text:
“Healing requires understanding of both the big picture as well as the microscopic level. The art is in putting those two together.”
Vasanth Kainkaryam, Internist, Pediatrician, father, husband, author, baker, patient, and someone who is trying to make a little change in how I can care for people…I got into Cornell University for my undergraduate degree and started off as a Biology major but then added a second major: Linguistics. I realized there is something so fundamental about learning about principles of human communication and language, which are the building blocks of relationships. (I’m always open to learning more, so teach me what you know!). During my time there, I also spent a short time living in Geneva, Switzerland, working at the World Health Organization. I got to attend the World Health Assembly, listening to health care leaders across the world talking about their challenges.
Within my first year of college, I was diagnosed with cancer. Throughout this journey, I felt and understood what it was like to fear death, I saw how disease affects families and parents, I learned far more about primary and secondary insurances and health plans than I ever wanted to, and yet through it all, I got lucky – I had fantastic doctors and teams who worked together to help me. I felt cared for. I was inspired and realized that while I could follow many paths, this was the one I needed to do — perhaps a nod to the meaning of my last name: “service.”
I spent 4 years at the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, where the biopsychosocial model of care came from — thinking about a person’s health in all aspects. I gained a fascination for the health care needs of the Deaf community (and the difference between the capital D – Deaf vs. lower case d – deaf). I worked on developing learning opportunities for medical students in the health care of the Deaf community, and also learned a bit of sign language. I got exposed to what it was to be a “Med-Peds” doctor – a doctor who was both an Internist (a specialist in adult medicine) and a Pediatrician (a specialist in childhood medicine), and decided that’s what I wanted to be.
I came to do my training at Baystate Medical Center (which at the time was affiliated with Tufts University School of Medicine), and spent four years training there – gaining exposure to both the outpatient side of care as well as the hospital side, including training in neonatal, medical, cardiac, and pediatric intensive care units.

domain: medical


text:
Different from GBM's previous large grain suction machines, the grain suction machine shipped this time is small in appearance, flexible in maneuverability, and saves floor space. The equipment still adopts the multi-stage turbine fan technology and high-efficiency dust removal technology independently developed by GBM, which has the characteristics of high efficiency, low energy consumption, low noise and no pollution.
It is worth mentioning that the conveying system of this grain suction machine also has a weighing function, which can automatically measure and determine the loading situation of the truck box, eliminating the need for truck weighing procedures and improving the overall operation efficiency.
In addition, in order to ensure the transportation quality of bulk materials such as grain, GBM grain suction machine has innovated the product structure and adopted the self-developed detachable anti-wear elbow, which effectively reduces the wear of the conveying material on the elbow and greatly prolongs the elbow. Long service life, reducing pipeline maintenance costs and grain breakage rate.
GBM Grain Pneumatic Ship Unloader is a special ship unloading equipment developed by Rainbow Heavy Machinery for various terminals, taking into account the significant advantages of high efficiency, energy saving and green environmental protection. In the future, GBM will further provide customers with "distribution-to-collection" transportation solutions according to market needs, help the terminal to expand the growth point of container throughput, and promote the high-quality development of the port economy.
Post time: Mar-16-2022

domain: agronomy


text:
Skylark Resort Motel is a 3-star budget property offering a sun deck, an outdoor swimming pool and a library.
This hotel is situated 10 km away from Emlen Physick Estate. Set within a 10-minute walking distance from Wildwood city center.
Skylark Resort Motel is located within 60 km from Atlantic City Intl airport.
Skylark Resort Motel is a property in Wildwood that comes with 34 rooms and provides climate control, cable TV, a safe, a mini-fridge and a personal computer. Guests can also use a microwave and a stove.
Eat & Drink
Offering American dishes, Pink Cadillac Diner is a 5-minute walk away.
The facilities as free self parking and a cash machine are offered for guests.
Wireless internet is available in the entire hotel for free.
Public parking is possible on site for free.

domain: travel


text:
Cats are known for great curiosity. They can take you or leave you at times. The are often vexing, but cats can also be very satisfying as pets. The following article offers some excellent tips about life with this fuzzy companion.
If you plan on getting a cat for a pet, try looking into a local shelter. They have tons of amazing cats who desperately need a home. When adopting a shelter cat, you’re saving a life and aiding in controlling the cat population.
Groom your cat. Just like dogs, cats require regular brushing and de-tangling. Do this often in order to aid in keeping your cat’s outer coat clean and healthy. It will also cut down on shedding and hairballs. A well-groomed feline looks great on their own, but also helps keep a home well-groomed too.
Use bitter apple on your electric cords to keep your kitty away from them. If your cat plays with cords, put them up and out of the way, or you can hide them in old paper towel rolls. You can take loose cords, bundle them up, and stick them inside the tube from an old roll of paper towels. Whenever you aren’t using any thin, electronic cords, you should store them away.
Create a tablecloth that your cats can use. Cats often like to remove food from their bowl to eat it off to the side. This means food spillage that you will have to clean later. An easy solution to this problem is a placemat underneath the food dish, or a piece of fabric you can easily wash.
Brush your cat at regular times. This will help stimulate blood flow. You will also decrease the amount of fur throughout your home. This keeps hairballs at bay, which may cause choking and build up inside their stomach from self-grooming.
Get your feline acclimated to its carrier. You have to take a different approach to training a cat rather than a dog. Positive reinforcement is a better training tool for cats. Give your cat a treat every time it does something well. This will teach your cat that the carrier is a good thing. Once the cat is in the carrier, they will be so much easier to transport.
Treat your cat to a good quality cat food. Check out the ingredients, and make sure meat tops the list. Corn and other such protein-free fillers are things you want to stay well away from. Cats are carnivores and must have a lot of animal protein for proper nutrition and better health.
New cats are sometimes not welcomed in the home. They might have conflict, hide from each other or swat one another. Eventually, they will come to tolerate and actually enjoy being together.
Frequent urination outside the litter box may indicate a visit to the vet is required. Cats often do such things when suffering from urinary tract infections or other sorts of health issues. A quick course of antibiotics can head off dangerous complications if you get your cat diagnosed and treated early enough.
Cats are puzzling, but they are also very rewarding. Use these suggestions to make both of your lives more comfortable. If you know how to care for them, cats are unique, enjoyable pets.

domain: pet


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It seems that during the filming of its 40th anniversary series, BBC’s Antiques Roadshow may well have stumbled upon one of the most important finds in the program’s history. According to reports, jewellery expert Geoffrey Munn has valued the intricate Faberge ornament – which is shaped like a vase of flowers – at around £1m.
"The expert said it's probably the second time he's ever done that type of valuation," Builder Dan Bansal, who observed the valuation told the Express & Star. "I think he was reluctant to say £1 million and nervous to say it was worth that much."
Executive producer Simon Shaw said: "We've had one of the most significant jewellery finds in 40 years of Antiques Roadshow history - but we don't want to spoil the surprise."
The show was filmed at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley, West Midlands, on Wednesday and will be aired later this year on BBC One.
For more ornamental insight, grab a subscription to Homes and Antiques – and save up to 23% off today.

domain: news


MP Vyapam MET Admit Card/Call Letter 2012 | MP MET GD & Interview Call Letter 2012 | MPPEB MET 2012 Admit Card / Call Letter
Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board has released MP Vyapam Management Entrance Test (MET) 2012 (Group Discussion & Interview) Call Letter on Vyapam official website.
All the Candidates who applied for MP Vyapam MET 2012 can get information about Time Table of Interview and Group Discussion of Management Entrance Test (MET) 2012 from their MET 2012 Call letter.
Candidates can Download their MP Vyapam MET Group Discussion & Interview Admit Card/Call Letter 2012 from the given below link.
For more information regarding MP Vyapam MET visit MP Vyapam official website.


text:
Inflation and Your Portfolio
Even low inflation rates can pose a threat to investment returns.
Have A Question About This Topic?
Congratulations, you’re ready to commit. Perhaps you now share keys to the same front door or there’s a ring in your future.
Why are they made again and again? Making sense of these errors in judgement.
How can Life Insurance play a role in your college savings strategy?

domain: economics


text:
The lights are on
Features in-depth discussion of Bulletstorm and Killzone 3.
Features off-color discussion of iPhone/mobile games and the Spike TV Video Game Awards
We have a couple of big talkers this week: Nintendo's Wii U launch lineup and pricing and a firsthand report from the Toyko Game Show.
Gamer Gorilla Radio takes over the Game Informer Show
We're back with another special edition podcast devoted to giving you the tips, tricks, and strategies you'll need to survive the harsh world of Dark Souls II.
The highly anticipated platform/puzzle game Quantum Conundrum headlines this week's Game Informer Show.
We break down LittleBigPlanet 2 and this week's 3DS news
It's the slow season for new releases, but the topsy-turvy world of video games gave us plenty to talk about this week.
This week's GI podcast features an impressive new comic book
fighting game, DLC for one of last year's best titles, and an intriguing
television show/MMO/shooter hybrid.
This week the Game Informer Show gets heavy in honor of Tim Schafer’s epic metal adventure Brütal Legend.
The Game Informer Show Special Edition Infamous 2 podcast
The Game Informer Show Episode 7 breaks down Activision's blockbuster Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

domain: hobby


text:
By Karl Maramorosch,Frederick A. Murphy,Aaron J. Shatkin
"This serial... is widely known to virologists. it's a important reduction in keeping an outline of varied features of the quickly increasing fields of virology... well timed, informative, and invaluable to pupil, instructor, and study scientist."
"A needed buy for all sorts of accomplished libraries, either public and collage, in addition to for these attracted to or doing examine within the box of virology."
- Among the subjects lined are:
- Virus-induced immunopathology
- Molecular characterization of pestiviruses
- Transactivation of mobile genes via hepatitus B virus proteins
- Principles of molecular association, expression, and evolution of closteroviruses
- Primate T lymphotropic oncoretroviruses
- Replication of positive-stranded RNA viruses of vegetation and animals
Read or Download Advances in Virus Research: 47 PDF
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This sequence encompasses layout, synthesis, program, and analytical equipment (including medical and in vitro) for the examine of those serious interactions. As our knowing of the genome and proteome expands, common advancements within the box of DNA series particular interplay tend to play an more and more vital position.
Molecular farming in vegetation is a comparatively younger topic of sciences. As crops can supply a cheap and handy platform for the large-scale construction of recombinant proteins with numerous services, the pushed strength from the enormous marketplace for recombinant protein prescription drugs and commercial enzymes makes this topic develop and boost in a short time.
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Interested in fundamentals and tactics, this textbook teaches plant biology and agriculture purposes with precis and dialogue questions in each one bankruptcy. Updates every one bankruptcy to mirror advances / alterations because the first version, for instance: new biotechnology instruments and advances, genomics and structures biology, highbrow estate concerns on DNA and patents, dialogue of artificial biology instruments good points autobiographical essays from eminent scientists, delivering perception into plant biotechnology and careers Has a significant other web site with colour photographs from the ebook and PowerPoint slides hyperlinks with author's personal web site that includes instructing slides and portraits for professors and scholars: plantsciences.
Additional info for Advances in Virus Research: 47
Advances in Virus Research: 47 by Karl Maramorosch,Frederick A. Murphy,Aaron J. Shatkin

domain: biology


text:
Tekken Revolution is coming exclusively for PlayStation Network on PS3 on Tuesday, June 11th, 2013.
A free-to-play SOMETHING Tekken game for PSN.
The game was revealed via a GameSpot trailer, and although no actual gameplay footage was shown, we did get to see video of Tekken characters Paul, Bryan, Kazuya and Lars, which means they will be in the game.
What we don’t know is what exactly the game is. Is it a fighting game? Or could it be the Japanese Mobile Game Tekken Card Tournament TCG (Trading Card Game). This is a digital TCG free-to-play competitive card game that has yet to make it to the West.
It makes more sense that Tekken Revolution is the American version of that mobile card game but for a console… We’ll find out soon!
Looks like… Tekken!
It is indeed a fighting game and not a card game (or so it seems), a fighter in which players are able to level-up their characters (a first for the Tekken series) and increase key attributes including Strength, Endurance and Vigor, as they win matches against the AI in Arcade Mode, or against human opponents in Online Ranked and Player matches. New “Special Arts” and “Critical Arts” moves have been added, and players start the game with a core group of eight iconic Tekken characters, including: King, Paul, Lili, Marshall, Asuka, Steve, Alisa, and Lars. Although more characters can be seen fighting in the footage, such as Jack. Additionally the game seems to have a new graphical outline style similar to what’s been seen before in other recent fighters.
One assumes that more characters unlock after you defeat a certain number of opponents or the like. Also while the game is free-to-play, there is no mention of whether or not players will have to pay microtransactions to unlock certain new items, equipment, clothing, characters, or the like. But the fact that they are saying it’s “free-to-play” is… interesting. Could the aforementioned Card Game be included as part of this package? We’ll have to wait and see.
Here is the official Tekken Revolution Press Release:
Crafted by NAMCO BANDAI Games’ internal TEKKEN development team, TEKKEN REVOLUTION provides fighting game fans and newcomers alike the hard-hitting gameplay of the famed franchise. Choose from an initial cast of eight iconic TEKKEN characters to train and battle against AI opponents in Arcade Mode or take on fearsome human rivals spanning the globe through online Ranked and Player Matches. The game also features new bone-crunching Special Arts and Critical Arts moves designed to help newcomers deliver hard-hitting attacks and advanced players to employ new strategies with their favorite fighters. For the first time in TEKKEN history players will be able to level-up their characters, increasing three key attributes; Strength, Endurance and Vigor, to create a combatant tuned to individual play styles. Develop a defensive tank character with high HP to withstand knockout blows while offense focused players can create a damage-inflicting character with low health but high critical hit rates to devastate opponents with a flurry of attacks.

domain: entertainment


CARLSBAD -- Kyleigh Yerby used the opening inning merely as a warm-up.
Initially, she had difficulty hitting her spots. But after getting much-needed help from her defense, the Carlsbad softball senior pitcher settled down the rest of game one of a doubleheader against Clovis.
She started tallying strikeouts and kept the ball primarily in the diamond. The lineup also added an extra cushion for her quality outing on the mound, resulting in a 6-0 victory Tuesday night.
"Clovis is one of those teams that you can never ever overlook," Carlsbad head coach Bobby Howard said.
From this point on, Howard will rest Yerby as much as he can heading into the postseason. In the meantime, he still expects to utilize Yerby's services whenever she gets called to pitch.
"Kyleigh's our backbone. She's just solid all the time. We can always rely on her to give us her best," Howard said.
Yerby recorded four scoreless innings with just zero hits allowed, a walk and five strikeouts. Sophomore pitcher Marce Sapien took over pitching duties for the final three innings of game one. Sapien maintained the shutout.
The Cavegirls (19-4 after game one) tallied 12 hits in the opener.
"We focused on being aggressive," Howard said of the lineup. "We focused on base-running, really. Our hits came at clutch times a little bit better this week than they did last week."
Senior catcher Kodie Johnson went 3-for-3, while senior outfielders Hailee Harris (2-for-2) and Sydney Christopher (3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI) also contributed. Junior outfielder Shelby Welch hit 2-for-4, including a triple.
"I was just confident that my team was going to be behind me," Yerby said. "My offense definitely got going. I didn't have very much pressure on me on the mound, and that was really nice."
Carlsbad softball senior pitcher Kyleigh Yerby made the most of another 4-inning performance on Tuesday night. She resumed her duties on the mound against Clovis.
She tallied seven strikeouts and only allowed one hit and one walk. The Cavegirl batters complemented her outing with eight hits en route to a 5-0 game two win. Carlsbad (20-4 after game two) clinched the district title.
Sophomore pitcher Marce Sapien added three scoreless innings, allowed one hit, walked one and fanned six batters. Seniors Shaylyn Rostro and Jourdan Lunsford each hit 2-for-4. Rostro scored one run, while Lunsford scored two runs and collected 2 RBI.
Carlsbad will conclude the regular season in a doubleheader at Hobbs on Thursday. Game one starts at 4 p.m., followed by game two at 6:30 p.m.
Then comes the district tournament.


Following a four hour manhunt for the outstanding suspect in an earlier violent incident with RCMP, police are now suspending their search efforts, and allowing displaced residents to return to their homes. A police presence will be remain in the affected area this evening.
A heavy police response to the area of Finlayson Arm Road near Falcon Heights in Langford this afternoon followed an earlier interaction with a suspect who is alleged to have attempted to run over several police officers in a stolen vehicle, while avoiding officer’s attempts to conduct a roadside stop. Additional local and regional RCMP resources responded, including multiple RCMP Police Dog units, an RCMP helicopter, the RCMP Emergency Response Team (ERT), and uniformed officers.
Despite an exhaustive search on both the ground and in the air, the
suspect was not located. The ongoing efforts of the West Shore RCMP Crime Reduction Unit have led to the suspect being identified through other means. He cannot be named at this time, as no charges or warrants have been laid/issued. The suspect is well known to police in the Capital Region.
Armed with the suspect’s identity, officers are actively pursuing other avenues to locate and arrest him. There is no indication that he poses a risk to public safety at this time.
“I’d like to acknowledge the support and cooperation we received from the community affected by our response to this incident”, states S/Sgt. Steve Wright, acting Commander of the West Shore RCMP. “The significant police response seen today, while unnerving for some, was necessary to ensure we made every effort to locate this suspect, while ensuring public safety.”
Preliminary investigative findings suggest that the suspect attempted to hit officers with the stolen vehicle he was driving. A firearm, believed to be stolen, has also been seized as part of this
investigation. Preliminary information indicates an officer discharged
their firearm during the interaction with the suspect, though there are no known injuries to anyone involved. Details of the interaction between the police officers and the suspects at the initial scene remain under examination.
The assistance of the media in informing the public during this
evolving situation is appreciated.
Anyone who observes any suspicious activity in this area is urged to
call 9-1-1 immediately.
A manhunt is ongoing in the Finlayson Arm and Falcon Heights Roads area near the Malahat after the alleged driver of a stolen vehicle fled the scene on foot.
Westshore RCMP say they attempted to stop a vehicle in that area around noon on Friday, related to a car theft earlier in Sooke, but the people in the car fled the scene before crashing a short distance later.
Police say one suspect was arrested after the crash, while the alleged driver ran away.
RCMP say the suspect on the loose attempted to hit officers with the vehicle he was driving and that a gun may have been fired by a police officer at the scene.
The suspect is described as a white male, in his late 20’s to early 30’s, approximately five-foot-eight inches tall, thin build and he is wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt
Police are asking anyone in the area of Finlayson Arm Road and Falcon Heights to remain indoors, and report any suspicious activity to 911 immediately.


text:
Bitcoin has damaged above $25,000 on Binance for the third time in three days, defying broader market developments and persevering with its bullish run into 2023.”
Bitcoin reached an area excessive of $2,050 over the weekend earlier than retracing barely to $24,880, following a achieve of seven.28% since Friday’s low of $23,332.
The core psychological resistance of $25,000 was additionally examined on Feb. 17 and 18, with the main cryptocurrency by market cap unable to interrupt by means of convincingly. Every time Bitcoin has handed $25,000 all through 2023, it has fallen again beneath inside the hour.
Nonetheless, the transfer follows Bitcoin’s sturdy efficiency for the reason that begin of January, seeing it climb 50% 12 months up to now. Bitcoin began the 12 months at round $16,000 however rose steadily within the first couple of months.
Bitcoin additionally spearheaded a rise within the total crypto market cap, which has surpassed the $1 trillion mark and at the moment sits at $1.14 trillion. The one prime 10 venture with a greater seven-day efficiency is Polygon which is up 18.83% within the final week in comparison with 13.4% for Bitcoin.
Over the previous 24 hours, Cardano and Dogecoin noticed a 1.95% and 1.77% achieve, respectively, main the highest 10, with Bitcoin rising 0.74% as of press time. Bitcoin, nevertheless, can be up 2% prior to now 4 hours because it recovered from earlier lows of $24,600 on Sunday.
CryptoSlate evaluation confirmed that Futures Open Curiosity remained flat all through the weekend whereas 7k BTC was pulled off exchanges suggesting the transfer was spot buying and selling pushed.
Upgrades to Bitcoin, comparable to Taproot, led the way in which for improvements such because the Ordinals protocol, permitting Sats to be ‘incsribed’ with data much like an NFT on different chains. Whereas the know-how differs, the result is a non-fungible digital asset much like an NFT on different chains comparable to Ethereum.
Curiosity in Bitcoin Ordinals has put the blockchain on the radar of NFT collectors and builders since late 2022, and pleasure has continued to develop as on-chain exercise spiked. Whereas Ordinals have cut up the Bitcoin group, there is no such thing as a argument that it has shone the highlight on Bitcoin, the flagship cryptocurrency venture.
On the time of press, Bitcoin is ranked #1 by market cap and the BTC value is up 1.7% over the previous 24 hours. BTC has a market capitalization of $484.2 billion with a 24-hour buying and selling quantity of $20.15 billion. Study extra ›
BTCUSD Chart by TradingView
On the time of press, the worldwide cryptocurrency market is valued at at $1.14 trillion with a 24-hour quantity of $46.54 billion. Bitcoin dominance is at the moment at 42.58%. Study extra ›


Cafe Pets > Funny Food T-Shirts > Mangia e Statti Zitto > Mangia e Statti Zitto Junior Jersey T-shirt (dark)
Mangia e Statti Zitto Junior Jersey T-shirt (dark)
''Mangia e statti zitto'' is Italian for ''Shut up and eat.'' This funny ethnic design makes a great gift for anyone who's Italian. Please take a look at all our Italian humor products.
- Junior Jersey T-Shirt
- 100% ringspun cotton jersey
- Form-fitting, longer length tee
- Juniors cut; size up for a looser fit
- Machine Wash Cold, Tumble Dry Low
Drag the square at the left to choose the part of your image you want to use. Tips: Click and drag any corner to resize; click and drag from the inside to move.
Click done if you're happy with the way it looks.


text:
As Lakshman exited out of the house, he found everyone standing around and waiting for him. Smiling, he stepped down the stairs and arrived near where everyone stood before continuing to walk several meters away from them. He came to a stop when he thought they were at a safe distance away before clapping his hands and then touching the ground with them as he said a spell name out loud.
In an instant, two large magic circles appeared and within moments, two large and majestic creatures appeared out of nowhere. The two creatures reared their heads and stretched their bodies while roaring respectively before looking down at their summoners.
“Good morning, master,” greeted the Eternal Phoenix, Phylex, telepathically in a courteous voice. “What did you summon us for?”
“What did you summon me for this time?” the Spirit Dragon, Draga, asked telepathically in an irritated voice.
Phylex turns its large head towards Draga and reproachfully said telepathically, “Draga! Don’t be insolent to our master! The Elemental Lord will be very upset with your behaviour!”
Draga snorted loudly and shook its large head vigorously as if not caring about what Phylex said.
Lakshman looked at Draga momentarily before saying to the both of them, “Draga and Phylex, I want the two of you to stay here and be on guard in case anything bad happens in my absence.”
“Understood, master,” said Phylex obediently, but Draga did not even show any sign as it lowered itself on the ground and went to sleep. Seeding this, Draga got annoyed and said slowly, “Draga…”
“Never mind him. I’m sure he’s just tired,” said Lakshman while he glanced at Draga with a curious expression on his face. “Anyway, I’m leaving the protection of this house in your hands. Don’t let me down.”
At those words, Phylex lifted its head high up and said proudly, “As you wish, master!”
Lakshman nodded in assent before turning back and walking towards where everyone waited. Once he reached them, he extended his hand in front of him and activated a technique by saying the words out loud.
In an instant, lightning like current began to emit from the portal as it opened a black hole in mid-air in front of him. He stepped back and gestured for everyone to enter it while he decided to end it last.
“Go on,” he encouraged them with a smile as they hesitated because of the lightning emitted from the portal. “It’s a long range portal and a powerful one that crosses continents, so it’s emits this kind of electricity.”
“Okay,” said Atem and he was the first to walk straight into it without hesitation.
Once he did, the rest followed behind and Lakshman turned around to glance at Draga and Pylex one final time. He was actually staring at Draga more fixedly because the behaviour of the Spirit Dragon concerned him.
“I need to do something about his attitude towards us,” thought Lakshman as he walked into the portal and it closed behind them.
Once they arrived at the Dragon Continent, they were surprised to find themselves in the middle of the Dragon Clan populated area. It looked like Lakshman had directly teleported them into the heart of the place the Dragon Clan people live in, which took them by surprise. So, when Lakshman walked out of the portal, they gave him reproachful looks that amused him.
“What?” he asked them with an amused look on his face. “Aren’t you happy we came directly to their living area?”
Sumara shook her head wearily and said, “No! There’s a common curtesy rule that clearly states we should ask for their entry instead of barging in like this.”
Atem turned to her and asked, “Do you think these people would’ve let us enter if we did as you suggested?”
Sumara remained quiet for a moment while Sona responded by saying, “Then, we’ll barge in.”
At those words, Atem made a gesture of “That’s what we’re doing right now.”
“Oh…” said Sonia as realisation dawned on her and she looked amazed. Turning to look around at the area, she asked, “Still, I wonder if we, angels, are okay being here?”
Tetra turned to look at her in surprise and asked, “You and Atem asked us relentlessly to come on this journey. So, why are you suddenly asking so apprehensively for?”
“Just wondering… That’s all…” said Sonia slowly while looking around in awe.
Sumara was also looking around in amazement as she said, “I’m amazed they live surrounded by forests and trees. Such a beautiful and pleasant place to live at.”
Lakshman looked at his wife’s pleasant expression and remembered the place her people used to live in before moving to a remote island. They did it in order to avoid the retaliation of the island dwellers of the Bazaraka Continent because of his actions to fight back against oppression. Despite it being his fault, Sumara did not say a word against him and even thanked him along with her clan in appreciation.
“I should remember to take her to visit her clan once this is over,” thought Lakshman as he made a mental note to make his wife happy.
Silvera was also looking everywhere, but she was not interested in the slightest by the nature’s wonder. She was observing to see where all the dwellers are currently because she could not feel their presence.
“Where’s everyone?” she asked finally out loud and caused her companions to turn towards her. “I don’t sense anyone for a 100 kilometres in all directions. Can you Lucky?”
Lakshman shook his head and said, “I’m guessing they left this portion of the continent and moved elsewhere to avoid receiving a surprise attack from people like us.”
“Is it to do with what happened with you and the Dragon Emperor?” Sumara asked and Lakshman nodded his head in assent. “It’s their fault for attacking Dominic and enraging you by talking about war.”
“Yes, but there’s nothing we can do about it now,” said Lakshman and he shrugged his shoulders in resignation as his expression became serious. “Besides, I’m sure they know we’re already here and knowing their sensing capabilities, they’ll be having a welcome party waiting for us with me here.”
“What do you—?” Sonia asked him in a puzzled voice before she stopped speaking while a serious expression formed on his face. She looked up along with everyone and shouted, “We’re under attack from above!”
True to her words, spears and lances of countless numbers began to appear in the sky and rain down on them at great speed. Sonia was the first to react as she extended her wings wide and aimed them up at the sky while raising her hand at the same time.
“Angel Wing Laser.”
In an instant, her wings began to glow before lasers began to fire from them and the attacks soared high into the air at high speed. The spears and lances collided with the lasers and shattered, which caused an explosion to occur in mid-air.
“I see…! Exploding weapons…!” Lakshman said slowly as her attacks destroyed all the weapons. “Good firing, Sonia.”
Over her serious expression, a slight blush appeared on her face from the pride of being complemented by her husband. At that moment, the ground began to shake a little bit before a wall of stone rose out of the ground in a circle, blocking them on all sides.
This time, it was Sumara’s turn to react as she gripped her staff firmly and waved it around before saying quietly, “Water Whirlpool Smash.”
In an instant, magic circles appeared on the ground from outside the circle they stood in. A moment later, water rose out of the ground and formed a defensive like water chain around them against the stone wall. The water swirled around for a few seconds before forcefully smashing itself against the wall and destroying it into pieces before the water scattered everywhere.
As the stone wall crumbled into dust, dragon warriors began to appear from everywhere and they started their assault against Lakshman’s group. The first to meet them head on was Atem as he pulled out his sword and charged at them with such force that startled the enemy warriors in front of him. With strong force, he swung his sword at them and sent the few flying back to land on their feet again.
Within a matter of seconds, their group got surrounded by dragon warriors that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Even in the sky, dragon warriors appeared riding on flying dragons that were a little smaller than the size of the Spirit Dragon, Draga. Lakshman and his group looked around seriously while standing back-to-back against one another.
“I’m guessing this is the welcoming party you’re talking about?” Sumara asked her husband with a small smile on her face.
“Similar,” replied Lakshman with a small smile on his face.
“There’s so many of them! Where’d the hell did they come from all of a sudden?!” Atem exclaimed in shock while looking around.
Lakshman looked around at the enemy warriors and said, “My guess is that their magic user cast an undetectable presence spell on them until they decided to launch their sudden attack on us.”
“No matter, we’ll still succeed!” Sonia said firmly with a determined expression on her face.
Lakshman nodded and said, “We will, but let’s give them a chance to give up. It’s only fair.” With them all agreeing with him, Lakshman used Amplification spell on his voice and said in a loud clear voice, “Listen, Dragon Clan warriors! We didn’t come here to pick a fight with you. We’re here for the Dragon Titan, so let us pass and we will not need to hurt you!”
His words were met with a roaring disdain from the crown of enemy warriors from the ground and in from the sky as they that did not care much for his words. This angered Tetra, Silvera, Sumara and Sonia very much and they instantly began to surge with power while radiating in their respective Elemental Glow as they readied for battle.
“Lucky, you stay back and let us handle these bastards,” said Sonia quietly with an angry look on her face as she stared at the warriors flying on dragons. “Atem, come with me!”
It was an order and not waiting for his response, Sonia roared into the air to battle the warriors. Surprised at her sudden order, Atem began to surge with power and rocketed after her as fast as he could to join in the battle. Meanwhile, Sumara, Tetra and Silvera stared around at the enemy warriors with anger being shown on their faces without restraint.
“Let’s get them!” Silvera said loudly. She aimed her hand at one group of the warrior before shouting, “Dark Burst!”
In an instant, a black sphere erupted from her hand and soared towards the warriors at high speed and exploded upon contact, causing a wild force of wind to blow in all directions. The warriors defend with their shields and were blown backwards, but they managed to land on their feet and charged towards them at high speed.
As the incoming enemies drew nearer, Tetra aimed her hand at them and shouted, “Hell Fire Ball!”
In an instant, a powerful fire ball was unleashed and it soared towards the warriors before exploding. As the wind blew wildly, the warriors continued to head towards them at high speed and drew nearer. They were roaring like the dragons that are raised in their clan.
This time, it was Sumara who stepped forward and said with her hand aimed at them, “Rock Wall.”
In an instant, magic circles appeared on the ground in front of where the warriors before walls rose out of the ground. The dragon warriors smashed through the walls and stumbled before falling to the ground while many more continued to jump over their comrades in a charge to attack their enemies.
The charging dragon warriors shouted individual techniques and began to launch different kind of energy attacks at them. Sumara reacted instantly and used Reinforce to create a powerful barrier that blocked all of their attacks. The Dragon Rush techniques hastened the warriors’ speed and they reached the women within seconds.
Sumara tapped the ground and said, “Earth Mother Strike.”
In an instant, magic circles formed all around them and golems began to rise out of the ground and as soon as they appeared, the golems began to attack the dragon warriors. In the meanwhile, Tetra and Silvera summoned their blades out of thin air and began to attack the warriors at close range. Lakshman was the only one left who was doing absolutely nothing, but staring at what was happening before him.
“Um… You know that I can beat these guys in a matter of seconds… Right…?” he asked, but there was no one to listen to him and he sighed heavily. He looked at his fighting wives and muttered, “They don’t listen to me when they’re seriously angry… Oh well…”
He shrugged his shoulders in resignation and thought, “I hope Dominic is having better luck than me.”
He soon found out an hour later as his wives, getting battle worn, gathered around him while the largely decreased numbers of the enemies surrounded them. Both sides were tired from fighting for so long, but neither side was willing to step down or surrender, even if it cost them their lives.
“These guys sure are tough!” Atem exclaimed in a frustrated voice as he stared around at them in frustration. “Why won’t they just go down like any other enemy?”
“It’s because… they’re part of the Dragon Clan,” explained Sumara as she breathed quickly to recover her breath. “They… have this Dragon Blood that makes them tough as rocks and very difficult to defeat by regulars. You’d have to be King Ranked or higher to take them on by yourself.”
“Yeah, but even with our combined strength, they’re still difficult to go down! It doesn’t make sense!” Atem said in frustration.
Sonia looked around at the enemy warriors and said, “I think the armour they’re wearing has something to do with their durability and stamina. They’re probably the Dragon Armour we’ve been told about in classes up a few years back in the history lesson.”
“Anyone… have any ideas… on how to get out of this… situation…?” Silvera asked in a tired voice.
Lakshman was exasperated by them and he said sternly, “All of you rush off into battle without a plan of action! This is the result of your lack of planning! Emilia will be most disappointed to see you acting like little children to let your angry feelings control your sense of judgement.”
They all looked a little ashamed of themselves and Sumara said slowly, “I’m sorry…”
Lakshman sighed and shook his head when, all of a sudden, everyone felt a powerful surge of energy from somewhere far away. They all turned towards that direction with looks of surprise and amazement as none of them had ever felt such tremendous release of power before. None of them had yet to experience the hidden depth of power Lakshman had to release, so it was first time for all of them.
“Whoa! That’s a lot of power!” Atem said sharply with a look of amazement on his face. “I wonder whose it is.”
“Mmm… I get a distinct feeling it’s Dominic’s energy we sense,” said Sumara with a look of concern on her face.
“Dominic? Dominic Rutherford? You mean the Sword Titan?!” Atem exclaimed in disbelief.
As Sumara nodded her head, Tetra also confirmed by saying, “It’s him alright, but I never sensed this much power from him before.”
“I know right!” Silvera said in awe as she had trouble believing it was really him. “He’s a human and yet, he’s so powerful!”
“Why’s the surprise? HE’s one of the Nine Pillars of Power,” said Sonia as if that made all the doubts go away.
“Yeah,” said Lakshman simply as he looked in the direction his best friend’s energy was coming from with a proud smile on his face.
He smiled and said, “Well then, Dominic won his battle and it is time I win mine.” He turned around to face the Dragon Clan warriors and said, “You will tell me what I want to know.”
Lakshman finished with a small smile on his face while wearing a dangerous look on his face that made the warriors gulp in nervousness. His wives and Atem were also a little bit scared by the ominous power he was releasing and the danger signals going off in their minds. All of their instincts were screaming at them because of how fearful they felt towards the Phoenix Titan.
“W-We’re not telling you anything!” one of the enemy warriors shouted at him. “The Dragon Emperor ordered us to slay you and all your comrades on sight! It is our duty to protect ourselves and that means you—!”
“—go away!” finished Lakshman, who suddenly appeared standing right before the enemy warrior.
The warrior cried out in surprise before it turned into shock as Lakshman delivered a powerful punch into the armour where the gut was. A powerful shock wave was released and the armour cracked several times before exploding into pieces. At the same time, the powerful force hit the warrior full in the gut and it sent him flying away for several meters smashing through trees before coming to a stop.
“I went easy on him so he doesn’t die on me,” said Lakshman quietly as he straightened up and turned to face the rest. “Want to talk or want to see my fist?”
The dragon warriors were stunned and rendered speechless because the strongest armour in the world could not handle his might. Even his wives and Atem were rendered speechless because of how easily he demolished the armour and sent the man flying away into the forest.
The warriors’ shock turned into a fit of rage at seeing one of them being smashed away with such ruthless force. They, immediately, began to focus their attacks on him and released energy attacks all at once, which created a large explosion that released wild blowing wind in all directions. As the smoke slowly cleared, they were surprised to see Lakshman standing still without a scratch on him, although, his clothes were a little burned.
He had his eyes closed, but he opened them and said, “My turn.”
In an instant, he disappeared and began to smash his hand on the side of each and every warrior he reached. His movement was so fast that no one could follow him while individuals became to fall to the ground due to the unconscious state they were put into by the blow he delivered. In a matter of seconds, all the warriors were dealt with and Lakshman landed on his feet before breathing a heavy sigh.
“Numbskulls. No matter the years; idiots will be idiots,” muttered Lakshman as he looked around at the horde of unconscious bodies. He suddenly sensed someone’s presence nearby and he instantly turned in that direction, formed a medium sized energy ball in his hand and shouted firmly, “Come out now or I’ll blow you away!”
There were a few seconds of silence before a man walked out of the forest and it turned out to one of the Dragon Kings. Gurret, the Earth Dragon King, stood before Lakshman with an air that clearly stated that he was not there to pick a fight with him.
“Sorry for this trouble, but the Dragon Emperor ordered the royal guard to attack you without the Dragon Kings’ knowledge,” stated Gurrent telepathically to him. “Please forgive them because it wasn’t their fault. If we had known of your arrival, we wouldn’t have let this happen.”
Lakshman remained silent and stared at him for a moment while Atem exclaimed, “You’re sorry? These people came to kill us and you’re simply brushing it all away with a simple ‘sorry’?!”
“Calm down, Atem,” said Lakshman and Atem looked surprised. “He truly means it.”
“Huh?” Atem said in surprise and his reaction was shared by Sonia. “How do you know that?”
“Elemental Sense,” said Lakshman quietly and they looked surprised. “Not only does it senses the presence of living creatures, but it also detects whether someone is lying or not.”
“Oh…” said Atem slowly in amazement. He immediately grew concerned and asked, “Couldn’t it be hoodwinked or fooled?”
Lakshman shook his head and said, “I was asked that numerous times a long time ago and I’ll repeat; it cannot be fooled. Elemental Sense tells no lies and cannot be fooled.”
Atem blinked at him in amazement while Sonia, impressed, said with a smile on her face, “Wow… That’s one handy technique you have, Lucky.”
Lakshman smiled and said, “Of course, it has its other uses, but there’s no point spilling all of its secrets in front of an enemy.”
“Please forgive us. We’re not your enemy,” said Gurrent telepathically in an apologetic voice. “To compensate, we’ll allow you to visit our capital area. In fact, I’ll transport you to an area hidden from plain sight where we’ve established our capital.”
“Thanks,” said Lakshman as he was grateful for the helpful hand. He glanced around at the unconscious bodies and asked, “What about them?”
“My men will take care of them,” replied Gurrent and he looked over his shoulders.
There were four people standing behind him wearing robe like clothing that clearly showed that they were magicians. They nodded at him and moved forward to begin using recovery magic on the fallen warriors. Meanwhile, Lakshman and his group gathered next to Gurrent and placed a hand on Lakshman’s shoulder, who in turn placed his on Gurrent’s shoulder.
They disappeared into thin air and the next second, they appeared standing in a large room with seats and a throne like structure at the front. The seats were occupied by the ministers of different areas of the Dragon Continent that each colony of the Dragon Clan members are separated into. Sitting atop the high throne chair was the Dragon Emperor, who the Phoenix Titan had a fierce encounter a while ago.
One of the men stood up and shouted, “Gurret! How dare you bring this man and his compatriots into this sacred place! Do you know what you’ve done?! Who gave you permission to bring him here and what happened to the army we sent to destroy them?!”
Gurrent looked at them seriously and telepathically said, “I, no, we should be the ones asking you the questions! How dare you perform actions without the approval of the Dragon Emperor and the Four Dragon Kings?! You better watch what you have to say from here onwards, old man!”
The minister looked shocked and he exclaimed, “How dare you?! I’m one of the Dragon Council that make the decisions in correspondence with the Dragon Emperor!”
“Yet, you’ve clearly forgotten about us Four Dragon Kings,” said a familiar voice from behind.
Lakshman and the others looked towards the entrance to see three other Dragon Kings have entered the room. The speaker was the Air Dragon King, Aidek and walking behind him was the Water Dragon King, Waddit and the Fire Dragon King, Fizard. They walked to the front of Lakshman’s group and stared fiercely at the group of people sitting on their chairs.
Aidek wore a serious expression on his face as he said, “The Dragon High Council does take into consideration of daily goings on in our community and stay in correspondence with the Dragon Emperor for his decisions. However, everyone seems to keep forgetting that we, the Four Dragon Kings, have the final say in things no matter the priority they have.”
Another minister shouted, “Are you saying the authority of four men is greater than the authority of the Dragon Emperor?!”
“That’s not what I’m saying,” replied Aidek firmly. “What I’m asking is why were we not informed about such a really powerful decision to attack the Phoenix Titan and his comrades upon their arrival on our continent?”
As the ministers were left wondering how to answer that question, the Dragon Emperor spoke himself and said, “I told them to not inform you four of this matter.”
“You did?” Waddit asked in surprise, which was a reaction shared by the other three Dragon Kings.
Lakshman nodded his head slightly and thought, “I thought as much. The Four Dragon Kings didn’t strike me as the kind of people to attack someone when they know that someone is unbelievably powerful. It had to be this bastard.”
The Dragon Emperor nodded and said, “In our last encounter with the Phoenix Titan, I became concerned that the four of you were working for him because of how favourably you spoke of him.”
Fizard reacted angrily and shouted, “That’s because he would’ve destroyed us if we treated him as aggressively as you did at that time! We still haven’t been able to repair the destroyed castle and the trees from the aftermath of his single punch and yet, you decided to move us out here!”
As the Dragon Emperor became engrossed in a sudden fit of coughing, Lakshman chuckled inwardly and thought, “Haha. So, that’s the reason… He’s so ashamed of his failure, he moved his entire area to here to clearly try and forget that incident.”
“Why don’t we return to the main topic at hand?” the Dragon Emperor asked as he diverted their topic back to its original course. “I became concerned about the four of you and suspected that you’re working for him while pretending to be allies of the Dragon Clan.”
The Four Dragon Kings were shocked as the ministers began to shout, “Traitors! Traitors!”
“I’m not a traitor, dammit!” Fizard yelled above them all and made them go quiet in an instant.
“That’s right! We’re part of the Dragon Clan and we serve this clan like so many did before us that attained our titles!” Waddit said firmly as he stared around at the ministers incredulously.
“That man you’re shielding is going to bring destruction to this world!” the Dragon Emperor said in a powerful voice that rang in the throne room. “You’re shielding the enemy of this world that caused it to quake for what he and his clan did in the ancient times!”
“Those were ancient stories and have nothing to do with the present time,” replied Aidek and surprised Lakshman quite a bit. “Besides, he didn’t come here to fight, he came to recruit a warrior belonging to a group he was positioned as the leader of; the Nine Pillars of Power.”
Those words shocked everyone and this included Lakshman and his group as well. The Phoenix Titan could not believe what he just heard and he stared at the Four Dragon Kings standing in front of him.
“H-How…?” he asked hesitantly in a surprised voice. “How did you know that I was…?”
Waddit turned to him and smiled before he said calmly, “The Spirits informed us.”
“The Spirits?” Lakshman asked and his eyes widened in surprise as he realised something. “Don’t tell me that you can…?”
Waddit nodded in agreement and said, “That’s right. Those, who have attained the title of the Dragon King, have the power to communicate with the Spirits, though we cannot actually see them.”
“That was how we four knew of your arrival,” said Gurrent telepathically to them. “The spirits informed of your arrival, the danger you were in and the purpose you were here for. So, I quickly gathered the other three and headed out to reach you before anything bad happened, but I should’ve known. You are truly strong compared to a time when you almost as strong as us a while back.”
Lakshman blinked at them in amazement and turned to look curiously at the Fire Dragon King, who was not looking at him. Sensing that someone was looking at him, Fizard turned around and noticing Lakshman, he grunted and spoke in a quiet voice.
“Look. I don’t like you, but I don’t have anything personal against you. If what the Spirits said is true about you helping the world, then I’m willing to help you out.”
Lakshman was overwhelmed with joy at the prospect of having four of the clan strongest dragon warriors as his allies. He always believed the Phoenix Clan and the Dragon Clan would never get along in the ancient times because of the power struggle between him and the Dragon Emperor at that time. So, seeing that four of the strongest warriors wishing to help made him feel very happy.
“Thank you, Dragon Kings,” thanked Lakshman from deep within his heart as he meant it. He looked at the flustered Dragon Emperor and formed a serious expression on his face as he said loudly, “I don’t have time to waste talking to you all day long! So, why don’t you tell me what I want to know and I’ll be on my way.”
The Dragon Emperor was shocked by his seriously powerful words and he said angrily, “How dare you speak so blatantly to me! This’ll mean—!”
“War…?” Lakshman had asked slowly as he cut across the Dragon Emperor while narrowing his eyes wearing a dangerous expression on his face. “Do you want try again and feel what war feels like…?”
He had asked it in a quiet voice, but the powerful depth of his words hit the ministers and the Dragon Emperor like an energy cannon that could destroy them. Fear began to erupt inside all of them and the ministers, along with everyone turned to look at the Dragon Emperor. With all eyes on him, the Dragon Emperor became agitated as he remained seated on his throne chair.
“W-What…?” the Dragon Emperor asked and Lakshman smiled triumphantly as he realised the manwas overcome with fear and will answer any of his questions.
So, Lakshman took a deep breath and asked, “Where is the Dragon Gate?”
The Dragon Emperor remained silent for a moment before he replied, “I don’t know.”
Hey everyone and thanks for reading the chapter! I released it as quickly as I could because I thought people would be waiting for another while for the next release. This is kind of pace at which I used to release until I got work, overcome with it and was too tired to get into the mood to write. So, I hope you enjoyed the chapter like me and will look forward to more as the story continues!

domain: literature


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When you do your laundry, you're putting fish and their aquatic ecosystems in danger.
As part of its campaign to convince the textile industry to stop using chemicals, Greenpeace measured the concentration of these chemicals—nonylphenol ethoxylates, or NPEs—on swaths of clothing before and after washing them. Some of the world’s most popular brands—Nike, H&M, Abercrombie & Fitch, Calvin Klein—made the clothes from which these swaths were cut. The concentration dropped for all of the samples they tested, indicating that the chemicals had found their way into the water. Some samples lost about 10 percent of their chemical concentrations; some lost as much as 94 percent.
As Greenpeace is quick to point out, the NPEs on your clothes aren’t going to kill you. In the water, however, they will break down into a chemical called nonylphenol, or NP, which will do some serious damage to fish and their aquatic ecosystems. The European Union categorizes NPs as a “priority hazardous substance,” which means that all emissions of the stuff need to be phased out. In Sweden, most of the NPEs in their water come from newly-washed clothes. In United States, it’s harder to assess the amount of damage our collective laundry is causing. The Environmental Protection Agency recognizes NPs and NPEs as a problem, and it’s working on adding the chemicals to the Toxics Release Inventory. Once they’re on that list, reporting requirements will kick, and it’ll be clearer how these chemicals are entering the water here.
Greenpeace has been working hard to call attention to the chemical footprint of the textiles industry. By targeting high-profile brands, the group thinks it can change the way the textile industry does business. Textile factories serve a multiplicity of customers, and if their biggest orders from international brands require them to stop using chemicals, they’ll likely change over the process for smaller customers, too. The campaign’s had success so far in convincing brands like Nike and H&M to work towards creating clothing without chemicals. But there are still hold-outs, like Abercrombie and Calvin Klein.
As long as we’re buying clothes from brands, we can demand that they use their power to prioritize positive changes like the ones Greenpeace is advocating for. Places like the European Union and the United States, where governments are working to minimize the dumping of these chemicals in waterways at home, have outsourced their pollution to countries with fewer protections. Most of the chemicals that are used to make our clothes get dumped in places like India and China, where they’re made and dyed. This new research shows, though, that as long as the textile industry uses these chemicals, they’ll follow consumers back home.


By Olivia Giles at November 16 2018 19:47:10
Tables : When your data doesn't clearly show a trend, use a table. You may have this data in Excel, and can even link to the Excel file. Quotations : Quotes are very powerful when they come from authorities or well-known individuals. In a persuasive presentation, you can use testimonials from other customers, for example. Stories : Stories are powerful when they support your message. They can be personal, related to current events, examples from other customers, and so on. They can be full-blown situations, or simple examples. Collect stories as you hear them and keep them in a file for use later.
It is a good idea to choose a champion for each tool who will master its use. Assign owners to processes Choose a person with leadership skills and the appropriate level of responsibility and influence and make him/her accountable for continuous improvement of the process. Give him/her a clear objective to achieve and an incentive to reach the goal. Encourage feedback for process improvement To ensure that the flow of information between executors and the process owner is fluid, encourage people to contribute to process enhancement through incentives. Use your imagination to reward contributors (consider not only monetary incentives).
Rice is one of the most important food crop across the world that is processed in the rice milling plants with respect to the international standards keeping in mind the uniformity and the basic quality of the grain. There are different rice milling machinery and rice milling equipment used for the proper processing of rice and ensure its maximum processing capacity in less amount of time. The most important productional factor considered for its processing is the use of energy. Energy is one of the demanding items and the vital source to measure the cost of the finalized finished product.
Initially, the basic rice cultivation process requires the complete preparation for the technological projects and the set-up of the milling plant. Many layouts, specifications, selection of appropriate milling equipments and units are planned for the efficient running of the milling industry. Further the assessment reports are also prepared keeping in mind the benefits with the selection of experienced personnel. There are different types of methods used in the rice milling industries. In the earlier days, conventional methods were used for paddy processing using the steel hullers and the rice processing process mentioned in the above flowchart was carried out manually.


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Fetuin-A levels linked to cardiovascular disease risk
(HealthDay)—In elderly individuals without type 2 diabetes, high levels of fetuin-A, a protein that inhibits arterial calcification and insulin action, is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in Diabetes Care.
Majken K. Jensen, Ph.D., from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, and colleagues measured serum fetuin-A levels in 1992 in 3,810 individuals 65 years and older (511 with type 2 diabetes) who were free of cardiovascular disease. Participants were followed though June 2008 for incident cardiovascular disease.
During a median follow-up of 10.9 years, the researchers recorded a cardiovascular event in 1,456 individuals overall and in 248 of the individuals with type 2 diabetes. Higher fetuin-A levels were associated with a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease in the absence of type 2 diabetes (hazard ratio [HR], 0.93 per 0.1 g/L higher fetuin-A). For individuals with type 2 diabetes, higher fetuin-A levels were associated with a non-significant increase in cardiovascular disease risk. Higher fetuin-A levels were associated with a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease only in non-obese individuals (HR, 0.91) and in those with Homeostasis Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance below the median (HR, 0.87).
"In a population of older community-living persons, the association of fetuin-A concentrations with risk of incident cardiovascular disease is modified by insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes," Jensen and colleagues conclude.
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Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


Jamaica Gleaner Sport
Published: Monday Monday | December 28, 2009
Bolt outscores Messi
HAVANA, Cuba (CMC): Colossal Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has topped Argentina's football superstar Lionel Messi in the poll for the best Latin American and Caribbean male athlete in 2009, the Cuba-based news agency Prensa Latina has reported.... Read More...Brauman confident Ashmeade, McKenzie will 'step up well'
OVER the years, top Jamaican high schools track and field athletes have moved overseas after completing their high school careers to be rewarded with scholarships at junior colleges and universities. For three of the country's top juniors this past season... Read More...Efficient Boys' Town down Arnett in Trench Town derby
Boys' Town displayed greater efficiency at scoring than neighbours Arnett Gardens to emerge 2-0 winners in their Digicel Premier League Trench Town derby at Collie Smith Drive yesterday. The Red Brigade started off on the front-foot ... Read More...Harbour View clip Tivoli Gardens
League leaders Harbour View defended their position atop the Digicel Premier League with a workmanlike 1-0 victory over main rivals Tivoli Gardens in an exciting contest at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday evening... Read More...Rivoli beat St Georges
Led by striker Devon Hodges, the competition's leading marksman; and Valentine Gardner, Rivoli United turned back St Georges Sports Club 2-0 in their Digicel Premier League match at the Spanish Town Prison Oval... Read More...Fabregas scores twice as Arsenal beat Aston Villa
LONDON (AP): Cesc Fabregas scored twice before being forced off with a recurrence of a hamstring injury yesterday as Arsenal beat Aston Villa 3-0 to keep the pressure on Manchester United, which stayed second in the Premier League with a 3-1 win at Hull.... Read More...NEWS BRIEFS
It's Bruceontheloose - PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):Jamaica-bred colt Bruceontheloose extended his unbeaten streak to six races when he captured the TT$500, 000 (US$79,000) First Citizens Gold Cup to bring a fitting climax to the season here at Santa Rosa... Read More...


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The Founder and President of Northwest College of Art & Design, Craig Freeman’s intention as an artist is to ” uplift the human spirit.”
In 1982 Craig founded Northwest College Of Art & Design (NCAD), west of Seattle, in a beautiful water front community of Poulsbo, Washington. Today NCAD is surrounded by a nearly 30 acre campus — once the private estate of a wealthy textile mill owner in Glasgow Scotland. The campus includes a completely restored Manor House, 2 buildings designed and built with the artist in mind, and gardens all with a view of Liberty Bay and the Olympic Mountains. The faculty and staff are focused on the NCAD philosophy that “Art is a Business.”
Craig is not only the founder and president of NCAD but is a national speaker on the arts, visiting high schools throughout the US to inspiring young emerging artist and the youth to follow their passions in the arts.
Craig also has founded the Cultural Arts Foundation Northwest — a non profit organization supporting the arts in the northwest, Atelier Arts Supply, The Freeman Gallery, Co-Founder of West Sound Academy in Poulsbo – a private not for profit High School / Junior High with emphasis on the arts on their own 20 acre campus. He has served on the board of directors for Washington State Vocational Education, elected twice as President of ICDS — International Council of Design Schools and is an advisor to IMC-Island Music Center on Bainbridge Island Washington.
After raising three children, Minna, Matti and Mikko with his wife Ulla from Finland, Craig now lives in Kauai, Hawaii keeping an active painting schedule. Continuing as president of Northwest College Of Art & Design and leading his unique award winning college of art to the next level with new art programs supporting current market demands. He is invited to lecture throughout the US, judge community art exhibits and is an active Plein Air painter with a studio in Hawaii. You will usually find Craig out in the field painting water genre, landscapes and portraits. Favorite Plein Air painting places – Hawaii, Northwest, California, Spain, Lake Como, Tuscany, Cirque Terre and Florence Italy.
Craig’s intent is to leave this place better than he found it and to promote “beauty and positivity.”
To find out more about Craig and to see more of the his work, please visit craigfreemanart.com
Craig is represented by the Amy Laurens Gallery at www.amylaurensgallery.com

domain: artistic


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Yahoo! Movies Releases New List of Top 100 Must-See Films
List Identifies the Modern Classics of This Generation
Yahoo! Movies, one of the leading movies websites, today released the second of the site’s annual movie lists, “100 Movies to See Before You Die: The Modern Classics.” These classics are the movies that shaped pop culture over the past 20 years, offered the most quotable lines, and worked their way into this generation’s heart and memory. The full list, compiled by Yahoo! Movies’ team of editors and experts, is available at: http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/100-movies-to-see-before-you-die-modern-classics.html
Unlike other authoritative lists, this list does not focus solely on American films — over 20 percent of the “Modern Classics” are movies from abroad, including signature films from Hong Kong and France. A few of the films also appeared in Yahoo! Movies’ first “100 Movies to See Before You Die” (http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/100-movies-to-see-before-you-die.html), a list compiled for movie buffs and encompassing films worldwide from all time periods in cinematic history, but the modern classics list focuses only on the movies of the last two decades that became classics instantly or in a short time.
“This is the list you print, hang on your refrigerator, and slowly check off as you experience what it is that makes these films stand out,” said Sean Phillips, Yahoo! Movies’ executive producer. “Whatever the genre, these films represent the best of cinema over the last twenty years.”
Well-known movies from the 1990s on the list include “Dazed and Confused,” “Pulp Fiction,” and “Schindler’s List,” The list also includes lesser-known films, such as “Elephant,” “Trois Couleur: Rouge” and “Old Boy.”
Ang Lee, Joel Coen and James Cameron made the strongest showing as directors, with three films from each director making the cut, including “Sense and Sensibility,” “The Big Lebowski,” and “Avatar,” respectively. Likewise, George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Kevin Spacey, Steve Buscemi, Catherine Keener, and Kate Winslet led in the acting category.
With Yahoo! being at the center of people’s online lives, the list is ideally constructed for Web users. It can be searched chronologically, and movies.yahoo.com offers in-depth commentary and expert analysis on many of the chosen films.
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Photo Credit: Jim Ruymen/UPI/Landov
Pink and hubby Carey Hart are expecting a baby late this spring -- and the rocker is apparently prepping herself for labor. Recently, she tweeted: "for all of my pregnant mamas to be out there in America, please watch "The Business of Being Born". informative, inspiring, incredible."
Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein's documentary about giving birth is a great pick (although the delivering-at-home-in-a-bathtub route certainly isn't for everyone.) What's on your must-watch list? Are you obsessed with the '80s Kevin Bacon classic She's Having a Baby? Or maybe with TLC's Bringing Home Baby?


1950. “Actor Kirk Douglas, half-length portrait, seated in chair, on set during the filming of “Ace in the Hole”, New Mexico.” 35mm color transparency by Charles and Ray Eames.
He was Spartacus, of course. But the great thing about Kirk Douglas living for more than a century – with most of those years spent as a Hollywood icon and cinematic family patriarch – is we got to see him do so much more than just wield sharp weaponry in an epic adventure. (And, man, he had that down.)
Douglas, who died Wednesday at 103, was a tried-and true icon who began his epic run in the mid-1940s with films including “The Strange Love of Martha Ivers” and “Mourning Becomes Electra” and who owned the ’50s and ’60s, formed a great partnership with Burt Lancaster and earning three best-actor Oscar nominations (but never won). Douglas worked well into his twilight years, including a starring role opposite son Michael, ex-wife Diana and grandson Cameron in “It Runs in the Family” in 2003.
RTFA. It lists Brian Truitt’s idea of the five essential Kirk Douglas movies. There will more of the same, of course. My own late favorite is “Lonely are the brave”. One of the first hikes I sought out after moving to New Mexico was the Movie Trail in the Sandias. Scene of one of the most critical passages in this quiet, immensely important, film.
NASA is reviewing Boeing Co.’s software engineering, and it doesn’t like what it sees.
Lurking behind 1 million lines of code for Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft lies a deficient development process that led to two software flaws during a failed test flight, the U.S. space agency said Friday. The “critical software defects” — either of which could have caused the uncrewed Starliner’s destruction — prompted NASA to open a broad review of Boeing’s quality control…
Boeing’s coding skills have been under intense scrutiny because of software implicated in two Max crashes that killed 346 people. NASA officials conceded that the high-profile problems of Boeing’s best-selling jet suggested the need for a broader look into the company’s culture — and why systems designed to find coding faults had failed.
The errors “could have led to risk of spacecraft loss,” NASA said, though engineers were able to compensate during the test flight and return the vehicle back to Earth undamaged.
Sooner or later, NASA is supposed to trust the lives of astronauts to go into outer space in a craft built by a company whose latest, greatest airplanes are something I wouldn’t fly in…to Chicago.


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Cross Over Night In State Canceled (See reasons)
Cross Over Vigil by churches in Ondo state have been cancelled by the state government as a proactive measures against the second wave of COVID-19.
Chairman, Ondo State Inter-ministerial Committee on Coronavirus and Vice Chancellor, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Prof. Adesegun Fatusi made the announcement and also urged residents of the state to pay due attention and observance to the precautionary measures put in place to safeguard them.
Fatsui who said church services in the state must not exceed 10pm until further notice, in line with federal government directive on curfew, said government and business offices would remain open but with strict compliance of COVID-19 precautionary measures.
Markets would also continue operations but with heightened enforcement of COVID-19 precautionary measures. Night clubs and relaxation spots are to continue their operation but must not exceed 10pm. Residents of the state above 60 years of age or with existing ailments have been advised to remain indoor and disengage from joining any social gathering.
Fatsui said strict enforcement of the law that guides against the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in the state will start off in January 2021, and further revealed that the law stipulates three months imprisonment or payment of twenty thousand naira fine or both for offenders.
Lagos State Govt Seals Popular Night Club
The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) last Saturday shut down the famousar Quilox Club on Ozumba Mbadwe Street, Victoria Island for its failure to comply with directives on organising events and not obtaining a sound control permit from the Agency. The enforcement exercise, which was jointly carried out by the officials of the agency and the Lagos State Task Force, was also a result of several complaints made by residents in the area.Reacting to...
Edo State Declares Curfew Throughout The State As #EndSAR Protest Metamorphosis To Riot In The State
As the #EndSARS in Edo state continue to turn bloody due te the burning of a police station and vandalism thatis going on in the state, Mr Osarodion Ogie Esq;Secretary to the State Government, has made a press statement that now put the state under curfew.The statement reads:Edo State.The Edo State Government hereby imposes a 24-hour curfew across the state till further notice.The curfew is to take effect from 4pm, today, October 19, 2020.This decision has become ne...
Tinubu departs Nigeria for Europe, gives reasons for trip
The President-elect, Bola Tinubu on Wednesday departed Nigeria for Europe on a working visit.While in Europe, Tinubu will finetune the transition plans, programmes, and policy options with some of his key aides without distractions.During the visit, the President-elect will engage with investors and other key allies with the goal of marketing investment opportunities in the country and his administration’s readiness to enable a business-friendly climate through poli...
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The most important part of any painting project is the preparation of the substrate surface. It takes the most work and time, but with the surface properly prepared, the results are a long-lasting, corrosion-free finish. Repainting an older aircraft requires more preparation time than a new paint job because of the additional steps required to strip the old paint, and then clean the surface and crevices of paint remover.
It is recommended that all the following procedures be performed using protective clothing, rubber gloves, and goggles, in a well-ventilated area, at temperatures between 68 °F and 100 °F.
Aluminum surfaces are the most common on a typical aircraft. The surface should be scrubbed with Scotch-Brite® pads using an alkaline aviation cleaner. The work area should be kept wet and rinsed with clean water until the surface is water break free. This means that there are no beads or breaks in the water surface as it flows over the aluminum surface.
The next step is to apply an acid etch solution to the surface. Following manufacturers’ suggestions, this is applied like a wash using a new sponge and covering a small area while keeping it wet and allowing it to contact the surface for between 1 and 2 minutes. It is then rinsed with clean water without allowing the solution to dry on the surface. Continue this process until all the aluminum surfaces are washed and rinsed. Extra care must be taken to thoroughly rinse this solution from all the hidden areas that it may penetrate. It provides a source for corrosion to form if not completely removed.
When the surfaces are completely dry from the previous process, the next step is to apply Alodine® or another type of an aluminum conversion coating. This coating is also applied like a wash, allowing the coating to contact the surface and keeping it wet for 2 to 5 minutes without letting it dry. It then must be thoroughly rinsed with clean water to remove all chemical salts from the surface. Depending on the brand, the conversion coating may color the aluminum a light gold or green, but some brands are colorless. When the surface is thoroughly dry, the primer should be applied as soon as possible as recommended by the manufacturer.
The primer should be one that is compatible with the topcoat finish. Two-part epoxy primers provide excellent corrosion resistance and adhesion for most epoxy and urethane surfaces and polyurethane topcoats. Zinc chromate should not be used under polyurethane paints.
Composite surfaces that need to be primed may include the entire aircraft if it is constructed from those materials, or they may only be components of the aircraft, such as fairings, radomes, antennas, and the tips of the control surfaces.
Epoxy sanding primers have been developed that provide an excellent base over composites and can be finish sanded with 320 grit using a dual action orbital sander. They are compatible with two-part epoxy primers and polyurethane topcoats.
Topcoats must be applied over primers within the recommended time window, or the primer may have to be scuff sanded before the finish coat is applied. Always follow the recommendations of the coating manufacturer.
Primer and Paint
Purchase aircraft paint for the aviation painting project. Paint manufacturers use different formulas for aircraft and automobiles because of the environments they operate in. The aviation coatings are formulated to have more flexibility and chemical resistance than the automotive paint.
It is also highly recommended that compatible paints of the same brand are used for the entire project. The complete system (of a particular brand) from etching to primers and reducers to the finish topcoat are formulated to work together. Mixing brands is a risk that may ruin the entire project.
When purchasing the coatings for a project, always request a manufacturer’s technical or material data and safety data sheets, for each component used. Before starting to spray, read the sheets. If the manufacturer’s recommendations are not followed, a less than satisfactory finish or a hazard to personal safety or the environment may result. It cannot be emphasized enough to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. The finished result is well worth the effort.
Before primer or paint is used for any type application, it must be thoroughly mixed. This is done so that any pigment that may have settled to the bottom of the container is brought into suspension and distributed evenly throughout the paint. Coatings now have shelf lives listed in their specification sheets. If a previously opened container is found to have a skin or film formed over the primer or paint, the film must be completely removed before mixing. The material should not be used if it has exceeded its shelf life and/or has become thick or jelled.
Mechanical shaking is recommended for all coatings within 5 days of use. After opening, a test with a hand stirrer should be made to ensure that all the pigment has been brought into suspension. Mechanical stirring is recommended for all two-part coatings. When mixing any two-part paint, the catalyst/ activator should always be added to the base or pigmented component. The technical or material data sheet of the coating manufacturer should be followed for recommended times of induction (the time necessary for the catalyst to react with the base prior to application). Some coatings do not require any induction time after mixing, and others need 30 minutes of reaction time before being applied.
Thinning of the coating material should follow the recommendations of the manufacturer. The degree of thinning depends on the method of application. For spray application, the type of equipment, air pressure, and atmospheric conditions guide the selection and mixing ratios for the thinners. Because of the importance of accurate thinning to the finished product, use a viscosity measuring (flow) cup. Material thinned using this method is the correct viscosity for the best application results.
Thin all coating materials and mix in containers separate from the paint cup or pot. Then, filter the material through a paint strainer recommended for the type coating you are spraying as you pour it into the cup or supply pot.


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Horn of africa Bulletin
Transitions in the Horn: Between Optimism and Caution
The November-December 2018 issue of the Horn of Africa Bulletin (HAB) on political transitions is broaching one of the most critical and contemporary political developments in the region. Over the course of 2018, the HAB has tried to generate perspectives and create the space for debate on key politico-security dynamics in the region as exemplified by the March-April 2018 issue focusing on maritime security dynamics and the July-August issue titled, “Imagining Peace: Ethio-Eritrean Rapprochement”.
Donnons du temps au temps ! Abiy Ahmed 2018 : le temps des ajustements internes et régionaux
By Dr Jean-Nicolas Bach, Patrick Ferras
In societies experiencing political transitions, the complex and layered linkages between developments in the domestic political sphere on the one hand, and dynamics at the larger regional and international levels, complicate transition trajectories and render prognostications difficult. The future of the transition in Ethiopia is inextricably linked with larger developments in the Horn of Africa and Red Sea regions and vice-versa. Therefore, efforts to understand the intricacies of the transition and more specifically efforts to support the transition will have to factor in dynamics not only at the local and national levels, but also regional level processes.
AFRICA, DJIBOUTI, ERITREA, ETHIOPIA
The Quest for a Peaceful Political Transition in Uganda: The National Dialogue is Only the First Step
By Tumwebaze Noah
The Ugandan experience showcases how the combination of an adverse history of protracted political violence, entrenched personal power and institutional vacuum, present a formidable array of obstacles to a smooth and negotiated political transition. In the case of Uganda, the forces pushing for a political transition suffer from several weaknesses. The continued stability and strength of the government in Uganda suggests that a political transition will require the involvement of actors such as the international community or the Ugandan army. Until this latter scenario comes to pass, the question of political transition in Uganda will only remain a mirage for many Ugandans.
Ambling toward Democracy: Lessons for Ethiopia from Successful Transitions
By Ezekiel Gebissa
Political transitions can be perplexing in terms of the expectations that are raised. This in turn begs the question: Can a transition be expected to deliver solutions to both the immediate and also the structural political problems facing a society? There is a broad national consensus that the goal of the current transition is to create a functional federal, democratic, state in which people of diverse ethnic and religious affiliations enjoy justice, freedom, equality and dignity. In this respect, the transition’s definitive mission is to end not just the authoritarian regime’s excesses but also the hegemonic nature and totalizing penchants of the Ethiopian state. The transition thus has as its greatest challenge resolving the festering questions of the last half century, which revolutions in 1974 and 1991 were unable to address successfully.
Faith-based Institutions and Peace-building in Ethiopia’s New Context
By Moti Daba Fufa
Faith based organizations can play a critical role in peace-building and de-escalating tensions in societies experiencing democratic transitions. In the context of the changes that Ethiopia is experiencing, faith-based organizations constitute an untapped resource. The growing space for and strengthening of faith-based communities provides the opportunity and the space for collaboration and support for the new administration in Ethiopia and its reform agenda.


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PREMONT — The hallways at this rural town’s only high school were deserted on a Tuesday afternoon in January, much to Enrique Ruiz’s delight. It meant everyone who had shown up for school that day was in class — a sight that Mr. Ruiz, the school’s principal, has learned not to take for granted.
Getting students to school and keeping them there has become a matter of survival for the 570-student Premont Independent School District, where lagging attendance rates are hurting the district financially and academically. The district received notice in July that it would face closing because of its years of poor academic performance and shoddy finances.
The South Texas district has made drastic moves to improve its finances — including cutting high school sports — and in December the Texas Education Agency granted it another year to reach certain benchmarks and avoid closing. But as Premont I.S.D. struggles to make improvements, critics blame the state’s academic accountability and school finance systems, saying they unjustly punish districts that serve largely low-income populations and get meager per-student financing.
“This is a fight that’s going to replay itself until school finance is done,” said State Representative J. M. Lozano, Republican of Kingsville, who graduated from Premont High in 1998. “More rural communities are going to go through the same thing because they just can’t pass those exams.”
Premont I.S.D. is one of just two Texas districts facing possible closing this year — the other is North Forest I.S.D in northeast Houston. Located in Jim Wells County, which has struggled with high teen birth and poverty rates, Premont is a primarily Hispanic town of 2,600 sandwiched between the relative hubs of Alice and Falfurrias on Highway 281. Only 32 percent of its ninth-graders passed state standardized tests in math in 2010. Since a mold infestation about two years ago, it has operated without high school science labs.Continue reading the main story
Premont’s troubles are typical of many rural school districts, where enrollment is dwindling and academic performance and finances are suffering.
By failing to trim costs and staff in the wake of declining enrollment — the district has lost about 25 percent of its student population since 2006 — it accumulated hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt.
After the town passed a tax increase in November to help fill the district’s coffers, the T.E.A. granted the district another year to meet a set of 11 conditions to avoid closing, including retiring a $400,000 line of credit, restoring the science labs and improving performance on state standardized tests and attendance rates, which had been below 90 percent.
New hope for survival prompted Superintendent Ernest Singleton in January to do something drastic to trim costs: suspend athletics.
The move captured national media attention. In January, in front of 4,000 other school leaders at an educators’ conference in Austin, Robert Scott, the state’s education commissioner, commended Mr. Singleton’s efforts to turn around the district.
But the local response was even more valuable. In March, neighboring school districts announced they would help raise the $100,000 that Premont I.S.D. needs for the labs. At least two corporations that do business in the area — Exxon Mobil and Jetta Operating Company — have contributed $20,000 each to the district, and Mr. Singleton said discussions with other potential donors are in the works. The bank that holds the $400,000 line of credit has agreed to give the district more time to repay the loan.
Premont I.S.D.’s future looks brighter now than it did in December. But Mr. Singleton said there is still much work to do to change the culture of poor academics and truancy. Through his home visits to students on days they missed school, he said, the district has been able to increase its average attendance rate to 92 percent. That is still below its goal of 96 percent, but it is a marked improvement over last year.
“It does help to feel more secure with your finances,” he said. “But bottom line, we could have $6 million in the bank, and if we don’t get that No. 1 mandate of our academic performance acceptable, I just don’t see any hope.”
Students’ behavior has changed, too, said Yvette Rodriguez, who has taught math at the high school for 15 years. At first many fought the administration’s stringent enforcement of rules on dress codes and tardiness, she said, but now, the great majority say, “We want to do this, we want to save our school.”
She was fearful when she first heard of the district’s predicament in July, but Ms. Rodriguez said she is now confident the students have the focus to improve their test scores.
“They are coming in clean-shaven, with haircuts,” she said. “They know we mean business.”
The newfound energy at the school has also brought hope to Premont residents like Terry Carlile, who sat drinking coffee one January afternoon in the Oasis restaurant. He recalled when the town was flush with wealth from the South Texas oil boom.
Back then, said Mr. Carlile, a 1959 Premont High graduate who retired after operating a service station and a tow-truck business, “we pretty much had everything we wanted.” Now he sees a town “at a standstill.” An elementary school built during that time is now abandoned, with graffiti-marked boards nailed over its broken windows.
Even though Mr. Carlile does not have school-age children, he supported the recent tax increase.
“To me, it’s kind of foolish if you are going to live here to not try and support and have a school even if it’s going to cost you more money,” he said.
For some state lawmakers, the struggles of rural districts also highlight how inequities in the way the state finances its schools appear in its accountability system.
When Representative Scott Hochberg, Democrat of Houston and vice chairman of the House Public Education Committee, heard of Premont’s plight, he requested information from the T.E.A. on the average amount of financing each district receives and its accountability ratings. He found that districts with the lowest accountability ratings received on average $1,000 less per student than those with the highest ratings. Among those least-financed districts, Premont I.S.D. ranks near the bottom in per-student dollars.
“We are asking them to do more with less than we are asking 900 other school districts to do and then getting upset when they don’t,” Mr. Hochberg said. “I think the people of Premont ought to be outraged with the state. They are clearly not getting their fair share of state resources.”
More than 400 school districts have joined two different lawsuits against the state addressing that inequity.
Premont I.S.D. has not signed on to a lawsuit. Mr. Singleton said that his sights are focused on the tasks at hand: keeping close track of finances, getting students to their classes and improving test scores.
That last objective, he said, is a testament to how important high-stakes testing has become in the accountability process.
“Everything we are shooting for is that our scores will go up in the testing,” he said. “I wish I was at a point where we could say we are doing everything to make great citizens and college-ready students.”Continue reading the main story


New Bern officials say cerws are working to clear culverts and storms drains in advance of Beryl and want homeowners to do the same.
The city has provided some tips for its residents:
-If you live near a storm drain, make sure it is clear of vegetative debris and litter.
-Clean out your gutters and downspouts. Proper drainage of these two can help carry water away from your home.
-Secure loose items around your home (or bring them inside) that could become projectiles and could damage homes, people, or animals. Additionally, projectiles and loose objects can become clogged in catch basin grates, storm drains and pipes.
-Report power outages and damages to City of New Bern Utilities Control at (252)636-4070.
Officials are also warning people not to drive on flooded roadways and not to let children play in floodwaters.
They also advise residents to pay close attention to warnings from emergency management officials if they recommend evacuations.


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Park Jin-young revealed the teaser image for his digital single.
On the 7th, the artists revealed the teaser image for his title track ‘Who’s Your Mother’ on his Twitter.
In the revealed photo, Park Jin-young is wearing marine blue suits to show off his manly yet sexy features and Jessi is showing off her muscular abs and slim leg figures to evoke fans’ curiosity. She is featuring the title track ‘Who’s Your Mother’.
Park Jin-young composed the songs and wrote lyrics as well and his song will be filled with his signature electronic soul. Making his first comeback in a year and seven months, Park Jin-young decided to pre-release two tracks due to the request of SBSwhich is earlier than his original plan of album release in summer.
Meanwhile, Park Jin-young will release the music video of ‘Who’s Your Mother’ on April 11 and have his comeback stage on the final show of SBSon April 12. The track will be available online after the show goes off the air.
By WIKIKPOP / Jennifer Lee

domain: celebrity


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By Planet RetailOctober 9, 2009
The European Investment Bank (EIB) in Luxembourg has approved a loan of €47m (£43.1m) to help Metro Group in Vietnam set up five cash and carries in Bien Hoa, Binh Duong, Nha Trang, Long Xuyen and Quy Nhon.
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Style 1445 Wedding Dress
Shipping Included Shipping & packaging provided by seller. Learn More
Pay with Credit Card, PayPal, or Affirm.
Sample from a designer or boutique, never used outside of the retail setting.
Slimming trumpet silhouette adorned with beadwork pattern design, highlighted by fine vertical threads cascading through the bodice, textured floral accents, flowing down along the skirt. Jeweled floral and leaf pedals wrap bodice with romantic detail.
Corset Lace-up back
Embroidered English netting
Embellished with beading/embroidery
Trumpet/Mermaid silhouette/Fit & Flare
Ivory / Ivory Silver
Bought this and one other dress for wedding -- I ended up wearing the other one and not this one due to the other one fitting me better.
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This item is Final Sale and may not be returned if you change your mind, or it doesn’t fit. Please check all item details before buying.See Return Policy
Get what you ordered, or your money back. Open a claim within 4 days of delivery. We’ll give you a full refund if the condition, style, or authenticity of this listing are misrepresented in any way.Learn More

domain: design