Measurement of IMT was assessed in the common carotid artery 1 cm distal to the carotid bifurcation in the posterior wall 22. Scanning involved examination of the right common carotid artery in longitudinal and transverse planes. All measurements were made manually on digitized still images that were obtained during ultrasound scanning. They were calculated as the average of measurement during 3 cardiac cycles at end-diastole. Measurements of IMT were performed by 2 cardiologists (CG-J, AT). In all cases the cardiologists were blinded to clinical information of the subjects and both agreed on the results. The reproducibility of the IMT measurements was evaluated in 10 patients and 10 controls within 1 week of the first examination. The correlation coefficient for IMT was 0.986. Atherosclerotic plaques were evaluated by ultrasound scanning in the common carotid artery as described above. Atherosclerotic plaque was defined as a distinct protrusion, greater than 1.5 mm, into the vessel lumen.
As recently described 7, 26 joints of hands and feet (wrists; 2, 3, 4, and 5 metacarpophalangeal; 2, 3, 4, and 5 proximal interphalangeal; and 2, 3, 4, and 5 metatarsophalangeal joints) were assessed according to the method reported by Larsen et al 12.
Continuous data were described as mean and standard déviation (mean ± SD), and categorical variables as percentage. Comparisons between 2 categories were made using the Student t test (2-tailed) for continuous variables. To analyze categorical data we performed the chi-square test. When the minimum expected value was less than 5, the Fisher exact test was used. Statistical significance was accepted at p < 0.05. Relationships between 2 continuous variables were assessed by linear correlation coefficient. Multivariable analysis using backward stepwise logistic regression was performed to determine the best model for predicting increased carotid IMT and carotid plaques. All statistical analyses were performed with the package Stata 8/SE (Stata Corporation, College Station, TX).
Clinical Characteristics of RA Patients
The main demographic, clinical, and laboratory features of the 47 RA patients without clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, or its complications are shown in Table 1. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 43 years. During the course of the disease, extraarticular manifestation were observed in 18 (38%) patients. Rheumatoid nodules were found in 10 (21%) patients. Most RA patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria for this study were rheumatoid factor positive (see Table 1).
Clinical and Ultrasonographic Differences Between RA Patients and Controls
The main clinical and ultrasonographic differences between patients and controls without clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, or its complications are summarized in Table 2. RA patients exhibited greater carotid IMT than did matched controls (0.779 ± 0.164 mm in patients compared with 0.699 ± 0.129 mm in matched controls; p = 0.010). In addition, 16 (34%) of the 47 RA patients showed carotid plaques compared with only 7 (15%) of the 47 controls (p = 0.031).
Effects of Clinical Features of RA Patients on Carotid IMT
A strong positive correlation between the age at the time of the study and the carotid IMT in RA patients was observed (Table 3). There was no correlation between carotid IMT and disease duration. It was also the case for cumulative dose of prednisone, radiographic Larsen score in the hands and feet, C-reactive protein values, HDL and LDL cholesterol, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements at the time of this study (see Table 3). Likewise, carotid IMT was not associated with sex, previous history of smoking, or rheumatoid factor status (Table 4). However, RA patients who exhibited extraarticular manifestations had a statistically significant greater carotid IMT than the remaining patients (0.843 ± 0.187 mm in patients with extraarticular manifestations compared with 0.740 ± 0.136 in the others; p = 0.033). Patients with nodular disease also had greater carotid IMT, but the difference did not achieve statistical significance (see Table 4).
Differences Between RA Patients With and Without Carotid Plaques
To investigate further the macrovascular atherosclerotic disease in RA patients without clinically evident atherosclerosis or its complications, we assessed whether RA patients with carotid plaques had some clinical or ultrasonographic peculiarities that might help identify these RA patients before the occurrence of clinical manifestations related to the atherosclerotic disease. As expected, patients with carotid plaques had significantly greater carotid IMT (0.859 ± 0.116 mm) than did RA patients without plaques (0.739 ± 0.171 mm) (p = 0.014). At the time of this study RA patients with carotid plaques were older (65.5 ± 6.1 yr versus 55.9 ± 13.7 yr in RA patients without plaques; p = 0.011) and had a significantly longer disease duration (mean, 21.0 yr) and more extraarticular manifestations (63%) than those without plaques (mean, 12.7 yr of disease duration and 26% of extraarticular manifestations in patients without plaques) (Table 5). No differences between RA patients with or without plaques according to sex, previous history of smoking, HDL and LDL cholesterol and systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements at the time of this study, rheumatoid factor, Larsen radiographic score in hands and feet, and cumulative dose of prednisone were observed (see Table 5).
Predictive Model for Increased Carotid IMT in RA Patients
An important issue in our series of long-term actively treated RA patients without clinically evident atherosclerosis was to assess whether demographic or clinical features might predict the increased carotid IMT as a morphologic marker of subclinical atherosclerotic disease. However, by logistic regression analysis only an age at the time of study greater than 60 years was associated with an increased risk of abnormal carotid IMT (Table 6). Figure 1 shows a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve that describes the relationship between age older than 60 years and increased carotid IMT in RA patients.
Predictive Model for Carotid Plaques in RA Patients
Since carotid plaques constitute the morphologic expression of severe macrovascular atherosclerotic disease, the search for predictive factors for plaques in RA patients without clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, or its complications was even more important than that of increased carotid IMT. When demographic, clinical, and ultrasonographic variables were examined, the age at the time of the study again was found be a predictive factor for severe macrovascular atherosclerotic disease (Table 7). It was somehow expected, since this variable was also a predictive factor for increased IMT. In addition, in RA patients the duration of the disease was also a predictive factor for the development of carotid plaques (see Table 7). Thus, an older age in longstanding RA patients can predict the development of a severe morphologic expression of atherosclerotic disease. Figure 2 shows the ROC curve for the best predictive model for the presence of carotid plaques in RA patients.
Our study constitutes the first attempt, to our knowledge, to assess the potential risk factors for developing carotid plaques, as expression of severe atherosclerotic disease, in patients with RA. It also confirms a high frequency of macrovascular disease, in the form of increased carotid IMT, in long-term actively treated white patients with RA without a history of atherosclerosis or its complications.
Increased carotid IMT was also observed in Japanese and Korean RA patients 11,17. However, genetic differences, as shown for HLA-DRB1 association, between RA patients from these populations and our white population may account for a different expression of RA severity and its complications 6. In addition, the lower background incidence of atherosclerosis in Koreans 17 may account for differences between Koreans and whites in terms of severe macrovascular findings of atherosclerotic disease, such as the presence of carotid plaques. However, regardless of the ethnic background in both Asian patients 11,17 and white patients from the United Kingdom 1 or northwest Spain, (current study), the presence of abnormally increased carotid IMT remains constant in RA patients.
In our series a strong correlation between the age at the time of the study and the carotid IMT was observed; this was also the case for Japanese patients 11. In that series common carotid IMT was positively associated with disease duration and the metacarpophalangeal joint Larsen score 11. In our series there was no association between IMT and disease duration, sex, cumulative dose of prednisone, Larsen scores in hands and feet, rheumatoid factor, HDL and LDL cholesterol, and C-reactive protein at the time of the study. These observations are in keeping with the data reported in the United Kingdom and Korean studies 1,17. However, when the presence of carotid plaques was assessed, in RA patients from northwestern Spain, the disease duration was found to be an additional variable required for the development of carotid plaques. Thus, it is possible that a longstanding severe disease, manifested by the positive association between carotid IMT and the presence of extraarticular manifestations in RA, might also be required for the presence of carotid plaques, as the morphologic expression of severe atherosclerotic disease. This may explain differences in the prevalence of carotid plaques between RA patients from the Lugo region of northwest Spain and their ethnically matched controls. In this regard, although in controls the age at the time of study also yielded a significant positive correlation with the carotid IMT (p = 0.001), Lugo RA patients had a significantly increased frequency of carotid plaques compared with controls (p = 0.031).
A question still unanswered is why RA patients have a higher incidence of atherosclerosis than the control population. Endothelial dysfunction plays a key role in early atherosclerosis 4,23 and contributes to the development of clinical features in the later stages of the vascular disease 27.
Atherosclerosis and RA share similar inflammatory mechanisms that include involvement of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 18. Inflammatory mechanisms implicated in the development of synovial lesions in RA might also involve the vessel walls and promote the development of atherosclerotic lesions in RA patients. An impaired endothelial function has proved to be useful in predicting the development of subsequent cardiovascular events 9. In RA patients, inflammation may lead to endothelial dysfunction, subsequent atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular events. Thus, the presence of a low-grade, protracted inflammatory response in actively treated RA patients who have some kind of genetic predisposition might promote atherogenesis mechanisms that lead to arterial wall changes, the presence of plaques being the most severe expression.
In conclusion, our results confirm an increased frequency of severe subclinical atherosclerotic findings in long-term actively treated RA patients from northwest Spain. An early recognition of these findings before the occurrence of atherosclerotic complications may reduce the high prevalence of cardiovascular events observed in patients with RA.
1. Alkaabi JK, Ho M, Levison R, Pullar T, Belch JJ. Rheumatoid arthritis and macrovascular disease. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2003; 42:292-297.
2. Arnett FC, Edworthy SM, Bloch DA, McShane DJ, Fries JF, Cooper NS, Healey LA, Kaplan SR, Liang MH, Luthra HS, Medsger TA Jr, Mitchell DM, Neustadt DH, Pinals RS, Schaller JG, Sharp JT, Wilder RL, Hunder GG. The American Rheumatism Association 1987 revised criteria for the classification of rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1988; 31:315-324.
3. Bots ML, Hofman A, De Jong PT, Grobbee DE. Common carotid intima-media thickness as an indicator of atherosclerosis at other sites of the carotid artery. The Rotterdam Study. Ann Epidemiol. 1996; 6:147-153.
4. Celermajer DS, Sorensen KE, Gooch VM, Spiegelhalter DJ, Miller OI, Sullivan ID, Lloyd JK, Deanfield JE. Non-invasive detection of endothelial dysfunction in children and adults at risk of atherosclerosis. Lancet. 1992; 340:1111-1115.
5. Del Rincon ID, Williams K, Stern MP, Freeman GL, Escalante A. High incidence of cardiovascular events in rheumatoid arthritis cohort not explained by traditional cardiac risk factors. Arthritis Rheum. 2001; 44:2737-2745.
6. Gonzalez-Gay MA, Garcia-Porrua C, Hajeer AH. The HLA-DRB1 influence in the susceptibility and severity to rheumatoid arthritis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2002; 31:355-360.
7. Gonzalez-Gay MA, Hajeer AH, Garcia-Porrua C, Dababneh A, Thomson W, Ollier WE, Mattey DL. Patients chosen for treatment with cyclosporine because of severe rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to carry HLA-DRB1 shared epitope alleles, and have earlier disease onset. J Rheumatol. 2002; 29:271-275.
8. Gonzalez-Juanatey C, Testa A, Garcia-Castelo A, Garcia-Porrua C, Llorca J, Vidan J, Hajeer AH, Ollier WE, Mattey DL, Gonzalez-Gay MA. HLA-DRB1 status influences endothelial dysfunction in long-term treated patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Am J Med. 2003; 114:647-652.
9. Halcox JP, Schenke WH, Zalos G, Mincemoyer R, Prasad A, Waclawiw MA, Nour KR, Quyyumi AA. Prognostic value of coronary vascular endothelial dysfunction. Circulation. 2002; 106:653-658.
10. Heiss G, Sharrett AR, Barnes R, Chambless LE, Szklo M, Alzola C. Carotid atherosclerosis measured by B-mode ultrasound in populations: associations with cardiovascular risk factors in the ARIC study. Am J Epidemiol. 1991; 134:250-256.
11. Kumeda Y, Inaba M, Goto H, Nagata M, Henmi Y, Furumitsu Y, Ishimura E, Inui K, Yutani Y, Miki T, Shoji T, Nishizawa Y. Increased thickness of the arterial intima-media detected by ultrasonography in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2002; 46:1489-1497.
12. Larsen A, Dale K, Eck M. Radiographic evaluation of radiologic progression in rheumatoid arthritis and related conditions by standard reference films. Acta Radiol (diagn Stockh). 1977; 18:481-491.
13. Lekakis JP, Papamichael CM, Cimponeriu AT, Stamatelopoulos KS, Papaioannou TG, Kanakakis J, Alevizaki MK, Papapanagiotou A, Kalofoutis AT, Stamatelopoulos SF. Atherosclerotic changes of extracoronary arteries are associated with the extent of coronary atherosclerosis. Am J Cardiol. 2000; 85:949-952.
14. Li R, Cai J, Tegeler C, Sorlie P, Metcalf PA, Heiss G. Reproducibility of extracranial carotid atherosclerotic lesions assessed by B-mode ultrasound: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Ultrasound Med Biol. 1996; 22:791-799.
15. McEntegart A, Capell HA, Creran D, Rumley A, Woodward M, Lowe GD. Cardiovascular risk factors, including thrombotic variables, in a population with rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2001; 40:640-644.
16. Mutru O, Laakso M, Isomaki H, Koota K. Cardiovascular mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Cardiology. 1989; 76:71-77.
17. Park YB, Ahn CW, Choi HK, Lee SH, In BH, Lee HC, Nam CM, Lee SK. Atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis: morphologic evidence obtained by carotid ultrasound. Arthritis Rheum. 2002; 46:1714-1719.
18. Pasceri V, Yeh ET. A tale of two diseases: atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Circulation. 1999; 100:2124-2126.
19. Pignoli P, Tremoli E, Poli A, Oreste P, Paoletti R. Intimal plus medial thickness of the arterial wall: a direct measurement with ultrasound imaging. Circulation. 1986; 74:1399-1406.
20. Prevoo ML, van’t Hof MA, Kuper HH, van Leeuwen MA, van de Putte LB, van Riel PL. Modified disease activity scores that include twenty-eight-joint counts. Development and validation in a prospective longitudinal study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1995; 38:44-48.
21. Prior P, Symmons DP, Scott DL, Brown R, Hawkins CF. Cause of death in rheumatoid arthritis. Br J Rheumatol. 1984; 23:92-99.
22. Rosfors S, Hallerstam S, Jensen-Urstad K, Zetterling M, Carlstrom C. Relationship between intima-media thickness in the common carotid artery and atherosclerosis in the carotid bifurcation. Stroke. 1998; 29:1378-1382.
23. Ross R. Atherosclerosis—an inflammatory disease. N Engl J Med. 1999; 340:115-126.
24. Salonen JT, Salonen R. Ultrasonographically assessed carotid morphology and the risk of coronary heart disease. Arterioscler Thromb. 1991; 11:1245-1249.
25. Simons PC, Algra A, Bots ML, Grobbee DE, van der Graaf Y. Common carotid intima-media thickness and arterial stiffness: indicators of cardiovascular risk in high-risk patients. The SMART Study (Second Manifestations of Arterial disease). Circulation. 1999; 100:951-957.
26. Symmons DP, Jones MA, Scott DL, Prior P. Longterm mortality outcome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: early presenters continue to do well. J Rheumatol. 1998; 25:1072-1077.
27. Vita JA, Keaney JF Jr. Endothelial function: a barometer for cardiovascular risk? Circulation. 2002; 106:640-642.
28. Wolfe F, Freundlich B, Straus WL. Increase in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol. 2003; 30:36-40.

domain: literature


text:
We love hearing a good story well told, and we know that you do, too: the comfort and intimacy of a voice in your ear, the pleasure of being completely swept up in a narrative. That’s why, every December, we are so glad to celebrate audio excellence by selecting AudioFile’s Best Audiobooks. Thank you to all of the narrators, directors, producers, and publishers who filled our year with good listening.
Narrator Nanette Savard and an ensemble of voice actors skillfully create a universe in which a queen flees from villains who fear she will try to reclaim her throne. Thanks to the wonderful narration, it’s easy to get lost in the adventure. No-nonsense Queen Elida teams up with Isaac, a cocky rebel from the Han Solo School of Rogues, to steal a mind-control device from a bad guy. The full cast and generous sound effects bring the Vagrant Queen saga to life. The saga started out as a comic book series from Vault and was then produced as a series that ran on the Syfy channel in 2020. M.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2021 Best Audiobook © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2021]
Science Fiction • 2 hrs. • Audio Program • © 2018
View original: https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/best-audiobooks-2021/scifi/


Easy to Install
Direct bolt-on design, no modification needed.
Lighter the weight and stronger with carbon fiber.
ARMASPEED exclusive variable valve design to tone up your performance.
Increasing the amount of airflow and improve the efficiency.
Sporty sounds ready to blow your mind.
With classic appearance of carbon fiber, she is ready to combat under your command.


For over 30 years, Rotary Lift has built quality into every two-post they’ve designed. The Rotary Two Post Lift SPO10 has proven this time and time again. With features like the original single piece “double S” shaped column, true asymmetric columns, three position flip-up adapters, available 3-stage arms with thread-up or truck adapters and extended height models, the Rotary Two Post Lift SPO10 delivers everything your shop needs. Need a little more speed in your shop? Supercharge your lift with Shockwave™ and get 2x faster rise and decent, Spotline™ assisted vehicle spotting and 110v DC power. With so many choices, why would you look anywhere else?


Even many of the people who voted for President Joe Biden last November are coming to regret their decision.
Tlaib admitted that she does not wear a mask to protect herself from a virus, but to keep her safe from bad optics.
The Politco reporter slammed a Gold Star family on Twitter for failing to wear masks while touring the Capitol, and later deleted the tweet.
History has proven time and again what happens when citizens surrender their guns to a nefarious ruling class.
Psaki cut a reporter off as she started to ask a question, flashed a sarcastic smile, then exited the room without her mask on.
'Careful planning before large events is essential to assure that all health and safety requirements are adequately addressed.'
San Francisco Mayor Caught Partying Maskless at Nightclub, Hints Citywide Mandate Doesn't Apply to Her
Despite her far-reaching mask ordinance for vaccinated and unvaccinated residents, London Breed partied it up at a jazz club with no mask on.
Despite insisting on strict measures to prevent the spread of COVID among children, the maskless president didn't hesitate to do this.
A Washington woman faced the consequences of failing to wear a mask in a grocery store.
'At work, they make me wear this jacket. I hate it. They make me wear this shirt and tie. I hate it,' the man said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is no stranger to hypocrisy when it comes to COVID rules. She proved it again this weekend.
When the CDC took an in-depth look at the impact of masking on elementary school students, the results were not what you might expect.
'I thought there were people who were going to understand that getting vaccinated made a gigantic difference,' Biden said.
Three Republicans are fighting back against fines imposed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on lawmakers who defy her mask edict.
They're blaming the unvaccinated for the new recommendations. We used to call this scapegoating, but now it's becoming public policy.
Is Mask Mandate 2.0 in the works? President Joe Biden foreshadowed such a move during a Wednesday town hall on CNN.
Here is just one more example of a left-wing politician calling for COVID guidance that she herself had just recently not followed.
He said that in a similar fashion, the full ramifications of the CDC's mask guidance were obscured in the political hoopla.
Three lawmakers have tested positive for COVID-19 after fleeing on a private jet to prevent a vote on a GOP election integrity bill.
L.A. County has re-imposed a mask mandate, but the county's sheriff just shot holes in it and said they will not enforce it.


text:
Give it back to her this Mother’s Day with a Plan to Eat gift subscription.
This is the best meal plan I have seen. I always had trouble with creating meals for my family. Then I found out I was allergic to grains. Bless you for doing this for me and all the others out there. Now I can import the recipes I find online, and I will tell all my friends about you. Thank you so much.
31 of 180
I have now got most of my favorite recipes entered and am using the planner & shopping list. This saves me hours!
32 of 180
Just thought I'd mention... I LOVE this site. Thanks for making meal planning (almost) as fun as Pinterest!
33 of 180
So. Many. Features!!! I can't begin to explain how great this service is. It does everything that every other service does, except now you don't need 10 different log-ins to accomplish all of those things. Plan To Eat does it all.
34 of 180
Plan to Eat has totally transformed our evenings! I used to dread the end of the day, wondering what to feed the family. Not only am I more relaxed (I know what I'm cooking), I have the ingredients, we waste less food and spend less money (no more randomly throwing things into my shopping trolley!) and the recipe save feature means I have tried more new recipes in the month I've been using your program than I have in the previous two years! I didn't think I could ever be this excited about cooking...
35 of 180
Plan to Eat is brought to you by... US!

domain: food


The Centre is planning to start helicopter and smaller aircraft services to hilly areas, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands under the second phase of UDAN scheme.
The information was shared by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha in Chennai. “Under the UDAN round 2, special consideration has been given to hilly areas, north-east, Andaman and Nicobar Islands to operate helicopters and smaller aircraft,” he said.
The government had announced increasing viability gap funding for helicopter operators and allowing smaller planes, among other concessions, under the regional air connectivity scheme in August 2017.
UDAN phase II seeks to connect unserved and under-served airports. It also seeks to make flying more affordable with fares capped at Rs 2500 for one-hour flights.
Referring to the first round of Udan, Sinha said that the government was able to add around 30 new airports. The government now hopes for better participation from the airlines during round 2 of UDAN.
Besides this, the minister revealed that the Centre is working on adding more international routes, as per demands of the passengers, from southern cities such as Coimbatore and Tiruchirapalli.
Referring to the Chennai airport, he said that the annual passenger traffic at Chennai airport is expected to increase from 20 million at present to 35 million in the coming years. He further added that the Centre was working on a greenfield airport in Chennai for which around 2,000 acres of land would have to be provided by the Tamil Nadu government.
The Civil Aviation Minister was at Chennai along with some other senior government officials to inaugurate the Chennai-Mysuru direct flight service offered by a private operator -'Trujet' under the UDAN scheme. The flight, which will arrive in Chennai from Hyderabad, would resume its journey to Mysuru so, it would not only be connecting Chennai and Mysuru, but also Hyderabad and Mysuru.
Who: Union Government


text:
- What happens if I didn’t get a stimulus check?
- How can I get proof of my SSI benefits?
- Do SSI recipients automatically get stimulus check?
- Can I save my SSI money?
- How often does SSI review your case?
- How can I increase my SSI payments?
- Who is not eligible for a stimulus check?
- Who gets a stimulus check?
- Does SSI track your spending?
- Does SSI ask for bank statements?
- How Much Will SSI checks be in 2020?
- What questions SSI ask?
What happens if I didn’t get a stimulus check?
If you did not receive your stimulus payment, or if it was for the wrong amount, you’ll need to file a tax return for the 2020 tax year (by April 15, 2021).
You’ll file Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR (tax return for seniors).
You’ll need your Notice 1444, Your Economic Impact Payment from the IRS when you file..
How can I get proof of my SSI benefits?
Please go to www.socialsecurity.gov. Then look in the left column under “Top Services,” open the “Services for people currently receiving benefits” section, and select “Request a Proof of Income letter” to get a letter that verifies your Social Security benefit information.
Do SSI recipients automatically get stimulus check?
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has confirmed that recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will automatically receive automatic Economic Impact Payments (that’s the official name, although most taxpayers refer to them as stimulus checks).
Can I save my SSI money?
If you stay under the resource limit, you can save money in any way you want. As long as you are under the resource limit, your savings will not affect your SSI. If you go over the resource limit, your SSI check will stop. … Money saved in certain ways will not count towards your resource limit!
How often does SSI review your case?
The law requires us to perform a medical CDR at least once every three years, unless we determine you have a medical condition that we expect will improve sooner. However, if you have a medical condition that is not expected to improve, we will still review your case, once every five to seven years.
How can I increase my SSI payments?
10 Ways to Increase Your Social Security PaymentsBoost your payout. The amount of your Social Security payments depends on your earnings history and the age you sign up for benefits. … Work for at least 35 years. … Earn more. … Work until your full retirement age. … Delay claiming until age 70. … Claim spousal payments. … Include family. … Don’t earn too much in retirement.More items…
Who is not eligible for a stimulus check?
So individuals with adjusted gross income of up to $75,000 or couples with $150,000 are eligible for full payments. The checks gradually phase out for income above those levels, but this time those caps are lower. Individuals with $87,000 in income and married couples with $174,000 will not receive any payment.
Who gets a stimulus check?
Individuals who reported adjusted gross income (AGI) of $75,000 or less on their 2019 tax returns will receive the full $600 ($150,000 or less AGI for couples filing jointly; $112,500 or less for heads of household).
Does SSI track your spending?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) looks into the “countable resources” of each SSI recipient to ensure that they are within the program’s limits. Countable resources are things that you own such as money, property, stocks, and bank accounts that are counted under the program.
Does SSI ask for bank statements?
We’ll ask you the same kind of questions you answered when you applied for SSI. We’ll need information about your income, your resources, your living arrangements, and your bank accounts. Keep the savings or checking account statements you get from your bank. You may need them when we review your case.
How Much Will SSI checks be in 2020?
Effective January 1, 2020 the Federal benefit rate is $783 for an individual and $1,175 for a couple. Some States supplement the Federal SSI benefit with additional payments.
What questions SSI ask?
An SSI appointment is a financial interview to see if you are eligible for SSI. Basically, they are checking to see how poor you are. They also ask about your household, living situation, and rent, to help decide how much SSI you will get.

domain: finance


text:
Stream Energy Announces Entry into Pepco, Fast-Growing Energy Retailer’s Second Maryland Market
Chairman Rob Snyder Announces Expansion Subsequent to Last Month’s Entry into BGE Market
04-05-2011 – Stream Energy, the world’s largest network marketer of energy, announced its commencement of operations in the Pepco service area of the Maryland electricity market, an expansion from the firm’s entry into BGE earlier this year. The move comes as part of an ambitious expansion plan demonstrated by the firm’s successful entry into the Pennsylvania electric market a few months ago.
Stream Energy begins accepting residential customer requests for service in the Pepco service area in central Maryland Tuesday, April 5th.
“Maryland residents have already indicated interest in our competitive rates and our business model of direct sales to customers,” said Stream Energy Chairman Rob Snyder. “Our wholly-owned marketing arm, Ignite, provides one-to-one education for consumers and has helped hundreds of thousands of Texans, Pennsylvanians, Georgians — and now Marylanders — find answers to their questions about energy deregulation from the people they know and trust.”
“Marylanders are also seeing an opportunity for their families to earn income with a retailer that has a proven income-generation model,” Chairman Rob Snyder added. The full service network marketing approach utilized by the Ignite sales organization uses a “person-to-person” marketing methodology that has empowered the firm’s army of thousands of independent associates to earn residual income from the sale of deregulated power.
Dallas-based Stream Energy is the longest-tenured direct seller of energy in America. Moreover, Stream Energy’s business model, evoked by the catch phrase “It’s OK to switch. Really®,” is helping promote the successful deregulation of retail energy within Texas, Pennsylvania and Georgia.
Stream Energy and Ignite now claim annual revenues of $845 million, marketing electricity in Texas, Maryland and Pennsylvania and natural gas in Georgia. Stream Energy has won several Awards of Excellence from the prestigious Platts Global Energy Awards, while Ignite is consistently ranked among the top Direct Selling Companies in the World.


text:
REGISTER: CLE Webcast on #MeToo from the Legal Trenches Tomorrow!
Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 25, AltaClaro will feature RPJ Partners Nicole Page and Alice K. Jump in a not-to-be-missed Continuing Legal Education (CLE) webcast for lawyers about the #MeToo movement from their perspectives as lawyers involved. “#MeToo, Now What? The Sexual Harassment Debate from the Legal Trenches” will take a critical, in-depth look at the current business and legal landscape in the wake of the sexual harassment revelations from the last several months, along with questions the movement has raised about workplace practices and policies across all spectrums, with particular emphasis on the entertainment and financial services industries.
Ms. Page and Ms. Jump will provide participants with an overview of the applicable laws governing sexual harassment issues, a historical perspective on #MeToo, and a discussion on the legal implications of the movement and how it is changing legal practice surrounding the issue. Online participants will also have an opportunity to ask questions in real time.
AltaClaro is a legal education and training company providing innovate and engaging learning opportunities for lawyers. Career Transition Coach and Founder of Against the Grain Coaching Brian Reinthaler, CPC, will moderate the event.

domain: news


text:
Free shipping on orders over $150* Excludes Milk**
Coffee Machine Cleaner
Coffee Machines & Grinders
SHOP CLEARANCE ITEMS NOW
Home Coffee Machines
Coffee Brewing Equipment
Not sure what you're looking for?
Workplace / Office Coffee Machines
Specially designed for Moka pot coffee makers, Perfetto Moka Hazelnut is a gourmet coffee with a roasted hazelnut aroma and a rounded, delicate flavour. The medium roast helps bring out the entire aromatic characteristics of this intense coffee.
Type: Ground Coffee
Category: Bialetti Christmas Ground Coffee


text:
Wetlands Australia Issue No. 35
Author: Jock Mackenzie, Wetlands Program Manager, Earthwatch Institute, Carlton, Vic.
Earthwatch Australia enables students to influence national climate change policy
Through Earthwatch Australia’s Protecting Wetlands for the Future citizen science program, Queensland students and teachers have informed Great Barrier Reef (GBR) tidal wetland protection. The program, funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, delivered teacher training workshops on wetland citizen science in 2019 and 2020. Since then, over 700 students from 18 high-schools have participated in ‘real-world’ tidal wetland scientific data collection. Data generated from this project was submitted to the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy & Resources to inform mangrove blue carbon modelling, supporting the development of a new Blue Carbon Emissions Reduction Fund method. This new method will drive investment in mangrove habitat restoration and conservation and reduce carbon emissions.
Consequently, high-school students have influenced national climate change policy and carbon reduction. Students also informed GBR tidal wetland management by identifying priority areas for action, and improved our overall scientific understanding of wetlands.
The benefits of this project extend beyond policy and management outcomes. Using MangroveWatch methodology, teachers have provided students with hands on experience in tidal wetland science. This serves to increase community awareness of the value and vulnerability of GBR tidal wetland habitats, and equips the future stakeholders of the GBR to become informed environmental stewards.
Terri Mulqueen, of Holloways Beach Environmental Education Centre, helped deliver the program. She reflects,
“The Program is unique because not only does it fit into the senior science curriculum, it allows participants the opportunity to collect meaningful data that is used to monitor and preserve mangrove areas and inform policy. More school groups are now choosing to come to our centre to study mangroves.”
To support on-going engagement, there are now six free curriculum-based tidal wetland citizen science lesson plans, five publicly available instructional video resources, and two case studies documenting program outputs for local management agencies, GBR traditional owners and community environmental advocacy groups.
This program illustrates how citizen science can be successfully tailored to a student audience and embedded in education curriculum. Based on the resounding success and impact of the students’ work, Earthwatch Australia will continue to engage students in data collection activities and increase their agency in protecting the tidal wetlands of the Great Barrier Reef.
MangroveWatch citizen science lesson plans are available free for download from Cool Australia
For more information on Earthwatch’s Tidal Wetland citizen science programs visit: Tidal Wetlands Program

domain: geography


text:
Infraestructura Energética Nova (IEnova) announced on Tuesday that it will invest 2 billion dollars in a natural gas liquefaction project in Mexico.
The project will be carried out by its subsidiary ECA Liquefaction, the joint venture with Sempra LNG LLC.
In a statement, the company said that it has made the final investment decision for the development, construction and operation of the ECA Liquefaction project in Ensenada, Baja California.
The ECA Liquefaction project consists of adding the natural gas liquefaction process (transformation from the gaseous state to liquid) to the existing liquefied natural gas storage and regasification terminal of Energía Costa Azul, a subsidiary of IEnova.
With an investment of approximately 2 billion dollars and a liquefaction capacity of approximately 3 million tons per year, ECA Liquefaction will be the first natural gas liquefaction project on the North Pacific coast.


text:
Libyan Cloud News Agency – Tripoli
The National Oil Corporation announced that the net revenues for June 2021 resulting from the sales of crude oil, gas, condensates, petroleum by-products and petrochemicals have reached record levels, due to the strong demand and the increase of production and international prices as well.
In a statement, the NOC said that crude oil revenues amounted to 2,069,856,297.84 U.S dollars, while the gas and condensates amounted to 66,246,667.01 U.S. dollars.
The NOC revenues from petrochemicals amounted to 2,656,042.10 U.S. dollars and 3,251,283.50 euros.
“This means that the total net revenue from oil sales in U.S. dollars amounts to 2,138,759,006.95 US dollars and 3,251,283.50 euros. The available locally refined petroleum by-products were entirely distributed to the local market.” Read the statement.
NOC Chairman, Mustafa Sanallah, reiterated that oil is the centerpiece of Libya’s development process and it represents top priority for our country’s stability.


This week Manufacturing Hub, we are talking to a man who knew the future of Manufacturing in 2011 when the iPad was first launched.
The person who developed the first AR system that I ever interacted with, and for some reason let me put on the original Hololens in a bar.
We are very pleased to speak with the visionary of AR in Manufacturing Bob Meads.
Please join us for this exciting conclusion of the Emerging Technologies in Manufacturing theme this Wednesday!
A special thank you to Siemens for supporting this theme and all of Manufacturing Hub.
Giveaway this month of a Siemens Software
Information to enter into the giveaway:
A SIMATIC STEP 7 Professional Software License
A SIMATIC STEP 7 Safety Advanced Software License
A SIMATIC WinCC Unified Comfort Software License
#manufacturing #manufacturinghub #automation


Snuff is one of the best known and likely
The long, weird and fascinating story of Snuff begins with Slaughter, a terrible exploitation film very loosely based on the cult surrounding Charles Manson and the ‘Manson Girls’. Slaughter was made in Argentina in 1971 by married couple Michael and Roberta Findlay, who also made films like The Touch of Her Flesh and Satan’s Bed, which starred Yoko Ono several years before she met John Lennon. Slaughter wasn’t a notable work; an inept and nonsensical shocker made to cash in on whatever embers of exploitable content remained in the Manson story, with truly offensive dubbing, it came and went with little or no notice.
That would have remained the case had the Findlay’s distributor Allan Shackleton not wanted to cash in on the urban legend of ‘snuff’ films, in which people were supposedly actually murdered on camera, for films to be shown at private parties and passed around an underground network. In 1976, using another crew, and without the Findlay’s knowledge, Shackleton shot a new closing scene for the film. A savvy promoter, Shackleton hired fake protestors to drum up publicity for Snuff, which real protest groups soon cottoned on to, ending up doing Shackleton’s work for him. This is how Michael and Roberta Findlay found out what had been done with their film. They sued Shackleton, but settled out of court. Shackleton’s tricks didn’t end there, he created fake newspaper clippings about a fictional attorney trying to suppress the film. The group he invented for that story, Citizens For Decency, turned out to actually exist, but apparently still rallied to this attorney’s cause. This and more all happened before the film was shown. Later, Roberta Findlay left her husband for Shackleton, and they went on to produce hardcore porn films together. Why isn’t THIS the movie I had to watch?
So, I suppose we have to talk about the film. The bulk of it is Slaughter, a
It’s no surprise that Snuff made its way on to the DPP list, its reputation would have preceded it and the very title is a byword for the most extreme content imaginable. It’s another title about which I wonder if any of the people who wanted it suppressed actually bothered to watch it. The bulk of the film is barely objectionable. There are some killings shown, but they are all completely ineptly staged, with several of the shooting deaths seemingly accomplished entirely without the aid of squibs. Outside of this, the dubbing is so poor and so distancing that even if the violence were any more convincing, you’d still be too busy laughing to be disturbed by it. An incest story in a late flashback might have troubled the board, but the crux of the problem is clearly the final scene.
If the DPP, or the people compiling the list, ever did look closely at Snuff, I suspect the absolute gratuitousness of the scene that gives the film its adopted title would only have accentuated their problems with it. It is, in many ways, the definition of exploitation cinema; a scene inserted into a film purely for sensationalist reasons. For a while, as seduction turns violent and the attack begins, it’s fairly disturbing. The initial moment of the knife cutting into the nameless young woman being attacked has more than a little in common with the moment Krug cuts his name into Mari’s chest in Last House on the Left. Then everything becomes more extreme, and any suspension of disbelief goes out the window fast, as rubbery fingers are cut off, followed by a false hand so badly added that you can see the join with the actress’ arm. Then comes the disembowelment, which would be nastier if it weren’t obvious that most of the actress’ torso is under the bed and that her assailant is cutting into a poorly concealed container of pig guts. It’s nasty enough to blind a few people who have been fed the story to the obvious effects, but it won’t fool many in this day and age.
Snuff has a very strange release history in the UK, in that it doesn’t really have a release history. Astra were going to release it uncut on VHS in 1982, but that release was cancelled, though imports and bootlegs did find their way on to the market, often under the counter. An interview with Exploited’s Carl Daft in David Kerekes and David Slater’s See No Evil (the seminal book on the nasties) relates that Exploited looked into picking up Snuff to release, intending to pair it with a documentary on the snuff movie urban legend. Daft says that the BBFC wrote to him saying whether or not he put a documentary on the video, it wouldn’t alter the fact that Snuff was not the kind of film that was suitable for British viewing. Exploited never released Snuff. In 2003 though, Snuff was finally granted an 18 certificate, in its uncut form. Blue Underground submitted the film for DVD release. That release, too, was cancelled.
Snuff exists in a strange kind of limbo. It likely still holds a fascination, and I suspect if it did come out in any heavily publicised way the tabloids might still try to play on its notoriety. It is the most undeserved of cult followings, and yet, I wouldn’t want this film to simply disappear. Everything that surrounds Snuff is fascinating; its making and exploitation, the controversy around it, the underground nature of the film’s distribution in the UK and the fact that it still seems to appear and disappear from our release schedules. It’s a pity the film itself is


text:
LAKE CHARLES - A total of eight McNeese baseball players are active during the break playing summer league baseball. Those include Shane Selman (St. Cloud Rox), Jacob Stracner (Shelter Island Bucks), Brett Whelton (Rockford Rivets), Welles Cooley (Danville Dans), Gavin Sonnier (Danville Dans), Tyler Wesley (High Point Thomasville), Peyton McLemore (Florence Redwolves), and Cain Castille (Acadiana Cane Cutters).
Both Selman and Stracner were selected to represent their squads in their respective league All-Star games - Selman as a member of the North Team of the Northwoods League to be played on July 18, and Stracner of the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League North Team, where he went 1-for-2 in the game played back on July 10. Stracner's team beat the South by a 14-5 score. Selman will also participate in the Northwoods League Home Run Derby, which will take place at 5 p.m. on July 18, leading into the All-Star game.
Below are updates of how each player's summer is panning out.
Shane Selman – St. Cloud Rox – Northwoods League
Northwoods League All-Star… Will participate in the NWL Home Run Derby on July 18 for the North Team… HR Derby will start at 5 p.m.(CST) while the All-Star game will be played at 7:05 p.m. (CST) at Atlantic Park in Wausau, Wisconsin… The game will stream live on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV… In 36 games, hitting .297 with 4 HR, 23 RBI, 12 doubles and a triple… 12 multi-hit games with a high of 4 hits in a 4-for-5 outing against Thunder Bay on June 23 in an 8-2 win… had a 15-game hitting streak from June 17 – July 3… St. Cloud won the first half of the North Division with a 25-11 record and is currently 3-6 in the second half of the season.
Jacob Stracner – Shelter Island Bucks – Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League
Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League All-Star… went 1-for-2 in the all-star game for the North Team in a 14-5 win on July 10… hitting .331 on the season with 4 home runs, 6 doubles, a triple and 34 RBI… 8 of 10 in stolen bases… leads the league with 34 RBI, is tied for 4th with 4 HR, and is fifth in hitting with a .331 average… currently on a 6-game hitting streak… has hit safely in 23 of the 29 games played… 12 multi-hit games with three hits in six games… had a 3-for-5 outing with two HR and 6 RBI on June 29 in a 13-6 win over Riverhead… 5 RBI games against Sag harbor (July 4) and at North Fork (June 9).
Brett Whelton – Rockford Rivets – Northwoods League
Has appeared in seven games and is hitting .217 for the Rivets… has hit safely in his last three outings, going 5-for-11 with two doubles and 5 RBI… one of three catchers on the squad…
Welles Cooley – Danville Dans – Prospect League
Hitting .321 in 25 appearances in splitting time between third base and shortstop... has four doubles and 12 RBI and is 7-12 in stolen bases… currently on a 5-game hitting streak… has hit safely in 17 of 25 games played and has two or more hits in eight games… had a 3-for-3 outing with a double, run score and RBI on June 25 against Quincy.
Gavin Sonnier – Danville Dans – Prospect League
Has appeared in six games with two starts… has an 0-1 record… 9 strikeouts in 9.2 innings pitched.
Tyler Wesley – High Point Thomasville – Coastal Plain League
Has made 9 appearances on the season with one start and has compiled a 2-1 record with a 6.11 ERA… 17.2 innings pitched with 20 strikeouts and 8 walks… opponents are hitting .239 against him.
Peyton McLemore – Florence Redwolves – Coastal Plain League
0-1 on the season with a 4.05 ERA in 10 appearances… has tossed 20 innings and has 19 strikeouts with 9 walks… ranked third on the team for most appearances on the season.
Cain Castille – Acadiana Cane Cutters – Texas Collegiate League
Hitting .235 in 22 games played… has two doubles, a triple and eight RBI on the season… five multi-hit games… had a 3-for-5 outing with two RBI and a run scored in a 12-6 win over the Victoria Generals on July 2… one of two catchers on the roster.

domain: game


text:
SANTA FE, N.M., April 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) is pleased to announce that Jamie Schulze (Northern Cheyenne/ Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate) has been appointed to the position of SWAIA’s Executive Director. Since 2019 Schulze has been employed by the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, initially as SWAIA’s volunteer coordinator, later as Director of Operations and most recently as Interim Executive Director.
“It is a great honor and a privilege to be appointed Executive Director, said Schulze, and it is a great responsibility. I will take my mandates from the board of directors and SWAIA artists. My intention is to create continuity within the organization and to be an ally and partner with our artists and visitors to ensure that the Indian Market experience is the best it can be.”
Schulze grew up in Montana and has lived in New Mexico for 28 years. Prior to working for SWAIA, she and her husband created and operated The Bavarian Lodge and Restaurant in Taos Ski Valley for over 20 years.
“Since Fall of 2022 as Interim Executive Director, Jamie has demonstrated leadership through open communication with artists, the staff, volunteers, local government, and supporters. She strategically worked with her team to get the organization up to date and in compliance with audits. Her extensive experience in the hospitality and tourism industry and knowledge of SWAIA and the artists will put the organization on a strong path forward,” said SWAIA board Chair Stephine Poston (Pueblo of Sandia).
This year the Santa Fe Indian Market returns for its 101st year on August 19 and 20, 2023, on the Santa Fe Plaza. All of the major events: the Best of Show Ceremony, the Indigenous Fashion Show and the Native American Clothing Contest will be presented– alongside the world’s best Native North American juried artists, food vendors, music and performance stages, and panel discussions with Native American thought leaders.
The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) is a non-profit organization supporting Native North American art and culture. SWAIA creates economic and cultural opportunities for Native North American artists by producing and promoting the Santa Fe Indian Market— the largest and most prestigious Native art event in the world. Since 1922; SWAIA has cultivated excellence and innovation across traditional and non-traditional art forms— developing programs and events that support, promote and honor Native North American artists year-round. swaia.org
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jamie-schulze-named-executive-director-by-swaias-board-of-directors-301797190.html
SOURCE Southwestern Association for Indian Arts


(Photo by Tajha Chappellet-Lanier)
A new program from 1776 has resources for travel startups looking to go places with some big players in the industry.
In September, the innovation hub is hosting the first edition of the Travel Experience Incubator Challenge at its Crystal City campus. 1776 is partnering with hotel giant Marriott and Accenture Interactive.
The 90-day program is open to startups from anywhere. While travel is a broad area, categories specified include travel discovery, planning, hospitality experiences and customer engagement.
1776 CEO Evan Burfield said they will look to accept up to six companies, each of whom will get $5,000, as well as lodging and travel costs covered.
Along with the programming , connections to the larger partners will help. Marriott International has 6,000 properties. Accenture Digital is the agency arm of consulting giant Accenture, and has connections to many more travel companies.
The companies will offer expertise, but Burfield said the program is also designed to provide business connections. As a result, they’re seeking startups that are past the idea stage.
“We want to find companies that are ready to come in, engage with this network and really craft and co-create business relationships with Marriott and other travel organizations through Accenture,” he said.
With Marriott being headquartered in Bethesda, Md., it’s also a sign of the area’s larger companies seeking to work with startups as they look to bring new offerings. The company has its own hotel lab, and even opened an entire new hotel to try out concepts in Charlotte last year. When considering the companies in the D.C. region that are well-positioned to help drive innovation, Burfied said Marriott would be “right at the top of that list.”
It follows news that 1776 will also host a transportation-focused cohort at 1776 in Crystal City this fall, as well.
Halcyon welcomes 10 local entrepreneurs for its Opportunity Intensive program
Revolution’s next Rise of the Rest road trip is heading to 4 states in April
5 things this founder has learned from 6 months of living in both Baltimore and DC
How this software engineer’s career change has helped her make change in the world
SEED SPOT was recognized as a top incubator by UBI Global
AARP is working on these tech innovation initiatives at The Hatchery in DC
Halcyon Incubator is partnering with CareFirst to support healthcare startups
Introducing ‘Off the Sidelines,’ a new podcast series about startup investing
Sign-up for daily news updates from Technical.ly Dc


New Jersey’s utility regulator on Tuesday awarded the state’s three nuclear energy facilities $300 million per year for another three years under a program set up to keep the power plants from closing down.
Critics of PSEG and Exelon say the energy companies have exaggerated the financial troubles facing their nuclear plants, but the companies and state officials say propping up the facilities is critical to meeting New Jersey’s clean energy goals and that, if they close, fossil fuel plants may rise up to fill the void.
“Were these plants to close, we would lose the single largest source of the state’s overall clean energy power supply,” said Board of Public Utilities President Joe Fiordaliso, “and be forced to make up that supply with sources such as fossil fuels.”
The subsidies will be funded through charges to all New Jersey electricity customers, and the board said in a press release that “collection of funds to pay for the credits the Board approved today will begin immediately.”
In 2019 the board approved the first round of subsidies through the so-called Zero Emission Certificate program, awarding the $300 million annual subsidy to the three nuclear plants for three years in a controversial vote. PSEG and Exelon co-own Salem Units 1 and 2, while PSEG owns Hope Creek outright.
At the time, the BPU’s five commissioners only had the ability to award the full $300 million per year or deny the applications in full. They were restricted from awarding a lower amount.
This time, however, the board did have discretion to give the nuclear plants a less generous subsidy if they deemed it was sufficient to maintain the state’s “air quality and environmental objectives.”
But several commissioners said during the board’s virtual meeting Tuesday morning that officials and board members at PSEG told them they would close the nuclear plants for anything less than the full $300 million subsidy.
“Apparently the legislature’s call for data-based decision making, months of analysis by various consultants, and the preparation of voluminous reports by numerous parties were a meaningless exercise,” said Commissioner Bob Gordon. “Personally, I’m very disappointed by the level of intransigence in this exercise of market power.”
PSEG CEO Ralph Izzo previously said before the BPU and in an earnings call that the company would actually need more than the full amount allowed under the law to operate the plants. The cost of operating nuclear plants and complying with strict regulations, lower prices driven by an increase in natural gas production, and the lack of a nationwide greenhouse gas emissions policy has put PSEG’s nuclear energy sector on unsure financial footing, the company has argued.
Yet, Gordon ultimately voted in favor of the subsidies. “I realize that it is important to separate one’s feelings about the process from our policy goals, namely achieving Gov. [Phil] Murphy’s energy targets and protecting our citizens from the effects of climate change,” he added.
The five-member BPU voted unanimously to approve the $300 million annual subsidies, which will last from June 2022 through May 2025.
New Jersey’s energy master plan, released by Murphy in 2019, aims to get the state to 100% clean energy by 2050, in part by relying on the state’s existing nuclear power generators.
Rick Thigpen, senior vice president for corporate citizenship at PSEG, applauded the BPU’s vote and noted that the $300 million annual award was still less than the “costs plus the risks” of running the nuclear facilities, which Thigpen said were important to preserve in the Garden State.
“They are a very valuable asset to the people of New Jersey, as well as for our environment, as well as for our state’s clean energy goals,” Thigpen said. “So actually while people are making these comments, [PSEG] feels that it is also compromising in order to support the interests of the people in the state of New Jersey and help protect and help protect its environment by accepting what the state was allowed to offer.”
Thigpen suggested it could actually cost ratepayers more money if the three nuclear plants — which provide about 40% of the electricity in New Jersey — closed. New energy sources could be more expensive and fossil fuel-based, he said.
But Stefanie Brand, director of the New Jersey Division of Rate Counsel, a ratepayer advocacy office, said it was wrong to force ratepayers to subsidize PSEG, a publicly-traded energy company.
“We’re at the mercy of a corporation whose main obligation is to its shareholders, and the shareholders are doing just great. They’re going to be very happy with this decision,” Brand said.
She added that it was particularly unfortunate to continue asking ratepayers to foot the bill for the nuclear subsidy amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which spurred record unemployment.
How much an electricity customer pays toward the program depends on how much energy they use. During the first round of subsidies, Brand estimated that residential users were on the hook for an additional $45 per year, though she noted that usage has increased since then. She estimated that some large users, including many businesses, would have had to pay up to $500,000.
“That money is coming out of the pockets of the people who live in this state, many of whom are having difficulty paying their bills in the middle of a pandemic.”
While Murphy has extended a moratorium on utility shutoffs for residential ratepayers and there are resources available for struggling customers, officials have encouraged residents and businesses to continue paying their bills if they can.
Get daily updates from WHYY News!


Out now on Progressive House Worldwide, Mark Digital - Static Collision (Original Mix).
"Not only do we have a new release coming up this week on the label, as we also do have the pleasure to have an artist that is brand new to the scene, US bound producer, Mark Digital. Mark has been working in silence with his music for a time now, and now he felt he is ready to go and showcase his music to the world, and we couldn’t agree more on that from the label as well.
“Static Collision” as the first track is named is a tight sounding progressive house production, filled with cool wobbling bass lines, emotional melodic hooks and a string of majestic effects to keep this production going from start to finish, it’s definitely one for the floors.
The second submission to the release, named as “722” is a more “sunshine” driven production, packed with melodic lines and smooth vocal chops to spice this track up. It’s a lively act from the US bound producer and we are both happy for, and certain about that this is just the beginning for this artist.
We do hope you enjoy both these gems and will help this producer come a bit further on his musical journey.
Follow PHW on Twitter


Oxford was one of several towns and cities up and down the country where protests have been held against Donald Trump's immigration policy. Here's our report from Mary Stanley
More top news
The mother of Lucas Dobson, the six-year-old boy whose body was recovered from the River Stour, has paid tribute to her 'beautiful boy'.
Thousands of students across the region have been picking up their GCSE results, with the number of top grades and passes rising slightly.
We've been digging deep to discover what has given Kent its distinctive look - for nearly 2,000 years.