Joe Biden and Donald Trump are bizarrely on the same page on the top issue so far in the 2024 White House race, as they aim huge, possibly campaign-defining swings at Republicans who they claim will shred retirement benefits.
The current and former presidents – bitter rivals who agree on little else – are both forcing their foes into political retreats and attempts to whitewash past support for changes that could cut Medicare and Social Security payouts.
Their strategy is reinforcing a truism of presidential election campaigns that candidates who even entertain the notion of “reforming” these cherished entitlement programs for seniors are playing with fire.
With typical bluntness, Trump has blasted his potential top rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, as a “wheelchair over the cliff kind of guy” after he voted, as a member of the US House, for non-binding resolutions that would have raised the age at which most seniors can collect their benefits to 70. As a 2012 congressional candidate, he supported privatizing Social Security, CNN’s KFile has reported. But trying to ease his vulnerability on the issue, DeSantis insisted in a Fox News interview last week: “We’re not going to mess with Social Security.”
Despite his own proposed cuts to these programs as president, Trump has kept up the attacks. “We’re not going back to people that want to destroy our great Social Security system – even some in our own party; I wonder who that might be – who want to raise the minimum age of Social Security to 70, 75 or even 80 in some cases, and who are out to cut Medicare to a level that will be unrecognizable,” he said at the Conservative Political Action Conference last Saturday.
A few days later, another Republican hopeful gave both Biden and Trump a new opening to exploit.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley was forced to make clear Thursday that her striking and unspecific call the day before for raising the retirement age was only supposed to refer to Americans currently in their 20s, who are in effect a half century away from drawing their pensions. But her clarification won’t protect the former ambassador to the United Nations from Trump, who is splitting his party down the middle, yet again, by pouncing on competitors who have voiced traditional conservative orthodoxy on cutting or changing the programs. Biden is sure to also highlight Haley’s remarks as he claims only he can thwart a secret GOP agenda to kill off the vital programs.
“I guarantee you, I will protect Social Security and Medicare without any change. Guaranteed,” the president vowed in Philadelphia on Thursday. “I won’t allow it to be gutted or eliminated as MAGA Republicans have threatened to do.”
Biden browbeat Republicans during his “State of the Union” address last month to confirm on camera that they support shoring up Social Security and Medicare. And he’s anchoring his likely reelection bid on the most forceful campaign by a Democratic candidate in years on the issue. Some of his attacks are fair; others take statements by GOP leaders out of context. But they’re still potent – since both he and Trump know that when conservatives are explaining that they don’t plan to cut Medicare or retirement benefits, they are usually trying to dig out of a losing position.
And Biden has public opinion on his side. A Fox News poll last month, for instance, showed that Democrats are preferred over Republicans to better handle Medicare (by 23 points) and Social Security (by 16 points). No wonder Biden seems to relish this particular political battlefield.
The odd confluence of approaches – from a former president who sought to overturn an election and a successor who sees his administration as vital to saving democracy – says so much about each man’s political instincts, backgrounds and campaign strategy. It is also reflects the shifting character of the Republican Party, which Trump has torn from its corporate, ideologically pure conservative roots to build a new coalition that includes working class voters, often in the Midwest, that Biden is battling hard to win back.
In one sense, possibly the most thorny domestic issue of the years to come should, of course, have a place in a presidential campaign. But when candidates use it to inflame their political bases, it only makes it harder to address in government. This is especially the case with entitlements since they cut into the DNA of each party and have defined the dividing lines between them for decades – at least until Trump came along and took over the GOP.
Ever since the New Deal reforms of Franklin Roosevelt, who was president from 1933 to 1945, Democrats – through presidents Lyndon Johnson, Barack Obama and Biden, especially – have sought to use government power to secure the living standards and health care of less well-off and elderly Americans. Republicans, from 1980s President Ronald Reagan onwards, have increasingly sought to find ways to shift the burden of some of this care to the private sector and to reduce or eliminate government’s role in an attempt to whittle away the New Deal reforms of FDR and the Great Society program of LBJ, who was president in the 1960s. They have often paid a heavy price. Republican President George W. Bush’s failed attempt to partially privatize Social Security contributed to a disastrous second term. And Trump still rails against former House Speaker Paul Ryan, who promoted a similar plan.
While raising the alarm about threats to social programs for seniors might be a shrewd political tactic – especially in mobilizing older voters more likely to show up at the polls – it usually does nothing to address the program’s increasingly dire solvency challenges.
The latest Congressional Budget Office projection found that Social Security’s retirement trust fund could be exhausted by 2032. At that point, with fewer workers paying into the program and with a rapidly aging population, benefits could be cut by at least 20%, CNN’s Tami Luhby reported. Medicare is even more precarious since its hospital insurance trust fund, known as Part A, will only be able to fully pay scheduled benefits until 2028, its trustees said in their most recent forecast.
Biden, who released a new budget on Thursday that will help shape the message of his likely reelection bid, has proposed a plan to raise taxes on people earning more than $400,000 a year to shore up the program and would expand the range of drugs for which its managers can negotiate prices. He says the move would keep Medicare solvent until 2050 and would involve no cuts in benefits. The president also wants to target those who earn more than $400,000 with increasing payroll taxes to secure Social Security for the future. There is an infinitesimal chance, however, that the Republican-led House will agree to tax increases, so Biden’s plan represents more a device to deliver a political message than a viable plan.
Despite warning his fellow Republicans to avoid cutting these programs, it’s unclear how Trump would save them if he wins back the White House – and doing nothing isn’t an option. And while other Republicans insist they don’t want to cut benefits or raise taxes, it’s unclear how they can square the circle.
Florida Sen. Rick Scott has now excluded Social Security and Medicare from his proposal for all spending programs to be reviewed every five years. His original plan, released when he was leading the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, sparked the ire of his Republican Senate colleagues, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who quickly identified it as a political liability. That hasn’t stopped Biden from repeatedly claiming that it represents Republican policy.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has, meanwhile, said that cuts to Social Security and Medicare are “completely off the table” in what he insists must be negotiations with Biden over raising the government’s borrowing limit later this year. But that position has put him in a bind because it means that in order for the GOP to honor their pledge to slash spending, they will probably have to take aim at other social programs that could also prove unpopular with voters.
America is not the only country staring down a crisis.
French President Emmanuel Macron sparked nationwide strikes and protests with his plan to raise the retirement age to 64 from 62. Even China’s Communist Party is struggling as a falling birthrate threatens to inflict severe costs on the world’s most dynamic emerging economy.
Back in the US, whoever wins the 2024 elections for the White House and Congress, there seems no easily identifiable solution to safeguard these vital programs on which millions of Americans depend. And time is running out.


California hardcore/punk label Revelation Records has announced that it will be reissuing classic New York hardcore band Warzone’s second LP, Open Your Eyes. The label is currently launching pre-orders, which are set to ship on November 5th. You can snag a copy in grey or blue vinyl here.
A full statement on the record on the label’s website reads:
There is no doubt Warzone was one of the most crucial and influential bands that came from the New York hardcore scene. Their landmark debut LP, “Don’t Forget The Struggle Don’t Forget The Streets,” is heralded as one of the most important NYHC records of all time, with its 2016 reissue on Revelation Records selling thousands of copies and filling gaps in record collections all over the world. Two years later, Revelation Records proudly presents the reissue of Warzone’s second LP, “Open Your Eyes.” LP includes digital download and a 16-page, 12″ x 12″ booklet with previously unseen photos, lyrics, liner notes by Tony Rettman, and an interview with Raybeez from back in the day. This is the blue vinyl version, out of 500 copies.
Warzone released Open Your Eyes back in 1983.


Microwave chip carrier
An all-metal microwave chip carrier is provided with subminiature ceramic feedthroughs, each configured to function as a coaxial cable having a predetermined impedance. In one embodiment, the feedthroughs are formed by providing ceramic tubing metallized inside and out in which the ends are cut away to provide half-cylindrical bonding pads. In order to permit bonding directly to the feedthrough, a flat wire lead is soldered to the channel in the ceramic tube, with the ends of the flat wire extending onto the flat portions of the half-cylindrical portions of the feedthrough. In one embodiment, the chip carrier includes a base, ring, and stepped lid, all of Kovar or other suitable material, with the lid being weldable to the ring rather than being brazed or soldered.
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This invention relates to microwave chip carriers, and more particularly to a chip carrier having subminiature ceramic feedthroughs.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Standard chip carriers are nonmetal in construction and are made chiefly of either glass or ceramic. To adapt a standard ceramic chip carrier for microwave applications, most of the entire outside surface would have to be metallized for shielding purposes and closure would have to be effected by solder sealing of the cover or lid. This closure method can result in solder being pressed into the inside of the package, or balls of solder may be formed during the soldering process, with the solder balls being free floating inside the package.
Moreover, the impedance of these standard chip carriers can only be controlled by the thickness of ceramic or glass between the layers of metallization and typically no shielding is provided between leads. Thus standard chip carriers in their present form cannot be used to house microwave devices.
It is nonetheless desirable to be able to modify standard glass or ceramic chip carriers so that these standard chip carriers can be used at microwave frequencies. More specifically, it would also be of definite advantage to be able to weld a cover onto these packages for reasons of repairability and hermeticity. Standard chip carriers are hermetically sealed in such a manner that once sealed, the package must be destroyed in order to gain access to the components housed in the package. In contradistinction, welded packages have the advantage that the welded lid can be removed by grinding the weld off to permit access to the component, with the lid then being rewelded after repair.
Microwave devices are presently housed in modules which are either routed out to provide a cavity for the device, or the housing is made up of metal parts which are brazed or soldered together. While Kovar is presently used for microwave modules, the lids of these devices are brazed or soldered, as opposed to welded, primarily because of the use of relatively large-diameter glass feedthroughs. These glass feedthroughs are on the order of 80 mils in diameter which results in an overall minimum package height of 110 mils, since the use of the glass feedthroughs requires 15 mils of sidewall material to either side. As used herein, mils refers to thousandths of an inch. In order to make these packages weldable, the frame height would have to be on the order of 135 mils. This means that 55 mils are added for accommodating the welding process. When a 20-mil base is added with a 5-mil cover, the resulting overall package height is on the order of 160 mils. This height is excessive and would preclude the use of such a weldable all-metal package in most if not all applications.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the subject invention, in order to obviate the need for metallization of a standard chip carrier and to permit manufacture of a microwave device chip carrier which permits ready welding of a cover to a standard-thickness chip carrier ring, an all-metal microwave chip carrier is provided with subminiature feedthroughs which function as coaxial cable segments. The carrier includes a base, an intermediate ring in which the microwave component is mounted, and a stepped lid or cover, with the lid and ring being welded together to provide a hermetic seal. The intermediate ring is apertured at its base to provide cylindrical orifices into which are mounted the subminiature feedthroughs which are made of ceramic material. In one embodiment, the feedthroughs have flat stepped portions at either end to expose the central conductor of the coaxial feedthrough. In one embodiment these stepped portions are in the form of half cylinders with the top flat stepped portion lying in a horizontal plane passing through the centerline for the feedthrough. The contact pads are provided by the exposed ends of flat wire leads passing through the centers of the ceramic tubes. The tubes are metallized inside and out, and the flat wire lead is passed through the metallized interior channel. Alternatively a round wire may be used.
If a flat wire is used, the wire is soldered into place by the introduction of solder or other electrically conductive material between the wire and the metallized interior wall of the ceramic tube. Alternatively no additional electrically conductive material need be used if the edges of the flat wire contact the interior metallization of the tube. With an appropriate geometric configuration, the portion of the feedthrough passing through the wall of the ring is in the form of a coaxial cable having a predetermined impedance, in one embodiment 50 ohms. It will be appreciated that the flat wire provides a contact pad at either end which permits the mounting of the microwave device well down within the chip carrier ring. Additionally the interior contact pad may be bonded directly to a contact pad on the substrate of the microwave device in a so-called flip-chip configuration in which the microwave device is turned upside down so that the contact pads on the microwave device substrate directly contact and are bonded to the flat contact pads of the feedthrough. The pads outside the ring provide external connection to this device at the portion of the flat wire lead which extends from the exterior wall of the chip carrier ring. In the usual embodiment, the chip carrier is rectangular. In one embodiment, each cylindrical bore provided for a feedthrough is open to and exposed at the bottom edge of the chip carrier ring, such that when the base is mouned to the chip carrier ring the exterior of the feedthrough is in mechanical contact with the base. Thus mounting of the base to the ring provides electrical connection not only between the ring and the base, but also between the base and the exterior metallized surfaces of the feedthroughs. The result is that the base plate functions as an extremely effective groundplane.
As pointed out hereinbefore, previous ceramic chip carriers were metallized and were covered using a lid which was soldered or brazed into place. In the subject chip carrier, the lid is welded around the periphery as opposed to being soldered, due to the compatibility of the lid and ring materials, and also because subminiature feedthroughs permit welding while still providing a small enough package. In one embodiment all carrier components are made of Kovar, while in another embodiment the base is made of molybdenum. Kovar is an iron-nickel-cobalt alloy. Since the subject chip carrier permits welding, repair in the field may be accomplished simply by grinding off the weld, repairing the microwave device, and rewelding the lid.
More specifically, the subminiature size of the ceramic feedthroughs, being on the order of 50 mils as opposed to 80 mils, reduces the package size vis-a-vis that required by the standard glass seal feedthroughs and permits standard size chip carriers to be made. Additionally, the usable interior space in the chip carrier ring is increased by lowering the entry point of the internal lead. This in turn allows the microwave component to be mounted lower down in a standard-size carrier and permits the cover to easily fit down on the carrier ring without pressing against the microwave component. Moreover the lower bonding pad permits the use of thinner microwave device substrates. In one embodiment, the overall height of the sealed package is 115 mils. This is about the same height as a conventional brazed Kovar microwave module which, as mentioned, does not provide the advantages of welding. As discussed hereinbefore, to provide welding with conventional glass feedthroughs would increase the overall height to an unacceptable 160 mils.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features of the subject invention will be better understood in connection with the detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings of which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an all-metal microwave chip carrier which welded cover and subminiature ceramic coaxial cable-type feedthroughs;
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic and cross-sectional illustration of a portion of the chip carrier of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of a portion of the chip carrier of FIG. 1 illustrating feedthrough-receiving bores opened at the bottom of the wall of a ring;
FIGS. 4A-4D are illustrations of a technique for fabricating the subminiature feedthroughs of FIGS. 1 and 2; and
FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional and perspective view of a feedthrough manufactured in accordance with the techniques of FIGS. 4A-4D.DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now FIG. 1, an all-metal microwave chip carrier 10 is illustrated as including a metal base 12, an intermediate ring 14, and a lid 16. In a preferred embodiment, the components of the microwave chip carrier are made of Kovar or other suitable material, although base 12 may be made of molybdenum should better heat sink qualities be desired. In the manufacture of the chip carrier, hermetic sealing is provided by brazing or soldering base 12 to ring 14 at line 18, whereas lid 16 is welded to ring 14 along weld line 19. In one embodiment, the lid is a stepped lid in the sense that an interior rectangular projection 20 is adapted to fit in cavity 21 when the lid is in place.
Electrical feedthroughs 22 are subminiature and pass through opposing walls 24 and 26 of ring 14. Each feedthrough has a coaxial cable-like section 28 which passes through the corresponding ring wall. In one embodiment, each of the feedthroughs includes a ceramic tube 30, which is metallized interiorally and exteriorally as illustrated in FIG. 2 by metallization layers 32 and 34, with metallization layer 32 being deposited on the exterior surface of the tube, and metallization layer 34 being deposited on the interior central channel of the tube.
Each of feedthroughs 22 is provided with a flat wire or lead 36 running through the central metallized channel in tube 30, with flat lead 36 being soldered in place as illustrated at 38, such that with respect to the part of the feedthrough passing through wall 24, the flat wire and associated solder correspond to a cylindrical central conductor of a typical coaxial cable.
The portions of the feedthrough tubes extending to either side of wall 24 are cut back to provide flat steps generally indicated at 40, which are adapted to provide lateral flat portions adjacent exposed portions 42 of the flat wires. Portions 42 therefore provide both internal and external contact pads. With respect to the interior pads 42', with a total diameter of 50 mils, the pads sit only 25 mils above the top surface of base 12, as illustrated by double-ended arrow 44. This provides a relatively low seating plane within the carrier ring, such that microwave components can be mounted well within cavity 21.
The dimensions of the subminiature feedthrough can be tailored such that the impedance of the feedthrough is 50 ohms, which matches the conventional coaxial cable impedance. Thus standing wave ratios associated with the chip carrier can be reduced. In one embodiment, the tubing for the subminiature feedthroughs has an outside diameter of approximately 50 mils with a centrally located cylindrical interior channel of 13 mils. The ceramic in the preferred embodiment is 98 percent alumina, such that the impedance of the feedthrough can be made to be 50 ohms.
With such small subminiature feedthroughs, the overall package height illustrated by double-ended arrow 46 of FIG. 1 can be kept to 115 mils, assuming a 20-mil base and a 5-mil lid.
Because the chip carrier is not metallized, and is rather hermetically sealed by welding, a stepped lid may be provided for field use such that a carrier having feedthroughs, a ring, and a base is provided into which microwave device is mounted in the field. Thereafter the lid is welded to the ring in a simple operation. Since at least the lid and ring are of compatible material with respect to the welding, welding in the field present few of the difficulties associated with brazing or soldering when prior art metallized microwave chip carriers are provided.
Referring now to FIG. 3, bores 47 are cut into the base of ring 14 in such a manner as to expose the bore along a slot denoted by edges 48. Each of the bores accommodates a feedthrough such that, when mounted, the exterior surface of the feedthrough is in mechanical contact with the top surface of the base at 49. Brazing, soldering, or welding the base to the ring provides that intimate electrical contact is made to the externally metallized feedthrough. Thus base 12 functions as an exceptionally good groundplane for the microwave components mounted in the carrier.
Referring now to FIGS. 4A-4D, one method of manufacturing the subminiature feedthroughs is illustrated. In this method, a ceramic tube 50 is provided in which the tube has a central bore 52. Metallization layers 54 and 56 are provided on exterior and interior surfaces of the tube as illustrated in FIG. 4B. Metallization may be tungsten or indeed any suitable metallization layer. The thickness of these metallization layers in a preferred embodiment is 300 to 500 microinches.
Referring now to FIG. 4C, stepped portions 58 are provided by cutting away half-cylindrical end portions of the composite tube provided after the FIG. 4B step. Thereafter, as illustrated in FIG. 4D, a flat wire lead 60 is passed through channel 52 and is suspended centrally because the width of the wire matches the interior diameter of channel 52 carrying metallization layer 56. Portions 62 and 64 of channel 52 existing above and below wire 60 are filled with solder or other electrically conductive material such that a central conductor is formed in this section of the feedthrough, thereby providing that this section resembles and functions as a coaxial cable with a cylindrical center conductor and a cylindrical outer conductor. The finished product shown in partial cross-section is illustrated in FIG. 5, in which like elements with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5 are provided with like reference characters. Here the coaxial-cable nature of the feedthrough can be plainly seen in which wire 60, solder 70, and layer 56, all being of electrically conductive material, form the inner coaxial cable conductor. The outer coaxial cable conductor, as mentioned above, is provided by layer 54.
Having above indicated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will occur to those skilled in the art that modifications and alternatives can be practiced within the spirit of the invention. It is accordingly intended to define the scope of the invention only as indicated in the following claims.
1. Apparatus for housing a microwave device comprising:
- an all-metal housing including a base, an intermediate ring mounted to said base and in electrical contact therewith, and a lid adapted to be electrically and hermetically sealed to said ring, said ring having a side wall having a bore therethrough, and
- a subminiature feedthrough inserted in said bore, said feedthrough having a coaxial configuration including a ceramic tube having an interior and exterior metal coating, and an inner conductor positioned through said tube along the longitudinal axis thereof and being in electrical contact with the interior metal coating of said tube, said tube including an at least partially cut-away portion to one side of said sidewall to expose a portion of said conductor.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said ring and lid are made of a material which permits welding said lid to said ring.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said lid and ring are an iron-nickel-cobalt alloy.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conductor includes a flat wire, and wherein said cut-away portion is flat and lies in a plane parallel to the width of said flat wire, thereby to provide a contact pad.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said cut-away portion is half-cylndrical.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the space between said flat wire and said interior metallization is filled with electrically conductive material.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said electrically conductive material is solder.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bore is open at the bottom thereof and wherein the exterior coating of said tube is in intimate contact with said base through the open bottom of said bore.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said feedthrough is no more than 50 mils in diameter.
10. A subminiature feedthrough for use in the packaging of microwave components comprising:
- a length of dielectric tubing metallization interiorally and exteriorally, an end of said tubing being cut away to provide a flat portion at an end of the tube adjacent the tube channel, and
- a flat wire in said channel and extending to the vicinity of said flat portion such that the wide portion of said wire lies in a plane parallel to that of said flat portion, thereby to provide an accessible contact pad at an end of said tubing.
11. The feedthrough of claim 10 wherein the dimensions and dielectric constant of said tube are chosen to provide the resulting coaxial structure with a predetermined electrical impedance.
12. The feedthrough of claim 10 wherein the edges of said flat wire contact the interior metallization of said tubing.
13. The feedthrough of claim 10 wherein said tubing is made of ceramic material.
14. The feedthrough of claim 10 wherein said tubing is made from glass.
15. The feedthrough of claim 10 wherein the outer diameter thereof is less than 50 mils.
16. The feedthrough of claim 10 wherein the space between said flat wire and said interior metallization is filled with electrically conductive material.
17. The feedthrough of claim 16 wherein said electrically conductive material is solder.
18. A method of forming a subminiature electrical feedthrough having a coaxial structure comprising the steps of:
- metallizing an electrically nonconductive tube on the interior and exterior walls thereof;
- cutting away at least one end portion of the metallized tube to provide a half-cylindrical portion; and
- passing a wire through the interior channel of the metallized tube, such that the wire makes electrical contact with the interior metallized wall of the tube and such that a portion of the wire extends to the half-cylindrical portion.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein said wire is flat.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein said wire is soldered to said interior metallized wall.
|3480887||November 1969||Uhlir, Jr.|
|3686624||August 1972||Napoli et al.|
Filed: Jan 10, 1983
Date of Patent: Dec 11, 1984
Assignee: Isotronics, Inc. (New Bedford, MA)
Inventors: Phillips C. Baird (Lakeville, MA), Jay S. Greenspan (South Dartmouth, MA)
Primary Examiner: John Gonzales
Assistant Examiner: D. A. Tone
Law Firm: Weingarten, Schurgin, Gagnebin & Hayes
Application Number: 6/457,112


text:
New book captures history of Banbridge
A new book from The History Press – Banbridge: The Star of County Down – which captures the history of the town has just been published.
Written by prolific local author, Doreen McBride, the book explores the story of this unique town, containing facts, stories and anecdotes.
For instance, Banbridge gets its name from the bridge built across the River Bann in 1712. It’s a thriving modern town, rife with history and culture, surrounded by beautiful scenery that provided an iconic location for the internationally acclaimed television series Game of Thrones. It’s also the setting of the well-known folk song ‘The Star of the County Down’, and, contains Europe’s first flyover bridge.
Banbridge’s position where ancient roads cross the Lower River Bann has resulted in cross-pollination of ideas, creativity and influence, with major figures in the world of literature, art, music, the linen industry, medical science, atomic power, tractors, air-craft design and more.
This book (ISBN: 9780750990936 priced £14.99) which covers the town’s rich history through to the present day, has much to interest local people and visitors alike.

domain: literature


6. 3D INFOGRAPHICS AND VIDEO
We conduct presentations with 3D infographics and video for tenders and competitive biddings in either projects or works.
We develop 3D models for engineering companies, architectural and industrial design firms in the building industry, either with static infographics or 3D animation video.
We provide our customers with the presentation of their model with photorealistic finishes or with the production of 3D animations with an explanation of the system operation.
We advise our clients in the design of each infographic according to the needs of the project. We generate a presentation in 3D from 2D drawings. Maximum realism in the presentation of their projects with 3D infographics.


text:
My daughter has discovered the messy bun and the art of sleeping in. And I have apparently discovered my love for photographing my sleepy child. These were taken minutes after she awoke on a Saturday morning. I can hardly believe she agreed to sitting still for a few photos. Maybe I caught her off guard. She came stumbling down the stairs with her hair wobbling atop her head like a little bunt cake. She plopped down on the couch and asked me what was for breakfast. Photos, child. That’s what’s for breakfast. At least they feed me, but she on the other hand, wanted something a little more carb-y.
It’s the end of the summer and pretty soon she won’t be able to sleep in on a Saturday even if she tries. Those 6 a.m. alarms will drill their way into her biological clock. But for now, we have these weekend vibes.
I am Jennifer Alsabrook-Turner of Bang Images and I am your Birmingham Family Photographer. Check out another mini-shoot with my girl here. https://bangimages.com/birmingham-sunset-session-child-portraits/
She’s been my subject for years. See how many images you can spot of her in my family sessions gallery. https://bangimages.com/family-sessions

domain: artistic


text:
Picture courtesy of fanpop.com
Okay, maybe not the leotards and tights but you get the idea.
Second, I feel like a new hairstyle or color is in order. I haven't cut my hair in about 9 months so it definitely needs a trim, maybe even some layers, and I was thinking of adding some highlights or just changing the whole color scheme. This can be a bit more tricky because of all that pesky chlorine I swim in weekly, but I think I can work something out.
Lastly, I could use a good summer challenge or goal to work towards for the next 3 months. Maybe a push up or sit up challenge, running challenge, something to get me motivated. Or maybe something like this?
tough mudder pics
Hmmm....it's a possibility.
Although something else I've been checking out is right up my alley and I'd have over a year to prepare...
with this swimsuit of course haha!
So, basically I am looking to shake things up a bit and try to break out of my rut a bit. How about you? Any plans for this summer or fun activities you are planning to do?

domain: hobby


USA Today has a fascinating interview with three former NSA officials who all tried to call foul on the National Security Agency’s widespread collection of information on Americans. Thomas Drake, William Binney and J. Kirk Weibe are their names. They tried stopping NSA’s surveillance of Americans for years. The three now say that they see some vindication in Edward Snowden’s initial revelations. But they don’t all agree whether Snowden is a hero or a traitor. William Binney’s answer to that question gets closest to my own opinion.
Q: There’s a question being debated whether Snowden is a hero or a traitor.
Binney: Certainly he performed a really great public service to begin with by exposing these programs and making the government in a sense publicly accountable for what they’re doing. At least now they are going to have some kind of open discussion like that.
But now he is starting to talk about things like the government hacking into China and all this kind of thing. He is going a little bit too far. I don’t think he had access to that program. But somebody talked to him about it, and so he said, from what I have read, anyway, he said that somebody, a reliable source, told him that the U.S. government is hacking into all these countries. But that’s not a public service, and now he is going a little beyond public service.
So he is transitioning from whistle-blower to a traitor.
Indeed. Americans needed to know that our government is spying on us. But there is no good reason to leak about US hacking against China, a program Snowden probably didn’t even have legal access to. There is no good reason to out the UK’s spying during the 2009 G20 summit, which, again, Snowden probably didn’t have legal access to. Everyone assumes some spying goes on at these high-level meetings, but Snowden betrayed methods and means for no good purpose. Both of these leaks are one-sided and may be designed to earn Snowden favor with his hosts, the Communist Chinese. They both get into the realm of statecraft, areas where some secrecy is not only valid, it’s a necessity. Not all government secrets are equal to all other government secrets. For instance, the public has no right to know exactly how the B2 evades radar detection. If the public gets that information, so do our enemies, and the capability will soon be rendered moot. The evidence and his actions suggest that Snowden went into the job with Booz Allen looking to grab things he could leak.
For what it’s worth, though, the other two attempted whistle blowers still think Snowden is a hero. One of them, Thomas Drake, sees the Verizon warrant as hugely significant.
Q: What did you learn from the document — the Verizon warrant issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court — that Snowden leaked?
Drake: It’s an extraordinary order. I mean, it’s the first time we’ve publicly seen an actual, secret, surveillance-court order. I don’t really want to call it “foreign intelligence” (court) anymore, because I think it’s just become a surveillance court, OK? And we are all foreigners now. By virtue of that order, every single phone record that Verizon has is turned over each and every day to NSA.
There is no probable cause. There is no indication of any kind of counterterrorism investigation or operation. It’s simply: “Give us the data.” …
There’s really two other factors here in the order that you could get at. One is that the FBI requesting the data. And two, the order directs Verizon to pass all that data to NSA, not the FBI.
That point touches on the relevance of a story that re-broke last week, and puzzled me — that the FBI excludes mosques from its surveillance.
Since October 2011, mosques have been off-limits to FBI agents. No more surveillance or undercover string operations without high-level approval from a special oversight body at the Justice Department dubbed the Sensitive Operations Review Committee.
Who makes up this body, and how do they decide requests? Nobody knows; the names of the chairman, members and staff are kept secret.
We do know the panel was set up under pressure from Islamist groups who complained about FBI stings at mosques. Just months before the panel’s formation, the Council on American-Islamic Relations teamed up with the ACLU to sue the FBI for allegedly violating the civil rights of Muslims in Los Angeles by hiring an undercover agent to infiltrate and monitor mosques there.
Are mosques, then, a form of sanctuary from FBI-NSA snooping? Is that how we’re treating the terrorist threat upon which the Obama administration justifies sweeping up all our phone records?
There’s some question, at the edges, of how Snowden obtained the Verizon document.
Q: Even given the senior positions that you all were in, you had never actually seen one of these?
Drake: They’re incredibly secret. It’s a very close hold. … It’s a secret court with a secret appeals court. They are just not widely distributed, even in the government.
Also for what it’s worth, Drake tried whistle blowing on the NSA from within, using the government’s whistle blower process. He ended up facing numerous felony charges. Snowden may have been aware of that when he decided to run instead of going through the proper channels. Had he stopped with the revelations about NSA snooping on Americans, he may have gone down in history as a hero. But the leaks on foreign policy seem designed to hurt the US and our allies. He may intend those leaks to make the US government wary of capturing him. It seems to me that if that’s the case, it’s a major miscalculation. Such leaks will only make the US more determined to capture him more quickly before he leaks again, and once captured, more determined to find out everything he knows and how he knows it.


text: POPSUGAR Celebrity Kristen Stewart Video: Kristen Stewart's Multiple Wardrobe Change Day Kristen Stewart's Multiple Wardrobe Change Day by Allie Merriam 10/19/10 0 Shares Like us on Facebook Sign up for our daily newsletter > Kristen Stewart switches up her look all day long while promoting Welcome to the Rileys in NYC. Check it out on PopSugar Rush! Read More Welcome To The RileysPOPSUGAR NewsKristen Stewart Kristen Stewart You'll Feel High Watching Kristen Stewart's Hilarious Stoner Talk Show Interview American Ultra Is Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg's Pineapple Express This Clip of Kristen Stewart's Photo Shoot Feels More Like a Dreamy Music Video Kristen Stewart Is Unapologetically Sexy in Her New Photo Shoot POPSUGAR, the #1 independent media and technology company for women. Where more than 75 million women go for original, inspirational content that feeds their passions and interests. Get the scoop with our daily newsletter TV Movies Young Hollywood A-Listers Sign up with By signing up, I agree to the Terms and to receive emails from POPSUGAR. 4 years Did anyone else see Kristen on Access Hollywood, where she said, "If I don't like what I'm wearing I literally want to kill myself." And then she made a gun with her hand and held it to her head and pulled the trigger. I couldn't believe she could say something so insensitive. Does she ever stop to think before she blurts out something stupid? After her being "raped" by the paps comment you would think she would have learned. In light of all the gay teens actually committing suicide after being bullied and humiliated, I would think she would be smarter than to make such a hurtful comment about LITERALLY wanting to kill herself over clothing. This is outrageous. crisk 4 years love the style of Kristen she is naturally beautiful, incredibly attractive ...... obsessed! crisk 4 years love the style of Kristen she is naturally beautiful, incredibly attractive ...... obsessed!

domain: entertainment


text:
Volunteers & Foster Parents Needed
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A group opportunity. Invite your friends.
38 people are interested
Volunteers are a critical component for the Georgia Heartland Humane Society to find Forever Homes for the cats and dogs in our care. Our entire group is volunteers who devote their time, skills, knowledge, and energy to rescuing and assisting animals in need.
We are also recruiting volunteers with a specific skill - be it graphic art, photography, videography, marketing, business, etc. If you have a skill or talent you would like to lend to Georgia Heartland Humane Society please contact us, with a description of your expertise and your general availability.
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Fostering is a great way for families to volunteer together, or for people who love pets but are unable to bring one into their home permanently. Our foster volunteers are a group of very caring people who do everything from bottle-feeding orphaned babies around the clock, to socializing little ones to ensure that they look forward to human and animal interaction. Foster volunteers provide care, safety, and love.
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About Georgia Heartland Humane Society
PO Box 72197, Newnan, GA 30271, US
To work to end the suffering of dogs and cats resulting from abuse, neglect, ignorance and pet overpopulation. To advocate the humane treatment of animals through (1) rescue of abandoned, neglected, and abused animals; (2) a spay/neuter assistance program; (3) promoting community awareness through humane education and (4) initiation and support of positive changes in local community municipal codes and state law regarding animal protection . Many of the animals that become a part of our program would not survive without our help. We rescue injured animals that are unable to get the help they require to heal and we rescue abused animals that don't know comfort and kindness and love.
Georgia Heartland Humane Society is a nonprofit agency which receives no government assistance. Our organization relies sole ly on the generosity of the public, striving to maintain its strong fundraising efforts within the community and with area businesses and corporations. We do not operate a shelter, but offer services to the residents of our community and their companion animals. Our volunteers are passionate in their belief that all pets deserve loving families and are working towards accomplishing that goal through community service programs.

domain: pet


text:
Bethesda-based Discovery Communications Inc. said yesterday that it has purchased CBS Corp.'s Eye on People, a fledgling cable channel focusing on people and personalities that has 11 million cable and satellite subscribers.
Discovery, which also operates the Discovery Channel, the Learning Channel and Animal Planet, had agreed in July to purchase a 50 percent stake in the CBS channel, which was launched in March 1997.
"Given the realities of the dynamic, ever-evolving cable programming marketplace, we did not think it made sense to co-manage a network," Discovery Networks U.S. President Jonathan Rodgers said in a statement.
Terms of the cash deal were not disclosed.
"It was not a profitable network," said CBS spokeswoman Cheryl Daly, "and we felt we could realize a financial gain by selling all of it."
Lynn McReynolds, a Discovery spokeswoman, said it's too soon to discuss specific plans to boost subscriptions and profit, but pointed to the company's success with the Learning Channel.
"When we bought the Learning Channel in 1991 it had around 14 [million] or 15 million subscribers and now it has 65 million subscribers," she said.
"It was recently valued at $2 billion, and we paid $31 million for it."
She said it generally takes about three to five years for a cable channel to start turning a profit.
Discovery plans to continue the channel's format and will include CBS-produced shows in its programming. Earlier this year, Discovery said it had outgrown its headquarters and needed a new location. After saying it was considering a move to either Washington or Virginia, the company announced in October that it would move its headquarters to Silver Spring after Maryland's Department of Business and Economic Development promised it more than $7.2 million in economic incentives.
Discovery said it plans to add about 300 employees to its 800-person staff after the move is completed in 2001.
Shortly after the Silver Spring move was announced, Discovery Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John S. Hendricks and his wife, Maureen, donated $8,000 to Gov. Parris N. Glendening's election fund.
While the donations were legal, Republican gubernatorial opponent Ellen R. Sauerbrey raised concerns about the timing between state economic incentives and election contributions. The governor's staff said the two issues were not linked.
Discovery is owned by Liberty Media Corp., Cox Communications Inc., Advance/Newhouse Communications and Hendricks.
Pub Date: 12/31/98

domain: economics


Audio specialist Sennheiser showcases its passion for sound through their new digital magazine, the "Blue Stage" iPad app, which offers interactive storytelling coupled with explorative navigation. A new edition is released every month in order to examine the subject of sound from a different perspective. The Sennheiser iPad app is free and is available now, in English, from the iTunes store. Other languages available are German, Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese. A Russian translation is also planned for the near future.
"Each month the subject of sound is given a new twist. Readers of "Blue Stage" can expect inspiring stories delivered in an informative and innovative way", explains Uwe Greunke, Director of Strategic Marketing at Sennheiser. "Blue Stage" is designed to be a focal point for both long-standing and aspiring sound enthusiasts". The first edition of the digital magazine focuses on recordings which take place outside of the studio - from a bamboo orchestra in the Solomon Islands, to kitchen staff singing in Namibia. Sade’s producer Stuart Matthewman, aka "Cottonbelly", and Adam Ficek from Babyshambles both reveal the tricks of their trade and, in addition, there are do-it-yourself tips for music recording at home. The second addition of "Blue Stage" examines the role of the DJ, and focuses on practitioners such as Bob Sinclar, and the work they do. The third edition will explore the route artists take in order to make their way to the top.
Something different every month
As well as showcasing captivating stories on the subject of sound, features such as an integrated audio player enable the reader to listen to tracks which reflect the topic of each edition. A playlist also suggest further recommended tracks for separate download. Each month a special prize, unavailable for purchase, will be up for grabs under the headline of "Money can't buy". In the first edition, an emerging new band will have the opportunity to win a microphone set which includes support from a Sennheiser sound engineer, for their recording.
Simple and innovative operating system
This innovative publishing concept available via Apple Newsstand is very user-friendly. The user is automatically notified when a new edition is uploaded each month and can then immediately access all content with ease. Each edition is a new "subject platform" for a particular sound experience and can be opened with a horizontal swipe. The user can browse previous editions with a vertical swipe. In contrast to other digital magazines, this means that the reader can seamlessly navigate back and forth between editions.
Find more information at www.sennheiser.com/bluestage.
Vorm geven aan de sound van morgen en voor zijn klanten unieke klankervaringen tot stand brengen… Dat is het doel waarrond wereldwijd alle medewerkers en partners van Sennheiser zich verenigen. De onderneming is opgericht in 1945 en uitgegroeid tot een van ’s werelds toonaangevende producenten van koptelefoons, microfoons en draadloze zendersystemen. Met zijn 21 verkoopfilialen en partnerrelaties van vele jaren is de groep actief in ruim 50 landen. Daarnaast telt hij nog eens eigen productiefaciliteiten in Duitsland, Ierland, Roemenië en de VS. Sinds 2013 staat met Daniel Sennheiser en Dr. Andreas Sennheiser de derde generatie van de familie aan het hoofd van de onderneming. In 2017 genereerde de Sennheiser-groep een omzet van in totaal € 667,7 miljoen.


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domain: geography


Eric Topol introduces The Topol Review, a project commissioned by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in the United Kingdom. The Review makes recommendations that will enable NHS staff to make the most of innovative technologies such as genomics, digital medicine, artificial intelligence and robotics to improve services.
- America is flying blind when it comes to the Delta variant August 9, 2021
- In the Bubble with Andy Slavitt – Delta: What to Worry About and What Not To July 27, 2021
- A Contagion of Bad Ideas July 26, 2021
- Assessment of Prolonged Physiological and Behavioral Changes Associated With COVID-19 Infection July 7, 2021
NIH Director’s Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series
Eric TopolMay 19, 2021


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The new issue, entitled Agroecology: building an ecological knowledge-base for food system sustainability, expands the conversation by outlining recent progress in ecology relevant for tackling food system challenges ranging from disappearing diversity to water woes to climate catastrophes. Together, the eight included articles demonstrate a range of emerging science-based opportunities that can help farmers and ranchers achieve the triple bottom line: social, environmental, and financial sustainability. Here are just the highlights of what some farm-focused ecologists have been up to:
- Making sense out of complexity: Agroecosystems are complex, and as Vandermeer and Perfecto (2017) explain, “the fundamental rules of natural systems should be used as guidelines for planning and management of agricultural systems.” Fortunately, ecologists have developed some great tools (tools in topics like Turing patterns, chaotic dynamics, and more) that are up to the otherwise daunting task, and agroecologists are busy beginning to put them to work.
- Linking biodiversity to farming benefits: Decisions about how land is used at a regional scale can affect farming conditions at a surprisingly smaller scale, influencing even the pollinators and insect pests that are too small to spot unless you’re actually strolling through a field. As Liere et al. (2017) describe, understanding the connections between biodiversity at these different scales is essential to sustaining healthy, multi-functional agricultural systems. Agroecologists have just scratched the surface of investigating these “cascading” effects, and the subject is ripe for more discoveries.
- Keeping nutrients where we need them: It’s hard work keeping enough nutrients in some places (such as soils and plants) and reducing them in others (like in lakes and the atmosphere), but getting this right is a key to growing enough food while protecting the environment. Agroecologists tackle these problems with a bird’s eye view, measuring and evaluating everything from study plots to farm fields to watersheds. As Tully & Ryals (2017) note, this approach is critical to finding ways to optimize solutions (such as agroforestry, cover cropping, and organic amendments, just to name a few).
- Saving water by planting perennials: Much like nutrients, water often either seems to be overabundant (floods) or far too limited (drought), and climate change research suggests that this problem may only get worse. However, as Basche & Edelson (2017) review, farming practices that ensure “continuous living cover” can build healthier soils that keep more water on farms during dry times, while reducing flooding during heavy rain. Designing farms with water in mind, it seems, could prevent a lot of trouble, benefitting farmers and communities.
- Getting more from farming, with less: While adding more “inputs” (seed, water, chemicals) is typically understood to be the path to getting more food from farms, research has shown that this doesn’t always need to be the case. In fact, as Uphoff (2017) demonstrates through a review of the “System of Rice Intensification”, it can actually be possible to get more food by using fewer inputs. As Uphoff explains, “As climate and other conditions constrain agriculture, sustainable food systems will need to evolve.” Thanks to agroecologists, the evolution has already begun.
- Tracking down triggers for a food system transition: It’s one thing to find on-farm solutions and another to scale them up. Given that agroecologists have already been uncovering solutions to many of today’s challenges, what’s the next step? As my colleagues and I (Miles et al. 2017) explain, in an ever-changing world where one-sized-fits-all solutions simply won’t work, the research (and the university extension and education that goes with it) must continue to expand. But since research won’t be enough, we also propose several policy ideas (like shifting public research funds, improving conservation programs, etc.) that could help push and pull the food system to a better place.
- Exploring how healthier farms can support healthier humans: Much agroecology research to date has been focused on achieving productive farms and environmental sustainability, both of which have clear benefits for human heath (for example, by addressing food security and securing cleaner air and water). But as my colleagues and I (O’Rourke et al. 2017) argue, there’s an urgent need for more explicit research on how healthier farms can improve nutrition and public health. With an expanding agroecological toolbox and an ever-increasing concern about health care costs, perhaps there’s never been a better time!
Agroecologists in action
To close, I wanted to share this excerpt from agroecologist and Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems Editor Steve Gliessman:
“Ecology has always been the foundation of agroecology. We hope that this Special Issue will encourage more ecologists to engage in ecological research that can impact food system change. Their expertise in the science of ecology can show how an ecological understanding of the design and management of food systems can help us take major steps toward sustainability.”
Or, in other words, three cheers for agroecology! Onwards.
What’s in the special issue:
Agroecology: building an ecological knowledge-base for food system sustainability Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, Volume 41, Issue 7, 2017
Editorial: Agroecology: Building an ecological knowledge-base for food system sustainability Steve Gliessman Pages: 695-696 | DOI: 10.1080/21683565.2017.1335152
Ecological complexity and agroecosystems: seven themes from theory John Vandermeer & Ivette Perfecto Pages: 697-722 | DOI: 10.1080/21683565.2017.1322166
Intersection between biodiversity conservation, agroecology, and ecosystem services Heidi Liere, Shalene Jha & Stacy M. Philpott Pages: 723-760 | DOI: 10.1080/21683565.2017.1330796
Nutrient cycling in agroecosystems: Balancing food and environmental objectives Kate Tully & Rebecca Ryals Pages: 761-798 | DOI: 10.1080/21683565.2017.1336149
Improving water resilience with more perennially based agriculture |Andrea D. Basche & Oliver F. Edelson Pages: 799-824 | DOI: 10.1080/21683565.2017.1330795
SRI: An agroecological strategy to meet multiple objectives with reduced reliance on inputs Norman Uphoff Pages: 825-854 | DOI: 10.1080/21683565.2017.1334738
Triggering a positive research and policy feedback cycle to support a transition to agroecology and sustainable food systems Albie Miles, Marcia S. DeLonge & Liz Carlisle Pages: 855-879 | DOI: 10.1080/21683565.2017.1331179
Insights from agroecology and a critical next step: Integrating human health Megan E. O’Rourke, Marcia S. DeLonge & Ricardo Salvador Pages: 880-884 | DOI: 10.1080/21683565.2017.1326073

domain: agronomy


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Denver Newsroom, Oct 7, 2020 / 03:39 am (CNA).- An international law expert has criticized Amnesty International’s new support for abortion access through all nine months of pregnancy and its claim that human rights protections “start at birth.”
“Amnesty’s announcement is reflective of a self-referential echo chamber made up by abortion groups and elements of the international system,” Elyssa Koren, director of United Nations advocacy at ADF International, told CNA Oct. 5. “They think that by consistently asserting that abortion is a ‘human right,’ they can make it so.”
On Sept. 28, Amnesty International released an update to its abortion policy, calling for “universal access to safe abortion, as early as possible and as late as necessary.” It said that “anyone who can become pregnant has the right to an abortion” and called for the full decriminalization of abortion.
The updated policy characterized pregnancy and abortion decisions as directly impacting “the full spectrum of human rights.” An accompanying FAQ opposed laws requiring either spousal or parental consent for abortion.
The group said its updated policy “confirms that human rights protections start at birth, in line with international law.”
Rajat Khosla, senior director of research and advocacy at Amnesty International, said Sept. 28 the update was developed “in consultation with human rights experts, medical providers and the Amnesty movement, and informed by years of research and engagement with women and girls whose lives have been shattered by restrictive laws.”
Koren at ADF International, however, criticized claims of a pro-abortion global consensus.
“When Amnesty refers to growing voices in the international realm to support its claim, it must be acknowledged that these voices are operating illegitimately in the first place,” she told CNA. “They stem from various bureaucratic functions within the UN system that have been co-opted by abortion activists. Their decrees are not reflective of the will of the community of member states—the majority of which are not in support of the UN’s aggressive abortion agenda.”
She also criticized Amnesty’s view that rights begin at birth.
“The right to life that all persons possess applies from the moment when life starts, which science confirms is at conception,” Koren said. “International law supports this reality. This is evidenced in historical protections for pregnant women facing penalty of death.”
Koren cited the preamble of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by over 190 countries, which affirms that children need “special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth.”
“Given that Amnesty has no power to re-craft international law or the laws of science, their announcement that human rights ‘start at birth’ creates no change in the human rights tradition,” Koren said. “That said, it does contribute to the existing body of dangerous misinterpretations that seek to re-imagine the international order.”
Khosla at Amnesty International said full decriminalization of abortion is “essential to protect human rights and prevent further deaths and injuries due to unsafe abortions.”
“Abortion is not an isolated issue. Denying people the right to make decisions about their own bodies perpetuates gender and economic inequality, and entrenches stigma and discrimination,” he said, adding, “We will continue to demand that governments respect reproductive autonomy, and campaign for safe abortion access for anyone who seeks it, without discrimination, coercion or stigma.”
While Khosla said about 47,000 women die each year as a result of seeking “unsafe” abortions, Koren said better data is needed to evaluate the causes of maternal mortality.
“Much of the existing data ignores the fact that even ‘safe,’ meaning legal, abortions cause deaths—of course, all babies die, but women do as well,” she said. “Abortion is never safe, particularly in the developing world. One of the primary reasons is lack of access to blood if a woman hemorrhages.”
“More accurate numbers, often obscured by the many overlapping challenges women face, would surely show the catastrophic impact of abortions as a whole, both legal and illegal, on women’s lives and well-being,” she said.
“Every life lost is a tragic failure of the international system to guarantee the most fundamental of our human rights,” Koren continued. “No woman should ever have to turn to abortion…The legalization of abortion is not the answer to the problem of ‘unsafe abortion’ as it has in fact been shown to increase maternal mortality.”
Koren said women’s needs would be better met by improving access to food, water, housing, education, decent work, and freedom from violence.
“UN member states pledged to reduce recourse to abortion at the 1995 International Conference on Population and Development, a commitment which holds to this day. The emphasis should remain on this,” she said.
For Koren, Amnesty's pro-abortion stand is self-defeating.
“Amnesty’s abortion agenda has significantly undermined its authentic human rights credentials,” she said. “While there always will be divergences in the international community, the human rights situation is so dire in so many places around the world that what is needed is a shared re-commitment to the basics of human rights.”
“As its agenda grows increasingly aggressive, it is sure to alienate governments that would otherwise want to work with the international community to better their international human rights trajectory. Most insidiously, Amnesty’s efforts not only de-legitimize its own work, but that of the international human rights project as a whole,” Koren told CNA.
Amnesty International claims 7 million members worldwide. In 2018 it received about $352 million in 2018 donations, mostly from individuals.
Amnesty International’s embrace of pro-abortion advocacy, which it announced in 2007, marked a major shift for the organization.
In 2016, documents reportedly hacked from George Soros' Open Society Foundations appeared to show that it would fund Amnesty International's Ireland affiliate to change the Republic of Ireland's pro-life constitutional protections for the rights of the unborn child. The foundations' strategy document indicated it saw Ireland as a model to change pro-life laws in other strongly Catholic countries.
Irish authorities initially ruled that the Amnesty affiliate needed to return some $160,000 to the Soros foundations because it violated Irish law barring foreign donations to third party groups seeking to influence the outcome of a electoral referendum campaign. However, Amnesty International denied the funds were used for its successful campaign to repeal the pro-life amendment, and the ruling against Amnesty Ireland was overturned in court in 2018.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
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Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the ACLU long ago stopped being Human Rights monitors and have long since become Social Justice Warriors and virtue signallers of a far left kind.
Life begins at conception, therefore ‘human rights protections’ start at conception.


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Volunteers who support an adult social care company received a special thank you.
The 20 community champions help Optalis customers at bases in Wokingham, Earley and Woodley complete horticultural activities, such as growing plants and vegetables, at the Growing Places project. Others sell the plants at Acorn Community Centre, in Fernlea Drive, Woosehill, and some help support customers during meal times.
They received a thank you afternoon tea and presentation from Optalis’s Day Service on Thursday, February 27.
Kim Davis, Optalis interim deputy manager at Acorn Community Centre, said: “We wanted to take some time out of our working day to show our volunteers that we really appreciate all the wonderful support they provide us with. It makes our lives so much easier to have that extra support there.”
All volunteers were presented with a certificate of thanks by a senior manager.

domain: sociology


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RCC graduates 484 at 42nd commencement
On Friday, May 9, at Rappahannock Community College’s 42nd Commencement ceremony, college officials bestowed 639 well-earned degrees and certificates on the 484 members of the Class of 2014. These numbers include students who completed their graduation requirements at the end of the summer and fall 2013 semesters as well as those who have just completed the spring semester. In addition to those receiving RCC’s associate degrees in arts and sciences and applied science, its one-year certificates, and its career studies certificates, the ceremony recognized graduates of the RCC Adult Education and Middle College programs, who received GED certificates.
Read the rest of this story in this week’s Southside Sentinel at newstands throughout the county, or sign up here to receive a print and/or electronic pdf subscription.

domain: news


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Argentine stocks rebound, peso hits two-month high
BUENOS AIRES Jan 8 (Reuters) - Argentine stocks rebounded on Tuesday from a three-and-a-half-month low as investors snatched up Petrobras' Argentina unit on rumors of a pending share buyback, which the company denied.
Also, the peso currency surged to its strongest level in two months as the market absorbed a flow of dollars from agricultural exports.
The MerVal index .MERV of 42 leading stocks jumped 1.76 percent to 2,140.90 points. On the broad market, volume was moderate at $37.2 million. Of active shares 36 rose, 33 fell and 12 were unchanged.
Shares of heavily weighted Petrobras Participaciones PCH.BA, the Argentine unit of the Brazilian state oil company Petrobras (PETR4.SA: Cotización), zoomed up 6.88 percent to 5.12 pesos per share.
A Petrobras source in Brazil told Reuters that rumors that the parent company would buy back shares of its Argentine unit "make no sense." The source asked not to be identified.
"There was also an important flow (of buyers) toward Telecom, the stock that has been the most punished in recent weeks," one trader said.
Telecom (TEC2.BA: Cotización), a major Argentine telephone company, soared 6.39 percent to 14.15 pesos per share.
Sovereign bonds rose an average 0.7 percent on the local market as investors reacted positively to 2007 inflation data released on Monday.
Almost 40 percent of locally traded government debt is indexed to inflation, which came in at 0.9 percent in December, close to what the market expected. Continuación...

domain: finance


Zuken introduces E³.3DRoutingBridge, an interface between commonly used MCAD systems and E³.series, its own electrical design environment. The enhanced technology facilitates data exchange between E³.series designs and 3D Harness Design Systems with an all new user interface, single installation and added functionality.
E.3DRoutingBridge sends electrical data, such as device designation, component information and interconnection logic from E³.series to the mechanical CAD system and in turn, receives structural information such as wire length and take off locations. Overall functionality is dependent upon the MCAD system in use and typically includes bend radius checks, collision control, placement of fixings and more. Standard file transfer formats include XML, ASCII, or CSV. Integrating the electrical components into the 3D model at the start of the design ensures a more effective process and addresses time-to-market issues.
E³.3DRoutingBridge will be available in June for Siemens NX, CATIA V5 and SolidWorks design systems. Interfaces for ProEngineer, Inventor, SolidEdge, NX I-deas and LANDMARK are due to follow in the near future.
Geoff Lydon, E³.series Solutions Manager, will discuss the E³.3DRoutingBridge as part of Siemens PLM Connection in Nashville, TN during his Partner Presentation entitled “The Intelligent Link between Electrical and Mechanical CAD” on Tuesday, June 2 from 2:30 – 3:10, Ryman, Studio H. Zuken will also showcase the interface at their booth in the exhibition hall, and offer one-on-one training during the conference. For full details please visit: www.zuken.com/plmconnection-usa
Filed Under: 3D CAD, Electronics • electrical, Mechanical, Software


People who register to be left alone by telemarketers can expect that to start happening sooner under new rules announced Thursday. Starting Jan. 1, telemarketers will have to match their contact lists against the national do-not-call registry every 31 days instead of every three months. People can register their phone numbers or file complaints at www.donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222.
Panhandler shot: A man who witnesses say was panhandling outside a busy downtown department store in Portland, Ore., was shot to death Thursday in front of horrified shoppers. A suspect was quickly arrested, but police said the motive was not immediately known.
Lack of chatter: The threat of a terrorist attack on the U.S. still exists, but officials say there is a conspicuous lack of intelligence "chatter" being picked up. U.S. and foreign intelligence and law enforcement services report a continuing stream of vague, lower-level threats from Al Qaeda and other extremist groups against American interests at home and abroad. But officials say nothing specific and credible has emerged in recent months.
Smugglers convicted: Two men were convicted in a Houston court Thursday for their role in the nation's deadliest human smuggling attempt--a journey in which 19 illegal immigrants died. Victor Jesus Rodriguez and Fredy Giovanni Garcia-Tobar were found guilty of conspiracy and aiding in the transport of immigrants that results in death. Both could face life in prison when sentenced in March.
Democrat leads: Election officials from Seattle's King County convened Thursday to begin counting more than 700 mistakenly discarded ballots that were expected to widen Democrat Christine Gregoire's lead in Washington's incredibly tight race for governor.
On Wednesday, the latest recount put Gregoire ahead of Republican Dino Rossi for the first time, with a mere 10-vote lead out of 2.9 million ballots cast statewide.
Compiled from news services and edited by Lara Weber (email@example.com) and Kris Karnopp (firstname.lastname@example.org)


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BJ The Chicago Kid dropped another album called ‘1123′ along with sexy new video with model Scottie Beam called “Time Today” which you can view below:
BJ and Scottie express their passionate love for each other in the music video. In an interview, BJ said that this is a song you can send to your significant other to get them “in the mood” or to simply let them know that they are loved and thought about.
Stream 1123 album below:
The Chicago Kid also performed “Time Today” on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday (July 31).

domain: celebrity


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Temporary capital to be built in 80 days say Chandrababu Naidu: The temporary capital of Andhra Pradesh will be built in 80 days at a cost of over Rs 200 crore. The state government has asked Satya Vani Projects and Consultants Private Limited to design the buildings in such a way that 5 to 6 lakh square feet of built up space is constructed in eight weeks. Satya Vani had qualified in the technical stage and was selected as the firm to design the master plan, interior and concept plans of the temporary capital’s buildings.
The Infrastructure Corporation of Andhra Pradesh finalised the company on February 4, to design the temporary capital city buildings and it will submit concept plans, interior designs and the master plan by February 25.
Officials said the CM wants to shift some important offices from Hyderabad to the temporary capital by June 8, when the government completes one year in office after the bifurcation. The firm has to ensure construction is completed between March 19 and June 7.
Satya Vani director P. Surya Prakash said pre-cast or pre-engineered technology would be used to construct the buildings. “We are planning to construct four, five buildings with each having more than one lakh square feet built up space,” he said.


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What should you expect during the treatment?
The Acupuncturist will take a medical history and after examination will assess the physical condition of the patient . Once a diagnosis is made, the patient lies down on a padded table while the acupuncturist proceeds with the treatment. Most patients feel very peaceful and may even fall asleep.

domain: medical


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Denzel Curry has shared ‘Zatoichi’ featuring slowthai, the second single from his forthcoming album ‘Melt My Eyez See Your Future’.
Shot on-location in Peru, the video for the track takes inspiration from the legendary 1960’s Japanese samurai movie character of the same name and the cult classic film Kill Bill Vol. 2. The Adrian Villagomez-directed visual features Montreal-based dancer and performer Sophia Gaspard.
Describing his upcoming album Melt My Eyez See Your Future, Denzel says: “I like traditional hip hop, I like drum and bass, I like trap, I like poetry, so a lot of that is going to be interwoven in this album including jazz and a lot of genres that I came up on as a kid and just being in my parents’ house. This album is made up of everything that I couldn’t give you on TA13OO or Imperial because I was going through depression anger issues.”


An internal (non-public) ESOC Navigation Support Office GNSS station.
The antenna is mounted on a concrete pillar at ground level, within the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, Dubai.
The site is managed by EIAST (Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology)
A joint collaboration between EIAST and ESA/ESOC was established in September 2014.
DUBA is the first EGON station to be installed in the Arabian Peninsula.
In March 2015 a Septentrio PolaRx4 receiver was installed together with a Septentrio Chokering MC antenna.
In August 2020 the equipment was upgraded to a Septentrio PolarRx5 receiver and a Septentrio PolaNt Chokering B3/E6 antenna
DUBA GNSS Antenna and Monument


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Elven Goddess of Romantic Love and Beauty
The Heart of Gold, Winsome Rose, Archer of Love, Kiss of Romance, Lady Goldheart
Intermediate Power of Arborea
PORTFOLIO: Love, romance, beauty, fine art and artists
DOMAIN NAME: Olympus/Arvandor
SUPERIOR: Corellon Larethian
ALLIES: Eachthighem, Eilistraee, Cyrrollalee, Isis, Lliira, Lurue, Milil, Sharess, Sharindlar, Sheela Peryroyl, Sune, Tymora, Verenestra, the Seldarine
FOES: Bane (dead), Cyric, Eshebala, Moander (dead), Shar, Talona, Talos and the gods of fury (Auril, Malar, and Umberlee), the drow pantheon (except Eilistraee)
SYMBOL: Heart of gold
WOR. ALIGN.: LG, NG, CG, LN, N, CN
Hanali Celanil (HAN-uh-lee SELL-uh-nihl) is the elven goddess of love, romance, and beauty. Lady Goldheart is predominantly depicted as female, although on rare occasions it is said that she has taken male form. Hanali is revered especially by gold elves and moon elves. Her followers also include elven artisans (particularly sculptors), lovers, performers (particularly bards and dancers), and nobles. Lady Goldheart is also widely revered by half-elves born of joyous unions, in honor of the love that brought their parents together. Hanali is closely associated with Evergold, a sacred crystal fountain and pool found within her crystal palace in Arvandor. She keeps watch over her followers by using the placid waters of Evergold as an immense crystal 138 ball, and philters of love created by elves are said to contain drafts of this fountain’s waters.
Hanali is both an aspect of Angharradh and one of the three elven goddesses-the other two being Aerdrie Faenya and Sehanine Moonbow – who collectively form the Triune Goddess.
This duality tightly binds Hanali with the two other senior elven goddesses, and the three collectively serve alongside Corellon in leading the Seldarine. Hanali has been romantically involved with nearly every member of the Seldarine, particularly Erevan Ilesere, yet she remains amicable with nearly all of her current and former suitors alike. The only notable exception is Fenmarel Mestarine, although he and Lady Goldheart are still formally allied. The Lone Wolf resents the fact that Hanali spurned him long ago in favor of Erevan Ilesere, and some believe that Hanali’s fickleness was what drove Fenmarel into the embrace of Lolth (Araushnee).
Hanali shares the waters of Evergold with the human goddess Sune, as well as the demipower Sharess and several other goddesses of pantheons not worshiped in the Realms. A friendly but intense rivalry exists between Lady Firehair and Lady Goldheart over the innate superiority of human vs. elven beauty. Hanali is close to the human goddess Sharess, particularly in her aspect as Zandilar, as the Dancer was once an elven demigoddess of the Yuir elves whose energy was directed toward passionate, physical love that burns hot and quickly but eventually dies out. While Verenestra (the patron goddess of dryads, nymphs, and sylphs) is rather jealous and snobbishly avoids contact with other goddesses of beauty, love, or romance, Hanali’s kind nature and joyous celebration of life have finally won over the Oak Princess, making the two fast friends. Lady Goldheart actively opposes the efforts of those powers who would destroy beauty and love (such as Lolth and Talos) or who nurture bitterness and heartache (such as Shar). Hanali’s deep enmity for Eshebala, the Queen of the Foxwomen, is rooted in the latter’s exploitation of both beauty and love for her own selfserving, vain, and hedonistic reasons.
Hanali is a being of timeless beauty and benign nature, who always forgives minor transgressions and delights in rewarding her followers with the bliss of unexpected love and affection.
She embodies romance, beauty, love, and joy in elven spirits, her only flaws being her own mild vanity and flighty nature.
Although she rarely appears to her faithful, Hanali delights in seeing the growth of love among elves, and her avatar often acts in secret to protect young lovers.


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Easy to preview and save images in multiple styles. Cool artistic modes. Each mode offers four choices of image versions. Lets you upload images directly to Big Canvas's free PhotoShare network for iPhone users.
Created images are tiny. Not many options for fine-tuning images.
With PhotoArtist, you can create stunning renditions of your iPhone photos and share them on the Big Canvas PhotoShare site. Unfortunately, low resolution doesn't work well for printed art.
If you ever dreamed of becoming an illustrator until you actually tried putting pen or brush to paper, PhotoArtist ($1.99 via the iTunes store) is your consolation prize. This $1.99 (direct) iPhone app will turn your photos into images resembling bold and beautiful stylized drawings, paintings, or illustrations in various fine-art and commercial styles. I found that, at their best, PhotoArtist's effects were among the most appealing produced by the iPhone apps I've examined. What's more, you can easily share your creations with other iPhone users free via the Big Canvas PhotoShare site. But if you want to print the imagesparticularly if you want to use them as artworkyou may be disappointed. Their resolution is lowbarely that of the iPhone screen itself.
PhotoArtist modifies your iPhone photos (either freshly shot, or from your photo library) by letting you apply any of six artistic effects: Illustration, Cartoon, WaterColor, Mono, Pen, and Halftone. In any of these modes, you can choose one of four versionsa 4-in-1 split-screen preview shows you a small portion of each. Clicking on a version displays the full image with that effect applied. To keep it, you press Save. If it's not to your liking, clicking on Cancel will take you back to the original image and you can start again. Even after you've saved a version, pressing Cancel will return you to the original, so you can easily make many versions of the same image. Selecting Share lets you upload the results to Big Canvas's PhotoShare service.
Except with Mono mode, the differences between the four versions in each effect tend to be in their brightness, fineness of detail, or both. When you select Mono, you can choose black, blue, green, or red versions. Unfortunately, Mono's conversion of images into a single color, particularly colors other than black, was often jarring and seldom worked to my satisfaction. But I certainly liked some of the other modes, particularly Illustration and Cartoon, which create results stylized with rich, vibrant colors and thick, dark lines. WaterColor also produces some nice effects in the darkest version; the other three tend to be too washed out for my taste. Pen creates appealing works that resemble ink drawings. With Halftone, which makes images appear screened to resemble a photographic halftone, the results varied greatly from photo to photo.
One drawback I encountered in all six of the modes is that you have no control of the results other than choosing between the four versions in eachthere's no ability to fine-tune them manually. As is, in some of the modesMono, Halftone, and to a lesser extent WaterColorI was often hard-pressed to find a version that I liked. It would be helpful to have some control over brightness and other aspects of an image.
PhotoArtist's integration with the Big Canvas PhotoShare site (which was built especially to host iPhone photos) distinguishes it from other iPhone photo editors. Anyone can upload images to the site, but to register, manage your content, and view other people's work, you need to install the free Big Canvas PhotoShare app. Other photo-sharing sites offer similar iPhone software for uploading and managing images; those apps include Photobucket from the site of the same name, and my favorite, Phanfare's Photon. You'll also find third-party solutions that let you upload photos to Flickr, Picasa, and the like.
The downside to the association between PhotoArtist and the PhotoShare site is that the original 1,600-by-1,200-pixel images are scaled to no more than 480 by 360 pixelsa little wider than the iPhone's screen resolution (480 by 320 pixels), the smallest among the iPhone apps I've looked at. Photo Lab 1600, for instance, scales artistically modified images to a full 1,600 by 1,200 pixelsthe resolution of the iPhone's camera. While 480 by 360 pixels is perfect for viewing photos on your iPhone and okay for posting them to your Web site, it's not so good if you want to print them out. Poor resolution (as low as 72 pixels per inch) is fine for on-screen viewing, but printed images require decent resolution (at least 200 dots per inch, and preferably 300). Increasing the dot density shrinks the image but improves its quality.
PhotoArtist provides some beautiful artistic effects and an easy way to share images using the Big Canvas site. At their best, the application's images are compelling enough that I could see them used for purposes such as creating panels for a comic book, gracing the cover of a small-format book (such as a poetry collection), or in other artistic works. But to really go beyond in-phone or Web use into the realm of printable art, the resolution needs a boost.


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Image via Shutterstock
The biggest risk factor for bladder cancer is smoking tobacco. Tobacco, such as cigarettes, contains carcinogenic chemicals that cause cancer. The longer you smoke cigarettes the higher the likelihood that you obtain bladder cancer, or any form of cancer for that matter. It has been reported that over a third of bladder cancer cases are a direct cause from smoking tobacco. Smokers are roughly four times as likely to get bladder cancer compared to non-smokers.
How Smoking Increases Bladder Cancer Chances
The more you smoke the higher the risk of you developing bladder cancer. After smoking for years the chemicals in cigarettes begin to pass into your bloodstream and into your urine. Carcinogenic chemicals in your urine have to go through the bladder. The repeated exposure to these chemicals in the bladder, because it stores urine, makes the risk of bladder cancer increase even higher. The constant storing of polluted urine can change the cells of the bladder, which is a direct link to bladder cancer.
Bladder cancer was never directly linked to tobacco usage until recently, and scientists believe this is because of a change in the chemical make up of cigarettes. All of the carcinogenic chemicals in cigarettes are what eviscerates the lining of your bladder, which leads to bladder cancer. But it is not just cigarettes that are causing bladder cancer – cigars and pipes containing tobacco are also directly linked.
Other Bladder Cancer Risk Factors
Smoking is the most obvious risk factor for bladder cancer, but did you know there are many other risk factors? One of the other major factors involves workplace exposures. Certain industrial chemical jobs can increase your chances of developing bladder cancer, such as chemicals that are used in the dye industry and organic chemicals. There are also certain medicines and herbal supplements that can lead to bladder cancer. There are particular diabetes medicines and dietary supplements that have been linked to the increase of bladder cancer. Some other more simple risk factors associated with bladder cancer includes arsenic in drinking water and not drinking enough fluids in general.
Demographic Risk Factors
Different race and ethnicity, along with age and gender affect your chances of bladder cancer differently. For race and ethnicity, whites are twice as likely to obtain bladder cancer than any other races. For age, the risk of bladder cancer only gets higher with age, with 90% of people with bladder cancer above the age of 55.
Personal Risk Factors
Genetics, birth defects, personal and family history are some other risk factors that can increase your chances of developing bladder cancer. If you personally have had cancer in any of the lining before, it increases your chances of developing bladder cancer again. There are also two separate birth defects that can increase the chances of bladder cancer, one starts in the belly button and the other in the abdomen. The belly button and bladder are connected before birth and if the connection remains after birth it could become cancerous. The other birth defect is exstrophy, which is when during fetal development the bladder and abdominal wall are fused together, exposing the bladder and increasing the chances of developing cancer.
Bladder Cancer Treatment
Finding a place that is able and willing to treat bladder cancer can be hard to find. Dr. Ron S Israeli not only treats multiple kinds of cancers, but also specializes in the treatment of bladder cancer in New Jersey. We can offer both radical nephrectomy and laparoscopic surgery to help treat bladder cancer patients. We also offer a safe and caring environment with high quality services, putting our patients before anything else. Contact us today to visit our Livingston, NJ office and get started on the treatment of your bladder cancer.