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SNP blasted over ‘mistakes’ in education reform amid exam grades anger – ‘Fiasco’
SNP slammed by Andrew Bowie for not showing up to debate
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Speaking to Express.co.uk, Oliver Mundell, the Scottish Conservative Shadow Education Secretary, accused the SNP of presiding over a “fiasco” with last year’s exam results. Mr Mundell’s comments follow the SNP pledge to overhaul Scotland’s qualification bodies.
He said: “Over their 14 years in office, the SNP has continually let down our young people.
“Thousands of teachers have been slashed from our classrooms, pupils’ subject choice has been limited and they’ve only made limited progress on closing the attainment gap in our schools.
“Under the SNP, Scotland have slid down international league tables, having once been the envy of the world.”
Mr Mundell added: “They also presided over a fiasco when it came to last year’s exams results.
“While they might have changed the Minister in charge of education, this year’s process shamefully looks like being even worse.”
Last week, the SNP’s Education Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, announced plans to overhaul two of Scotland’s qualification bodies – the SQA and Education Scotland.
Students across the country voiced anger after a row involving exam appeals which could see their grades move down as well as up.
The education sector has been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic as formal exams had to be cancelled for a second year in a row.
Last year, ministers were forced to upgrade tens of thousands of exam results after pupils bemoaned how the grades had been awarded.
According to the alternative qualification model introduced after formal exams were cancelled for a second year running, grades are to be awarded on the basis of “teacher judgement of evidence of learner attainment.”
However, critics pointed out the second national lockdown at the start of the year meant most assignments were issued in the final weeks before the end of term.
Critics said pupils sat “exams in all but name”, often conducted with less preparation and more intensive time constraints.
On Thursday, Ms Somerville gave pupils a “cast-iron” guarantee that no young person will be further disadvantaged by this year’s assessments.
She promised: “If your teacher thinks you deserve an A, you will get an A.”
Mr Mundell continued: “They haven’t learned a single lesson from their mistakes of last year and won’t even come clean on how they have got it wrong again.
“Simply trying to tinker round the edges of reforming the SQA just doesn’t cut it.
“It is a body that is not fit for purpose and must be axed immediately.
“Axing the SQA would only be the start of the ways towards restoring Scotland’s education to its previous high standards.”
Tony Blair urges UK to cave to EU rules to bridge ‘irresolvable’ gap [INSIGHT]
EU plot: Bloc leaders hold talks away from Boris ahead of Brexit talks [SPOTLIGHT]
Brexit LIVE: France could hit electricity on mainland Britain [REVEAL]
In response to Mr Mundell’s comments, a spokesperson for Ms Somerville said: “The Tories’ false claims simply don’t add up – the reality is that teacher numbers across Scotland have increased for the fifth year in a row – there are now more teachers than at any time since 2008, and the ratio of pupils to teachers is at its lowest since 2010.
“Instead of mounting baseless smears and seeking to undermine confidence in Scotland’s education system, Mr Mundell should apologise for his party’s endorsement this week of a bizarre proposal to force politically motivated Tory-led lessons on Scotland’s teachers and pupils.”
Ms Somerville has previously stated that reform to the authorities would form part of “wide-ranging plans for education recovery” in the next 100 days and beyond.
She added that the plans to overhaul the system showed “our determination to deliver improvements with pace and urgency.”
She said: “I am open to considering what further reform is necessary, with the clear purpose of doing all we can to improve outcomes for children.
“This includes reducing variability in the outcomes children and young people achieve across the country.”
Ms Somerville added that she would take “full responsibility” for the new system.
Before the Education Secretary’s overhaul announcement, Nicola Sturgeon said she had full confidence in the SQA.
She later admitted that the replacement system put in place for the pandemic was “not perfect”.
Speaking last week, Mr Mundell said that the SNP leader “can’t have it both ways”.
He said: “Nicola Sturgeon said she had full confidence in the SQA, yet a couple of hours later her education secretary announces that she wants to reform the SQA after its continued failures.
“That will hardly inspire confidence among pupils, parents and teachers who the SNP have continually let down.”
Writing on Twitter on June 3, Jamie Greene, Shadow Justice Secretary for the Scottish Tories, said the SNP’s “U-turn” on this reform was “long overdue”.
He said: “The @ScotTories brought this to a vote in the last term of parliament and it was brushed under the carpet by ministers with their heads in the sand.”
Source: Read Full Article


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It’s the word fans often utter when they see Justin Bieber live: Jesus.
It’s also the son of God who many believe will one day return to earth, as well as the basis for this singer’s new tattoo.
In May, Justin and his father both got inked with the Hebrew word for “Jesus” along their upper bodies. Based on the following photos, it looks like a painful experience, but also one that brought the pair closer together. We wonder what Selena Gomez thinks of the tattoo…
What Would Justin Do: Click on each image to enlarge and visit TheJustinBieberShrine for more pics.

domain: celebrity


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2020 Spring Professional Artist-in-Residence Program - Jewelry/Small Metals Focus
Supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Professional Artist-in-Residence Program provides established artists the opportunity to use Pratt’s specialized studios to explore new artistic endeavors during a month-long residency. The recipient will be featured in a free public lecture and exhibit work at Pratt or a partner venue. Residency runs April 5 - May 3, 2020. Click here for details and to apply. Application Deadline January 29, 2020.
Edwin T. Pratt Scholarship
Pratt Fine Arts Center is pleased to offer the Edwin T. Pratt Scholarship, providing opportunities for artists of color to advance their careers through education and exposure. The Edwin T. Pratt Scholarship aims to amplify the work of underrepresented artists and equip them with the tools to progress to the next level in their professional journeys. These artists, in turn, will make powerful contributions to the cultural vitality of our region.
Pratt Fine Arts Center serves as a lasting tribute to Edwin T. Pratt, a man who relentlessly championed open and equal access to educational and housing opportunities for all of Seattle's residents. Pratt Fine Arts Center honors his memory by continuing to pursue its mission of making art accessible to everyone, for people of all ages, all skill levels, and all backgrounds. This scholarship is one way Pratt makes that mission a reality.
Furthermore, Pratt Fine Arts Center will make every possible effort to promote the recipients work and ensure maximum public exposure throughout the experience. This may include, but is not limited to, securing an appropriate site for a culminating exhibition at the end of the award cycle. In addition, scholarship recipients will be paired with mentors who will provide guidance throughout the award term. Click here for details.
Jon and Mary Shirley Scholarship in Glass
Through the generous and enduring support of the Jon and Mary Shirley Foundation, Pratt Fine Arts Center is pleased to offer an enhanced, project-based scholarship to support an emerging artist pursing a career in the glass arts the opportunity to explore new or experimental directions in their practice and leverage Pratt's valuable educational resources. Click here for details.
Lillian Yeh Scholarship for Lifelong Artists
Through the generous support of her family and friends, Pratt is pleased to offer this merit-based scholarship in memory of Lillian Yeh, who was a passionate and caring member of Pratt's community. Her love for the arts will be honored at Pratt through the Lillian Yeh Scholarship for Lifelong Artists, which encourages young adults (aged 18-25) to pursue art-making as a lifelong passion. Click here for more details.
Mary and Gary Molyneaux Scholarship for Womxn (50 and Over)
Through the generous support of Mary and Gary Molyneaux, Pratt is pleased to offer a new scholarship supporting the continued creative advancement of established womxn artists, 50 years of age or over. This scholarship is designed to provide opportunities for an artist to explore new mediums or disciplines. Click here for details.
Pratt/Seattle Print Arts Partners Grant
In partnership with Seattle Print Arts (SPA), and to nurture the development of our shared artist community, Pratt is pleased to offer an enhanced funding grant in printmaking (formerly known as the Seattle Print Arts Scholarship). This grant is specifically for Puget Sound printmakers who are members of Seattle Print Arts. Click here for more details.
Pratt/Seattle Metals Guild Partners Grant: Jewelry and Metal Arts
In partnership with Seattle Metals Guild (SMG), and to nurture the development of our shared artist community, Pratt is pleased to offer a grant specifically for Puget Sound jewelry and metal artists who are active members of SMG. Click here for details.
The Pohlman Knowles Teen Scholarship Fund is open for applications year-round. This scholarship was founded by and named in honor of artists Jenny Pohlman and Sabrina Knowles to provide ongoing art opportunities for Seattle’s high school students, with particular emphasis on providing opportunities for high school students who would not otherwise have access to Pratt classes. They continue to support this scholarship through a donation of art to Pratt’s annual auction. Click here for details and to apply.
To see a list of last year's 2019-2020 scholarship & award recipients, click here.

domain: artistic


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As I discussed yesterday I have a cushy office jockey job that earns my daily bread. It’s a pretty simple role when you look at it but because I’m “a bit handy” with manual tasks too I tend to be roped into all sorts of errands that any other company would “get a man out” for. This can be anything from basic carpentry to trying to get dead fish out of the boss’s fish tank.
This may sound simple enough but it’s no easy task I can tell you. A tropical fish tank such as the one in question can be a pretty smelly and rotten place. It’s full of brightly coloured fish that may look pretty but can’t half give you a nasty bite. There are crabs and shrimps to make up the numbers and sharp rocks covered in goo. Now before you start thinking, “wow, this tank must be huge” I’ll keep things in perspective; it’s not like I have to strip to my socks and dive in with my wedding tackle wiggling about like juicy bait. I only have to grab a net, roll up my sleeve and stand on a ladder but that’s beside the point. It is a dangerous, stinking place.
Now getting hold of a dead fish sounds pretty easy. I mean, it’s dead right? It’s not like it can swim away from the net. Oh contraire my friends. Every time I got the net near it another fish would come a bit too close to my hand for my liking, looking like a bug-eyed monster hungry for fresh human steak. The scum on the top of the tank didn’t help, it stunk like festival toilets in a heat wave and made me wretch as I plunged my hand in. When I eventually snared the deceased aquatic critter someone only came flying through the door, knocking into the stepladders I was standing on and causing me to drop the fish and the net. I was now becoming quite perturbed.
To prevent having to take my shirt off completely (and thus causing the women of the office to get all flustered and the men to feel inadequate because of my macho-manliness) I rigged up an old broom and the end of a coat hanger with the aid of some trusty duct tape. This amazing ‘extended hook device’ (patent pending) allowed me to snare the net and retrieve the dead fish. Soggy, smelly and red-faced my work was done. All that was left was to give the poor little fish a proper burial, I was considering handing him over to the Chinese restaurant next door but settled for a flush down the toilet.
So next time tells you something will be as easy as ‘shooting dead fish in a barrel’ remember my story.
Is there any part of your job you hate? Do you have a boss that keeps captive animals in the office? Let’s hear your stories.

domain: hobby


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Some Inspiring Ideas For Treating Beds Without Headboards Furniture Especially For Your Small Size Bedroom Interior Space
Common bed furniture are completed with headboards. However, you can still seize the beauty and practical features of beds without headboards. The reason is because some bedrooms are too small so that they cannot afford of headboard. And, there are a lot of creative ways for decorating your bed without a headboard. Here are some alternatives for fitting headboard-less beds into your limited space sleeping area.
You might also like :
- Deluxe Personal Taste Reflected By Hanging These Bold And Dazzling Red Ceiling Chandeliers In Dining Room For A More Classy Interior Look
- Incredibly Wonderful Natural Elements For Your Daily And Special Exterior Decorations By Having These Beautifully Striking Bamboo Arbor Ideas
- Playing With Colors: Combining Two Surprisingly Contrasting Interior Tones In Brown And Pink Adult Bedroom Schemes

domain: design


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Background: Maternal high fat diet has been implicated in the aetiology of metabolic diseases in their offspring. The hypolipidaemic actions of Cocos nucifera water improve metabolic indices of dams consuming a high fat diet during gestation. This study investigated the effects of C. nucifera water on metabolism of offspring of dams exposed to high fat diet during gestation.
Methods: Four groups of pregnant Wistar rat dams (n=6) were treated orally from Gestation Day (GD) 1 to GD 21 as follows: standard rodent feed+10 mL/kg distilled water (Control), standard rodent feed+10 mL/kg C. nucifera water, high fat feed+10 mL/kg distilled water (high fat diet), and high fat feed+10 mL/kg C. nucifera water (high fat diet+C. nucifera water). The feeds were given ad libitum and all dams received standard rodent feed after parturition. Fasting blood glucose was measured in offspring before being euthanized on Postnatal Day (PND) 120. Serum insulin, leptin, lipid profile and liver enzymes were measured.
Results: Serum total cholesterol (TC), insulin, alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase levels were significantly increased (p<0.05) in high fat diet offspring compared with controls. Similar changes were not observed in high fat diet+C. nucifera water offspring.
Conclusions: Results suggest that the adverse effects of maternal high fat diet on offspring's metabolism can be ameliorated by C. nucifera water.
Keywords: Cocos nucifera water; foetal programming; maternal high fat diet; metabolism.

domain: medical


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Brand: Fanatics Branded
Score the winning goal for your fandom when you put on this New York Islanders Iconic knit beanie with pom from Fanatics Branded. The stunning graphics embroidered on this beanie will help cement your status as a truly loyal New York Islanders fan.


Use the Recon...hard. If it lets you down, you'll have a chance to test an Emerson. I find that when I really use a knife hard for a while I develop a deep appreciation of its abilities and come to like it much more. ...Or it disappoints, and I trash it. Most knives from reputable manufacturers are way more capable than the average user would ever know.


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These sites offer cashback to you when you shop through them. It normally takes a bit of time to get the money but it does add up.
I particularly like TopCashBack, and if you are using Hotels.com, Booking.com, Lastminute.com, Laterooms.com or hostelworld.com it is a no brainer. It’s not just limited to accommodation either. Car hire, flights, lounge access and insurance to name but a few of the other sources of cashback available.
For example, the hostelworld cashback offer gives you 42% of your deposit back in cash. The deposit is normally around 20% of the total bill so in effect its around 8-9% of your nights accommodation. All you have to do is book the hostel through the topcashback websites referral link. Easy.
Sounds good right? Well you can sign up right here using this link. You will get £5 for signing up and I get in on the action as well.

domain: finance


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Alexis Ohanian, a reputation that resonates with the tech industry and the world of entrepreneurship, can additionally be well-known for his romantic relationships. From high-profile celebrities to completed entrepreneurs, Ohanian has had an intriguing relationship history that retains his followers guessing. In this article, we explore the love life and dating history of Alexis Ohanian, unraveling the tales and connections that have formed his private life.
The Serena Williams Era
A Chance Encounter
Alexis Ohanian’s most well-known relationship is with tennis superstar Serena Williams. Their romance began in 2015, and it rapidly captured the attention of the media and their fans. The story of how they met is a modern story of affection. Ohanian saw Williams in the resort lobby during breakfast and mustered up the courage to strategy her. It was an opportunity encounter that modified their lives endlessly.
Their relationship progressed quickly, and Ohanian accompanied Williams to the French Open in May 2015 as her guest. The couple made their first public appearance together, and rumors about their romantic involvement began swirling. Ohanian’s dedication to Williams and their budding love story was evident as he cheered her on from the stands during her matches.
A Grand Proposal
In December 2016, Ohanian proposed to Williams in the identical lodge in Rome the place they first met. He shocked her by taking her back to the desk they sat at throughout their preliminary encounter. With a rigorously curated playlist of the songs that held significance of their relationship, Ohanian received down on one knee and requested Williams to marry him.
Wedding Bells and Parenthood
Ohanian and Williams tied the knot on November 16, 2017, in a lavish ceremony attended by family and Go to these associates. The wedding was a fairytale affair, with movie star friends and a picture-perfect venue. In September 2017, the couple welcomed their first youngster, a daughter named Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. The birth of their daughter further solidified their relationship and added a brand new chapter to their love story.
The Pre-Serena Chapter
The Power of Reddit
Before Ohanian’s high-profile relationship with Serena Williams, he was already a widely known determine due to his co-founding of Reddit, the widely in style social news aggregation website. It was throughout his time at Reddit that Ohanian met and dated different notable people, some of whom played a big function in shaping his private life.
Sabriya Stukes: A College Sweetheart
During his time on the University of Virginia, Ohanian dated Sabriya Stukes. Stukes was his faculty sweetheart and stays an important a part of his past. Their relationship served as a basis for Ohanian’s personal growth and understanding of affection and companionship.
Phoebe Moyer: A Romantic Intertwining
Ohanian also had a romantic involvement with Phoebe Moyer, a microbiology Ph.D. pupil at the time. Their shared passions and intellectual connection led to a brief however impactful relationship. Moyer’s influence on Ohanian’s life can’t be understated, as she helped him navigate his private and skilled endeavors.
Alexis Ohanian’s relationship historical past is a testomony to his dynamic character and talent to form significant connections. From his early faculty relationships to his high-profile marriage to Serena Williams, Ohanian’s love life has been marked by moments that seize the imagination. Whether it is the possibility encounter with Williams in a resort or the grand proposal in Rome, Ohanian’s romantic escapades have adopted a script that rivals the most captivating love stories. Through all of it, Ohanian has remained true to himself, embracing the chances that life and love have to offer.
So, the subsequent time you stumble upon a Reddit submit or watch a Serena Williams match, take a moment to understand the complex courting historical past that formed Alexis Ohanian into the man he’s at present.
Question 1: Was Alexis Ohanian married earlier than relationship Serena Williams?
No, Alexis Ohanian was not married earlier than dating Serena Williams. They obtained engaged in December 2016 and obtained married on November 16, 2017.
Question 2: Who was Alexis Ohanian’s first known girlfriend before Serena Williams?
Alexis Ohanian’s first recognized girlfriend before Serena Williams was Sabriya Stukes. They dated while they have been both attending the University of Virginia.
Question 3: Did Alexis Ohanian date any famous personalities earlier than Serena Williams?
There is no public info or data about Alexis Ohanian dating any well-known personalities before Serena Williams.
Question 4: How long have Alexis Ohanian and Serena Williams been dating?
Alexis Ohanian and Serena Williams have been relationship since 2015. They met in Rome, and their relationship rapidly grew from there.
Question 5: Was Alexis Ohanian ever involved in any high-profile relationships before Serena Williams?
No, there aren’t any recognized high-profile relationships associated with Alexis Ohanian earlier than he started relationship Serena Williams.
Question 6: Did Alexis Ohanian have any youngsters before getting married to Serena Williams?
No, Alexis Ohanian did not have any youngsters before getting married to Serena Williams. However, they have two kids together named Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. and Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. II.
Question 7: Are there any vital relationships in Alexis Ohanian’s dating historical past in addition to Serena Williams?
Serena Williams is the most important and well-known relationship in Alexis Ohanian’s relationship history. There is no noteworthy details about any other vital relationships previous to or throughout his relationship with Serena Williams.


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Although agriculture has been a sustainable sector for a long time, hardly consuming energy, the development of new agricultural activities has turned it into a system with a high energy demand; greenhouses, transport of products, processing of agri-food products, water pumping, irrigation, machinery, product preservation, etc.
According to the latest data provided by IDAE - Institute for Energy Diversification and Savings, the agricultural sector is showing an upward trend in energy consumption, mainly in fossil fuels. Within the framework of a decarbonised society, the agricultural sector needs to optimise the use of energy, increasing or reducing its consumption, without jeopardising the production of products.
- Our colleague, Miguel Ramírez, Thermal Systems Researcher at TECNALIA, will show how heat pumps can increase energy efficiency in the agricultural sector.
- Subsidies to increase energy efficiency in the agricultural sector (Registration)
- This webinar is organised by ANESE - National Association of Energy Services Companies

domain: agronomy


Authors disagree on the precise definition, but traits often considered important requirements and objectives of the language to be characterized as a programming language:
Function: A programming language is a language used to write computer programs, which instruct a computer to perform some kind of computation, and/or organize the flow of control between external devices (such as a printer, a robot, or any peripheral).
Target: Programming languages differ from natural languages in that natural languages are only used for interaction between people, while programming languages also allow humans to communicate instructions to machines. In some cases, programming languages are used by one program or machine to program another; PostScript source code, for example, is frequently generated programmatically to control a computer printer or display.
Constructs: Programming languages may contain constructs for defining and manipulating data structures or for controlling the flow of execution.
Expressive power: The theory of computation classifies languages by the computations they can express (see Chomsky hierarchy). All Turing complete languages can implement the same set of algorithms. ANSI/ISO SQL and Charity are examples of languages that are not Turing complete yet often called programming languages.
Non-computational languages, such as markup languages like HTML or formal grammars like BNF, are usually not considered programming languages. It is a usual approach to embed a programming language into the non-computational (host) language, to express templates for the host language.


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As BP’s oil gushed into the Gulf of Mexico week after week last summer, we got accustomed to wildly different estimates for how quickly the oil was leaking and how much entered the gulf. Now, 10 months after the mess began, government and independent scientists have wildly different estimates for how much of the oil remains.
Oceanographer Samantha Joye, speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual conference in Washington this weekend, revealed the findings of her trips to the Gulf to study the seafloor. In December she dove to areas around the site of BP’s well blowout, finding—and photographing—layers of gunky hydrocarbons. The oil was up to inches thick in places.
“Magic microbes consumed maybe 10 percent of the total discharge, the rest of it we don’t know,” Joye said, later adding: “there’s a lot of it out there.” [AP]
To explain how so much oil got down to the seafloor, Joye’s team did an experiment when they got back to the lab. Joye put a dab of oil from the BP well into a vial of water taken from nearby in the Gulf, then watched.
After just one day, naturally occurring microbes in the water began growing on the oil. After a week, the cells formed blobs, held together by spit, that were so heavy they began sinking to the bottom of a jar. Two weeks later, large streamers of microbial slime and cells were evident. Brown dots visible inside the mix were emulsified oil. “This is the mechanism that we propose deposited oil to the [Gulf’s] bottom,” Joye said. [Science News]
NASA’s big astrobiology news last week had nothing to do with E.T., of course—the team behind a study in Science announced the find of a kind of bacteria that appear to thrive in arsenic and can even use it in place of phosphorus in the backbone of its DNA double helix. But after the big announcement finally happened and squelched the more imaginative rumors, scientists started asking some hard questions about the study online.
Over at Slate, DISCOVER blogger Carl Zimmer rounded up expert critiques from biologists, and many didn’t hold back.
Almost unanimously, they think the NASA scientists have failed to make their case. “It would be really cool if such a bug existed,” said San Diego State University’s Forest Rohwer, a microbiologist who looks for new species of bacteria and viruses in coral reefs. But, he added, “none of the arguments are very convincing on their own.” That was about as positive as the critics could get. “This paper should not have been published,” said Shelley Copley of the University of Colorado. [Slate]
Back in August, a study in Nature attempted to push back the date of human ancestors’ first known tool use by 800,000 years—from 2.6 million years ago to 3.4 million years ago. The evidence was a set of scratches on animal bones, which—according to the scientists behind the study—show evidence that the hominid species Australopithecus afarensis used cutting tools.
Not so fast, some anthropologists say. At the time of the Nature paper, researchers including the scientists behind the 2.6-million-year-old find said the newly found markings could have been caused by other means, including trampling by other animals. Now, in a study (in press) for today’s edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team of anthropologists makes a full case that the 3.4-million-year-old scratches are not evidence of tool use.
They argue that similar cuts can be produced when bones are gnawed by animals, trampled into rough ground, or even eroded by plants and fungi. Their conclusion: the marks on the Dikika bones were probably created by trampling and their age is uncertain. To them, the best evidence for butchery by human ancestors comes from stone tools recovered in Gona, Ethiopia, which are just 2.6 million years old.
Check out the rest of this post at Not Exactly Rocket Science.
Not Exactly Rocket Science: Human ancestors carved meat with stone tools almost a million years earlier than expected
80beats: Lucy’s Species May Have Used Stone Tools 3.4 Million Years Ago
DISCOVER: How Loyal Was Lucy?
A group of Swiss astronomers announced yesterday at the International Astronomical Union’s annual meeting in Turin, Italy, that they couldn’t detect the “goldilocks” exoplanet found by U.S. researchers a few weeks ago. That news of that planet, dubbed Gliese 581g, generated much excitement, since researchers said it was only three times the size of Earth, and it appeared to lie in the habitable zone where liquid water could exist on the surface.
It didn’t take long for some cold water to be thrown on the astronomical community and the space-loving public. Presenter Francesco Pepe and his colleagues claim that it will be years before the data is clear enough to see such a planet.
“We do not see any evidence for a fifth planet … as announced by Vogt et al.,” Pepe wrote Science in an e-mail from the meeting. On the other hand, “we can’t prove there is no fifth planet.” No one yet has the required precision in their observations to prove the absence of such a small exoplanet, he notes. [ScienceNOW].
Such small planets are very hard to find. Astronomers discover these planets by calculating how they interact with the star they orbit, making it wiggle ever so slightly. The American team that identified the planet a few weeks ago saw the wiggles when analyzing a combination of two sets of data.
Astronomer Paul Butler, a member of the U.S. team who is at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C., says he can’t comment on the Swiss work because he wasn’t at the meeting and the data are unpublished. He notes, however, that more observations will likely be needed to solidify the existence of Gliese 581g. “I would expect that on the time scale of a year or two this should be settled.” [ScienceNOW].
There will be more information available when the Swiss team releases its data and methods, but for now you might want to unpack your bags.
Bad Astronomy: Possible earthlike planet found in the Goldilocks zone of a nearby star!
Discoblog: So, How Long Would It Take to Travel to That Exciting New Exoplanet?
80beats: New Telescope Could Reveal a Milky Way Packed With Habitable Planets
Bad Astronomy: HUGE NEWS: first possibly Earthlike extrasolar planet found!
80beats: Don’t Pack Your Bags Yet—New Planet-Finder Hobbled by Electronic Glitch
“This is probably going to wind up being the first salvo in a pretty significant debate.” That’s what political scientist Cullen Hendrix told New Scientist in November of last year, when a study came out proclaiming the climate change would spur an uptick in civil wars in Africa. He was correct. This week, another study that will be published (in press) in the same journal—Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences—says there is no proof to back up such a connection.
The argument for a link between global warming and war came from UC-Berkeley economist Marshall Burke, who said that food shortages and drought brought on by climate change could cause 50 percent more armed conflict by 2030 under the scenarios that climate models predict. However, Norwegian political scientist Halvard Buhaug looked at sub-Saharan civil war over the last half century for this week’s study. When he compared the records of military conflict with the records of temperature and rainfall, did not see a correlation between the two.
[Buhaug] found that that there was a strong correlation between civil wars and traditional factors, such as economic disparity, ethnic tensions, and historic political and economic instability. [BBC News]
When it comes to explaining why the woolly mammoths died out, “death from above” could be down for the count.
Nearly 13,000 years ago, North American megafauna like the mammoths and giant sloths—and even human groups like the people of the Clovis culture—disappeared as the climate entered a cold snap. As DISCOVER has noted before, there’s been a controversial hypothesis bubbling up saying that a comet impact caused it all, but other scientists have been shooting holes in that idea of the last couple years. In a study in this week’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team led by Tyrone Daulton pooh-poohs what may be the last major evidence that supports the impact idea.
That evidence takes the shape of nano-diamonds in ancient sediment layers, a material said to form during impacts only.
The sun is breaking the known rules of physics—so said headlines that made the rounds of the Web this week.
That claim from a release out about a new study by researchers Jere Jenkins and Ephraim Fischbach of Purdue, and Peter Sturrock of Stanford. The work suggests that the rates of radioactive decay in isotopes—thought to be a constant, and used to date archaeological objects—could vary oh-so-slightly, and interaction with neutrinos from the sun could be the cause. Neutrinos are those neutral particles that pass through matter and rarely interact with it; trillions of neutrinos are thought to pass through your body every second.
In the release itself, the researchers say that it’s a wild idea: “‘It doesn’t make sense according to conventional ideas,’ Fischbach said. Jenkins whimsically added, ‘What we’re suggesting is that something that doesn’t really interact with anything is changing something that can’t be changed.'”
Could it possibly be true? I consulted with Gregory Sullivan, professor and associate chair of physics at the University of Maryland who formerly did some of his neutrino research at the Super-Kamiokande detector in Japan, and with physicist Eric Adelberger of the University of Washington.
We can predict your chances of living exceptionally long, with 77 percent accuracy, by looking at 150 tiny genetic variants. That’s what researchers claimed in a Science paper that we described last week. Those predictive powers have left some feeling a little uneasy–and not just about what futures are buried in their genomes. Where the paper‘s authors saw correlations, some experts are now seeing errors from DNA testing chips.
No DNA chip is perfect; it can get things wrong as it sorts through hundreds of thousands of genetic variants. In fact, certain chips might even make the same error repeatedly. That could cause problems, because what looks like a genetic variant common to a group of people could instead just be an echoed flaw in one chip’s testing capabilities.
Newsweek, which broke this story, reports that the Boston University researchers who led the study did, in fact, use different chips, but not enough different chips to rule out this potential error. They used two different types of DNA chips to test the centenarian group (about 1,000 people whose ages ranged from 95 to 119): a 370 chip that examines 370,000 genetic variants and a 610-Quad that examines 610,000 variants. The control group (of about 1,200 younger people) was tested with those two chips and a few others, thus possibly hiding any shared errors.
What struck down ancient Egypt’s King Tutankhamen at the tender age of 19?
Just this winter, Egyptian researchers seemed to think they had a definitive answer. After years of genetic tests and CT scans, they concluded that royal incest had produced a sickly boy with a bone disorder, and argued that a malaria-bearing parasite finished him off. But now a team of German researchers is arguing that the observations actually point to death from the inherited blood disorder sickle cell disease (SCD).
People with SCD carry a mutation in the gene for haemoglobin which causes their red blood cells to become rigid and sickle-shaped. A single copy of the sickle-cell gene confers increased immunity to malaria, so it tends to be common in areas where the infection is endemic – such as ancient Egypt. People with two copies of the gene suffer severe anaemia and often die young. [New Scientist]
It makes for a good movie: 12,900 years ago, a comet slams into Earth, igniting forest fires across North America and sending the planet into a thousand cold years, killing off mammoths, giant sloths, and a bunch of other big mammals. But scientists have fiercely debated whether such a movie, about the cause of the planet-wide cooling period called the Younger Dryas, should be documentary or science fiction. According to a paper recently published in the Geophysical Research Letters, new evidence–or refuted, old evidence–points to science fiction.
Those that think a comet hit the planet cite “carbonaceous spherules” and nanodiamonds found in sediment from the period of the suspected impact. They argue that these particles formed from the intense heat of the collision.
Lead author of this new study, Andrew Scott of the University of London in Egham suspects those spherules are not from a comet collision, but are bug poop, fungal spores, or charcoal pellets.
From a test that measures how much light the spherules reflect, Scott’s team has determined that the spherules were slow-roasted in a low-intensity heat (perhaps from natural wildfires) instead of in intense, comet impact heat. As shown in the figure, the researchers compare the charred spherules to fungal sclerotia, emergency cell balls created by stressed fungi that can germinate after a bad growing period is over, and saw a striking similarity.
Some of the more elongate particles are “certainly fecal pellets, probably from termites,” says Scott…. “There’s certainly no evidence [that any of these particles are] related to intense fire from a comet impact,” says Scott. Part of the problem, he says, is that “there was nobody [among impact proponents] who ever worked on charcoal deposits, modern or ancient. If you’re not familiar with the material, you can make mistakes.” [Science Now]

domain: biology


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Prime News, National (Lucknow), June 13:- Even as suspense over Congress president continues with Rahul Gandhi insisting on quitting the post, Congress workers from Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday demanded that Congress should project Priyanka Gandhi as party’s chief ministerial face ahead of Assembly election in the state.
The Congress workers from 42 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh had assembled at Rae Bareli’s Bhueamau Guest House where Priyanka was on a day-long visit to introspect over the cause of the party’s disappointing performance in the recently held Lok Sabha election. Priyanka, who is also Congress general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East, visited Rae Bareli with her mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday. While Priyanka held meeting with Congress leaders to find out the cause for the party’s defeat in Uttar Pradesh, Sonia Gandhi has come to Rae Bareli to thank the party workers who helped her win from this seat.
After the daylong discussions, the Congress workers concluded that weak organisation was the main reason for the party’s poor show in Uttar Pradesh during the general election. The party workers also said in future Congress should fight all elections alone without stitching an alliance with any party whatsoever. During the meeting, Congress leader RK Chaudhary said that the party would not be able to put up a strong fight without expanding its vote bank in the state. (MR, Inputs: Agencies).

domain: politics


Rolls-Royce has announced they have won a $175 million contract to supply Asia Gas Pipeline LLP (AGP) with equipment and related services to power the flow of natural gas through Kazakhstan’s Line C Gas Pipeline.
This contract will be part of the vast 1,833km long Central Asia-China Gas Pipeline network.
Rolls-Royce will supply AGP, a joint venture between Kazakhstan’s KazMunaiGaz and China’s National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), with twelve RB211 gas turbine driven pipeline compressor units which will operate at four compressor stations along the 1,115km Line C Pipeline.
Beimbet Shayakhmetov, AGP, General Director, said: “The AGP Pipeline will help to meet Kazakhstan’s domestic energy needs and to stabilise China’s energy consumption with cleaner natural gas. Given the huge scale and tight construction schedule of this project we need on-time delivery of reliable and efficient technology. Rolls-Royce proven technology provides an excellent fit and we are delighted to again cooperate with them to support us in transportation of the gas.”
When operating at full capacity (in 2016), the Central Asia-China Gas Pipeline network will transport up to 55 billion cubic metres of gas each year (bcm/a) from Turkmenistan to China. Traveling through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan on the way.
The Line C Pipeline in Kazakhstan will contribute up to 25 bcm/a of the total capacity, including potential to supply gas domestically to the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Andrew Heath, Rolls-Royce, President – Energy, said: “Rolls-Royce technology is at the heart of China and Central Asia’s growing energy infrastructure. This contract strengthens our relationship with AGP and with Kazakhstan where we have established a strong track-record of reliable delivery.”
Equipment will be manufactured and packaged at the Rolls-Royce facilities in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and Mount Vernon, Ohio, USA.


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International medical graduate physicians in the United States: changes since 1981.
Nearly a quarter of all active U.S. physicians are international medical graduates (IMGs)--physicians trained outside the United States and Canada. We describe changes in characteristics of IMGs from 1981 to 2001 and compare them with their U.S. medical graduate (USMG) counterparts. Since 1981, the leading source countries for IMGs have included India, the Philippines, and Mexico. IMGs were more likely to be generalists and to practice in designated underserved areas than USMGs but slightly l...Expand abstract
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This Colonial Couture post is by Zara Anishanslin, assistant professor of history and art history at the University of Delaware. Her latest book is Portrait of a Woman in Silk: Hidden Histories of the British Atlantic World (Yale University Press, 2016). Follow her @ZaraAnishanslin.
“Please, sisters, back away from the pink.”
So women planning to attend the January 2017 Women’s Marches were urged by the writer of an opinion piece in The Washington Post. “Sorry knitters,” she continued, but making and wearing things like pink pussycat hats “undercuts the message that the march is trying to send….We need to be remembered for our passion and purpose, not our pink pussycat hats.” To back up her point, the author opined that “bra burning” dominated—and thus damaged—popular (mis)conceptions of women’s rights protests in the 1960s. Please, ladies, she exhorted, don’t repeat the mistakes we made in the ‘60s by bringing fashion into politics. Continue reading


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ERIC Number: ED432204
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1998
Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions. Bibliography Nos. 23-25, January 1995-1997.
Zoe, Lucinda R.; Johnson, Beth Hillman
This bibliography reviews the current (1995-1997) research and literature concerned with collective bargaining in higher education and the professions. The bibliography is based on computer searches of various databases and manual retrieval of citations. Sources include books, monographs, dissertations, journals, periodicals, research papers, conference papers, and newspaper articles. Citations are grouped into three major sections: faculty bibliography, professions and professionals bibliography, and information guides. Within each section, citations are listed alphabetically by author within specific topic areas. For the faculty bibliography these areas are: academic freedom, administration, affirmative action, AIDS in the workplace, arbitration and mediation, collective bargaining, collective bargaining (Canada), community colleges, comparable worth, discipline and dismissal, discrimination, diversity/multiculturalism, drug testing, ethics, evaluation, excellence, faculty, faculty organizations, fiscal issues, fringe benefits, governance, grievance procedures, legal issues, academic librarians, long-range planning, non-faculty, part-time faculty, personnel administration, political correctness, quality of work life, retirement, retrenchment, salaries, sexual harassment, technology, tenure and promotion, and women faculty. For the professional section, topics are: health care and institutions, health care professions, nurses, professions, professions-sports. The section on information guides includes bibliographies and directories, resources and periodicals, and useful sources of information. Also included are a list of acronyms and abbreviations and author and subject indexes. (DB)
Descriptors: Allied Health Occupations, Athletics, Collective Bargaining, College Administration, College Faculty, Faculty College Relationship, Higher Education, Labor Relations, Professional Occupations
National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions, Baruch College, CUNY, 17 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10010 ($130).
Publication Type: Reference Materials - Bibliographies
Education Level: N/A
Authoring Institution: City Univ. of New York, NY. Bernard Baruch Coll. National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions.
Note: For Bibliography No. 22, see ED 398 827.

domain: library


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XORTX Therapeutics Inc. issues common units via private placement
February 28, 2020
2.56 Million CAD
On March 2, 2020, XORTX Therapeutics Inc. announced that it had completed an issuance of 18,259,427 common units via private placement. It concurrently issued 139,657 broker warrants, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately C$2.56 million. The net proceeds of the offering will be used to advance XORTX’s development of XRx-008 and XRx-221 for polycystic kidney disease.
XORTX is a Calgary-based drug development company focused on uric acid lowering agents and treatments of metabolic diseases.
McCarthy Tetrault advised XORTX with a team led by Rick Pawluk that included Niki Gill and John Norman.

domain: news


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domain: entertainment


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Written by Dr Lee Elliott, Global Head of Occupier Research, Knight Frank
Conventional wisdom suggests that corporate merger and acquisition (M&A) activity has a negative impact on demand in U.K. office markets. However the reverse may well be true.
An uncertain political and economic backdrop seems to have done little to suppress demand for office accommodation in the U.K. with the main office markets achieving new benchmarks during 2018.
In the Central London market, for example, almost 15 million sq.ft of space was let to businesses last year, a figure some 20% above the long-term average, and the highest annual volume since 2014. It was a similar story outside of the capital. The M25 market witnessed a decade high of four million sq.ft of office space let, while the ten main cities of the U.K. also exceeded their long-term average by a fifth, with six million sq.ft of space let to a broad spectrum of business users.
New Drivers Of Office Demand
It is clear that despite operational uncertainty, the office occupier is active. In my view, they will continue to be so, for two reasons.
First, real estate has a new standing as a business tool. It is no longer simply a business cost to manage downwards; no longer just a necessary factor of production; no longer merely a container in which to put people. Instead, it is a strategic device used pro-actively by business leaders to support, facilitate or portray strategic business transformation. Indeed, this was a key finding of Knight Frank’s recent (Y)OUR SPACE report. Eighty-six percent of the global corporate real estate leaders of 120 of the world’s biggest firms view real estate as a strategic device that assists wider business goals relating to strategic issues such as talent management, corporate branding, employee wellness, business innovation or, importantly, changes in business structure.
It is these changes in the structure, culture and constituents of business that represent the second driver of office market demand. Every business sector is being dramatically disrupted by the onset of digital technology. As a result, all businesses are being reshaped by the need to develop a different go-to-market strategy and customer experience that is more appropriate to the digital age. This, in turn, is forcing a rapid and regular reconsideration of the quantum and qualities of required staff; the underlying business culture (with innovation, rather than scale, being the key to business competitiveness) and the organisational structure of the business.
This last point of structural change is important. Businesses are changing shape with an ever-greater frequency and significance. For example, we have seen the emergence of corporate fissure, whereby established companies such as Hewlett Packard have responded to the new digital reality by breaking down into new separate entities. However, by far the most obvious manifestation of this structural change has been the dramatic increase in corporate M&A activity.
Recently released data by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that acquisitions of UK companies by other UK companies hit a ten-year high last year, with some £26.5bn of deals completed. Furthermore, takeovers of UK companies by foreign firms doubled year on year in 2018 to stand at some £71.1bn. This is set against a global backdrop, which according to leading data and intelligence provider Mergermarket, saw some US$3.5 trillion of corporate M&A activity in 2018, spread across more than 19,000 transactions. As businesses are disrupted and challenged, M&A activity is becoming a strategic response by those with the financial clout to dominate or those who need to bring radical change to their organisation in order to remain relevant.
The Real Estate Market Significance Of M&A Activity
M&A activity has however been somewhat of a blind spot for those forecasting the future demand profile of the UK office market. Whilst recognising that such activity can serve to reduce the presence of occupiers in some markets, I believe M&A to be an important stimulus of future demand.
The key reason for this is that the character of M&A activity is changing quite markedly. There are, as outlined, lots of deals being completed but the individual deals are themselves becoming more significant with a growing proportion of deals falling into the category of mega-deals – that is with a total value in excess of $10bn.
Still more significant is that a growing proportion of the deals are what economists refer to as horizontal rather than vertical integrations. Put simply, a larger proportion of deals are occurring across rather than within industry sectors. The big deals in the market are increasingly seeing companies buying companies in completely different sectors which are ripe for technological transformation or which provide access to new capabilities and skills.
This activity extends the power of disruption. When a company with the clout and technological know-how of, for example, Amazon enters into a completely different sector its impact transcends the confines of the merger itself. So, if Amazon were to go into the healthcare sector they would create a powerful new market entrant that would send strong shock-waves through the entire sector. Traditional sector incumbents would have little choice but to react and respond. They do so by changing their own business structures, their operational model and, in some instances, by themselves combining forces with other entities. In this sense, horizontal M&A activity creates a much broader demand stimulus for office markets than simply the individual deals themselves.
There is a further interesting dynamic occurring. Historically, a corporate merger makes financial provision for the running of duplicated real estate portfolios for around 2-3 years. Thereafter, the new merged entity has typically reviewed its extended occupational portfolio, made choices about which properties to retain and which to exit, and then transacted in the market accordingly. However, this process is changing.
In an age where real estate is a device to facilitate, support or portray business transformation it is more likely that the new entity formed by the merger will remove itself from much of its legacy portfolio and take on completely new offices that serve to embolden the brand of the new business.
In this sense, the coming together of separate businesses through an M&A deal will stimulate further high levels of occupier demand within the UK office markets over the next five years. Such deals further embody the notion that, from a real estate perspective, business disruption equals ongoing market demand.


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The process to repaint (let alone touch up the beautifully ornate terra cotta) of a historic building is one helluva an endeavor—and the people behind the recent activity behind the Lafayette complex’s tower, formally known as the Campbell Apartment Building and built in 1928, understand that.
While the building stands in one of its most pristine conditions as of this moment—a glorious white that highlights its beige terra cotta details that have made it so loved among residents and visitors alike—getting there was nothing but simple.
The Campbell Apartment Building—the tower attached entirety of the Lafayette complex—as seen in its former color in 2017—and the updated façade as seen in 2023. Both photos by Brian Addison.
“This was a $550,000 project,” said Joe Harding, the man who manages the Lafayette complex, which includes the Campbell, the Lafayette Hotel (originally named Hotel de Cota and built in 1929), and the Broadway building (built in 1948 and designed by Theodore H. Criley). “And it included a ton of color samples.”
This arduous process included sampling each of the building’s eight previous colors—the core sample determining the building was originally green, various layers of white and tan, and then its last two layers of brown, the last of which faded into a brown-pink—landed them on a simple white with a dark green to wrap the small window frames.
This, obviously, wasn’t done in a silo.
The Lafayette complex had a ton of support—both locally and nationally—thanks to the folks behind Long Beach Architecture Week (LBAW) introducing Dunn-Edwards to the people organizing the restoration and repainting efforts of the Campbell building.
“A big part of LBAW’s mission is to not only celebrate our amazing architecture but to preserve it,” said LBAW Board President Sal Flores. “That’s why it was so important for us as an organization to make sure we helped with the Lafayette’s repainting and restoration process. Dunn-Edwards has been a major partner of LBAW since the beginning and it only made sense to bring them on and include them in this unique preservation project.” The Lafayette building is an iconic Long Beach Landmark and what we did was to bring people together that share the same goals of preservation and history of our city.”
And if one is to think this partnership was simply, “Pick a color and go,” you have to rethink that.
Various details on the restored terra cotta. Photos by Brian Addison.
Dunn-Edwards has a very particular collection—dubbed Then, Now & Forever—that has over 140 historical colors that can help projects precisely like this, letting organizers avoid too contemporary of a color while also allowing the building to take on a new coat.
“In 2015, I helped lead the efforts in establishing the collection, working alongside other color experts to identify historically accurate paint colors—and it was the same process when we worked alongside the Lafayette team to establish what color would be appropriate,” said Sara McLean, a color expert and stylist with Dunn-Edwards.
The result? Two very distinct colors that are unique to the Lafayette: Schilling Me Softly (DELAF01)—an ode to Arthur and Cecil Shilling, the architects of the Lafayette—as well as Refined Green (DEA181), the aforementioned color of the window frames.
“It really reflects a dedication to a part of Long Beach that, were it not maintained and kept up, could have been easily lost,” Harding said. “These projects are not easy—but with something like this, it becomes all worth it when you see the sunset hitting the glaze of that terra cotta. It’s simply beautiful.”


Anambra Election: APGA-UK Facilitates With Obiano
Lagos – Following the recent second term electoral victory of Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), United Kingdom (UK) chapter, at the weekend joined the rest of his teeming supporters to send a congratulatory message to him.
Chief Eric Nzekwe, APGA-UK Chairman; Chief Okey Emereonye, BoT Chairman, Mrs. Nkechi Uwazuruonye, Vice Chairman, and Dr. Marcelli C. Oguh, Secretary, respectively, in a letter to the governor, a copy of which was exclusively obtained by SUNDAY INDEPENDENT on Saturday, expressed joy for the implicit confidence the people of the state reposed on Obiano.
APGA-UK stressed that the love the people of Anambra State have for Obiano was demonstrated by his unprecedented victory in all the 21 local governments in the state, even as it maintained that “never in the history of Nigeria that an incumbent governor had achieved such a stride.”
It added: “You are their God sent trustworthy leader. APGA-UK facilitates with you. The victory was a demonstration of the people’s appreciation for your commitment and legacy to build a long lasting self-sufficient Anambra State. APGA-UK is happy to be part of this epic victory.
“We believe that with you Anambra State will be piloted to a safe sufficient economy in the years to come, including internal and external security, egalitarian life and robust economy would be your beacon.
“APGA-UK wishes you luck and success in your second term and extends our sincere support to your administration in bringing peace, democratic, political and economic reforms to Anambra State as this election comes and go.
“We are overwhelmingly happy about the changes you have installed in Anambra State as people of your state gave you this mandate having examined your past, personal and official records to finish what you have started.
“APGA-UK is proud of you and wishes you the best of luck in the administration of your second term as governor as we believe more good things are coming to Anambra under your administration and the umbrella of our party, APGA.”


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Mike Thomson reveals the truth behind an alleged British plot to kill Lenin.
Open Country explores the importance of the Kent landscape to Charles Dickens.
Michael Berkeley's guest is former SAS sergeant Andy McNab.
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and work of the celebrated Russian poet.
Paul Morley on the unknown Anthony Burgess - his northern roots and his work as a composer
A.S. Byatt talks to Mark Lawson about her own novels.
From Front Row on 7 May 2002
The Russian-born writer whose influence is most evident in her adopted home of the USA.
Neuropsychologist Paul Broks looks at the idea of leading a good life by being selfish.
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the life and work of Benjamin Franklin.
George Orwell has been dead for 70 years. What can his ideas tell us about life in 2020?
Satirist and writer Armando Iannucci chooses novelist Charles Dickens.
Join Greg Jenner for a fun homeschool history lesson on the life of Charles Dickens.
Helen Mark discovers the Oxfordshire woodland that once belonged to author CS Lewis.
A profile of David Duke, former Klu Klux Klan member and potential governor of Louisiana.
In defence of Kingsley Amis, whose new novel has caused a storm among feminists.
The achievements and legacy of the 19th century literary giant Charles Dickens.
Rana Mitter on the life of one of China's most important feminist authors.
The crime novelist tells Anthony Clare about his childhood and commitment to writing.
Alistair Cooke considers George W Bush's push to decentralise government.
Nigel Warburton explores the life and work of Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard.
Ex-parliamentary standards commissioner Elizabeth Filkin on the novelist George Eliot.
Helen Mark visits Nuneaton to follow in the footsteps of Victorian novelist George Eliot
Patrick Wright examines the long history of anxiety over threats to English identity.
Alan Johnson tells Matthew Parris about the impact George Orwell has had on his life.
In 1932, George Orwell taught in a public school. Geoffrey Stevens recalls being his pupil
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the celebrated French novelist, her life and work.
Mary Kenny nominates the 19th-century French novelist.
John Simpson sees the seeds of Orwell's later work in 'Homage to Catalonia'.
Clare Balding is back with a new series of walks with a literary theme.
Felicity Evans visits 'Herriot Country' in Yorkshire, made famous by vet James 'Alf' Wight

domain: literature


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domain: law


Community alerts/ Victoria Makgoo/ Morapaneng village/22-09-2018, 3:32 PM]
As i was walking by i saw the road at Madifahlane Village, that is working but has not finished yet. The white line they haven’t done but it show that they are using it even though is not finished.
As i was asking one of the resident he say the road there are busy with it but the money has been given but the workers are stopped. The community don’t know what the problem because according to the interview that was done on Thobejane FN the money us out and now community suffer the consequences.
Story by: Victoria. (SEJN)


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HOPES of making further progress in this season’s FA Cup were dashed for both Marine and Southport on Saturday as both exited the competition at the fourth qualifying round stage.
Marine held their own for much of the opening half against Macclesfield Town but fell behind four minutes before the interval when Matthew Barnes-Homer netted a controversial penalty.
The same player added a second goal just after the hour to put the Silkmen firmly in control. A fine header from Marine’s Marcus Carver with five minutes left gave Kevin Lynch’s men a chance of earning a draw. However, Town’s Amari Morgan-Smith struck a third goal a minute from time to seal the tie in the home side’s favour.
Southport fared little better in their tie at fellow Blue Square Bet Premier League outfit Wrexham losing the match 2-0. Dean Keates’s 20-yard free-kick just before half-time gave the Dragons the key breakthrough and Brett Ormerod netted a late goal to ensure the Welsh side advanced into the first round proper.
l IN the only game of local interest played in the Blue Square Bet League North Division, Vauxhall Motors earned a fine three points with a 2-1 triumph over high-flying Oxford City.
David Thompson struck first for the Motormen on 21 minutes but City levelled early in the second period via Andy Ballard. Tom Rutter’s 83rd minute effort won the game for the home team who are now 11th in the table.


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At the heart of the conflict lies the fact that most leaders of the Arab world have consistently refused to accept the state of Israel and a Jewish population in the area. The Arab world with its 422 million inhabitants and almost 600 times the land area of Israel has fought several wars against Israel, with the stated goal of destroying the State of Israel and throwing the Jews into the sea. The UN partition plan in 1948 was rejected by the Arab countries, and when Jordan then conquered East Jerusalem, all Jewish residents were immediately expelled.
About 700,000 Jews were forced to flee the Arab world after the 1948 War of Independence, when the invading Arab armies failed to destroy Israel.
The majority of Muslim and Arab countries still refuse entry permits to people with Israeli passports.
The Arabs who left their homes in connection with the Arab countries’ war of aggression against Israel in 1948 have received the full support of the international community, unlike the Jewish refugees after the genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Jews in Europe and the Jewish refugees from Iran and the Arab world.
While all other refugee efforts from the UN via the refugee agency UNHCR are about integrating and including refugees in their new environment, the UN agency UNRWA instead aims to make the Palestinian refugee situation permanent. No other refugee in the world can similarly inherit their refugee status for generations.
After losing several wars of aggression against Israel, during a summit in Sudan’s capital Khartoum shortly after the Six Day War in 1967, the Arab League said: No to peace with Israel, no to negotiations with Israel, and no to a normalization of relations with Israel.
At the same time, the Arab world changed tactics. After Egypt and Jordan lost control of what is now defined as the Palestinian territories in 1967, the Muslim world, with the help of the communist dictatorships of the Warsaw Pact and the Socialist International, highlighted the Muslim population’s demand for independence as a means of pressure against Israel. Before 1967, there was no strong national Palestinian movement in Gaza or the West Bank.
Never before in history has there been an independent country named Palestine, and Jerusalem has never been the capital of any country other than Israel.


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I got two interesting skeins of yarn lately. I bought one at a shop for 1 dollar.
This yarn doesn't unravel, so I thought it would be good for making small things like accessories. The yarn also has texture like suede, and it's elastic.
I got the other yarn from my mother when I visited Japan last fall. She is a great knitter, but she prefers sewing to knitting now.
This yarn is very fluffy, and suggests a USA size P/10mm hook. I didn't have that size, so I bought the hook to work with it. This yarn doesn't unravel as well.
I initially wanted to make a hand bag with these, but I realized that I didn't have enough of the fluffy yarn to make the hand bag I wanted. I also noticed that the fluffy yarn can show it's feature on chain stitches effectively, so I made this three way scarf!
I made long white trim with crochet thread, and put a chain made from the fluffy yarn on it. Finally, I added another chain made with chain stitches and picots in pink. The scarf can be used as necklace or belt as well.
I'm thinking of making other accessories with these yarn.
Stitches that I used for the scarf.
Chain stitch, slip stitch, single crochet, double crochet Picot.
Yarn that I used for the scarf.
- RED HEART Knit-Cro-Sheen : White
- GALA Mix Fiber : Pink
- ARAMIS Cosmetic : Light Pink


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When Worlds Collide, by Nalaka Gunawardene
Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today Sunday newspaper on 3 June 2012
World Environment Day is once again being observed on June 5.
It’s 40 years since the first UN Conference on the Human Environment was held in Stockholm, Sweden, in June 1972, which led to the founding of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). I was too young to remember anything of that event. But what happened exactly 20 years later is unforgettable.
World leaders – including Lankan Prime Minister D B Wijetunga – had converged to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the Earth Summit. As they debated the fate of the planet, Greater Colombo received the heaviest rainfall in living memory: 492mm, or more than one-eighth of its annual rainfall, all on a single night.
World Environment Day 1992 dawned with many areas in and around Colombo under water. That flash flood cut across…
View original post 1,019 more words

domain: geography


This is the first one? This is a bluetooth 3.0 earphone with EDR, I found it in an headphone forum. It's a uncommon headset with $57.19 price, which I think should have costed less. Though it is not from sony, akg and other famous brands, but tech and creativity produce value. This Bluetooth headset is designed with NFC chip just like that is built in cellphone, and this new function make headset and cellphone have a quick conversation compared with bluetooth! NFC chip works when you place headset and cellphone with 10cm distance, actually, NFC response between Headset and cellphone to make a quick pair of bluetooth without searching, clicking pairing and typing code. Just a touch, bluetooth pair between two devices. Post here, just share this new tech with you, I have three headphones at home, but this one is really fresh to me, prepare to own mine!


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Delicado48 - Fresh fruits from Spain
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One of the best salts in the world
Hand harvested in the salt mines of Castro Marim.
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domain: health


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Kornell gets second police union endorsement
ST. PETERSBURG -- The Pinellas Fraternal Order of Police, which includes many ranking officers, has endorsed Steve Kornell in St. Petersburg's District 5 council race, Kornell's campaign announced Friday. Kornell previously was endorsed by the St. Petersburg Police Benevolent Association, which is more of a rank-and-file union.
"I am grateful for this endorsement from our local Fraternal Order of Police chapter,'' Kornell said in a release. "I look forward to working with them to make St. Petersburg a better, safer city.''
Kornell's opponent, Angela Rouson, has been endorsed by the St. Petersburg fire fighters' union. Besides the publicity value of such endorsements, police and fire fighters are known for actively campaigning on behalf of their chosen candidates.
Stephen Nohlgren, Times staff writer


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Whit and I spent hours in the kitchen today making dinner, rotating between Frank Sinatra and Imagine Dragons, and trying to keep Elsa out of our hair. We made spaghetti and meatballs for our Sunday Supper and it was a divine sort of comfort food on a chilly night. We served it with a simple salad in a bag and frozen french bread. It’s all about balance, right?!
Spaghetti & Meatballs
For the meatballs:
- 1/2 pound ground veal
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground sirloin
- 1 3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup dry red wine
- 2 extra-large eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup olive oil
For the sauce:
- 2 32-ounce jars good marinara sauce, such as Rao’s (so pricey but delicious for a splurge)
- 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
- Freshly grated Parmesan
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Place the sirloin, pork, and veal in a large mixing bowl and lightly break up the meats with a fork and your fingertips. Add the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, parsley, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add the eggs, wine, and 3/4 cup water and combine lightly but thoroughly.
- Measure out 2-ounce portions of the mixture (I use a rounded 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop) and roll each lightly into a ball. Place one inch apart on the prepared sheet pans. Brush the meatballs with the olive oil.
- Bake the meatballs for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned. Pour the marinara into a large pot and bring to a simmer. Carefully add the meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes, until heated through.
- To serve with spaghetti, distribute among shallow pasta bowls. Spoon the meatballs and sauce onto the pasta. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan and serve hot.
We had so many meatballs left over, that we froze a container with a jar of sauce to enjoy on a crazy weeknight when we are short on time!
Cooking for Jeffrey: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
DIXIE DELIGHTS DELIVERED

domain: food


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Seven Ace Manpower Training Center
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SM Mega Tower, Mandaluyong
For the interior design, Plaza + Partners gave attention to the functional and environmental needs of a team of construction specialists moving through the hustle and bustle of work life in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila.
GHR Building, Remedios Street, Manila
Sleek, professional and timelessly modern. These are the guidelines the three partners of Calinisan, Domino and Beron asked for in the design of their recently opened office in the heart of Metro Manila.


Who would not remember the disastrous failure of the Note 7’s battery last year? This contributed to Samsung’s sale loss while giving its competitor huge amount of sales. This year, August 23 to be exact, Samsung will release the new and improved Galaxy Note 8. It will give a new look to a whole phablet. However, we all know that Samsung Galaxy S8 was released earlier this year as well. What is the difference between the two? Which do you think is the better one to buy? Proceed to see the comparison between Galaxy Note 8 vs Galaxy S8.
Things you need to know about Note 8 vs Galaxy S8
Samsung S8’s super AMOLED screen has a size of 5.8 inches with the resolution of 1440 x 2960. Meanwhile, Note 8 is said to be having a 6.3 inches super AMOLED screen. Furthermore, both phones have scratch resistant glasses, ambient light sensor, and proximity sensor.
When it comes to the design, Samsung S8 runs under Android 7 while the Note 8 will run under Android 7.1. Both units come with the iris scanner, fingerprint sensor, and stylus. As for color availability, Samsung s8 comes with gold, black, silver, gray and blue, while Note 8 is said to be having black, silver, gold and blue color.
Regarding the performance of Galaxy S8 vs Note 8, the camera is one of the important factors that users will consider. With a 12 MP back camera and an 8MP front, Samsung S8 is said to be one of the best camera smartphones 2017. However, Note 8, with its release, will be the first Samsung phone that has dual cameras with 13 Megapixels each. Furthermore, both phones have flash yet Samsung S8 comes with a LED flash. In terms of the camcorder, Note 8 is set with 4k resolution while S8 can be adjusted from 4k to lower resolution.
In terms of storage, Samsung S8 comes with 64G built-in storage. It has a 4GB RAM and an octa-core processor. On the other hand, Note 8 is believed to be having a higher capacity of 256GB of built in storage, and it will come with 6GB RAM and octa-core processor.
Users always consider battery performance when choosing which phone to buy. The longer battery life a unit has, the better. Take a look at the battery capacity of Note 8 vs Galaxy S8. Samsung S8 has 3000 mAh while Note 8 has 3300mAh. There is not much big difference between the two phones.
In terms of pricing, Samsung S8 starts with $750 while Note 8 is rumored to start with $900. Galaxy Note series usually comes with a higher price than any other Samsung series.
Here is the summary table for the comparison of Note 8 vs S8.
|Samsung Note 8
|Samsung Galaxy S8
|Android 7/ gold, black, silver, gray and blue
|Android 7.1/ gold, black, silver, and blue
|12MP back/ 8MP front
|Dual 13MP back/ 8MP front
When buying a phone, it will be great to consider all of its features and performance rather than just relying on the design alone. Based on the comparison above and the rumors as well, we can see that Note 8 will possess better features and storage. However, this does not imply the real thing unless Note 8 is in our hands already. If you have any ideas want to share, don’t be hesitate to leave a comment in the section below.


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Look up in the air!
It's Poetry Power Man against the evil Robot Reader!
It's Super Scooper ready to do battle against the Choppy Boy!
It's Captain Comprehension going cape to cape with Alien Dude!
It's Expression Man battling Flat Man!
Make your fluency instruction come alive by introducing these good guys and bad buys. Select a poem of the week and each day highlight a different aspect of oral reading fluency to model and practice.
Download the instructional routine for details and watch your students FLY!


Former WWE and current AEW commentator Jim Ross has given his unique take on WrestleMania, likening the show to having two days of colonoscopies.
Speaking on the latest episode of his Grilling JR podcast, Ross had this to say on WWE’s biggest show of the year.
“It’s like having two days of colonoscopies. I know you have to do it once a year, every five years, but goddamn, everywhere you turn that’s all you hear. I hope it works out for them, a lot of good people booked, it will be another event that will be overanalyzed and the Twitter verse will chime in.”
Just in case you’re not aware, a colonoscopy is the medical term for having a camera shoved up your butt. Actually I have seen some WWE matches that feel like that.
Ross also recalled being asked to commentate on WrestleMania 27 just a month before the show, and it’s safe to say he didn’t particularly enjoy the experience.
“Feeling unwelcome or I’m at the wrong place at the wrong time. I had no joy from working WrestleMania 27, none. I didn’t phone s–t in, I worked hard based on what I had to work with but it’s hard to make [Jerry] Lawler and [Michael] Cole a [Terry] Funk, [Jack] Briscoe classic.
“When that show was over on Sunday and Monday, even though it was a big success, the stadium looked great, but it was just not fun. Bottom line is, of all the WrestleManias I got the privilege of working, this was probably one that I was nonplussed over. Not because of the event, because of my own personal situation.”
Well, we hope everyone enjoys the next two days of colonoscopies.
Thanks to WrestlingInc for the transcription.


Chandrakant 'CK' Isi
18:05 22nd Oct, 2013
Take Note Samsung: Nokia Unveils 6" Lumia 1520 With 20 Megapixel Camera | TechTree.com
Take Note Samsung: Nokia Unveils 6" Lumia 1520 With 20 Megapixel Camera
It's the first Windows Phone 8 device to sport a 6" full-HD screen and quad-core processor.
At Nokia World in Abu Dhabi, Stephen Elop has finally unveiled the much-anticipated 6" Windows Phone 8 device at its Abu Dhabi event. Dubbed as the Lumia 1520, the newly announced phone marks many firsts for the Finnish company. For starters, it's the first handset to sport a full-HD (1080) screen. Currently, it's also the only Windows Phone 8 device to pack in the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset. This SoC will enable 1520 to compete with the top-end Android flagships such as the LG G2 and Sony Xperia Z1. Since the OS already runs smooth on dual-core CPUs, the quad-core chipset is meant to improve this oversized phone's gaming performance. Other specs include 2 GB of RAM, 32 GB internal storage, and a microSD card slot.
The 1520 isn't all about the raw power and bigger size though. The phone features a 20 megapixel PureView camera that promises superior low-light imaging. The optics are made by Zeiss. The Lumia 1520 will feature Microsoft's upcoming Windows Phone 8 Black (earlier known as Bittersweet Shimmer) OS. Similar to the Lumia 720 and 925, the 1520 will come with snap-on covers that makes the device compatible with wireless (induction) charging. Moreover, users can choose protective cases from Red, White, and Black.
As of this writing, Nokia hasn't shed any light on the 1520's pricing. Stay tuned for more updates.
- Operating System: Windows Phone 8 Update 3.
- Processor: 2.2GHz Quad Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800.
- Memory: 2GB RAM, 32 GB internal user memory; 7 GB SkyDrive cloud storage, micro SD card support up to 64 GB.
- Display: 6-inch full HD 1080p LCD , ClearBlack, High Brightness Mode, Sunlight readability, Super sensitive touch for glove and nail usage, Gorilla Glass 2
- Primary camera: PureView 20-megapixel Auto Focus ZEISS optics with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), 2x lossless zoom, dual LED flash, 1080p @ 30 fps full HD video with optical image stabilisation.
- Secondary Camera: HD 1.2-megapixel wide angle.
- 162.8 x 85.4 x 8.7 mm. Weighs: 209 grams.
- Connectivity: NFC, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0.
- Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Magnetometer, Gyroscope, Ambient Light Sensor.
- Battery: 3400 mAh (integrated) with built-in wireless charging (Qi compatible)
- Audio: Rich Recording with four microphones; Wideband Voice and multi-microphone noise reduction with four microphones; Dolby(R) Headphone, Graphic equaliser, Audio levelling; FM radio.
- Networks: GSM/EDGE: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz; Speed: LTE 150/50 mbps, DC-HSPA 42mbps.
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Birmingham City face an uncertain future after the club's owners said they were left "with no option" but to go into receivership.
The Blues welcome Boro to St Andrew's tomorrow night in the Championship but the focus is firmly on matters off the pitch ahead of the league clash after this morning's announcement.
The club have reassured fans that no winding up petition has been filed and that they are not in liquidation.
But owners Birmingham International Holdings Ltd (BIHL) called in receivers from Ernst and Young to deal with what the club describes as "fractious and inharmonious relations within the management."
The receivers will now manage the day-to-day activities of BIHL and take control of the club's finances.
A statement on Birmingham City's website reads: "BCFC naturally recognises the impact which this announcement may have on itself and how it may be interpreted by its supporters, staff, media, and the wider domain.
"The Club therefore wishes to explain why the majority directors on the Board of BIHL had deemed it necessary to take this voluntary but unusual course of action.
"First and foremost, however the Club wishes to reassure its supporters and staff most emphatically that no winding up petition has been filed against the Company (BIHL) and that it is therefore not in liquidation.
"With no apparent resolution to the fractious and inharmonious relations within the management, the majority on the BIHL Board decided that it had no other option but to openly and voluntarily request reputable receivers to take over the management of BIHL on its behalf."
After surviving relegation on the final day of last season, Birmingham suffered a shaky start to the current campaign but have been revitalised since the appointment of Gary Rowett.
However, after climbing into the top half, Birmingham are now without a win in six ahead of the game against promotion chasing Boro.
Rowett managed to hold on to star asset Demurai Gray in January despite a reported £5m bid from Boro's rivals Bournemouth.


text:
Here are Breast Health Tell-Tale Sighs to Look Out For.
Up to about 12 percent of woman are expected to go for the breast cancer screening at one point in their life and as much as 8 percent of these cases are hereditary, there are a number of measures and tips a woman can take to ensure they have healthy breasts, for more click here and check it out.
Around 405 of the people in USA re overweight and this is contributed by the fact that they do not exercise and are on to bad eating habits, as a result of the fat build up, the body releases estrogen which is a hormone that is linked to development of the cancer.
There are many ways in which you can shed weight and adopt a healthy lifestyle and exercise has over time proven to be the most effective way to lose weight, therefore doing regular exercise throughout the week helps you to reach your goal of having healthy breasts.
Most women are known to eat a lot of chocolate and most of the time women do not have to give a reason to do it, the best chocolate is the dark chocolate that is known to fight the enzymes which prevent the development of cancer cells and when the compound in the chocolate connect with enzymes the cells are eliminated, click here and discover more.
If you panic every time you notice a lump on your breast, perhaps it is now the best time to look for a mammogram centers near me and have it checked before it gets in your head and you start to lose focus, checking yourself early and in time will prevent father damage and may be found it not even cancerous.
Over 90 percent of Americans do not value the nutritional value of the fruits and vegetable and mist of them will have a fast food snack instead of a healthy green meal, the fruits and vegetable have been found to have components that will reduce the cancer cells in women and more reason to eat grapes and pineapples among other fruits for instance.
If you enjoy a gin or a tonic weekend and like to relax over a crate of beers, perhaps it is the right time to check on your beer consumption, you do not have to cut it off but taking it in moderation so as to avoid the risk of breast cancer, actually you are at a higher risk of developing cancer if you take alcohol and smoke on a daily basis.
For overall health, you are required to have enough time to let your body rest and this means getting 8 hours of sleep daily to make your body regenerate and function right, making it a regular habit will prevent many problems including growth of breast cancer cells, for more check on this site and understand how you can avoid breast cancer.
Quotes: This Site


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Bit of a change in my identity, lost love with it pretty quickly which is not a good sign. It seemed to look dated and so have changed it to be in uppercase and aligned left. Looks more sophisticated without being pretentious.
I have also added little details to be bottom of each letterform to make it appear that they are joined up. Just a little touch which shows a bit more thought into the little details.


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UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones is the talk of the division.
Jon Jones has tons of hype behind him.
He’s been turning the heads of fans since his arrival in the UFC at UFC 87 in August of 2008, and his recent performances have gotten the attention of some of the biggest names in the 205-pound division.
Jones fights Ryan Bader at UFC 126 on Feb. 5 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, and Forrest Griffin and Rich Franklin, who also fight on the card, recently commented about the up and comer who seems destined for greatness.
“Those guys are obviously two rising stars,” said Griffin about Bader and Jones.
“As far as Jones goes, I keep saying, okay, this guy is going to be the test. This is going to see how good he really is, and he blows through that guy, so I really don’t even know how good that kid is. Every time I think somebody will give him a great fight, he beats them in a couple of minutes, so I’ve been surprised,” said the former UFC light heavyweight titleholder.
Former UFC middleweight champion Rich “Ace” Franklin, who now competes in the light heavyweight division, agreed with Griffin’s assessment of Jones.
“I’m really impressed with how relaxed he is in the ring to do some things that you would try to do maybe in a sparring session, but not necessarily in a fight,” said Franklin about Jones.
“I think if he gets through Bader — this will be his toughest test of time. But if he gets through Bader — he’s a young guy. Guys like him are the future,” added the former UFC middleweight titleholder.
Jones is basically undefeated with the only blemish on his resume coming by disqualification due to illegal elbow strikes in a fight with Matt Hamill that he was dominating.
Win UFC 126 tickets on the HeavyMMA Facebook page.

domain: sports