text:
By Edward Watson Sven Beckert places cotton at the center of his colossal history of modern capitalism, arguing that the growth of the industry was the “launching pad for the broader Industrial Revolution.” Beckert follows cotton through a staggering spatial and chronological scope. Spanning five thousand years of cotton’s history, with a particular focus on […]
By Jorge Cañizares-Esguerra How can the life of an artisan who specialized in punchcutting and engraving help us shed light on “the idea of the Spanish Enlightenment”? Donahue-Wallace offers an illuminating perspective on the Enlightenment through the biography of an expert medal caster, Jerónimo Antonio Gil, whose career took him from provincial Zamora to Madrid […]
By Aden Knaap, Harvard University The protagonist-narrator of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s 2015 novel The Sympathizer has a thing for squid. (Think less calamari, more American Pie.) The bastard son of a Vietnamese maid and a French priest, he discovers at the age of thirteen that he has a peculiar fetish for masturbating into gutted squid, […]
By Cynthia Talbot The world’s attention was captured in 2012 by the disaster that befell the Costa Concordia, a cruise ship that ran aground off the coast of Italy leading to 32 deaths. This shipwreck is the most recent one covered in A History of the World in Sixteen Shipwrecks, whose expansive gaze covers much of […]
by David Rahimi Starting with the encounter with European colonialism and modernity in the eighteenth century, Muslims increasingly began to worry that Islam was beset by existential crises as Muslim countries slowly fell under colonial domination. Some thought Islam had stagnated and made Muslims weak; others said true Islam already had the answers to modernity. […]
By Mark Sheaves Between 1560 and 1660, English and Scottish merchants, ministers, travellers, and statesmen traversed the globe in search of adventure and economic opportunities. Frustrated by England’s weak economy, religious and political turmoil, and social conflict, these entrepreneurial individuals settled all over the world. But how did they integrate into those diverse societies? In […]
by Charlotte Canning Stephanie Batiste, Darkening Mirrors: Imperial Representation in Depression-Era African American Performance (2012). Batiste explores the ways in which African Americans used performance to construct global identities in the face of US oppression and imperialism. The book argues that claiming agency and empowerment was not impossible in a world of entrenched racism. Donna […]
A number of people suggested books about crossing borders: about people traveling or emigrating to countries foreign to them or about people creating new hybrid identities in the places they lived. Since they don’t fit into our usual geographical categories –and raise interesting questions about those categories — we are lumping them together here in Crossing Borders.
Here are Steven Mintz’s suggestions for more reading on the history of childhood. Howard Chudacoff, Children at Play: An American History (2008) Chudakoff demonstrates that children’s play has always been a subject of contention, with adults seeking to control the way that children spend their time and kids using play for their own purposes: as a […]
Following his successful biography of the famous English corsair, Francis Drake, Harry Kelsey turns to Drake’s lesser-known but equally adventurous cousin, John Hawkins (1532-1595).

domain: library


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Rare java crash - invalid access in Poller_run_1poll #24
On Linux x86, jdk1.6u20/22 using latest zmq and jzmq, the bug happens occassionally (sometimes 4 times in a row, sometimes once a day). Happened with older (j)zmq too.
Compiled jzmq without optimalizations, made disassembly and identified the line and place of code of the invalid access. See details attached to https://gist.github.com/769657 (interesting places in files marked).
It seems that in Poller.cpp line 101,
By the way, the the cycle at Poller.cpp:100 seems suspicious, since above in the file it is notet that the sockets array can be sparse, and at :72 this sparseness is checked, so while the cycle at :70 runs from
However, at the :100 cycle
Also, what happens if the check at :90 fails? Should it be an assertion?
See experimental patch at https://github.com/robinp/jzmq/commit/04c29009adfe6c66e856b27b6100eac6a9e3b242
(Haven't run long yet to be decisive, but at least it didn't break anything yet:)
This java file reproduces that the Poller_run_1poll last cycle not checking for sparsity produces unexpected behavior.
It can be seen when run unpatched, that


text:
The leader of the party "UKRAINE - OUR HOME" Boris Kolesnikov congratulated all Ukrainians on the 10th anniversary of the NSC "Olimpiyskiy", the holiday of Ukrainian sport and thanked everyone who helped with the reconstruction of the stadium. "Today is exactly 10 years since the moment when a team of professionals was able to do the seemingly impossible. Renovation of Olympic NSC, as one of the infrastructure objects included in the calendar of preparation of the country for Euro 2012, was carried out in the shortest possible time. There were up to 10 000 builders on the construction site at the most busy moments. Scale, resources, people and machinery were turned into a single tense nerve. Everyone managed to exhale only after the grand opening, when millions of spectators could feel all the power of Ukrainian spirit of fans and spectators at the NSC Olimpiyskiy," the politician stressed.
During a working trip to Donetsk region, the leader of the party "UKRAINE - OUR HOME" Boris Kolesnikov met with the leaders of towns and villages and introduced the leaders of local party cells and reminded them once again what the essence of real decentralization is and why it is so important in the economic growth of the country. "There are things that belong to the center all over the world: defense, security, foreign policy, and national and international infrastructure. With us, however, everything is built according to the principle: "here are your expenses, and you will find the revenues yourself." It does not work that way. In the world, everything comes from the bottom up. Communicating with local activists, the party leader emphasized the importance of the strength of a professional team, particularly in that it is composed of representatives of all ages, and that the key to success of any party is a competent structure. The country needs such a team now, because there is a demand in society for professionals. "Our task is to build the party starting from the grassroots. We plan to complete this process in six months. We are opening regional, district and city organizations and want to reach every polling station. Probably the brightest example of building a vertical party structure in the world is the USA," the politician said. The party "UKRAINE - OUR HOME" has opened 11 local cells in the Donetsk region. The leader of the party "UKRAINE - OUR HOME" also noted the importance of qualified local leaders: "Five previous presidents let themselves be subordinated to the system. Our system looks like a salad cake: there is a part of the Soviet system and another part - an unsuccessful copying of the Western experience. It is important to understand that the institution of local self-government brought success to the West. This system must by all means be torn down and rebuilt. I believe that the most important thing - the gold of the party - is the leaders of city, district and regional organizations".
The presentation of the party “UKRAINE - OUR HOME” took place in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, and the leader of the city party cell was introduced. He was 32-year-old Bakhmut resident Maxim Kanayev. The leader of the party "UKRAINE- OUR HOME " Boris Kolesnikov emphasized the importance of the work of the leaders of the district and city cells. "You all know Igor very well. He is a decent man, and I am sure that he is able to provide our party with decent support in Bakhmut. It is very important, because I have always said that the most important thing in the work of the party, which will be able to change the situation in the country, is strong regional cells. That is precisely the "gold" of the party," said Kolesnikov. In his speech Maxim Kanaev expressed his gratitude to the leader of the party for this opportunity: "I know very well what problems Bakhmut residents are concerned about and how to solve them. I'm sure that together with such a team of professionals we can do anything! Borys Kolesnikov also visited the Fair of Horticulture where he awarded certificates for business development for 100, 50 and 25 thousand UAH to local farmers-winners of the competition "Bakhmutsky Garden". Also together with the city mayor Alexey Reva they discussed two projects for the next year: to organize a large scale festival "Bakhmutsky Shlyah" and plant 50 thousand rose bushes in the community.
"For us this day is a big event. We are different from other parties because we will have our own branch and activists in each community in Ukraine, which is "our home". We have young people and people with experience in our team. They are all professionals. They solve problems that may seem unsolvable at first sight. Of course, the foundation of our team is also those people with whom I was preparing to hold the "Euro-2012". These people have already proven themselves. We are building a mobile, modern, dynamic and technological party that is ready to change the country, society and the consciousness of citizens," Boris Kolesnikov, the leader of the party "UKRAINE - OUR HOME", said in his opening speech. During the conference, Anna Onipko, head of the Pokrovsky district organization of the political party "UKRAINE-OUR HOME" was introduced. "First of all, I want to express my gratitude for the trust. I have been working as a journalist for over 8 years, due to my profession I know firsthand about many problems of our community. I have had to cover different situations... And one day, while working on a story, I asked myself the following question: What else can realistically help me to solve this or that problem? The answer was, I'm here today! I am ready to work fruitfully with the team for the sake of qualitative changes! And these changes should have affected every resident of the neighborhood and every resident of our country, because the Ukraine is our Home", - said Anna Onipko. Also during the conference Boris Kolesnikov introduced the future heads of urban organizations in Selidovo, Kurakhovo, Novogrodivka and Dobropillya. After the event, the audience posed questions to the leader of the party. Boris Kolesnikov, party leader, introduced the Head of Mirnograd city organization of the political party "UKRAINE - OUR HOME" Iraida Bereza. "The main basis is local activists. We want to gather a club of like-minded people, professionals in their business. We want to build an entirely new party with an emphasis on local self-government, which is the foundation of the state," Boris emphasized. "I will try to justify the trust given to me, which will allow Myrnograd and its citizens to develop socially and get what people want to see for a normal life, so that Ukraine really becomes our home. For me, the priority decision is social issues, what the residents care about first and foremost", - stressed the head of the Mirnograd city organization of the political party "UKRAINE-OUR HOME" Iraida Bereza.
Party leader Boris Kolesnikov introduced the leadership of the cell and told about the program of the political force. Addressing the audience Boris Viktorovich noted that "UKRAINE - OUR HOME" is fundamentally different from other parties because other political forces are business projects of their leaders. "We are at the beginning of a big way. Vyacheslav Lovchikov, the youngest deputy of the Druzhkovsky City Council, will head the city organization of the party. He will also be the youngest leader of the party's city branch in all of Ukraine," said Boris Kolesnikov. - We should not be afraid of giving the way to the young, because they have ambition, a fresh approach to solving problems, and they are not afraid of new challenges. Also we should not forget about pensioners, because all that we use now has been created by them. Boris Viktorovich pointed out that Druzhkovka is a special city for him, because of his eight championships - five of them were won by HC "Donbass" in Druzhkivka. Last summer, due to disagreements with the city authorities, the team had to move to Kramatorsk. At the moment, talks are underway to ensure that the youth team Moloda Guardia will hold its games on the ice arena Altair. Continuing a sports theme, Boris Kolesnikov stopped at a terrible state of Druzhkiv stadium. Answering the question about the sports complex, the politician promised to look into this question and in the near future he would give his vision of the solution of the problem. The most likely way to attract funds for the reconstruction of the sports complex is its inclusion in the program of the president of Ukraine "Velyke Budivnytstvo". The most acute problem of Druzhkivka is water supply and to solve it, it is necessary not only to repair the Second Donetsk water pipeline, and ideally to lay a new line parallel to the existing one, but also to deal with intracity networks. "The city authorities do not want to go "underground" to deal with communications," said Boris Kolesnikov. - If the authorities of Druzhkivka are not able to solve the problem of the Second Donetsk conduit on their own, then they are obliged to put in order the pipes within the city. put the pipes within the city limits in order - they have to. As to the language question, Boris Viktorovich said that in the near future it will not be possible to grant the Russian language the status of the state language, because no political force will be able to assemble 2/3 of votes of the Verkhovna Rada for making changes in the Constitution. And those politicians who promise to do this are populists and demagogues and earn political points on this topic. The way out of this situation is the introduction of the institute of regional language, which will be approved by regional councils. Concluding the meeting, Boris Kolesnikov suggested that in the near future to hold a "round table" with the involvement of experts to discuss Druzhkivka problems more specifically and to form a road map to solve them.
Many projects of the Boris Kolesnikov Foundation are implemented in Kostyantynivska community. On this day one more, the most large-scale of them - the construction of the modern innovation techno-park - was presented. The community representatives who met with the well-known politician and philanthropist were the first to see the video presentation. They found out from it, that the technological park will consist of several complexes. They will concentrate a variety of scientific, technical and innovative activities. Its work will be aimed at commercialization of scientific and technological developments. The project provides for the creation of co-working centers, which will help to implement startups and initiatives of young Konstantinov. As Boris Viktorovich commented, in his opinion, Kostyantynivka can't do without creation of such an industrial site. The city today, with a budget of approximately eight hundred million hryvnia, has no more than two hundred of its own revenues. And if ten thousand citizens get a job, the local budget will be "in the black". - I will take care of charitable programs in any case. But the most important thing for the citizens is jobs. Otherwise, young people will not be retained, they will leave, and Konstantinovka will be empty. Therefore, if we don't build a new industry in the city, nothing will work - said Boris Kolesnikov. From this day on the party "UKRAINE - OUR HOME" will be represented in Kostyantynivka by the head of its local branch Vladyslav Miroshnichenko. He thanked everyone for their trust and promised to make every effort in order to continue the implementation of previously initiated projects and introduce new ones. - Our team sincerely wants that the younger generation did not leave the community and the country. That young men and women learn, develop and stay here. They want to live where they were born. We will do everything possible and impossible for this, - said Vladyslav. Boris Kolesnikov congratulated the new party leader in Konstantinovska community. He noted that his party colleagues have always lived by the interests of Donetsk region, and the new generation will support these traditions. - There are a lot of ideas, I do not want to get ahead of ourselves. Gradually, step by step, we will familiarize community residents with all our programs. We will constantly inform them about the fulfillment of our obligations. And you, please pass your initiatives on to Vladislav", - summed up Boris Kolesnikov, the leader of the party "UKRAINE-OUR HOME".

domain: politics


Cupertino has updated its line of MacBook Pro with Retina display computers, adding faster versions of Intel’s Haswell processors and increasing the standard RAM included with the machines.
Now, all 13-inch models come with at least 8GB of RAM, while all 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display computers ship with a minimum 16GB of RAM. The least expensive Retina-equipped MacBook Pro includes 128GB of flash storage, however higher-priced models include as much as 512GB.
Prices for the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display start at $1,299, and customers can add-on faster processors and more RAM at checkout.
The 15-inch model, on the other hand, starts at $1,999, and all of Apple’s revamped MacBook Pros are available to ship within 24 hours. Despite previous reports claiming that the non-Retina MacBook Pro was facing extinction, this model is still available from Apple and it currently retails for $1,099.
For more information on the new products, call by Apple’s MacBook Pro Web page on the Apple Online Store.
See also: AppAdvice International: China’s ‘iPhone 6’ preorders, a new store in Wuxi, Foursquare updates Swarm with check-in improvements and interface tweaks, and Apple is no longer seeking a permanent injunction in Samsung lawsuit.


text:
FAQs last updated on 6 August.
We will continue to keep this page updated and will contact customers directly where appropriate.
When will Brexit happen?
The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020. There will be a transitional period up until 31 December 2020.
Will my investment account be affected by Brexit?
Your account should not be affected, and we will continue to operate your account as normal. We are in the process of combining our business with interactive investor (ii). For more information view our dedicated help page.

domain: economics


Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has delivered the oath of office to 15 Connecticut superior court judges, including a Bradford attorney who was a figure in a criminal case involving a pyramid scheme.
A Branford attorney nominated to the Superior Court assured state lawmakers on Friday that she told former clients involved in an alleged pyramid scheme “there was absolutely no way” they could change their so-called gifting tables club “to make it OK ever” under Connecticut law.
Two Guilford women have been found guilty of running a gifting table pyramid scheme.
Two Guilford witnesses in a trial alleging a pyramid scheme say a prominent New Haven businessman and one-time Republican office-seeker praised the business and volunteered to talk it up.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) _ Two Guilford women accused of participating in a “gifting tables” pyramid scheme are heading to trial. The federal trial starts Thursday in Hartford for Donna Bello and Jill Platt. They have […]
A Connecticut woman accused of participating in a “gifting tables” pyramid scheme has pleaded guilty to a tax charge. The U.S. Attorney’s office said 67-year-old Bettejane Hopkins of Essex pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court […]


text:
The devastation and wreckage of everyday lives left behind by Harvey and Irma is hard to imagine or visualize unless you’re on the ground in Texas or Florida. It’s in the big things like homes and schools and offices and stores and vehicles. It’s in the little things like pets and pictures and awards and diplomas and cozy chairs, favorite shoes and familiar cell phones that were daily refuge. Texans and Floridians driven into shelters are glad to be alive but are not sure who they are or where they belong. Overnight, their identity was mysteriously removed, and they can’t think beyond their next bite of food or available restful cot. They have no plans for tomorrow. They are not clear what tomorrow looks like. We furnish our everyday lives with things familiar (the stuff of our lives) that give us comfort and identity. Suddenly removed, we are left without context. We are traumatized and drift into post-traumatic-stress-syndrome without even realizing it.
The Texans and Floridians driven into shelters are, for the most part, the elderly, the working class, the humble who can’t afford to lose a blade of grass.
- Texas, for example, is temporarily expanding the income limit for food stamps.
- The state is also temporarily expediting benefits, loosening restrictions on what people can buy with government aid, allowing schools to serve free meals to every student impacted by the hurricane – regardless of their income – and reimbursing people for food stamps that might have gone to waste because of the storm.
Heroes Among Heroes
The staff who are providing these human services are also victims of the storm’s fury, yet they continue to work on behalf of others at risk while their own lives may be in tatters.
“A lot of our case workers and a lot of people who do the frontline work are not financially well off,” says Russell Sykes of the American Public Human Services Association. “When something like this happens, they’re working 24/7, and they may be in the same situation as their clients…it’s a real test of the strength of the whole safety net. I hope what comes of it is a better understanding of how heroic these social workers are.”
They’ll Never Surrender
Stunned by their own loss, social workers in Texas and Florida still carry-on. After immediate needs have been met, the storm’s longer-term effects remain. The poor devastated people of Texas and Florida require continued resources and attention. Caseloads for years to come will reflect the psychological impact of trauma. People have seen their homes and jobs destroyed. Many have been dislocated and may find it necessary to start over in new unfamiliar communities. They will need ongoing help and support, particularly those who had the least before the storms hit.
We’re in This Together
Nonprofit organizations, as well, will need the support and resources to repair any organizational harm the storms caused so they can continue to do their share. Case workers will need help from out of state colleagues who may even have to temporarily replace them while they get their own lives stabilized. Nonprofits may be called upon to share resources in addition to personnel. Facilities and equipment, as well as temporary funding mechanisms, may have to be shared to support these heroes among the heroes devastated by Harvey and Irma. Being able to document and track the new information is going to be more important than ever. The entire nonprofit community will step-up to support our colleagues in Texas and Florida, as well as their partners and constituents... It’s who we are.
The FAMCare Blog
Fostering discussions on industry news, effective data management, improved workflow, morale and funding.

domain: news


text:
From St Xavier Cole Round Box Clutch
This product is currently sold out.
Cherry blossom inspired clutch can be teamed with your favourite denims or party looks.
- W6 inch X H6 inch
- Hand beaded
- Round silver frame
- Top clasp closure
- Interior slit pocket
- Detachable shoulder chain strap
- From St Xavier dust bag included

domain: design


TIMKEN 95525/95925-B bearing133.35x234.95x63.5
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I currently own a 2009 Verna (automatic) and am looking for a diesel automatic saloon within Rs 9-11 lakh. I am interested in the new Honda city, but will it be launched with a diesel automatic variant? Are there any other options in this segment barring Hyundai’s fluidic Verna, whose dynamics I consider appalling?
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text:
Alleged Plutus Payroll syndicate member Christopher Guillan is accused of destroying evidence to protect Adam Cranston, the motorsport-obsessed school friend he had always "looked up to".
Mr Guillan, 29, told Australian Federal Police he ran a high-end car leasing company called G&T Holdings and sometimes needed to garage his luxury vehicles with family and friends, including 30-year-old Mr Cranston, the son of Australian Tax Office commissioner Michael Cranston.
Police documents paint a picture of Mr Guillan as a man on the fringe of the syndicate; not a co-conspirator but somebody who had knowledge of the alleged criminal activity and did the bidding of Adam Cranston.
The pair have been friends since their days at Aquinas Catholic College at Menai in Sydney's south. They also worked together at insolvency firm Rodgers Reidy.
Mr Guillan and Adam Cranston were last week released on bail after being charged over a $165 million scheme that skimmed income taxes owed to the ATO.
Mr Cranston senior is set to be charged with allegedly abusing his position as a public official when he fronts court on August 13.
According to police documents, Mr Guillan previously tried to destroy evidence on behalf of Mr Cranston and investigating officers wanted strict bail conditions so he could not try to do so again. Mr Guillan has been charged with one court of dealing with the proceeds of crime.
"He has known and been friends with Adam Cranston since high school," police documents say. "He has always looked up to him."
Police found no record of Mr Guillan's car leasing venture ever actually leasing out vehicles. But the fact some of the expensive cars were garaged with family and friends, including Adam Cranston, could help explain why those close to him were seemingly nonplussed about his rapidly expanding wealth. Police said members of the syndicate used the alleged fraud to furnish a "lavish" lifestyle.
Mr Cranston's business, Synep, was also ostensibly doing very well. So much so that he was able to field a Porsche in an endurance race at Bathurst in February of this year.
"The entry will be supported by Synep and its subsidiaries, Synep Limited, Clamenz Lawyers, Rush Recruitment and Los Vida," promotional material posted on the race website said.
Plutus Payroll was also steaming ahead. In 2016, it was named a finalist in the $100 million plus category of the Aspire Awards, which recognise "the best of Australia's private and family businesses". The awards are supported by PwC and The Australian Financial Review.
For Adam and brother Josh, racing at Bathurst was a dream come true, according to the article.
"We have loved Bathurst since we were kids, we grew up watching it, it is what got us into the sport, and we have always wanted to race there," Adam is quoted as saying.
"I went to uni in Bathurst, and I see it as the epitome of motorsport, the pinnacle, and this is probably the only chance I am going to get in life to race it and tick it off the bucket list."
They finished in a podium position.
There is no suggestion Josh Cranston was involved in what police describe as the "conspiracy".
Seven alleged co-conspirators have been charged; Mr Guillan is not one of them.
But police will allege he was aware of a series of second-tier companies incorporated by the co-conspirators, had discussions about who would take the "fall" and a blackmail attempt.
When he was arrested and interviewed on May 17, he told police he worked for Rush Recruitment and had done some consultancy work for Plutus, including providing advice on how to "improve efficiencies".
Mr Guillan also served at one time as chief financial officer at Aventis Capital, which is linked to several members of the syndicate. A business called Aventis Capital was registered at Adam Cranston's Bondi address in 2010, Australian Securities and Investments Commission records show.
Police noted Mr Guillan claimed to have obtained $1.4 million from deceased Peter Larkin to finance the car leasing venture, run through a company called G&T Holdings.
It is possible police misspelled the deceased man's last name and were in fact referring to Peter Larcombe, the Sydney businessman the co-conspirators agreed they would blame if they were caught.
Mr Guillan told police he was the sole director of G&T Holdings, which the last time he checked had $393 in its account.
But it will be alleged that Mr Guillan controlled G&T Holdings on behalf of Mr Cranston and that hundreds of thousands of dollars were channelled through the account as part of the alleged scam.
On 23 January, a phone tap revealed Adam Cranston called Mr Guillan to tell him he would be appointed "pseudo" chief executive of Plutus.
When Mr Guillan asked who he would be accountable to, Adam Cranston said "me".
Roads and Maritime Services records showed G&T Holdings acquiring vehicles with a combined value of $712,485. They were purchased over a period from April 20, 2016 to February 23, 2017.
Mr Guillan had not entered into any formal lease or rental agreements, police say.
"The vehicle leasing idea is a business idea, although he can't remember if he's drafted any sort of business plan."
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domain: law


The Extech EX810 clamp meter & IR thermometer is a 1000A clamp-on multimeter that features a built-in infrared thermometer with a laser pointer that’s an excellent troubleshooter for locating hot spots and overheating motors. The EX810 is a versatile instrument capable of accurate measurements of AC current, AC/DC voltage, resistance, capacitance and frequency. The EX810 features 43mm jaws, large enough for cables up to 750MCM (or two 500 MCM cables). The ergonomically designed double-molded housing offers a better grip for one-hand operation and results are shown on the backlit, 4000 count dual LCD display.
Additional features of Extech EX810 clamp meters include: diode test, audible continuity beeper, autoranging with manual range button, Data Hold, Min/Max, Auto Power Off, and Peak Hold that captures inrush currents and transients.
The Extech EX810 clamp meter & IR thermometer series ships complete with test leads, 9V battery, and case.


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Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Second District Finds PAGA Claims Not Subject to FAA Preemption Under Concepcion: Brown v. Ralphs Grocery
On July 12, 2011, the Second District (Division Five) held that the U.S. Supreme Court’s preemption analysis in AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion does not apply to PAGA claims. See Brown v. Ralphs Grocery, __Cal.App.4th __ (2011). The Court remanded the action for further consideration as to “whether the provision in the arbitration agreement waiving plaintiff’s right to pursue a representative action under the PAGA can be severed or whether the presence of that one invalid provision in the arbitration agreement renders the entire agreement or portions thereof unenforceable.” The ultimate holding on this question may provide a basis to exclude labor class actions from the scope of FAA preemption under Concepcion whenever a PAGA claim is alleged. More on this decision later.


Talking Points on the Environment #8
Strict Government Control the Source of Federal Land Problems, Not the
Solution to It
- Overgrazing on public range land occurs because of federal dictates, not
in spite of them. Ranchers are required to run a fixed number of cattle on
leased federal land -- whether the land can sustain them or not. If ranchers
choose not to graze the specified number of cattle, they can lose their leases.
Ranchers should be permitted to forego cattle grazing in favor of
environment-friendly -- and profitable -- uses.
- National Forests are over-cut, in part, because recreational activities on
federal lands at the local level are funded through timber sales. Increased
public demand for recreational opportunities results in greater sales of timber
in national forests which in turn can lead to over-cutting in some areas.
Making recreation self-sustaining through user fees would reduce the temptation
to over-cut forests.
- Wilderness designation contributes to over-harvesting in National Forests.
When the federal government takes forest land out of timber production by
designating it a wilderness area, the Forest Service must increase timber sales
in non-wilderness areas to provide infrastructure for recreation, thereby
- Current federal land management policies do not provide incentives for
environmental stewardship. Regardless of the improvements one makes to land,
regardless of how environmentally-responsible a leaseholder behaves , the terms
of his/her lease remain the same. The institution of incentives, including
preferential lease terms, could encourage greater environmental stewardship.
Simply put, if one wishes to encourage responsible behavior, one must make
responsible behavior profitable.
- Federal regulations stifle local-level policy innovations that could
benefit both federal lands and the people who depend on it. Federal land-use
decisions rest largely in the hands of Washington, D.C. bureaucrats -- people
with little understanding of either the land or the ranching, logging and
mining cultures that depend on it. Further, federal statute dictates the
consumptive use of federal lands. Local authorities -- which are closer to the
land and the people -- should be granted greater land-use decision making
Information from "The Changing Western Paradigm" by Jim McMahon
Issue Date: November 10, 1993
Talking Points on the Economy: Environment #8, published by The National
Center for Public Policy Research, 501 Capitol Ct NE, Washington, D.C. 20001 Tel. (202) 507-6398, Fax (301) 498-1301, [email protected],
http://www.nationalcenter/inter.net. For more information about Talking Points
on the Economy: Environment #8 contact Bob Adams at (202) 507-6398 or
<<< Return to the Science and Environment
<<< Return to the Talking Points on the
Environment Cards Page
<<< Return to the NCPPR Home Page


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Browsing by Author "Henry IV, King of France, 1553-1610. aut"
Showing 1 to 2 out of 2 results
TextEEBO-TCP (Phase 1)A letter written by the king of Nauarr, to the three estates of Fraunce containing a most liuely description of the discommodities and dangers of ciuill warre: and a very forcible perswasion to obedience, vnitie, and peace. Together with a breefe declaration vpon the matters happened in Fraunce sithence the 23. day of December. 1588. Translated out of French, by G.R.Date of publication:
1589Author(s):Description:A translation, by G.R., from the original French. A3r catchword: 'passed'--STC. Print show-through. Reproduction of the original in the Bodleian Library.This item contains 4 files (615.53 KB).Publicly Available
TextEEBO-TCP (Phase 2)The letters pattents of the Kings declaration for the referring of the generall assemblie of the princes, cardinals, dukes and peeres as well ecclesiasticall as temporall, the officers of the crowne, the lords, gentlemen, officers and others, vnto the 15. day of March next comming. Also to reclaime his subiects and rebellious townes to his obedience. Published in the Parliament of Caen the 22. of of [sic] December. 1589. Faithfullie translated out of the French copie printed at Caen.Date of publication:
1590Description:Publication date from STC. Reproduction of the original in the British Library.This item contains 4 files (68.64 KB).Publicly Available


Cavs coach Tyronn Lue is hopeful J.R. Smith can return from injury within two weeks, according to a report from Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal. Smith recently rejoined the Cavs during their three-game road trip, albeit without the intention of making his on-court return.
“Hopefully the next 10 days to two weeks he’ll be back,” Lue told Ridenour. “They’re saying he’s been looking better and better every day, he had a good workout yesterday, so hopefully we get him back soon.”
Smith’s recovery process from a fractured thumb has been a complicated one. Following a report from Chris Haynes and Dave McMenamin of ESPN that Smith could return in mid-March, J.R. tweeted “Please don’t believe the hype. Still a ways to go.” (Twitter link)
Smith, who last made an on-court appearance on December 20, signed a four-year, $57MM contract over the offseason. Kyle Korver has performed admirably in Smith’s absence, shooting 50.4% from beyond the arc since being acquired from Atlanta.
The Cavs would obviously like to have Smith back as the postseason nears, particularly while Kevin Love recovers from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. In late February, Cavs GM David Griffin announced Smith was progressing “on schedule, maybe slightly ahead of schedule.”


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Clearly this is the part of the original story in which Peter Parker just starts crawling around on the ceiling. As that's a bit outside of Sporkman's normal skill set, he has to improvise.
And now, with this strange, six-page diversion out of the way, we can continue on with "normal" comics.
Remastered on January 12th, 2013
Table of Contents
About The Comic
Classic Sporkman is a comic by Jodie Troutman, beginning in 2004 as a throwaway reboot of the titular character she created in high school. It's extremely silly, frequently stupid, and the comic's creator absolutely loves it. She hopes you do too. For more comics by Jodie, visit longtalljodie.com!

domain: hobby


Water repellent jacket.
Jacket in water-repellent fabric. The front zip is rubberized, as are the slit pockets on the sides.
The internally profiled collar is personalized. On the left sleeve the Sommargibili logo is rubberized and stitched in total blue, under a pocket also with a rubberized zip. The cuffs and waist hem are in elasticized rib knit. Inside pocket in contrasting color that echoes the zip on the inside of the back. Sporty and informal garment.
Designed in Italy


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2014 BMW M6 Gran Coupe image gallery
We have driven the flagship car of BMW M Series in Germany - the BMW M6 Gran Coupe. Here is an image gallery of the 4-door M6 Gran Coupe.
BMW now has a new flagship for its M line in the M6 Gran Coupe.
BMW M6 Gran Coupe is going on sale in India in the first week of April this year and is expected to be priced at Rs 1 crore or just below.
The roof is carbon fibre and the gleam of the clear-coated weave attracts a lot of attention
BMW M6 Gran Coupe is the 4-door version of the M6
Under the long hood lies the same 4.4-litre V8 that breathes through two twin-scroll turbos.
- Tranquility with the Hyundai Creta in Wayanad
- Intercity road travel time of "Oxygen Tankers" can be shortened, with help from the Indian motorsport fraternity
- Hyundai Alcazar vs Tata Safari vs MG Hector Plus: Engine specifications compared
- Skoda Kushaq India launch pushed to July 2021
- Mahindra eXUV300, eKUV100 electric vehicles to launch in 2022


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Homebased. Bento cakes, cookies and edible cookie dough with unique flavours! The size of the Bento Cake is 4" (10cm). Bento cake flavours may include Blue Velvet, Chocolate Kukidu, Ondeh Ondeh, Bandung, Maple Bacon, or Sesame Salted Egg. Edible cookie dough flavours may include Ondeh Ondeh, Nasi Lemak, Naked (plain), Choc Chip, Honey Cinnamon, Peanut Butter & Jam or Smores. Cookie flavours may include Chocolate Truffle or Salted Hojicha.
Although your Shiok bag will definitely contain bakery-related food, the exact contents will be known only at pick-up. Eateries fill in whatever unsold food they have left for the day into the Shiok Bag. While you get a surprise at an ultra-low price, the eateries get flexibility. Win + Win.
You will know the eatery's name and address through email after you make the purchase.
I got the Cookie + Edible Cookie Dough option. Received Chocolate truffle cookie, Salted Hojicha cookie, and Nasi Lemak cookie dough. The cookies were not dry and it’s delicious. I really like the Salted Hojicha one. The nasi lemak cookie dough was an interesting twist, it was paired with ikan bilis. Can taste a bit of spiciness which was a surprise to me but still tasty too!

domain: food


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Movie Alsino and the Condor (1982) download free
Book Title: Alsino and the Condor|
Directors: Miguel Littin
Genre: Drama, War
Release Date: 1982
Runtime: 89 min
Stars: Dean Stockwell,Alan Esquivel,Carmen Bunster
IMDb Rating: 6.5
Full movie description "Alsino and the Condor":Alsino, a boy of 10 or 12, lives with his grandmother in a remote area of Nicaragua. He's engulfed in the war between rebels and government troops when a US advisor orders the army to open a staging area by the boy's hamlet. Alsino tries to be a child, climbing trees with a girl, looking through his grandfather's trunk of mementos and trying to fly; he goes to town to sell a saddle, has his first drink and is taken to a brothel. But the war surrounds him. The US advisor takes Alsino on a chopper flight, but he's unimpressed. The soldiers' cruelties awake rebel sympathies in Alsino, and after an army assault backfires, the lad is fully baptized into the conflict.
Reviews of the Alsino and the CondorMiguel Littin shows to us as by means of the collectivity is possible to reach the freedom. The film is developed in a jungle in Nicaragua, where there is a boy with the name of Alsino that dreams about flying, dreams about being free. The films shows all the ways that Alsino looks for the freedom, beginning with the freedom offered by countries of the first world; later with which Alsino thinks that it is freedom; later with the freedom offered by Capitalism; and finally account that the freedom is only obtained being united to its community, becoming Manuel. Also it is important to emphasize the position that Littin gives the woman, where the sample as it leaves from the fight in the search of the freedom.
Add a review for the film Alsino and the Condor
Movie Alsino and the Condor download free
Free download here. - Descarga gratuita aquí. - Download gratuito aqui. - Téléchargement gratuit ici. - 在这里免费下载 - حمل مجانا من هنا. - यहां नि: शुल्क डाउनलोड।.


Speaker and Workshop Instructor | Symsoil
Palo Alto, CA | firstname.lastname@example.org
Peter Hirst is a founder and principal of Symsoil Inc, where he develops biochar co-composting products and methods. Peter has specialized in biochar for over 10 years, developing production technology and writing and presenting extensively. An experienced educator, he has conducted courses and workshops in Conservation Burns, farm-scale production technology, integrated organic systems and incorporation of biochar in permaculture design. He most recently presented on co-composting at scale at the USBI National Conference on Biochar and Bioenergy at Colorado State University. He is a principal author of The Biochar Revolution, and is working on his second book, on agricultural biochar applications.
Session Name: Biochar and Compost: Exploring the Synergies
Session Time: Thursday, January 30, 2:00 to 3:30 PM
Presentation Title: Biochar Co-composting: The Soil Food Web at Commercial Scale
Presentation Description: A commercial system scaling the Soil Food Web through the conditioning effect of biochar.
Soil life is necessary for preparation of biochar for application to living roots. Raw biochar has damaged living plants, and the conditioning of biochar before application to living plants has become axiomatic. The SymSoil process uses these characteristic of raw biochar, which starve young roots, to build the biology that will later feed them.
Another emerging force in biochar use is the Soil Food Web, the composting and soil nutrition principles of Dr. Elaine Ingham, who chairs SymSoil’s Science Advisory Board. Dr. Ingham’s system is gaining strength and acceptance, but has an inherent limitation of scale. Considerations of heat, aeration and fungal structure have prevented developing the Soil Food Web process to production quantities in excess of small farm scale . Until now.
Symsoil, a California startup, makes a powerful case for the function of raw biochar in the integrated, managed development of the soil biome in commercial compost, based on Dr Ingham’s Soil Food Web. This original, patent-pending model builds on Dr. Ingham’s work, integrating a variety of additional feedstocks and inoculants to build sustainable cultures from a few hundred grams to thousands of tons of robust compost, with a guaranteed biome profile consistent with the biological requirements of specific regions and crops.
Biochar is critical element at every stage of the process, from initial capture and cultivation of inoculants on substrates comprising 50% biochar or more, leveraging cultures through simultaneous and sequential stages of increased volumes of material, comprising 20-50 percent biochar, to conditioning, maintenance and regeneration of agricultural soils with permanent biochar fractions of up to percent, or the target composition for finished soil.
The presentation traces the system through its 2018 pilot project in Vacaville and the commercial hub in Fairfield, California.
Co-Author: Ms. Katharine Hinson, SymSoil, Inc, email@example.com
Workshop Title: Introduction to Biochar
Workshop Time: Tuesday, January 28, 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Workshop Summary: The science and practice of composting with biochar will be presented by four scientist from the USDA Coastal Plains Research Center in Florence, South Carolina, and two commercial producers of biochar enhanced compost products from North Carolina and California. The scientists will describe methods of creating and characterizing biochar with enhanced capabilities using different thermochemical and biological technologies, how “designer biochars” can be created to address particular crop and soil conditions, soil carbon, effect of biochar blends on soil microbial communities and composting biochar with worms. Commercial suppliers will discuss some of the challenges involved in creating specialized compost / Biochar blends, how Biochar enhances compost quality, benefits of composting with Biochar to boost effectiveness, and best management practices to optimize product quality. They will provide an overview of the new market opportunities for biochar enhanced compost.


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Stylish and functional, this clever gold mask chain adorned with pearl beads will keep your mask fitted in place and easily accessible.
- 22" long.
- 14K gold dipped and pearl.
- 1928 Jewelry Collection.
Style: #55 NE 5533141
Victorian Trading Co. offers quality, heirloom-caliber objects destined to become legacy. Our worry-free shopping guarantee: should you not be entirely delighted with your purchase, we will assure your exchange or reimbursement.


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The Greek economy is expected to grow by 4.3 percent in 2021 and by 6 percent in 2022, the European Commission said in its forecast report.
The European Commission endorsed Greece's recovery plan, totaling 30.5 billion euros as President Ursula von der Leyen visits Athens.
The European Union approved the geographical indication for ouzo and tsipouro, making the famous alcoholic beverages officially Greek.
Africa's Covid-19 struggle will be supported with over €1 Billion and expertise from Europe, the European Commission announced. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Friday at the G20 Global Health Summit in Rome a Team Europe initiative...
European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said Greece is likely to experience high economic growth next year in a meeting with PM Mitsotakis.
The European Commission is suing the pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca over the delay in providing vaccines to the Union.
Greece 2.0, the plan for Greece's economic recovery post-COVID-19, has been laid out with the European Investment Bank to manage 5 bln euros
The head of the EC, Ursula von der Leyen, was snubbed in a gaffe at talks between the EU and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The Greek economy will grow by 3.5 pct this year and 5.0 pct in 2022, the European Commission said in its winter economic forecasts released on Thursday. In the report, the EU's executive said economic recovery will continue, supported mostly...
The European Commission (EC) proposed new restrictions on travel to help stop the further spread of the coronavirus and its variants as not only the overall case numbers but the number of variants continue to rise across the continent. As...


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<!â€“ 336Ã—280 ad unit â€“>
#1 – Relaxed Eyes
Happy dogs have relaxed eyes and eyelids. They blink often and their gaze is soft, says Beth Mullen, director of behavior and training at Washington Humane Society.
Narrowed eyes and a hard gaze can indicate aggression, she says, while wide eyes, particularly if they whites are showing, could mean the dog is frightened.
According to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), “When your dog is relaxed and happy, his eyes will be their normal shape.”
Pay attention to the way your dog’s eyes look when doing different activities or during different times of the day. You’ll start noticing the differences and will be able to read your dog’s mood better. (www.aspca.org)
Next Up: Relaxed Mouth
Lori Wallace Campos
She loves her life… “What do you mean, this is your side of the bed, Mommy?” Love this little girl!

domain: pet


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Wanting to link the rear of your truck yourself, but don’t know where to start?
These are laser cut and MIG welded and come with 3/4″ Grade 9 hardware. You can use these for either 3 or 4 link designs. The upper mounts are setup for 1-1/4″ heims and the lowers for 1″ uni-balls or bushings.
These do not include the uniball or heim spacers.


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Private Studio Personal Training 1-on-1
Prefer indoor private studio personal training in Long Beach? Welcome to the personal training studio experience. A private personal training environment means your privacy is protected (unlike the gym) in Long Beach CA. This works perfectly for those who prefer privacy and aren’t into the idea of outdoor training. You’ll be working with the most committed best personal trainer money can buy.
Keeping a Low Profile
Private fitness training also helps clients in Show Business to escape the craziness of Hollywood and remain anonymous while they exercise with their Long Beach personal trainer. Sometimes keeping a low profile is your best option. While many Level 9 Fitness clients love outdoor personal training there’s sometimes a need to train indoors. Private studio personal training is your solution.
The Difference with Private Studio Personal Training
Private Fitness Studio training is the perfect place to build the body of your dreams. We all have different goals and we all want results. With the right fitness plan and the right personal trainer you’ll exceed your own expectations during private studio personal training in Long Beach. With Level 9 Personal Training you’ll see rapid results, without ever having to deal with the distractions and crowds you’ll see at a local health club. By training privately you’ll truly have a 1-on-1 experience with your personal trainer. Your results will be all that matters and your program will be one of a kind, designed specifically for you. The Level 9 system of Mixed Method Muscle Confusion ensures that you’ll avoid plateaus and achieve steady progress with your Long Beach Personal Trainer. Get ready for a unique, personalized fitness training experience unlike anything you’ve tried before.
Starting Private Studio Personal Training
As with any of our programs we encourage you to start with a trial personal training session to get to know your fitness instructor and ask any questions you have before getting started with your program. We believe in forming a strong relationship with every new client right from the start. We’ll go through a series of questions and answers to identify your goals and to find out what really drives you. We’ll also take a look at your current eating habits and suggest a meal plan to maximize your results. This process will help your private studio personal training instructor formulate your perfect plan for long term success in achieving your personal fitness goals.

domain: health


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Royal Park Boutique Hotel details:
The newest hotel in Budapest- the Royal Park Boutique Hotel opens its doors on 30th April 2010 opposite the Eastern Railway Station Keleti palyaudvar the central railway station in Budapest. The location of the boutique hotel with excellent public transportation makes it the perfect choice both for business travelers and leisure tourists visiting Budapest. Budapest International Airport Ferihegy can be reached within 30-40 minutes by taxi or shuttle bus and there is also good public transport connection to the airport. Guests arriving by car can park in the hotels own garage. The six-floor hotel awaits its guests with 80 double rooms. Guests have the choice between smoking and non-smoking rooms- while the guestrooms on the top floor possess a spacious terrace. Free internet is available in the guest rooms and in public areas as well. All rooms are air-conditioned and equipped with in room safe and mini bar- 32-inch LCD television- telephone- hair dryer. Soundproof- but openable windows guarantee the guests relaxation. The lobby bar and a spacious restaurant are the ideal spot to relax and indulge in a cocktail or try an excellent menu. Hotel amenities include 24-hour reception- room service- airport transfer- car rental and program arrangement.
All rooms feature air conditioning, central heating and a bathroom. Most accommodation units additionally feature a terrace. A double bed is provided in the carpeted accommodation units. Cots are available for children. A safe and a minibar also feature. Features include a mini-fridge and tea and coffee making equipment. An ironing set is also available to guests. Convenient features include internet access, a telephone, a TV and wireless internet access. In each of the bathrooms, guests will find a shower, a bathtub and a hairdryer.Standard + Breakfast .Leisure .Standard .Non Refundable Standard .Standard Special .Standard Special + Breakfast .Advance Purchase Standard .Advance Purchase Standard + Breakfast .Standard RO Advance Purchase2 MLOS1 .Standard + Breakfast Advance Purchase 2 MLOS1 .Advance Purchase Standard + Breakfast Special .Standard RO Advance Purchase2 MLOS3 .Standard + Breakfast Advance Purchase 2 MLOS3 .Advance Purchase Standard 45 .Advance Purchase Standard + Breakfast 45 .Advance Purchase Standard Special .
From the airport: Follow the signs to Centrum on Ferihegyi Repülőtérre vezető út, continue onto Üllői út, turn right at Orczy út, slight left to stay on Orczy út, continue onto Fiumei út, continue onto Baross téri felüljáró and Rottenbiller utca, turn right at István utca, take the 3rd right at Hernád utca, take the 2nd right at Garay utca, take the first left to Nefelejcs utca. ...
The friendly lobby bar offers a wide range of expertly-crafted cocktails and coffees in a chic, modern space throughout the day. A buffet breakfast is provided every morning and there are plenty of dining opportunities in the vicinity.
The hotel occupies a modern mid-rise property with a brick facade.
General: Parking (fee required), Express Check-In/Check-Out, Telephone, Mirror, Bicycle Storage, Restaurant, Safety Deposit Box, Television, Lobby, Dressing Area, Kettle, Individual air conditioning, Pets Allowed, Valet Parking, Multilingual Staff, Living Room, Room Toiletries, Central heating, Breakfast, LCD TV, Bathroom with Bath or Shower, Pets Allowed (limited amount), Soundproofed Rooms, Credit Card Accepted, Cribs Available, Lighted Makeup Mirror, Breakfast Room, Bar, Mini-Bar, Wired Internet Connection, Wardrobe, 24-Hour Front Desk, Heating, Smoke Detectors, Internet Access, Meeting Room, Garden, Brailled Elevators, Parking, Private parking, Terrace, Luggage Storage, Rollaway Beds, Wheelchair Access, Cable/satellite television, Non-Smoking Rooms, Shower, Bellboy, Business corner, Breakfast available (Surcharge), Late Check-In/Check-Out, All Public and Private Spaces Non-Smoking, 24-Hour Security, Designated Smoking Area, Printers, Coffee/tea in lobby, Hair dryer, Television in lobby, Air Conditioning, AM/FM Alarm Clock, Tea & Coffee Facilities, Refrigerator, On-Site Parking, Complimentary Safe In Room, In-Room Desk, Free Parking, Indoor Parking, In-Room Safe, Pets welcome (conditions & fees apply), Elevator, Private Bathroom, Direct Dial Telephone, Complimentary Safe in Reception, Self-Service Laundry
Services: Computer Rental, Room Service, Concierge, Meeting/Banquet Facilities, Tours/ticket assistance, Car Rental, Doctor on Call, Buffet, Free Wi-Fi in public areas, Fax/Photocopying, Early Check-In/Check-Out, Patio, Wi-Fi/Wireless LAN, Babysitting/Child Services, Laundry, Free Wi-Fi, Paid Shuttle Service, Free shuttle, Dry Cleaning, Special Diet Menus, Postal service, Babysitting/Child Services (surcharge), Ironing Service, Shuttle Service
Location: Coffee Shop, Business Center
Air Conditioning: In Room Air Conditioning, Air Conditioning in Public Areas
Parking: Parking On Request
Room Amenities: Wi-Fi in rooms, Carpeted Floor, Free Wi-Fi in Rooms

domain: travel


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A significant number of in-office employees (63%) say they experience COVID-19 related stress according to Paychex. The survey highlights the impact the pandemic has on the mental health of the American workforce.
Remote workers however feel less stressed about COVID with only 35% affected by stress. According to the survey having all onsite employees working remotely full time helped decrease the stress levels among a quarter of those surveyed.
COVID Employee Stress
Of the more than 1,000 surveyed 51%, say their mental health had worsened during the COVID-19 outbreak. More than half of these (56%) are working on site. Furthermore, motivation in the workplace has also seen a decline. Here, more remote workers (51%) say they struggle to get motivated to work compared to those working on-site (45%).
Team morale has also been affected by both onsite workers (47%) and remote workers (43%) being affected. Strangely enough, work-life balance was not a major factor with only 30% admitting to experiencing more stress in the post COVID era. In this regard, those working onsite (33%) experienced slightly more stress than those who work remotely (28%).
The impact of stress on productivity among employees was almost the same. With 35% of onsite employees and 32% of remote workers admitting to a reduction in their productivity levels.
The Cost of Mental Health
Mental health is important for driving quality of life. Disorders, such as depression can negatively affect the immune system, sleep patterns and interpersonal relationships.
The impact of poor mental health also takes a financial toll. In fact, depression among employees cost businesses around $44 billion in lost productivity per year. As high as 6.7% of all U.S. adults experience at least one depressive episode annually.
Before COVID-19, an estimated 1 in 6 people experienced a common mental health issue like anxiety or depression in any given week. This figure is likely to get higher in the wake of the pandemic. Stress levels are expected to increase because of prolonged social distancing, massive loss of life, and economic uncertainty.
To Tell or Not to Tell
Mental health experts advise those struggling with mental health issues should seek help from a licensed medical professional. Though this might be a little more difficult in the age of social distancing, they should also look to confide in someone. Only 27% are either regularly seeing a therapist or attend counseling sessions. Surprisingly more than half (55%) experiencing stress have not said anything to anyone because they feel uncomfortable in raising the subject.
Some 40% of employees say their employer does not provide adequate policies or procedures to address health and well-being during COVID-19. On-site employees were more likely to report inadequate mental health policies at work (43%), compared to remote workers (38%). Feeling that raising the subject was a deeply personal issue (59%) was the top reason presented. This is followed by not expecting the employer to help in alleviating the stress (33%). Others included the possibility of being either furloughed or fired (30%) or negatively affecting their career prospects (29%).
Interestingly 18% feared raising the issue thinking their supervisors were too busy (18%). Moreover, others thought it would create judgement (10%) towards them in the workspace. Only 26% of managers and supervisors have actually checked on their employee’s mental health during the pandemic.
Those that have opened up to feeling stress did so to colleagues (35%) and supervisors (21%). While a few have confided to subordinates (6%) or HR (5%). Those that had opened up about feeling stressed felt more comfortable talking about their issues with their managers over the phones. Conversely, they felt the least comfortable opening up online chatting services such as Slack or Google chat.
Stress Over a Possible Second Wave of COVID-19
Concerns over a second wave of COVID-19 is also an issue according to those surveyed. In fact, around 73% of respondents say they are ‘deeply troubled’ by the prospect of a second wave.
Those fearing losing their jobs in the event of a second wave is almost the same among all age groups. Millennials have a slightly higher concern (23%) compared to Generation X (22%) and Baby boomers (19%).
The good news, however, is that they are preparing for it. Among these, include looking for a fallback job in the event of getting cut or furloughed (35%). Some 36% of employees and 33%of managers are actively looking for backup jobs just in case their current employment does not pan out. A further 30% are learning new skills to increase their chances of remaining employed. This applies to 31% of employees and 27% of managers who are developing additional job skills. Only 2% of both employees and managers are saving money in the event that they lose their current employment.
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I feel like everyone has additional stress right now due to COVID. Some people have adjusted so well they don’t recognize it anymore I guess. Good for them, but I’m still feeling the stress in one way or another.
When employees have access to a robust EAP, they should be guided to it. They might forget if there hasn’t been any recent promotion or they might assume that they would have to meet face-to-face. Most EAPs are delivering counseling via video, phone, or text during COVID. EAPs use licensed counselors who can do assessment for depression and suicide risk. For managers who don’t know how to make a referral, call the EAP yourself to discuss the situation.

domain: psychology


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The brackish pond at Gilpin Point near Crossing Rocks is generally a reliable place to find waterbirds. For those birding on South Abaco (in many respects, one big hotspot) Gilpin is definitely worth a visit at almost any time. Bear in mind it is (a) a longish private road (we got a puncture down there once…**) and (b) it is private land. However, the owner Perry Maillis is always welcoming to tidy birders who bring only enthusiasm and take only pictures. Plus he very kindly changed our wheel!
We found this small Green Heron quite easily. We’d watched it fly onto a stump in the pond near the jetty, then fly closer to the shoreline. By tiptoeing onto the jetty, we could see the bird perched close to the water, inspecting it with a fierce and predatory eye. Both eyes, in fact.
The hunting technique is deceptively simple. Note the long sharp stabbing beak. Note the large feet and claws for gripping securely Here’s how it is done. As a fish is sighted, so the heron leans gradually forwards, beak dipping closer to the water, the body more streamlined to look at. The procedure is beginning in the image above.
The stance means ‘small fish – 5 feet off – moving left and closing – prepare to strike‘. As the prey unwittingly approaches, the bird slowly tilts further forward unless its beak almost touches the water, the quicker and closer to strike.
The actual strike is so rapid that it is barely possible to see with the naked eye, let alone to photograph it clearly (not on my type of camera anyway). But the end result is rarely in doubt, with a small fish struggling but securely held in that long, clamping beak. It will be down the heron’s gullet in a matter of seconds.
I left the heron as it settled slowly back into ‘scanning the water mode’ while I went to watch some lesser yellowlegs nearby. Some minutes later, the heron was still contentedly fishing from its vantage point.
ROUGH GILPIN CHECKLIST
Species we have found on and around the pond include black-necked stilts, little blue heron, great blue heron, tricolored heron, snowy egret, reddish egret, yellow-crowned night heron, the relatively rare and very shy sora, hordes of white-cheeked pintails, northern pintails, lesser yellowlegs, belted kingfisher, turkey vulture, smooth-billed ani, American kestrel, Bahama woodstar, Cuban emerald, Mucovy duck (Perry’ pet!) – and the green heron of course.
As a bonus, Gilpin has become an increasingly regular stop for raucous flocks of Abaco parrots. Rarer species found there include American flamingo (rare vagrant), brown pelican, double-crested cormorants, and limpkins. On the beach 5 minutes walk away, there are usually shorebirds including rare piping plovers, Wilson’s plovers, turnstones; gull and tern species; and passing tropicbirds & magnificent frigatebirds flying high over the water.
** I realise that strictly I should be saying ‘flat’ here, but that might be confusing for Euro-readers, who would understand that to mean that we had rented (or purchased) an apartment in a larger dwelling house containing similar accommodation.
All photos, Keith Salvesen except the cute chick, Charlie Skinner; and the cute cartoon GH, Birdorable…
I am interrupting my intended sequence of posts (I try to plan ahead a bit…) to bring you some gorgeous white-tailed tropicbirds (Phaethon lepturus catesbyi) seen within the last week near the Low Place on Man-o-War Cay. There were 6 in the group, flying high, flying low, circling, dipping down, flirting – all of this taking place just offshore.
Sally Chisholm, Abaco birder and photographer, was with Todd Pover of CWFNJ, engaged in the final piping plover count of the season before the birds return to their summer breeding grounds [check out ABACO PIPING PLOVER WATCH if you are interested]. Sally and Todd were distracted from the matter in hand as the group of tropicbirds glided and swooped through the air. It was a free demonstration of beautiful flying skills that can be matched by few other species.
It became obvious that courtship was involved. As Sally vividly describes it, “The birds were observed for more than 15 minutes making wide circles, at times flying out of sight across towards Great Abaco and coming back flying low over the same area on MOW. Two birds would interact with a lot of “keck-keck-keck”, and then one of the pair flew down to land several times in the same crevice of the iron shore. It first appeared that the bird was landing for food but none of the photos showed anything carried. The display looked to be one of courtship and was amazing to watch”.
WTTR plunge-dive for fish and squid, sometimes submerging completely
Or they swoop and skim their prey from the surface
Another technique to take flying fish in the air (I’d love to see that…)
WTTR have no fixed breeding season, and may nest year-round
Nesting is colonial or in pairs in a particular area, or even in isolation
The small bird featured here is a CUBAN PEWEE Contopus caribaeus bahamensis (sometimes called the Crescent-eyed Pewee – see image for why this is so). It is without a doubt a tyrant. At barely 6″ long, it is the smallest tyrant you are likely to encounter in the Bahamas or indeed anywhere else. However it does happen to be a member of the family Tyranidae. These are the flycatchers, and on Abaco they include the larger LA SAGRA’S FLYCATCHER, the still largerLOGGERHEAD KINGBIRDand (a summer visitor only) the GRAY KINGBIRD(this last link explains the difference between the two kingbirds).
The Cuban Pewee is permanently resident on Abaco, and can be found in both pine woods and coppice. When returning to its perch after a fly-catching sortie – ‘hawking’ on the wing – this wee bird gives a characteristic flick of the tail. The bird featured here was in the rough scrub behind the beach of the beautiful bay at Casuarina. It became a favourite of mine simply by being completely unafraid of me, and accepting my extremely slow approach (3 inches at a time) with apparent interest mixed in with an endearing willingness to pose, even when I could almost have reached out and touched it.
Unlike many creatures, it did not seem concerned by eye-contact. It responded when I made a faint clicking sound by rather sweetly putting its head on one side. However, as I got as close to it as I dared, it began to fidget slightly (possibly feeling camera-shy). So I shuffled slowly back, so as not to disturb it in its own territory, where it was the resident and I was the intruder.
These close-ups clearly show the tiny hooked tip at the end of the upper beak, which (as in other tyrant species) relates to the business of catching flies. Also like other flycatchers, the Cuban Pewee has very distinctive whiskers around the base of the beak. In fact, these are not whiskers as such – not hairs so much as feathers that have modified into bristles. These act as ‘tactile sensors’ to assist the detection and targeting of aerial insects as the bird darts from a perch to intercept some passing tasty winged morsel.
The range of the Cuban Pewee is limited almost entirely to Cuba and the Bahamas, so it is very region specific. And how lucky we are to have these cute little specimens on Abaco. I note that the Audubon site calls them drab, which I think is a little unfair. Merely because a bird is not decked out like aPAINTED BUNTINGor startlingly marked like a male RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDdoes not make it drab. I prefer the word ‘subtle’. I like GRASSQUITS too, for the same reason: too often maligned as ‘dull’.
It is sometimes tempting to anthropomorphise such close encounters in terms of imputed human / creature empathy. It is probably best to try to resist that attitude (‘inter-species condescension’, as you might term it). But as I withdrew, leaving this little bird undisturbed on its branch, I did experience a strange feeling of mutual understanding and… [I must interrupt myself here. I’m a lawyer, so that’s quite enough of that sort of emotive nonsense]
As I have mentioned before, theBAHAMAS POSTAL SERVICEhas an exceptionally good record for producing wonderful, colourful stamps showcasing the abundant wealth of natural history in the archipelago. Birds, reef fish, turtles, marine mammals, butterflies, plants and flowers – all these and more have featured on the stamps of the Bahamas for many years. There’s quite a collection of them on a display page of their own HERE.
Quite by chance I recently came across a significant philatelic tribute to one of the rarest Bahamas winter visitors, the Kirtland’s Warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii): a complete commemorative sheet of stamps. Reader I bought it (= ‘won’ it on eBay – $2.75!). Produced in conjunction with the WWF, it is a model of conservationist sensitivity.
The sheet of 16 stamps depicts 4 x 4 KIWA variations: a female at the nest; a singing male; a female feeding young; and a juvenile feeding in the Jack pines of its summer habitat, prior to its long Fall migration to Abaco and the Bahamas.
Kirtland’s Warbler in the Abaco National Park: you need to know where to look to find one
I am not a stamp collector, but I do appreciate it when countries take the trouble to showcase their flora and fauna among the notable people, sporting heroes, modes of transport and Harry Potter characters. As I say, the Bahamas is very good in this respect.
A Kirtland’s Warbler on Green Turtle Cay: the first recorded sighting on one of the Cays
You can find out more about these rare and vulnerable little warblers, including the first ever recorded on a Cay in Abaco, using these links:
In the breeding grounds in very limited areas of Michigan and Ohio, the KIWAs are carefully monitored. Vince Cavalieri is a bird expert in those parts, and his bird below was photographed in the heartland of their preferred summer habitat. Vince wrote the following caption:
In 1987 the Kirtland’s Warbler was a hair’s breadth from extinction. A century of fire suppression and encroachment into their habitat by the brown-headed cowbird had reduced its already small population to a tiny number of birds in just a few Michigan counties. A prescribed fire that got out of control may have saved them, creating enough habitat that it gave conservationists enough time to figure out how to save them (highly prescriptive habitat creation and cowbird control). Today their comeback has been so successful that they have been proposed for removal from the endangered species list. They still remain the stuff of birding legend. A tiny range mostly restricted to north central Michigan, a big beautiful warbler with a loud and cheerful song, easy to see and confiding once found. A bird worthy of long travel to check off your list.
Here are a couple more ‘summer birds’ to admire
Credits: Woody Bracey (1, 2); Sally Chisholm (3); Vince Cavalieri (4); Joel Trick FWSH (5); Andrew C (Wiki) (6); Birdorable (cartoon); BPS and eBay (KIWA stamps)
It is an ill-concealed secret that I don’t have an artistic bone in my body – I get acute angst if asked to draw a stickman. As I was looking through photos of large pink flamingo groups, I suddenly realised that I was getting some sort of abstract vision of them. Whoooh! Art-talk. Anyway, I wondered how a legion of flamingos might look in B&W. Add a bit of highlight and… does it work at all? Whether yes or no, this may be the only B&W photo of flamingos since the invention of colour film. Why would you? [Impatient reader: ‘Why did you?]
All great photos courtesy of Melissa Maura (1, 2, 3, 9, 10); Mary Kay Beach (4, 5, 6, 7, 8); Michael Vaughn (11), with many thanks for use permission; Cartoon, Birdorable
Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) are causing some comment on FB at the moment, in particular about why they like to stand on utility posts with their wings spread out wide. So, bending my flexible rule against reposts, I am updating a very old TUVU post with lots of new images and facts about this fascinating bird, which manages to be simultaneously majestic, hideous, revolting and socially vital, all packed into a single species…
The TUVU is a familiar sight flying over Abaco, wheeling effortlessly overhead on thermals or gliding with the wind in singles, pairs or flocks. Statistically, 83% of all photographs of turkey vultures are taken from below and look like this:
Of those, 57% are taken in unhelpful light, and look like the one below. On the positive side, this picture show the extreme delicacy of the wing-tip feathering that enables these birds to adjust their direction and speed (this is not the bird above; it was taken by someone else at a different time. But 100% of TUVU in-flight photos are indistinguishable).
TUVUs have a wide range in the Americas and the Caribbean, and can prosper in almost any type of habitat. This is probably because these large birds are almost exclusively carrion feeders, and carrion is everywhere. They spend their days scavenging, or thinking about scavenging. They do not generally kill live creatures.
The word ‘vulture’ derives from the latin word ‘vulturus‘ meaning ‘ripper’, ‘shredder’, or in more recent times, ‘very loud Metallica song*‘. TUVUs have very good eyesight, and an acute sense of smell that enables them to detect the scent of decay (and consequent release of the chemical ethyl mercaptan) from some distance. A breeding pair will raise two chicks, which revoltingly are fed by the regurgitation of all the rank… excuse me a moment while I… I feel a little bit… ~~~~~~~~~~~ …alright, OK again now.
When they are not flying, feeding, breeding or feeding young, TUVUs like best to perch on a vantage point – a utility post is ideal. But unusually for a bird, you won’t ever hear them sing or call. They lack aSYRINX(the avian equivalent of a larynx), and their vocalisation is confined to grunting or hissing sounds. Here’s a hiss (at 10 / 15 secs).
These vultures are often seen in a spread-winged stance, which is believed to serve multiple functions that include drying the wings, warming the body, and baking bacteria. Possibly it also reduces the miasma of rotting meat that may surround them after a good meal.
Equally happy to spread their wings on the ground – a debris-strewn shoreline being ideal
10 SCAVENGED TURKEY VULTURE FACTS FOR YOU TO PICK OVER
One local name for TVs is ‘John Crow’
An adult has a wingspan of up to 6 feet
Sexes are identical in appearance, although the female is slightly larger
The eye has a single row of eyelashes on the upper lid and two on the lower lid
TVs live about 20 years. One named Nero had a confirmed age of 37
LEUCISTIC (pale, often mistakenly called “albino”) variants are sometimes seen
The Turkey Vulture is gregarious and roosts in large community groups
The Turkey Vulture has few natural predators
Though elegant in flight, they are ungainly on the ground and in take-off
The nostrils are not divided by a septum, but are perforated; from the side one can see through the beak [some humans also suffer from MSS (missing septum syndrome). They tend to ‘sniff’ a lot]
REVOLTING CORNER / DEPT OF ‘WAY TOO MUCH INFORMATION’
SQUEAMISH? THEN LOOK AWAY NOW
UNATTRACTIVE HABITS The Turkey Vulture“often defecates on its own legs, using the evaporation of the water in the feces and/or urine to cool itself, a process known asUROHIDROSIS.This cools the blood vessels in the unfeathered tarsi and feet, and causes white uric acid to streak the legs”. The droppings produced by Turkey Vultures can harm or kill trees and other vegetation. Maybe don’t park your nice car under one of their perching posts…
HORRIBLE DEFENCES The main form of defence is“regurgitating semi-digested meat, a foul-smelling substance which deters most creatures intent on raiding a vulture nest. It will also sting if the predator is close enough to get the vomit in its face or eyes. In some cases, the vulture must rid its crop of a heavy, undigested meal in order to take flight to flee from a potential predator”
DIETARY NOTES TUVUs tend to prefer recently dead creatures, avoiding carcasses that have reached the point of putrefaction. They will occasionally resort to vegetable matter – plants and fruit (you could view this as their side-salad). They rarely, if ever, kill prey – vehicles do this for them, and you’ll often see them on roadsides feeding on roadkill. They also hang around water, feeding on dead fish or fish stranded in shallow water.
ECO-USES If you did not have birds like this, your world would be a great deal smellier and less pleasant place, with higher chance of diseases from polluted water and bacterial spread. TUVUs kept the highways clear and work their way round the town dumps recycling noisome items.
FORAGING TUVUs forage by smell, which is uncommon in birds. They fly low to the ground to pick up the scent of ethyl mercaptan, a gas produced by the beginnings of decay in dead animals. Their olfactory lobe in the brain is particularly large compared to that of other animals.
SEX TIPS Courtship rituals of the Turkey Vulture involve several individuals gathering in a circle, where they perform hopping movements around the perimeter of the circle with wings partially spread. In humans, similar occasions are called ‘Dances’. A pair will fly, with the female closely following the male while they flap & dive… then they land somewhere private and we draw the veil…
My favourite graphic of all time
Credits: Nina Henry (1); Bruce Hallett (2); Keith Salvesen (3, 4, 5, 11); Clare Latimer (4, 6); amy-at-poweredbybirds (7); Wiki, small pics 8, 9); Charlie Skinner (10); Craig Nash (12); Xeno-Canto / Alvaric (sound file); Info, magpie pickings; Birdorable (cartoon); RH (Keep Calm…); depressingnature.com (puking TUVU)
*As Metallica so appropriately wrote and sweatily sang (luckily there’s no verse referencing urination, defecation and puking). ALERT don’t actually play the video – the song hasn’t aged well! In fact… it’s terrible. Woe woe indeed…
The vultures come
See the vultures come for me
Fly around the sun
But now too late for me
Just sit and stare
Wait ’til I hit the ground
Little vultures tear
Little vultures tear at flesh
Warts and all… the gorgeous, hygienic, roadkill-ridding vulture, with a few dirty habits
BUNTING(S) FOR AN ABACO CHRISTMAS: AN OLD TRADITION
BUNTING /ˈbʌntɪŋ/ (Noun)
[A Christmas gift of a puntastic avian / festive double-meaning]
A small New World songbird of the cardinal subfamily
Flags and other colourful festive decorations
One of the Winterval traditions at Rolling Harbour HQ – that haven of unreliable natural science powered by lazy insouciance and characterised by a regrettably unserious approach – is to break the rule that (mostly) forbids reposting old material without good reason (which there occasionally is). This means marking the imminence of Christmas with bunting. And indeed buntings, those lovely birds beautifully painted by nature. Nothing says ‘Happy Christmas’ better than a flock of PABU!
It’s hard to imagine a more Christmassy little bird than the Painted Bunting. Bright blue, red, green primary colours straight from a child’s paintbox make for a spectacular bird to grace the festive season. These are migratory winter residents, and the first reports of the bright and beautiful males on Abaco started to appear in late October. Some will stay around until March.
A female & a male PABU feeding together, and a male with a pair of black-faced grassquits
The two wonderful photos below are by Tom Sheley, a major photographic contributor to THE BIRDS OF ABACO. They were actually taken in Texas, but I include them because of Tom’s strong connection with the birdlife of Abaco; and also because they are fantastic shots…
This is my opportunity to wish a very Happy Christmas or [insert preferred seasonal appellation] to everyone who visits Rolling Harbour and especially those who, having done so, return for more! There could of course be anything from 600,000+ individuals who called in once, were put-off and never came back… to one sadly crazed person who has been pressing the ‘read’ button 600,000+ times over the last few years. If the former, thanks for trying, sorry to disappoint. If the latter, keep up the good work, buddy.
Credits: Tom Sheley (1, 7, 8), Erik Gauger (2), Tara Lavallee (3, 4), Keith Salvesen (5); Sandy Walker (6); Birdorable Cartoons


Dante's musical career began with the release of his first solo record, Bitter Sweet, in 2005. Like most artists, he has grown exponentially since that first project and today works as both a solo acoustic act and also as the lead singer and front man for his rock band, Dante & the Hawks. The Hawks have recently released a new EP titled, Into the Wild, which is an honest glimpse of the fun chemistry that exists in the band. It is soaked with infectious pop melodies and upbeat hooks that will leave you humming along for days.
As a solo acoustic artist, Dante has been strongly influenced by several genres of music. However, his original material has always been deeply rooted in folk and rock & roll. In 2008, he even collaborated with R&B producer Joshua Norman to release a CD titled, The Steps Between. And in 2010 he worked with producers Jordan Elder and Jared Evans to release his first praise and worship recording titled, Footprints.
Dante performs a compelling list of original compositions in his live act, but also pulls from a long list of cover songs. His ability to read a room and connect with his audience has become one of his greatest strengths. More than anything he wants to leave his listeners with an emotional connection. Whether it's humorous, fun, poignant, introspective, or even spiritual, he strongly believes in the power of music to enrich the lives of people everywhere.
Dante has been working full time as musician for almost four years now and is constantly booking performance dates and touring all over the US. Please checkout his website for more information and also keep in touch on Facebook for daily updates.


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For eighteen-year-old Derek, running drugs isn’t a big deal, it’s just a job. But juggling a relationship, family and his ‘career’ isn’t easy. Something has to give…
James Farrell lives in Rathnally Co. Meath. He’s a farmer and shares his house with his cats.
‘Tríd an Stoirm’, Fred Burdy’s animated seven-minute short film, tells the story of a young woman trying to bring her drowned husband back from the dead. For that, she’ll face a Banshee and will go on a harrowing journey into the Otherworld.
Two couples meet at a gallery opening. There’s a definite flicker of chemistry between old flames Jim and Clare, but the end result of this casual encounter is a bit unexpected.
As Bloomsday strides towards us, here’s a chance to enjoy ‘Pitch N Putt With Beckett And Joyce.’
A young boy steals away from a wake and encounters a solitary mourner reminiscing by a lone beehive — the dead man’s son, who has only begun to realise what traditions may have died with his father.
With Ruairí Robinson’s feature-film debut Last days on Mars screening at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, here’s a chance to catch his headtickling short film ‘Blinky™’.

domain: entertainment


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(WICHITA, Kan.) — Bus service that will connect Wichita and Salina and provide southwest Kansas a link to the national intercity bus network will begin Nov. 9.
The service, called the Beeline Express, will provide two round-trips daily between Salina and Wichita and one round-trip daily between Wichita and Pueblo, Colo. The new lines will be operated by Prestige Bus Lines of Wichita.
Both routes are the result of agreements between the Kansas Department of Transportation and Prestige, with an additional agreement on the Wichita-to-Pueblo route between the Colorado Department of Transportation and Prestige.
Federal funding is being used to purchase two new buses for each route and to assist with operating expenses such as fuel, personnel and maintenance. A portion of the funds come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Under the Recovery Act, 15 percent of the rural transit allocation in each state must be used for intercity transit. That figure in Kansas is about $2 million.


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The drive to produce more data, more quickly, and at less cost is fueling new strategies for lab automation, especially as applied to the drug discovery process. Overcoming bottlenecks of speed, efficiency, and data integration are among the topics to be discussed at “LabAutomation2010” later this month in Palm Springs.
Flow cytometry has existed for more than 20 years and taken on a number of new capabilities. Scientists at Vivia Biotech have gone back to the simple roots of flow cytometry, in screening primary cells with antibodies, but they’ve magnified the scale and brought it into the realm of personalized medicine. “We wanted to develop assays that are closer to the target than traditional screening methods and by testing patient samples directly, this brings the technology closer to personalized medicine,” says Teresa Bennett, Ph.D., vp of research.
Vivia Biotech has engineered a fully automated process for analyzing the impact of drugs on blood or bone marrow cells from patients with hematological malignancies. “We do re-profiling screening, looking for new indications of known drugs, and also screen the drugs for a particular indication to determine ex vivo which drugs a patient may be resistant or sensitive to,” Dr. Bennett reports.
“By using specific markers for cells along with assessing apoptosis, we can evaluate both healthy and cancerous cells simultaneously. In a short span of about 48 hours, this approach allows for the ex vivo analysis of thousands of drugs or combinations of drugs on patient samples. Traditional analysis via flow cytometry can screen only 10–100 drugs per sample.”
To accomplish this goal, the company automated the process from the beginning. It incorporated liquid handlers to prepare samples in tissue culture hoods and developed an automated flow-cytometry system to run the assay. To handle this much data also required development of proprietary software. “One important accomplishment is that we don’t have to analyze each individual well separately, we can use one file for the whole plate and this is analyzed within a few minutes. Ultimately, this approach could tell much more rapidly how a patient would respond to a drug regimen.”
The company has already identified a new drug candidate and will proceed into Phase I/II trials in the fall of 2010. Additionally, a clinical study for personalized medicine testing will begin in early 2010.
Genotype-Correlated Drug Sensitivity
Traditional methods of anticancer drug discovery, development, and approval have generally followed a tissue-centric approach wherein the organ from which the tumor originated has preeminence. An alternative strategy gaining headway places the genotype of the cancer cell center stage and evaluates anticancer agents to uncover genotypes that confer sensitivity.
“This would allow for the stratification of patients for treatment with a particular drug based on their genotype without regard to the tissue from which the tumor originated,” says Sreenath Sharma, Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and assistant director of Molecular Therapeutics at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center.
“We use a collection of more than 1,000 genetically characterized human tumor-derived cell lines from different organs and assess their sensitivity to anticancer drugs that are in or about to enter the clinic,” Dr. Sharma explains. “This study aims to identify specific genotypes that confer sensitivity to particular anticancer drugs and use this information to profile and identify cancer patients most likely to benefit from treatment with the drug.”
To work with so many cell lines and drugs requires automation. “We use lots of liquid-handling workstations for what we call pushing plastic, such as for adding drugs to multiwell plates and fixing and staining cells,” Dr. Sharma reports. “Analysis also requires software able to handle the volumes of data generated in order to create heat maps of drug sensitivity. What we can’t automate is the actual handling of cell lines. Each cell line has its own personality and properties, so here we need the human touch.”
For the future, Dr. Sharma says, “One could fantasize that a cancer patient coming into the clinic, gets a tumor biopsy that is genotyped before anything else is done. Based on the genotype of the tumor, the patient is then treated with drugs that specifically target the mutated gene driving his/her tumor. This personalized approach would maximize the benefit from the treatment while at the same time minimize the side effects of the drug. In some current trials, only 10% of patients respond to therapy, indicating that a lot of individuals are getting treated unnecessarily.
“At MGH with genotype-based patient preselection we can increase response rates from 10 to 80%, in some cases. The field is definitely headed in this direction as the paradigm changes from the less effective tissue-centric therapy to a more specific molecularly targeted treatment approach that is guided by the genotype of the patient’s tumor.”

domain: medical