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- Flexible plastic packaging makes up more than a quarter (28%) of all packaging, according to an analysis by The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI) that looked at beverages, home care products, animal food, packaged food and personal care items.
- PET bottles were the second most common packaging at more than 17% of the global share. PET bottles and flexible plastic are lightweight, easily customizable and cheap to manufacture, the association wrote in its "2019 Global Packaging Trends" report.
- Flexible plastic was most commonly used in snack food packaging while PET bottles were used for drinks. PMMI expects both packaging types to grow by tens of billions of units by 2023, the report notes.
Getting packaging right is an important part of a supply chain operation, especially in food where waste means lost sales. The right packaging can increase shelf life and protect the product.
Ideal packaging would limit food and packaging waste, but food waste is often given priority in this equation, according to a 2015 paper on food packaging by a group of Australian researchers.
"Product protection needs to be the primary goal for packaging sustainability, and sometimes, this requires trade-offs between the amount of packaging and the amount of food waste generated," the paper notes.
There are more sustainable alternatives to existing packaging types. Using plastic bags instead of PET bottles for milk uses less material. But more sustainable options often face barriers to adoption at the food producer and retail level where operations are setup to handle existing packaging, according to "Barriers to the adoption of waste-reducing eco-innovations in the packaged food sector," a paper published last year in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
Producers and retailers worry about the cost and risk associated with adopting newer technologies, according to the paper by lead author Christopher Simms, a business professor at the University of Portsmouth.
Producers and packaging suppliers won't provide environmental-friendly packaging if retailers don't think they'll sell. So retailers have a significant amount of power in this debate, Simms wrote.
"Retailer’s represent a key supply chain actor in stimulating eco-innovation," the paper reads. "Yet, our cases reveal little emphasis on sustainability within their decision-making. Interventions must therefore take account of each supply chain level, and how they will influence adoption behavior in the food industry."
Simms and his coauthors concluded government and NGOs could help industry adoption of sustainable packaging by providing better eduction to consumers, however, there are signs that consumers already want a move away for package-laden products.
A 2019 survey by Ipsos, a global market research and a consulting firm, found that 75% of consumers want to buy products with as little packaging as possible. Some took it even further with 71% believing single-use plastic should be banned as soon as possible. The U.S. has one of the lowest levels of approval for the question of banning single-use plastics, but it was still a majority (57%) of respondents.
This sentiment is growing at a time when plastic for packaging accounts for the largest segment of plastic production — 36% in 2015 according to one study.
But, just this year, Coca Cola's Head of Sustainability Bea Perez said the company doesn't plan to get rid of plastic bottles because customers like them and getting rid of them could hurt business. Convincing companies to make the switch might be more difficult than presenting alternatives.
This story was first published in our weekly newsletter, Supply Chain Dive: Operations. Sign up here.

domain: food


text:
Democracy in America (Reeve)/Part 2/Book 3/Chapter 05
HOW DEMOCRACY AFFECTS THE RELATION OF MASTERS AND SERVANTS.
An American who had travelled for a long time in Europe once said to me, “The English treat their servants with a stiffness and imperiousness of manner which surprise us; but on the other hand the French sometimes treat their attendants with a degree of familiarity or of politeness which we cannot conceive. It looks as if they were afraid to give orders: the posture of the superior and the inferior is ill-maintained.”—The remark was a just one, and I have often made it myself. I have always considered England as the country in the world where, in our time, the bond of domestic service is drawn most tightly, and France as the country where it is most relaxed. Nowhere have I seen masters stand so high or so low as in these two countries. Between these two extremes the Americans are to be placed. Such is the fact as it appears upon the surface of things: to discover the causes of that fact, it is necessary to search the matter thoroughly.
No communities have ever yet existed in which social conditions have been so equal that there were neither rich nor poor, and consequently neither masters nor servants. Democracy does not prevent the existence of these two classes, but it changes their dispositions, and modifies their mutual relations.
Among aristocratic nations servants form a distinct class, not more variously composed than that of masters. A settled order is soon established; in the former as well as in the latter class a scale is formed, with numerous distinctions or marked gradations of rank, and generations succeed each other thus without any change of position. These two communities are superposed one above the other, always distinct, but regulated by analogous principles. This aristocratic constitution does not exert a less powerful influence on the notions and manners of servants than on those of masters; and, although the effects are different, the same cause may easily be traced.
Both classes constitute small communities in the heart of the nation, and certain permanent notions of right and wrong are ultimately engendered among them. The different acts of human life are viewed by one particular and unchanging light. In the society of servants as in that of masters, men exercise a great influence over each other; they acknowledge settled rules, and in the absence of law they are guided by a sort of public opinion; their habits are settled, and their conduct is placed under a certain control.
These men, whose destiny it is to obey, certainly do not understand fame, virtue, honesty, and honour in the same manner as their masters; but they have a pride, a virtue, and an honesty pertaining to their condition; and they have a notion, if I may use the expression, of a sort of servile honour. Because a class is mean, it must not be supposed that all who belong to it are mean-hearted; to think so would be a great mistake. However lowly it may be, he who is foremost there, and who has no notion of quitting it, occupies an aristocratic position which inspires him with lofty feelings, pride, and self-respect, that fit him for the higher virtues and actions above the common.
Among aristocratic nations it was by no means rare to find men of noble and vigorous minds in the service of the great, who felt not the servitude they bore, and who submitted to the will of their masters without any fear of their displeasure.
But this was hardly ever the case among the inferior ranks of domestic servants. It may be imagined that he who occupies the lowest stage of the order of menials stands very low indeed. The French created a word on purpose to designate the servants of the aristocracy—they called them ‘lacqueys.’ This word lacquey served as the strongest expression, when all others were exhausted, to designate human meanness. Under the old French monarchy, to denote by a single expression a low-spirited contemptible fellow, it was usual to say that he had the soul of a lacquey; the term was enough to convey all that was intended.
The permanent inequality of conditions not only gives servants certain peculiar virtues and vices, but it places them in a peculiar relation with respect to their masters. Among aristocratic nations the poor man is familiarized from his childhood with the notion of being commanded; to whichever side he turns his eyes the graduated structure of society and the aspect of obedience meet his view. Hence in those countries the master readily obtains prompt, complete, respectful, and easy obedience from his servants, because they revere in him not only their master but the class of masters. He weighs down their will by the whole weight of the aristocracy. He orders their actions—to a certain extent he even directs their thoughts. In aristocracies the master often exercises, even without being aware of it, an amazing sway over the opinions, the habits and the manners of those who obey him, and his influence extends even further than his authority.
In aristocratic communities, there are not only hereditary families of servants as well as of masters, but the same families of servants adhere for several generations to the same families of masters (like two parallel lines which neither meet nor separate); and this considerably modifies the mutual relations of these two classes of persons. Thus, although in aristocratic society the master and servant have no natural resemblance—although, on the contrary, they are placed at an immense distance on the scale of human beings by their fortune, education, and opinions—yet time ultimately binds them together. They are connected by a long series of common reminiscences, and however different they may be, they grow alike; while in democracies, where they are naturally almost alike, they always remain strangers to each other. Among an aristocratic people the master gets to look upon his servants as an inferior and secondary part of himself, and he often takes an interest in their lot by a last stretch of egotism.
Servants, on their part, are not averse to regard themselves in the same light; and they sometimes identify themselves with the person of the master, so that they become an appendage to him in their own eyes as well as in his. In aristocracies a servant fills a subordinate position which he cannot get out of; above him is another man, holding a superior rank which he cannot lose. On one side are obscurity, poverty, obedience for life; on the other and also for life, fame, wealth, and command. The two conditions are always distinct and always in propinquity; the tie that connects them is as lasting as they are themselves.
In this predicament the servant ultimately detaches his notion of interest from his own person; he deserts himself as it were, or rather he transports himself into the character of his master, and thus assumes an imaginary personality. He complacently invests himself with the wealth of those who command him; he shares their fame, exalts himself by their rank, and feeds his mind with borrowed greatness, to which he attaches more importance than those who fully and really possess it. There is something touching, and at the same time ridiculous, in this strange confusion of two different states of being. These passions of masters, when they pass into the souls of menials, assume the natural dimensions of the place they occupy—they are contracted and lowered. What was pride in the former becomes puerile vanity and paltry ostentation in the latter. The servants of a great man are commonly most punctilious as to the marks of respect due to him, and they attach more importance to his slightest privileges than he does himself. In France a few of these old servants of the aristocracy are still to be met with here and there; they have survived their race, which will soon disappear with them altogether.
In the United States I never saw any one at all like them. The Americans are not only unacquainted with the kind of man, but it is hardly possible to make them understand that such ever existed. It is scarcely less difficult for them to conceive it, than for us to form a correct notion of what a slave was among the Romans, or a serf in the middle ages. All these men were in fact, though in different degrees, results of the same cause: they are all retiring from our sight, and disappearing in the obscurity of the past, together with the social condition to which they owed their origin.
Equality of conditions turns servants and masters into new beings, and places them in new relative positions. When social conditions are nearly equal, men are constantly changing their situations in life: there is still a class of menials and a class of masters, but these classes are not always composed of the same individuals, still less of the same families; and those who command are not more secure of perpetuity than those who obey. As servants do not form a separate people, they have no habits, prejudices or manners peculiar to themselves: they are not remarkable for any particular turn of mind or moods of feeling. They know no vices or virtues of their condition, but they partake of the education, the opinions, the feelings, the virtues and the vices of their contemporaries; and they are honest men or scoundrels in the same way as their masters are.
The conditions of servants are not less equal than those of masters. As no marked ranks or fixed subordination are to be found among them, they will not display either the meanness or the greatness which characterize the aristocracy of menials as well as all other aristocracies. I never saw a man in the United States who reminded me of that class of confidential servants of which we still retain a reminiscence in Europe, neither did I ever meet with such a thing as a lacquey: all traces of the one and of the other have disappeared.
In democracies servants are not only equal among themselves, but it may be said that they are in some sort the equals of their masters. This requires explanation in order to be rightly understood. At any moment a servant may become a master, and he aspires to rise to that condition: the servant is therefore not a different man from the master. Why then has the former a right to command, and what compels the latter to obey?—the free and temporary consent of both their wills. Neither of them is by nature inferior to the other; they only become so for a time by covenant. Within the terms of this covenant, the one is a servant, the other a master; beyond it they are two citizens of the commonwealth—two men.
I beg the reader particularly to observe that this is not only the notion which servants themselves entertain of their own condition; domestic service is looked upon by masters in the same light; and the precise limits of authority and obedience are as clearly settled in the mind of the one as in that of the other.
When the greater part of the community have long attained a condition nearly alike, and when equality is an old and acknowledged fact, the public mind, which is never affected by exceptions, assigns certain general limits to the value of man, above or below which no man can long remain placed. It is in vain that wealth and poverty, authority and obedience, accidentally interpose great distances between two men; public opinion, founded upon the usual order of things, draws them to a common level, and creates a species of imaginary equality between them, in spite of the real inequality of their conditions. This all-powerful opinion penetrates at length even into the hearts of those, whose interest might arm them to resist it; it affects their judgement, while it subdues their will.
In their inmost convictions the master and the servant no longer perceive any deep-seated difference between them, and they neither hope nor fear to meet with any such at any time. They are therefore neither subject to disdain nor to anger, and they discern in each other neither humility nor pride. The master holds the contract of service to be the only source of his power, and the servant regards it as the only cause of his obedience. They do not quarrel about their reciprocal situations, but each knows his own and keeps it.
In the French army the common soldier is taken from nearly the same classes as the officer, and may hold the same commissions; out of the ranks he considers himself entirely equal to his military superiors, and in point of fact he is so; but when under arms he does not hesitate to obey, and his obedience is not the less prompt, precise, and ready, for being voluntary and defined. This example may give a notion of what takes place between masters and servants in democratic communities.
It would be preposterous to suppose that those warm and deep-seated affections, which are sometimes kindled in the domestic service of aristocracy, will ever spring up between these two men, or that they will exhibit strong instances of self-sacrifice. In aristocracies masters and servants live apart, and frequently their only intercourse is through a third person: yet they commonly stand firmly by one another. In democratic countries the master and the servant are close together: they are in daily personal contact, but their minds do not intermingle; they have common occupations, hardly ever common interests.
Among such a people the servant always considers himself as a sojourner in the dwelling of his masters. He knew nothing of their forefathers—he will see nothing of their descendants—he has nothing lasting to expect from their hand. Why then should he confound his life with theirs, and whence should so strange a surrender of himself proceed? The reciprocal position of the two men is changed—their mutual relations must be so too.
I would fain illustrate all these reflections by the example of the Americans; but for this purpose the distinctions of persons and places must be accurately traced.
In the south of the Union, slavery exists; all that I have just said is consequently inapplicable there. In the north, the majority of servants are either freed-men or the children of freed-men: these persons occupy a contested position in the public estimation; by the laws they are brought up to the level of their masters—by the manners of the country they are obstinately detruded from it. They do not themselves clearly know their proper place, and they are almost always either insolent or craven.
But in the northern States, especially in New England, there are a certain number of whites, who agree, for wages, to yield a temporary obedience to the will of their fellow-citizens. I have heard that these servants commonly perform the duties of their situation with punctuality and intelligence; and that, without thinking themselves naturally inferior to the person who orders them, they submit without reluctance to obey him.
They appeared to me to carry into service some of those manly habits which independence and equality engender. Having once selected a hard way of life, they do not seek to escape from it by indirect means; and they have sufficient respect for themselves, not to refuse to their masters that obedience which they have freely promised.
On their part, masters require nothing of their servants but the faithful and rigorous performance of the covenant: they do not ask for marks of respect, they do not claim their love or devoted attachment; it is enough that, as servants, they are exact and honest.
It would not then be true to assert, that, in democratic society, the relation of servants and masters is disorganized: it is organized on another footing; the rule is different, but there is a rule.
It is not my purpose to inquire whether the new state of things which I have just described is inferior to that which preceded it, or simply different. Enough for me that it is fixed and determined; for what is most important to meet with among men is not any given ordering, but order.
But what shall I say of those sad and troubled times at which equality is established in the midst of the tumult of revolution—when democracy, after having been introduced into the state of society, still struggles with difficulty against the prejudices and manners of the country? The laws, and partially public opinion, already declare that no natural or permanent inferiority exists between the servant and the master. But this new belief has not yet reached the innermost convictions of the latter, or rather his heart rejects it: in the secret persuasion of his mind the master thinks that he belongs to a peculiar and superior race; he dares not say so, but he shudders while he allows himself to be dragged to the same level. His authority over his servants becomes timid and at the same time harsh: he has already ceased to entertain for them the feelings of patronizing kindness which long uncontested power always engenders, and he is surprised that, being changed himself, his servant changes also. He wants his attendants to form regular and permanent habits, in a condition of domestic service which is only temporary; he requires that they should appear contented with and proud of a servile condition, which they will one day shake off—that they should sacrifice themselves to a man who can neither protect nor ruin them—and in short that they should contract an indissoluble engagement to a being like themselves, and one who will last no longer than they will.
Among aristocratic nations it often happens that the condition of domestic service does not degrade the character of those who enter upon it, because they neither know nor imagine any other; and the amazing inequality which is manifest between them and their master appears to be the necessary and unavoidable consequence of some hidden law of Providence.
In democracies the condition of domestic service does not degrade the character of those who enter upon it, because it is freely chosen, and adopted for a time only; because it is not stigmatized by public opinion, and creates no permanent inequality between the servant and the master.
But, while the transition from one social condition to another is going on, there is almost always a time when men's minds fluctuate between the aristocratic notion of subjection and the democratic notion of obedience. Obedience then loses its moral importance in the eyes of him who obeys; he no longer considers it as a species of divine obligation, and he does not yet view it under its purely human aspect: it has to him no character of sanctity or of justice, and he submits to it as to a degrading but profitable condition.
At that moment a confused and imperfect phantom of equality haunts the minds of servants; they do not at once perceive whether the equality to which they are entitled is to be found within or without the pale of domestic service; and they rebel in their hearts against a subordination to which they have subjected themselves, and from which they derive actual profit. They consent to serve, and they blush to obey: they like the advantages of service, but not the master; or rather, they are not sure that they ought not themselves to be masters, and they are inclined to consider him who orders them as an unjust usurper of their own rights.
Then it is that the dwelling of every citizen offers a spectacle somewhat analogous to the gloomy aspect of political society. A secret and intestine warfare is going on there between powers, ever rivals and suspicious of one another: the master is ill-natured and weak, the servant ill-natured and intractable; the one constantly attempts to evade by unfair restrictions his obligation to protect and to remunerate—the other his obligation to obey. The reins of domestic government dangle between them, to be snatched at by one or the other.
The lines which divide authority from oppression, liberty from license, and right from might, are to their eyes so jumbled together and confused, that no one knows exactly what he is, or what he may be, or what he ought to be. Such a condition is not democracy, but revolution.
- If the principal opinions by which men are guided are examined closely and in detail, the analogy appears still more striking, and one is surprised to find among them, just as much as among the haughtiest scions of a feudal race, pride of birth, respect for their ancestry and their descendants, disdain of their inferiors, a dread of contact, a taste for etiouette, precedents, and antiquity.

domain: literature


Group trying to call attention to Coosa River pollution issues
Published: Friday, March 18, 2011 at 10:05 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, March 18, 2011 at 10:06 p.m.
The environmental group Coosa Riverkeeper will be paddling the Coosa River from Gadsden to Wetumpka to spotlight environmental issues the river faces.
Frank Chitwood, a staff member with the newly formed nonprofit group, said he and two friends will make the 160-mile trip called “Paddle for the Coosa” over the next two weeks.
While on the trip, he plans to document pollution and environmental issues on the river for followup.
Chitwood said the group will be putting in at Tidmore Bend this morning and plans to arrive April 2 at Wetumpka.
He said another purpose of the trip is to get people out on the Coosa to help increase appreciation of the river.
Coosa Riverkeeper is affiliated with Waterkeeper Alliance, an international group dedicated to river and water environmental issues and protecting local watersheds.
Chitwood said the Coosa River has been named as one of the 10 most endangered rivers in the country by American Rivers, a conservation group.
After the canoe trip, he said, he plans to investigate reports of pollution on the Coosa River and in creeks and streams flowing into the river, and follow up with state and federal agencies.
“We’re not here to point out pollution to people,” he said. “We’re here to point out solutions for pollution.”
Chitwood said he also plans to respond to specific reports of pollution Coosa Riverkeeper might receive from area residents.
“We’re here to let polluters know they are being watched,” he said.
Chitwood will be posting updates about the trip on the group’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/riverkeeper.
Those wishing to report environmental or pollution issues concerning the Coosa River are asked to contact the organization’s office in Riverside at 205-216-1544 or by email at email@example.com.
The Coosa River is part of the Alabama Scenic River Trails that run from Little River Canyon to Mobile.
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text:
Jeremy Mincey won't play vs. Texans
Mincey has 13 tackles and two sacks in seven games this season. He missed three games in October with a concussion. The sixth-year pro from the University of Florida had a sack against Arizona last week.
Mincey's absence likely means first-year player Ryan Davis, who spent the first nine games on the practice squad before being active last week, will receive more playing time Sunday against the Houston Texans.
MORE NFL HEADLINES
- Panthers officially cut ties with receiver Smith
- Eagles acquire Sproles for 5th-round pick
- Sources: Revis, Pats agree to 1-year deal
- Jets agree with WR Decker to bolster offense
MOST SENT STORIES ON ESPN.COM
THE NFL ON ESPN.COM
- Rico NFL Jacksonville Jaguars Deluxe Grill Cover

domain: news


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For those of you not familiar with Wattpad, this is an example of how this platform helped one writer share her story with the world.
Last spring, 25 year old Anna Todd used Wattpad to begin sharing her love story, After. She would return and add more to the story as it developed, eventually ending with a tale that spread over 2500 pages! Not only has it been viewed over a billion times, it is now available in print too.
After began as a hobby and was written completely on Anna's phone. Now it is being turned into a four book series and is being adapted for big screen too. The story is about two main characters, Tessa and Hardin. Anna used her love of One Direction, and their singer Harry Styles to inspire Hardins' character in the story.
Using Wattpad turned out to be just the right move for Todd. Connecting over 40 millions readers and writers around the world, Wattpad provided just the platform needed to jump start this book into orbit. It has received over 6 million comments so far and the print edition can be found in 26 different countries!
Wattpad allows you to read tons of free stories via phone, tablet or computer. You can store a library for offline access and use the social aspect of the site to connect with others who enjoy reading, writing and offering comments and suggestions. Anyone can share their stories free, and it even offers benefits for beginners. With stories in over 50 languages, and new content added by the minute, there is always something new and fresh to explore.
After can be found at Barnes & Noble or for E-reader
*I participated in the After by Anna Todd blog program as a member of One2One Network. I received compensation but all opinions are my own.

domain: library


text:
Prince William and Kate Middleton have been ruling over fans’ hearts since they extended their support to the volunteers of a suicide prevention charity amid Northern Ireland tour.
The Prince and Princess of Wales recently visited a food market in Belfast to great the locals, gathered to shower love over the couple.
Taking to Instagram, the official Kensington Royal account posted a series of praise-worthy videos and photos of the couple interacting with the well-wishers.
Reacting to a video, an Instagram user wrote: “I love that you’re connecting to a younger crowd! Such a great video.”
The couple garnered praise for their advocacy on mental health awareness as they meet volunteers of the Suicide Prevention charity PIPS.
The Prince and Princess of Wales talked to staff at the charity about their efforts in raising not only preventing suicide but also a rise in those seeking help following the coronavirus pandemic.
The organisation set up an art therapy session in which the couple took part and painted pumpkins alongside vulnerable children.
Reacting to the posts, one user wrote: “Thank you for visiting Northern Ireland…come back soon, you’re always welcome here in this part of the UK”.
“We love you. We can be Irish and British at the same time,” said another.


The Chinese-owned Swedish auto maker soon will announce which vehicles it will manufacture and sell in China, and says by 2013 its new generation of engines will come to market, potentially including a diesel for the U.S....More
BMW and Ford each have two stout turbo-6s in the hunt this year, while Infiniti has one. All five are smooth, extremely refined, reasonably fuel-efficient and dishing up loads of horsepower and torque....More
We call out vehicles with problematic fit-and-finish, materials, ergonomics or unfortunate design choices. Each of these items resulted in points deducted as WardsAuto editors selected the 2016 Wards 10 Best Interiors.


Vladimir Putin: Good morning, dear comrades and friends,
It has been fifteen years since the last battalion of the Soviet Army was withdrawn from Afghanistan, but the Afghan war will continue to engage the minds of historians, politicians, civil society and the military. And those who fought in the war or lost their relatives, husbands and children in that war will remember it forever.
More than half a million Soviet officers and men fought in the Afghan war. We have no right to forget that they went to fight that war in accordance with their military oath. Thousands of servicemen gave their lives fulfilling their military duty. We have no right to forget about it.
The war in Afghanistan reflected all the contradictions and the complexities of that era. It was a truly “hot” part of the prolonged Cold War. But when the decision was taken to deploy troops, nobody gave a thought to the economic problems of one of the world’s poorest countries. Likewise, the decision-makers ignored the fact that the ethnic and tribal contradictions in Afghanistan had reached such a pitch that the country was on the brink of a civil war.
Yes, the Soviet leadership of the time did not decide to move troops into Afghanistan overnight. The situation in the country was regularly discussed in the Politburo and the General Staff. And pleas for military assistance kept coming from Afghanistan. As a result, the decision was taken in December 1979.
Of course, one of the motives was the wish of the Soviet Government to secure our southern borders. Afghanistan was an extremely volatile and unpredictable neighbour. And we see what is happening there today.
I must say that the Soviet military commanders – and I would like to stress that they were military men – were against the operation, citing the difficulty of conducting military operations on that particular terrain. This is attested to by the documents and the testimony of the veterans who were engaged in these processes.
But the superpowers and their allies had been engaged in a global confrontation for decades, and they proceeded in accordance with the logic of confrontation and their own vision of their geopolitical interests of the time.
The US was guided by the same considerations before it invaded Vietnam. The Soviet leadership also proceeded from its vision of the geopolitical interests of the Soviet Union at that time.
However, whatever the rights and wrongs of that decision were, the outcome is evident. The Soviet Union had become embroiled in a futile war, a war that lasted almost 10 years.
And today we are duty-bound to analyse and draw lessons from the Afghan war and face the truth.
The Afghan war proved that no one has the right to interfere in the life of another country and neither communism, nor democracy, nor a market economy can be imposed by force. It is impossible to bring all this on the armour of tanks or justify it by any ideological arguments. It is a serious lesson not only for the superpowers, but for the entire international community.
It must also be recognised that the Afghan war contributed to the growth of international terrorism. To this day the world community has to discuss and coordinate positions and contribute to restoring order in that long-suffering country and seek to ensure conditions for its peaceful and economically sound development.
The Afghan war stretched human endurance to its limit. Our Afghan veterans know and remember it. They had their full share of the hardship, grief, despair and adversity. They were fighting in a strange country while our own people knew practically nothing about the causes of that war or its goals or even about the courage and exploits of our soldiers. Indeed, many of those who returned from that war sometimes met with misunderstanding, indifference and even disapproval at home. And of course they wondered why.
The truth is that few people showed concern for the ruined lives of our Afghan veterans, their wounds and their mental torment. More often than not, they had to fend for themselves while political leaders had other concerns.
But addressing you, I would like to say that you have managed not only to preserve the bonds of your military brotherhood, you have strengthened them in civilian life. You have managed to overcome the physical and moral traumas mainly by sticking together and supporting each other. It has to be admitted that you relied more on mutual support than on help from the Government. You have managed to preserve the links with your comrades in the CIS countries who I am sure are commemorating this date.
And finally you have managed to prove that what unites you is not only the shared joys of victories or the grief of losses and defeats, but the ability to work and to help each other.
In conclusion, I would like to sincerely thank all those who fought in the Afghan war, all those who have not succumbed, all those who have managed to return to civilian life.
Today, Russia needs people who can stand up to adversity and meet challenges.
I wish all those present, all those who fought in the Afghan war, all those who have withstood the test of that war and your families good health, success and prosperity.
All the best to you.


E-books have ushered in an era of self-publishing and sowed uncertainties over the survival of brick-and-mortar libraries and businesses.
I was raised on lead, ink and paper, so you can guess which side I stand on.
Digital publishing offers many advantages. For budding writers, self-publishing in the electronic format is now so much easier.
For readers, it has spelled many conveniences. Many titles, both print and electronic, can be searched and accessed more easily. E-tailers like Amazon.com have also been improving their book recommendations through data mining, great for people who follow only certain authors or genres.
But such operational excellence should not be confused with print becoming obsolete.
The Association of American Publishers, which collects data from nearly 1,200 publishers, revealed that e-book sales had fallen for the first time - by 10 per cent in the first five months of last year.
After sales soared from 2008 to 2010, e-books consistently accounted for around 20 per cent of the overall market over the next four years. A whopping 80 per cent of book sales are still from print.
If this is not an indication that there is room for both print and e-books, then digest this: Last week, Amazon.com, which has its own line of e-readers for its digital inventory, announced plans to open as many as 400 walk-in bookstores in the United States.
I am convinced that even children born in the digital age can grow up appreciating the smell and feel of paper.
I have taken the extreme measure not to expose my six-year-old daughter Ollie to e-books - simply because I find it too strenuous to read from a screen. I am also convinced by medical reports that the blue light emitted by electronic devices can wreck her sleep.
The terrific job done by our public libraries has also helped my cause. Whenever we visit the library, Ollie always has a wide variety of new books with crispy pages to leaf through.
We can spend hours in the library if not for the crowd, which can get unruly when children strew books all over or treat the library as a playground.
I do a lot of sourcing myself and fill Ollie's little reading corner in her room with colourful, illustrated books.
We also buy paperbacks, but only when there are drawings from the likes of British illustrators Tony Ross and Quentin Blake.
Well-illustrated children's books are not easily available in Singapore. You can imagine the long shopping list my husband gets when he goes to Britain or the United States for a business trip. His haul is limited only by the space in his luggage.
From fishing the books out of the luggage to wrapping and browsing them, the whole experience is an adventure for Ollie. After unloading the haul, she can be left alone for hours as she scans all the pages for interesting drawings or titles.
We teach her to respect books at a young age. Even books borrowed from the library must be treated with care. Books give us knowledge, I always tell her.
And the day is not done until we have devoured a few chapters. When the lights are out, we make sure her books are back neatly on her bookshelf.
Hopefully, these memories will bring a sense of nostalgia for paper even when she swipes and pinches on a screen for a good read in future.
This article was first published on February 10, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.


How Bill Barr's 'clean-up exercise' to save his reputation reveals he's far more corrupt than anyone realized: columnist
Former Attorney General William Barr is attempting to resuscitate his image after two years of using the Justice Department as a partisan defense agency for former President Donald Trump. In a new interview with reporter Jonathan Karl, Barr claimed he always knew Trump's election conspiracy theories were "bullsh*t" and that then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) begged him to help push back on them.
But on Monday, writing for The Washington Post's "The Plum Line," columnist Greg Sargent argued that far from exonerating him, Barr's new revelations show the depths of his corruption.
"Having gone to extraordinary lengths to help Donald Trump corrupt the presidency, William P. Barr is working overtime to launder his post-Trump reputation," wrote Sargent. "But the former attorney general's latest clean-up exercise may end up showing that the stain of his corruption is even darker than we thought — in a way that soils other Republicans as well."
The problem is that at the same time Barr was allegedly standing up to Trump's attacks on the election, he also made a major policy change at the Justice Department, authorizing U.S. Attorneys to investigate election fraud — and throwing fuel on the fire even as he allegedly knew there was nothing to Trump's "big lie."
"Barr is unintentionally admitting that he ordered a highly controversial change in department policy — one designed to insulate the department from getting drawn into disputes over election outcomes — even though he had already concluded there was no basis to the election fraud claims," wrote Sargent. "The least charitable interpretation here is that Barr ordered the shift to sustain Trump's narrative of a fraudulent election ... The more charitable interpretation is that Barr greenlighted election fraud investigations merely to arm himself to contest Trump's pressure to demonstrate that his loss was illegitimate. But even if so, the shift was still made to placate Trump."
Barr's telling of these events is also damning for McConnell, wrote Sargent: "Barr told Karl that McConnell had privately urged him to go public all along with the truth about fake election fraud. McConnell didn't want to publicly take on Trump, fearing it would imperil GOP chances in the Georgia runoffs ... But here again, it's even worse than this. Recall that both GOP candidates in Georgia endorsed that Texas lawsuit to overturn the results based on fictions, and both supported GOP efforts to invalidate President Biden's electors in Congress. There is little chance this wasn't done in consultation with McConnell, to keep Trump voters engaged."
Ultimately, concluded Sargent, everything Barr said "strengthens the case for a fuller fumigation of Trump's effort to subvert the election — and his bone deep corruption of the government to help him do it."
You can read more here.
- Bill Barr squirms and dodges as Rep. Neguse calls out his repeated ... ›
- Revealed: Mitch McConnell begged Bill Barr to 'inject some reality ... ›
- 'You must hate Trump': Bill Barr breaks his silence about the 2020 ... ›


text:
Tent Ridge is one of our favorite hikes in the Kananaskis area! It’s an 11km loop trail that is both challenging for beginner hikers and difficult enough for those with more experience. This hike has it all, from ridge walks and forest trails to scrambling up rocks and sliding down snow. Check out the video of our Tent Ridge Adventure here!
Check out the ONLINE VERSION of our Tent Ridge Adventure Guide or click the button below for a downloadable PDF.
Hiking Tent Ridge – Adventure Statistics
Time Required: 4-5 Hours
Location: 100km west of Calgary
Distance: 11km round trip
Highest Elevation: 2540m
Elevation Gain: 615m
Difficulty: 7/10 – Scrambling in areas, snow most of the year.
Season: June to October
Additional Requirements: Snowshoes potentially

domain: geography


text:
Engineering Mathematics – III by Dr. M. Y. Gokhale, Dr. N. S. Mujumdar, S. S. Kulkarni, A. N. Singh, K. R. Atal
Our text books on Engineering Mathematics-III have occupied place of pride among engineering student's community for more than twenty years now.
All the teachers of this group of authors have been teaching mathematics in engineering colleges for the past several years. Difficulties of engineering students are well understood by the authors and that is reflected in the text material.
As per the policy of the University, Engineering Syllabi is revised every five years. Last revision was in the year 2012. New revision is coming little earlier, as university has introduced Online System of Examination from year 2012.
|Audience of the Book :|
|This book Useful for Engineering students.|
|Table of Contents:|
1.Linear Differential Equations with Constant Coefficients
2.Simultaneous Linear Differential Equations, Symmetrical Simultaneous D.E. and Applications of Differential Equations
5.Interpolation, Numerical Differentiation and Integration
6.Numerical Solution of Ordinary Differential Equations
7.Vector Algebra 8.Vector Differentiation
10.Applications of Vectors to Electromagnetic Fields
12.Complex Integration and Conformal Mapping


UPDATE: Southern rail strikes called off
Strikes by Southern Railway workers on Thursday and Friday have been called off to allow fresh talks in the bitter row over the role of conductors.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) walked out on Monday and were due to stay out until the weekend.
Following an offer from the RMT to suspend the action if Southern returned to talks without any preconditions, Acas announced that the strike will be suspended.
A spokesman for the conciliation service said: “Southern and the RMT are returning to talks tomorrow under the auspices of Acas. Strike action has been suspended for Thursday and Friday.”
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union are taking industrial action for the third consecutive day and had been due to stay out until the weekend.
Hundreds of thousands of rail passengers are suffering disruption because of the strike, with hundreds of trains cancelled and some stations having no services at all.
Easrlier today RMT general secretary Mick Cash said Southern’s owners Govia Thameslink Railway had set out a series of pre-conditions in a letter to the union.
“The company knows that prescriptive pre-conditions would not allow genuine talks to take place.
“In an effort to break the deadlock and get the talks process moving RMT is prepared to suspend strike action set for Thursday and Friday if Southern agree to urgent talks without pre-conditions.
“The ball is now in their court,” he said.
The union has staged a protest outside the Transport Department in London, accusing the Government of “sabotaging “ attempts to reach a deal.
A Southern spokesman said: “We have made the RMT a fair and comprehensive eight-point offer, and we’ll meet them any time, any place, anywhere to talk about our offer on our network to settle this dispute.
“This strike has to stop and has to stop now.”


text:
In 2005, anyone paying a visit to the General Post Office (GPO) in January, would have been tempted to turn the crank that mysteriously appeared one day in front of Kabutarkhana chowk. When turned, the crank operated a string of lights 2,000ft long that ran through the entire square, silhouetting the turrets of the
gothic GPO, turning on lights in people’s flats, and jetting up and over across trees, and around windows. At night, the light show, called GPS (for Glow Positioning System) became something of an outdoor spectacle, with pedestrians, post office employees and street kids jostling each other for a chance to play master of ceremonies.
Daytime view of GPO chowk with panorama outlines. Credit: Courtesy of Thomas Erben Gallery, New York
Ashok Sukumaran, the soft-spoken artist responsible for the project, had for those few days achieved the unthinkable: the undivided wonder of some of Mumbai’s masses. Sukumaran, born in Japan, but brought up in Shimla, and trained as an architect, has somewhat of a penchant for public work projects that involve lights and people. In one project he ran a string of fairy light between road lamps, in another he had a street vendor “leech” off the electricity from a nearby apartment building (when the vendor turned on his one dangling light bulb, the lights in a flat would go off). In House he hung a switch from a tree, along with a sheet of instructions that informed curious bystanders that it operated the lights of 23 Surya Kiran, the apartment of Sukumaran and his artist wife Shaina Anand, who when signalled by the light, would come to the window and wave to the “pusher”.
Entertaining though the experiments are, Sukumaran insists that they have a point. “If you’re an artist and you’re autonomous, how do you work? How do you do public art?” Sukumaran asks. (Answer: get public funding. Which is what Sukumaran did, partly from the India Foundation for the Arts).
Secondly, “the history of electricity is also the history of insulation–the wires are insulated by plastic but also in the broader sense that electric systems are designed to prevent people not paying the bill to get to them,” he says. “So, you’re a slave to all these systems.”
Sukumaran, who insists he isn’t a new media artist (electricity is a 100-year-old medium he points out), has also launched an archiving project called Pad.ma, that is an online repository of donated cuts of footage that never made it to the public domain. With 120 hours already in the bank, Sukumaran hopes to launch the project next year, and in the spirit of artistic collegiality, will make the footage free and available to anyone who wants it.
Videos of works by Ashok Sukumaran will be shown at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai on 25 September at 6.30pm

domain: artistic


text:
Carla Frege, Felipe Lopez-Hilfiker, Liang Zhu, Ben Bensaoula
TOFWERK, Thun, Switzerland
Semiconductor manufacturing often involves hundreds of processes that do not occur in a continuous sequence. Between steps, wafers are transported and stored in specialized plastic enclosures called Front Opening Unified Pods (FOUPs). Certain defects in wafers have been related to increases in the time between processes (“queue times”) and to the interaction of wafers with compounds that outgas from the surfaces inside the FOUPs . Precise and sensitive measurement of the outgassing compounds could guide process adjustments to decrease defects related to queue time and optimize the cleaning process of individual FOUPs prior to loading with new batches of wafers. More importantly, such measurements could inform development of next generation of FOUPs using novel polymeric materials and new surface treatment procedures . This work presents use of a TOFWERK Vocus chemical ionization mass spectrometer for continuous monitoring of FOUP outgassing after a process that simulated standard cleaning procedures.
Outgassing from a FOUP (~50 liters) was monitored using a Vocus CI-TOF mass spectrometer with an Aim Reactor using iodide and protonated ethanol dimers as reagent ions (Figure 1). The Vocus CI-TOF directly samples air and instantaneously reports the concentrations of trace organic and inorganic compounds in the air
Experiments were conducted by spraying two solutions into the FOUP, one containing molecular acids (MA) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and the other containing molecular bases (MB). After spraying the solution the FOUP was flushed with nitrogen to simulate the cleaning process. The equivalent mass deposited into the FOUP from the solution ranged between 0.15 µg to 1 µg. Hydrofluoric acid (HF) was introduced into the FOUP using a permeation tube with an emission rate of 125 ng/min. The internal volume of the FOUP was flushed with a constant flow of N2 (2 L/min) to ensure the FOUP interior was well mixed and to simulate the cleaning of the FOUP container. This resulted in a FOUP ventilation rate of < 60 minutes.
The measurement protocol had three steps: 1) measure the background of the FOUP for 5 minutes to establish the clean FOUP background 2) place the HF permeation tube inside the FOUP for two minutes and then immediately inject the acid solution 3) continuously measure the mixing and subsequent decay of the introduced compounds until concentrations return to background values.
After injection of the acid and basic solutions, the mixing inside the FOUP took approximately 3-4 minutes (including evaporation of the injected solution) before the flushing initiated a decay of analyte concentrations within it. Figures 2 and 3 show the decay of molecular acids (MA) and VOCs (MC), and molecular bases (MB) respectively. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, some molecular contaminants persist at trace concentrations (10-30 pptv) for many hours. Formic, acetic, hydrofluoric and hydrobromic acids all reached near background concentrations (90% decrease) in the first 60 minutes, implying no severe attenuation or memory on the inner FOUP surfaces. Cleaning of such substances inside an otherwise empty FOUP is likely straightforward. However, the much slower decay of nitric, hydrochloric acids and bases (Figure 3) suggests that cleaning processes which are not optimized for the slow outgassing of these compounds or that cannot detect them at sufficiently low concentrations could result in their outgassing and at levels capable of causing air molecular contamination (AMC) problems and reducing wafer yield. Separate experiments were run with acids and bases to simulate gas partitioning processes, as concomitant presence of acids and bases can lead to the formation of nm-sized particles that must either be removed mechanically or evaporated from the FOUP surfaces during the flushing cycle. The formation of such acid-base salts in FABs significantly increases the persistence of contamination on FOUP surfaces. Because these particles evaporate slowly, trace-level gas-phase detection is required to ensure cleanliness
Table 1 summarizes the performance of the Vocus CI-TOF for the detection of organic and inorganic acids, as well as bases relevant in the FAB environment. The fast time response of the instrument (a few seconds for most compounds, T90) allows one instrument to screen many different measurement points or to be deployed on a mobile platform to measure at different points in the FAB. The ultra-low detection limits and simple autonomous operation present a paradigm shift in FAB operators’ ability to quantify airborne and surface-bound AMC at ever lower concentrations as line widths are pushed to ever smaller dimensions. Note that the list of targeted molecules can be extended or customized and data can be revisited because TOF mass analyzers always acquire full mass spectra containing signals of all detectable compounds.
|1 s LOD (pptv)
|1 min LOD
With the Vocus CI-TOF integrated in FABs, new insights into FOUP cleanliness can be attained in real time and at pptv concentrations. Through the introduction of a novel on-line AMC detection technology, improvements in FAB operators’ ability to control the FOUP – and more generally the FAB environment – will minimize wafer defects due to surface contaminations or mask degradation. While these data highlight use in FOUP cleaning, there are numerous other use cases in the FAB for which the Vocus CI-TOF is well suited, such as: detection of trace molecules in FAB AMC monitoring, quality control of gases fed into deposition and etch reactors and in lithography equipment, and estimation and control of scrubber efficiency. All of these can be addressed with unprecedented speed and accuracy by Vocus CI-TOF.
- Jeong et al. Control of Wafer Slot-Dependent Outgassing Defects during Semiconductor Manufacture Processes. 2019. DOI: 10.1109/ASMC.2019.8791794
- Gonzalez-Aguirre et al. Control of HF Volatile Contamination in FOUP Environment by Advanced Polymers and Clean Gas Purge. 2015. DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/SSP.219.247

domain: chemistry


Introducing the new motorized u-boat from Magline, giving you the power you need when pushing a heavy load over long distances, up inclines, or over those tough-to-navigate thresholds. The motorized u-boat increases efficiency and reduces the time and energy to transport a load. The motorized U-boat will move loads up to 1,000 pounds over flat surfaces up to 3 mph. Don't let inclines stop you. The u-boat propulsion system powers up these inclines, needing only minimal assistance from the user when the incline is long or steeper than 8 degrees. The motorized U-boat increases maneuverability, and in areas where propulsion is not allowed, the transaxle can be switched to free-wheel mode in a matter of seconds.
The fully enclosed 24V drive system is lubricated for life and requires no maintenance. The electric propulsion system is whisper quiet, exhaust-free, and does not contain any fuel or other fluids that could leak onto floors. We've designed the unit to maintain a high level of load accessibility. One handle is removable so you can access the load from various angles. We offer multiple containment options to suit your needs, including a containment curtain or mag-loc anchors with e-track straps. The unit is available with extra handle sockets on one end to provide containment for loads that don't reach the edge of the 60-inch long deck.
Packed with safety features, the motorized U-boat reduces user strain and the likelihood of injury. It includes a throttle interlock button to minimize accidental activation of the propulsion system. The DC motor uses regenerative braking to slow the load in forward and reverse, even on hills or ramps. Plus, the unit will stop and automatically engage the park brake when the throttle is released. Our push-too-fast safety feature prevents runaway situations even when the park brake has been manually released.
No certification is required to use the motorized U-boat. The easy-to-operate system can be used by operators with varying levels of powered equipment experience. So, when you need a safe and powerful way to deliver loads up to 1,000 pounds, stress free, the motorized u-boat from Magline will get the job done with the value, quality, and innovation of Magliner.


Israeli forces continue to carry out raids in the occupied West Bank with deadly consequences, including one this weekend that resulted in the deaths of four Palestinian teenagers.
Two of the teens, both 17, were shot in the head and neck, according to Palestinian officials. Another 11 were injured, including a father and daughter who were hit by a military vehicle, The Jerusalem Post reported.
The paper said the target of the raid was a 25-year-old believed to be behind shooting attacks on IDF troops in the West Bank. Last week, we reported on another raid that resulted in the deaths of another five. (See “4 KILLED, DOZENS WOUNDED IN ISRAELI WEST BANK RAID” (4 Oct 2022).
The number increased to five after a 12-year-old boy, who was shot in the stomach, succumbed to his wounds two weeks after the incident. The Palestine chapter of Defense for Children International said Israeli soldiers or settlers have killed 25 Palestinians below the age 18 in 2022.
TRENDPOST: The Trends Journal has documented the increased tension in the region that has resulted in the deaths of more than 114 Palestinians since the beginning of the year. (See “APARTHEID STATE OF ISRAEL CLAMPING DOWN ON PALESTINIANS,” 26 Apr 2022, “EU’S BORRELL ADMITS KILLING PALESTINIANS DON’T COUNT,” 16 Aug 2022 and “ISRAEL RAIDS AND RANSACKS HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS AND CHURCH” 23 Aug 2022.) The number of deaths is the highest in seven years.
Al Jazeera noted that these raids have become a daily occurrence in the northern West Bank cities of Jenin and Nablus because they are seen to be increasing their level of resistance to Israeli forces, and are becoming more organized. The report noted that a female Israeli soldier was killed in a drive-by shooting at another refugee camp in East Jerusalem called Shufat, which has been under siege by Israeli troops.
TRENDPOST: The Palestinian Authority accused Israel of waging an all-out war “that did not stop for a single moment,” and appealed to Washington to get Israel to make good on its promise to end “all unilateral measures and to exert serious pressure on Israel to stop its comprehensive war against our Palestinian people before it is too late.”
The Associated Press noted that Israel usually identifies those killed in these raids as criminals, not victims. But as we have noted, killings included an Al Jazeera journalist, and a lawyer who evidently “drove unwittingly into a battle zone. Local youths who took to the streets in response to the invasion of their neighborhoods have also been killed.”
TRENDPOST: When Ukrainians fight for their homeland, they are called heroes; when Palestinians fight for their homeland, they are called militants in the U.S. media.
Again, as we note, Israel keeps stealing Palestinian land and no action is taken against them.
Israel took control of the West Bank from Jordan in the 1967 war. Since then, in addition to destroying Palestinian houses and buildings on the land they seized, they have been, and continue, to build massive “settlements.”
As reported by Bloomberg in January 2020:
“Almost a tenth of Israel’s Jews live in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, outside their country’s recognized borders. The population of Jewish settlers in the West Bank has grown four times faster than Israel’s itself since 1995. Settlers regard themselves as inhabiting land that is rightfully theirs.
“A different view is held by the International Court of Justice, a branch of the United Nations, which Israel regards as biased against it. The court concluded in a 2004 opinion that Jewish settlements in what it calls occupied Palestinian territory are illegal.”
Under international law, Israeli settlements are illegal. They violate Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 that states, “The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.
The U.N. Security Council, the U.N. General Assembly, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Court of Justice, and the High Contracting Parties to the Convention have all affirmed the Fourth Geneva Convention applies, that this is occupied territory, and Israeli settlements there are illegal.
As for Israel’s “settlement” intentions, they were made clear by one of the nation’s respected leaders:
“We must define our position and lay down basic principles for a settlement. Our demands should be moderate and balanced, and appear to be reasonable. But in fact they must involve such conditions as to ensure that the enemy rejects them. Then we should manoeuvre and allow him to define his own position, and reject a settlement on the basis of a compromise solution. We should then publish his demands as embodying unreasonable extremism.”
— Chief of Intelligence General Yehoshafat Harkabi, Ma’ariv, 2 November 1973


Here’s our second round of festival street fashion at Pitchfork Music Festival 2011 from quirky couples to unique details. Pitchfork sure gave us a whole inspiration overload; we adored the style Chicago had to offer!
Our Chicago store managers
a vagabond look
pastel checks and neon pops
polka dot couple
Sophia Mondi wearing studded shorts and vibrant red vest
make a statement with oversized mens shirts
customize your basic tees
a delicate lace coverup
rings and bracelets from Emma Arnold of Tres Awesome
that’s it from street style at pitchfork!


text:
[Maracanã is closed for reforms in preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2014 from July 2010 till December 2012]
Despite the fact that the estádio Jornalista Mário Filho – better known as Maracanã – no longer recalls the grandeur of yesteryear, it is still an unmissable rendezvous for football/soccer fans worldwide – and even for those who just simply love anything Brazilian.
Maracanã is no longer the biggest stadium on the planet. Quite a number of stadiums overtook Maracanã decades ago. After a recent reform, today the stadium holds approximately 70.000 people.
Even at that size, the stadium hardly ever fills up, a reflection of the sorry state of football in Rio de Janeiro. In a recent game between Flamengo and Corinthians (the two Brazilian teams with a biggest following), less than 22.000 spectators went to the stadium. The previous day, the game between Botafogo and Santos drew 8.000 fans to Maracanã.
Nonetheless, Maracaná is still one of the sights of Rio. It contains a museum inside the main building, and during the guided tour around the stadium you get the chance to visit the changing rooms and come out onto the field. At the entrance of the museum there is a Hall of Fame where Brazilian football legends have left their imprints for posterity.
destination: Rio de Janeiro

domain: sports


text:
Often times when a young artist takes on a new incarnation, changing their name and dismissing their band, it can signal that it is the last bob up out of the water before the final descent. Thankfully, this is not the case for Du Blonde or as she was formerly known Beth Jeans Houghton. On May 18th Du Blonde under her new moniker releases her album,” Welcome Back to Milk”. Don’t let the in your face album cover put you off; this is the rebirth of a gifted performer.
For those first encountering Du Blonde there is a back story. In her original incarnation as Beth Jeans Houghton and the Hooves of Destiny she was the front person for the psycho rock 60’s pop folk band. In the summer of 2012 while touring things began to go south for Houghton and the band. Relentless touring caused Houghton to have a nervous breakdown. After time spent getting better physically and mentally she made some major life changing decisions. She ditched her name and changed it to Du Blonde, pulled the plug on Hooves of Destiny and started the recording process all over again. What came out of all that turmoil is an enthralling disc that places all that personal anger and emotion in her songs, unlike in the past when she allowed those elements to destroy her from within. “Welcome Back to Milk” is an exuberant and at times confessional record loaded with heavy riffs, loud dramas and sometimes in your face aggression, it is a fantastic reinvention.
The album was produced with Jim Sciavunos of Bad Seeds fame. He was just what the doctor ordered with his unfussy arrangements, creating a clean canvas for Du Blonde to work her mastery both musically and lyrically. The mood and emotions are unfiltered and delivered with laser like precision.
“Welcome Back to Milk” is an album that at its heart is cathartic and therapeutic. Du Blonde is working through a number of personal and professional issues. Professionally she takes the music industry to task for its ingrained misogyny. “I was being told to just deal with the misogyny… there was a clear message for young girls in the business and in relationships to still shut up, do what your told, and be thankful.” The recording is a powerful rebuff to that thinking. Gone is the Baroque Chamber Pop ethos of her prior release “Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose”. Emerging instead is an edgy and dark at times rock album. Du Blonde starts off the album with “Black Flag” a gritty in your face rock out. It is also a hat tip to the band Black Flag one of Du Blonde’s favorites. After mapping out her intentions on “Black Flag”, “Chips to Go” confirms where this record is headed, the energetic guitar delivers a glam rock vibe as Du Blonde channels her inner Chrissie Hynde. She drawls a powerful reminder that “life is a show get your chips and go.”
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The album is not all bombastic rock, “Raw Honey” has a lovely piano accompaniment as Du Blonde contemplates the options when running into someone who looks so very tempting but will only bring damage and disarray. It is another great track that pulls no punches and feels true to life.
“After the Show” changes thing up with a ballad that feels heartfelt as it examines romance on the road. It gives insight into some of the traumas Du Blonde has recently suffered through. It is cathartic and confessional. You can sense the grit and grime of backstage with its bad lighting and boredom filled inanity. Du Blonde perfectly conveys the desperation to be recognized for something other than a backstage groupee. “All I needed was a little of your respect.”
“If You’re Legal” takes a twist on the classic male concern and reexamines the issue. It is an energetic track that at some point becomes dare I say a punk torch song. “Hunter” is a radio friendly ballad. This breakup song showcases Du Blonde’s vocal chops. The track also does something interesting as the protagonist of the song wishes the departing lover not a life of regret but all the best, as the relationship just didn’t workout. This is a nice change up from all the angry revenge breakup songs aka Alanis Morrisette and that ilk. It is unexpected and refreshing as the handling is not what you would expect from someone who is really ticked at the male hierarchy. It keeps the album from becoming stereotypically anti male, which is something that can happen all too easily when discussing gender issues from the female point of view.
“Hard to Please” is a knees up song with an aggressive sound. In the song a woman who has been desperate to please turns a volte face and starts to wonder why she is so desperate to please, again a really cool spin on the common wisdom of relationships in our modern world. “Young Entertainment” is noteworthy for its 60’s wall of sound feel. The song takes smug men to task for the emotional abuse they dish out. It has a great chorus that certainly earns a parental warning, it is a “girl power” song squared. “Mr. Hyde” follows in that thematic vein and is so good it demands multiple listens.
“Four in the Morning” is a lovely ballad track which channeling the likes of Sarah Mclachlan. It perfectly encapsulates that pre dawn after party ennui. “Mine is on my Mind” is a track just short of perfection. It starts off with a Gregorian chant and then just bursts forth into a full on sonic attack. It takes the quiet/loud concept to a whole new level; it is like waking from sleep to an alarm clock you can’t shut off. The track has to be heard to be appreciated. Samuel T. Herring of Future Islands provides vocals that are the icing on this delectable track.
The final track “Isn’t it Wild” is the most eclectic selection of the collection, and the one that harkens back to Du Blonde’s previous incarnation. The initial voice over gives some great advice. The song itself examines life’s great contradictions and rationalizations. The song reminds me of Laurie Anderson’s work. The lyric that sticks with me is “for all of your friends you’re still left counting on none.”
This is an album that surprised me; I didn’t expect to like it so much. The production is faultless. Du Blonde is well able to hold her own with any musician out there and her lyrics are engaging and insightful. For all of her disappointment with the opposite sex, underneath she still seems to likes them and is pretty evenhanded and not off putting in her justified criticism. As reinventions go, this one is a grand success.
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domain: entertainment


text:
How To Play Ppap On Piano 2021
Luckily, thanks to the modern technology these days’s technological globe, it no longer needs to be like this. If you intend on training yourself to play the piano in the near future, the most effective on the internet piano guideline provides extra palatable as well as cost effective choices for all spending plans. As well as these programs show you exactly how to find out piano online the method it was suggested to be learned – online. That means say goodbye to coping lessons that are difficult to comprehend, or having a hard time to stay on par with the fast pace of a course area environment. You can find out piano online exactly like you would certainly in a genuine class setup. How To Play Ppap On Piano
For most people that select to learn to play piano online, their first worry is keeping their emphasis when they are exercising. Exercising is an important part of finding out to play piano. While sheet music can be delightful to examine as well as play, it does not hold any type of weight in the competitive globe of playing sheet music for a living. How To Play Ppap On Piano
How To Play Ppap On Piano
The quickest means to keep your concentration when studying is to find out to play piano utilizing sheet music. Sheet music is merely strings of notes that are composed on paper. When you are learning piano, you will discover that there are usually a variety of songs that can be played. These tunes will be utilized in order to educate you the various designs of playing that are common among professionals. How To Play Ppap On Piano
For the most part, you will certainly use the sheet music as a guide while you practice what you have just reviewed. This coincides type of approach that is made use of when discovering to play any type of instrument. You require to recognize how an instrument is made to make sure that you can identify the various components that make it up. In this instance, you will be using the piano to play a tune in a style similar to music designs. How To Play Ppap On Piano
There are many people that take piano lessons due to the fact that they intend to discover to play. These are usually the people that are extra curious about playing than reading. These sorts of people normally start off taking novice lessons since they can obtain extremely interesting tunes with a piano. Nevertheless, lots of people tend to discover much better when they begin with advanced lessons. Piano lessons for newbies involve many points that resemble other kinds of lessons.
If you are looking for the fastest and also finest way to find out piano, you need to take into consideration taking lessons from a tutor. Some individuals are not comfy with this idea. As mentioned above, it is not constantly very easy to get along with a person that you do not know effectively. This is specifically real if the lessons are done on the phone. Consequently, many people prefer to take private lessons. Whether or not you choose to work with someone to educate you is totally your option.
For individuals that are not curious about investing all their downtime at a piano, there are several alternatives readily available for them also. There are online tutorials that you can find and also utilize. Many of these on-line tutorials are much cheaper than having a tutor to find to your house. Along with being less expensive, many of these on-line tutorials have quality graphics and music that can truly aid you out. You can also locate video clip tutorials that will certainly permit you to see just how playing piano works, as well as seeing the secrets and also whatever related to having fun.
One kind of tutorial that many people prefer is ones that reveal you the essentials of playing a piano. These tutorials will normally give you the keys as well as just how to use them. They might also show you just how to check out the musical notation, just how to read musical arrangements and so forth. When you discover the piano, it is important that you recognize all the different sorts of points that you require to recognize in order to play piano.

domain: hobby


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Thursday, 18 October 2018
A preliminary study of a new, quick and accurate, bedside blood test performed in Emergency Departments (ED) could help reduce the time it takes to rule out heart attacks. The study findings have been published this morning in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA Cardiology).
Wednesday, 13 June 2018
It’s winter, why would we want to talk our socks off? Well, not literally of course – but the CHI team, in collaboration with the Heart Foundation, are running free public talks in Christchurch, from June to September.
Thursday, 17 May 2018
The close relationship of diabetes and heart disease has not gone unnoticed by the Christchurch Heart Institute team.
Monday, 16 April 2018
Taking part in research studies at the Christchurch Heart Institute, is an opportunity to receive on going and beneficial medical care that could be life-saving, say Research Nurses Stephanie Rose and Carol Groves.
Tuesday, 13 March 2018
On a shelf in Professor Vicky Cameron’s office is something that looks like a piece of art, housed in a glass cylinder to protect it. The heart, striking in its intricate detail, is in fact made of coloured resin.
Tuesday, 27 February 2018
A University of Otago, Christchurch, summer student has identified the days when patients are most vulnerable to dying from a ‘broken heart’.
Tuesday, 27 February 2018
Thousands of New Zealanders can look forward to improvements in treatment and care of heart failure following new research findings that look set to alter the clinical approach and health care planning for heart failure globally.
Wednesday, 20 December 2017
Ambulance driver suffers heart attack in her own ambulance and is now part of the MENZACS genetic links to heart health study
Thursday, 26 October 2017
Dr Anna Pilbrow says we are not doomed by our DNA – and that having a healthy lifestyle can help offset genetic risks.
Thursday, 19 October 2017
A new urine test being trialled by University of Otago, Christchurch scientists could one day save lives.
Tuesday, 26 September 2017
The Christchurch Heart Institute (CHI) team is delighted that six of its researchers have been successful in being awarded grants in the 2017 Heart Foundation grant round
Monday, 11 September 2017
University of Otago researchers Dr Simon Jackson and Dr Anna Pilbrow were recently honoured with awards bestowed by the organising bodies of the prestigious Queenstown Research Week.
Friday, 8 September 2017
A Healthier Lives National Science Challenge study using New Zealand linked datasets reveals the impact of residential housing damage from the 2010/11 Canterbury earthquakes on hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease.
Tuesday, 22 August 2017
PhD candidate Zoe Ward uses bioinformatics to explore how non-coding RNAs in our genetic material contribute to coronary heart disease risk
Tuesday, 15 August 2017
Tuesday 15 August 2017 at Christchurch Community House, 301 Tuam Street.
Tuesday, 8 August 2017
PhD candidate, Evie Templeton, is working to identify microRNAs as early markers in the detection of likely kidney injury in heart failure
Wednesday, 21 June 2017
A Health Research Council grant awarded to Professor Richard Troughton is set to boost the IMPERATIVE-HF study by $730,000 over 36 months.
Thursday, 15 June 2017
University of Otago researchers have been awarded more than $24M in new health research funding to support their world-class studies aimed at improving New Zealanders’ health and well-being.
Tuesday, 6 June 2017
Professor Vicky Cameron, a renowned geneticist and Deputy Dean of the University of Otago, Christchurch, has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in this Queen’s Birthday honours list.
Thursday, 1 June 2017
The Christchurch Heart Institute is working alongside the Heart Foundation as part of an innovative approach to cardiovascular disease (CVD) research, following a significant donation of $330,000 from Ryman Healthcare yesterday.
Wednesday, 24 May 2017
What must be a loss for Wales has become a gain for Christchurch with the arrival of Consultant Cardiologist Geoff Clare to the Christchurch Heart Institute team.
Tuesday, 14 March 2017
The Christchurch City2Surf 2017 event is on this Sunday (March 19) and the Christchurch Heart Institute team is gearing up to take part.
Participation in the event is one of a number of initiatives that are underway in an effort to increase the CHI’s profile in Christchurch.
Thursday, 9 March 2017
University of Otago researchers have gained more than $2.6m in funding from the Lottery Grants Board to support studies aimed at improving the health status of New Zealanders.
Friday, 3 March 2017
Accurately predicting the likelihood of readmission or even death following a heart attack is now more possible, according to recently published findings by the Christchurch Heart Institute (CHI).
Thursday, 2 March 2017
Professor Richard Troughton, a Consultant Cardiologist and Researcher with the Christchurch Heart Institute, a University of Otago Research Centre based at Christchurch Hospital, is behind a plan that looks at reducing the likelihood of people with heart failure needing readmission to hospital for further heart failure events. Research and Clinical nurses are working collaboratively to bring this about.
Wednesday, 24 August 2016
Professor Vicky Cameron is a firm believer in scientists’ responsibility to share findings with the community - particularly their research participants. This is one of the reasons Professor Cameron is excited about becoming the Deputy Dean of the University of Otago’s Christchurch campus.
Tuesday, 29 September 2015
University of Otago researchers have been awarded grants to pursue six research projects in the latest annual National Heart Foundation funding round announced today.
Monday, 25 May 2015
University of Otago researchers have gained nearly $2.2M in funding from the Lottery Grants Board to support studies aimed at improving the health status of New Zealanders.

domain: health


Illinois Community College Board awards $1.7 million in CTE) improvement grants
SPRINGFIELD—The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) announced $1.7 million in grant funding to support the improvement and innovation of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programming at 21 community colleges throughout Illinois.
Colleges receiving these CTE Improvement Grants can use the funds in one of three ways: to enhance student transitions, to provide student-centered support services, or to strengthen the CTE educator pipeline.
“This funding will support student success in high need industries, including information technology and education,” said Dr. Brian Durham, executive director of the ICCB. “The grants allow colleges to make a significant investment in advising, coaching, and mentoring CTE faculty and students, at a time when the need for a connection between teachers and students is paramount.”
The community college system offers over 4,300 high-quality, affordable CTE programs across the state. As many Illinoisans struggle with COVID-19 related job loss, community college CTE programs provide an avenue to high-skill, in-demand jobs across a number of career fields.
CTE grants are funded through the federal Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act.
2020 CTE Grant recipients:
Black Hawk College: $100,000
The college will develop a cybersecurity program that will offer a short-term certificate, a 1-year certificate, and a 2-year AAS degree, specifically focused on the Department of Homeland Security’s body of knowledge and skills and through alignment with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) preparation areas. The program will develop transition points for both high school students and adult education students.
Carl Sandburg College: $41,064
Carl Sandburg College will offer specialized professional development and continuing support for CTE educators. In 2021, a conference will be hosted for Sandburg’s CTE faculty and dual-credit and secondary CTE teachers within the district, helping to solidify connections between high school and college educators.
College of DuPage: $97,000
These funds will support a program to actively engage young adults interested in culinary workforce training in order to gain employable skills in the culinary industry.
College of Lake County: $78,608
These funds will help sustain the use of an advising-coaching model that will provide a personalized, culturally relevant onboarding experience for incoming CTE students and other students interested in CTE programs. Specifically, the money will allow for a position that will recruit and engage prospective CTE students and that assists students as they explore college and career options.
Heartland Community College: $99,711
The college will provide high-touch CTE academic and career advising to current and prospective students by helping students connect to Heartland CTE programs. The project will also aid in increasing a student’s sense of belonging and build a pipeline of future Heartland CTE students by supporting the establishment of a broad-based Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO).
Illinois Valley Community College: $81,665
Through the CTE Adult Learner Initiative, the college will enhance their ability to serve their CTE adult learner population by attracting more adult students and subsequently enhancing the services available to these students.
John A. Logan College: $50,000
The college will expand their dual credit program in each of the eleven district high schools. Utilizing a full-time career coach, the college will work directly with high school personnel to expand CTE class enrollment, helping to fast-track students into employment and job readiness upon graduation and assisting those students pursuing further credentials, training, or certifications as they consider postsecondary options.
John Wood Community College: $81,091
The college will improve and develop new curriculum for the CTE Automation and Robotics career pathway. The project will partner with the Quincy Area Vocational Technical Center (QAVTC) and other regional secondary schools to provide faculty training and curriculum upgrades with employer advisory committee input.
Kaskaskia College: $28,888
The college plans to create a redesigned, contextualized technical math course, improving success rates in technical math course(s) and related CTE programs. The project will also include training for the lead math faculty.
Lewis and Clark Community College: $100,000
Lewis and Clark Community College will develop a welding program that meets employer needs and aligns with multiple certificates and an AAS in Welding. Delivery of welding classes will include dual credit courses, online courses, and an adult education/CTE hybrid model.
Malcolm X College: $100,000
Malcolm X College will create a Networking and Coaching Academy that will provide an intentional and guided pathway for professional development for new educators.
McHenry County College: $100,000
The CTE Connections project will increase education and employment opportunities for CTE students by strengthening secondary and postsecondary collaboration with industry. This will be accomplished through curriculum alignment, innovative delivery modes, work-based learning, and faculty development.
Moraine Valley Community College: $33,600
Moraine Valley Community College will subsidize the rental cost of firefighting gear to increase the likelihood that more students will be able to afford to participate in the Fire Academy.
Morton College: $90,000
This project focuses on increasing support services available for both students and faculty. The college will assist with advising and increasing retention in introductory-level CTE courses and job attainment for CTE completers. Also, they will provide opportunities for professional development for the faculty members of emerging CTE programs.
Oakton Community College: $100,000
Oakton will provide high-touch engagement to enhance relationships with students of color, mitigate barriers for these students, and work to ensure they complete CTE credentials.
Prairie State College: $100,000
Titled “Pathway to a Bright New Smile,” the college’s project will provide a sustainable pathway for district students to the dental hygienist program, beginning with the dental assisting certificate. The project will focus on enhancing student transitions and providing student support services for underrepresented high-risk groups in dental assisting and hygiene.
Rend Lake College: $88,027
Rend Lake College will expand WiFi access for CTE students to help improve their retention rates and reduce barriers that are common for students who live in the rural southern Illinois region that the college serves.
Richland Community College: $96,608
The college will introduce local professionals to adjunct faculty opportunities in CTE programs through an employment pipeline that includes a team of representatives for engagement, current professional development programs, a recruitment program, and mentorship.
Sauk Valley Community College: $66,468
The college will develop a 3-tiered mentorship program for faculty that progresses from initial employment through retirement. The mentorship program aims to improve faculty retention and engagement.
Southeastern Illinois College: $62,905
Southeastern Illinois College will provide high-touch advising and support to CTE students. They will work with area high schools, the financial aid office, and students, particularly those with barriers to success, to provide seamless transitions into and through the postsecondary process.
Truman College: $99.832
Truman College will integrate college CTE with Chicago Public Schools and Department of Family and Support Services educators and parents to address shortages in Bilingual/ESL teachers and early childhood education. The project will oversee the enrollment and retention of 120 students in Early Childhood Education cohorts and Educator Endorsement cohorts.
About the Illinois Community College Board
The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) is the state coordinating organization for the Illinois Community College System - the third largest in the country and the leading public workforce development trainer in the state. The ICCB has statutory responsibility for administering state and federal grants to community college districts and adult education providers and managing high school equivalency testing for Illinois. Illinois community colleges serve over 600,000 residents each year in credit, noncredit, and continuing education courses. Illinois is home to 48 colleges in 39 community college districts which provide high quality, accessible, cost-effective educational opportunities to the entire state.


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As women enter menopause, their bodies start to experience tremendous changes that can impact their bone health. Bone density naturally decreases as we age, and the hormonal changes in menopause can accelerate this process, sometimes leading to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis can cause bones to become brittle and fragile, leading to fractures.
Of the estimated 10 million Americans with osteoporosis, approximately eight million (or 80%) are women, according to the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation. In fact, about one in two women over the age of 50 are projected to suffer a bone fracture due to osteoporosis.
It is, therefore, essential to take proactive steps to maintain bone health during and after menopause. Let’s discuss some strategies for preventing osteoporosis.
5 Ways to Help Prevent Osteoporosis
- Diet and nutrition: A well-balanced, nutritious diet is vital for maintaining bone health. There are several vitamins and minerals that are important for healthy bones, including calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K2, and magnesium. Foods that are rich in these vitamins and minerals include dairy products, leafy greens, nuts, and fatty fish. Eating a diet that is rich in these nutrients can help protect your bones as you age.
- Regular exercise: Exercise is another essential component for maintaining bone health. Weight-bearing exercises like walking, jogging, and strength training can help increase bone density and strength. Set a goal of at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week.
- Hormone therapy: Hormone therapy can be an effective treatment for menopause symptoms and can also help protect bone health. Estrogen and progesterone play a significant role in bone health, and hormone therapy can help reduce bone loss and increase bone density. However, hormone therapy is not suitable for all women and carries some risks, so it is essential to discuss the benefits and risks with your healthcare provider.
- Avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption: Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can both have negative impacts on bone health. Studies have shown that smoking can lead to reduced bone density and an increased risk of fractures. Excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to increased bone loss and an increased risk of fractures.
- Regular bone density screenings: As women age, they should get regular bone density screenings to monitor their bone health. These screenings can help identify any changes in bone density and provide information on whether further treatment is necessary.
As always, it is essential to discuss any concerns or questions about bone health, as well as menopause symptoms, with your healthcare provider.
Bone Health Treatment Options
At Levin’s Women’s Health, we offer an extensive range of bone health services specifically designed to help treat and for preventing osteoporosis. Our specialized services include:
- Early Education and Lifestyle Promotion: We believe in promoting early education and adopting a bone-healthy lifestyle. Our team provides valuable information on maintaining strong bones through proper nutrition, exercise, and healthy habits.
- Clinical Care for Osteoporosis: Our expert healthcare professionals are well-equipped to diagnose and manage osteoporosis. We offer comprehensive clinical care, including bone density testing, medication management, and personalized treatment plans tailored to each patient’s needs.
- Physical Rehabilitation: Our women’s health rehabilitation program focuses on minimizing the overall effects of osteoporosis, reducing the risk of falls, and improving neuromuscular and musculoskeletal functions. Our skilled therapists provide targeted exercises and techniques to enhance bone strength and mobility.
- Preventive Measures: We emphasize the importance of preventive measures, such as calcium and vitamin D supplementation. Our specialists work closely with patients to assess their risk factors and develop strategies to prevent the onset of osteoporosis.
- Collaborative Approach: At Levin’s Women’s Health, we understand the significance of a multidisciplinary approach to preventing osteoporosis. Our team collaborates with doctors, caregivers, and other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive and effective care.
By availing our bone health services, you can proactively protect your bone health, reduce the risk of fractures, and improve your overall quality of life.
Menopause Treatment in North Miami, Florida
- Hot flashes
- Mood swings
- Vaginal dryness
- Painful intercourse
- Loss of libido
- Difficulty sleeping
Many of these symptoms are indicative of a decrease in or imbalance of hormone levels, which can be alleviated by replenishing hormones through bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).

domain: biology


A documentary film about dancing on the screen, from it's orgins after the invention of the movie camera, over the movie musical from the late 20s, 30s, 40s 50s and 60s up to the break dance and the music videos from the 80s. Written by
Stephan Eichenberg <email@example.com>
Did You Know?
The final feature film appearance of Ray Bolger
. He passed away almost exactly two years after the release of this film. See more
There seemed to be no bottom to Busby Berkeley's bag of tricks.
Features So This Is Paris
We're Off to See the Wizard
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg
Performed by Ray Bolger
and Judy Garland
from the film The Wizard of Oz (1939) See more