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California drivers know they must have auto insurance. Homeowners with mortgages must prove they have homeowners insurance. Renters are encouraged to get insurance to cover their belongings. Parents often buy life insurance to protect their children’s future. And, of course, health insurance is important to maintain our well-being.
But there are other asset protection products that you may not know about that can provide peace of mind.
GAP coverage makes up the difference between the value of your new vehicle and the auto loan. Say you bought a brand new car a year ago and it gets totaled. You still owe $13,000 on the loan, say, but the car’s value is $10,000. GAP, or guaranteed auto protection, makes up that difference so you’re not faced with high out-of-pocket costs.
Mechanical breakdown insurance
This is like health insurance for your car. Mechanical breakdown insurance covers the cost of repairs for major failures not caused by collisions or poor maintenance. These policies also last longer than extended warranties, but keep in mind they must be purchased before the original warranty expires.
When you lose your job, experience a serious health problem or even death, payment protection insurance will help protect your credit rating and peace of mind. Payment protection will cancel loan payments up to a certain amount without penalty, added interest, or being reported delinquent to the credit bureau in the face of certain adverse life events.
If you click "continue" below, you will be directed to a third party's web site. As a member service, SAFE Credit Union offers links to web sites of third parties whose products or services we believe offer good value and may be of interest to you. In some cases, if allowed by law, SAFE CU may receive compensation from third parties whose products or services you purchase. Third parties are solely responsible for their web sites, products and services, and maintain their own consumer data privacy policies, which may differ from those of SAFE Credit Union. Use of third party services, products and web sites is solely at your discretion. To go to a third party web site, click "continue." To go back to SAFE Credit Union's web site, click "close."

domain: finance


text:
SINGAPORE — After having two children, Mr and Mrs Gerald Lim (not their real names) had looked forward to worry-free sex when they started contraception.
But what was supposed to rev up their sex life had the opposite effect.
Weeks after being on the combined oral contraceptive pill, which contains the hormones oestrogen and progestogen to suppress ovulation, Mrs Lim’s libido nosedived and she occasionally experienced discomfort during intercourse. The symptoms put a damper on the bedroom activities of the couple, who are in their 30s.
According to doctors, the combined oral contraceptive pill is one of the most popular forms of contraception used in Singapore.
At least half of urogynaecologist Christopher Chong’s patients who are on birth control are on the combined pill. The majority of them are under the age of 40, and a substantial proportion is unmarried.
While generally well-tolerated among women, reports of decreased sex drive after going on the combined pill are not unheard of. Every year, the Family Medicine Service at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) sees about five to six cases similar to the Lims’. But the figure is likely the tip of the iceberg.
“Due to poor awareness (that the combined oral contraceptive may cause female sexual dysfunction), it is very likely there are many undiagnosed cases,” said Dr Ang Seng Bin, head and consultant family physician at KKH’s Menopause Unit and Family Medicine Service.
Other side effects include headaches, particularly in women above the age of 35, and breast tenderness.
NEW RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DOCTORS PRESCRIBING THE PILL
These circumstances prompted KKH experts to propose a set of recommendations for doctors to consider sexuality-related effects of the combined pill when prescribing it to women of reproductive age.
In a paper published in June in the Singapore Medical Journal, the team recommended physicians screen patients for any existing female sexual dysfunction, and inform them of the possible sexual side effects of combined oral contraceptives before prescribing them.
Women should also undergo regular follow-ups with their doctors after starting combined oral contraceptives.
This would allow those who experience female sexual dysfunction to be managed early, such as by switching to newer-generation combined oral contraceptives or other forms of contraceptives, the authors wrote.
“The reason for taking combined oral contraceptive pills is to avoid unwanted pregnancy while still maintaining a sexually-active life and quality relationship. If the couple’s sexuality is affected, it can have an adverse effect on their relationship,” said Dr Ang, senior author of the paper.
Presently, neither the World Health Organisation nor the United States’ Centres for Disease Control and Prevention mentions the possible effects the combined pill may have on sexuality in existing guidelines, although some studies suggest a link, particularly for women on older-generation oral contraceptives.
The side effect could be due to the pill’s impact on testosterone, a male hormone that is also present in women and which drives libido or sexual desire.
It is postulated that the pill lowers this male hormone, hence decreasing drive, said Dr Chong, director of Chris Chong Women and Urogynae Centre at Gleneagles Hospital. The other hypothesisis that it may thin the vulva (outer part of female genitals), causing abrasions and discomfort during sexual intercourse, he said.
Women concerned about a libido slump should not ditch this birth control option just yet. Dr Ang said the majority of women do not experience side effects and, if they do, most resolve after three months. If symptoms persist, they should consult their doctors.
Dr Chong estimated less than 5 per cent of his patients who are on the pill experience sexual dysfunction symptoms, which are usually linked to the older-generation oral contraceptives that contain high doses of synthetic hormones. The newer options contain “very low doses” of hormones so such a side effect is not common.
“A very small proportion of women may complain of vaginal dryness, perhaps a slight decrease in sex drive and arousal. Usually, these symptoms are not significant. For side effects to occur, one needs to take the pill for many years but many of my patients are not on it for long-term,” said Dr Chong. Newer-generation combined oral contraceptives are also known to reduce cancer of the womb and ovaries by up to 50 per cent, he said. Some brands have the added benefits of treating facial skin issues like acne, regulating menstrual cycle, as well as reducing menstrual pain and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
The pill may indirectly increase sexual function in couples, he added.“It takes away the fear of pregnancy, and the couple can throw caution to the wind while having sex.”.
The combined pill is not suitable for women who are forgetful (missing doses makes it less effective), have deep-vein thrombosis, a history of migraines, or unexplained abnormal vaginal bleeding, said Dr Chong.
Women who are already on the combined pill should avoid smoking as it increases the risk of deep vein thrombosis or blood clots in the legs, advised Dr Ang. They should also maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet. If they develop persistent headaches or other symptoms, they should seek their doctor’s advice early. Dr Ang also recommended that women undergo regular follow-ups with their doctors one, three and six months after starting the contraceptive, and at yearly intervals subsequently.

domain: medical


text: Experience downtown living at its finest in this luxurious 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom condo nestled on the 13th floor of The Independent, an iconic high-rise in Austin. Embrace the breathtaking views of the sparkling lake through expansive windows that flood the space with an abundance of natural light. Prepare your favorite meals in the beautiful kitchen while gazing on the views that Austin has to offer. The contemporary layout and sleek design elements blend seamlessly to create an atmosphere of refined luxury. Immerse yourself in the exclusivity of this iconic high-rise that offers a lifestyle of comfort and convenience. Enjoy the vibrant downtown lifestyle with an array of top-notch dining, entertainment, and cultural hotspots mere moments away.

domain: design


JESS & JUDY: A TRIBUTE TO JUDY GARLAND
The Encore Musical Theatre Company
7714 Ann Arbor St
Dexter, MI 48130
After a sell-out concert last summer, Broadway’s Jessica Grové returns with a thrilling evening of Judy Garland. With such memorable hits as You Made Me Love You, Stormy Weather, Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart, The Trolly Song, Come Rain or Come Shine and, of course, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, this is a concert event you won’t want to miss!


If you have been working with horse for some time now, you already know that these animals don’t like to be confined to a small space. At any chance, they would like to run free! That has also been a reason why owning a horse requires the availability of big grazing fields and running space. The same theory applies when you are looking to carry your horses between places inside a trailer. The reasons may be many – competition, racing, treatment, sales, breeding purposes or just pleasure riding but as responsible owner, it’s your job to make the travelling experience safe, stress free and healthy for the animal.
Ventilation thus becomes a major consideration when choosing between horse trailers designs. Enough ventilation ensures continuous exchange of air and keeps the stall from overheating/overcooling and reduced chances of bacterial/mold growth. However, you will also have to consider the situation when travelling though bad topography and risk small particles in the air getting into the animal’s respiratory system. All of this requires that you take ventilation more seriously than the availability of breathing space.
The design of windows
If you are looking to buy a forward facing 3 horse bumper pull trailer, it is necessary that the front window isn’t too large. If you are travelling through narrow roads, be it in traffic or off-roading, nothing should come too close to the horse’s head. Also, a large window close to the head of the horse encourages the animal to panic and try getting out of the window. If you already have such a design, a grill can be beneficially installed for safety purposes.
The best way of ventilation in a horse trailers are high and big side and rear windows. They not only provide enough entry of natural light and air but also ensure that dust particles don’t directly enter into the stall quarters.
Horses generate a lot of heat and it is therefore necessary that the ventilation is designed in a way that air is both allowed to enter and exit the stall smoothly. Proper air circulation also ensures that the stall is kept dry and the ammonic gases let out by urine and manure is carried out without building up inside.
The roof space can also be used for vented air flow. Additionally, you can also invest in a high quality exhaust system that continuously removes the inside air and pumps in fresh air from the outside. An extension for your vehicles exhaust pipe will also ensure that the fumes are channeled away from the trailer and not hit it directly.
Horses are both strong and sensitive animals. Things like ventilation can g a long way in ensuring the health of the animals.


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Grass Valley police accuse man of stealing lumber from construction site
A Nevada City man accused of stealing lumber from a construction site remained Sunday in the Nevada County Jail under $300,000 in bond, authorities said.
Gregory Alan Goode, 58, faces felony charges of carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, having a loaded firearm in public, possession of ammunition by a person prohibited from possessing a firearm, being an ex-felon with a firearm, forging or altering vehicle registration and possession of a controlled substance while armed, jail reports state.
Goode faces misdemeanor charges of receipt of stolen property, petty theft, possession of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, loitering on private property and license requirements, reports state.
The arrest stemmed from early Saturday reports of suspicious activity around a construction site at Ridge Road and Ryans Lane, Grass Valley Police Sgt. Clint Bates said.
“There has been a higher than normal activity rate,” Bates said of the area.
Someone spotted a truck in that area around 1:45 a.m. and reported it to police. Officers found no truck, but saw that lumber had been taken from the construction site, Bates said.
A second call at 5 a.m. again led police to the area. This call indicated that a Ford F150 was involved — a vehicle spotted by officers going eastbound on Ridge Road, the sergeant said.
Police stopped the truck, driven by Goode, and found a 16-foot piece of lumber in the vehicle’s bed, which officers determined was taken from the construction site, he added.
“It was determined the truck had false license plates on it,” Bates said. “The plate had been switched.”
A search of the vehicle revealed suspected methamphetamine and a pipe, as well as a loaded, concealed handgun, Bates said.
Officers then arrested Goode, he added.
To contact Staff Writer Alan Riquelmy, email email@example.com or call 530-477-4239.
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If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted.

domain: news


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U.S. Pork and Beef Promoted at Central America Walmart StoresPublished: Wednesday, May 3rd, 2017
USMEF recently conducted a series of in-store promotions at 30 Walmart supermarkets in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala. The promotions, funded by the USDA Market Access Program (MAP), the Pork Checkoff and the Beef Checkoff Program, included tasting samples of various U.S. pork and beef dishes.
According to Gerardo Rodriguez, USMEF marketing director in the region, the effort produced excellent results: Walmart reported that during the four-month promotional period, U.S. pork sales increased 78 percent, while U.S. beef sales jumped 38 percent.
“Walmart has nearly 700 stores in Central America, so it is a very important retail chain for red meat sales,” explained Rodriguez. “This campaign covered a large portion of the region, as we did promotions in 10 stores in Guatemala, nine in Costa Rica, six in El Salvador and five in Nicaragua. We wanted to reach as many consumers as possible, and different types of consumers. Our plan was to have people who might never have tasted U.S. pork or U.S. beef try it at one of these Walmart promotions and decide, ‘I’m going to try that at home and prepare it for my family.’ We want to establish a presence for U.S. meat and educate consumers, so that when they are offered a choice, they choose U.S. products.”
The U.S. pork cuts promoted during the Walmart campaign were bone-in and boneless ham, bone-in loin, baby back ribs, spare ribs, riblets and St. Louis-style ribs.
Rodriguez noted that the U.S. pork riblets were very popular with Central American consumers, who cited the dish’s flavor and reasonable pricing.
U.S. beef cuts promoted were outside and inside skirt, ribeye, porterhouse, T-bone, short ribs, top sirloin cap, tri-tip, flap and New York strip.
“USDA Select beef cuts were offered at this promotion to compete with domestic beef produced in the region – mainly in Nicaragua,” noted Rodriguez. “In our surveys, consumers rated the quality of U.S. beef cuts as a notch above the competition.”

domain: geography


text:
This absolutely stunning pirate’s ship is handcrafted and custom made to make the ultimate backyard experience for nautically-inclined kids who love making forts, engaging in seafaring battles, and playing pirate. Not only is this incredible vessel incredible for kids who want to pretend they are Captain Hook or a Lost Boy in the backyard, but never again will your children ever be able to argue that you are not the best parent in the history of the universe.
The sailboat playhouse is crafted with a real crow’s nest, sleeping quarters, and a Captain’s quarters among other functional features that makes for an incredible real life experience upon the high seas of your back yard. Other features include functioning windows and portholes, a cannonball-shot mast and rigging, along with a uniquely carved figurehead and actual helm and rudder. Stop denying your children the experience of being the absolute most popular captain or pirate in the neighborhood, and purchase this wondrous sailboat playhouse.

domain: hobby


text:
Compare book prices
at 110 online bookstores
worldwide for the lowest price for new & used textbooks and
discount books! 1 click to get great deals on cheap books, cheap
textbooks & discount college textbooks on sale.
Beyond the Bottom Line: How to Do More with Less in Nonprofit and Public Organizations
This book brings to the management of nonprofit organizations and public sector organizations the kind of concepts that have long been applied to commercial firms. Management thinking has long been concentrated on the problems of managing commercial organizations. Authors Sandler and Hudson set out to study the best managed nonprofit and government organizations and to determine what they did to achieve their success. The authors found that there is a close similarity between the management thinking of these organizations and that of profit-making firms. Each type of firm defined who their customers were and how to best serve them. They looked for ways of selling their particular product. They formed partnerships with other organizations in pursuit of their ultimate goals. They encouraged innovation among their workers. They diffused power down through the organizations to the lowest level possible. They created an atmosphere that made their workers feel valued. And they had extensive systems for communicating within and outside the organizations.
The book develops these concepts in separate chapters and describes the organizations the authors study as examples. Sandler and Hudson are experienced writers who have produced a straightforward, non-technical work that analyzes the special problems and concerns that these organizations share and offers a set of effective organizing principles to improve their management.
The goal of this website is to help shoppers compare book prices from different
vendors / sellers and find cheap books and cheap college textbooks. Many discount
books and discount text books are put on sale by discounted book retailers and
discount bookstores everyday. All you need to do is to search and find them. This
site also provides many book links to some major bookstores for book details and
book coupons. But be sure not quickly jump into any bookstore site to buy. Always
click "Compare Price" button to compare prices first. You would be happy
that how much you would save by doing book price comparison.
Buy Used Books and Used Textbooks
It's becoming more and more popular to buy used books and used textbooks among
college students for saving. Different second hand books from different sellers
may have different conditions. Make sure to check used book condition from the
seller's description. Also many book marketplaces put books for sale from small
bookstores and individual sellers. Make sure to check store review for seller's
reputation if possible. If you are in a hurry to get a book or textbook for your
class, you should choose buying new books for prompt shipping.
Buy Books from Foreign Country
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both new and used, from a large number of bookstores worldwide. Currently our
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to check the shipping options. It's not unusual that shipping could take two to
three weeks and cost could be multiple of a domestic shipping charge.
Please visit Help Page for Questions
regarding ISBN / ISBN-10 / ISBN10, ISBN-13 / ISBN13, EAN / EAN-13, and Amazon

domain: literature


text:
Coalition for 'just' investment in Pittsfield criticizes police shooting report
A coalition of groups calling for more transparency from Pittsfield police said the department's investigation of the shooting of Miguel Estrella is not an independent look at what happened.
The preliminary police investigation released this week found the shooting of the 22-year-old Estrella was in compliance with state law, the department's use of force guidelines — and was in response to an "imminent deadly threat."
The report did not include interviews with anyone outside of the police who witnessed the shooting. Nor did it include a transcript of the 911 calls for help.
Meg Bossong, an organizer with Invest in Pittsfield, said when police departments police themselves in an internal investigation — this report is the expected outcome.
"It attempts to make the argument that Miguel's death was not only unavoidable in this circumstance, but that it was somehow correct," Bossong said. "And what we are saying is that there are a range of policies, investments, protocols and choices that the city could be making that would have made Miguel's death preventable."
Bossong said what's needed is a mental health response separate from the police.
"He needed support. He needed to be connected to mental health resources in an accessible way before that ever happened," she said about Estrella's shooting.
The police report stated, "We strive for transparency to the extent permitted by statute, policy and best practices in order to build and maintain the trust of the citizens we protect."
The two police officers who responded to the call to help Estrella were place on administrative leave after the shooting. Now they are on "limited duty," officials said.
The police are expected to release their final report within weeks. A separate investigation by the Berkshire County District Attorney's office is still ongoing.

domain: sociology


text:
Take your brownies and molten chocolate cakes to new levels of chocolate intensity with the power of dark cocoa. Offering the essence of roasted chocolate, our versatile and deep, intense cocoa powder is non-alkalized and comes in a resealable pouch for easy scooping, measuring, and storing.
Not processed with Alkaline/not Dutch-processed.
Ingredients & Allergens:
May contain tree nuts, wheat, soy, milk and egg.

domain: food


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Patients with gastric cancers are evaluated by surgical oncologists that specialize in gastric cancer and work in the context of a comprehensive multidisciplinary team in the Tucker Gosnell Center for Gastrointestinal Cancers
Surgical Oncologists have undergone additional specialty training in oncology, and offer the highest degree of specialization and expertise. Gastric cancer surgery is generally considered complex surgery and published data have demonstrated that hospitals and surgeons with the highest volume experience with specific operations have the lowest complication and death rates. Recognizing the relationship between frequency of performing an operation and the quality of outcomes, each surgeon in the Division of Surgical Oncology focuses his or her clinical practice on the management of one of two diseases.
Patients with gastric cancers are evaluated by surgical oncologists that specialize in gastric cancer and work in the context of a comprehensive multidisciplinary team in the Tucker Gosnell Center for Gastrointestinal Cancers. Patients with gastric cancer are evaluated in multidisciplinary sessions, where they can meet with a surgeon, radiation oncologist and medical oncologist, have their x-rays and pathology slides reviewed, and receive definitive treatment recommendations in a single visit. This team also collaborates closely with the genetic counselors in the Center for Cancer Risk Assessment is offered to assess hereditary risk in young patients and patients with strong family histories of gastric cancer.
SurgerySurgery remains the primary treatment modality for stomach cancer. Ideally, tumors should be removed with a margin of normal tissue of about 5 centimeters (two inches). However, stomach cancers often arise in difficult anatomic locations and may require extensive surgical expertise to remove in their entirety with the best possible margin. Stomach cancers arising in the distal or lower portion of the stomach often can be removed without removal of the entire stomach (subtotal gastrectomy). Cancers arising in the proximal or upper stomach usually require removal of the entire stomach (total gastrectomy) and connection of the small bowel to the esophagus. These procedures can be technically demanding and should be reserved for experienced surgeons.
There is uniform agreement that the regional lymph nodes around the stomach should routinely be removed during resection of a stomach cancer. This lymph node dissection is called a D1 lymphadenectomy. However, a recent large multi-center U.S. trial showed that the majority of surgeons in this study did not even perform this minimum lymph node dissection. There is ongoing controversy over whether a lymph node resection beyond a D1 lymphadenectomy is beneficial. Experienced stomach surgery centers, especially in Japan, have argued that a more extensive lymph node dissection that incorporates the next echelon of lymph nodes (D2 lymphadenectomy) improves outcome in stomach cancer patients. The two largest Western trials examining this issue did not find a benefit to D2 lymphadenectomy. However, these studies had several flaws including a technique of D2 lymphadenectomy that unnecessarily included resection of the spleen and portion of the pancreas, leading to increased complications and mortality from surgery.
We work collaboratively with surgeons in Massachusetts General Hospital’s Gastroesophageal Surgery Program, who specialize in complex surgical techniques to treat patients with gastric and esophageal cancers.
The surgical oncologists at the Cancer Center have all received specialty training in stomach cancer surgery and believe that stomach resection along with D2 lymphadenectomy can be performed safely and may improve survival in a subset of patients with stomach cancer.
Surgical oncologists at the Cancer Center are also experienced in the use of minimally invasive surgery (or laparoscopic surgery) techniques to rule out peritoneal spread of stomach cancer and offer alternative types of surgical resection. For example, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are sarcomas that occur on the stomach wall and are often amenable to laparoscopic resection. Minimally invasive surgery offers the advantages of less post-operative pain, shorter hospital stay, and earlier return to normal activity.
Learn more about the Gastroesophageal Surgery Program
Chemotherapy and Radiation TherapyStomach cancers have the ability to spread to distant sites, most frequently to the peritoneum, liver, and lung. Chemotherapy may be beneficial to patients even if no sites of distant disease are identified in order to kill microscopic foci of tumor cells. If macroscopic distant disease is identified, chemotherapy may be beneficial in decreasing the growth and spread of disease.
Chemotherapy is usually given in combination with radiation therapy after surgical resection of the stomach cancer. A recent trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that patients receiving chemotherapy and radiation therapy after surgical resection of stomach cancer had improved survival compared to those treated with surgery alone. Thus most patients at the Cancer Center with completely resected stomach cancer are treated with post-operative chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Learn more about treatment for stomach cancer.


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Diablo 3 game fans hit with always-online DRM grief
Blizzard’s highly anticipated PC title Diablo 3 was officially released on the 15th May and has set a pre-order record of 2 million pre-orders on Amazon. However, like the Electronic Arts DRM headache, Diablo 3 requires a uninterrupted Internet connection to play the game, even in single-player mode. There is no offline mode.
Unfortunately, it appears that Blizzard underestimated the server capacity required to handle all the gamers looking forward to trying out the game on launch day, thus resulting in the Battle.net servers being overloaded and taken offline after it launched. As Diablo III requires the user to be logged in with an uninterrupted internet connection to play, most players were greeted with an “Error 37″ on the day of launch, unable to play the game.
While the issue has since eased up, it does once again show how harsh DRM is on paying customers and it is already seriously hurting the game’s user ratings. It has an unusually low score of 3.9 on Metacritic and 2.5 stars on Amazon.com, both sites with roughly double the number of negative reviews than positive reviews for the title. From a quick glance at the some user reviews posted today, the majority complain about terrible experience of being kicked out of the game each time due to connection issues, especially those on a slow or 3G/Mobile Internet connection
The main reason Blizzard claims this DRM is required is for its upcoming Real Money Auction House, where players can buy virtual items sold by other players. This aims to prevent anyone from hacking the game to try generating their own items.
Blizzard has since posted an open apology on their website.
6 Comments on Diablo 3 game fans hit with always-online DRM grief
- Posts: 13338
- Posted on: 19 May 12 14:26
- Posts: 6498
- Posted on: 19 May 12 22:32
- Mr. Belvedere
- Posts: 18838
- Posted on: 19 May 12 23:54
Though it won't be long until someone gets a decent server emulator.
- Posts: 6498
- Posted on: 21 May 12 02:27
- Posts: 2675
- Posted on: 25 May 12 08:44
- Posts: 543
- Posted on: 03 Jun 12 04:34
Sadly to say, millions of people buy game and by doing it support what Blizzard does in this case.
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The upcoming update of Windows 8 might allow users to boot to the desktop again.
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The number of jobs in the film and music industry in the United States has increased despite the claimed negative effects of illegal downloads.
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The PirateBay has moved to the domain thepiratebay.gl in fear that their previous domain would be ceased by Swedish authorities
- Wed 17 Apr 13:57 by DoMiN8ToR
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A Chinese tech site has posted a picture that reveals details on Intel's 9 series chipset.

domain: game


text:
Welcome to the 2020-21 School Year!Mrs. MooreArt Teacher for Grades 4-8Outlook: firstname.lastname@example.org: email@example.com ext. 274It is such a delight to have the opportunity to teach art to the students of Target Range and foster their artistic potential. This is my twelfth year at Target Range School and my ninth year as the Visual Arts Teacher for Grades Four through Eight.I have been teaching since 1987 in U.S. public and private schools as well as International schools. I hold a bachelor's degree in Art Education and a Master's in Education with an emphasis on Early Childhood Education. As an art teacher I have taught Kindergarten through Grade 9. I have also served as a full time classroom teacher for Kindergarten through Fourth Grade.Working with children has been my life's passion. I was born and raised in Missoula and come from a family of ten children plus forty-five nieces and nephews! I love spending time with my husband, Joe. Together we enjoy hiking, traveling, and working in our yard. In my spare time, I like to make art, read, write poetry, and bake.
Last Modified on December 18, 2020

domain: artistic


Finding The Right energy storage Solutions For Your Needs – Partner With An energy storage company Today
With the increase of alternative energy, most people are now thinking about how you can integrate it within their lives. Making an investment in an energy storage company is an excellent method to do that. By having an energy storage company, you are able to store and redistribute renewable power places like solar energy and blowing wind energy storage company energy when you want them most. In this article we will explore a few of the best benefits associated with deciding on an energy storage company.
One of the principal great things about investing in an energy safe-keeping technique is the price cost savings linked to it. By saving renewable energy resources for example solar or blowing wind potential, it can save you money your utility bill through the use of saved electrical power as opposed to buying electric power through your energy company. As there is a cost related to the installation of battery power method, over time these solutions will cover themselves in savings.
Decreased Co2 Footprint
One more great good thing about employing an electricity storage method is it might help lower your co2 footprint. By investing in sustainable energy places for example solar powered or breeze power, you will be helping to decrease emissions from conventional electricity manufacturing strategies, which count on eliminating standard fuels to create electricity. Additionally, employing a electric battery method signifies that a lot less vitality is going to be squandered through transmitting failures for its decentralized mother nature. This too brings about less demands on grid infrastructure and helps reduce all round carbon pollutants in the grid by itself.
Improved Trustworthiness & Overall performance
Ultimately, making an investment in a power safe-keeping method may help boost stability and satisfaction in relation to running your home or office. By the ability to access stored electrical power during top require instances or outages, you no longer have to bother about getting without potential when you need it most. Additionally, because they solutions are decentralized they may provide better functionality than relying on larger sized central grids which can not necessarily have sufficient potential during optimum instances.
Purchasing a power storage process has many advantages both financially and environmentally discussing. Not only will it assist reduce costs by reduction of electrical energy fees but additionally by reduction of carbon dioxide pollutants from traditional electrical power production methods in addition to minimizing need and reliance on grid infrastructure on its own. Furthermore, these techniques supply greater reliability and gratification in comparison to bigger central grids which could not always have enough ability during peak occasions or failures. If you are researching ways to decrease fees as well as improving the surroundings then investing in a power storage space system could be a great selection for your household!


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KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 Jun (Bernama) — The illegal assembly planned by several groups scheduled for July 9 has caused concern among members of the public on its adverse implications.
They were also worried that a third party might take advantage from the assembly for its own benefit.
Following are some of the public reactions on the proposed illegal assembly:
“The July 9 assembly was actually hatched by people who cannot wait to be in power and not because elections in the country are not clean. The action of these trouble-makers in trying to hold the illegal street demonstrations was to regain support they lost in the 2008 general election as the support momentum is now back in the Barisan Nasional’s favour.” (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak)
“The public should not get involved in the illegal assembly as it could affect public order. I am monitoring the situation…and furthermore, there have been hundreds of police reports lodged stating their objection to the planned demonstration.” (Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar)
“Cuepacs urge civil servants not to be involved in the illegal assembly on July 9. All 1.2 million civil servants are bound to the “Aku Janji” signed when they joined the service as it prohibits them from joining such activities.” (The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) president Datuk Omar Osman)
“The group planning the illegal assembly has been manipulated by certain quarters to promote their own political agenda and not champion the people’s rights as they claim. Elections in Malaysia are conducted in a fair manner and this is evident
from the number of opposition elected representatives we have in Parliament and the state legislative assembles now.” (The Malaysian Makkal Sakti Party president Datuk R.S. Thanenthiran)
“The gatherings will only cause hardship to the people, and affect the income of small traders and taxi drivers who are members of the association.” (The Ex-Policeman Association of Malaysia acting president Datuk Yusuf Hamdain Diego)
“The gathering will not only affect the public but also the country’s image. Why do we need to have demonstrations? You should know that it is hard to maintain peace when several parties are demonstrating, especially if a clash is triggered between any of them, the public will be victimized.” (Gagasan Pendidikan Melayu Malaysia secretary general Syed Anuar Syed Mohamad)
“Malaysians should learn from the demonstrations carried out in several countries which affected their safety, peace and business.” (Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Ronald Kiandee)
“The gathering will not benefit anybody but in fact it will disrupt my earnings as a taxi driver and inconvenience others too.”
(Taxi driver, Samad Ismail, 43)
“The assembly needs to be called off because it is not only affecting traders’ income but also jeopardises public safety.” (Handbag and women accessories retailer, Rosyna Alias, 48)
“If the assembly proceeds, it will affect the daily routine of women and make us afraid to go out. We have to stay at home and be wary of our safety.” (Private worker Muliana Mohamad, 26) — BERNAMA


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Hugo Wolf’s Italian Songbook
For the final masterpiece, Hugo Wolf looked south – to Italy – and produced a collection of tiny jewel-like songs that paint a kaleidoscopic portrait of village life. He thought these 46 glistening miniatures were the 'most original and artistically perfect' of all his works – and history has tended to agree.
He found the words in a compilation of anonymous Italian folk verse, collected and translated into German by Paul Heyse. The music was composed in two manic-creative bursts of activity, with a four-year hiatus between them (in which Wolf laboured over his opera Der Corregidor). The songs that resulted are a fascinating synthesis of two traditions. Or, to put it Wolf's way, 'Their hearts beat in German but the sun shines on them in Italian’.
The characters are familiar from any small community (or soap opera or sit-com). You've met them all before. They fall in and out of love, with squabbles and petty jealousies heard alongside serenades and love songs of great beauty. And above all, there is humour – because Wolf knows that the best way to break your heart is to make you smile first.
Taking inspiration from the world of Così fan tutte, our version recreates this vibrant village community with four singers – friends and rivals in love and life – presided over by a Don Alfonso-like figure who has 'seen it all’ but maybe still has much to learn...
It falls into three acts. The first could be called ‘Aspects of Love’ if that title hadn’t been snaffled. The second is about loving from a distance. And in the third, the young lovers are deep in it, sometimes up to their necks. In the end, four lovers ascend to heaven in glory – with one man left out for ever.
Wolf 's genius is to create characters that are astonishingly precise, vivid and detailed, but also somehow universal. Little things – the Italian Songbook teaches us - mean a lot. And Wolf’s tiny scenes of village life paint a bigger picture - a whole world of human frailty, passion and pain.
Christopher Glynn and Jeremy Sams


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When my first book came out, many people told me that they would love to write their own books as well, if only they ‘had the time.’
I would love to write; I just don’t have the time
Some of you know the story of how my first book was written. I was a broke-ass temp who woke up at 4am to write for two hours, before getting ready to work by bus (because I couldn’t afford the train fare).
I would get home about 7pm, eat, and then, do some more writing until 10/11pm, before collapsing into bed to sleep, only to do the same thing all over again the next day.
And that was only half the story. When I wasn’t writing or at my 9-5, I was pulling extra shifts as a telephone interviewer (I told you I was broke), voluntarily managing a website for writers, and sending out soul-crushing book proposals to traditional publishers and literary agents.
My story is not unique. I know working mothers who write from 10pm to 12pm, because that’s the only time they can write.
I know shift workers who work on their manuscripts on their cell phones, en route to their double shift, because that is the only way they can get any writing done.
So when people tell me that they would love to write, it’s just that they haven’t got the time, I step away, quickly. Because if I don’t, I know I’ll put be away for assault.
You haven’t got the time – you make the time – Abidemi Sanusi
Saying you haven’t got the time is an insult to these people who make the time to pursue their writing goal (it’s not a writing dream, because they’re actively pursuing their goal – geddit?)
What sacrifice looks like
The truth is that we don’t like making sacrifices.
When we see or hear that someone has written a book, all we see is the end product. The glamour of being seen and courted as an intellectual and being a millionaire.
We don’t think of the long hours of writing, the self-doubt, the tedious, painful, editing process.
We read the stories of people waking up at 4am to write or working on their manuscript via their cell phone en route to their double shift. And although our brains acknowledge the sacrifice that those people made to achieve their goal of being authors, I don’t think that we fully process what that sacrifice means until we attempt it ourselves.
And that’s when we know what we’re really made of.
Training for life
Can you wake up at 4am every day for x number of months to write a book?
Could you even do it for one day?
Can you come home after a long day at work to:
- squabbling kids
- an antsy toddler who refuses to sleep
- household chores
- mounting bills
and STILL fire up the laptop at 11pm AFTER dealing with all that, and then wake up and do it all over again the next day, because the writing is that important to you?
And even if your life doesn’t resemble what I’ve just described, could you:
- forgo those 90 mins of mindless television/Netflix, ‘because my brain is fried and I can’t handle anything else right this minute’
- the catch-up dinner with friends,
- and other little sacrifices that add up to a whole lot,
to pursue and fulfil your writing goal?
Well, could you? Because that is what day to day sacrifice looks like. And when you’re in it, it’s not inspiring; it’s bloody awful.
For most people, this is what it takes to write a book. Not wishful thinking. Just purposeful action – Abidemi Sanusi
The fear of failure=>redefining success
Even though I was a freelancer, I’d always wanted to run my own agency, so I did. On paper, I was successful, because I had big-name clients. But the truth was that I was miserable. The stress almost killed me until I made the decision to wrap up the agency and go back to the corporate world, which made me even more miserable.
After I left the company, I was lost. I really didn’t know what to do. All I knew was that I loved to write and liked helping and mentoring writers. And that was how abidemi.tv, the writing website, was born.
My plan was audacious and arrogant: to make Ready Writer the number one website in the world for writers.
The plan had to bold.
It had to be arrogant…
…and it had to be audacious.
Because I am all three.
Running your own business is hard.
Why do it then? Because I can.
It’s no picnic, because let’s face it, my dreams and ambitious are so big that I scare myself. But I’m pressing on, little by little, step by step. Because that’s how stuff (like writing books) gets done – by making the time.
I’m writing this after a long, sleepness night of doing sums and risk assessments for some products I would like to launch (there’s that sacrifice theme again).
I’m a doer. That doesn’t mean to say that I don’t fear failure, I’ve just learnt to look at it differently, like looking at it as a training ground for the next stage of my life (whatever that is).
If I try something and it doesn’t work out, that’s all it means: it didn’t work out. It doesn’t mean that I failed. It just means that that way didn’t work. That’s all.
And as we say in England, ‘There are many ways to skin a cat.’
That business idea that you’ve been thinking about for the last 5, 10, 20 years.
That book you’ve been meaning to write for like, forever.
That career change.
Nothing will happen until you take that first step towards making it happen. And after that first step, you keep on walking until you get there.
How to write a book and keep on keeping on
For starters, make the bloody time.
Get out of bed early or whatever you need to do to get that book out of your system and into the world.
Is stepping out of your comfort zone and working on your writing goal terrifying?
Will you stumble?
Will you fall?
But you will not stay down.
But you will never experience all this until you take that first step. So do it.
And if you don’t, don’t tell the people who have taken their steps that you would love to do what they’re doing, you ‘just don’t have the time.’
Because you just might earn yourself some judo chops in the whatsits.
Fired up? Feed the flame with this writing course for first-time authors.


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At Eastern Michigan University, it is easy for a club team to be overshadowed by a bigger, more popular team like the football or basketball team. EMU’s club roller hockey team is a hidden gem within the EMU athletic and intramural sporting community, but not many people know about it.
Mixed martial arts, much like the world of boxing, has its own fair share of kings. Each “king” has accomplished something the sport has not yet seen.
The life of an active Eastern Michigan University student can be a tough road to travel: dealing with the stress of time management, organizational issues, work and not to mention school itself. With so much going on, it’s easy to lose focus of the ultimate goal of graduating from school.
Spreading a message might be a bit of a far stretch for some people, but for Eastern Michigan University sophomore Lydia Seale it’s only a matter of time before the world hears her message.
“He’s knocked down, and he’s out cold! He’s knocked out!” was what commentator Larry Merchant shouted immediately after superstar boxer Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao was sprawled out on the canvas following a devastating right hand blow from Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday.
Dominance was the key word on Nov. 10 as Eastern Michigan University’s Mixed Martial Arts squad left their mark in Jackson, Mich. The EMU team dominated the Mad Men MMA Promotions event Downtown Beatdown. The team went 5-1. Senior Greg Calvert captured the lightweight title, and EMU’s first ever female competitor Lauren Foley successfully defended her Flyweight Championship.
The Eastern Michigan University Mixed Martial Arts team is preparing for its toughest challenge of the year Nov. 10 when they’ll have seven members of their club fighting.
Eastern Michigan University’s volleyball team lost to Bowling Green State University Oct. 12. Coming off a 3-1 victory over Ball State University, EMU looked to keep their momentum going against BGSU.
School has been in session for just over a month, but the Eastern Michigan University boxing club is still searching for more students and making the course open-enrollment at all times.
Ultimate Frisbee has been growing, and the Fighting Hellfish, Eastern Michigan University’s Ultimate team has taken the sport by storm.
Eastern Michigan University’s wrestling team sent four players to compete in the NCAA Tournament and many were eliminated during the second round.
Eastern Michigan University placed third during the Mid-American Conference wrestling championship meet.
The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team will return for its first home match of 2012 to face Central Michigan University at 7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University entered the the 49th Annual Midlands tournament with nine of it’s top wrestlers and the Midlands tournament prepared a tournament of top competition. Taking place in Evanston Illinois, at Northwestern University, EMU has held moderate success through the tournament.
The Eastern Michigan University wrestling team will end its road trip in Cleveland, Ohio, where it will face off with Cleveland State University today.
Coming off of a victory against Michigan State University on the road, the Eastern Michigan University wrestling team traveled to the Northeastern Regional tournament.
EMU’s bench game key to win over MSU The Eagles have come out this season to a mixed start. They hold a 2-1 record, with a lot of their play displaying a consistent team effort.
While Michigan State might have been known for its dominating basketball program in recent years, this year has displayed anything but that in its opening games.
The Eagles have come out this season to a mixed start. They hold a 2-1 record, with a lot of their play displaying a consistent team effort.
Eastern Michigan University’s Model United Nations group discusses ideas that could potentially relate to saving countries, practicing teamwork and preparing for hard-hitting future careers. At a simulation of a United Nations Economic and Social Council session Thursday, members of Model UN talked about what it’s like to be a part of an award-winning team. “I think you get the chance to participate and get insight to understanding if you want to be in foreign relations,” said Tarefe Ejigu, a junior who has been a member of Model UN for a year.
Another interesting read from the best writer The ...
Legalize marijuana, earn millions in tax revenue and ...
It's an opinion piece, you idiot.
Wow, Eastern. Personally, I normally applaud the Echo ...
God for bid an opinion piece be...wait...provocative...as ...


SUBSCRIBING to a PLDT Home broadband plan is a gift that keeps giving, and now is the best time to do so because until Dec. 31, all PLDT Home subscribers get unlimited access to thousands of TV shows and movies on iflix (worth P387), sponsored by PLDT Home.
iflix recently beefed up its content line-up of the world’s most popular and award-winning TV shows and movies, like the latest seasons of Mr. Robot and The Flash, available on iflix just 24 hours after initial US broadcast. Fans will also be entertained by other library content like Marvel Studios’ superhero block buster hits like Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Thor: The Dark World and Iron Man 3; animated Disney favorites like Frozen, Big Hero 6, Wreck It Ralph and Disney-Pixar’s Monsters University.
Kids will also get a chance to enjoy bonding time with their beloved small screen companions from Powerpuff Girls, Ben 10, We are Bears, Uncle Grandpa, and Adventure Time.
“PLDT Home is committed to empowering subscribers with services that go beyond access. Providing compelling content that can be enjoyed by all members of the family is a crucial part of that commitment,” PLDT Home Business Head Marco Borlongan said. “As we continue with our nationwide ‘Fibrization’ efforts, we will also continue to give more Filipino families access to world-class content through our collaboration with leading entertainment service, iflix.”
iflix can be accessed via the all-in-one entertainment box Roku PoweredTM TVolution which offers over 100 streaming channels. With powerful connection from PLDT Home Fibr, iflix and all other content options can be enjoyed on high-definition lag-free and without pixilation.
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Now available to over one billion consumers across 23 territories throughout Asia, the Middle East and Africa, iflix has established itself as the clear market leader in video streaming. Offering consumers, a vast library of top Hollywood, Asian and Middle Eastern regional, and local TV shows and movies, including many first run exclusives and award-winning programs, each subscription allows users to access the service on up to five devices, including phones, laptops, tablets, and television sets, for viewing wherever, whenever.
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iflix is the world’s leading entertainment service for emerging markets, offering users unlimited access to thousands of TV shows, movies and more. With a vast selection everyone’s favourite comedies, drama, K-drama, Turkish drama, Bollywood, Nollywood, cartoons, movies, live sports and more from Hollywood, the UK, Asia, The Middle East and Africa, iflix places the entertainment people want at their fingertips to either stream or download. For one low monthly fee, iflix subscribers can watch on their mobile phone, laptop, tablet, TV… wherever, whenever.
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The Best of Merry Clayton
Sony Legacy Gert Town, Louisiana native and Backup Singer Hall-of-Fame member Merry Clayton released her fi rst ever anthology, The Best of Merry Clayton, on June 25 th . The album’s release correlated with the June 14 th release of Morgan Neville’s documentary 20 Feet from Stardom, a tribute to the capacity of talented backup vocalists, including Clayton, Darlene Love, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill, Claudia Lennear, and Táta Vega. Clayton’s well-loved gospel-style vocals have been featured on countless tracks since she fi rst began her recording career in 1962 at only thirteen, when she sang “Who Can I Count On (If I Can’t Count on You)” with Bobby Darin. Only a year later, she recorded the fi rst version of “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss),” on which she was supported by The Blossoms—including Darlene Love. She later went on to record tracks with Ray Charles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Neil Young, and most famously, Mick Jagger (“Gimme Shelter”). Though Clayton never saw her solo career take off, The Best Of…boasts an impressive selection of acclaimed tracks. It is clear that she has already made a mark on the history of American music even without her well-deserved recognition. The album kicks off with a gospeled-out, bluesinfused rendition of Neil Young’s “Southern Man” and continues with highlights such as James Taylor’s “Country Road,” Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” The Doors’ “Tell All the People,” and of course, Jagger’s “Gimme Shelter”. Each song is dripping with rich, powerful voice and praise like only Southern gospel can. Managing to incorporate inventive jazzy undertones and a ‘60s-fl avored pop infl uence, Clayton’s prowess shines on The Best Of… If you ask me, it looks like this queen of soul is showing no signs of stopping—in fact, she may be getting her second wind.

domain: entertainment


Perhaps it's just my Libertarian streak, but the whole notion of machine guns not being protected because they are "unusual" and "not typically possessed or used for law-abiding purposes" just rubs me the wrong way. The reason that machine guns are "unusual" and "not typically possessed or used for law-abiding purposes" is because the gov't made sure that civilian ownership of full-auto weapons was "killed in the crib". When the NFA was passed, full-auto was really in its infancy and there were only a few hand-held full auto weapons available with the most common probably being the BAR and Thompson. By imposing a $200 tax on what were already very expensive weapons, the gov't created a de-facto ban since only the very wealthy could afford to legally own a full-auto weapon, particularly at the height of the Great Depression.
Similarly, the Hughes Amendment created a de-facto ban. Because the Hughes Amendment limits the supply of legal machine guns to those already registered before 1986, it drives the prices of that limited supply much higher than what they would otherwise be. While many people could, in theory, own a legal machine gun, the $10K+ prices that most of them have reached due to the Hughes Amendment places them beyond most people's financial reach.
It is ironic almost to the point of comedy that one branch of the government can tell us that we have no right to an "unusual" weapon when the other two branches of the same government conspired to ensure that the weapon was "unusual" to begin with.
Smith, and Wesson, and Me. -H. Callahan
Well waddaya know, one buwwet weft! -E. Fudd
All bad precedents begin as justifiable measures. -J. Caesar


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Hohner Chromatica: Produktbewertung von moosers (content in English)
The Hohner Chromatica is a unique harmonica in the fact that it is a chromatic harmonica and is an extra large size. Most harmonicas are diatonic, meaning that they are limited to a single key, but the Hohner Chromatica contains every note in the western scales and covers about three octaves and 35 holes. I've been using the Hohner Chromatica for about two years and its great to be able to play any song on a single harmonica. While its nice to have a harmonica that only sounds in one key, it can sometimes be limited because you can only play a certain number of notes. This harmonica gives you the ability to play any song in any key and also allows you to add in whatever blue or chromatic notes you would want to play to spice it up. The harmonica is built very well which makes it have as good of a sound as it does. While it may seem like it is a little bit awkward to play because of its abnormally large size, you definitely get used to it after playing it for a little while. The tone of the Hohner Chromatica makes it an awesome buy as it not only is versatile and feels good on your mouth but has a tremendous tone. Hohner is the world leader when it comes to making harmonicas, and the Chromatica is one of their most unique and versatile models. The price of the Hohner Chromatica isn't extremely cheap, but is at a reasonable price. It is aimed at those experienced players who want to expand their horizons when playing harmonica. The Hohner Chromatica will certainly do that and then some - I highly recommend it to any harmonica player who wants a great chromatic harmonica at a good price.


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The Gambling Commission has announced the appointment of four commissioners to start effective immediately.
Terry Babbs, Brian Bannister, Jo Hill and Sir Martin Narey will take up their positions on the Gambling Commission’s Board of Commissioners, after being appointed by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden.
Each will be in the role for five years from 30 April 2020.
Babbs joins alongside his roles as the senior independent director at the General Dental Council, vice char of the Investment Committee of Oxfam’s Enterprise Development Programme, and non-executive director of HMRC’s Valuation Office Agency.
Bannister, a former PwC UK Director of Public Affairs, is also currently the executive director for strategic insight and influence at the England and Wales Law Society.
Executive director of strategy and risk at The Pensions Regulator, Jo Hill has also held senior roles in the banking and insurance sectors. Government adviser on children’s social care, Narey has previously been director general of the England and Wales Prison Service.
Gambling Commission Chairman, Bill Moyes said: “Their collective experience will help us as we look to implement further protections for consumers and strongly regulate what is a fast-moving and innovative industry.
“I’d like to welcome them to the Commission and look forward to working closely with them.”


The King’s School, Canterbury continues its ambitious development plans with a new performing arts centre set to open in 2019. A former Victorian Malthouse close to the school will house a 334 seat theatre with retractable seating and full orchestra pit, two drama and dance studios, and spaces for art exhibitions. The theatre will benefit not only the School but also the local community with the space available for use within a city that has a thriving arts scene. Phase One of the build has been completed with the theatre to follow in the New Year.
The impressive addition follows the recent opening of a new Day House, a Pupil Social Centre and new Science laboratories and precedes further development including an International College adjacent to the Malthouse, seven further Science laboratories, a Science auditorium and improved dining facilities at the heart of the School.
The King’s School Canterbury


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The University of Kansas basketball program started its season 4-0 and climbed to third place in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll. Many will not be surprised by the quick start to the season. However, some thought the start to the season might have been a bit tougher than it was.
Head coach Bill Self was not on the bench for any of those first four games due to a self-sanction from the University of Kansas for his alleged role in recruiting violations. Kansas hopes these self-sanctions will be enough for the NCAA to get their hands washed of this particular problem.
During Self’s absence, assistant coach Norm Roberts led the team to an undefeated start to the season. The season started with dominating wins over Omaha and North Dakota State. Then came a match in the Champions Classic against Duke. A gutsy win over the Blue Devils was impressive for Roberts and the Jayhawks.
Then, in Roberts’ final game as the team’s interim head coach, the Jayhawks struggled defensively in an 82-76 win over Southern Utah. Jalen Wilson led the way with a career-high 33 points and rookie Gradey Dick added 18, including a massive three-pointer on the streak, to propel the Jayhawks to their fourth straight win of the season and 11th straight win. dating back to last season.
Now Kansas will turn the page and move on to the next part of their non-conference schedule. It’s the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas. No one knows for sure, but Self’s return to action when the team goes on a trip to an island nation seems questionable at best. In all seriousness, the Jayhawks will welcome Self with open arms and they’ll be ready to roll Wednesday morning against North Carolina State.
The 11:00 a.m. (CT) announcement on ESPN will kick things off in Battle 4 Atlantis with three more games playing from early afternoon until prime time on ESPN2. If Kansas wins, they will face the winner of the Dayton vs. Wisconsin game on the winner’s side. If Kansas loses, they will play the loser of that same game and move to the consolation side of the bracket.
On championship Friday, Kansas will face one of four teams on the other side of the board: USC, BYU, Tennessee or Butler. The game will hinge on whether Kansas wins or loses on Wednesday and Thursday. They hope to play against one of those teams in the championship game to be played at 6:30 a.m. CT on Friday, November 25.
Something to watch out for will be Self’s starting formation. Will he continue to deploy the same starting five he rolled with in the first four games of the season? Jalen Wilson, KJ Adams, Gradey Dick, Kevin McCullar Jr. and DaJuan Harris have started every game so far and it’s assumed that Self will keep the same roster, but that’s never a certainty.
Another thing to watch will be how Self uses his bench. So far through four games, rookie Ernest Udeh Jr and MJ Rice are two guys who haven’t had a ton of runs yet but played sparingly off the bench. They showed promise in these limited reps, but there’s also plenty of room for improvement. Bobby Pettiford appears to be the sixth man and he has shown promise as a ball handler and even a scorer at times. Self will make sure to keep their starters fresh as the season unfolds and they have new players available to them.
Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, Kansas and its players and fans will be happy to have Coach Self back in the fold as they prepare for conference play. The Jayhawks are already ahead of schedule with a top-three finish and they will continue to have a goal on their backs as they look to repeat as national champions for the first time in club history. school.


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I continue to wrestle with the design of my my upcoming Fall 2018 course, English 392: Comics, Childhood, and Children’s Comics. My impulse is to focus mainly on the current (i.e. post-2005) boom in children’s and young adult graphic novels in the US, which is what sparked or inspired the class in the first place. Therefore it seems to me that books by Jeff Smith, Raina Telgemeier, and Gene Luen Yang have to be in the mix; exposure to those very successful and influential authors will help lay the groundwork for what's happening today. At the same time, we do need to address the vexed larger history of children’s comics; it seems vital to at least sketch in the histories of newspaper strips and comic books vis-à-vis children (and what of seminal children's comics from, say, Japan, Europe, or Latin America?). So, juggling all this continues to be an intellectual and practical challenge.
That said, at this point it seems likely to me that the following books, or selections from them, will be represented in our required reading list:
I'm still working out many issues, including the need for greater diversity in genre, format, and cultural content, the scheduling of student presentations and guest speakers, and of course costs. So I would not call this anywhere near the final list. But it's a hint as to where my head is currently at. Frankly, the list is too US-centric for my tastes, but I may have to live with that, given time constraints. I'm not quite sure yet.
Work-wise, I'm envisioning student discussion launchers most weeks, a seminar paper (preceded by a formal prospectus), and a weekly or semi-weekly online discussion forum, which is something I can only do when a class is fairly small. I'm also hoping for three to four guest speakers, one a scholar, one a children's publishing pro, and one a comics creator. I hope that one or more of my scholarly colleagues at CSUN can pay a visit as well.
Whew! We'll see. Readers, click on the category "392" if you'd like more behind-the-scenes info on this evolving course...
Graphic Novels for Children and Young Adults: A Collection of Critical Essays. Edited by Michelle Ann Abate and Gwen Athene Tarbox. University Press of Mississippi, 2017. ISBN 978-1496818447. Paperback, 372 pages, $30.
Newsflash! Graphic Novels for Children and Young Adults (2017), edited by Michelle Ann Abate and Gwen Tarbox, and including a score of essays by diverse authors, has just been (re-) released in paperback. It came out last year, but now, at last, I have a softcover copy of my own that I can annotate and mark up in the usual ruthless way. Yes!
This is an essential collection, a landmark in the academic consideration of children's and Young Adult comics. Readers of Gwen's contribution to our Teaching Roundtable may know, or may wish to know, that her post builds on and adds detail to ideas set forth in this book, specifically in her essay, "From Who-villle to Hereville: Integrating Graphic Novels into an Undergraduate Children's Literature Course." Also, Roundtable participant Joe Sutliff Sanders has an essay in the book on children's digital comics!
I haven't quite figured out how to teach English 392 yet, but I do know that this is going to be one of the required texts.
This post is about teaching. As I said when I started KinderComics, one of my goals in doing this blog is to brainstorm publicly about a course I'll be teaching this coming Fall 2018 semester at CSU Northridge: an English Honors seminar titled Comics, Childhood, and Children's Comics (English 392). Despite having taught at the intersection of comics and children's culture for years (including bringing comics into my entry-level Children's Literature class and designing courses on picture books that also explore comics), this upcoming Honors seminar marks the first time I've actually pitched a course devoted to children's comics per se. I'm excited about the prospect, and honestly a bit daunted by it too.
Why daunted? Comics and childhood, together, make for a sprawling, complex area—and perhaps you can tell from my course's title that I haven't yet committed to a particular focus. Which is to say that I haven't decided how to delimit the course or what objectives to put front and center. I've been thinking about those things for a while. Thing is, the students and I will have fifteen weeks together, which in practice, experience tells me, means about twelve weeks tops for introducing new readings. What's more, part of the brief for an Honors seminar with, say, between a dozen and twenty students is that the students take turns presenting to and teaching one another, sharing the results of deep, self-directed research (fitting challenges for an advanced course). So it seems clear that I'll have to make some severe choices when it comes to focusing down. Yow!
I've thought of at least four potential foci that are important to me:
All these areas seem important. Child characters are central to the satirical and sentimental uses of comics and to the form's popular spread; the history of moral panic is crucial to understanding comics' reputation, even now; the depiction of childhood in adult texts is key to the burgeoning alternative comics and graphic memoir canon, from Binky Brown to My Favorite Thing Is Monsters; and the sheer popularity of graphic novels for young readers today is a trend so dramatic as to throw all the other areas into a new light. So, the question for me is, what objectives do I want students to achieve as they work at the crossroads of comics and childhood?
With all this in mind, I'm inviting several of my close colleagues in children's comics studies to join me here in an intermittent series of posts that I'll call a Teaching Roundtable. This roundtable will amount to, again, brainstorming, and perhaps debating the importance of our different teaching objectives. First up, TOMORROW, will be Dr. Joe Sutliff Sanders, author of, among other things, the new book A Literature of Questions: Nonfiction for the Critical Child (U of Minnesota Press, 2018), editor of The Comics of Hergé: When the Lines are Not So Clear (UP of Mississippi, 2016), and faculty member at the Children's Literature Research Centre at the University of Cambridge. Joe will be following up on this initial post -- readers, please come back tomorrow to follow and chime in on the discussion! Add your voices! Thanks.
Students are just starting to enroll in my fall course, English 392: Comics, Childhood & Children's Comics -- which means that it's flyer season! I made this one by poaching, then frankly overstuffing, the cover of the recent Moon Girl #29 (Marvel, March 2018), by the terrific cartoonist Natacha Bustos. To Bustos, I added elements by Busch, Hergé, McCay, Quino, Schulz, Takeuchi, Telgemeier, and Yang, as well as a freight load of (unavoidable) text. I'm not guaranteeing that all those creators will be covered in 392, but just trying to signal the kind of range I'd like the course to have.
Strictly nonprofit and educational, folks. May Bustos (and everyone else) forgive me!
Starting tomorrow, in this space: the first KinderComics Teaching Roundtable!
See Hatfield, comics and children's culture scholar

domain: library


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Christina Vinson is a freelance writer based in Nashville, Tenn. After graduating from Cornerstone University, she left the idyllic shores of West Michigan and headed south alongside her husband, a musician. She writes for a variety of publications across the state and country, with work ranging from full-length magazine features to SEO-rich blog posts. When she's not typing away at the computer, you can find Vinson at the library with a stack of books, in the kitchen baking cinnamon rolls or drinking coffee at a local coffee shop.
Blake Shelton Dishes on Boozy Christmas Traditions With Miranda Lambert
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Darius Rucker’s ‘Homegrown Honey’ Video Features Flirtatious Girl and Live Music
In Darius Rucker's brand new music video for 'Homegrown Honey,' there are two main points of attraction: a gorgeous and very flirtatious woman, and the country star jamming with his band.
Lady Antebellum Bring ‘Honey’ Sweet Surprise for Army Wife, Family [Watch]
Lady Antebellum's '7FOR7' project has been a treat to watch as it unfolds. Together, the trio are bringing seven surprises to seven fans in seven days. Their latest episode will hit especially close to home for many country fans, as the bring joy to an Army wife.
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Carrie Underwood Hoping for a Baby Girl, Changes Her First Diaper [Watch]
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Lady Antebellum Passed on ‘American Kids’ and ‘Better Dig Two’
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Dierks Bentley Takes Cancer-Stricken Fan for a Ride in His ’67 Camaro
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Lady Antebellum Rock Another ‘7FOR7′ Surprise, Pay for Fan’s Education [Watch]
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Carrie Underwood Fights Against Poverty, Performs R.E.M.’s ‘Everybody Hurts’ [Watch]
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As many MDF community members know, MDF has been working with a group of expert clinicians from across Western Europe, the U.K, Canada and the U.S. for the past year to develop consensus-based clinical care recommendations for myotonic dystrophy. We first talked about this project as part of a larger story about our three year, multi-million dollar drug development and care expansion effort. We have made excellent progress since we first mentioned this program in May 2015, and we are pleased to bring you an update on this unique initiative.
What Are Standards of Care and Why Are They Important?
Standards of care are critically important to help ensure that all patients with a particular disease receive appropriate and beneficial clinical care. They are typically based on rigorous data captured through large, anonymous research studies, and are usually developed and issued by the leading professional organization for that particular disease. In the case of myotonic dystrophy, that organization in the U.S. is the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). AAN has been working on an Evidence-Based Guideline for myotonic dystrophy for over five years, and hopes to publish it in 2017.
Clinical care guidelines will be particularly meaningful for the DM community because, as our community knows well, many doctors who do not see DM patients regularly are not aware of the range and variation in symptoms that are part of living with myotonic dystrophy. They do not necessarily know what testing, exams and follow up are appropriate for people living with DM, and they may miss important impacts to some organ systems. Often it is the DM patient who educates the physician about the disease and the care that is needed. MDF is committed to helping ensure that care recommendations are available and delivered to the clinical professionals who treat DM patients.
The DM Guideline, when it comes out, will be published and disseminated to neurologists in the U.S. It will not address most of the organ systems and symptoms of importance to myotonic dystrophy patients because the studies needed to gather the evidence required to establish a guideline have not been conducted.
MDF is working with the AAN to support the eventual dissemination and publication of the DM Evidence-Based Guideline when it is ready, and most of the members of our Scientific Advisory Committee are part of the team involved in its creation. Dr. Tetsuo Ashizawa, formerly the head of neurology at the The University of Florida and now leading neurology research at Houston Methodist, is the lead clinician on The DM Guideline.
What are Care Considerations and How Are They Different?
MDF has had a number of meetings with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the AAN to understand what the newest publication date is for the evidence-based guideline, and how robust the final publication will be. The AAN and CDC have heavily encouraged MDF to pursue the development of consensus-based care recommendations in order to ensure that comprehensive care recommendations are available to all clinicians treating DM patients because a comprehensive evidence-based guideline is many years away.
Consensus-driven care recommendations are clinical care recommendations developed by experts in the appropriate disease field, who work through a formal consensus-development process to come to agreement on how patients across many countries and continents should be treated to help patients maintain health and improve their quality of life.
The Myotonic Dystrophy Care Considerations
In the case of the DM Care Considerations, MDF has assembled a truly world-class team of 60 expert clinicians from across the globe, in fields as diverse as cardiology, pulmonology, occupational therapy, pain and family planning, to work through a consensus-building process to create the first-ever clinical care recommendations for adults with myotonic dystrophy type 1. Care Considerations for congenital myotonic dystrophy and myotonic dystrophy type 2 will follow very shortly. Both the CDC and AAN are partners on the MDF Care Considerations project and are providing significant support to the project. MDF has also teamed up with Treat-NMD, Muscular Dystrophy UK and organizations in Canada and Western Europe to ensure that these guidelines are appropriate and targeted to patients in many different countries and care situations.
What’s Been Accomplished?
The project formally kicked off at the 2015 MDF Annual Conference, where MDF held a meeting with the international working group to provide an overview of the project scope, the consensus-development methodology, and study area assignments. Eight multi-system study areas were established, with committee chairs and working groups for each. Click here to see the full international list of Care Considerations study areas and Working Group participants.
MDF created and circulated to the working group a draft list of care recommendations developed from the MDF Toolkit and a short list of key published research. The expert clinicians then met via conference call and email, reviewing and editing the recommendations for their study areas over the course of the winter. MDF assembled an updated draft of care considerations with the edits included, and then brought all available working group members to Miami to discuss the revised document and work toward final recommendations and consensus. The meeting was a significant success, and MDF is now assembling the final draft document to circulate for a last round of reviews to the working group.
The next steps for the DM Care Considerations project will be extensive and will involve multiple international partner organizations. Once the working group has agreed on the final list of care recommendations, MDF will develop executive summary and full versions of the document, as well as a draft publication for submission to a neurology journal. The full version will be submitted to professional associations of clinical professionals for open comment and to accreditation organizations in Western Europe, the U.K., Canada and the U.S. (AAN) to begin the final approval and dissemination process. Additional international organizations will be significant partners in distributing the final recommendations to care providers internationally.
MDF will also pursue an insurance policy document to help convince insurance companies in the U.S. to provide reimbursement for these care recommendations, and MDF has developed a draft update policy to ensure that these recommendations stay current. Finally, MDF will work with the working group and our international partners to develop and implement an assessment program to measure whether these recommendations are being used and are improving care for DM patients.
We plan to have final approved documents ready by the end of 2016. As always, MDF will keep you posted on this and our other research and care projects as we move forward. Questions? Contact MDF via email or phone at 415-800-7777.

domain: health


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Ogaden: The Government has Found Non-violent Means to Eliminate the Opposition from the New Government.
After twenty-four years in power, the ruling party in Ethiopia, the EPRDF, took office once again on 24 May 2015. Main opposition groups, like the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and parties such as Ginbot 7, have been excluded from the electoral campaign, while individual members of these organizations have been imprisoned. Due to government restrictions, particular regions of Ethiopia were excluded from voting. Further, some ballot boxes were reported stolen. Despite this, the Ethiopian people and opposition parties have demonstrated they can exercise their struggle for democracy peacefully, as there have been no registered violent protests. The international community should support the Ethiopians and pressure the central government to follow more democratic principles, respect human rights and accept to open a dialogue with opposition leadership.
Below is an article published by Ayyaantuu News
Ethiopia holds general elections every five years; the most recent one was held on May 24, 2015. The ruling TPLF/EPRDF party, which has been in power for the past twenty-four years, officially announced on this past Monday, June 22, 2015 that the government and its allies ((political organizations created by EPRDF) won a landslide victory in the country’s parliamentary elections. In the announcement, the ruling party proudly declared itself, not just the winner, but that it was also more victorious than ever before by taking all seats in both the federal and regional parliaments with its allies. In the months and weeks leading to the elections, under very restrictive conditions and in some places even where detentions were common, campaigns by the opposition parties were very intense, and the public response in support of the parties was far beyond expectations.
Unfortunately, all of that was to no avail. Looking at the end results of the elections, all that could be said is that the huge public rally behind the opposition parties instead alerted the ruling party- it prepared itself and came up with more and newer tactics to rig the elections. Heavily equipped armed forces were deployed in different areas including the surroundings of the capital, Addis Ababa/Finfinne.
As has been the case during the previous elections, hundreds of opposition party candidates, and observers were hunted down and detained at different places prior to the polling day under the pretext that they created obstacles to the process of election or were suspected of being members of political organizations labeled terrorist by the EPRDF government, groups such as the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), Ogadenean Nation Liberation Front (ONLF) and Ginbot 7.
Thousands of Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) candidates and observers in Oromia Regional State, including Bule Hora (Guji Zone) South Oromia, Makko and Darimu (Illu Abba Bora), Gimbi and Gulisso (Wallagga) West Oromia, Ginir and Goro (Bale), South Oromia were arrested and intimidated by the government security forces. OFC members Mr. Dula Matias and Mr. Zelalem Shuma in Dambi Dola (Wallagga), the Western Oromia Regional State were among those detained.
There have been cases of misinforming and misguiding voters, especially regarding voting times and places. Although it was announced ahead of the election day that there were plenty of voting cards, Oromo electors in some particular parts of the region were told that there were no voting cards left. In other areas of Oromia it has been confirmed that the voting cards were distributed to the people hours after the election has already started.
For example, in the following photo the EPRDF representative on the Toke Kutaye District (Ambo) was distributing voter cards on May 24, 2014.
Worst of all was the stealing of the ballot boxes after they were filled with voting cards in order to give all the votes to the candidates of the ruling party, regardless of whom the voter cards belonged to. The above mentioned incidents happened mainly in Eastern and Western Hararge, Dire Dawa, in various parts of central Shawa, in the Oromia Zone of Wallo, particularly at Wallo University, in Illu Abbabor, at Mettu University, in different parts of Wallaga, in Guji and Borana zones of the regional state of Oromia.
Accordingly, as proven in the announcement made by the National Election Board, the ruling TPLF/EPRDF Party stole most of the votes and, by so doing, systematically eliminated all opposition parties from the political game, leaving both the regional and federal parliaments without any alternative voices and differing political opinions. It is so worrisome that the country is once again back under a one-party monopoly of everything – political, economic, and social. All the rhetoric during the past two decades regarding the flourishing of democracy in Ethiopia has now proven to have been lies and deceptions- the reality is that democracy has been diminished.
Regardless of the unpopular results of the elections, both the Ethiopian peoples and all the opposition political parties should never feel that they lost. They should be rewarded for doing the best job that they have done – very peaceful election campaigns were conducted by the opposition parties and, in response, similar rallies and supports were shown by the general public. Both the Ethiopian peoples and the opposition parties have demonstrated and exercised genuine democracy in an oppressive political environment where democracy did not exist. Above all, the reaction of the population during the campaigns clearly demonstrated to the world that fundamental changes are needed in that country.
While the local observers were silenced by various types of harassment and intimidation, foreign and international independent observers such as the European Union and various human rights agencies chose to stay away knowing that, based on experiences from the past elections, their presence would make no difference except giving legitimacy to such a fake election. The decision taken by international observers not to participate in such a fake election could be described as a step in the right direction, a sign of rejection and refusal which showed that preconditions the government of Ethiopia followed for the election was wrong. However, a lot more needs to be done to bring about positive political changes in Ethiopia.
The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa is deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Ethiopia which keeps deteriorating over time. Ethiopia is a party to numerous instruments of international and regional human rights, humanitarian and other laws. The Ethiopian government has accepted, signed and ratified most of the international human rights standards. It has an obligation to adhere to those agreements and their implementations. However, the government of Ethiopia has repeatedly failed to implement those standards, including the Ethiopian constitution of 1995. On the contrary, the government adopted anti- terrorism legislation and NGO law which it has used to criminalize the democratic rights of the people.
The Ethiopian government has been given a number of recommendations from UN Human Rights Council sessions to adhere to the international instruments it has signed and ratified, including at the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) assessment outcome of 2014, where the country was given 252 recommendations to improve its human rights infringements it has committed against its people. The Ethiopian government also was advised to implement in full its constitutional protection for freedom of expression, assembly and association, and to encourage political tolerance
The parliamentary election of May 2015 in Ethiopia confirms that the country is heading towards a mono- political system of government. To change this, the Ethiopian government needs to:
Adhere to International, Regional and Domestic human rights and their implementation, humanitarian rights and its own constitution Abolish the Anti-terrorism Proclamation of 2009 Remove NGO law 2009 Reforming the Freedom of the Mass Media and Access to Information Proclamation of 2009 Repealing the provisions shielding public officials from criticism
Therefore, the Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) calls upon the international diplomatic and human rights agencies to join hands with the democratic-thirsty Ethiopian peoples and opposition political parties in their efforts to put pressure on the ruling TPLF/EPRDF party so that it abides by democratic principles as well as international laws and respects fundamental human rights so that genuine democracy can flourish.