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A lawsuit playing out in a California court could make social media platforms liable for the harm they cause their youngest users. The suit so far has more than 80 plaintiffs but lawyers are currently writing a new complaint in which others can sign on, Axios reported.
In October, dozens of individual lawsuits targeting Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube, as well as their parent companies, were combined into one suit. The plaintiffs allege the social media apps are defective and companies fail to warn users of potential harm. The sites and apps are designed to maximize screen time so the platforms can become addictive to young users, which in serious cases can lead to emotional and physical harm, according to the suit. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, was the sole defendant listed in 70 percent of the original lawsuits.
Many of the cases were filed after Frances Haugen, a Meta whistleblower, testified before Congress the company knew how it impacted children and did little about it. An internal study leaked by Haugen found 13.5 percent of teenage girls in the U.K. said their suicidal thoughts escalated with the use of Instagram, and 17 percent of teenage girls said their eating disorders worsened.
“It is clear that Facebook prioritizes profit over the well-being of children and all users,” she said.
Up for debate in this case is whether social media platforms are products or not, according to Axios. The plaintiff’s lawyers must also argue the companies are liable for the harm their products cause.
Brianna Murden, who is suing Meta, said using Facebook and Instagram led her to develop disordered eating, depression, suicidal thoughts and severe anxiety, among other symptoms. She began using the app as a 10 years old and is now 21. When Murden’s lawyers filed the petition to consolidate the cases in August, there were only 27 other plaintiffs. By October, there were 84. More will be allowed to sign on with the new complaint.
Social media platforms have been under fire in recent months for failing to protect children’s privacy and data. In September, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission fined Meta 405 million euros ($440 million) for allegedly mishandling children’s data. The same month, the U.K.’s Information Commissioner’s Office threatened TikTok with a £27 million ($29 million) fine for violating children’s privacy laws and not monitoring their self-imposed age limit.
Meta is changing how its advertisers reach teens as part of a larger campaign to make its apps more age appropriate. Beginning in February, advertisers will not be able to use gender as a targeting option. The company previously removed the ability to target based on interests and activities. Meta said these moves are in response to research, children’s rights principles and global regulation, though it didn’t elaborate further.

domain: sociology


LaFemme Niketta creates authentic, deep, sultry songs from the heart inspired by jazz, soul, pop and rock.
Niketta Scott grew up on the East Coast in Maryland. She was intrigued by the Fine Arts at a very young age, and began her professional career at age 6 when she was signed by Linda Townsend Management. She studied tap, jazz, modern dance, acting/ audition technique, and voice. When she wasn't traveling and booking work, Niketta was actively involved in the school arts program, such as choir, playing the clarinet in the school band, and starring in all of her school plays. From there, her desire for a deeper relationship with music began.
Niketta received her BA in Theatre Arts from Fordham University in New York City. Once she graduated in 2003, she continued to live in NYC and sang in local bands such as UP DOWN and COSMOLINGO (now KING HOLLIDAY). After several years, Niketta trekked across the country to further her musical exploration. Now in LA, she has performed with bands such as The Tens and The Hemme's Brothers Band. While working as a cabaret singer at Don't Tell Mama LA, she met her vocal coach, Kate Pazakis, producer at The Rockwell Stage and Table. She soon after began piano lessons with Jonathan Baker to expand her abilities. He encouraged her to record her debut music project, and she recorded The Brass Heart at JB Music Studios.
Niketta is deeply inspired by the vintage sounds of Jazz and Blues by artists such as Nina Simone, Billy Holliday, and Ella Fitzgerald. Her sound is also inspired by the guttural sounds of artists like Janis Joplin and Alanis Morissette. Her goal is to merge the worlds of the past with the sounds of our present.
The music of the Brass Heart EP was inspired by the intricacies of the heart. The extremes of love, heartbreak and everything in between.
You can catch Niketta singing with the burlesque troop The Dollface Dames in the band Lounge-O-Rama the first Wednesday of every month at Trip in Santa Monica.


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I am deep in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. I am not only surrounded by spectacularly angular mountains but I am staying half way up one of them. I am in what the pioneers have called Tunnel Mountain, and what the Aborigine peoples have always know as Sleeping Buffalo.
Tomorrow I shall climb to its peak. I shall. I shall climb to its peak and look out from the top of the world. And I shall shout at the clouds and the sky and the galaxies and I shall scream out to the milky way and the comets and the atmosphere and the planets that circle the earth.
And no doubt I’ll trip unpoetically and unceremoniously over a baby elk “nyaaagh” and the only sound in this peaceful place will be an elongated echoey “ooooooooaaaagghhhhuuuu” interupted occassionally with a Homer-esque “Doh” and “Ouch”. These sounds will carry on echoing by the tranquil mountain until I land in the silence of the valley. Why so silent? Why no wildlife?
The bears! Sheeyat, the bears.

domain: geography


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Interflora is countering the dramatic decline in bumblebee numbers with a unique bee-friendly bouquet. The Beequet will be exclusively showcased at next month’s Interflora World Cup and is comprised of flowers that provide the highest nectar and pollen counts.
It also includes some of the brightest and most easily accessible blooms to attract and make pollination as easy as possible for the UK’s bumblebee population. The Beequet is made up of Sunflowers, Scabious, Sedum, Agapanthus, Eryngium, Dahlia, Achillea, Fresh Lavender and Myrtle.
It has been developed in collaboration with The Bumblebee Conservation Trust, which is one of seven special guest speakers in the Inspiration Zone at the Interflora World Cup, which is taking place in Manchester from September 7 to 9. The Trust will be sharing its findings from its latest BeeWalk Report into bumblebee numbers - which highlights a worrying decline in populations of some UK bumblebee species which hit a record low in August last year following the July heatwave.
The world’s most prestigious floristry competition sees competitors from across the globe battle it out for the ultimate title of Interflora World Champion. Tickets start from £15 and are available here now.
Erica Nicholson, Senior Brand Manager at Interflora comments: “Without bees, there would be no flowers, and no Interflora World Cup, so we’re delighted to work with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust to create the bouquet specifically designed to promote the importance of boosting the bee population.
“The Beequet not only features some of the most dazzling colours and patterns featured in so many British gardens, but also blooms with among the highest pollen and nectar counts. We’re showcasing flowers that are utterly irresistible for bumblebees, it just so happens they are pretty irresistible to us too. They’re the perfect choice to bring a bit of colour and energy to your garden, all while attracting those bees!
“For anyone looking to find out more about how to make their own garden a haven for bees, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust will be sharing their expertise at the unmissable Interflora World Cup in Manchester this September.”
Gill Perkins, CEO of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust adds: “As a society, we are increasingly dependent on pollinators, 84% of all crops grown in the UK require pollination and much of the dependence is linked to wild pollinators. But some of our commonest bumblebees are in decline, the loss of 97% of our wildflower meadows since 1940 has been the driver, but climate change, agricultural intensification, the increased use of pesticides, and urban spread have all played a part.
“That’s why we’re grateful to work so closely with Interflora, to highlight this crisis and show the nation what they can do to help restore the population. We’re looking forward to the Interflora World Cup next month, where we’ll be sharing even more tips and advice on how to make your gardens and outdoor spaces a sanctuary for bumblebees .”
Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s Top Tips For Boosting Bee Numbers
Build your own Bumblebee ‘n’ B
Some bumblebees like to nest in bird boxes – put some moss, dry grass or straw and find the perfect spot, preferably a sunny and sheltered nook, to give your buzzy guests a proper welcome for their summer stay.
Be a responsible gardener
Toss those pesky pesticides aside - bees don't like them. Embrace nature's organic army of ladybugs and praying mantises to be your pest control squad. It's like having an eco-friendly army protecting your garden.
Buzz-worthy garden makeover
Go rogue and designate a patch to wildflowers that bees adore, or plant a vibrant mix of bee-friendly flowers like lavender, heather, foxgloves, sunflowers, and wildflowers like birds-foot trefoil or clovers for a gorgeous garden refresh - perfect to watch those adorable fuzzballs flock to your floral extravaganza.
For more information on the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, visit: https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/

domain: biology


Where are we now?
What is Rock the Block?
Habitat for Humanity of Oshkosh kicked off its first-ever Rock the Block Oshkosh in 2019.
Habitat for Humanity of Oshkosh completed the revitalization in the Congress Fields Neighborhood! Neighborhood Association boundaries included homes between Congress Avenue and W. New York Avenue and Jackson Street and Elmwood Avenue.
Stay tuned for an update within the next few weeks for the upcoming Neighborhood!
Rock the Block® is a Habitat for Humanity International brand that is focused on bringing people together to revitalize neighborhoods. The purpose is to get neighbors and the greater community working together to improve their city. Rock the Block is a volunteer-driven, community based event with the aim of improving a neighborhood’s appearance along with assisting residents with upkeep and needed home repairs.
Many projects are free to the homeowner. Additional projects may be discussed on a case by case basis, and financing may be available to homeowners through City of Oshkosh micro-grant or zero interest deferred loan programs. Rock the Block Oshkosh is presented by Habitat for Humanity of Oshkosh, Oshkosh Healthy Neighborhoods (GO-HNI), and the City of Oshkosh through a generous grant from US Venture Basic Needs Giving Program.
Why Rock the Block?
The program is designed to address the exterior areas of properties including yard maintenance, lighting improvements and repair of broken porches, railings, windows and other projects. By completing neighborhood revitalization projects such as Rock the Block, we can help promote a vibrant, well-maintained neighborhood which leads to healthy families and increased property values.
The City of Oshkosh offers financial incentives through matching micro grants to participating Rock the Block Oshkosh Neighborhood Associations to encourage exterior improvements. Approved projects will be reimbursed up to 50% of the total cost of the project, with a maximum grant of $500.
Contact Steven Wiley, Assistant Planner, Planning Services, Community Development for Micro Grant application. 920.236.5062. email@example.com
Housing Rehabilitation Programs
The City of Oshkosh also has loan and other grant-based programs to rehabilitate your home. The Housing Rehabilitation Program was created to enhance image, market and physical conditions of residential properties with the City of Oshkosh. Details on the programs and applications may be found here: https://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/PlanningServices/HousingRehabilitation.aspx


August 24 2013 marks the 40th anniversary of the modern day planting of grapes in Marlborough. This issue is dedicated to those early days that changed this province forever. Sit back, relax and enjoy the historic information in this fascinating issue. Happy 40th birthday! Click here to download the 40th Anniversary Special of Winepress.


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The enormous scale of Russia's Olympic security apparatus has been well documented — 40,000 armed forces, 11,000 closed circuit cameras, and an all-powerful electronic surveillance system, all designed to prevent terrorist attacks and domestic unrest at the Winter Games. So far, though, the forces making headlines out of Sochi aren't armed policemen or military guards, but Cossacks: a group of deeply traditional militiamen who are seen as both Olympic mascots and vigilante crusaders, enforcing the kind of conservative moral code that has become a cornerstone of President Vladimir Putin's domestic agenda.
On Wednesday, at least 10 Cossacks and suspected plainclothes officers attacked members of the punk collective Pussy Riot in downtown Sochi, where the group was shooting a music video for a new protest song. Brandishing horsewhips and pepper spray, the men struck several women in the band, forcing one to the ground and forcibly removing their trademark neon-colored ski masks. A member of Pussy Riot's entourage later said that the men told them to "shut their mouths" and that they "sold themselves to the Americans."
Images and footage of the incident quickly spread across the media, marking the latest in what many see as the Kremlin's ongoing crackdown on dissent. It also shed new light on modern-day Cossacks, who have played an increasingly prominent role in policing gay rallies and stoking nationalist sentiment — all under the tacit, if not explicit, consent of Russian authorities.
The Cossacks' precise origins remain an issue of debate among historians, though they have a long history of keeping order in Russia. They first emerged as a warrior–horseman class during the Middle Ages and eventually became an integral part of the czarist military regime, expanding the Russian Empire with conquests along its southern border and quashing uprisings from peasants and workers. Many Cossack groups were nearly wiped out by the ruling Bolsheviks after the Russian Revolution, though they've enjoyed something of a revival in post-Soviet Russia. And with their traditional fur hats and lead-weighted whips, they still carry resonance among Russia's more conservative factions, as symbols of moral discipline and fierce loyalty to the regime.
Today's Cossacks comprise something of a paramilitary class, operating as a type of auxiliary police force. Their traditional ideology, rooted in the Russian Orthodox Church, appears to have resonated with Russian conservatives and nationalists — a demographic that Putin has catered heavily to after widespread protests broke out in 2011 over disputed parliamentary elections. In recent years, they've raided art galleries and museums displaying art considered to be immoral, and have played an active role in dispersing gay rallies in Moscow and other cities. Some have raised questions, however, over the movement's ties to its historical roots, claiming that conservative activists are simply appropriating the Cossack uniform and tradition for political purposes.
"What you can't do, the Cossacks can."
"The question is to what extent those who wear Cossack uniforms in Sochi today have anything at all to do with historical Cossacks, or whether it's costumes only," says Maria Lipman of the Carnegie Moscow Center. "Those who dislike them will commonly refer to them as a costumed force or costumed Cossacks — like a carnival."
The Cossacks have received increased support and endorsements from some political leaders, as well. In 2012, the governor of Russia's Krasnodar region — host of this year's Olympics — enlisted 1,000 Cossacks to help stem the migration of dark-skinned Muslims from the North Caucus. The governor, Aleksandr Tkachev, is a close Putin ally and was a key figure in planning the Winter Games.
"What you can't do, the Cossacks can," Tkachev told regional police officers at the time. "We have no other way — we shall stamp it out, instill order; we shall demand paperwork and enforce migration policies."
Hundreds of Cossacks have been patrolling the grounds at the Olympics, which draw to a close on Sunday. They're allowed to apprehend people who violate public orders and check IDs, but are not allowed to make arrests. During a press conference in December, Putin described the Cossack forces as part of the Russian identity, noting that they can sometimes be more efficient than police because they're more representative of the people living in the region. Cossack dancers and singers performed during the Opening Ceremony in Sochi, though their involvement in the games has raised the ire of some ethnic groups that were killed or expelled from the region in the 19th century, under a military campaign that involved Cossack cavalry.
Following this week's attack on Pussy Riot, a police spokesman told the Wall Street Journal that Cossacks are usually accompanied by police officers when patrolling Sochi, and that "they spend the rest of their time as regular, ordinary citizens." On Twitter, Alyokhina claimed that police didn't intervene as the scuffle unfolded, though authorities insisted that they took "all necessary measures" to stop it.
Wednesday's incident came one day after Pussy Riot members Maria Aloykhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova were detained and questioned for hours by police investigating a theft at the hotel where they were staying. In 2012, Aloykhina and Tolokonnikova were arrested and sentenced to two years in prison for staging a protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin inside a Moscow cathedral. They were granted an early release from prison in December under an amnesty bill signed by Putin, but remain among the Kremlin's most outspoken critics. They arrived in Sochi this month to record their new music video and stage protests, despite tight government restrictions on public demonstrations during the games.
The incident left the group members bruised and at least one bloodied, but it didn't stop them from finishing what they set out to do. On Thursday, Pussy Riot released the video they were shooting this week in Sochi, replete with footage of their tussle with the Cossacks. Its title: "Putin will teach you to love the motherland."


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Family therapy is designed to help with families’ mental health and functioning issues. It can help individual family members build stronger relationships, improve communication, and manage conflicts within the family system. Creates a better home environment, solves family issues, and understands the unique problems a family might face.
Types of Family Therapy
There are several types of family therapy. A few that you might encounter include:
- Family systems therapy: This type is an approach that focuses on helping people utilize the strengths of their relationships to overcome mental health problems.
- Functional family therapy: This is a short-term treatment often utilized for young people experiencing problems with risky behavior, violence, or substance use. It helps teens and families look for solutions while building trust and respect for each individual.
- Narrative family therapy: This type encourages family members to each tell their own story to understand how those experiences shape who they are and how they relate to others.
- Psychoeducation: This type of treatment is centered on helping family members better understand mental health conditions. By knowing more about medications, treatment options, and self-help approaches, family members can function as a cohesive support system.
- Supportive family therapy: This type of therapy focuses on creating a safe environment where family members can openly share what they are feeling and get support from their family.

domain: psychology


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Problems have been found on a bridge in the Treasure Coast that many people use everyday.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)says the bridge is "structurally deficient."
The Sebastian Inlet Bridge on A1A is a landmark, an aging landmark that the state says is almost at the end of its useful life.
“This is my pastime, it keeps me out of trouble," said Dave Clauss, who CBS12 News found fishing near the Sebastian Inlet Bridge.
Clauss, a retired lawn care business owner, says he fishes there three to four times a week.
The bridge on A1A has weathered storms and everything Mother Nature can dish out for more than half a century. But according to a report from FDOT, the bridge is now considered “structurally deficient.”
"Oh it surprised me. It does surprise me," Clauss said.
FDOT says “structurally deficient” doesn’t mean it's unsafe, but it does mean the bridge needs to be replaced within the next six years.
The report says the substructure is rated “poor” and the deck is rated “satisfactory.”
Some drivers may be wondering if it’s safe to use it.
"I don’t have a problem with it. Why is that? It’s held up here and I don’t feel any shaking going through when I go through it," Clauss said.
According to FDOT, "the bridge is safe in its current state and the load rating (loads it is allowed to carry) has not changed."
An inspection last November turned up corrosion, cracks and other deficiencies, which can clearly be seen, but none serious enough to shut down the bridge. An inspection that was done after Hurricane Dorian showed the bridge did not suffer any hurricane damage.
“It seems like the whole country is falling apart, roadways, bridges. The whole infrastructure. But where’s the money gonna come from? Somebody’s gotta pay for it. And we’re in debt right now," said Matt Salter, a Jupiter Farms resident who was visiting the bridge.
FDOT says under the current plans, a development and environmental impact study for the new bridge will be done in 2021.
However, FDOT has not disclosed how much it will cost.


Observing the oxidation state turnover in heterogeneous iridium-based water oxidation catalysts†
In this work the oxidation states assumed by Ir in oxide systems used as heterogeneous catalysts for water oxidation are determined by means of in situ X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS). Using a highly hydrated iridium oxide film allows the maximum number of Ir sites to be involved in the electrochemical processes occurring at the catalysts during water oxidation (oxygen evolution reaction, OER). X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) spectra clearly indicate the co-existence of Ir(III) and Ir(V) at the electrode potentials where OER occurs. This represents a fundamental step both in the understanding of the water oxidation mechanism catalysed by heterogeneous Ir oxide systems, and in the possible tailoring of electrocatalysts for OER.


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Skrillex teams up with Bobby Raps for catchy tune ‘Leave Me Like This’: Listen
The third single from the current rollout before the full album drops sometime this year, Skrillex now teams up with American rapper and singer Bobby Raps for the infectiously catchy new single ‘Leave Me Like This.’
Following from the viral hit ‘Rumble‘ with Fred again.. and Flowdan and the feel-good tune ‘Way Back‘ with PinkPantheress and Trippie Redd comes the release of ‘Leave Me Like This‘ with Bobby Raps. Currently the third single from this batch of tracks in what is expected to make up the upcoming album (anticipated to drop in the first half of this year), this one sets itself apart from the others, which are all wildly unique in their own way.
Blessing fans with another ID from the endless supply of fan-favourite unreleased Skrillex gems, ‘Leave Me Like This’ takes the funky, bass house route giving us yet another different genre from his multi-faceted production skills. For the original fans, this is perhaps the most nostalgic and exciting release yet, all due to the fact that his most famous “Yes! Oh my god!” sample from ‘Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites‘ is worked into the track, nodding to his roots whilst also acknowledging how far his signature sound and skills have come since then.
‘Leave Me Like This’ sounds refreshingly new, and beautifully combines fans of his new style whilst nodding to those that have been with him since day one, back in 2010. Aside from this release, it has been an emotional week of reflection for the producer, tweeting out a string of thoughts which included:
“For the first time in 4-5 years I’ve found a new sense of peace. It took so much work and sacrifice to get here. […] Lastly, the support you’ve all shown over the years does mean the world and I’ll continue to work on myself and not get into a situation where I have to cancel shows / go into hiding.”
2023 is the year of Skrillex, and we’re here for it.
Image Credit: Marilyn Hue / Provided by Warner Music Group

domain: entertainment


The Sri Lanka Rupee hit a record low today (08) as it fell further against the US Dollar amid the COVID-19 outbreak. MORE..
8 Apr 2020 (2:30 PM)
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has urged the general public to give utmost support to the government s efforts to save the country from COVID-19 outbreak. MORE..
7 Apr 2020 (9:31 PM)
Another 33 persons are to leave the quarantine centers tomorrow (09) after the completion of the mandatory 14-day quarantine process, said Army Commander Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva. MORE..
8 Apr 2020 (12:36 PM)


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Thomas Juth is a Swedish Latin Grammy Awarded Mixing and Mastering Engineer based in Gothenburg.
News update: Since 2021 Thomas has started shifting away from mixing and is instead focusing fully on mastering. This is a a change that has happened gradually and naturally over the years. Thomas is currently planning to set up his own world-class mastering facility in Sweden, based on all his favorite analogue mastering equipment. Please stay tuned for more information!
Over the past 14 years Thomas Juth has built an impressive discography, which includes legends such as Cat Stevens (feat. Paul McCartney and Dolly Parton) and Elton John, as well as artists such as Jesse y Joy, Alec Benjamin, A-ha, Jason Mraz, Jamie Cullum, Luis Fonsi, Manuel Medrano, Eric Gadd, Zaz, Ricardo Arjona and South Korean superstar Park Hyo-Shin.
Thomas specializes both in Mixing and Mastering, and is an engineer who stands with one foot in the mainstream industry and the other one in the more independent artist scene. This balance has always been very important to him, in order to stay passionate about his work.
As a Mix Engineer, Thomas is best known for his organic, exciting and “vibey” sound, where the emotional impact of the song is always in focus. He explains:
“To me the most important aspect of any song, production or mix is that it has the right vibe and character, and that it makes the listener feel something. As a Mix Engineer, my job is to find out what makes each song compelling, and to then reinforce that emotion.”
Thomas started his career at Mayfair Studios, in London, working as an Assistant Engineer. During three years at Mayfair Studios he was able to assist and learn from some of the greatest engineers and producers around, an opportunity which allowed him to quickly develop and improve as a Mix Engineer. In 2006 Thomas joined the Kensaltown Team, (James Morrison, Jason Mraz, Train, etc), led by well-known producer Martin Terefe. During the following seven years he mixed a large part of Martin’s productions, as well as other projects coming out of Kensaltown Studios.
Tip: You can now listen a selection of Thomas’ work on Spotify. Playlist: Mixed By Thomas Juth

domain: artistic


Liam Payne reportedly got injured during a practice session for an upcoming Soccer Aid charity match as the singer rented out an entire football stadium.
According to The Sun, the One Direction alum, who will be the captain of England XI, called Billericay Town to use 5,000 capacity of New Lodge for a practice session on Wednesday.
Payne, before facing off Olympic legend Usain Bolt’s World XI in June, was spotted leaving with a bleeding knee after a practice session with a group of friends.
A source spilt to the outlet, “Liam asked Greg on the off-chance him and some pals could use the pitch and Greg got the wheels in motion.
“He didn’t look too bad considering he has been telling people he’s nervous to be captaining England in such a big game.
“Him and his mates got stuck in and he was left with a bleeding knee but no lasting damage. Liam looked in good nick.”


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A NEW healthy lifestyle advice service will be launched by Horsham District Council later this month as part of a West Sussex-wide health prevention initiative.
Known as the Horsham District Health and Wellbeing Hub, its role will be to help promote and improve the health and quality of life of local people.
From September 14 residents can contact the new Horsham District Wellbeing Hub on Tel: 01403 215111 and access a “one stop shop” of information and advice on physical and emotional health matters.
People will be able to talk to a wellbeing advisor about their health concerns and find out about local services and support groups.
Issues they may wish to get help with could include:
Giving Up Alcohol, Smoking, Drugs
Creating a Healthy Home
Good Mental Health
Being Active and Social
To ensure that everyone can access the hub, the district council will be working with local organisations to deliver the service across the whole of the district.
A new website is also available at www.horshamdistrictwellbeing.org.uk


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domain: game


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Inscrit le: 05 Avr 2016
|Posté le: Lun 19 Juin - 11:45 (2017) Sujet du message: Jamal's Journey Download Epub Mobi Pdf Fb2
Jamal is a little camel so he must walk, walk, walk through the desert. One day he becomes separated from his friend, the boy, but a wise falcon helps to reunite them. They go on to explore the city and its exciting sights and sounds.
A modern tale of friendship and adventure from the twice Greenaway-award-winning author/illustrator, Michael Foreman.
publisher: Andersen Press (March 28, 2017)
isbn: 1783444908, 978-1783444908,
weight: 14.9 ounces

domain: library


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Interview by Stephanie Peh
Photographs courtesy of Kompakt
Gui Boratto – Plié (feat. Igot Cavalera)
Total 11 (2010)
When Wolfgang Voigt, Jürgen Paape and Michael Mayer founded Cologne-based electronic music label Kompakt in 1993, they had no master plan, except to give to the world the music they enjoyed. Sticking by their guns, they’ve progressively pushed the boundaries of electronic music, exploring the edges of sound.
As a tireless producer and music artist, Wolfgang Voigt believes in finding new sounds in usual places. The label never puts a clear definition to the sort of record they will release. As such, in this conversation we turn to the maker of the music himself.
Hi Wolfgang, please kindly introduce your main team members, their specific roles and the various divisions in Kompakt.
Since we started as a small record shop in early 1993, the company has moved twice to bigger buildings, because it was until the late nineties that we were constantly growing. Today there are more than 20 people working full-time in different departments. There’s the shop and the mail order. There’s the physical and digital distribution, a label department, promotion and our own publishing company. And of course the booking agency for our DJs and artists.
What was the minimal techno/ambient scene in Cologne like, back in the nineties? Would you say that it was more unshaped, raw, and hence creative, as it was seeking to refine its identity?
I think Cologne has always had a very independent and individual spirit in art and music since the sixties. For me the typical Cologne minimal techno, which became a worldwide success in the nineties, was not a result of the necessity of some people who mainly wanted to sound different than others; it was a natural thing of mentality.
Today, minimal techno is internationally known, people immediately link it to “German dance music”—it has achieved some sort of a veteran status, you don’t get the same experience in a club in Paris or London, as you do in Germany. Yet it varies from Cologne to Frankfurt to Berlin. Where did it all originate from?
Even if Germany has a very long tradition in electronic music (Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Daf, etc.), which goes back much further than the nineties, Techno was the first kind of music that gave German music producers the freedom to create an internationally accepted dance music which kept up with Anglo-American pop music. I think back in the early days, it was not successful because it was from Germany, it was successful because people in those times were very open minded and democratic and derivation/parentage and language was not as important anymore. A few years later “German Dance Music” then became a trademark.
Read more in N˚4: Flight.


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I’m looking to get a 40′ enclosed trailer for hauling a few cars round. The picture I posted WAS a 5th wheel camper before the camper part was faraway from the body and replaced by a truck camper! He has an older Ford F150 with a short mattress and he is hauling round a huge three Car Trailer that is approach over sized for this truck. No matter what size hauler you want, each presents loads of ways so that you can tie down the automobiles that you are transporting.
Fifth wheel hitches can weigh several hundred lbs and removing them is not any simple task. The other factor is, my 44ft enclosed trailer which was a gooseneck, when it is loaded I cant get it off of my truck. Self contained, large inside – straightforward to load massive SUV and pick up vehicles, virtually new tiers 22.5 – Yokohama. I want my mattress so I will search for a fifth wheel that is easy to mount/unmount to allow for use of the bed.
I’m seeking to get a forty’ enclosed trailer for hauling a couple of vehicles round. When you simply took a flat mattress trailer and enclosed it, the trailer itself would out weigh many of the hundreds. I paid a fellow from Tennesse to haul three of mine after I moved to AZ. However I never talked to him about weights, gearing and what all he had achieved to his truck. For most people pulling enclosed automotive trailers (hobby automotive folks going to shows, race tracks, etc), the 5th wheel is the preferred selection.
Fifth wheel hitches can weigh a number of hundred lbs and removing them isn’t any simple activity. The opposite factor is, my 44ft enclosed trailer which was a gooseneck, when it is loaded I cant get it off of my truck. Self contained, wide inside – simple to load massive Classic Car SUV and pick up vans, virtually new tiers 22.5 – Yokohama. I want my mattress so I’ll search for a fifth wheel that’s straightforward to mount/unmount to allow for use of the mattress.
I’ve an inverted fifth wheel on my toyhauler (the guts grasp from the neck and hitch the wrong way up) and B&W even makes the pin plate for this rig. Because of the vast inventory on eBay, you’ll find used automotive haulers which might Trucks be just right on your operation whether it is large or small. Also you usually have a better weight ranking with a GN. A Fifth Wheel hitch is much larger priced to. I gave $275 for my B&M Turnover Ball.

domain: hobby


About Edmund Kennedy
The Edmund Kennedy section of Girramay National Park boasts natural beauty combined with a diverse range of landscapes. The low-lying area has a wonderful variety of vegetation including lowland rainforest, open eucalypt forest, paperbark woodland, sedge swamps and extensive mangrove forests that include most of the mangrove species found in Australia.
During the wet season a deluge of rain flows from adjacent ranges to flood the creeks and swamps. As the floodwaters subside, the swamps become a tranquil setting, the water stained with tannin from the tea-trees. During cooler, drier months the swamps dry out.
This diverse wetland park is in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and provides valuable habitat for the vulnerable estuarine crocodile as well as the endangered mahogany glider and southern cassowary.
Read more about the nature and history of Edmund Kennedy, Girramay National Park.
Whenever you explore, minimise your impact. Terrestrial and marine plants and animals depend on us to keep land, ocean and estuarine areas clean.
- Take your rubbish with you when you leave.
- Stay on the walking tracks.
- Everything in the park, living or dead, is protected. Please leave everything as you found it.
See the guidelines on caring for parks for more information about protecting our environment and heritage in parks.
The Edmund Kennedy section of Girramay National Park is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and is managed to preserve the area's natural, cultural and scenic values while providing nature-based recreational opportunities for visitors.
Girramay National Park was gazetted on 20 July 2007. Edmund Kennedy National Park became part of Girramay National Park on 5 June 2009. This followed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the department and the Girramay Aboriginal people.
Girramay National Park is managed by Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) in collaboration with the Wet Tropics Management Authority and the Girramay Aboriginal people.
- For tourism information for all regions in Queensland see Queensland Holidays.
The natural, cultural and historical significance of Edmund Kennedy
- There are currently no park alerts for this park.


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The Head Chair for the Human Rights Committee is Yumna
The Co-Chair is Dunni and the Guest Chair is Rohan
I’m Yumna, Head Chair of the Human Rights Committee. I hope you are all looking forward to debating this collection of pressing issues as a committee. ‘The Issue of the Rights of Indigenous People’ explores how indigenous communities have lived through a process of invisibility and systematic exclusion pretty much since the era of conquest. In the mid-twentieth century the international community started to acknowledge their situation and the first international treaty was adopted. It not only establishes a universal framework of standards for their survival, dignity and well-being, it elaborates on their fundamental freedoms for their circumstances. However, raging fires have been spreading throughout the Amazon, where indigenous people face violence and pressure for their resources.
‘The Issue of Gender and Religion-Based Violence, Torture and Persecution in Northern Africa and the Middle East’ looks into the state of the human rights in these countries. Across the region, authorities have used arbitrary detention, excessive force against protesters and more to restrict society. Dozens of female human rights defenders were targeted for advocating women’s rights or protesting against sexual harassment. Although some states have shown minor improvements, other member states are still arresting and prosecuting people for their sexual orientation, whether it be real or perceived. Ethnic and religious minorities are still facing prosecution in countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Finally, ‘The Issue of the Rights of Unaccompanied Migrant Children and Adolescents’ focuses on the high growing number of unaccompanied young migrants who face dangers whilst entering international borders. Adolescent and children migrants are motivated by getting away from the countless violations of their human rights in their country of origin such as lack of protection from violence, poverty, insufficient access to education and health services and different forms of abuse and threat. As children and adolescents make up more than half of the refugee population. This group are much more vulnerable to a breach of their human rights, which is why this issue must be dealt with immediately.
I look forward to seeing you all at MUNHIGH20. If any of you have any concerns please don’t hesitate to contact me.
All resolutions must be submitted by Thursday 30th January (11:59 pm)
Please email all resolutions to:
In the subject line, include your COMMITTEE, COUNTRY, and the ISSUE
it addresses. Please also bring a paper copy of your resolution for lobbying purposes.
Please ensure all resolutions are emailed to the above address by the deadline as we cannot accept resolutions brought in on USB flash drives on the day. Please also bring at least one paper copy of your resolution to the conference for lobbying purposes.
Contact your chairs
If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact your chairs by completing the form below.
* marks a compulsory field

domain: law


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[Interview] Isaiah Rashad talks “Cilvia Demo”, what memory he wants to leave with people and his Toronto show
Interview by: Colton Beausoleil It's undeniable that Isaiah Rashad has been the talk of the game since the release of "I Shot You Down". There were subtle hints before hand leading up to the official announcement that he had signed with T.D.E., though until the release of the song that set everything in motion; Isaiah Rashad was behind the scenes working on his project Cilvia Demo. As the first of six release's from T.D.E. this year, Cilvia Demo quickly made it's way to being one of the top projects released and proved it's one made for longevity. With such a powerful start, it doesn't look like Isaiah Rashad is going anywhere anytime soon and I'm excited to see what the future holds for the Chattanooga, Tennessee artist. Cilvia Demo being his first project, being a part of a powerhouse label shaping a new generation, tied in with being an incredibly talented artist, Isaiah Rashad is just getting started. With the goals he has set for himself, it can only get better than it already is. First impression's are key and Isaiah set a new standard I think. We caught up with Isaiah Rashad to talk about his new project Cilvia Demo, what he's learned since being with T.D.E, touring and his upcoming show in Toronto. Read the full interview at the link below.


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How to choose the packing material width for coil eye through packing
Many people have a question, what is the min. width fo the packing material aviable for my coil packing by coil wrapping machine?
Following is the anser: Choosing the Max.width of the packing material per Min.ID of the coil.
There are fixed size material storage devices and film roll in the ring. For coil packing with eye through wrapping, the packing machine must to be designed per coil Min.ID so that the ring and packing material is able to be crossed the coil ID safely.
If the Min.ID is 120mm, the availabe Max. width is 40mm. By this way no matter coil ID 150mm or 270mm, all must following the design per Min.ID 120mm. Same principle, if the Min. ID 150mm， the packing machine will be designed per 150mm .
The principle is making the packing material getting through the Min.ID and than using it works for the bigger size.
For more information for the coil packign machine:
contact us: email@example.com

domain: design


Two additional sessions of auditions for the musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame have been scheduled by director Shelly McFadden. The first will be Sunday, March 28 at 3 p.m. and the second will be Monday, March 29 at 7 p.m. Both sessions will be in the Rehearsal Center at the Hazel Day Longden Theatre in Greencastle.
The show will be produced June 1-5 & June 8-12. It will open the planned 60th Season of Putnam County Playhouse. Details are still being worked out. The board is watching the COVID protocols carefully and decisions will be made with the safety of our participants and audiences in mind.
Among roles in the musical are Quasimodo, the title character; Esmerelda, the beautiful dancer he falls in love with; Frollo, the archdeacon of Notre Dame; and Phoebus, the captain of the Cathedral Guard. McFadden is also looking for a large ensemble – or congregation. Numerous supporting roles will be cast from the congregation. There are opportunities for many performers in singing and dancing roles.
Click HERE to learn more about the roles/characters and to read about the production.
You can print out an audition form in advance HERE.
Also needed are a few more members for the Choir, who sing throughout the production. Persons interested in performing in the Choir can audition during these sessions as well. You can print out an audition form for the Choir HERE.
Those wishing to audition should prepare no more than 32 measures of a song. An accompanist will be provided. Please bring your sheet music. A capella auditions are strongly discouraged. There will also be a dance portion of the audition. All those auditioning should be at least 16 years of age. Those attending should wear masks, and social distancing will be observed during the process.


Organization: Online Trust Alliance (OTA)
Reference: OTA – IoT Trust Framework (V2.0) [PDF]
Published on: Latest Update: 4 May 2017 Initially published: 5 January 2017
The IoT Trust Framework includes a set strategic principles to help secure IOT devices and their data when shipped and throughout their entire life-cycle. Through a consensus driven multi-stakeholder process, key principles have been identified for connected home, work and wearable technologies including toys and fitness devices. The Framework outlines mandatory requirements including comprehensive and security patching post warranty.


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Sleep Diagnostics Center
If you are having problems getting a restful night's sleep, Gibson General Hospital's Sleep Diagnostics Center is here to help you get the quality sleep you deserve. The Sleep Diagnostics Center conducts overnight and daytime sleep studies to aid in the diagnosis of a variety of sleep disorders, including:
Restless Leg Syndrome
Periodic Leg Movement Disorder
Featuring two comfortable, home-like private suites, state-of-the-art equipment and a specially trained sleep technologist, the Sleep Diagnostics Center will work closely with your physician to create an individualized treatment plan.
If you or someone you love is experiencing a sleep problem, please talk to your physician or contact Gibson General Hospital's Sleep Diagnostics Center at 812-385-1705 for a free in-home ApneaLink screening to determine if an overnight sleep study can help.
** Gibson General Hospital's Sleep Diagnostics Center is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Management.

domain: medical


LONDON July 15, 2011
The Sun ‘ s £1 Million Dream Team Now Free To Play
For the first time ever, The Sun’s £1m Dream Team will be free to play for the 2011/12 football season – re-defining the fantasy gaming market for a new generation of football fans and gamers alike.
In addition there will be a £25 ‘Premium’ package which gives players access to an exclusive £340,000 worth of extra cash prizes.
"We are proud of our bold new strategy for The Sun’s £1 Million Dream Team.
"We have two different types of Dream Team customers – the casual gamer and the enthusiast. By making our core product free we are opening up the game to thousands of new casual gamers, giving them the chance to experience the Dream Team game and engage with The Sun’s fantastic football content.
"For the more serious gamers we have a top quality premium option available at an affordable price.
"When you combine all of this with our £1m guaranteed cash prize pool, which is the biggest in the world, there is no doubt in my mind that The Sun’s Dream Team is the best fantasy football game on the planet."
Points are awarded by a combination of The Sun’s match reporters and statistics during the season depending on how well the players perform in real-life Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup matches.
During the season there are five free transfer windows to make changes to your team and teams with the highest numbers of points win guaranteed cash prizes.
Managers can also play their teams in ‘Mini Leagues’ where they compete against friends or colleagues. Dream Team offers you the chance to enter into up to five Mini Leagues with the same team.
Peter Radford Wakefield Yorkshire
Notes to Editors
About Dream Team
The Sun £1m Dream Team is the No1 Fantasy Football game on the planet with 4,000 prizes to be won including a first prize of £100,000.
SOURCE The Sun Dream Team


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If someone has already posted this recipe, I apologize. Every time we have a party at work this is what I am expected to bring. It's simple to make ( although a little expensive ).
2 pkg Crescent Rolls
2 c. Hormel sliced pepperoni **
16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
5 Tb Romano cheese
Mix together Cheeses, eggs, and pepperoni. Set aside.
Spread one pkg of crescent roll dough onto a greased 13"x 9" pan. Spread the cheese/pepperoni mixture into the pan. Cover with the other pkg of crescent roll dough.
Bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until top is golden brown.
** I use Hormel because its less greasy than some other brands. You can increase/decrease the amount according to personal preference. I use about 3/4 of the small pouch.
It's not the pace of life that concerns me, it's the sudden STOP at the end!!"

domain: food


Having completed his tenure as the opposition leader, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Tshering Tobgay gave up his official duty vehicle granted to him. In a press conference the former Opposition Leader (OL) also requested the interim government to lift the personal security arrangements made for him.
“While I am deeply honoured to be granted the right to personally receive the official vehicle that was dispensed for my official position for the past five years, I would like to submit that my conscience does not permit me to retain it for reasons that are well known to every Bhutanese,” said Tshering Tobgay in the letter addressed to the Chairman of the Interim Government the Chief Justice Sonam Tobgay.
The former OL presented the following as reasons that led to his decision to return the vehicle.
According to the former OL’s letter His Majesty the King was requested by no other than the Prime Minister to grant the official Land Cruiser and Prados to the Prime Minister, Ministers, Speaker, Chairman of the National Council and the Leader of the Opposition.
“…Which is morally wrong and tends to set a precedent in future which will eventually become a right? I strongly believe that it is wrong for the elected leadership to submit a plea of Kidu for personal gain which tantamount to total disrespect for the countless Bhutanese people who struggle to meet their daily sustenance and who are the real ones deserving His Majesty’s compassion through the institution of Kidu,” stated the letter.
The other reason stated was that the country is on the brink of an economic crisis.
“Our national debt is more than Nu 83bn, which amounts to 82% of GDP, and is projected to grow exponentially in the next few years. Furthermore, the short term rupee borrowing has already crossed Rs 21bn and is spiralling out of control creating an unprecedented Rupee Crisis,” stated the letter.
The letter further stated that there are no indications that this crisis will be resolved in the near future. The reckless borrowing and excessive spending by the DPT Government during the past five years have directly contributed to this dangerous economic condition, and our people are already facing the brunt of this crisis.
“In such an unfortunate economic situation where strict austerity measures have now become inevitable, I, as an elected leader of the people, cannot morally accept the vehicle which will only contribute to accentuate the problem as the next government will be compelled to resort to importing new vehicles for the next batch of elected leaders.” stated PDP President Tshering Tobgay in the letter.
Ban on import vehicles and vehicle quotas
The OL said that in light of the current economic problem, the elected government imposed a ban on import of all types of vehicles and citing the same problem, the government also discontinued the vehicle quotas for civil servants and directed the banks from giving loans for import of vehicles as a whole.
He shared that at a time when the vehicle ban and the discontinuation of vehicle quotas prevent the people from purchasing a simple family car, exercising the right to take official vehicles and compelling the next Government to import new and expensive vehicles with taxpayers’ money, is morally wrong for all elected leaders.
Excellent condition of the vehicle and can serve new leader for next five years
According to the Opposition Leader Tshering Tobgay the existing official vehicles of the elected leaders are in excellent condition and can still serve the new leaders for the next five years. He added that buying new vehicles would entail huge costs at a time when the government should be cutting down its expenditure. “I strongly believe that the elected leadership should be mindful of such exigencies,”
He added that the move is also being justified by some on the grounds that other MPs were given Nu 700,000 and a duty free import quota to buy vehicles at the beginning of the term while the Prime Minister, Ministers, Speaker, Chairman of the National Council and Opposition Leader did not receive the amount.
The former OL’s letter concluded that entitlement of the MPs is guaranteed by the Parliamentary Entitlements Act, and as such was accorded to them by the law. On the other hand, there is no legal basis for other elected leaders to take possession of their official duty vehicles, “and therefore receiving them in the name of the Golden Throne is morally wrong and is a blatant misuse of the political authority vested on us.”
The move which claimed the moral high grounds on the former OL’s part was received under skeptical eyes from the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) who interpreted it as ‘a cheap political move’ to gain political mileage.
“We are deeply saddened by the fact that the Soelra from His Majesty is being made an issue before the elections. This is a deliberate distraction that the people of Bhutan cannot afford at this juncture,” a response from the DPT stated.
The DPT response further stated that Soelra is an integral part of Bhutanese culture and a symbol of gratitude and appreciation that exists between the ruler and those serving him.


Further evacuations were ordered Thursday across the Los Angeles metropolitan area as multiple wildfires continue to rage uncontrolled. As fires raged southward Thursday afternoon, the County of San Diego declared a state of emergency, enabling assistance from federal and state resources.
Winds in the Ventura area reached up to 85 miles an hour Wednesday night, the National Weather Service reported, matching the "extreme wind behavior" Los Angeles County Fire Chief said was expected. Conditions improved throughout the morning but Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti warned at a midday press conference that the situation may quickly worsen.
"The prediction is, even though this is a time of calm winds, that we will continue to get gusts through Saturday that will be erratic and unpredictable, as high as 50 to 70 miles an hour," Garcetti said. "These conditions ... make this a very threatening environment."
With at least 120,000 people already fleeing the fires by Wednesday, the overnight spread of the Thomas Fire in Ventura and towards Santa Barbara caused officials to order more evacuations.
Air travelers affected by the wildfires can change their plans at no cost, JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines announced. The airlines said customers traveling through Los Angeles International Airport, Hollywood Burbank Airport or Long Beach Airport can change their travel dates without a fee and will not be charged the difference if the new date is more expensive.


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Sunday, April 03, 2016
Warmist fear of the truth
I won't go into details but I had an email conversation a few weeks ago with a woman whom I had last seen in the '70s. I had a small item that she wanted so I suggested that she call in to pick it up. She lives only about 15 minutes drive away so that would be no burden. And she seemed keen to do that.
As part of polite catching up she asked me about my mathematician son. One of the things I said was that he was like me in regarding global warming as absurd to the point of hilarity.
Since I had last seen her, however, she had become a global warming believer. So I said that when she visited I would like to show her a graph. I had in mind the graph at the head of this blog.
We closed the conversation shortly thereafter and I have heard and seen neither hide nor hair of her since. Her interest in visiting me vanished as soon as she suspected that her beliefs would come under challenge.
And when they can't shut us up, that is what the Green/Left do. They run away. They HAVE to feel wiser than the rest of us "cattle" in order to prop up their self-esteem. ANYTHING is better than feeling small and foolish, which is what they mostly are. So when conservatives present evidence to show that their wisdom is wrong, it is very distressing to them. They just HAVE to shut all that out. Sad.
CEI attorney cites chilling effect of state investigations of ExxonMobil
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who is investigating ExxonMobil for possibly suppressing climate change research from the public and investors, is overstepping his bounds, a senior attorney for the Competitive Enterprise Institute contends.
Schneiderman has said he is not pleased that ExxonMobil questions the impact of global warming and that it donates to think tanks that occasionally challenge conventional wisdom.
“If you can intimidate people who take issue with the most alarming and maximal projections of global warming,” said Hans Bader, senior attorney for CEI in Washington, D.C., “you will end up with a skewed estimate of global warming that may also skew public policy and result in misallocation of resources.”
Schneiderman specifically disagreed with comments by Exxon that “switching over to renewables by the end of this century would raise energy costs” substantially, and that “ExxonMobil essentially ruled out the possibility that governments would adopt climate policies stringent enough to force it to leave its reserves in the ground," saying that rising population and global energy demand would prevent that. “Meeting these needs will require all economic energy sources, especially oil and natural gas,” it added.
Bader believes that the objective of the attorney general's investigation is not to uncover wrongdoing but rather to harass Exxon by subjecting it to bad publicity and the costs of producing thousands of pages of documents.
"I suspect that what is meant by 'promulgating misleading information,' is that oil companies declined to predict massive increases in temperature over the last 20 years that did not come true, and did not in fact occur," he said. "Failure to embrace exaggerated claims of global warming does not constitute '`deliberate deception,' when scientists have come up with widely varying estimates of how the climate will change, some conservative, and some exaggerated.
"Since climate-change predictions are not an exact science, the fact that one scientist comes up with a maximal, upper-bound projection of climate change does not obligate an oil company to believe it, much less trumpet it to the public. Nor does the fact that an oil company, which hedges against risk (including the risk of relatively improbable events, such as maximal, upper-bound projections of global temperature increases), takes such an estimate into account for contingency-planning mean that it accepts that estimate as being likely to come true, and thus render it deceitful for failure to publicly trumpet that projection of warming as if it were likely to come true."
Bader believes Schneiderman's investigation is part of a pattern of targeting individuals and groups with differing opinions about climate change.
"They are apparently aimed at people who are in the mainstream of climatology, who simply have a somewhat lower projection of global temperature increases than liberal state attorneys general find politically convenient," he said.
"For example, University of Alabama climate scientist John Christy was the target of liberal Congressional investigators, even though Christy doesn’t say global warming isn’t happening; and the brief he co-submitted to the Supreme Court says it is happening, but at less than half the rate projected by many other climate scientists."
Freedom of speech is the core issue for Bader.
"The First Amendment has long been interpreted as protecting corporate lobbying and donations, even to groups that allegedly deceive the public about important issues," he said. "So even if being a 'climate denier' were a crime (rather than constitutionally protected speech, as it in fact is), a donation to a non-profit that employs such a person would not be."
But Bader expects other states to take similar action.
"Maryland is and its attorney general has already prejudged matters by claiming that oil companies have contributed to the problem by intentionally promulgating misleading information, testimony and advertising," he said.
The ultimate victim, Bader argues, is freedom of expression.
"These investigations are a threat to mainstream climatologists who do not make exaggerated claims of global warming," he said, "and a threat to oil companies’ ability to engage in prudent contingency planning that takes into account maximal projections of global warming, without having to publicly tout those projections, which often turn out to be inaccurate years later."
Bogged Down in Water Regulation
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday for a potentially landmark legal case limiting the reach of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and its zealous interpretation of the Clean Water Act. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes Co revolves around a peat farm operated by the Pierce family near the North Dakota-Minnesota state line. The Pierces drain bogs and scrape up the peat to sell to golf courses and football stadiums. As Kevin Pierce explained in a video, laying down peat creates a cushion on swaths of grass that will experience heavy use. It also reduces the amount of water it takes to hydrate said grass.
When the company tried to use a property in nearby Minnesota for its peat-harvesting operation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers swooped in. Bogs are wetlands, wetlands feed into navigable waterways, and therefore, the Pierce’s peat bog was under the corps' purview because it somehow affected the Red River, which lies 120 miles away. Sure, the Corps has jurisdiction over navigable waterways in the United States, but good luck piloting a boat through a peat bog. Recently, the Corps and the EPA tried to extend their power so that they control bodies of water as small as a ditch. The Pierces were yet another family affected by agency overreach.
But there was little they could do. They could cave to the Corps' demands, they could navigate the red tape and apply for a costly permit, or they could use the property anyway and risk major fines. The Pierces couldn’t take the Corps to court to challenge its determination, so the Supreme Court will decide whether the Corps is above legal challenge.
During the oral arguments, both liberal and conservative justices expressed skepticism over the Corps' arguments. For example, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg described the permitting process “arduous and very expensive.” The Pacific Legal Foundation, which is representing the Pierces before SCOTUS, say the amicus briefs from think tanks, businesses — even 29 states — have joined the Pierces' petition to the Supreme Court, none in support of the Corps. It seems this part of the environmental regulatory deluge is coming to an end.
Obama’s Clean Power Plan and EPA’s Emissions Rules Negatively Impact Indian Territory
Much debate and controversy surrounds the historic treatment of Native American communities by the U.S. Government. There exists many federal programs specifically aimed at helping tribal communities. Certainly government policies and programs should not hurt them. However, the Administration’s new carbon emission reduction regulation does just that.
Although the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed a temporary reprieve to the states by granting a stay of Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed controversial carbon emissions rule, there is no doubt that as written, the president’s so-called Clean Power Plan impacts low and middle income communities the most, and especially singles out certain Indian nations.
The EPA has gone as far as to issue a supplemental proposal to address carbon emissions from the four electric generating stations located on Indian lands. These plants produce low cost electricity for sale into the grid, as well as, provide well-paying jobs for tribal communities. In the case of the Navajo Generating Station (NGS) in Arizona, the plant was established specifically to pump water from the Colorado River, under an existing water rights settlement, to areas on and off the reservation. Additionally, the NGS utilizes coal mined on the reservation.
Unfortunately, the Navajo Nation, like too many other tribal communities, is plagued by significant economic challenges. The lack of jobs, high unemployment, and limited opportunities hurt the young and old alike. The EPA’s actions will directly impact one of the tribe’s most significant employers, and will have an economic ripple affect across the reservation.
The 27,000 square mile Navajo Nation extends into the states of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, and is larger than 10 of the 50 states in America. Many Americans remember the heroic and patriotic acts of the Navajo Code Talkers during World War II in the Pacific.
Arizona State Sen. Carlyle Begay, a Navajo recently said, “The Navajo Nation’s unemployment rate is over 50 percent. Currently, revenue from coal represents 60 percent of the Navajo Nation’s general funds and operating budget. Absent political restrictions on the use of coal, (coal) mining and the Navajo Generating Station on the Navajo Nation’s land would be expected to boost its economy by over $13 billion over the next 25 years!”
Employing nearly 500 people, the NGS plays a key role in improving the quality of life for residents of the Navajo Nation and surrounding cities. The Kayenta Mine, which supplies coal to NGS, employs more than 400 employees. These facilities provide hundreds of Navajos with the opportunity to work. Like many corporate citizens, the NGS contributes to the quality of life in the region through targeted investments and grants to support educational scholarships, historic preservation, and environmental protection.
As part of the Salt River Project (SRP), the NGS not only provides electricity for consumers and businesses, but it provides the power needed to distribute water throughout the region. SRP's water business is one of the largest raw-water suppliers in Arizona delivering approximately 800,000 acre-feet of water annually to a 375-square-mile service area.
The impact of the Clean Power Plan on the Navajo Nation is not insignificant and will impact them for generations. These proud and patriotic people deserve better.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation has produced a compelling video -- in the Navajo’s own words -- that illustrate how the EPA’s plan impacts Navajo lives.
The Big Green job-killing machine
Environmentalists wield powerful Endangered Species Act to kill jobs, impoverish families
The abuse of environmentalist power to hurt people never stops.
“Another one gone,” began the Lost Coast Outpost’s report in late January. A.A. “Red” Emmerson, chairman of Sierra Pacific Industries, announced the permanent closure of its sawmill on Samoa Peninsula in Arcata, California – with the loss of 123 crew member jobs (and over 100 secondary jobs that depended on sawmill employment).
Regulatory burdens and reduced allowable harvests from federal forests are the primary reasons for the closure, Emmerson said.
The shutdown of the last mill on once-bustling Humboldt Bay this year was just the latest loss in the timber industry’s long and steady decline under relentless environmentalist pressure and U.S. Forest Service complicity.
A year earlier the North Coast Journal had sadly bid “Goodnight, Korbel” when Arcata’s neighbor lost its 131-year-old sawmill, its 106 direct jobs and numerous local indirect positions. The Pulp & Paperworkers’ Resource Council had previously released its 119-page “Mill Curtailments & Closures From 1990,” counting more than 1,700 nationwide timber-related casualties from 1990 through 2012.
All this damage was launched by the ionic 1991 Spotted Owl court ruling won by a local bird group, Seattle Audubon Society – initially with separate plaintiff Portland (Oregon) Audubon Society – against logging in Washington, Oregon and California.
The owl ruling has been so devastating because Judge William L. Dwyer, of Washington State’s federal district court, granted and stretched Seattle Audubon’s demands to the impossible.
Using the “regional biogeography” principle from a federal “Spotted Owl Task Force” decision, Dywer ruled, “The duty to maintain viable populations of existing vertebrate species requires planning for the entire biological community – not for one species alone. It is distinct from the duty, under the Endangered Species Act, to save a listed species from extinction.”
But even wildlife specialists did not know and could not explain what the “entire biological community” of the three-state area was.
Industry analyst Paul Ehinger & Associates of Eugene, Oregon found that, after just five years, Dwyer’s Seattle Audubon ruling had shut down 187 mills and wiped out 22,654 jobs throughout the three states.
The toll expanded like the Big Bang, and running totals are no longer tracked. A few well-off Seattle industry-haters and a liberal judge who paid little attention to the human toll set in motion a curse without end, the “progressive” destruction of the jobs, incomes, hopes and dreams of thousands.
The Center for Biological Diversity in Tucson, Arizona is a legal action environmental group that sues to block human action and doesn’t care who gets hurt. The leader of its three co-founders, Kieran Suckling, had been an activist in the 1980s’ vandalism and sabotage group, Earth First! (The exclamation point was a mandatory identifier.)
Hatred of industry – and the people who ran it – prompted the founders to seek ways to permanently stop natural resource use and led them to form the CBD in 1994. With the help of environmental attorneys, CBD “weaponized” the Endangered Species Act against ranchers, loggers, miners, and human activity in general. That law now trumps virtually everything else.
In fact, about the only time the act doesn’t seem to apply is when gigantic wind turbines slaughter hundreds of thousands of eagles, hawks, falcons, other birds and bats, year after year, nearly eradicating them and “entire biological communities” across vast areas in California, Oregon and elsewhere.
The organization’s self-description says, “As the country's leading endangered species advocates, the Center for Biological Diversity works through science, law and creative media to secure a future for all species, great or small, hovering on the brink of extinction.”
Extremism is a mild term to describe CBD’s blanket enmity to human action. It has even crossed the traditional environmentalist line that protected and revered Native Americans as “people of nature.”
The group joined a federal lawsuit last year to block essential expansion of The Navajo Mine, south of Farmington, New Mexico. The mine sits on a Navajo reservation and is owned by the Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Navajo Nation’s sprawling tribal government.
The mine was established for the sole purpose of delivering all its coal to the nearby Four Corners Power Plants: five coal-fired power plants, majority-owned and operated by the Arizona Public Service Company, to provide electricity to California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
In the process, it generated 800 mine and power plant jobs, many of them Navajos, and $40 million in annual revenue to the Navajo Nation. NTEC was granted a federal permit to expand the mine.
However, the CBD was determined to stop the expansion and shut down the mine via a huge lawsuit. It helped organize a coalition of co-plaintiffs including little local groups such as Amigos Bravos, San Juan Citizens Alliance, and Dine [Navajo] Citizens Against Ruining Our Environment, as well as the $100-million-a-year Sierra Club and the powerful Western Environmental Law Center.
The attack by CBD et al. won a Colorado federal judge’s order nullifying the expansion permit. The order was confirmed by the Tenth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals when NTEC lost an appeal for a stay on the lower court’s ruling. Even with that victory, the CBD gang insisted that ongoing mining must also halt, pending a new environmental review of alleged public health and environmental risks from the mine expansion: from pollutants that are actually a minor problem at these technologically advanced and well-run Navajo facilities.
Only the Navajo Nation’s sovereignty, an environmental review and agreements with the EPA to fight regional haze by closing three of the plant’s five units and installing emission controls on the remaining two plants saved some of the jobs and revenue – for now. Of course, all that could change as the CBD gang fights on, threatening to sue the federal permitting agency.
Lost jobs of course mean seriously impaired living standards, health and welfare for unemployed workers and their families. But for the CBD and judges, those concerns are irrelevant.
In January, the Farmington Daily Times reported that the town’s San Juan College received a $1.4 million federal grant to help retrain displaced coal miners and workers in other industries, including oil and gas. But oil and gas operations are also under assault by the CBD gang and various federal agencies, which are using climate change, the EPA’s Clean Power Plan and other regulations to restrict or eliminate leasing, drilling and other resource extraction on western lands.
Clearly, even the sovereignty that comes with being a federally recognized Indian tribe on an established reservation provides no protection against a weaponized Endangered Species Act. Other communities, industries, workers and families are even more powerless.
Once again, poor, minority and working class families are at the mercy of wealthy ruling elites, for whom exaggerated and even fabricated environmental concerns are paramount. It’s wrong, and it has to end.
Coal fightback in Australia
The Hunter Coal Festival starts today and runs until Sunday 10th of April. Tomorrow Saturday I shall be in Singleton compering Family Day which will be great. It is all free and everyone is welcome.
Coal is wonderful and is a gigantic contributor to our prosperity. Unfortunately there are people with wicked motives who are waging war on coal.
For the past five years there has been a continuous propaganda campaign run internationally by the Greens and their allies against coal generally and in particular against Indian Companies involved in the coal industry. The campaign has also embraced a raft of spurious lawsuits trying to destroy, damage or delay the plans of Adani and GVK to become significant producers and exporters of Queensland Coal.
One of the catch cries of the villains is the theme “CAN’T EAT COAL”. The truth is that coal is a huge contributor to the provision of food worldwide. Without coal there would be No modern agriculture, No tractors or harvesters, No trucks, No fertiliser, No pesticides or herbicides, No refrigeration, No steel cans or bottles, No grain silos, No efficient transportation, No modern irrigation, No scythes or spades, No modern fishing fleets. Without coal most of the world’s population would starve to death in the dark.
The enemies of coal are the enemies of 300 million people in India who don’t even have a light bulb. These people want their children to be able to study at night. They want to refrigerate food for themselves and their families. The enemies of coal exhibit a strongly racist view that these 300 million people should be deprived of the benefits of coal because they are only Indians.
As one example of this wicked war on coal, in May 2015 a bunch calling themselves “One Million Women” was operating a website which made this false claim:
The Indian company Adani is in charge of the coal terminal at Abbot Point - This is expected to destroy our Great Barrier Reef.
The One Million Women Website on Monday 11 May 2015 was displaying a photo of Sir Richard Branson and a headline asserting “Richard Branson Lobbies UN to List Great Barrier Reef as ‘In Danger’”.
On a very large percentage of Virgin Australia flights in and out of Brisbane Airport the passengers include men and women wearing hi-visibility outfits. These are among the thousands of miners whose purchasing power helps Queensland and the rest of Australia prosper. Another useful piece of information is that Brisbane Airport’s long overdue second runway now under construction has been made possible by a dredging program involving the delivery of eleven million cubic metres of sand sucked out of Moreton Bay. That is nearly eighteen millions tonnes, and the massive dredging job was finished in December 2014. So the founder of the Virgin group of companies is happy to sell thousands of air tickets to the mining industry and is happy to receive the benefit of dredging when it suits him. I should mention that every concrete runway in the world has depended upon coal or a coal substitute for the production of the cement.
So what is the Australian Coal Industry doing to defend civilisation against these unworthy attacks on coal? We know that the enemies of coal deliberately tap into the ancient racist assumption that everything that is black is somehow inferior, which you will admit puts coal rather at a disadvantage.
So Australian Coal Industry scientists working with their Indian Counterparts have developed a coal preparation process which at the front end changes the colour of coal to GREEN. I have a lump of this amazing green coal on my desk and I am posting a photograph of this green coal on my website.
The good news is that green coal has all the calorific value of its black ancestor. The only difference is the colour. Everyone loves Kermit the Frog. The enemies of coal will have to find a different target.
For more postings from me, see DISSECTING LEFTISM, TONGUE-TIED, EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL, POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH, FOOD & HEALTH SKEPTIC and AUSTRALIAN POLITICS. Home Pages are here or here or here. Email me (John Ray) here.
Preserving the graphics: Most graphics on this site are hotlinked from elsewhere. But hotlinked graphics sometimes have only a short life -- as little as a week in some cases. After that they no longer come up. From January 2011 on, therefore, I have posted a monthly copy of everything on this blog to a separate site where I can host text and graphics together -- which should make the graphics available even if they are no longer coming up on this site. See here or here
Posted by JR at 1:20 AM

domain: news


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'RAJJO is back!' As Salman Khan kick-started shooting for 'Dabangg 3', Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha also resumed her role as Inspector Chulbul Pandey's wife Rajjo in the third instalment of the franchise. She started shooting for the film on Thursday, March 4, in Indore and shared her look from the film.
She shared a glimpse of her shooting location on her Instagram story which appears to be somewhere near the banks of river Narmada.
Take a look:
Again, in an Instagram post, the 31-year-old actress shared her photo from the film sets and captioned it saying, "RAJJO is back!!! From Dabangg, to Dabangg 3...Its homecoming. Day 1 of shoot for me today, wish me luck ❤ #DabanggGirl"
Here's the post:
Earlier this week, Salman Khan and his brother, actor-producer Arbaaz Khan, started the shooting for the third instalment in the series. The actor took to Instagram and extended a video message for his fans where he can be seen posing with brother on a private jet. In the video, which seems to have been shot on their way, the sibling duo can be heard saying that they are in Indore for the shooting of the film. They also opened up their plan for the stay and stated that the shooting of the film will take place in an area which is apparently their birthplace. Their grandfather who used to work in the Police force was posted in the area.
Here's the post:
The film, to be directed by choreographer-filmmaker Prabhudheva, will have Salman, 53, reprising his role of Chulbul Pandey. The first part, which released in 2010, was directed by Abhinav Kashyap and actor-producer Arbaaz turned director with part two in 2012. 'Dabangg 3' is all set to hit the theaters in December this year.
Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment.

domain: celebrity


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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, US — Ceres Global Ag Corp has entered into an agreement to acquire Cargill Ltd.’s grain elevator and associated assets referred to as Nicklen Siding.
The grain elevator has a total storage capacity of 14,000 tonnes. Acquisition of the Ridgedale, Saskatchewan, Canada, elevator is expected to close on Aug. 31. Ceres Global will assume Cargill’s open grain purchase contracts.
“With the acquisition of the Nicklen Siding elevator we take another meaningful step in our broader strategy to increase core product origination directly from growers in important regions” said Robert Day, president and chief executive officer of Ceres Global. “The northern Saskatchewan region is critical for Ceres due to the highly efficient grower community, its product mix and competitive access to our terminal assets and customers. Lastly, we are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to retain Cargill’s talented team at the Nicklen Siding elevator and we are excited to welcome them to our Ceres Global family.”
The acquisition is subject to the satisfaction of closing conditions and will be funded with existing working capital.
Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US, Ceres procures and supplies North American agricultural commodities and value-added products, industrial products, fertilizer, energy products and reliable supply chain logistics services to customers worldwide.
Together with its affiliated companies, Ceres operates 13 locations across Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Minnesota. These facilities have an aggregate grain and oilseed storage capacity of approximately 30.8 million bushels.

domain: agronomy


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From March to April 2023 Swiss artist Olivia Gnani is an artist-in-residence at Studio 88. Olivia is a Zurich-based artist who loves all things art and illustration.Read more
Tag: Doi Saket
Studio 88 guest writer Kavin Pramesiripaisan
Studio 88 is happy to welcome our guest writer Kavin Pramesiripaisan to our community. Read more about his work here and keep an eye out for his upcoming articles.Read more
Turn your house into a gallery at Studio 88
From 7 March to 7 May 2023, Sak Homestay and Studio 88 Artist Residency will host the “Turn Your House into a Gallery Project” by Thai artist Byfah Noncharoen. The project brings artwork closer to ordinary people’s everyday lives, by bringing them into their homes.Read more
Laboratory 88: The AiR We Breathe exhibition
From 11 March to 2 April 2023 Studio 88 Artist Residency in Doi Saket will host the exhibition “Laboratory 88”, which brings together international and Thai artists to explore air quality as part of the Chiang Mai ART for AIR festival.
Curated by U Bat Sat, artist and ART for AIR committee member, the exhibition explores a range of themes, such as burning, water, forests, air particles and the sound of the breath. Find out more about the artists and their works here and join us for the opening at 11am on Saturday 11 March.Read more
From February to March 2023 UK-based photographer Jacob Black is an artist-in-residence at Studio 88. He is participating in Studio 88’s special AiR We Breathe programme as part of the Art for Air Festival. Jacob is a photographer, digital operator and darkroom technician who lives and works in London.Read more
Testimonial: Ruth Cohen
Do you want to know what it’s like as a resident at Studio 88? Find out what American artist Ruth Cohen said about her experience.Read more
Special call for visual artists: The AiR We Breathe
Studio 88 Artist Residency is calling for visual artists to apply for a special residency on the theme “The AiR We Breathe”, to be part of the Art for Air Festival 2023 in Chiangmai.
The four-week programme in our residency space in Doi Saket, 30 minutes from the centre of Chiangmai, explores the topic of air quality. The residency, with a select group of international and Thai artists, is facilitated by locally based arts manager and Studio 88 founder Sasiwimon Wongjarin (Aom).
The residency is open to national and international artists, arts collectives, and creative practitioners with diverse visual art forms and/or cross-disciplinary approaches.Read more
Testimonial: Nina Malotta and Samuel Hof
Thai people generally seem to be very lovable and friendly, but especially so at Studio88 and Sak Homestay. Aom was always available for us and ready to support and help us. She is also a great and inspiring person to talk with and, with her international experience and local roots, a great cultural translator.Read more
Studio 88 is open for residency applications!
Studio 88 Artist Residency is now calling for artists in any discipline to apply for our on-going residency programme.Read more
Studio 88 featured on Arts Residency Network Taiwan
This month Studio 88 Artist Residency was featured on the Arts Residency Network Taiwan (ARNT), an initiative from the the Ministry of Culture in Taiwan to promote exchange for local and international artists, curators and cultural institutions.Read more


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Dec. 5, 2013
Michigan was without its leading scorer, Shannon Smith, for the second straight game. Smith was injured in the contest against Texas Tech (Nov. 29).
Cyesha Goree scored a career-best 20 points, the first 20-point game of her career.
Danielle Williams scored the first points of her career on a three-pointer with 1:34 left in the first half.
Val Driscoll scored a career-high 12 points, the first double-digit scoring game of her career.
The all-time series between Michigan and Virginia is now tied at 2-2.
Michigan is now 5-2 all-time in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. It is U-M's first win in the Challenge since the 2011-12 season.
U-M is the only Big Ten team with five wins in the Challenge.
Madison Ristovski dished out a career-best nine assists.
Michigan shot 53.8 percent from the floor in tonight's game, the third game over 50 percent for Michigan this season.
Michigan recorded 21 assists in the contest, its fifth game this season with at least 20.
U-M is now 4-1 when four players score in double figures.
Michigan is now 3-0 in true road games this season.
Tonight's game is the final road contest for Michigan in the 2013 calendar year.
Paige Rakers has hit at least one three-pointer in eight of nine games this season.
With four blocks tonight, Val Driscoll has totaled 10 in the last two games.
Michigan is now 6-2 when outrebounding its opponent. U-M has not been outrebounded since the opening game of the season.

domain: sports


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Everyone is are aware of the value and importance of chemotherapy in today’s cancer treatment. And most of us know about the wonders of cortisone in treating rheumatoid arthritis.
In honor of Black History Month, we’d like to recognize two African Americans who were instrumental in bringing these, and many more, life-saving contributions to medical science.
Jane Cooke Wright, M.D. – the “Mother of Chemotherapy”
Dr. Jane Cooke Wright (1919-2013), physician and cancer researcher graduated with honors from New York Medical College in 1945. She completed her residency at Harlem Hospital, where she finished up as chief resident.
After spending just six months as a staff physician with the NYC Public Schools, Dr. Wright joined the Harlem Cancer Research Foundation (founded by her father, Dr. Louis Tompkins Wright) to research chemotherapy drugs and their effectiveness in treating cancer.
Even though many physicians at the time believed that chemotherapy was not effective in treating cancer, the pair persisted in their research, studying chemotherapy techniques in patient trials. Their investigations into the effectiveness of folic acid antagonists like methotrexate formed the foundation for today’s chemotherapy research.
After leaving the Harlem Cancer Research Foundation, Dr. Wright continued her groundbreaking chemotherapy research at the New York University Bellevue Medical Center. Taking an individualized approach to cancer treatment, she tested specific drugs on actual patient tumors so that the most effective drug could be used on the patient.
Among Dr. Wright’s additional contributions to cancer treatment research are the use of chemotherapy rather than radiation therapy to successfully treat skin cancer and the development of nonsurgical techniques for delivering chemotherapy drugs to tumors.
Besides her contributions to cancer and chemotherapy research, Dr. Jane Wright achieved many prestigious titles and positions. Among them are:
- Associate professor of surgical research at New York University
- Director of Cancer Chemotherapy Research at New York University Medical Center, Bellevue, and University Hospitals
- Appointed to the President’s Commission on Heart Disease, Cancer, and Stroke by President Lyndon B. Johnson
- Founding member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
- Head of the Cancer Chemotherapy Department and Associate Dean at New York Medical College (highest ranking African American woman in a US medical institution)
- First female president of the New York Cancer Society
In addition to the impressive list above, Dr. Wright led and participated in missions and cancer research delegations across the globe. She served as a member of multiple cancer research organizations and government committees, had 135 published scientific research papers, and received numerous awards during her long and successful career.
Dr. Wright has been called “the Mother of Chemotherapy” thanks to her life-changing research on chemotherapy drugs… research that has and continues to this day to save millions of lives.
Percy Lavon Julian, Ph.D. – Chemist, Innovator, and Civil Rights Leader
Percy Lavon Julian, Ph.D., (1899-1975) wasn’t one to let his environment or circumstances slow him down. Born in Montgomery, Alabama to the children of former slaves in a time when black students weren’t allowed to attend the local high schools, Julian was determined to get an education, and he wasn’t going to let anything stand in his way.
Despite his only having an 8th grade education, he was accepted into DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. Taking high school-level classes in the evenings, he not only caught up to his academic peers, but he graduated at the top of his class… with honors (Phi Beta Kappa).
After teaching chemistry for a few years at Fisk University, in 1923 Julian became the first African American to get a master’s degree in chemistry from Harvard University.
When the time came for him to pursue a Ph.D. however, Harvard wasn’t ready for him. But Julian didn’t let Harvard’s rejection put an end to his quest. He found his way to the University of Vienna in Austria where he got that Ph.D. in 1931.
Dr. Julian was a brilliant chemist. With over a hundred patents to his name, he made tremendous contributions to humanity. In 1935 with his lab assistant Josef Pikl, he synthesized the drug physostigmine which is still used today in the treatment of glaucoma.
Since his hopes at gaining full professorship at a DePauw University (where he’d done the research for physostigmine) weren’t working out, he took his talents and career to the private sector. (Perhaps they later realized their mistake, as they now have a Percy L. Julian Science and Mathematics Center.)
Glidden Company probably didn’t realize it at the time, but Percy Julian, their new Director of Research, was to become a member of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, the National Academy of the Sciences, and the lead in what was later recognized as one of the top 25 achievements in American chemistry history by the American Chemical Society… the synthesis of physostigmine.
As the head of research in the soy products division of Glidden, Julian invented a product that would extinguish oil and gas fires and that saved countless lives during World War II. But that’s just the beginning. While at Glidden, he also discovered how to make synthetic hormones (progesterone and testosterone) from sterols in soybeans and found a more cost-effective way to synthesize cortisone, which was and is used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
He eventually left Glidden in 1954 to start his own chemical company, Julian Laboratories… and became one of the first black millionaires in 1961 when he sold the company for $2.3 million. He later established the Julian Research Institute and Julian Associates.
The road to success wasn’t necessarily a smooth one for Julian. While he worked on life-saving breakthroughs that would benefit humans of all races, he fought for civil rights. His laboratories afforded equal employment opportunities to all, proving to the country that race did not determine intelligence or the level of success that one could achieve with the barriers removed.
We at PathSUPPLY want to extend our gratitude and appreciation for these two and all the African American scientists, researchers, lab and medical professionals who, in the face of adversity, have overcome the challenges and improved the lives of all patients… all humans.
Check out PathSUPPLY or call us at 800-631-3556 for your pathology and laboratory supply needs. PathSUPPLY. Helping those who help patients.
References and Resources:

domain: health