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|Nevada v. Hibbs, a step backward
By Robert S. Sargent Jr.
On May 27, in a disappointing decision (Nevada v. Hibbs), the Supreme Court ruled that the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), a federal law, trumped state sovereignty as expressed in the 11th Amendment: "The judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit on law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by citizens of another state, or by citizens or subjects of any foreign state." William Hibbs, a Nevada resident and employee of the Nevada Dept. of Human Resources, sued the state of Nevada over violations of FMLA. The fact that he is not a "citizen of another state" seems to grant Mr. Hibbs the right to sue his own state, but jurisprudence says no.
In 1996, in Seminole Tribe v. Florida, Justice Rehnquist, for the majority, wrote: "'We have understood the 11th Amendment to stand not so much for what it says, but for the presupposition…which it confirms.' That presupposition…has two parts: first, that each State is a sovereign entity…and second, that 'it is inherent in the nature of sovereignty not to be amenable to the suit of an individual (my emphasis) without its consent.'" (Internal quotes are from previous decisions.) The "citizen of another state" becomes any "individual." Since an individual cannot sue a state, why can Mr. Hibbs?
In the summary to Nevada v. Hibbs, it says, "Congress may abrogate the State's 11th Amendment immunity from suit in federal court if it makes its intention to abrogate unmistakably clear in the language of the statute and acts pursuant to a valid exercise of its power under Sec. 5 of the 14th Amendment." This seems reasonable. Sec. 5 says: "The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article." So, if Nevada is violating a part of the 14th Amendment, in this case, the Equal Protection Clause, it can be sued in Federal Court. But what does FMLA, which allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for serious medical reasons, have to do with the Equal Protection Clause?
The argument here is that states have allowed women to take medical leave, especially when having children, but have not allowed men to have any medical leave. FMLA corrects gender-discrimination, which, so it was argued, violates the Equal Protection Clause. This brings up a couple of questions. Is gender-discrimination a violation of the Equal Protection Clause? Did Congress write FMLA to correct gender-discrimination, or to hand out an entitlement?
We all know the history of the 14th Amendment. It was written to prevent the discrimination of ex-slaves. If a state wrote a law that applied to white people, it must apply to black people. If the state wrote a law applying to disabled white folks, it must apply to disabled black folks. And this is allowed. States that (from the summary) "make age- or disability-based distinctions (can) pass equal protection muster if there is a rational basis for enacting them." But "the standard for demonstrating the constitutionality of a gender-based classification is more difficult to meet than the rational-basis test." This is "judged under a heightened review standard." That gender-based distinctions somehow come under the Equal Protection Clause, and are somehow more important under our Constitution than other kinds of discrimination is pure political correctness.
To the other question of was it merely an entitlement, Michael Kinsley, in the Washington Post wrote, "Even odder is Rehnquist's insistence that sex discrimination is what the FMLA is all about. Fighting stereotypes about women may have been one reason for guaranteeing this benefit to both genders but the main reason was the benefit itself." (My emphasis) Even liberals can see that this was an entitlement, not a law to prevent gender-based discrimination! Justice Kennedy (joined by Scalia and Thomas) in his dissent, pointed out "…the inescapable fact that the federal scheme (FMLA) is not a remedy (for discrimination) but a benefit program." How could Rehnquist not concur?
Since the mid-nineties, there have been a series of cases in which the Rehnquist Court instructed Congress that it couldn't disregard the 11th Amendment. This was revolutionary in the sense that before these cases, Congress completely disregarded the Amendment knowing the Supreme Court would ignore it with them. In this case, Justice Rehnquist took a step back putting a blot on what was up to now, a proud record of consistency.
Robert S. Sargent, Jr. can be reached at email@example.com.
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domain: politics


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|Reviews for I Miss You|
| bob115 chapter 1 . 10/20/2015
I disagree about the ending with the last reviewer. I felt it should have gone the other way, with Homura rejecting Madoka for the last 8 years of fucking with her love life. I get that Homura's desire to be with someone else is somewhat out of her character, but I think it's completely understandable. Oh well, it was great reading something different like this. Keep up the good work.
| Thecrazyrabidfangirl chapter 1 . 4/20/2014
I really enjoyed this story. The beginning and middle sections were engaging; I was chuckling at the interplay between Madoka and Homura and I was very interested to see where it was going. Sadly, however, it didn't go much of anywhere.
Now don't get me wrong, as I said, I liked the story and it's very good and well written. The problem is that the ending doesn't deliver on the build-up throughout the story. To be honest, the final section feels rushed, that's the best way to put it. It wasn't particularly bad, it just felt lacking.
I was hoping to see some kind of resolution or impact on Homura's character relating to her selfish desire to basically cheat on Madoka for completely physical reasons. After spending so long trying to protect Madoka, she just wants to break it off because Madoka isn't technically 'there' and isn't willing to wait. OK, I can suspend my disbelief and buy this near-radical change in character, I mean, people can change, and I can see how years of having your one-true-love 'there' but not tangibly 'there' can take its toll.
However, the caveat to me buying this premise is that there must be some character arc or impact in the ending that justifies it. The way Madoka handled Homura's decision to break off their 'relationship' was the only on-point character aspect that kept me thinking that there would be some form of resolution. I fully expected Homura to, in actuality, be projecting her feelings for Madoka on a physical girl because Madoka wasn't there, or for there to be at least some form of regret or remorse for leaving Madoka and her seeking forgiveness.
Well... there was none of that, in fact the ending baffled me. Madoka returns from god-land, her Godoka work complete, and... she's the one asking Homura for some form of forgiveness? This is like role-reversal except it has absolutely no place in the story. Homura should have been the one asking for forgiveness or having some kind of character change.
In the end though, I enjoyed the story, enough to give it a favorite in fact. It was fun through the beginning and middle parts. The only drawback was that the ending was disappointing, it just could have been a lot deeper and more meaningful. But that's just my opinion.
| Cyrus de Niga chapter 1 . 8/28/2013
I have Type M Diabetes because of you now. Thank you.
| Psykoakuma chapter 1 . 8/25/2013
Oh MY! The things we do for love!
Very unusual and interesting! I was half expecting Madoka to go yandere at some point. When she really wanted Homura to look under the bed I got some very creepy feelings! But this was a story about powerful emotions tempered by a desire for a certain future that could only happen if everything was done just right. In a way it's like Madoka took on Homura's earlier role. Of course, being a goddess she knew exactly what she had to do. So it came down to trusting that Madoka really was acting out of love rather than spite.
When the end finally came, it was a little overwhelming!

domain: literature


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I’ve been on holiday mode lately, but let’s add this useless list anyway:
1. KISS: Paul Stanley / KISS: Ace Frehley
2. KISS: Hotter Than Hell / Rock and Roll Over / Dynasty
3. Wilco: (The Album)
4. Haruko: Wild Geese
5. The Leftovers: Eager To Please
1. Paul Stanley / KISS: Wouldn’t You Like to Know Me
2. Paul Stanley / KISS: Tonight You Belong To Me
3. KISS: Goin’ Blind
4. Brendan Benson: Don’t Wanna Talk
5. The Leftovers: Get To Know You
My KISS addiction is just getting worse and worse. Last week I bought 6 more albums and the book KISS: Behind The Mask. New additions were Hotter Than Hell, Rock and Roll Over, Dynasty and Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Gene Simmons solos. I’ve listened to all of them except Gene’s solo (I left that for last because I’ve red that it isn’t very good) and I really like them. My favourite of this bunch has been Paul Stanley’s solo and not only because you could file Wouldn’t You Like To Know Me under the best power pop songs ever. Maybe the album is kind of borderline cheesy, but I love it.
I really enjoy the other ones too. Well Dynasty does sound a bit suspicious at times, but I’m starting to like it as well. During these early stages of my Kiss addiction my favourite KISS albums are probably KISS, Dressed To Kill, Love Gun and Paul Stanley’s solo, but things might change and all of the 70’s stuff is great. I think I need to add Unmasked and Creatures of The Night to my collection pretty soon.

domain: entertainment


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We watched the Discovery Channel’s Supervolcano last night. Billed as a “true story” that “just hasn’t happened yet,” the movie was a surprisingly good mix of facts and drama that made for a very enjoyable viewing experience. With big disaster movies like Armageddon and The Day After Tomorrow sacrificing scientific accuracy for dramatic license it was very refreshing to see a film that married the two together pretty well.
The story focuses on Yellowstone National Park and the fact that it is basically a huge active volcano that measures some 45 by 30 miles that has a tendency to have a super eruption every 650,000 years or so. The story gives us a worst-case scenario of what would happen if Yellowstone were to repeat its biggest eruption today. Let’s just say it would be a whole lot of not fun that would impact the world dramatically for years to come. It’s all based on what we know about the previous eruptions and what the effects of smaller eruptions from other volcanoes and it shows that there’s plenty of drama to be found in science accurate fiction. The Discovery Channel will re-air the movie on Saturday, April 16th at 8PM and again at 11PM so be sure to catch it if you haven’t already seen it. We really enjoyed it. At the end Tom Brokaw comes out and talks with a bunch of scientists about the movie and Yellowstone park which made for a nice followup.
Favorite line in the movie comes from a scene where two volcano experts and a marine are holed up in a military bunker in Colorado. As volcanic ash is piling up outside they’re debating whether they should stay put or try to walk to a safer location:
Expert 1: No, we should stay put and wait for them to find us.
Expert 2: If we stay put we’re going to starve to death before we’re ever rescued.
Expert 1: Not if we eat Johnson.
Marine: Heh. Just try it.

domain: geography


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Purchase this article with an account.
Michael H. Farkas, Greg Grant, Maria Sousa, Eric A. Pierce; Transcriptome Analyses Identify Novel Exons In Known Inherited Retinal Disease Genes. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2012;53(14):1611.
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© ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)
Mutations in 186 genes have been identified to cause inherited retinal degeneration (IRD), accounting for 50-60% of cases. With the advent of next-generation genomic sequencing, many resources are focused on identifying novel mutations in the current annotation of coding sequence. However, RNA-seq transcriptome analyses have demonstrated that the current annotations are greatly under-representative and tissue-dependent. Here, we present the use of RNA-seq transcriptome analyses of the normal human neural retina to better characterize the coding sequence within known IRD genes.
Using RNA-seq, we generated approximately 100 million reads each from three normal human neural retina transcriptomes. We aligned the reads and analyzed the data using the RUM Unified Mapper (RUM) pipeline. The processed data was uploaded to the UCSC Genome Browser and the 186 currently known IRD genes were scanned to find novel exons. The frame of the novel exon was determined and validated using RT-PCR.
By analyzing 300 million reads, were able to obtain deep coverage of the normal human neural retina transcriptome, identifying nearly 80% of all annotated exons. This equates to full coverage of the expressed annotated human retinal transcriptome. However, we were able to identify nearly 25,000 additional novel exons. Within the set of known IRD genes, over 200 novel exons were identified in 99 genes. These novel exons represent alternate first and last exons, as well as internal exons. Using RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing, we validated novel exons in a subset of these transcripts including RP1 and MYO7A. All of the novel exons were confirmed to be in the spliced transcript.
The addition of the novel exons in the IRD genes account for a significant portion of all of the annotated exons in this set. Given that only 50-60% of IRD cases have been characterized, this finding has implications for finding new mutations that cause disease. On a larger scale, a better annotation of the current transcriptome will add nearly a megabase of additional coding sequence for screening of disease mutations in genes not previously characterized as disease-causing.
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domain: medical


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Glo Gang Rapper Capo Murdered In Chicago | Music News
22 year old rapper Capo has been shot and killed on the streets of Chicago. The Glo Gang rapper was immediately taken to the Advocate Christ medical center on Saturday afternoon (July 11) but was pronounced dead shortly after. Shockingly, there is video footage circulating of the dying rapper’s final moments, which were caught on film. In a further horrific twist, it appears that in their haste to flee the scene, the suspects ran over and killed a one year old child. Tributes to the rapper and child are already flooding social media, and the rest of us are left trying to fathom the sudden and devastating loss of two young lives.
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domain: news


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Counsellors and Psychotherapists in West Sussex
402 results within 15 milesWe only list professional counsellors
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Personal experience has shown me years ago how valuable counselling can be in processing difficult life events. It led me to train as a counsellor myself and therefore I am now a BACP Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist with over 11 years...
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domain: psychology


text:
This item is being sold by an Individual Seller and will not ship from the Online Bookstore's warehouse. The Seller must confirm the order within two business days. If the Seller refuses to sell or fails to confirm within this time frame, then the order is cancelled.
Please be sure to read the Description offered by the Seller.
WINNER OF THE CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE
One of the Best Books of the Year: The Washington Post, NPR, Time, O, The Oprah Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, Entertainment Weekly, The Boston Globe, GQ, The Dallas Morning News, Buzzfeed, BookPage, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews
NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLER
Tommy Orange’s “groundbreaking, extraordinary” (The New York Times) There There is the “brilliant, propulsive” (People Magazine) story of twelve unforgettable characters, Urban Indians living in Oakland, California, who converge and collide on one fateful day. It’s “the year’s most galvanizing debut novel” (Entertainment Weekly).
As we learn the reasons that each person is attending the Big Oakland Powwow—some generous, some fearful, some joyful, some violent—momentum builds toward a shocking yet inevitable conclusion that changes everything. Jacquie Red Feather is newly sober and trying to make it back to the family she left behind in shame. Dene Oxendene is pulling his life back together after his uncle’s death and has come to work at the powwow to honor his uncle’s memory. Opal Viola Victoria Bear Shield has come to watch her nephew Orvil, who has taught himself traditional Indian dance through YouTube videos and will to perform in public for the very first time. There will be glorious communion, and a spectacle of sacred tradition and pageantry. And there will be sacrifice, and heroism, and loss.
There There is a wondrous and shattering portrait of an America few of us have ever seen. It’s “masterful . . . white-hot . . . devastating” (The Washington Post) at the same time as it is fierce, funny, suspenseful, thoroughly modern, and impossible to put down. Here is a voice we have never heard—a voice full of poetry and rage, exploding onto the page with urgency and force. Tommy Orange has written a stunning novel that grapples with a complex and painful history, with an inheritance of beauty and profound spirituality, and with a plague of addiction, abuse, and suicide. This is the book that everyone is talking about right now, and it’s destined to be a classic.
An electronic version of this book is available through VitalSource.
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domain: library


Re: "Do not you feel..."
Posted by Laura Wallace on November 21, 1997 at 12:06:45:
In response to "Do not you feel a great inclination, Miss Bennet, to..., written by Constanza on November 21, 1997 at 11:07:29
"Do not you feel a great inclination, Miss Bennet, to seize such an opportunity of dancing a reel?"
What does Darcy exactly mean by that? Or is he simply attempting at a conversation?
Mr. Darcy is asking Elizabeth to dance with him. A Scottish reel is a type of country dance. He is suggesting that they take advantage of having a piano player (Miss Bingley) available who could play dance music for them. They could probably dance a reel to the "lively Scotch air" Miss Bingley was at that moment playing.
A Scottish reel is an energetic (fun!) but unsophisticated dance, which is why Lizzy suspects him of implying that she has low taste--and perhaps also of being like her younger sisters, who would never pass up an opportunity to dance.
(If instead you were asking for an explanation of the idiom, I apologize. I'll try again if you want!)
Posting followups to old messages is disabled; instead go to the main index and post a new message which mentions this one.


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City National Expands in Downtown Los Angeles
The decision to lease 11 floors at 2 California Plaza on Bunker Hill reflects City National’s growth following merger with RBC
LOS ANGELES – City National Bank, America’s Premier Private and Business Bank®, announced today that as part of its growth and commitment to Los Angeles, it has leased nearly 300,000 square feet at the 52-story 2 California Plaza. The site will be renamed CityNational@2Cal.
This significant move will expand City National’s already strong presence in downtown Los Angeles. The company will remain headquartered at 555 South Flower Street, called City National Plaza, where it has been based since 2003. Today, the bank also announced it has renewed its lease there through 2031. City National will occupy 11 floors at City National Plaza and plans to upgrade and modernize its offices there beginning in early 2018. In addition, City National has another banking office located across the street from 2 California Plaza.
City National currently employs more than 1,800 colleagues in downtown Los Angeles and the company expects to add several hundred new colleagues there in the next few years. The new space at CityNational@2Cal will ultimately accommodate about 1,500 City National colleagues.
City National merged with Royal Bank of Canada in November 2015 and is expanding rapidly. The L.A.-based company’s assets have grown from $36 billion to $47 billion in just over a year, and during that time it has added a net total of approximately 400 new colleagues, many of them in Los Angeles. City National recently opened its third office in New York, and next year it plans to open offices in Minneapolis and Washington, D.C.
“When City National merged with RBC a year ago, we promised both continuity and growth, and we have made good on that commitment,” said Russell Goldsmith, chairman and CEO of City National Bank and chairman of RBC Wealth Management-U.S. “This significant expansion in L.A. comes at a time when many other banks are cutting back, and it underscores the commitment that City National and RBC have made to do more for our clients, colleagues and communities here in Southern California. When this significant expansion and renovation project is complete, City National will have enhanced its position as one of the largest employers and tenants downtown, with a cutting-edge workplace that facilitates our ability to serve our clients faster and more productively.”
Renovation of the office space at 2 California Plaza (350 South Grand Ave.), will begin next year. Colleagues will move into the new offices in 2018.
The LEED Platinum certified building was chosen in part for its accessibility to public transit, City National Plaza and amenities. The California Plaza courtyard has extensive restaurant and retail tenants and links to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, The Broad, Walt Disney Concert Hall and Colburn School. City National will have building-top signage at the location.
“City National’s expansion in downtown L.A. will further strengthen our company’s brand, help us to retain and attract talented colleagues, and provide us with the flexibility, mobility and ease of collaboration we’ll need to optimize growth in the years ahead,” said Harry Topping, the bank’s manager of corporate real estate.
City National has had a major presence in downtown Los Angeles since 1967.
For images of the new office go to: https://www.cnb.com/content/dam/cnbcom/publishingimages/2-California-Plaza.jpg
About City National and RBC
With $47 billion in assets, City National Bank provides banking, investment and trust services through 73 offices, including 16 full-service regional centers, in Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area, Nevada, New York City, Nashville and Atlanta. In addition, the company and its investment affiliates manage or administer $58 billion in client investment assets.
City National is a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), one of North America’s leading diversified financial services companies. RBC serves more than 16 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the United States and 36 other countries.
RBC Wealth Management-U.S. is America’s 7th largest brokerage firm. With 1,800 financial advisors in 41 states, it manages approximately $280 billion in assets for more than 300,000 households.
For more information about City National, visit the company’s website at cnb.com.

domain: finance


Outkick The Show - 9/16/16 - CFB & NFL Gambling Preview with OddsShark
Clay is live with Jon Campbell from OddsShark with their weekly preview of football gambling picks. Clay and Jon go pick by pick through SEC games and Jon talks about the most popular odds for the NFL going into the weekend. Plus, Jon discusses gambling patterns and reveals the most valuable position impacting the odds for week 2.
Outkick The Show - 9/15/16 - Stanford Violation | Brady vs Garoppolo | Gambling Picks & More
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Outkick the Show with Clay Travis brings a one-of-a-kind perspective to discussions on sports, politics, and entertainment.


text:
Lamont Violist’s New CD Explores Often Overlooked Russian Sonatas
This article appears in the winter issue of University of Denver magazine. Visit the magazine’s website for bonus content and to read the article in its original format.
Compared to its brothers and sisters in the violin family – the small violin on the one hand and the voluptuous cello on the other – the viola does not have enough opportunities to shine.
Enter Basil Vendryes of the Lamont School of Music. Last fall, he released the first of three CDs featuring little-known viola gems. The CD, recorded with pianist William David and titled “Three C’sentries of Russian sonatas for viola”, was released in October by the Toccata Music Group, which specializes in “forgotten music by great composers and great music by forgotten composers”.
Vendryes, who directs the viola program at Lamont and is the longtime principal violist of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, has championed the virtues of the viola – and coaxed the sweet harmonies of his own instrument – for nearly four decades. “As part of the orchestra, we support the string section,” he says. “We’re the glue that holds a lot of things together, that lets the melodies fly.”
The melodies are certainly soaring on his new CD, which features pieces from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries and from one well-known and three lesser-known composers: Mikhail Glinka, Revol Bunin, Vissarion Shebalin and the ever-prolific Ivan Sokolov. . Glinka’s sonata has been recorded many times, but Vendryes offers the first digital recordings of the Bunin and Shebalin sonatas. Sokolov’s Sonata, on the other hand, has only been recorded once before. “I represent the second opinion on this piece,” he says.
As diverse as the compositions are, he adds, they are rooted in Russian tradition. “There is a simplicity [to them]he says of the compositions. “Much of Russian music is derived from folk song. It’s very ingrained in the culture. Moreover, much like the ever-popular Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky, composers all demand what Vendryes calls “rich, fluid, dense harmony.”
Vendryes hopes his new CD will draw attention to these works and inspire other violists to perform them and scour the repertoire for additional pieces worthy of attention.
Former Lamont student and accomplished violist Christina Ebersohl (MM ’21) once set her sights on learning Shebalin, which is now considered “one of my all-time favorites.”
As a Vendryes student and self-proclaimed “viola nerd,” she awaited the CD with geeky glee, in part, she says, because “viola soloists aren’t as common as violin soloists. and cello. I was really excited that he [Vendryes] didn’t stick to the basic sonatas that everyone knows and loves. Some of these sonatas are really unknown.
Bringing unknown works to life appeals to Vendryes’ sense of musical adventure.
“When the idea of making a [CD] came together, there were a number of possible projects that came to mind: a record of encore works or short works. But I wanted to look for something that was a bit unique to the catalog. I would love to record Brahms sonatas, but there are 25, 30 versions [already]. [I wanted] something interesting but not just archival.
Without the pandemic, the project could still languish on Vendryes’ to-do list. When the country shut down due to the coronavirus, he recalls, “almost everything went dark and the opportunities to perform became fewer and fewer. But there were opportunities to work on projects that had been on the back burner for many, many years.
Although he suddenly had time to record and refine, he wasn’t quite sure how to finance an obscure music CD. Fortunately, Ebersohl came to the rescue. She introduced Vendryes to the power of a GoFundMe site. “He was telling me he wasn’t 100% sure. [the CD] was going to happen because of the funding aspect. I was like, ‘No, that can’t be a thing.’
“I was very reluctant,” recalls Vendryes. “I don’t consider myself a particularly good self-promoter or advocate. I have always lived in the world of the orchestra and the university where there is no need to have this kind of self-promotion. Corn [Ebersohl] press a button and that’s it.
Finding a publisher for the project proved almost as difficult as perfecting the record. Given his penchant for forgotten music, Toccata seemed a natural fit, but, Vendryes says, “usually they’re composer-centric, so when they take on a project it’s usually all music by one composer. .” But even if his project brought together several composers, it nevertheless offered Toccata a coherent concept: sonatas from the same musical tradition.
Vendryes sees the three-disc project as more than a tribute to great works that are too rarely performed. It is also a legacy project. The next CD will feature works by Russian composer Paul Juon, and the third is expected to feature American or British masters of the 20th and 21st centuries. By the time the set is complete, Vendryes will have a work to bequeath to viola nerds and perhaps even the unconverted.
“I’m not getting any younger,” he said, “[and] I try to share something that has a little sense of permanence with the world.

domain: artistic


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Don’t be surprised if you see right-wing voices co-opting tragedy for culture warfare and misframing a few facts along the way. Crikey readers agreed with Bernard Keane’s frank assessment of a recent article by Bettina Arndt, which he said shamelessly exploited suicide rates. As some pointed out, the move is not out of step with routine conservative tactics. Elsewhere, readers discussed Australia’s frought relationship with cybersecurity and the business model of WeWork.
R. Ambrose Raven writes: Cybersecurity? Under Dutton? None! Home Affairs has persistently failed — or refused — to adhere to the government’s own cybersecurity requirements. Dutton inherited but has failed to address a long-standing problem: in 2014, the immigration department, after an ANAO audit critical of its cybersecurity, assured a parliamentary committee it would fix the problems. But in March 2017, a follow-up audit revealed the department (along with the Australian Tax Office) was still in breach of the government’s cybersecurity mitigation strategies at a time when the government was warning of the increasing online threat from other states, organised crime and terrorists.
The Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit, declaring cyber-resilience a “strategic priority”, subsequently reported it was “most concerned that the audit found that the ATO and [immigration] are still not compliant with the mandatory ‘top four’ mitigation strategies”. Worse, immigration “could not provide a date for when full compliance with all of the ‘top four’ mitigation strategies would be achieved, despite previously advising the committee that full compliance would be achieved by December 2016”.
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Charles Miller writes: Also worth noting that WeWork’s CEO makes millions leasing office space to WeWork. So at least from the perspective of the guy running the company, shovelling money into landlords’ pockets is how it’s supposed to work.
A piece on the custody notification service this week by Russell Marks failed to disclose that he was employed as a criminal defence lawyer for the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency until April this year. His piece does not represent the views of NAAJA and none of the information informing this piece came from his employment at the organisation.
Send your comments, corrections, clarifications and cock-ups to email@example.com. We reserve the right to edit comments for length and clarity. Please include your full name if you would like to be considered for publication.


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- What are the factors affecting the body temperature of farm animals?
- How does temperature affect animal growth?
- How do climate physical environment and natural resources affect the way animals live?
- How are animals affected by water?
- How can the environment affect physical traits?
- What are the 4 types of animal behavior?
- What are some examples of animal behavior?
- What are some internal factors that affect animals body growth and development?
- How does environment affect a dog behaviour?
- How does natural selection affect animal behavior?
- What are the two main environmental conditions to promote healthy livestock?
- Does weather affect animal behavior?
- How does temperature affect plants and animals?
- What are the factors affecting the pulse rate of farm animals?
- How does light affect animals?
- What animals are affected in these factors temperature and population?
- How animals are affected in summer?
- How does pollution affect the animals?
- How does extreme weather affect animals?
- How does global warming affect animals in Antarctica?
- How are animals affected by ocean pollution?
Thermal radiation is one example that has been identified for animals. Humidity. There is air movement. Surfaces that come into contact.
Similarly, How the physical factors of the environment affect the life of an animal?
Animal behavior is influenced by the availability of survival resources such as food and shelter, as well as situational factors like as proximity to human activities. In other cases, the same kind of animal will act radically differently in a forest than in an urban setting.
Also, it is asked, What environmental factors affect animals?
Environmental needs for animals Temperature Control. Moisture and Heat Production in Animals Temperature. Humidity. Radiation. Movements of the Air Precipitation. The Impact of Climate Change on Livestock Performance
Secondly, What factors affect animal behavior?
Genes, by their impacts on morphology and physiology, form a framework within which the environment functions to define the behavior of an individual animal. The environment may influence morphological and physiological development, and the form and internal workings of an animal influence behavior.
Also, What are external factors in animal Behaviour?
The following are the most important external factors: timing of pain measurement after neuropathy induction, circadian rhythms, seasonal influences, air humidity, influence of testing order, diet, social variables, housing and manipulation, cage density, sexual activity, external stress factors, and influences of the.
People also ask, What are the two most important environmental factors affecting animals?
What are the two most critical environmental elements that have an impact on animals? Water and temperature are two factors to consider. Abiotic elements such as temperature and water have a role in species dispersal. 4th of December, 2021
Related Questions and Answers
What are the factors affecting the body temperature of farm animals?
The key elements that govern an animal’s body temperature are temperature, humidity, and the quantity of direct sunshine. Other elements, including as precipitation, wind, night cooling, and fescue endophyte exposure, are also essential.
How does temperature affect animal growth?
Temperature and ontogenetic development: The pace and success of development in poikilothermic animals is influenced by temperature. In general, warm temperatures speed up the entire development of eggs and larvae. At 15°C, for example, trout eggs grow four times quicker than at 5°C.
How do climate physical environment and natural resources affect the way animals live?
Impacts. As a result of climate change, humans and wild animals are facing new survival problems. Droughts that are more frequent and severe, storms, heat waves, rising sea levels, melting glaciers, and warmer seas may all hurt animals, ruin their habitats, and disrupt people’s livelihoods and societies.
How are animals affected by water?
The spread of toxic algal species has an influence on both animal and human health. These algae create poisons that harm aquatic species including seabirds, fish, sea turtles, and aquatic mammals like dolphins, manatees, and sea lions when they grow due to nutrient pollution in the water.
How can the environment affect physical traits?
Genes and Environmental Factors Interact Environmental variables often have an impact on qualities that are not influenced by heredity. However, this is not always the case. A gene’s DNA sequence or activity level may be altered by the environment. Either of these impacts may alter the proteins produced by a gene, hence affecting characteristics.
What are the 4 types of animal behavior?
Even the simplest living forms engage in behavioral activity, and whether this action is normal or disordered might reveal information about their mental state. Behaviour that is instinctive. It is a learned habit. Behaviour that is out of the ordinary.
What are some examples of animal behavior?
Anything an animal does that involves activity and/or a reaction to a stimuli is referred to as behavior. Behaviors include blinking, feeding, walking, flying, vocalizing, and huddling.
What are some internal factors that affect animals body growth and development?
Genetic variables are the first, and they include disease resistance, feed conversion efficiency, breed, and aberrant growth rates. Non-genetic variables such as diet, management, illness control, and environmental circumstances make up the second most significant element. 5 September 2019
How does environment affect a dog behaviour?
Outdoor-living dogs are more likely to be violent than indoor-living dogs, although the most aggressive dogs spend time both inside and out. It was discovered that one’s attitude has a lot of influence. Dogs that spent more time with their owners were kinder and more friendly with other people.
How does natural selection affect animal behavior?
Because reproductive strategies are intrinsic behaviors, natural selection may operate on both innate and acquired behavior. Individuals with stronger natural reproductive features for their species are more likely to be able to reproduce and hence pass that gene on to their offspring.Jan 2, 2022
What are the two main environmental conditions to promote healthy livestock?
The provision of outside access, shade, shelter, lighting, and appropriate space to animals is one of our basic principles of sustainable livestock production.
Does weather affect animal behavior?
What we do know is that as the weather changes, animals respond to environmental cues. Extreme weather phenomena, such as hurricanes, create significant drops in air and water pressure. Many animals can detect these changes immediately and will frequently act abnormally, escape, or hide for protection.
How does temperature affect plants and animals?
Plant and animal life cycles are also affected by climate change. As the weather warms, many plants, for example, are beginning to grow and bloom sooner in the spring and surviving longer into the autumn. Some animals are waking up earlier from their hibernation or migrating at various periods. 9th of May, 2017
What are the factors affecting the pulse rate of farm animals?
Variations in rectal temperature, pulse rate, and respiration rate may be induced by a variety of variables, including body size, age, activity, excitement, ambient temperature, pregnancy, and digestive tract fullness, according to animal studies (Radostits et al., 2007).
How does light affect animals?
Artificial light has various broad impacts on wildlife: it attracts certain species (moths, frogs, sea turtles), causing them to be where they are not supposed to be, concentrating them as a food supply to be preyed upon, or simply trapping them and killing them.
What animals are affected in these factors temperature and population?
Climate change is having a negative influence on nine species. Salmon. Salmon can only breed in cold, fast-flowing streams and rivers. Snowshoe Hares are a kind of hare that lives in the snow. Pikas from the United States. Turtles of the sea. Puffins. Caribou from Alaska. Plovers with a piping call. Polar Bears, to be precise.
How animals are affected in summer?
According to scientists, organisms inherently detect variations in the sun’s light cycles and adjust their activity appropriately. Many animals reproduce to give birth in the spring and rear their young in the summer, when there is plenty of food and safety in numbers.
How does pollution affect the animals?
Pollutants in the air may harm animals by disrupting endocrine function, causing organ damage, making them more vulnerable to stressors and illnesses, reducing reproductive success, and even killing them.
How does extreme weather affect animals?
Extreme weather may kill animals directly or indirectly, such as by destroying food supplies, polluting water, or changing habitat, causing a species to relocate to places with more competition, fewer resources, or a higher danger of predation.
How does global warming affect animals in Antarctica?
Scientists researching in Antarctica have uncovered an alarming increase in water temperature that might destabilize populations of penguins, whales, seals, and a variety of smaller animals in the coming decades.
How are animals affected by ocean pollution?
Suffocation, malnutrition, and drowning may occur when fish, seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals get entangled in or eat plastic garbage.
Watch This Video:
The “what will be the effect of changes in climate on animals” is a question that has been asked many times. There are many physical factors which affect animal health. These include changes in climate, pollution, and overpopulation.
- what are the factors affecting animal production
- environmental factors affecting animal production
- what losses occur due to poor animal health
- what are the factors to consider in farm animal production
- effect of temperature on animal production

domain: biology


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File(s) under permanent embargo
Complementary and alternative therapies : regulatory issues
journal contributionposted on 2011-08-01, 00:00 authored by Patricia Dunning
Complementary therapy (CAM) use is common. CAM includes a variety of medicines, products and therapies used to promote health or treat symptoms and minor illnesses. CAM products are widely available from a variety of sources such as practitioners, pharmacies, supermarkets, health food shops and markets as well as on the internet. Many CAM and conventional practitioners are concerned about the safety and efficact of CAM products and the lack of a strong regulatory framework for their use.


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Japanese Encephalitis Virus Vaccine, Inactivated Adsorbed (By injection)
jap-a-NEEZ en-sef-a-LYTE-is VYE-rus VAX-een, in-AK-ti-vay-ted ad-SORBD
Vaccine (About this – PubMed Health)
Uses of This Medicine
Japanese encephalitis virus vaccine, inactivated adsorbed (IXIARO®) is used to prevent infection caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus. It works by causing your body to produce its own protection (antibodies) against the virus.
Japanese encephalitis is caused by the bite of a mosquito that lives in certain parts of Asia. It is a serious infection that can cause flu-like symptoms (eg, fever, chills, tiredness, headache, nausea, and vomiting), confusion, agitation, brain damage, and possibly death. This vaccine does not protect against encephalitis caused by other viruses.
This vaccine is only available from your doctor or other authorized health care professional.
Other uses (PubMed Health)
How To Use
A nurse or other health provider will give you this medicine.
This vaccine is given in 2 doses, 28 days apart. It is very important that you receive the second dose of the vaccine at least 7 days before you travel out of the country.
Tell your doctor if it has been more than 1 year since you received the second dose of the vaccine series, and you plan to travel outside of the country. You may need a booster dose before you leave.
This vaccine comes with a patient information sheet. It is very important that you read and understand this information. Be sure to ask your doctor about anything you do not understand.
If a dose is missed:
If you miss your appointment for the second shot, call your doctor to make another appointment as soon as possible.
Drugs and Foods to Avoid
Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.
When Not To Use
You should not receive this vaccine if you have had an allergic reaction to Japanese encephalitis virus vaccine or protamine sulfate.
Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have bleeding problems, low platelets in your blood, a weakened immune system, or an illness with a high fever (greater than 100°F).
Ixiaro® may not protect everyone who receives the vaccine.
Prevent mosquito bites by using insect repellent, protective clothing, and mosquito nets when you are outside.
Possible side effects
Summary More details
Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:
If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:
Redness, pain, or swelling where the shot was given
Vomiting (more common in children)
If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
More side effects of this drug
Brand names include
There may be other brand names for this medicine.


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Italian carmaker Fiat has submitted its bid for both of General Motors' subsidiaries Opel and Vauxhall, according to the company's spokesman. The US auto giant is expecting to receive two further offers for Opel.
AFP - Fiat on Wednesday made a formal offer to take over Germany's Opel and Britain's Vauxhall, two European subsidiaries of US auto giant General Motors, a spokesman for the Italian company told AFP.
"We have made our offer. It concerns the activities of Opel and Vauxhall. If the deal goes ahead, it will create a new company including Fiat Group Auto, its stake in Chrysler and Opel/Vauxhall," the spokesman said.
The Fiat spokesman did not add further details but added that Fiat was also interested in GM's Swedish unit Saab but that "that is a separate negotiation."
Bids for Opel were to be presented by 6 pm (1600 GMT) on Wednesday under a deadline set by the German government, which has promised loan guarantees for investors.
Date created : 2009-05-20

domain: economics


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Apart from the chief deity, the temple has idols of Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar. A large tank Sendighi is the nearby attraction. There are many stone images dating back to the Pala period.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is the nearest airport.
Copyright 2014 by Online Highways LLC. Enjoy some India trivia. Send Us Your Comments


A funny thing happens when you focus on the "wrestling" in "World Wrestling Entertainment."
WrestleMania 35 was the best the event has been in years, even with its apparent flaws — the length, the filler, the weird finish to the main event — and it's because the company finally took a cue from its fans and its underling sub-brand NXT. The moral: the story and the payoff matters.
In the land of the scripted and pre-determined, wrestling's story and its delivery are equally as important as the in-ring action, sometimes more so. Just look at Kofi Kingston's 11-year WWE odyssey culminating in a WWE championship win over Daniel Bryan. Or the endless humor of Elias and an unexpected return of the Dr. of Thuganomics, John Cena. Or Seth Rollins finally slaying "The Beast" Brock Lesnar after Lesnar's dominant Universal Championship reign.
For too long, WWE has highlighted wanting to be a global enterprise and a money-making machine more than being purveyors of wrestling (read: sports entertainment) excitement. This has been underscored by flashy celebrity appearances, media PR crusades and heavyhanded attempts at wanting to be at the forefront of pop culture.
While none of those things are new to WWE's landscape — in fact, they're probably more ingrained with the company than some choose to acknowledge — the pendulum has swung too much in one direction for many, many years now. Even at WrestleMania 35, the celebrity stuff was understated; there was no special guest musical act (save for Elias and Cena) and "SNL's" Colin Jost and Michael Che played a small, yet unexpectedly funny role in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
Even more surprisingly, the 'E didn't automatically default to its go-to once the show ends — immediately promoting the next day's edition of "Good Morning America," where the newly crowned champs embark on the next step of the company's never-ending PR tour.
Instead, fans got the story payoffs they've been desperate for (albeit some sloppily and confusingly). Becky Lynch's hands were raised in victory, holding two titles, a conclusion that seemed so obvious but had fans skeptical because of WWE's insistence on throwing fans off the scent.
Seth Rollins, match-of-the-year machine and fan favorite, was given the opportunity to end Lesnar's title run, and (somewhat shockingly) did. Kingston celebrated in the ring with his New Day counterparts and children following his victory, while 80,000 fans in attendance erupted at the 1-2-3.
While Vince McMahon and Co. continuously chase the dream of being a global empire, the company has seemingly lost sight of what it should be delivering to fans: professional wrestling. With no clear competition in the United States to challenge WWE as WCW did in the '90s, the company has more leeway to be what it wants, which at present is a multimedia corporation focused more on the dollar than the product. The "wrestling" part of the WWE name has become an afterthought.
But for WWE's highly successful NXT brand, the opposite couldn't be more true. NXT has morphed into what WWE should be in 2019 — a focus on the characters, the story, the wrestling before the dollar, the spectacle, the fandom. WWE has taken several steps in the opposite direction, focusing on being accessible (don't you just hate that word?) to the uninitiated.
Wrestling is storytelling, and it has been one of the preeminent forms of entertainment for decades. Without the pop in story, there's no good product.
What is Hogan vs. Andre at WrestleMania 3 without Andre the Giant's heel turn? What is Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon without the building of insubordinate employee vs. boss feud? What is CM Punk walking out of Money in the Bank 2011 with the WWE championship without the famous "pipebomb" promo a month earlier?
While Brock Lesnar has been one of the most controversial stars to come across in recent years, it's difficult to sell a credible champion as one that works part-time, when other wrestlers put in months upon months of work on the road and house shows, entertaining crowds from house shows to "RAW" and "SmackDown" shows. The line between real vs. scripted is crossed too often, and with the way fans are privy to more information now than in years past, there's a genuine rejection to the execution of Lesnar's character.
In fact, in its "SmackDown" storyline counterpart, the WWE championship was won by a wrestler who has been a stalwart in the company over the last decade plus.
While not fitting the typical mold of main-eventer, Kingston was the overwhelming crowd favorite heading into WrestleMania because of his work ethic and entertainment he offers crowds, coupled with his the storyline build vs. the villainous Bryan. Kingston's title victory was equal parts "you deserve it" and "thank you." Lesnar's title loss was more of a sigh of relief than it was a coup for Rollins.
Seemingly lost over the last decade has been that — the story. The build. Fans have been told: "Here's a guy to cheer for, now go watch him dominate the competition with little resistance." Fans haven't been given the reason to care for wrestlers, other than where they're placed in a card, or the merchandise they're told to buy, or the propaganda they're shoveled from announcers and broadcast teams.
But WrestleMania 35 was a step in the right direction of rectifying all those wrongs. Storytelling was placed at the forefront, with the "spectacle" second. WWE's trademark hamfist overproduction was limited throughout the night, while the ring artists were allowed to work magic without excessive wonky-ness that can pervade match structure.
The professional wrestlers get to focus on — get this — professional wrestling. Good things happen when that's the case.
You get a quality show, beginning to end. You get satisfied fans. You get the third word in the company's name — entertainment.


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When it comes to a mean steak Miller & Carter know a thing or two. The nationwide steakhouse chain has served countless diners over the years at its branches across the country.
It is known for its high-quality steaks which are served with the usual accompaniments. But there is one side which can often leave people scratching their heads.
For ahead of the steak coming to the table diners are presented with a large serving of lettuce which is plated on the table with a polished knife, reports the Manchester Evening News. But for many diners the wedge is a mystery.
Now the food chain has explained all. Writing on social media Miller and Carter Coventry told the reason for the unusual side dubbing it a "wedgucation (education about our wedge)."
They wrote: "What is the role of our wedge? The wedge is ‘a refreshing appetiser which perfectly compliments the rich flavours of our steak’.
"How should it be served? Triple layered, with a polished steak knife!
"The wedge provides a cold crisp texture to accompany our steak. Iceberg lettuce also helps our digestive system break down heavy proteins and carbohydrates."
The Facebook post attracted 792 reactions plus more than a thousand comments as people shared the information. Shannen commented: "Great explanation." And Jenna added: "See there is a reason."
Erika added: "So there is a specific reason for the wedge! This is making me want to go back even more so!"
It seems the tradition has plenty of fans. Hayley commented: "This was my favourite part on my first visit." While Jade agreed saying: "One of a family's favourite bit of the meal." And Holz added: Always polished off before my steak arrives...yummy."

domain: food


Poland found to be in violation of EU law over felling in Bialowieza forest
Poland has violated European legislation on the protection of natural sites by ordering felling in the forest of Bialowieza, one of the last primary forests in Europe, said the the EU Court of Justice (CJEU) on Tuesday.
The Bialowieza Forest was classified as a Natura 2000 site in 2007 due to the presence of natural habitats for certain species of animals and birds. In 2016, however, the Polish Ministry of the Environment authorised forest management activities covering about half of the area.
Believing that these activities had a negative impact on the site and the species that live there, in July 2017 the Commission appealed to the CJEU.
Last November, the Court already banned Poland from cutting down trees – unless absolutely necessary to ensure public safety – while awaiting its judgment on the merits of the case. In that ruling, the CJEU threatened Poland with a fine of “at least 100,000 euros per day” if the country did not immediately stop the measures. The Polish nationalist government then announced the withdrawal of the machines from the forest and the continuation of security actions by other means.
In its final judgment delivered on Tuesday, the CJEU notes that Warsaw has, however, failed to fulfill its obligations under the Habitats and Birds Directives. According to the Court, the implementation of the ordered forest management operations would lead to the disappearance of part of the Bialowieza site.
The justifications provided by the Polish government, which claimed to carrying the felling to stop the proliferation of xylophagous insects, protect road traffic and fight against forest fires, did not convince the CJEU.
The Luxembourg-based court also found that Poland’s measures did not take into account the rules on birds to prevent deterioration in their resting and breeding grounds.
Poland has faced-off against the EU in several cases, the main one of which concerns the reform of the country’s judiciary, which the European Commission says may undermine the rule of law in the country, which has been part of the bloc since 2004.


Howard Fischer is a veteran journalist who has reported on state government and legal affairs in Arizona since 1982, the last 26 for Capitol Media Services which he founded in 1991. Fischer's news reports appear in daily and weekly newspapers around the state, and are heard on Arizona Public Radio.
PHOENIX, Ariz. - Gov. Doug Ducey declined Nov. 18 to impose new restrictions or mandates on individuals even as his own health chief warned of an increasing number of Arizonans becoming infected with COVID-19.
VERDE VALLEY - Environmental groups have filed suit to remove most of the cattle off of 143 miles of the Verde River watershed.
CHANDLER — Gov. Doug Ducey has no plans to use state resources to make up for the fact that more than 430,000 Arizonans will see their jobless benefits cut by more than half within weeks.
ARIZONA - Sometime this coming week you’ll find out when you can finally visit grandma in the nursing home.
Arizonans whose licenses are set to expire will be on the road for another year without having to get a new license -- or, for seniors, the eye test that goes with it.
PHOENIX — Arizona voters will get another chance to decide if they want adults to be able to smoke, drink or otherwise ingest marijuana without having a medical condition.
PHOENIX — State health officials laid out a three-part test Aug. 6 for when they say it is safe for schools to reopen, in full or in part.
PHOENIX — Gov. Doug Ducey said the state won’t make up the money that Arizona unemployed will lose when the $600 a week in extra federal benefits dries up this coming week.
PHOENIX -- Arizona should add more than 511,000 jobs by the end of 2028 compared with 2018 -- assuming no major economic disruptions, people keep moving here and residents get older.
PHOENIX — Arizona schools won’t be required to put kids back into classrooms next month.


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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – Buffalo native Isaiah McDuffie missed most of the 2019 season with a knee injury but bounced back with a strong senior season. McDuffie led Boston College in tackles, he also had three sacks and an interception. The Bennett High School product wouldn’t mind landing in his own backyard on draft day.
“I had a couple of interviews with the Bills,” McDuffie said. “They all went well so I’m just excited about the process that’s my hometown team so you know that would definitely be big if that happens.”
McDuffie’s college coach says he’s the new prototype for outside linebackers in the NFL.
“He’s extremely physical he plays with his hair on fire he practices that way he’s extremely tough I think in a league where you need guys who can run that’s what he can do he’s a linebacker they can run and that’s very important right now in most NFL schemes the way the game is going,” Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley said.
Isaiah is viewed by many NFL scouts as a developemental linebacker. A young player who would be best served learing behind veterans early in his career. McDuffie is projected to be a late round draft pick or a priority undrafted free agent.


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May 27, 2017
A Pennsylvania artist’s Kickstarter page has gained traction for its “36 Views of Philadelphia: An Archivolt Press Postcard Book” project.
Ben Leech launched the page to make his collection of unique postcards depicting lesser-known areas of Philadelphia, totaling 36 4x6 cards bound in a hand-printed letterpress. Leech insists these are not your typical touristy postcards, though.
“This isn’t your standard Liberty-Bell-and-Rocky-Steps tourist fare; the collection includes buildings from every corner of the city, from the Center City skyline to abandoned North Philadelphia factories, from Art Deco jewel boxes to Mid-Century Modern behemoths, West Philly storefronts to South Philly churches,” he writes on the Kickstarter page.
With still more than a week to go until the campaign closes, Leech has already met his fundraising goal of $2,500, now nearly doubling that goal in donations.
Leech works as an architectural historian and historic preservationist, as well as an artist, and often his artwork leads to more extensive research or preservation projects.
Scenes depicted in the cards will no doubt cater to like-minded architecture, preservation, and urbanist city buffs, but all Philadelphians can also take pride in seeing the city through fresh eyes.
Leeche’s work is evocative of other self-made local artists have depicted the city in similarly unique ways. Philly Love Notes founder Emma Fried-Cassorla, for example, creates custom woodcut maps of the city, and the photographer known as AustinXC04 has an ever-growing collection in his Philly Home Portrait series.
“If this campaign is successful, I have plans for additional Archivolt Press postcard collections, poster and pamphlet projects, architectural guidebooks, and collaborations with other artists, photographers, and historians,” the Kickstarter page reads.
Check out the full page, and more postcards, here.


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Don’t Breathe a Word
Buy This Book
". . . a tale that is at its heart full of creeping horror . . ."
Subtle, creeping horror that turns reality inside out.
Phoebe heard about the little girl lost in the woods, supposedly the victim of the Fairy King. Something about the story intrigued and interested her. The town was near where she lived so she went to take a look, catching sight of a young boy looking out of the upstairs window at her. His eyes were so sad, so full of pain and loss, that she felt connected to him.
When a little girl all in pink offered to show her something the Fairy King left behind for a price, Phoebe paid the girl and followed her into the woods, the same woods where the little girl disappeared, losing sight of the girl in pink and control of the fear bubbling inside her. When the girl reappeared she had a paper bag, inside of which was a six-fingered glove, and suddenly Phoebe wasn’t so eager to learn any more. She turned and walked away.
Fifteen years later, when a young man brought a wounded owl into the veterinarian’s office where Phoebe worked, she was smitten. It wasn’t until they began dating Phoebe discovered he was the brother of the missing girl and that she was falling in love. Together they would follow Lisa’s path into the woods to find a truth that would change everything they knew.
It is difficult to create a contemporary story with fairies and not fall into the same pit that swallowed the little British girls into a maelstrom of conjecture and fraud. Jennifer McMahon does just that.
On the surface, Don’t Breathe a Word is a story of child abuse, or maybe it is a story of incest, or it could be a conspiracy or all lies. Each chapter brings hints of new discoveries and just when it is certain what the story is about, McMahon twists the truth again until there is no way to be certain what is happening, except that something is definitely wrong.
Each foray into the woods, hypothetical and real, is an intricate dance that becomes more complicated and more terrifying with each step. By using Phoebe’s and Lisa’s points of view and bringing them together, even at the end, there remains a modicum of truth, except that everything is a lie—or is it? McMahon skews reality, turns it upside down and inside out, with a tale that is at its heart full of creeping horror with an ending that left me gasping for air and sunlight and anything but fairies and forests. Don’t Breathe a Word isn’t about sweet, magical and delightful fairies, but full of dark, dangerous and evil people willing surrendering their lives and future to a monster with a black heart crouching in an abyss of unimaginable horror smiling through the lies.
Reviewer: J. M. Cornwell


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For the past few weeks, critics have been praising Tom Holland's debut as Spider-Man from early screenings of Captain America: Civil War. With such a major character property having become a collaboration between Marvel and Sony, the focus has been on the cast that will surround the third on-screen iteration of Peter Parker, with actor Michael Keaton apparently considering the role of the film's primary antagonist.
Today, it was announced that The Grand Budapest Hotel's Tony Revolori has joined the cast as a schoolyard foe of Peter Parker. Following the announcement, it was reported that One Life to Live's Laura Harrier was also joining the cast in a major role.
Tom Holland will debut with Marisa Tomei in the role of Aunt May in Captain America: Civil War, with this introduction to the character leading into his own standalone film under the Sony umbrella. Though Revolori serves as Peter's primary source of trouble at school, Deadline made sure to clarify that his character is not a villain. Also confirmed to debut as one of Peter Parker's high-school friends is singer and actress Zendaya, but otherwise, major staple names from the Spider-Man universe have gone unannounced as of yet. As for Harrier, her role has yet to be confirmed, but The Wrap is positive that the actress will be taking on a major role in the film. Revolori is set to appear next in Blumhouse's Lowriders, and Harrier most recently filmed a pilot for HBO titled Codes of Conduct.
Jon Watts, who most recently directed Kevin Bacon in Cop Car, will sit in the director's chair, with Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal serving as executive producers. With a script penned by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the film is said to have a "John Hughes" feeling to its' air of high school drama and whimsy, modernizing time-honored elements of films like The Breakfast Club and subverting them with a superhero theme.
For what it's worth, the cast is filling out in a wonderfully diverse way, and early indicators of the story make for an interesting look at Peter Parker doing the classic balancing act of his social life at school and his identity as a superhero. Bringing in those human elements -- relationships with school friends, rivalries, and more -- introduce the mundane, yet integral elements of the character that so often get overlooked in the face of explosive superhero action. Spider-Man, in all iterations, has always been a superhero story that seeks to connect with the real-life issues we face as teens and young adults -- so sign me up for a little high school drama.
Captain America: Civil War will release on May 6, 2016, followed by Doctor Strange– November 4, 2016; Guardians of the Galaxy 2 – May 5, 2017; Spider-Man: Homecoming – July 7, 2017; Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017; Black Panther – February 16, 2018; The Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 –May 4, 2018; Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6, 2018; Captain Marvel – March 8, 2019; The Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 – May 3, 2019; Inhumans –July 12, 2019; and as-yet untitled Marvel movies on May 1, July 10 and November 6, 2020.


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We conduct very important research in our office. Of course, we track our staffing stats weekly, but in preparation for New Year’s Eve we have been trying a new drink recipe during Happy Hour. Here’s our favorites ready for you to mix up and enjoy this holiday season.
Week 1: Root Beer Float
To make this take on a soda fountain classic, mix three parts root beer with one-part RumChata. Frosted mugs are optional!
Week 2: Cinnamon Roll
We liked the RumChata so much, we brought it back in week 2. This time, we mixed one-part RumChata with three parts cream soda.
Week 3: Red Wine Floats
To change it up a bit, we switched to wine. For these delectable drinks, you need one pint Magnum Dark Chocolate Raspberry ice cream, 1/2 bottle of red wine, seltzer for serving and to make them extra fancy – chocolate sauce, for lining glasses. Start by rimming the insides of four glasses with chocolate sauce, then scoop in ice cream and pour in the red wine. Top off with seltzer before serving.
Week 4: Apple Cider Sangria
First step for this drink is grab a large glass pitcher. Then gather a Granny Smith apple (sliced), a Red Delicious apple (sliced), Golden Delicious apple (sliced), lemon (sliced) and an orange (sliced). Add that fruit to the pitcher and pour in two cups of apple cider, two bottles of ginger beer and a bottle of white wine. Stir and enjoy! Feel free to add some bite size pieces of all fruit in the bottom of each glass to really impress your guests.
Week 5: TGHR Holiday Spritzer
Break out the bubbly for the finale. Pour ¾ of a glass of champagne, then add equal parts pomegranate and cranberry juice. We like to make it extra fancy with fresh cranberries and pomegranate seeds in bottom of glass (added to the glass before champagne).
Cheers to the new year!


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Microsoft limits in-app purchasing to Windows Phone 8
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) will limit the introduction of in-app purchasing to its forthcoming Windows Phone 8 operating system upgrade, declining to extend the feature to devices running the intermediate Windows Phone 7.8.
Microsoft first announced plans to introduce in-app purchase capabilities to Windows Phone 8 in late June during its annual Windows Phone Summit event, enabling developers to sell both consumable products (e.g., virtual currency) as well as durable products (like new mobile game levels) directly within their applications. "You can only add in-app products to Windows Phone 8 apps," reads new MSDN documentation, indicating Microsoft will not offer the option to devices running Windows Phone 7.8, which is designed to offer some key Windows Phone 8 features across legacy devices.
Microsoft has already stated that apps written for WP8 will not be backwards-compatible with earlier Windows Phone products. The Verge goes on to speculate that pre-Windows Phone 8 devices also will not adopt Microsoft's new Wallet Hub functionality, which combines support for Near Field Communications-enabled m-commerce services including contactless payments, deals and loyalty cards in addition to in-app purchase mechanisms.
In addition to Wallet Hub, Windows Phone 8 touts multi-core chipsets to bolster smartphone performance and optimize battery life, a choice of three screen resolutions, integration of VoIP and video chat, and a customizable start screen. Microsoft also will integrate remote access features integrated into its forthcoming Office 13 productivity suite to mobile users. Windows Phone 8 devices are expected later this year.
In related news, Microsoft launched its new Windows Phone Dev Center, which replaces the retired App Hub. Designed to make Windows Phone app development both faster and more profitable, the online resource touts a streamlined set of menu options and quick links as well as a series of infrastructure upgrades to enhance overall site performance and reliability.
Windows Phone Dev Center also brings support for PayPal--developers can use the digital payments platform to receive proceeds from sales of their apps and content and pay any fees related to their account. The Dev Center additionally offers expanded seller tools for international markets, enabling developers to enter unique pricing for each country or region and view ratings and reviews for each market in a single glance. Also new: Integration with Microsoft Advertising's pubCenter, improved analytics tools and more flexible signup and submission.
Microsoft reveals Office features coming to Windows Phone
Microsoft Windows Phone 8 offers fancy features but leaves existing devices behind
Microsoft rolls out SmartGlass SDK for cross-platform Xbox apps
Microsoft launches 3D photo panorama app for Windows Phone
Microsoft shutters legacy Windows Marketplace for Mobile
Windows Phone, BlackBerry to power just 23% of all smartphones by 2017


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Four or so years ago, a group of girlfriends and I assembled in Santa Fe for a long weekend. We had finished grad school together the year before, and subsequently scattered back around the country. So this trip was our reunion, and it included everything we loved: hiking, games, wine, spa, great food, ridiculous conversation. Eventually that ridiculous conversation evolved into brainstorming a name for our group. I’m sure, given the itinerary, that it’ll come as a surprise that we landed on Ladies of Leisure.
Every year since then, LOLA has gathered in a new town and lived up to our moniker. The long Fourth of July weekend was our latest adventure in aggressive leisure. While we drank far less wine (some of the ladies are expecting Lolitas later this year), there were still epic board game battles and lots of catching up. And of course, a hike.
Location: Boulder, CO
Crowd factor: Relatively quiet…for now. One man passed our group and said, “Don’t tell anyone about this trail.” Sorry for this post, sir.
Exposure: Mix of shade and sun
Distance: ~4.5 miles round-trip (out-and-back)
Difficulty: It’s a 1,000 foot hill with a base at 6,000 feet. It’s not easy-easy, but all things considered, it’s pretty approachable…and pregnant-lady friendly.
Pro tips: No bathrooms from the trailhead linked in the route below. Plan accordingly.
Date hiked: 7/1/17
Source: My friend Brian, and also the Beyond Boulder blog (#hikingbloggoals)


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MONTEREY COUNTY — All Monterey County employees and the public are now required to wear a mask in county facilities regardless of their vaccination status, effective Monday.
According to Communications Coordinator Maia Carroll, many county departments continue to offer online services and information for those who cannot or may not wish to wear a mask. Those services can be found at co.monterey.ca.us.
Also beginning Monday, all county employees will be required to show proof of vaccination unless they have an authorized exemption. Those with exemptions will be required to submit weekly Covid-19 tests.
Employees will have 30 days to provide proof of vaccination or authorized exemption.
The new policies took effect Aug. 16 after the Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted July 30 to implement stronger measures against Covid-19. In recent weeks, the county’s case and hospitalization rates have seen a dramatic increase, including 76 new confirmed cases added on Monday.
“Having been one of the counties that was hardest hit by the pandemic to being one of the most improved counties, it calls upon us to take more action to protect our residents,” said District 1 Supervisor Luis Alejo. “This hopefully sets an example for other businesses and employers to require vaccination of their employees.”


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Two months after the Dutch parliamentary elections, a minority government appears to be forming based on the support of the Party for Freedom (PVV), led by the far-right anti-immigrant politician Gert Wilders. In The Hague, negotiations have begun on a coalition agreement and the terms by which the PVV will support the government. The agreement is expected to be completed in three weeks.
Wilders’ PVV will not be represented in the new government. However, as the two governing parties—the right-wing People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the Christian Democratic CDA—together with the PVV will have a combined majority of only one vote in the 150-seat parliament, the fate of the government will largely rest with the extreme-right PVV.
Wilders will be able to use the threat of withdrawing support to effectively veto government policies and impose his own political line. “Although Wilders is not a minister, he will be the country’s de facto prime minister in this coalition government,” Sharon Dijksma, a Social Democratic member of parliament, told the Frankfurter Rundschau.
Dijksma’s criticism cannot hide the fact that the Social Democratic Labour Party (PvdA) bears the central responsibility for Wilders’ political rise. Since the Social Democrats under their then-leader Wim Kok joined a Christian Democrat-led government in 1989, they have attacked past social reforms in the interests of the Dutch corporations and banks.
The last government—a coalition of the Christian Democrats (CDA), the Christian Union (CU) and the Social Democrats (PvdA)—broke apart in February over differences regarding the extension of the Afghanistan mandate. In the subsequent elections, the Social Democrats received only 19.6 percent of the vote. The Christian Democrats under Prime Minister Jan-Peter Balkenende were decimated, polling just 13.6 percent and coming in fourth place. The election winner was the right-wing VVD, with just over 20 percent. Wilders’ PVV came in third with 15.5 percent.
The election result reflected the deep political unease within the Dutch population. Increasingly, people have turned away from the Social Democrats as a result of their support for austerity measures. This dissatisfaction, however, lacks a progressive political expression in the absence of a party defending the interests of working people.
Large sections of the working class have responded by abstaining. Turnout declined in the recent election, compared to 2006, by five percentage points.
However, lower middle-class layers—dissatisfied and fearing social ruin—have responded with a sharp turn to the right. This explains the rapid rise of the right-wing neo-liberals and the far-right PVV. The latter’s tirades against Islam are linked with social demagogy and rhetorical attacks on finance capital.
After the elections, 42 percent of PvdA voters indicated they had voted for the Social Democrats only for tactical reasons, and had actually preferred another party. This shows that the PvdA’s core vote has shrunk to 10 percent.
Contrary to media claims that there has been a general shift to the right in the Dutch population, most of those who voted for the Social Democrats for tactical reasons did so to prevent the emergence of a government including the far-right PVV. The Social Democrats also owe many of their votes to their promise to end the unpopular Afghanistan mission.
Three days after the election, Queen Beatrix called on the chair of the first chamber of parliament, right-wing neo-liberal Uri Rosenthal, to explore the possibility of a coalition, in the first instance between his neo-liberal party, the Christian Democrats, and Wilders’ PVV.
Initially, the plan failed due to widespread resistance among the Christian Democratic rank and file. Several branches of the CDA threatened to leave the party in the event of a coalition with Wilders. Consequently, the possibility of a so-called “purple-plus” coalition was explored, consisting of right-wing liberals, social democrats, the left-liberal D66 and the Greens. But after initial talks, this effort was scuttled.
Rosenthal then suggested the formation of a centre-right coalition of the right-wing liberals, Social Democrats and Christian Democrats. But these talks also failed, as well as a further attempt to form a “purple-plus” coalition.
The situation was resolved when, on July 22, Ruud Lubbers was appointed as a mediator. Lubbers is a member of the Christian Democratic CDA and was Dutch prime minister from 1982 to 1994, including seven years in a coalition with the right-wing liberals and five years in a coalition with the Social Democrats.
Within days, Lubbers was able to silence the critical voices within his own party and invited the right-wing liberals, Christian Democrats and Wilders’ PVV to hold exploratory talks. After a week, he was able to announce the breakthrough. Since then, negotiations have proceeded on the concrete make-up of a right-wing minority government, supported by the PVV.
The general outlines of a possible agreement can now be seen. It is clear that the government will cut €18 billion from the budget in the next legislative period. This will be done primarily in the areas of health and social policy, culture and development aid. In the election campaign, the prime minister-designate Mark Rutte (VVD) argued for a strictly neo-liberal course. He called for a “small and compact state” and severe austerity measures.
Wilders, who campaigned against social cuts, will have no problems endorsing such a course. Before he founded his own party he was in the leadership of the VVD.
In return, Wilders will be looking to shift internal security and immigration policy to the right. All three parties agree that the existing laws should be applied more harshly, with longer prison sentences, higher immigration hurdles for unskilled workers, and the rapid deportation of asylum seekers. In the agreement formalising Wilders’ support, such commitments are said to have been made.
At the same time, Wilders will have a free hand to continue stirring up hatred against Islam, which he describes not as a religion but as an extremist ideology. The agreement on coalition talks states: “The parties accept their different views on this subject and they should act based on their own views.”
Negotiations on the government programme will take place largely shielded from the public. Last Tuesday, Prime Minister-Designate Rutte said in a radio interview that the parties had agreed not to disclose the contents of the coalition agreement, on the grounds that not everything should be fought out in the media.
Rutte knows that his government’s austerity measures will meet with growing resistance among working people. He is seeking to counter this by increasing the powers of the state and stirring up racial tensions.
The prospect of a minority government in the Netherlands supported by the extreme-right PVV is in line with a rise in the political fortunes of a number of right-wing parties in Europe. Right-wing governments have come to power in recent months in Britain and Hungary. These election results are primarily due to the right-wing course of the social democratic parties, whose years of cutbacks have alienated workers and driven petty-bourgeois layers into the arms of the right.
What happens when a minority government is supported by the extreme right can be seen in the experience of Denmark since 2001. There, the minority government of Liberals and conservatives is supported by the right-wing “populist” Danish People’s Party (DF). The DF has agreed to austerity budgets in return for deep cuts in immigration and the repression of asylum seekers. In ten years Danish refugee policy has gone from being the most liberal in Europe to becoming one of the most intolerant.

domain: sociology