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As this is written Brahminism and Islam, the centuries- old enemies (see DSA ref. p.5 bottom), are again on the collision course. However, a bloody nuclear war looming over the sub-continent has gone to background as India found itself friendless in the world.
In this war frenzy, the Pakistani Muslims were united but India ’s Hinduists looked weak and divided. Even the recent Islamic terrorist attack on Bombay has gone to background.
This is because the overwhelming productive labour (85%) of “Hindu India” is not only not Hindu but victim of Hinduism. Dr. Ambedkar had said all this. The Indian Govt. also knows it. That is why it is not ready to be swayed by the micro-minority war-mongers. The Manmohan Singh Govt. is hesitating though the war-mongering Brahminists are craving for “hate, revenge, blood and bomb”.
Hindu logic: Not only the victims of Hinduism are producers of wealth but they are also advocates of peace. All producers need peace. It is only the consumers that crave for war. The Bahujans are so pre-occupied with their day-to-day drudgery, busy earning their daily bread that they are totally oblivious of the Hindu heroes’ cry for war, blood and bomb.
This has been the unfortunate topsy-turvey situation in India where the producers have no voice at all. Their job is to only stand and wait. And then to do and die. This is the Hindu logic, said Dr. Ambedkar.
What is happening today is not new to students of history. Gujarati Bania M.K. Gandhi, blackmailing Babasaheb on “separate electorate” for Dalits by resorting to his fake fast-unto-death, had given a clear warning that the Untouchables could remain in India only as slaves of the ruling Hindus and at their mercy. This is continuing even to this day.
When the British were leaving India , the very same Brahminical rulers managed to partition the country at the cost of enormous bloodbath. And the creation of Islamic Pakistan gave a wonderful opportunity for the rulers to dub the majority Muslims who decided to remain in India as traitors and Pakistani agents.
Thirst for blood: How about 15 to 20% of the Indian Muslim population is reduced to grinding poverty, pushed to urban slums, daily facing war and violence was graphically depicted in the Sachar Committee report by an upper caste (Hindu). (DV Jan.16, 2007 p.9).
In 1971, the very same Brahminical rulers managed to get Pakistan divided by creating Bangladesh with the help of Mujibur Rahman.
The thirst of this micro-minority Brahminical Social Order for blood is limitless. The killing of over 3,000 Sikhs in cold blood in “Blue Star” (1984), the anti-Mandal war and violence (1991), the demolition of Babri Masjid (1992), the “Gujarat Genocide” killing over 2,500 Muslims. It is an endless story of killing and blood-letting.
When will their thirst for blood end?
There is no war hysteria in the vast countryside and even in the urban working class areas. In other words, the Bahujan Samaj — comprising the SC/ST/BCs and the Muslim/Christian/Sikhs (85%) — are busy doing their daily work and do not contribute to the current beating of war drums and the call for “blood-for-blood” revenge.
Tragedy of India : This hysteria exhibited through their “national” toilet papers and their television is confined to the micro-minority manuwadi upper castes who are not even 15% of our population. There are ever so many saner elements among the upper castes who do not share the call for hate, revenge, blood, bomb.
But the problem of Hindu India is though the govt. is elected by the Bahujans, the minority Brahminical forces control it. As they have the monopoly media, live in big cities and control the country’s entire property and posts, their voice is alone heard.
And the tragedy of India is this unrepresentative, anti-social minority fascist voice is called the “public opinion”. We are over 85%, but none cares for our voice.
Since the last over 60 years every govt. that came right from the Kashmiri Brahmin Nehru up to the Khatri Sikh Manmohan Singh (who is not even an elected leader), came to rule by the votes of the Bahujans and after getting elected it started serving the ruling class. The elected leaders also join the ruling class and concentrate only on implementing its agenda. The only agenda is to keep them poor, illiterate, diseased, toiling masses in perpetual misery.
Once you are poor, you automatically remain uneducated and then inject in them all the Brahminical poison so that they permanently remain slaves of the Brahminical rulers.
This cycle of exploitation is continuing with the full blessings of the ruling Brahminical religion, their millions of holy men, their super rich temples, and their “sacred scriptures”.
Dr. Ambedkar died a sad man: Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the Father of India, had said all these hundreds of times and died a sad man because the ruling Brahminical order used the monster Mahatma to see that every warning given by Babasaheb is maligned, rejected and dug deep in the sands of history.
This is the tragic history of “independent India ” which this very Mahatma handed over to the Hindu hounds and reduced us into permanent slavery. And converted India into a failed state.
If there is a war today it is the innocent, hard-working producers of wealth who will suffer and die. That is why our people are always peace-mongers. Only the Dalal Street Dagabhajis want war.
Religious hatred: The perpetrators of war frenzy are hiding the fact that they are motivated by religious hatred. The Brahminical toilet papers are experts in suppressing the truth. But even a child can make out that the Hindu hate-mongers are itching for war — which nobody in India wants except this ruling class. conference symbolised how much Bush is hated not only in the Muslim world but all over the world and even inside America .
The religious hatred generated by the tiny Brahminical rulers of India resulted in the partition of India and hundreds of anti-Muslim riots — big and small. Yet the Brahminical thirst for blood is not quenched. They want more war, more violence, more blood, despite having not a single friendly neighbour but believing in the goodwill of one single country, America , which itself is hesitating to support the Hindu hysteria.
Pakistan wins diplomatic battle: That means “Hindu India ” has found itself lonely and isolated. A Brahminical daily DNA (Dec.27, 2008) even frankly admitted in its lead story saying “ Pakistan wins”. Because China , Saudi Arabia and even America which India approached asked India to stop sabre-rattling. The Bengali Brahmin Foreign Minister was spitting too much fire and whipping up a war hysteria. India has not a single friend in the world except America but even that became unhelpful.
But on the other Pakistan , a small and weak country, won the first round. Going by the reports in the Brahminical media itself the entire Pakistani political, religious, military leadership, plus the media, stood as one man to fight “Hindu India”. But inside India the Bengali Brahmin Foreign Minister and the Khatri Sikh PM spoke in different voices. The Bahujans who never hate Muslims refused to support their centuries-old Brahminical enemy.
India as a failed state: An offshoot of the current crisis is Gen. Kiyani, the Pakistan army chief, has emerged as the strongman much to the disappointment of the Indian rulers who fondly hoped the corrupt President Zardari would be favourable to India . Zardari has now gone to background in the current churning. Even Nawaz Shariff who earlier differed on some issues has fallen in line. This is another blow on the Brahminical face.
In contrast the opinion in India ’s ruling class itself is divided. Only the irresponsible Brahminical media is itching for war.
We have no hope in the Brahminical hate-mongers ever giving up their hate and their unending thirst for blood and more blood. Any student who has studied the tragic history of India will have to come to this conclusion.
Though India is called a democracy where the majority is supposed to rule, the Bahujan majority of toiling Indians have no voice because they are made slaves. India has already become a failed state, and as our “India Shining” regular column has revealed we as a country are being pushed backward and more backward.
The Brahminical ruling class not only lives in luxury but, as the latest Bombay terrorist attack has revealed, is ever eager to turn any incident to its advantage to further bludgeon the already bleeding Bahujans.
Why India has no revolution: Foreign observers are wondering why the toiling millions, unable to bear the pain of exploitation, are not revolting. Yes. This is a good question which we have answered many times.
Revolution will come only when the oppressed people become conscious of their exploitation and get angry. Here in India the people no doubt are in great pain. But they are not getting angry because they don’t know who is causing this pain. The Hindu rulers have so effectively mesmerised the suffering masses and convinced them that their suffering is because of their own destiny. This Hindu poison injected deep into their veins has convinced them that their suffering is their own making. They are made so unthinking that they can’t identify the enemy-oppressor even when he is standing right in front of him and siphoning off his blood — even as he falls dead in this painless (Hindu) operation. Dr. Ambedkar has said all these.
Letters of blood: Except Dalit Voice, we have not even a single media to bring this to the notice of the victims of this painless operation.
This is the tragic, blood-curdling history of Hindu India. This history has been repeating — endlessly centuries after century.
If any good-hearted, far-sighted, impartial, noble historian were to come in future, she or he can write the sordid, atrophied, violent, criminal past of India only in letters of blood. (Dec.Jan.1, 2009)
(Hindu Serpent vs. Muslim Mongoose, DSA-2007, Rs. 25).


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Ever so elegant, our Floral Dress Cayenne is made to flatter the female form with its gentle ruffle at the hem and eye-catching ditsy floral print. Featuring a square neckline, elastic shirred back and elasticated puff sleeve, it is effortlessly feminine. The perfect dress, that will take you from beach to sunset soiree, wear with a tan mule or add a statement ankle boot for a dazzling desk to dinner ensemble for a chic feel. This feel-good dress is endearingly romantic and is sure to earn a well-deserved place in the favorites section of your wardrobe.
Details & Care
- 100% polyester
- Machine wash cold, with like colors
- True to size
- Model is 170cm and wears size S

domain: design


By now, SSDs have become commonplace in laptops, and we wouldn’t advise building even a budget desktop without one. However, external drives are a different story. Speed isn’t as important as capacity when it comes to backing up and storing all your accumulated data, so the concept of an external SSD is a harder sell. Still, as prices come down, there is a growing market for them.
We’ve already tested two such models from Samsung and SanDisk, which we found to be incredibly useful but not exactly practical for all situations. Adata is a lesser known name when it comes to storage products, but it’s one of Taiwan’s most prolific flash memory vendors, and it has just decided to get into the external SSD game as well.
We’ve previously reviewed two similar products, the Samsung SSD T1 and SanDisk Extreme 500, both of which were good, but for different reasons. The new SE730 (250GB) looks like it could be handy, but does it have what it takes to beat such competition in this very narrow niche? Let’s find out.
Adata SE730 look and feel
The Adata SE730 is actually somewhat smaller than the Samsung T1. It’s about the same length and thickness, but a lot narrower. It looks like a slightly oversized pocket lighter, or maybe a small tin of mints. We received a gold review unit, and it’s also available in a rich red. The metal exterior has a speckled matte finish, and isn’t gaudy at all. We would have liked a more sober option, but most people will be fine with this and even show it off.
Slight depressions on the front and back make the SE730 very easy to hold, and it only weighs 33g. The device is rated IP68 for water and dust resistance as well as MIL-STD-810G 516.6 for shock resistance. It should survive being immersed up to 1.5m deep in water for up to 60 minutes. Surprisingly, there’s no mention whatsoever of these certifications on the product’s packaging – they’re huge advantages for a small device that’s going to be carried around a lot, in our opinion.
That rating is achieved thanks to a rubber-lined cap on one end. It’s easy to pop off and move out of the way. Beneath it, you’ll find a USB Type-C port, which makes perfect sense today. You get only a short Type-A to Type-C cable in the package, so you’ll still need an adapter to use it with today’s slimmest laptops and smartphones (or your own cable with Type-C on both ends, which is more expensive).
Adata SE730 specifications and performance.
Another interesting thing that Adata mentions in passing on its website but doesn’t quite highlight on the SE730’s box is the fact that it supports USB 3.1 Gen 2 speed, which is 10Gbps as opposed to the 5Gbps that most drives labelled USB 3.0 and even USB 3.1 actually run at. This could be extremely useful for those who move large files around. One thing that’s missing though is hardware-level encryption, which both the Samsung SSD T1 and SanDisk Extreme 500 offer.
Files can be encrypted using Adata’s HDDtoGO utility, which is offered as a free download from its website. This also gives you a basic file sync tool and portable Web browsers and email clients for you to use any PC without leaving obvious traces.
Adata also says that it has used high-quality industrial grade MLC flash, resulting in peak read and write speeds of 550MBps and 450MBps respectively – we’ll see how far that holds true in our tests. Note that our test platform’s Gigabyte Z170X-UD5 TH motherboard does support USB 3.1 Gen 2 thanks to its Intel Thunderbolt controller, but only through its own Type-C ports. We were therefore constrained to USB 3.1 Gen 1 speed (5Gbps). The configuration is as follows:
We used both SiSoft SANDRA 2016 and CrystalDiskMark 5.0.3 to test the SE730’s read and write speeds. SANDRA measured sequential read and write speeds of 388.22Mbps and 387.73Mbps respectively, which is a strong showing. The Samsung SSD T1 scored almost exactly the same in terms of reads, but was much slower for writes, which gives Adata the advantage. Random read and write speeds are much more indicative of day-to-day usage, and we measured 301.71Mbps and 394.31Mbps respectively, which was a little weaker than the Samsung SSD T1’s read speed but much stronger than its write speed, and stronger overall than the SanDisk Extreme 500.
CrystalDiskMark gave us pretty much the same results as SANDRA did, but also tests read and write speeds using protocols designed specifically for SSDs. Specifically, when using a queue depth of 32 instead of 1, which tests the SSD controller’s ability to organise and prioritise read and write accesses intelligently, we saw that random read speeds jumped from 20.81Mbps to 129.8Mbps, and random write speeds rose from 40.75Mbps to 151.6Mbps. That was slightly behind the Samsung SSD T1, but ahead of the SanDisk Extreme 500 again.
Portable SSDs bridge the gap between cheap, simple USB pen drives and bulky external hard drives. That isn’t a huge market segment to fill, but it’s hard to argue with the sheer speed and convenience of these devices once you’re used to using them. Storage capacity is relatively limited and the cost is high, but just like with laptops, a lot of people will find that this is a reasonable and even desirable tradeoff. Eventually, prices will fall and SSDs will be very commonplace.
Adata’s offering is one of a very small number of options, and it seems to offer the best of what Samsung and SanDisk showed us with their two differing products. The SE730 is rugged like the SanDisk Extreme 500 but also fast like the Samsung SSD T1. Its printed MRP is significantly lower than both those two, though you can now find them all at equivalent street prices online or at local markets. The SE730’s only flaw is that it doesn’t offer hardware encryption, which both the others do, but if that isn’t important to you, this is a solid all-rounder.
Price: Rs. 9,500 (250GB)
Ratings (Out of 5)


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|Date||R||Home vs Away||-|
|05/21 07:00||-||Queensland Firebirds vs Sunshine Coast Lightning||View|
|05/21 09:00||-||Melbourne Vixens vs NSW Swifts||View|
|05/22 04:00||-||West Coast Fever vs GIANTS Netball||View|
|05/22 06:00||-||Collingwood Magpies vs Adelaide Thunderbirds||View|
|Date||R||Home vs Away||-|
|05/18 10:00||-||Adelaide Thunderbirds vs Queensland Firebirds||68-55|
|05/18 08:00||-||Collingwood Magpies vs GIANTS Netball||60-69|
|05/17 10:00||-||West Coast Fever vs Melbourne Vixens||64-70|
|05/17 08:00||-||Sunshine Coast Lightning vs NSW Swifts||60-61|
|05/15 06:00||-||NSW Swifts vs Adelaide Thunderbirds||54-40|
|05/15 04:00||-||Collingwood Magpies vs Queensland Firebirds||70-63|
|05/14 09:00||-||GIANTS Netball vs Melbourne Vixens||63-66|
|05/14 07:00||-||Sunshine Coast Lightning vs West Coast Fever||65-74|
|05/08 06:00||-||GIANTS Netball vs NSW Swifts||43-52|
|05/08 04:00||-||West Coast Fever vs Collingwood Magpies||72-69|
|05/07 09:00||-||Sunshine Coast Lightning vs Adelaide Thunderbirds||42-46|
|05/07 07:00||-||Melbourne Vixens vs Queensland Firebirds||66-64|
Suncorp Super Netball is the top level netball league featuring teams from Australia. In 2017 it replaced the ANZ Championship, which also included teams from New Zealand, as the top level netball league in Australia. Since 2019, the league has been governed, on behalf of Netball Australia, by an independent commission. Its main sponsor is Suncorp Group. In 2017, Sunshine Coast Lightning were the inaugural Suncorp Super Netball winners.
In May 2016, Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand announced that the ANZ Championship would be discontinued after the 2016 season. In Australia it was replaced by Suncorp Super Netball and in New Zealand it was replaced by the ANZ Premiership. The founding members of Suncorp Super Netball included the five former Australian ANZ Championship teams – Adelaide Thunderbirds, Melbourne Vixens, New South Wales Swifts, Queensland Firebirds and West Coast Fever – plus three brand new franchises; Collingwood Magpies, Giants Netball and Sunshine Coast Lightning.
With a team coached by Noeline Taurua, captained by Geva Mentor and also featuring Caitlin Bassett, Karla Pretorius and Stephanie Wood, Sunshine Coast Lightning finished the 2017 season as inaugural champions after defeating Giants Netball 65–48 in the grand final. In 2018 they retained the title after defeating West Coast Fever 62–59 in the grand final.
In 2019, Briony Akle guided New South Wales Swifts to their first Suncorp Super Netball title. Despite losing their new captain, Maddy Proud, to injury early in the season, Swifts finished the regular season in second place. In the major semi-final, they lost to Sunshine Coast Lightning. However, they then defeated Melbourne Vixens in the preliminary final. In the grand final they faced Lightning again but this time defeated them 64–47 to emerge as champions.
In 2020, with a team coached again by Simone McKinnis and co-captained by Kate Moloney and Liz Watson , Melbourne Vixens finished the season as both minor premiers and overall champions. In the Grand Final they defeated West Coast Fever 66–64.
In 2021 with a team coached by Briony Akle and co-captained by Maddy Proud and Paige Hadley, New South Wales Swifts won their second Suncorp Super Netball title. In the grand final they defeated Giants Netball 63–59.

domain: sports


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- Gender: Female
- Age: 16
- Hair: Fuchsia
- Eyes: Red
- Nationality: French
- From the game series Street Fighter, by Capcom
- First Appearance: Chapter 12
Another Doll, originally French, and representing February. Fevrier’s official art shows her carrying a pistol and holster on her belt.
Otherwise, little is known about her… aside from the fact that the picture to the right nonwithstanding, her hair is actually a rather vivid pink/fuchsia.

domain: entertainment


Doug Allen has been ratified as the new Chief Executive Officer of Virginia Railway Express by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission(NVTC) and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC), according to Virginia Railway Express Chairman Wally Covington.
Allen replaces Dale Zehner, who served as VRE's first CEO from 2004 until his retirement on June 30, 2012.
Allen is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer of Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority in Austin, Texas.
“The Operations Board felt that Mr. Allen’s background and his previous experience made him a perfect fit for moving VRE ahead in the years to come,” said Chairman Covington in a press release.
According to the release, one of Allen's priorities will be to maintain VRE’s customer-driven philosophy. He said one of his goals will be to implement the Phase 2 Long-Term Strategic Plan as adopted by the Operations Board, which calls for the commuter rail agency to explore new and innovative ways to expand service into areas including Gainesville, Haymarket and Spotsylvania County.
"What stood out to me about VRE is their approach to service," said Allen. "It became quickly apparent that the Board’s focus is on their riders, and that is something that I am very passionate about as well."


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Commissioner Lindsey Allison at the Sept. 12 Shelby County Commission meeting.
The Shelby County Commission has approved a budget for fiscal year 2017, which begins Oct. 1.
The budget included more than $106.5 million in proposed revenues and more than $106.3 in proposed expenditures. When approving the budget at its Sept. 12 meeting, the Shelby County Commission also approved an amendment regarding funding for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
The amendment was proposed by Commissioner Lindsey Allison, who said the amendment would allow the commission to monitor money in case of any budget overages in regard to the sheriff’s office.
“My thought process was this was the first time, with the exception of one period about seven or eight years ago, that we had a substantial overage by the sheriff’s department,” Allison said. “At this juncture, I think if all goes well, we will be able to cover that, but I was concerned about that being a pattern and practice in the future.”
In addition to the funding for the Sheriff’s Office included in the budget — including more than $21 million in operating expenses, $100,000 in capital expenses, and funding for training, management and equipment and other expenses — the commission proposed for fiscal year 2017 $600,000 from General Fund reserves to be matched by $300,000 from the sheriff’s discretionary fund. The budget also projects $401,500 from the sheriff’s office’s federal inmate housing contract.
The amendment would mean that $1,001,500 would be allocated as the fiscal year progresses so that the commission could monitor spending.
“If there’s any overages of the budget, we can make adjustments possibly with that money to accommodate those overages,” Allison said. “If there’s no overages, the Sheriff will see an additional $1 million, be it through the federal inmate or the general fund reserve.”
Commissioner Corley Ellis said while he agreed with the amendment, he wanted to make sure there was a standard for when the commission would review spending by the sheriff’s office, suggesting reviewing it on a month-to-month basis.
Sheriff John Samaniego said the sheriff’s office will need to replace about 10 cars and one jail van this fiscal year, and holding the money back at this time could delay ordering those vehicles.
“Fall is the time to order the car replacements, and if you don’t order then, then you’re not going to get them until the following summer,” he said. “That’s the only detriment.”
He also said the sheriff’s office faces several variables and unexpected expenses throughout the year. The federal inmate money is not something he intends to draw on, Samaniego said, but would rather use that money for major projects or to cover any “out-of-bounds” situations that come up.
Allison said she understands that the sheriff’s office faces unexpected costs, but said the amendment would allow the commission to monitor on a monthly or quarterly basis the financial situation so that it doesn’t face an overage similar to this year’s, which will be a few hundred thousand.
It will take a commission action to release the money, and the commission can choose to release the funds at the necessary increments, Allison said. The example she gave was if the sheriff needed funding for a new jail van, the commission could choose to release more than $100,000 to the sheriff’s office while knowing there was more than $800,000 still available.
The commission unanimously approved the budget and the amendment.
Also at the meeting, the commission:
- Approved the holiday and payroll calendar for 2016-17
- Approved an alcohol license for a convenience store/ gas station located off of Highway 70 in Columbiana.
- Approved a three-year contract renewal with Waste Pro.

domain: economics


text:
Jay Driver, Jr., Wellesley: This junior tossed a complete game, allowing zero earned runs on three hits while striking out 12, and also went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI at the plate for Wellesley in its 8-2 win over Bay State Conference foe Framingham on May 15. Driver followed that up with a solo home run in the Raiders’ 6-5 loss to St. Peter-Marian on May 18.
Jack Tempesta, Sr., Nipmuc: This senior pitcher pitched six innings and struck out nine for Nipmuc in its 4-3 Dual Valley Conference win over Hopedale on May 15.
Matt McGrath: Sr., Dover-Sherborn: This senior southpaw tossed a complete game one-hitter for the Raiders in their win over Tri-Valley League foe Holliston on May 15.
Tom Connor and Matt Scibilio, Jrs., Scituate: Connor pitched a gem on May 13, striking out 14 batters as part of a no-hitter in an 11-0 win over North Quincy. Scibilio struck out 14 and allowed only two hits on May 16 for the Sailors in a 4-0 win over Hanover.Who is the Wicked Local Baseball Player of the Week? Jay Driver, Jr., Wellesley Jack Tempesta, Sr., Nipmuc Matt McGrath, Sr., Dover-Sherborn Tom Connor and Matt Scibilio, Jrs., Scituate Survey Maker | Make Surveys in Minutes | PollMaker
Voting for Wicked Local Player of the Week ends on Thursday morning at 10 a.m. One vote is allowed per day. If the poll does not load properly, go directly to a Wicked Local website on a browser or browser app. Send nominations for next week's players of the week to Chris McDaniel via email at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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DCS investigated 186 child deaths last year; most children were known to the agency
A 4-month old died from blunt force trauma, allegedly at the hands of his father.
An infant girl drowned in a bathtub. Her intoxicated mother was asleep in the tub beside her.
A 7-year-old boy died after a high-speed chase in a car driven by his father. The father, brandishing a gun, was pursuing a vehicle that had cut him off before the fatal crash.
They are among the 115 Tennessee children who died last year in families that had come to the attention of the Department of Children's Services. In some instances, DCS was actively investigating a family when a child died. In others, children died after DCS had concluded its involvement with the family and closed the case.
Ten of the children were in DCS custody at the time of their deaths.
Three DCS caseworkers were terminated — or resigned in lieu of being fired — because of their conduct prior to a child's death. DCS did not provide information about these caseworkers or their mistakes, citing confidentiality rules
DCS is obligated under state and federal law and a 2012 court order to publicly disclose case files regarding child deaths.
But it may be years before the public can view many of those records. The department posts redacted case files online after its review is complete. It wasn't until April 1 of this year that DCS completed its 2016 investigations.
The USA TODAY Network - Tennessee reviewed the 37 child deaths in 2018 for which DCS has publicly released information. The records are redacted to protect names and locations.
READ THE CASES: DCS released 37 case files to the Tennessean. Read them here.
'She ain't nothing but drama'
Just before 7 a.m. on April 27, 2018, police responded to a 911 call about a 1-year-old baby who wasn't breathing.
When police and emergency workers got to the apartment, they said the home was in complete "disarray."
There were "piles of clothes observed to be scattered, roaches throughout the room and wall" and "several white pills in the bedroom where the crib was located, lying on the floor."
Emergency workers performed CPR and transported the baby to a hospital, where efforts to resuscitate him failed.
An autopsy revealed the cause of death was a chronic viral infection complicated by strep throat. But the details laid out in the 87-page case file raise questions about whether any child would be safe in the home.
The boy's mother tested positive for amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstacy and cocaine. Investigators took hair samples of the three surviving children, ages 1, 2 and 7. They each tested positive for "high levels" of methamphetamine and cocaine.
A family friend told investigators he had seen the mother the evening before the child's death "crawling around the home on her hands and knees. It appeared (the mother) was not caring for her children," the relative said.
Days before the boy's death, DCS opened an investigation on the family based on allegations of a lack of supervision, and physical and psychological abuse, according to the file.
A day before he died, a caseworker stopped by the family's home "but no one would come to the door."
It was the second time in a month that DCS had been called in.
Caseworkers investigated an allegation that the children weren't being properly supervised on April 5, 2018.
"No Services Needed," the caseworker wrote.
In total, DCS responded at least 15 times to allegations of child abuse or neglect involving the family during a 14-year period prior to the child's death. The agency took an additional 15 reports they listed as "screen outs" — reports of abuse or neglect that the agency did not pursue.
DCS tracks investigations by family, not individual, so it is not clear in the redacted records which family members were the subject of those prior investigations.
The child lived with his mother. On the afternoon of the boy's death, a DCS investigator and a police officer went to visit the boy's father.
The father said the mother had called him about the boy's death earlier that day. "She ain't nothing but drama," the father told them. The officer and investigator noticed a bottle of liquor and a clear plastic cup on the counter. The father laughed and said he was "taking shots" that day. He did not go to the hospital, where his son lay dead.
After the boy's death, DCS removed three other children from the home and placed them with grandparents. Investigators said they could not substantiate the mother was responsible for abuse resulting in the child's death.
The 7-year-old later told caseworkers he had witnessed violence between his mother and another adult and had sometimes stepped in to protect his siblings.
More:Read the full case file on this child's death here
An uptick in unsafe sleeping deaths
The Department of Children's Services tracks deaths of children in custody and deaths of children in families previously contacted by the department within three years.
The department also investigates any child death in which there is an allegation of abuse or neglect in families with no prior DCS interaction. In 2018, the department reviewed 71 such deaths. In total, the department reviewed the deaths of 186 children.
Records made publicly available show the majority of deaths involved infants found unresponsive after they were put to sleep. One infant slipped to the side of a futon, his head wedged in the frame. An infant girl was found dead in her crib under a heavy blanket.
Carrie Weir, a DCS spokesman, noted the department tries to learn lessons from their review of child deaths to guide future policies.
In response to the number of unsafe sleep deaths in 2018, DCS this year began a "Safe Sleep Collaborative" with other state departments to expand education about the proper way to put a baby to sleep: on the baby's back, on a flat or firm surface without any blankets or other objects.
In 2017, after reviewing 134 deaths, including 17 children who were in DCS custody at the time of their deaths, DCS identified key areas for improvement that included increased focus on assessing parents' substance abuse and increasing accountability for case managers who screen out child abuse referrals while a case is open.
'In a matter of seconds'
Other tragic deaths involved families with no prior contact with DCS.
A father had repeatedly warned his wife's stepfather about the dangers of allowing the stepfather's 6-year-old child to play on a riding lawnmower. A neighbor had also complained.
The two families lived nearby. And one afternoon, when the man again saw the 6-year-old and another child playing on the lawnmower, he walked over to confront the stepfather.
Unbeknownst to the father, his own 3-year-old daughter was following behind him.
He didn't see her until it was too late.
The 6-year-old jumped off the lawnmower just before it ran over her 3-year-old cousin, killing the girl in a "matter of seconds" a result of "multiple sharp and blunt force injuries."
The father ran to his nearby home to call 911. His wife was breastfeeding their newborn baby, unaware of what just happened.
Three days later, a DCS investigator went to the family's home. The girl's parents were "distraught," according to the case notes.
More:Read the full case file on this child's death here
The mother "was visibly upset, holding a stuffed animal of the deceased child's and rocking back and forth, while speaking to the stuffed animal, symbolically as if the stuffed animal was the deceased child. (The mother) was apologizing to the stuffed animal asking what she had done wrong, praying and asking for forgiveness from the child."
When the couple received their daughter's cremated remains, the family moved back to Mexico. The step-grandfather was "remorseful," the case notes said. He faced no criminal charges.
Reach Anita Wadhwani at firstname.lastname@example.org or 615-259-8092. Follow her on Twitter @AnitaWadhwani.

domain: news


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This is a News In Brief article. Read more about this story by following the link below:
B2Boost detailed the remarkable impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer games spending in Europe
Publisher used Parsec to allow over 1,000 journalists to remotely play Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Watch Dogs Legion
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Robyn and Röyksopp
Features:Age: All Ages Price: $39.50
Seattle’s summer outdoor concert slate is dominated by classic rock, ’90s retreads, and esteemed mellow songwriters. Swedish synthpop queen Robyn (accompanied by Norwegian electronic duo Röyksopp) looks to provide a jolt to that system with her emotionally charged dance anthems. Leave the lawn chairs at home and move your feet.


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As with any surgical procedure, orthopedic surgery comes with a recovery period afterward. All operations require some form of tissue trauma, and musculoskeletal surgery involves cutting skin, muscle, tendon, ligament, and/or bone tissues – so these must heal before you regain your motion and strength in the area.
It therefore takes significant time for your body to be able to handle intense physical activity or exercise after orthopedic surgery. However, following these guidelines should help you return to your pre-surgery lifestyle as quickly as possible.
Physical Therapy After an Orthopedic Operation
After your surgery, you can expect to work for weeks or even months with a physical therapist, who will slowly guide you in regaining your lost strength and mobility. You may be surprised at how soon after the surgery that you will begin these exercises, but the medical profession has learned that patients who lie down for too long after an operation will experience atrophy quickly – so activity will begin very soon, albeit mild activity.
Physical therapy is the key for you to eventually return to your normal activity levels. The main goal of physical therapy exercises is to gradually strengthen the damaged tissue around the surgical site, and this may even include the therapist performing all of the motions themselves by moving your joints manually. If the surgery was extensive, the body must re-learn how to move.
Adding Exercises Gradually
A common mistake for people who have had orthopedic surgery is to rush through rehabilitation. They may feel that they can handle more stringent activities, so they proceed beyond their current capabilities.
However, this can lead to another injury, and it may even undo what was done in the surgery. Perform the therapy exercises your physical therapist shows you, and don’t push your limits beyond these until the therapist says you’re ready. The exercises may seem silly or “soft” at first, but they will grow in duration and complexity until you’re healed. Be patient with yourself.
As a general rule, the first few months after major surgery is not the time to test your limits. Instead of fixating on your temporary weakness, focus on rest and recuperation so that you can give your body time to become strong again.
Adding Variety to Your Exercises
During the early parts of your recovery, you may only be able to perform basic stretches. However, you will be able to engage in more exercises as your strength, flexibility, and range-of-motion increase. Your physical therapist will show you how to perform a variety of movements as you get stronger.
Diversification of movements can also prevent overexertion, which can happen to specific muscle groups if you stick to a single exercise. Varying your activities will help to make your exercise sessions more exciting and fun.
Quality Orthopedic Healthcare in Maryland
Physical rehabilitation plays a crucial role in returning your body to top shape after musculoskeletal surgery. Through professionally guided gradual progression of activity and exercise variety, you will be able to optimize your healing time.
Our orthopedic medical team at the Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland serve clients in several convenient locations across Maryland. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, contact us today by calling (410) 644-1880 or (855) 4MD-BONE (463-2663), or request an appointment via our online form now. We look forward to helping you get back to the lifestyle you love!

domain: medical


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The more that things change, the more they stay the same
Tonight is the first night of Passover and Sunday is Easter, and this year the holidays will be celebrated far differently from years past. One thing that never changes is CHOCOLATE.
Chocolate and Easter
Of course, the chocolate has been a mainstay of secular Easter celebrations for over 150 years. Becasue the technology for pouring and moulding chocolate wasn't very advanced, the first chocolate eggs made in the early 1800's were solid dark chocolate and likely very grainy. But around 1828, Dutch chocolatier and chemist Coenraad Johannes van Houten patented a process for separating cocoa powder from cocoa mass:
"The modern era of chocolate making began in 1828 when Van Houten patented his method for removing most of the cocoa butter from processed cacao, leaving a powdered chocolate. Untreated cocoa mass, or “liquor,” the end result of grinding cacao beans, contains about 53% cocoa butter. Van Houten invented a hydraulic press which reduced the amount to about 27%, leaving a cake that could be pulverized into a fine powder, which we know as cocoa. To improve this powder’s ability to mix with liquid, Van Houten treated it with alkaline salts, which came to be known as “Dutching.”
With the cocoa butter separated from the mass, chocolate makers now had a new and intriguing substance. Adding it to chocolate creates a creamier and more malleable product, making it supple enough to be molded into bars and more elaborate filled confections." - Cornell University Library
It was British chocolatier J.S. Fry & Sons that produced the first chocolate Easter Egg. Two years later, Cadbury created the modern chocolate Easter egg after developing a pure cocoa butter that could be moulded into smooth shapes. By 1893 the company held patents on 19 different egg patterns and the rest, as they say, is history.
Chocolate and Passover
A limited and thoroughly unscientific poll (ie - asking my friends on FB) says that chocolate plays far less of a roll in secular celebrations of Passover. It seems that it mostly shows up in the form of chocolate covered matzo. Here's a great recipe for Matzo Toffee with Almonds from our friends at Serious Eats
There's also something that apparently brings back a flood of memories - something called Lollycones which are nothing more than melted chocolate on a stick. Several people said they "pretty much defined my childhood."
Whichever holiday you're celebrating, be safe, be healthy, and be thankful. And eat chocolate.

domain: food


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Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address the lower house of the Dutch parliament on Thursday via a video link.
Zelenskyy has been making a virtual tour of foreign parliaments, including those of Japan, Australia, Canada and Norway as part of his efforts to bolster support for Ukraine following the Russian invasion.
The speech will start at 10.15 and will be followed by a parliamentary debate.
All political parties will attend the debate apart from the far-right Forum voor Democratie, which is boycotting the speech on the grounds that it is inappropriate.
That decision by FvD leader Thierry Baudet has led to two of the party’s three remaining senators, Theo Hiddema and Paul Frentrop, to leave the far right grouping. They described the MP’s decision as ‘a surprise and disappointment’.
Their decision to quit leaves the party with just one senator. Eleven of the 12 senators elected in the provincial elections of 2019 have since left FvD following a string of splits.
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.
We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.Make a donation


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The federal reserve lowered the target range for the federal funds rate to 2-2.25 percent during its July meeting, the first rate cut since the financial crisis, as inflation remains subdued amid heightened concerns about the economic outlook and ongoing trade tensions with China. Interest Rate in the United States averaged 5.66 percent from 1971 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 20.
Adjustments to the federal funds target rate are made by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) usually at regularly scheduled meetings; but can also be adjusted at any time with an emergency meeting. The Fed Funds Rate reported in the chart is based upon the Fed Funds Rate on the first day of each respective month.
federal discount rate chart – travelgurudiscountcoupon.com FREE Get deal federal reserve Board – Discount Rate FREE Get Deal The Discount Rate. The discount rate is the interest rate charged to commercial banks and other depository institutions on loans they receive from their regional Federal Reserve Bank’s lending facility–the discount window.
Federal Discount Rate: The federal discount rate is the interest rate set by the Federal Reserve on loans offered to eligible commercial banks or other depository institutions as a measure to.
This was a crazy week in the markets with almost 1000 public companies reporting earnings, the Federal. a 6-month chart of the VIX from the CBOE site. Investors are flying from stock into the.
The Federal Reserve is implementing updated collateral margins for discount window lending and payment system risk purposes, effective July 1, 2019. Federal Reserve announces in-scope institutions’ dual file submission period to begin in 30 days. April 02, 2019
Current Bank Intrest Rates The Standing Lending Facility (the interest rate paid by the commercial banks. goal of macro-economic stability". The Central Bank attributed low inflation to "the recent evolution of prices, the.House Market Interest Rates Could falling interest rates mean a pick-up in hiring by mortgage lenders? – It looks like refinancing is making a comeback in the housing market. Dropping interest rates have brought a spike in applications to refinance mortgage loans. According to a report from financial.
The charts below show the targeted fed funds rate changes since 1971. Until October 1979, the Federal Open Market Committee didn’t announce its target interest rate after meetings. The target rate was inferred by an archived chart published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
For example, on July 18th, sentiment trader published the following scary-looking chart, which seems to indicate that a correction is likely coming soon. However, if the "dumb money" is really being.
US Discount Rate is at 3.00%, compared to 3.00% last month and 2.50% last year. This is higher than the long term average of 2.09%.
The Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington DC. FRB: H.15 Release–Selected Interest Rates–Historical Data skip to main navigation skip to secondary navigation skip to content
Federal Prime Interest Rate When the Fed lowered its interest rate from 5.25 percent to 4.75 percent on September 18, 2007, the prime rate also dropped, from 8.25 percent to 7.75 percent. But Libor rose from 5.5 percent to 5.6 percent. As the Fed continued to lower its rate, the prime also fell. Libor bounced up and down.


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Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) September 29, 2014
The Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) today announced that U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson received its prestigious Friend of the Hotelier award at the AAHOA National Advocacy Conference.
Wilson has co-sponsored several pieces of AAHOA-supported legislation, including the Save American Works Act of 2014, which reinstates the traditional 40-hour work week amended by the Affordable Care Act. He also co-sponsored the Jobs Originated through Launching Travel (JOLT) Act, which expands the visa waiver program, and the Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act of 2014, which reauthorizes Brand USA that markets the United States as a destination for foreign travelers.
“Congressman Joe Wilson is a strong supporter of the hospitality industry, and he understands the important contributions of AAHOA members,” said AAHOA Chairman Pratik Patel. “He has championed many pieces of legislation that will positively impact small business owners, and AAHOA is proud to call him our friend.”
The Friend of the Hotelier award is given to public officials and community leaders, who demonstrate extraordinary and persistent support of issues that serve to promote the hospitality industry and positively impact small business owners.
Founded in 1989, AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world, with more than 12,500 small business owner-members. AAHOA members own more than 20,000 properties amounting to more than 40 percent of all hotels in the United States and employ nearly 600,000 workers, accounting for over $9.4 billion in payroll annually.


Booker Group is hoping that its £3.7 billion tie-up with Tesco will complete next year as planned as it reported solid first-half figures amid mounting opposition to the deal.
The country’s largest cash-and-carry wholesaler said that it was “business as usual” as it awaited the verdict from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and added that it expected the merger to complete early next year.
Booker’s confidence that its merger with Tesco will go ahead comes despite fierce criticism from its wholesaler rivals that the deal will adversely impact independent retailers.
Seven wholesalers including Bestway, Landmark and Spar have co-signed a letter asking the CMA to block the deal. They have claimed that if the deal goes ahead Tesco would have an unrivalled power in…


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Address: 47474 258th Street, Renner, SD 57055
Phone: (605) 338-7120
For HyVee Card purchase, call 605-338-7120 or send an email to firstname.lastname@example.org.
From Sioux Falls, take Cliff Ave 3 miles north of I-90, 1/4 mile west on 258th Street. Church will be on the right.
From I-29, take Exit 86 (Renner/Crooks Exit). Drive east 2.7 miles. Church will be on the left.

domain: geography


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Sun, sand, and sea. Just one thing missing, which he magically produced from behind him: A 1998 vintage. He thought of everything…
Word Count: 22
My Eyes Twinkle, And
Heart Beats Faster, As The Breeze
Brings Her Scent To Me…
The flowers look pretty.
Nicely arranged, in a glass vase, their hues reflect in the ambient lighting. The flowers have a pure gold lining. I can see that he has spent a lot on them.
They are my valentine’s gift from him. However, I know it is not just a gift. He has sent the flowers because he could not come meet me. Just like every other week. It is an apology. The flowers do look pretty, but I hate them. He does not even remember that about me. The flowers are completly fake.
Just like his love for me…
Word Count: 100
I looked up at the guard banging his baton on the gate of my jail cell.
The glee in his eyes betrayed his thoughts. He had come to scoff at his favorite toy.
“Look what came for you.”
He showed me a pretty box and opened it to reveal cupcakes. I walked towards the door.
“Your girlfriend has sent you a Valentine’s Day gift.”
I looked longingly at the cupcake. Before I could speak, the guard had stuffed his mouth with a cupcake.
Within seconds the pig was out cold.
Phase one of escape plan: Complete…
Thanks to her!
Word Count: 99
This Garden I Built,
Full Of These Fragrant Flowers.
Reproduce Your Scent…
Body Meets Body,
Blushing In Hot Tight Embraces,
Not Chaste Any More…
Candles Glow Warmly,
All Neatly Arranged For You,
My Lady of Lights…
Hidden From The World,
Only You, Me, and Nature.
I sat in the diner, looking out of the nearest window.
The street was bustling with activity. I could see all sorts of weird monsters and creatures of terror roaming about. After all, it was Halloween night, and everyone had something to do. The children were scurrying about in their cute costumes, angling for as many potential tooth decays as they could. The adults were party hopping, all gussied up in the sexy versions of vampires, werewolves, and other famous monsters, or rather whichever costumes were available in the store.
It was almost midnight. I was extremely excited. It had been so long since I had been on a date. I knew I was looking great. The hungry stares that had followed me ever since I got out of my house were evidence enough. However, I couldn’t help but have butterflies in my stomach. I figured I would drown them with some ice cream soda. Just as the soda arrived, I noticed a figure wearing a slightly old fashioned, but expensive looking suit. My date had finally arrived.
I watched as the love of my life shuffled into the diner and made his way slowly to where I was sitting. As he approached me, he fetched out a rose from his pocket and offered it to me. He was so romantic. I took the rose from him and kissed him on the cheek.
He moaned in delight. I asked him how the year had gone for him. He moaned in response. Okay yes, I do speak zombie. Yes, the love of my life is of the undead variety. However, I loved him and he loved me. This was the only night of the year we could meet and celebrate our love.
Our Halloween Love…
Written for Kelly Griffiths’ Flash Fiction Contest
Image Credit: Jean-Philippe Delberghe

domain: literature


text: Hair tie with crystal beads, rhinestones, pearl beads, and beads. Embroidery on the base, nylon elastic. The beautiful colors of the decoration will create a bright accent in the hairstyle of their mistress. Rhinestones, stones, and beads create a romantic shine in your hair. The noble luster of crystal beads. The trend is clearly to our taste: an interesting, unusual, and eccentric hair clip will easily replace any other accessories, even if you decide to wear simple jeans and a laconic White Oversized Women's T-shirts.

domain: artistic


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Please note: We would like to help you find the right cat and understand its needs, so please fill in as much information as possible. While we carefully monitor all our animals, and make sure they receive necessary veterinary care, we have limited knowledge of their backgrounds. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the health, behavior, temperament, age, or breed of any animal adopted. Also, please understand that you assume full financial responsibility for this pet, including any health care or training.
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If less than 2 years, previous address
List all the animals you’ve owned in the last three years. Please include breed, name, sex, age, spayed or neutered, time owned, where pet is housed, do you still own the pet, if not what happened?
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If yes, give his/her name, and clinic name and phone number
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Understanding the NFL Playoffs: A Comprehensive Guide
The Basics of the NFL Playoffs The NFL playoffs are a single-elimination tournament that determines the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the season. The tournament consists of 14 teams, seven from each conference, and is divided into three rounds: the Wild Card Round, Divisional Round, and Conference Championships. The winners of the conference championships then face each…Read More »
How Many Super Bowls Have the Rams Won?
The Rams’ Super Bowl History The Los Angeles Rams have a long history in the NFL, and they have made several appearances in the Super Bowl. The team was originally located in Cleveland, Ohio, where they played from 1936 to 1945. In 1946, the team moved to Los Angeles and became the first NFL team to play on the West…Read More »


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Vanity units: wall-hung, freestanding or pedestal for every style
If you're looking for a vanity unit for your bathroom, you've probably noticed that there are several options. Whether suspended, freestanding or pedestal, each offers a different style and practicality. In this article, we'll explore the different features of these types of furniture, to help you choose the ideal new piece of furniture for your wet rooms.
The wall-hung vanity: a modern design choice
The suspended vanity unit is one of the most popular options for modern bathrooms. These are fixed to the wall, without any contact with the floor, creating an illusion of floating that adds a minimalist, uncluttered touch to the room. Here are just a few of the advantages of a wall-mounted vanity:
- Space-saving: by being fixed directly to the wall, this type of unit frees up floor space, making cleaning easier and giving the impression of more space.
- A wide variety of styles: there's a multitude of materials and designs for wall-hung furniture, from solid wood to lacquered finishes and contemporary patterns.
- Easy installation: although installation requires the unit to be fixed to the wall, most models are easy to assemble, and some even come with an integrated fixing system.
Disadvantages of wall-hung vanity units
Although highly appreciated for its style and modernity, the suspended vanity unit also has a few drawbacks:
- Wall strength: it's essential to check that the wall can bear the weight of the cabinet and basin. If the wall is too light or fragile, you may need to consider an alternative solution.
- Limited storage space: wall-hung units generally offer less storage space than autres types of vanity units. This can be problematic if you need a lot of space to store your bathroom products and accessories.
Freestanding vanity units: versatility and practicality
If you're looking for a vanity unit that's both easy to install and functional, a free-standing vanity unit could be the ideal solution for your bathroom. As its name nom suggests, this type of unit simply rests on the floor, with no need for wall mounting. Here are just a few of the advantages of freestanding vanity units:
- Installation rapide: no need to drill holes in the wall or invest in a complex fastening system. Free-standing units are quick and easy to install.
- Generous storage: unlike wall-hung units, freestanding units often offer more storage space, with shelves and drawers to organize your belongings.
- Adaptability: you can choose from a wide range of sizes and styles, making it easy to find the ideal free-standing vanity unit for your bathroom, whatever its size or layout.
Disadvantages of free-standing vanity units
Despite their many advantages, free-standing vanity units also have a few drawbacks:
- Floor clutter: as the unit rests directly on the floor, it can appear to take up more space in the room, making cleaning slightly less convenient than with a wall-hung unit.
- Less modern appearance: although some models are very stylish, free-standing units can appear less contemporary than their suspended counterparts, particularly in minimalist or streamlined bathrooms.
The pedestal vanity: classic elegance and stability
For those who prefer a more traditional style, the pedestal vanity is an interesting option. Featuring legs that support the cabinet and basin, it offers a classic look and elegant. Here are just a few of the advantages of a pedestal vanity:
- Timeless aesthetics: the pedestal cabinet brings a touch of elegance to your bathroom, whether you opt for a Baroque, Victorian or simply traditional style.
- Stability: legs provide solid support for the basin and cabinet, avoiding the wall-fixing problems encountered with wall-hung units.
- Customization: some pedestal models allow you to adjust the height of the legs, offering adaptability to suit your needs and preferences.
Disadvantages of vanity units with legs
As with autres types of vanity units, pedestal units also have their drawbacks:
- Floor space: like freestanding units, pedestal units take up floor space, which can make the room harder to clean and reduce the impression of available space.
- Less storage: because of the presence of legs, vanity units with legs generally offer fewer storage options than free-standing units.
In short, each type of vanity has its advantages and disadvantages. The choice between a wall-hung, freestanding or pedestal unit will essentially depend on your preferences in terms of style, available space and practicality. Whatever option you choose, don't hesitate to consult our selection to find the ideal piece of furniture to meet all your expectations.


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Humans need oxygen to breathe. 21% of air is oxygen and if you ask most people where that oxygen comes from they will tell you trees and plants. Whilst this is true, photosynthesis in plants and trees consumes carbon dioxide and produces oxygen, its only a small part of the story.
The oceans cover 70% of our planet and the generally held wisdom is that 70% of the planets usable oxygen is generated by the oceans. Think about that, if you take three breaths, two of them come from the seas. Corals, seaweed and tiny organisms called phytoplankton consume carbon dioxide and generate vast quantities of lovely oxygen to maintain life on planet earth.
So that’s great news, what’s the problem? The problem is that humans are systematically killing our oceans.
For the oceans to thrive and continue creating oxygen for us they require balance. The ocean is a delicate ecosystem with complex food chains and biodiversity that is easily disrupted. There are currently over 2000 endangered species in our oceans and they all rely on each other.
Whales are huge intelligent creatures that can consume upwards of four tonnes of food per day. This in turn leads to them excreting over 200 litres in every bowel movement. This whale dump is manna from heaven for plankton which is in turn a valuable food source for a diverse range of fish and marine mammals. It’s the watery circle of life. Whilst global whaling is not the issue it used to be, with Japan having to subsidise its fleet to keep them in operation and Iceland not operating for 2020, whales are the victims of other silent killers.
Ocean pollution in the form of shark nets, ghost nets and plastic pollution is killing whales and other marine life across the planet and here at home in Australia.
There are three vast piles of trash gathered in the oceans where the currents push floating debris together. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the largest of them and in 2017 a 2 year study was made to ascertain the size of the problem. The patch lies in the ocean between Hawaii and California and in places cannot be sailed through. The scientists took over 1.2 million samples and examined data from the air and the ocean and the conclusions are;
Every year the effects of waves and sun breaks down more of the plastic into microplastics that find their way into the food chain and are eaten by animals and humans.
The plastic pandemic can be seen on every beach and shoreline in on the planet. Sea Shepherd beach cleans on the sunshine and gold coast typically bring between 50 and 100 kgs of waste from seemingly pristine tourist beaches. Until we stem the tide of single use plastics and waste entering the oceans, things can only get worse.
Other sources of pollution globally are adding to the problem with ocean acidification becoming a real issue. The burning of fossil fuels, use of chemicals in farming and other industrial pollutants are increasing the acidity of ocean water. This leads to problems for marine life such as corals and crustaceans.
Other climate change implications such as warmer sea temperatures can lead to coral bleaching. This makes the coral less effective at producing oxygen (up to 20% of the ocean oxygen supply). Eventually the coral can die which can take years and sometimes decades to recover, and only if the symptoms are reversed.
Another problem for our beautiful oceans is fishing. I’m not talking about guys with rods or even sport fisherman, although fishing for sport is not something I am keen on. What I am talking about is the chronic over fishing and illegal fishing of the oceans. Whilst some species seem to be in abundance, we come back to the balance of the ecosystem again. If you fish an area heavily, the stocks start to deplete and cannot be maintained. Not only is this devastating on the fish in question, but the larger fish that would normally feed on that species are either displaced or starved themselves. This can have knock on effects that cannot be measured till years later, not to mention all the turtles, sharks, rays and dolphins that are captured and killed as bycatch of these factory fishing operations.
One problem that is coming to the fore now due to the current global pandemic is the problems associated with fish farming. These operations are set up to grow fish, in huge numbers, in cramped conditions, using methods very similar to the battery farming of chickens. The fish are treated with medicines and chemicals to try and manage the tightly packed communities and this leaks in the local ecosystem, along with pollutants from the uneaten feed and increased excrement from the fish in the pens. Many of these facilities have seen increases in diseases and parasites that have escaped into the local ecosystem and decimated local fish stocks. Its only a matter of time before this makes the leap to humans through consumption.
It all paints a bleak picture for our oceans, the planets lungs, and we need to focus our attention on how to improve moving into the future. Maslows hierarchy of needs outlines the desires and goals that allow us to live full and contented lives. The first need is for air, water, food and shelter and yet we continue to abuse our planet and oceans like its not important.
Our founder, Paul Watson, once shared with me an analogy that has stuck with me and I will finish by sharing it with you.
Imagine you were on a spaceship as a passenger on your way to Mars with 20 other passengers and one crew member. The crew member had one job. To fuel and maintain the life support systems that keep all the passengers alive until you arrive on Mars. Would you steal the fuel from the crew member and try to injure or kill him, knowing that to do so would lead to your death? Of course you wouldn’t. The planet IS a spaceship, our only spaceship. The oceans are our life support (70% of our oxygen) and the sharks and whales and fish and turtles and crabs are our maintenance crew.
If humans die, the oceans thrive.
If the oceans die, we die.
We need ocean warriors who get it to start to make a difference and turn the tide, that could be you.
Words by Paul Clayton
Chapter Coordinator Sea Shepherd Brisbane


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Plastic containers, bags, drink bottles, bowls, toys, cups–plastic is part of our lives. We use plastics almost on a daily basis. We freeze food and we cook food in plastic bags and containers. The food we purchase at the market is often wrapped in plastic. The recent concern about Bisphenol A (BPA) has many people questioning the safety of many plastic products. The most common plastic Crock-Pot liners are made from heat-resistant nylon resins. There are a few studies about the migration of chemicals from nylon resin liners to food, but at the current time there are no health risk warnings associated with the use of Crock-Pot liners.
Chemicals Migrate from Plastics to Food
According to the John Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, chemicals in plastics can leach into food that contacts the material, especially if the plastic is heated to high temperatures. The same is true for nylon resin Crock-Pot liners. At high temperatures, chemicals can migrate from the plastic and are absorbed by the food that is in contact with the plastic. Heat agitates the molecules in the material, causing them to break down into their component chemicals. When food comes in contact with the material, the chemical components can migrate from the plastic into the food. Fatty foods tend to absorb more chemicals than other foods. The longer food is in contact with plastic that has begun to release chemicals, the great the concentration of chemical contamination. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, recent studies show that under high temperatures the chemicals that compose nylon, like that used in many Crock-Pot liners, can migrate to food. When the nylon cooking bags are exposed to temperatures up to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit), they can release a number of substances including cyclopentanone, octadecane, heptadecane and 2-cyclopentyl cyclopentanone.
Bisphenol A (BPA)
According to the Food and Drug administration (FDA), a minute amount of chemicals from Crock-Pot liners may migrate to food during the cooking process, especially if exposed to high temperatures for a long period of time. However, the FDA has determined, based on current data, the amount of chemical migration poses no health risk. The FDA sets forth acceptable tolerances for contamination from chemical migration. Recent concerns about the dangers of Bisphenol A (BPA) have prompted the FDA to reconsider its use. Many states like Minnesota have banned products that contain BPA; therefore, according to Good Housekeeping, there is little or no risk of exposure to BPA from plastic Crock-Pot liners. Companies that sell Crock-Pot liners will display the “FDA Approved” seal on the packaging to reassure consumers that the product has been thoroughly tested and approved as safe for use with food preparation.
According to the American Burn Association, one of the most common injuries suffered by using Crock-Pot liners is a burn. Crock-Pot contents can reach temperatures of160 degrees Fahrenheit to 180 degrees Fahrenheit (71 to 82ºC). It takes less than one second of contact with skin at these temperatures to suffer a third-degree burn. The bag should never be lifted out of the Crock-Pot while the contents are hot. Lifting a Crock-Pot liner filled with food can cause it to tear, which can result in the spilling of extremely hot food. Food can be served directly from the pot with the liner intact or spooned into a serving bowl. Do not use a fork when removing food from a lined, hot Crock-Pot. The fork may cause a tear the liner and allow food to contact the crock, which could cause hot liquids to spatter.
Robin Reichert is a certified nutrition consultant, certified personal trainer and professional writer. She has been studying health and fitness issues for more than 10 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of San Francisco and a Master of Science in natural health from Clayton College.

domain: chemistry


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[object Window], speculation had surfaced that the 58-year-old actor and 35-year-old cantante had begun a relación, [object Window], disclosing that the relationship between the two is purely platonic.
An insider told People magazine that the “Little Bit” singer is a member of “a large group of artsy friends that [Pitt] enjoys hanging out with.”
Actress Alia Shawkat is another member of this group, dijo la fuente. Reps for Pitt and Li did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
In previous years, fans also wondered whether Pitt and Shawkat, ahora 32, were dating, pero she denied the rumors.
“He doesn’t read that s—,” Ella explicó.
Pitt has had a storied relationship history in Hollywood, having been connected to many famous names including Jennifer Aniston. The two were married from 2000-2005.
He also was married to Angelina Jolie desde 2014 a 2019. The former couple remains locked in a custody battle over their children. En total, they share six: Maddox, 20, Paz, 18, Zahara, 17, Shiloh, 15, Vivienne, 13, and Knox, 13.
Por su parte, Li — born Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson — hasn’t been publicly linked to any superstars, but she welcomed a child in 2016, calling music producer Jeff Bhasker her “love and baby daddy” en Instagram just days after announcing the birth.


The daughter of a Sicilian journalist murdered by the Mafia has called for 2K Games' Mafia II to be banned.
Sonia Alfano, a member of the European Parliament and president of Italy's association for the families of Mafia victims, told Bloomberg, "It really, really hurts. We can't allow this to happen, our wounds are still too fresh."
Alfano's father Beppe, was murdered by the Mafia in January 1993.
"These games transform the Mafia, a reality of death and destruction, into a thrilling and hands-on virtual pastime," she continued.
"Even if momentarily, players identify with brutal killers and for us who have experienced violence firsthand, it's appalling."
Alfano has called on the European Commission to consider banning the title as well as others like it.
Publisher Take-Two was quick to refute claims that the violence depicted in Mafia II was gratuitous or irresponsible.
"Mafia II tells a compelling story about organized crime in America - a subject that for decades has been featured in award-winning movies, television shows and novels such as The Godfather and The Sopranos," explained communications VP Alan Lewis.
"We fully and completely stand behind our creative teams and products, including Mafia II."
This isn't the first time that the game has attracted controversy. Prior to its launch earlier this year, a group of Italian-Americans called for the title to be shelved, insisting it encouraged "demeaning" ethnic stereotypes.
Eurogamer's John Teti awarded 2K's crime epic 4/10 when it eventually made it into stores in August.


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I’ve always said there’s a slot machine theme out there to meet the taste of absolutely anyone. That may not have been true back in the days before internet casinos came along, but two decades later, it’s an undeniable fact. You can play ritzy slots, oriental slots, scary slots, holiday slots and yes, even nerdy slots.
Today we’ll take a look at 5 of the nerdiest slots of all time, specifically designed to meet the needs of all you tech geeks and sci-fi fantasy lovers out there.
While the majority of this list is devoted to online slot machines, our first pick could only be found on live casino floors, right up until a few years ago…
Star Wars Slots (No Longer Available)
The Stars Wars slots were some of the most popular in Vegas and beyond for years. Featuring the epic cinematic series’ most beloved characters – Luke, Han, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Obi Wan Kenobi, R2D2, C3PO and many more – Star Wars fans from all over the globe enjoyed these games.
That came to a crashing halt after Disney acquired Lucasfilms for $4 billion in 2012. The family-friendly organization announced the following year that it would not renew licences for any Star Wars themed gambling games. The same was decided for its Marvel brand. Thus Marvel and Star Wars slots, as well as Marvel themed lottery tickets, began to disappear as their licences expired.
Although it’s become a thing of the past, the Star Wars slots by International Game Technology (IGT) was by far one of the best nerdy slots of all time.
Star Trek: Red Alert Slots
Back in 2007, WMS Gaming released the first in a long series of Star Trek slots, Star Trek: Red Alert. As is often the case, the original was much better than the sequels (at least in my opinion).
Star Trek: Red Alert is based on the original television series, starring Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise, including Spock and Dr. McCoy. Other symbols include their iconic, color-coded badges and lots of the classic, hand-held tech gear they used aboard the ship.
While it’s not a progressive slot machine, per say, it does have a progressive story line that nerds will really love. The more you play, the further through space you’ll travel, unlocking access to new worlds and greater adventures.
Lord of the Rings Slots
I’m a huge Lord of the Rings fan, and I know a lot of you are too. IGT‘s Lord of the Rings (LOTR) is one of the best nerdy slots around, based on Tolkien’s first in the series, Fellowship of the Rings. The graphics are outstanding, incorporating actual footage and sound effects from the film, as well as all of the beloved characters.
Join Frodo on his quest to protect the ring as he and his companions travel Middle Earth, taking advantage of wilds, free spins and lots of other lucrative features along the way.
Weird Science Slots
If mixing colorful concoctions in the lab brings you more joy than a visit from Santa on Christmas, Weird Science is the slots for you. The team at Habanero put this one together, and while there’s nothing exceptional about the graphics – no cool 3D animations or chemical explosions, it’s clearly aimed at all you science nerds out there.
The symbols include mad scientists, beakers, microscopes, toxic sludge, vibrant vials of mysterious liquids and more. With 5 reels, 25 paylines, wilds, scatters and free spins, this is one nerdy slots you’ll want to give a whirl.
Beauty and the Nerd Slots
The name alone should give away the nerdy slots theme here. Developed by Sheriff Gaming, these reels will take you back in time to high school, when gorgeous cheerleaders were the nightly wet dream of every geek in the halls.
Stan plays the role of a typical high school outcast, donning a collared, button down shirt, suspenders and thick-frame glasses, protected by the classic band-aid over the nose-piece. In the other corner, we have Kelly, the bodacious blonde cheerleader who never knew Stan was alive.
But this nerd is determined to get her attention, playing the scrawny hero who takes to the science lab to create a love potion that will harvest the requited emotions of his one true love.

domain: hobby


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This is an ancient heat therapy, which applies bell-shaped cups to the skin.
These create a vacuum to warm the affected area and draw new blood and Qi (vital energy) into the affected area thereby improving the condition and persons circulation.
Cupping is a Chinese Medicine technique that has been used for centuries for many different conditions, it is now hitting the mainstream here in the West due to it’s numerous health benefits. Over the years I have found that I use cupping as an add on therapy to Acupuncture. I have regulars that do not like needles so cupping on it’s own offers a great alternative treatment. Conditions that work well for cupping include:
- Tight/Stiff Muscles
- Back Pain
- Shoulder Pain
- Respiratory Conditions (Asthma, Bronchitis)
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Where is the line when it comes to kids bullying each other in school? I still vividly remember my 7th grade music teacher telling me that “boys will be boys” after a student popped my bra open during class. I didn’t go to the office because I didn’t retaliate, but the boy wasn’t sent to the office either because it “wasn’t a big deal.” If this ever happens to my daughter once she starts school, I hope that there will be better policies and punishments in place than when I was young. I would have pressed charges, but this mom took a different approach.
This story has been censored to protect the names of the people involved, but it really is a powerful story.
Did something like this ever happen to you in school? Maybe it wasn’t a snapped bra, but it might have been someone pulling down gym shorts as a “prank,” or inappropriate behavior during class. Children don’t always make the best decisions, but it’s up to the adults in their lives to correct and admonish that behavior so that it never happens again. Just because they are children doesn’t excuse their behavior, and “kids will be kids” just isn’t an acceptable reason anymore.
To see more inspiring videos, articles, and uplifting content, check out Happy Tango every day! If you loved what you saw here then like and share this with the links below!

domain: sociology


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Following a decision last week by the board of trustees of the University of Illinois System to approve a tuition increase for the first time in six years, Partners' president James Toscano weighs in on the decision in an Education Dive article.
The decision increases tuition by 1.7 percent for in-state freshman at the Chicago and Urbana-Champaign campuses and by 1 percent at the Springfield campus, with both rates below the increase of inflation.
While these rate increases fall below the rise of the inflation index, the system board's simultaneous decision to extend the contact of system President Timothy Killeen's and increase his salary by forty percent sends the "wrong message" to consumers, according to Toscano.
James Toscano, president of Partners for College Affordability and Public Trust, a group that advocates for lowering college costs, told Education Dive in an email that leaders of the system "should be applauded" for holding the line on tuition for six years.
But it should concern all Illinois residents that the trustees are breaking the trend, even though the increase is below the rise in the consumer price index, Toscano wrote in his email.
"Trustees are sending the wrong message to the public about their priorities by giving a whopping pay increase to the president at the same time they ask students to pay higher tuition bills," he wrote.
Read the full article in Education Dive HERE.


Hard to believe it has been five years since Manchester based trio PINS released Wild Nights.
Again we’re a bit late to the party, but Hot Slick, their third long player will be out on 29th May via their own Haus of Pins label. Three tracks have already been shared from it (see below) and now we have Ghosting, which also features Nathan Saoudi from Fat White Family on additional keys. It is a cracking indie anthem shot through with some techno-trance vibes that dials up the sleaze factor.
Listen, or go buy the album here.


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May 16, 2013
ON SALE THIS WEEK Seth Meyers, 8 p.m. July 12, Sands Bethlehem Event Center, 77 Sands Blvd., http://www.SandsEventCenter.com , http://www.Ticketmaster.com , 800-745-3000. Tickets: $35-$45, on sale 10 a.m. Friday. Impractical Jokers, 8 p.m. July 31, Sands Bethlehem Event Center, 77 Sands Blvd., http://www.SandsEventCenter.com , http://www.Ticketmaster.com , 800-745-3000. Tickets: $35, on sale 10 a.m. Friday. Jay Leno, 7 p.m. Aug. 11, Sands Bethlehem Event Center, 77 Sands Blvd., http://www.SandsEventCenter.com , http://www.Ticketmaster.com , 800-745-3000.
May 7, 2013
The Penn State and Vermont hockey teams will play Saturday, Oct. 26 in the second annual Philadelphia College Hockey Faceoff at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The two teams met in the inaugural event last season, with Penn State winning 4-2. The game drew 19,529 fans, giving it the highest attendance ever at a college hockey game in Pennsylvania. Penn State will be entering its second year of Division I hockey in 2013-14. The Philadelphia College Hockey Faceoff will be the first of two major college hockey events hosted by the Wells Fargo Center next season.
May 6, 2013
A Philadelphia man admitted Monday that he took part in a home-invasion robbery in South Whitehall Township that left a man shot, but claimed his co-defendant fired the gun and is the mastermind behind the crime. Mikael Rafael Coles Jr., 25, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, robbery, burglary and criminal conspiracy, avoiding a trial that had been scheduled to begin this week. In return for his plea, prosecutors agreed to drop a misdemeanor reckless endangerment charge and two other conspiracy charges.
May 2, 2013
The Philadelphia Eagles today announced that single-game tickets will go on sale for all 10 home games (two preseason and eight regular season) in 2013 on Thursday May 9 t h at 10 a.m. Fans may purchase tickets by visiting philadelphiaeagles.com or ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000. Prices range from $75 - $105, and there is a four-ticket limit per household. Here is their home schedule: Preseason Friday, August 9 vs. New England ... 7:30 pm Thursday, August 15 vs. Carolina ... 7:30 pm Regular Season Sunday, September 15 vs. San Diego ... 1:00 pm Thursday, September 19 vs. Kansas City ... 8:25 pm Sunday, October 20 vs. Dallas ... 1:00 pm Sunday, October 27 vs. New York Giants ... 1:00 pm Sunday, November 17 vs. Washington ... 1:00 pm* Sunday, December 1 vs. Arizona ... 1:00 pm* Sunday, December 8 vs. Detroit ... 1:00 pm* Sunday, December 22 vs. Chicago ... 1:00 pm* * — Game time subject to change due to NFL's flex scheduling policy.
April 29, 2013
The Philadelphia Flyers started their summer vacations much earlier than expected. For just the ninth time in franchise history, the Flyers aren't going to the playoffs. They finished 23-22-3 in the lockout-shortened NHL season, and are facing an interesting offseason. A team that reached the Stanley Cup Finals just three years ago fell short of expectations once again. They haven't hoisted Lord Stanley's Cup since 1975, extending their championship drought to 38 years. "At the beginning of the season, for sure, I thought we had a team that was going to be in the playoffs, a team that was going to do some damage," center Danny Briere said.
April 25, 2013
- Lane Johnson's athleticism and high ceiling has him on his way to Philadelphia. The University of Oklahoma offensive tackle became the Eagles' highest draft pick since quarterback Donovan McNabb in 1999 when the Eagles took him with the fourth pick of this year's draft Thursday night. Johnson (6-6, 303 pounds) brings outstanding athleticism to the position after playing quarterback in high school and starting out as a tight end at Oklahoma. But as his body filled out, he found his niche at tackle, a position he's played for just two seasons.


Pre-order take 2 weeks Only
An everyday carry United Cutlery Honshu Tanto Black massive blade is not, but it’s a great blade for self-defense or even hog hunting. It’s gigantic 10 3/4″ black anodized 440 stainless steel blade features a blood grove down its entire length. The full-tang strength feels great in your hand underneath the over-molded rubber grip and anodized hand guard. Includes black leather belt sheath with snap closure. 16 3/4″ overall.


LB Craig Stevens to play with wrist cast
Auburn Tigers starting linebacker Craig Stevens will play the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game with a cast on his left wrist.
Stevens said he suffered a third-degree sprain in the Alabama game.
Stevens said he's never played a game with a cast before.
"I'll be able to use my fingers, just not my wrist," Stevens said. "I think it will be OK.
Stevens said he did not require surgery.
Joe Schad covers college football for ESPN.
MORE COLLEGE FOOTBALL HEADLINES
- Former Cal AD Barbour hired by Penn State
- Sources: Longhorns kick four more off team
- Longhorns WRs charged with sexual assault
- TCU's Fields surrenders to assault warrant


Dog with human-like face up for adoption
Updated On: Feb 07 2013 11:00:20 AM EST
There's something odd about the dog named Tonik.
The poodle-Shih Tzu mix has an "eerily humanoid" face, says the Indiana animal welfare agency.
Tonik was rescued from a high-kill shelter in Kentucky and is up for adoption with ASPCA.
The candid photo of the pooch was taken by Renny Mills, a professional pet photographer and posted on Petfinder.com.
The photo went viral Wednesday.
Petfinder wrote that Tonik isn't suitable for a home with children as the dog might be overwhelmed.
The fee to adopt this unusual pooch is $250 and hopefully Tonik's newly found fame will help find him a home.
Shoppers line up before 6 a.m. for Gray Thursday
3,000 Thanksgiving meals served to homeless, needy in Miami-Dade, Broward counties
Highway Safety Agency demanding manufacturer recall of airbags by Tuesday
'Smash Bros.' is fastest-selling game ever for Wii U
No police presence at homeless feeding on Fort Lauderdale beach


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Recently I was on the radio. Amber Davies, the winner of Love Island, was guest presenting 5Live. She was asking the question “has sex become too casual?” and I was there to weigh in my opinion. Amber’s makeup artist was also there sharing her experience of saving herself until marriage in her current relationship.
I didn’t really understand Amber’s moral panic about casual sex. It didn’t feel like it was coming from a place of concern for young people’s sexual wellbeing but more of judgement. Unfortunately, the segment ended with Amber reading out her new rules for casual sex which meant I didn’t have time to challenge her on any of them.
Are young people having too much casual sex?
Here are @Amber_Davies7's new rules on sex.
— BBC Radio 5 live (@bbc5live) April 4, 2018
What I did do, however, was sit outside the BBC building in the Cafe Nero writing my own twist of her 5 rules. So here’s my version.
My Five Rules for Casual Sex
- Have sex on the first date if you’re both into it.
- If there’s alcohol involved make sure you 100% have the other person’s consent. If they are completely plastered, they can’t consent.
- You shouldn’t need to impress someone to win their affection. Just be yourself.
- Emotions and sex can be separate for lots of people and there are many different types of relationships. Make sure you communicate and everyone is on board!
- Don’t follow the crowd. Also, don’t follow the rules (except for the law, follow that).
The rules that Amber laid out I found were extremely judgemental, sexist and just plain backwards (or maybe I’m too optimistic of where society is at right now). “Don’t have sex on the first date, respect yourself”?! So people who do have sex on the first date don’t respect themselves? And we all know this age-old advice is targeted a women. I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone tell a man he doesn’t respect himself if he “puts out” on the first date.
We need to move away from these rules that society keeps giving us: no sex on the first date, don’t text back straight away, you can only show legs or boobs (not both), etc. etc. All they bring to the table are insecurities, anxiety, feeling judged and confused.
I really wish it could be as simple as do what makes you happy whilst communicating and considering the feelings of others. And don’t judge others for doing the same. There is no one size fits all when it comes to sex and we should really be teaching that to young people too. That way they can explore these things on their own terms without feeling like they’re being judged or pressured.
Because of her Love Island win and new social media celebrity status Amber has a huge amount of influence on the young people who follow her. It makes me kind of sad that these old rules we’ve been trying to shake are still being peddled by hugely influential people.
If you missed the show you can listen here. What do you think? Has sex become too casual? Should we care? What are your “rules” if you have any?

domain: psychology


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A digital non-interventional atrial fibrillation (AF) screening study with commercial pulse detection systems (BAYathlon)
The primary objective in this study is to identify commercial pulse detection systems (CPDS) parallel to electrocardiogram (ECG) recording within routine clinical setting, which are able to detect atrial fibrillation or sinus rhythm of screened patients.
- Adult female and male patients for whom the decision to record an ECG was made as per investigator’s routine treatment practice - Patient able and willing to provide signed informed consent
- Patients with any comorbidities or abnormalities of heart function or rhythm, which might, in the opinion of the investigator, interfere with the evaluation of study data - Patients participating in an investigational program with interventions outside of routine clinical practice
Many Locations, Germany
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: (+) 1-888-8422937
BAYathlon – a digital non-interventional AF screening study to identify commercial pulse detection systems (CPDS) detecting AF and sinus rhythm parallel to ECG recording within routine clinical setting


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President Barack Obama named 19 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Monday. NBC News’ Tom Brokaw, Meryl Streep and Stevie Wonder were among those named to receive the nation’s highest civilian honor. Obama said in a statement, “I look forward to presenting these nineteen bold, inspiring Americans with our Nation’s highest civilian honor. From activists who fought for change to artists who explored the furthest reaches of our imagination; from scientists who kept America on the cutting edge to public servants who help write new chapters in our American story, these citizens have made extraordinary contributions to our country and the world.” The White House awards ceremony is Nov. 24. This year’s full list of Medal of Freedom recipients: Alvin Ailey, Isabel Allende, Tom Brokaw, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, Mildred Dresselhaus, Rep. John Dingell of Michigan, Ethel Kennedy, Suzan Harjo, Abner Mikva of Illinois, Rep. Patsy Takemoto Mink of Hawaii, Rep. Edward Roybal of California, Charles Sifford, Robert Solow, Stephen Sondheim, Meryl Streep, Marlo Thomas and Stevie Wonder. Many thanks to Glenn and Frank for the heads-up.
This morning, Meryl Streep has a nomination for the 2014 People’s Choice Award as Favorite Dramatic Movie Actress. She shares the category with Chloe Grace Moretz, Emma Stone, Emma Stone, Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley. You can vote for the winner right at the People’s Choice official website. Allison Janney and Anna Faris will host the live awards show from the Nokia Theater L.A. Live Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015 (9:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. Meryl Streep has a long history with the People’s Choice Awards, winning a total eight Favorite Motion Picture Actress awards in 1984, 1985, 1986 (twice alongside World Favorite Actress), 1987, 1989 and 1990, again for Favorite Actress and World Favorite Actress. Her latest nomination came last year for her performance in “Hope Springs”. Thanks to Glenn for the heads-up.
A new trailer for “Into the Woods” has been released today. The latest peek at the big-screen take on Stephen Sondheim’s Broadway musical opens with a shot of Anna Kendrick as Cinderella, leading newcomers Lilla Crawford as Little Red Riding Hood and Daniel Huttlestone as Jack, and finally Emily Blunt as The Baker’s Wife with her husband The Baker, played by James Corden, as they sing “I Wish.” Streep makes her grand entrance as The Witch who raised Rapunzel, bargaining with the Baker and his wife to remove a curse in exchange for a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold. She then steals the show, singing her big number, “Stay With Me.” You can watch the new trailer in the video archive.
Here comes a great find from the past. One of the first organizations that Meryl Streep publicly supported was Dr. Helen Calidcott’s Women’s Actions for Nuclear Disarmament. In 1981, Meryl narrated the documentary “Eight Minutes to Midnight” about Caldicott’s crusade against nuclear power. And in 1983, Meryl taped a television public service announcement for WAND to raise awarenes of their actions for Nuclear Disarmament in the wake of the ABC television film “The Day After”. You can now watch the PSA in the video archive.
Check out the first featurette for “Into the Woods” to get a taste of snippets from the prologue, Meryl Streep’s “Stay With Me” and more! Also look out for James Lapine, Stephen Sondheim and Rob Marshall gushing about the cast, and the cast gushing about Lapine, Sondheim and Marshall. There’s a lot of love. Cast interview include Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Chris Pine, James Corden and Emily Blunt. The featurette features lots of new scenes and more insight into the characters, including Johnny Depp’s Wolf, Rapunzel and, of course, the Witch.
In this week’s Entertainment Weekly – which features four exclusive covers of the fairy tale epic’s all-star cast – they dive headfirst into the design of the dark, sprawling world of “Into the Woods”, the musical tale about a childless Baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt) who attempt to lift a witch’s curse by venturing into an enchanted forest filled with classic characters like Cinderella (Anna Kendrick) and Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy). Edit: Scans from the magazine have been added to the image library, with many thanks to Claudia for sending them in. Additionally, a new production still and a costume sketch of Meryl’s character have been added as well.
After a few weeks’ worth of rumors, Pathé International has announced that Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant will officially be teaming up for Stephen Frears’ biopic, “Florence”. Florence stars Streep as the real-life New York heiress Florence Foster Jenkins, whose dreams of becoming a renowned opera singer are stymied by her laughable lack of talent. Grant will play her live-in partner and manager, the English actor St. Clair Bayfield, who guides Jenkins away from the real truth, which proves challenging when Jenkins decides to perform live at Carnegie Hall. The film is currently in pre-production. Michael Kuhn and Tracey Seaward will produce, and Nicholas Martin will write the script. Here’s Pathé’s official synopsis:
The true story of Florence Foster Jenkins (Meryl Streep), the legendary New York heiress and socialite who obsessively pursued her dream of becoming a great opera singer. The voice she heard in her head was beautiful, but to everyone else it was hilariously awful. Her husband and manager, St Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant) an aristocratic English actor, was determined to protect his beloved Florence from the truth. But when Florence decided to give a public concert at Carnegie Hall in 1944, St Clair knew he faced his greatest challenge.
The feature films albums have been finalized with all remaining films (2002-2014) being sorted and updated with higher quality images. Additionally, lots of new pictures – a few of her older films and plenty of her more recent films – have been added as well. Among them are fantastic production stills from “The Iron Lady”. To view all last added pictures have a look at the previews below. Otherwise, just browse the film albums to see all pictures in better quality. Enjoy.