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Pro-democracy activist and National Publicity Secretary of Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin has said that the Yoruba does not hate the Fulani people, but against the agenda of genocide by Fulani herdsmen.
In this interview with Sunday Sun, he said that the Yoruba cannot tolerate a society where cattle take priority over human life, just as he disclosed in a unequivocal terms that the South would resist the RUGA Settlement programme, saying that it’s another agenda for internal colonization.
Odumakin also took a critical assessment of the corruption fight, detention of Omoyele Sowore, as well as the ministerial list, among other national issues. Excerpt:
Looking at the country today, what is your candid assessment or perhaps worry if any?
It’s a sad development so far and it bothers me terribly. My worries about the country today are very many. The first one like my very good friend, former Senator Shehu Sani said: Nigeria has become a place where the cheapest commodity today is human blood, it’s cheaper than pure water and there are no consequences. There is even some that you can tag community for killing fellow Nigerians and none that we have heard has been brought to book. That is why it is worrisome. Just some days ago, soldiers killed some policemen who were on duty, they said that they thought that they were suspected kidnappers, that it was after they have killed them that they knew that they were policemen. I have not seen a line where they showed remorse or say, oh, we commiserate with the family of the victims; that tells you that Shehu Sani was right when he said that human life has been so cheap in Nigeria today, even cheaper than pure water that flows anyhow. My second worry is that our economy is going down daily, all the indices are nose-diving. You know in the days of Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, and Jonathan as presidents, we have an economic team, you will see Prof Charles Soludo or Okonjo-Iweala briefing the nation on what is going on concerning the economy, but in the last four years who is addressing us on the economy except the tradermoni, which they are going to the market place to deliver. All have been around cattle colony, grazing reserves, RUGA, cattle routes, Miyetti Allah; yet they promised to create millions of job, but we have lost more jobs than what they promised to create, industries are closing down. Go to Lagos now, find out all the industrial areas you will see that all is dead, you see AMCON, on their gate, they have all been taken over by AMCON. There is unemployment queue everywhere and as people go about unemployed, go to all the neighborhoods at 10:00 a.m, you see youths on their balconies doing nothing and nobody is addressing all this, all we get is total propaganda. Another worry is the mockery we make with the corruption fight, look at the list of ministers screened by the Senate, almost half of the list has one EFCC investigation case or the other and the Senate freely allowed them an easy passage. The most ridiculous and worst allegation against them is the Bow and Go methodology, nobody asks them questions anymore while the few that wanted to ask questions would not be allowed or overruled, it was a mess and total mockery. You know we have three arms of government in this country, anytime the military takes over they will proscribe the National Assembly, the legislature and we will only have the executive and the judiciary, but today we have just one arm of government, the executive where the National Assembly is proving on a daily basis that it is the rubber stamp of the executive. If you look at the executive bill that was created by the president for the Water Bill, it was rejected by the 8th Senate and you can see how Lawan (Senate President) is making effort to bring it back, just to prove that we have a Yes Assembly now. When the judiciary came under hammer, judges’ homes were invaded in the night, but the worst worry is the rate at which groups like the Miyetti Allah go all over the country killing people, raping women, committing all sorts of atrocities and they are not being charged to court. That some citizens can commit any crime no matter how heinous and the law will not be applied against them poses great danger. The government has refused to try the herdsmen who have been killing people, but they have quickly gotten a court order to detain Sowore for 45 days simply because he called for a revolution that he has not even carried out before he was arrested. You say it’s treason, you say it’s terrorism act; why has Shekau not being tried under that act? Why are the Miyetti Allah who are now above the law and who are killing people not tried under that act? That is not how to build an inclusive country. Nigeria today is much more divided than it was in 1914 and that is a great worry because we are sliding into precipice with all the glaring injustice. The Yoruba cannot tolerate a society where cattle take priory over human life, where the cheapest commodity has become human blood.
You were present at the recent meeting that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had with some cattle breeders, going by the deliberations do you think there is light at the end of the tunnel?
Well, the group we met was cattle breeders and they are into cattle business, but we have not heard open accusations of killing people around them. In fact, about five of them who spoke, did that in fluent Yoruba, some of them are born in Yoruba land. There was one who said that if Nigeria breaks today he has no other place to go, that if he runs to the North he does not know anybody there. This has confirmed the position that the real Fulani people who have been staying with our people, we have not had issues with them, they have been living with us in the same community, they don’t go about killing people, we joke with them, they play with us, we play with them, but these Fulani that are killing people, disguising as herders, they are terrorists, they are trespassers, many of them are Fulani from outside the country, we know. But we told them that because they are not speaking out, so when the Fulani criminals from within and outside of the country commit crimes they are the ones that the people see. The ones living with us don’t carry their cows to go and kill people, but the terrorist Fulani do. So, they responded when we spoke to them and we give them the benefit of doubt and we used the opportunity to show that it is not as if we are against any Nigerian, no matter where they come from, no, we are against an agenda of genocide, of some people going around the country and killing people and they think they can’t be challenged. We equally have forces that can stop and tame them, no one group should claim the monopoly of power. Going by available records, not less than 30,000 Nigerians have been killed by herdsmen in the last four years. Who is being tried for those murders? That is what we are against. Some people are saying that we are against the Fulani herdsmen because they have a Fulani president. That is stupid thinking. Was the late President Yar’Adua not a Fulani? Was Shagari not Fulani? Was Murtala Mohammed not Fulani? Most of the votes Atiku Abubakar had came from the South and Middle Belt. Is Atiku not a Fulani man? So, that is a sick argument that because we have a Fulani president then we hate the Fulani. The peaceful Fulani herdsmen who are staying in our villages we are not against them, it is, I repeat, the criminal Fulani who are killing people, who want to take our lands through RUGA that we are against. Like somebody said, since they have been trumpeting RUGA, how many Fulani people in Sokoto or Zamfara have said they want to relocate to the South? All they want to do is to take lands from our communities, kill our people and bring foreign Fulani from Mali, Niger, Senegal, Mauritania to come and dominate us, colonialism, we can’t allow that and we challenge the government to give us the verifiable list, Fulanis in the North who have said they want to go and live in the South.
There is this view also that RUGA is a good scheme, but that it was politicized?
(Cuts in) What is good in it? Tell that to the marine? You go to a community you take their land and create a settlement for all kinds of terrorists. These people are in the bush and they are creating trouble, what of when you now make them landowners? They want to create federal cow territories all across, we say no to that, we cannot accept it, there is nothing good in RUGA and there will be no RUGA here, it’s a divisive policy, it’s an agenda for colonization and domination, it’s another internal colonialism. Even the people propagating it know that we are aware of all the hidden agenda behind RUGA, so we are duty-bound to resist and reject it with all our strength when duty calls. Anybody that wants to do cattle business, it’s a private business, go to the governor’s office to buy land, you pay for it and they will give you the rules and regulations of the place. Why don’t they have a place for the fishermen from the South to also go to the North to have their settlement? Are they the ones getting land for the farmers to go and do their farming? Let them give land to farmers from the South in the North for their farming business? What is behind RUGA is a pure agenda, perhaps the more you look the less you see, but for us, with the benefit of hindsight, insight and foresight we see clearer and know real reasons behind any agenda.
Already the way you are talking, it does not seem to you that the new ministers will take the country higher?
(Cuts in) Which ministers? Have you not seen the list? The list will be good for the campaign committee for election. Did you not see some of them with EFCC cases hanging on them? I doubt if such a collection can solve any problem that will move Nigeria forward in the next four years.
But at what time did we degenerate to this seemingly avoidable mess?
Before 2015, where you witnessing the audacity that the Miyetti Allah is displaying in recent time? But in the last two, three years is there any day you will open the newspaper and you will not see Miyetti Allah talking tough, spitting fire, it’s the Miyetti Allah who is now telling us who will be president and who will not be. Was it how it was before in this country? They are just cow breeders association, but they have now assumed this ubiquitous status in our national life. All the things we talk today is about cattle, cattle route, RUGA and the rest of them, nothing serious is said any longer about the economy. Afenifere last year told Mr President that there is a conflict of interest as he is the president of Nigeria and appointed also as the grand patron of the Miyetti Allah. That conflict is still playing out in our national life today.
How would you assess the activities of EFCC?
There has been so much noise about anti-corruption in Nigeria, but the success of that fight against corruption should be measured in our ministerial list. If our fight in corruption has not created a distinction where some of the names that were approved as ministers should not have been there then it sends a sad message. There are a lot of them under EFCC investigation and yet you still give them public office what message are you then sending? The anti-corruption fight is all about noise because in terms of action we are nowhere. The ministerial list will give you a measure of the success or otherwise of the anti-corruption battle so far.
Do you think the detention of Omoyele Sowore for calling for a revolution does not arise?
We have seen people that called for revolution who are occupying important places in our national life today. The call for revolution cannot become a terrorist act until he goes on the street, start vandalizing, start killing people, but you arrested him even before the time, they arrested him because they preempted the act will be done, but he has not done it. And you now raise it as a terrorist act, that is funny. If there are people or groups to be charged for terrorism it’s the Miyetti Allah, Boko Haram and we are not aware where they have been charged. President Buhari called for a revolution in 2011, Bola Tinubu called for a revolution in 2014, remember also that in 2003 when President Buhari lost an election, he called for a rally in Kano, the government said the rally should not hold and they went ahead to hold the rally. Who charged them to court for that disobedience and revolution protest?
How would you assess the Buhari-led government?
He has to do more. You can see that the country is going through a very tough time. The people are hungry, and now is no longer time for propaganda. If they are doing well they should not have bothered over Sowore’s call for revolution because Nigerians will not show up and even tell the person calling for the revolution that he or she is mad, but the way things are now even a goat will call for a revolution and Nigerians with join because there is frustration in the land. The arrest of Sowore has shown that the government is not doing well. If the economy is fine, if Buhari has united the country and put things the way it should be he should not be bothered if anybody is calling for revolution because he will be confident to know that the people are with him. But he can afford to call for the arrest of Sowore because the masses will key into the reality of the moment.


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domain: design


Subaru Sleeve Installation
Another race prep modification that is performed by John @ Costa Mesa R&D Automotive Machine is to install a set of ductile iron sleeves in the Subaru engine. Check out how its done. www.engine-machining.com (949) 631-6376
Cryogenic Treatment of Engine Parts
Here's a little info about how cryogenic freezing of engine and suspension parts can dramatically improve their life and durability. www.engine-machining.com (949) 631-6376
Non Destructive Testing (NDT) Ford 460 Cylinder Head
John Edwards @ Costa Mesa R&D Automotive Machine demonstrates non destructive testing (NDT) magnetic particle inspection (Magnaflux) on a 460 Ford cylinder head to determine if the head is cracked. www.engine-machining.com (949) 631-6376
Pipe Thread Repair on VW Case
Watch as John Edwards @ Costa Mesa R&D Automotive Machine Shop repairs a pipe thread that was enlarged because the oil pressure warning light switch was screwed too far into this magnesium VW case. 949-631-6376 Don't forget to 'Click' and SUBSCRIBE!


text:
PARIS, Dec 5 (Reuters) - France will delay until early next year a decision to raise regulated minimum food prices and limit bargain sales in supermarkets aimed at increasing farmers’ income, said agriculture minister Didier Guillaume.
The regulations, which were made after a sector-wide review, were expected to be presented during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
“This was postponed because of other issues,” Guillaume told CNews TV on Wednesday, referring to widespread protests over fuel taxes that have hit France since Nov. 17.
The minister said the decisions from the field-to-fork sector review will be implemented by the government in January or February, when agro-industrial groups will be in talks with distributors. (Reporting by Pascale Denis and Sybille de La Hamaide Writing by Bate Felix; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)

domain: economics


text:
Orthogonal - Complex
Project the Right Way to Visualise Design Thinking
This simple but effective poster will help communicate the features and purpose of the Orthogonal Projection drawing system.
Printed on 200gsm paper with the option of heavy duty gloss laminate, it will ensure that every student understands how to sketch, illustrate or technically depict design concepts. (Frame not included)

domain: artistic


text:
Feb 17 (Reuters) - For other diaries, please see:
U.S. Federal Reserve
Polling unit diary
Today in Washington
Political and general news
Index of all diaries
Major central bank events
** This Diary is filed daily ** —————————————————————————————- TOP ECONOMIC EVENTS
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank President Charles Plosser speaks on the economic outlook and monetary policy - 1745 GMT. WASHINGTON - U.S. Treasury Under Secretary for International Affairs Nathan Sheets participates in “A Conversation With Treasury Under Secretary for International Affairs Nathan Sheets” on the global economy at the Peterson Institute in Washington - 1345 GMT. NORWICH, England - Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane at the University of East Anglia lecture series - 1830 GMT. BRUSSELS - EU finance ministers meet in Brussels. TOKYO - Bank of Japan Monetary Policy Meeting (to Feb. 18). SYDNEY - Reserve Bank of Australia will release the minutes of its March policy meeting - 0030 GMT. PARIS - Bank of France governor Christian Noyer is due to speak at the French parliament about monetary policy and Greece - 1345 GMT. BRUSSELS - Swiss National Bank chairman Thomas Jordan speaks at a conference on “Switzerland at the heart of Europe: between independence and interdependence” - 1700 GMT.
WASHINGTON - Federal Open Market Committee will release the minutes from its January policy meeting - 1900 GMT. NEW YORK - Federal Reserve Board Governor Jerome Powell gives a lecture, Financial Institutions, Financial Markets and Financial Stability, before the New York University Stern School of Business, Center for Global Economy and Business Lecture event - 2200 GMT. WASHINGTON - U.S. Treasury’s chief economist, Karen Dynan, will speak on a panel on debt deleveraging - 1730 GMT. FRANKFURT - European Central Bank Governing Council meeting. No interest rate announcements scheduled. STOCKHOLM - Swedish Central bank Deputy Governor Cecilia Skingsley speaks on Where is the Swedish Economy Going? - 0800 GMT. TOKYO - Bank of Japan announces interest rate decision. LONDON - Bank of England will release the minutes of its February policy meeting - 0930 GMT.
JONKOPING, Sweden - Swedish Central bank Deputy Governor Per Jansson gives presentation of latest monetary policy decision. FRANKFURT - European Central Bank will release the minutes of January policy meeting - 1230 GMT. QUEBAC, Canada - Bank of Canada Deputy Governor Agathe Cote addresses the Quebec Technology Association - 1700 GMT. ROME - OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria will present the Economic Survey of Italy at a news conference with Economy Minister and Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan.
BRATISLAVA - French Finance Minister Michel Sapin meets his Slovakia counterpart Peter Kazimir.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22 TOKYO - Bank of Japan will release the minutes of January policy meeting - 2350 GMT.
LONDON - ECB Board member Yves Mersch takes part in a panel discussion on “The Benefits to Achieving a Capital Markets Union” at Dialogue on creating an EU Capital Markets Union organised by the London School of Economics and Political Science and Goldman Sachs - 1345 GMT.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen semi-annual monetary policy testimony to Senate Banking Committee - 1400 GMT. LONDON, Canada - Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz speaks at the Western University, followed by news conference - 1845 GMT. LONDON, United Kingdom - Bank of England monetary policy member Kristin Forbes speaks at the annual State of the Economy Conference on “Prospects for the UK Economy” organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs - 0910 GMT.
WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen gives semiannual testimony on the economy and monetary policy before the House Financial Services Committee. OSLO - Central bank of Norway Governor Oystein Olsen gives lectures at the University of Oslo - 1400 GMT. STOCKHOLM - Swedish central bank to release the minutes of February policy meeting.
ATLANTA, United States - Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart speaks on monetary policy and the economic outlook before the 2015 Banking Outlook Conference - 1800 GMT. YOKOHAMA, Japan - Bank of Japan board member Koji Ishida speaks - 0130 GMT.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27 NEW YORK - Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Loretta Mester, Federal Reserve Bank of New York President William Dudley and Federal Reserve Vice Chair Stanley Fischer participate in the U.S. Monetary Policy Forum 2015 Annual Conference sponsored by the Initiative on Global Markets at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
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A Simple Request
Since the launch of its call for chapter proposals on June 15, 2009, the 20UNDER40 anthology has been a source of much needed discussion throughout the arts sector. The 20UNDER40 project exists, as it always has, to promote the thoughts and ideas of young arts and arts education professionals—a voice within the arts sector that is often pushed to the margins of our greater cultural dialogue.
In the past year and a half the 20UNDER40 project has been the focus of debates that have at times sparked strong emotions from individuals throughout the field. Unfortunately, these discussions have sometimes turned hostile—as older arts leaders have cried “ageism!” and tossed unsavory epithets at the project’s purpose, and younger arts leaders have responded in an equally unflattering manner.
While inspiring much needed discussion throughout the field, the 20UNDER40 project was never meant to be divisive, nor to be a platform for name-calling amongst colleagues who should be working towards a greater common purpose.
While negative reactions against the project have long since cooled, there has been a recent up-tick in derogatory language used on the various social media platforms where 20UNDER40 has a presence.
As editor and project director of 20UNDER40 I invite criticism of the project, as I always have. But I also request that all such criticism be thoughtful, respectful, and without hostility or venomous intent. 20UNDER40 may be a controversial concept to some—and I welcome those individuals to critique the project intelligently. Harsh language does nothing to advance the debate—and an abusive tone only alienates would-be participants to a conversation from joining in the discussion.
You may use this space, the 20UNDER40 Twitter feed, the 20UNDER40 Facebook Group Page, and the 20UNDER40 website itself to criticize the project, but harsh language with an intentionally insulting tone will no longer be tolerated.
Up to this point I have chosen not to delete any inappropriate language nor block online users from participating in discussions. However, for the sake of productive discourse, going forward I will take steps to exclude negative influences and inappropriate dialogue from all 20UNDER40 platforms.
I have faith in the field that the common decency shared by all of us who work in the arts will not necessitate any such action.
Thank you all for your cooperation.

domain: sociology


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Mahesana, Gujarat, India GST :
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domain: food


Are DC non-working streetlights contributing to crime?
WASHINGTON (ABC7) —
Lights tell us where and when to go, but one Washington D.C. community activist believes too many street lights in the Nation’s Capitol aren’t working at all.
“In 2016 there’s no excuse for streets lights being off," activist Terry Lynch said.
Terry Lynch with the Downtown Cluster of Congregations was so upset about poor lighting in locations where women were sexually assaulted near Georgetown that Monday he canvassed three additional neighborhoods were crimes took place – Shaw, Adams Morgan, and Dupont Circle – and found 30 examples of busted street lights.
In the Shaw neighborhood, a light was out near a homicide scene.
“So this whole stretch here right next to the school leading up to Columbia Heights is very dark and tragic last week we had a fatal shooting just down the block,” Lynch said.
In Dupont Circle, a light was out near the scene of a groping. Both incidents occurred after dark. It’s hard to say if a lack of lighting contributed to these crimes. But Lynch insists the bigger issue is that the city’s system of replacing broken street lights - in which a contractor responds to a complaint - is outdated, untimely, and compromises safety.
“So when street lights are out it puts people at increased risk. Unfortunately, there are predators out there and they take advantage," Lynch said.
We should note, a number of the lights Lynch had as being out have already been fixed. We asked a DC Department of Transportation spokesperson if the agency is pleased with its present contractor, and the response we got back was-- results of a performance assessment on that contractor should be back in the next few weeks.


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domain: pet


text:
14 June 2018 - 16 June 2018
This 16th international conference organized by the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS) and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University is themed around the promotion of quality of life in the changing world. With emerging global challenges such as mental health issues, aging population, global warming, pollution and inequalities, this conference constitutes a platform for researchers and practitioners in different fields to make presentations on academic and practical research findings on quality of life, well-being, and happiness, with particular reference to how such work can promote quality of life in the changing world.
IIASA researcher Anastasia Aldelina Lijadi will present two recent papers at this conference, "Empowered life years: New comprehensive well-being indicator to serves as sustainability criterion" and "Adjusting quality of life: Narrative from repatriated families with third culture kids". Lijadi joined the World Population (POP) Program as Research Scholar in September 2017. She is part of the team working under a 2017 ERC grant to make an unconventional cross-disciplinary contribution to advancing the discussion around and search for broadly acceptable and empirically measurable quantitative indicators of socioeconomic progress and long-term human well-being that can serve as criteria for judging sustainable development.
For more information please visit the event website.
Last edited: 10 July 2018
The Demography of Sustainable Human Wellbeing
Research at IIASA's World Population Program
Lutz W (2017). Studying the Demography of Sustainable Human Wellbeing: Empowered Life Years (ELY) as Sustainability Criterion. IIASA Working Paper. IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria: WP-17-009
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria
Phone: (+43 2236) 807 0 Fax:(+43 2236) 71 313


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By JONATHAN SCHULZThe Jerusalem PostThe snowboarding brand that has a name synonymous with speed and fun is poised to launch its newest offering this summer.
The brand has been under pressure from competitors to offer a more competitive package, and the answer has been to expand to three different models: a low-speed, mid-speed and high-speed model.
The company is offering three different price points for each model, ranging from $300 to $400, with the higher models offering a lower price tag.
The low-slung models will cost $220 and the mid-slide models $150.
The high-slings will cost between $360 and $400.
The high-end models, the X and X1, are priced at $450 and $570 respectively.
The snowboard industry is constantly changing, but it’s still one of the best in the world.
So what’s new in the new lineup?
Read moreThe X1 is the most technologically advanced snowboard, with an electric motor, a new-generation frame and suspension, and a dual-shock system that will let riders glide on the snow for up to 25 percent more speed than previous models.
It is the first snowboard to feature a fully integrated electronic suspension system.
The X is currently available in a limited number of colorways, but the high-profile black and white models will be available for purchase beginning May 26, with more colors to follow.
The X1 will also come in two colors, silver and black, which can be purchased for $500 each.
The company said that customers can upgrade to the X1s with the X2s for $800 each.
The mid-range X1 has the same features, but will cost around $300.
It also comes in a silver, black and blue version.
The middle-level X1 features the same hardware and is priced at around $350.
It comes in two different colors: silver and silver blue.
The highest-end X2 features the latest hardware, but is priced between $700 and $900.
It will feature a single-shock suspension system and will feature an electric rear axle, an LED light and an aluminum front axle.
The price is also higher than the X’s predecessor, the $400 X1.
It has a slightly different design, a dual shock system, a single shock, and an electronic suspension.
The $600 X2 is the cheapest model, priced at just under $600.
The lower models are priced between the X 1 and X2, but are priced closer to the $600-plus X1 price point.
The new X models will offer the same specs as the X models, but they will offer a few new features.
For example, the mid and low-level models will feature two battery packs, while the high and high ends will feature three.
The premium models are now available, priced between about $600 and $700, and are the only models that feature a built-in GPS receiver.
The low-end model will include an on-board GPS, but no on-bike GPS, and will be a hybrid with a compass.
The other two snowboards that will be released this summer are the X10 and X12, both priced between around $400 and $500.
The premium X10 is available in two versions, one with an LCD screen and the other without.
The higher X12 models will launch this summer, priced around $550.
The mid- and high X12s will be priced between roughly $600-$700.
The price will be lower than the previous X models.
The three models are all in the $800 range.
If you want to go all-out and buy the X, you can buy the higher-end version for $650.

domain: hobby


text:
Christian-based arts and crafts retailer Hobby Lobby has put a $47.5-million cash offer on the table for Crystal Cathedral in its second bid in less than two years to relieve the bankrupt megachurch of costly property.
Hobby Lobby joins a list of about five other organizations that have made purchase proposals for Crystal Cathedral's 40-acre property.
Among interested buyers are the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and My Father’s House Church International, which have both offered $50 million for the property.
The retail giant's offer comes as church leaders, vowing to rely on God and supporter donations to dig it out of debt, announced from the pulpit last Sunday that the Garden Grove, Calif., worship center is no longer for sale.
If Crystal Cathedral's faith-based fundraising efforts fail to collect the $50 million needed to settle its debts, officials may have to sell the historic church as part of a bankruptcy reorganization plan.
Assuming Hobby Lobby emerges as the buyer, company officials reportedly plan to lease the Crystal Cathedral campus to The King's University, a bible college and seminary in Los Angeles.
John Charles, a spokesman for the Crystal Cathedral, told the Los Angeles Times he had no knowledge of Hobby Lobby's offer.
Charles also noted that the church, founded by Robert H. Schuller more than 50 years ago, had received positive feedback on its fundraising efforts. The amount the Crystal Cathedral has raised so far is unclear, he told the paper.
If the deal goes through, this will be the second time Hobby Lobby and Crystal Cathedral have done business together.
The arts and crafts retailer purchased the megachurch's Rancho Capistrano in May 2010 for an undisclosed amount. Five months later, the struggling megachurch filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
This week, Hobby Lobby donated the ranch in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. to Rick Warren's Saddleback Church. Warren's church, located in Lake Forest, had previously been leasing the 175-acre property.
“Rick Warren, his staff and the church’s congregation have contributed to the Lord’s work on this property, and we couldn’t be more excited to donate this property to them,” said David Green, Hobby Lobby’s founder and CEO.
Warren, who uses Rancho Capistrano for retreats and other church events, expressed gratitude for the donation.
“We have witnessed many lives changed at the Rancho Capistrano property during our time there,” Warren said in a statement. “We thank Hobby Lobby for this wonderful gift and look forward to seeing more lives changed through our ministry here.”
Hobby Lobby, based in Oklahoma City, has nearly 500 stores across the U.S.

domain: news


text:
Summit Lubricants is an established manufacturer of specialty greases and lubricants with two of the most advanced lubrication production facilities in North America. We design and develop our own proprietary formulations to exceed your engineering challenges. We also generate solutions for third parties that need state-of-the-art lubrication manufacturing.
If you have specific technical requirements for your gears, bearings, chains, compressors or sliding surfaces, we offer specialized lubricants from our expansive product portfolio. These products are used across all industries including automotive, food, energy, chemical as well as general industry. The products conform to the strictest guidelines including, but not limited to, our food grade lubricants that conform to ISO 21469.
We pride ourselves on our commitment to customer service and apply the latest technologies and innovation to R&D and manufacturing. Our techniques, resources and talented workforce allow us to take on your most challenging issues.
Summit Lubricants is a subsidiary of Quaker Chemical Corporation and is ISO 9001 compliant.

domain: chemistry


text:
September 4, 2019
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Book talk with Caroline Fredrickson
On September 4, 2019 from 12:00-1:00 pm the Student Chapter of the American Constitution Society, along with the Byron White Center for the Study of American Constitutional Law, will host a talk with Caroline Fredrickson. The talk will take place in the Wolf Law Building, Room 207, and is open to the public. Ari Melber, MSNBC host and chief legal correspondent, has described Fredrickson as a “rare legal scholar whose research and insights are matched by practical experience in government and policy,” stating that her book, The Democracy Fix, “confronts how the rules are being gamed—and what to do about it” at “a time when Americans across the spectrum are questioning how money, inequality and corporate power may undercut their voice.”
The talk will be hosted by ACS Chapter Co-President Elliott Browning and moderated by Professor Sarah Krakoff. Fredrickson has also authored Under the Bus: How Working Women Are Being Run Over, and previously served as the director of the ACLU’s Washington legislative office and as chief of staff to Senator Maria Cantwell.

domain: law


For Student Direct.
THE VIOLATORS back Vile (real name) tonight in a sparsely populated Deaf Institute, surprisingly so for a growing left-field angst-folk name in a growing left-field venue. Still, despite seeming slightly nerved at the echoey room, Vile holds his modest own, chatting between songs, of which are each played with Philadelphian woe and sentiment that channels the likes of his childhood influences Tom Petty and Neil Young, with a noticeable modernity and edge that can only be translated through Matador’s new-ish wonder, moody Springsteen, Kurt Vile.
And following in the footsteps of his father-label 4AD peers St Vincent and Atlas Sound, his music has been whispered about all over the likes of Pitchfork over recent months giving him the platform to showcase his distinct performance before critical ears and eyes. Granted, the small crowd at this show are listening intently and did not just stumble into the bar to see any old acoustic performance. Vile sounds like Ariel Pink in tune, and displays a stage presence that slightly awkward, his long centre-parted hair covering much of his face for much of the set. Even so, the music is inviting, consuming and quite brilliant. Vile lives up the Chinese whispers within the landfill-indie network, playing eerily, beautifully, mysteriously; at times it is hard to understand from where such intense lyrics have sprung: ‘Walk down my line, Better be sure you'll be dead,’ and ‘You gonna give me a heart attack, you gonna give me a heart attack,’ seem heavy stuff for such a sweet, chilled-out looking man. No doubt it is his darker twisted side that enabled his signing to a label renowned for its sense of rebellion (Sonic Youth are also with Matador).
Despite the bewilderment factor of his lyrics, songs ‘Heart Attack,’ ‘Blackberry Song’ and his better-known ‘Freak Train’ are very well received; the acoustics are faultless alongside Vile’s voice that echoes in one’s memory for hours afterward. Not terrible for a former forklift driver.
Julian Casablancas @ The Ritz
SHOCKINGLY, Casablancas is far from his usual brooding self on his solo tour, fresh off the back of his long-awaited debut record Phrazes For the Young, which incidentally is no longer awaited and came out two days after this show. This said, there was not a single fan in the house that wasn’t aware of the rock and roll treasure that was before them, and in all his newfound cheery solo freedom clearly remained the rough and growling leader of his band that we came to love last decade.
The success of Casablancas’ band with which he rose to musical celebrity gave footing to the excitement and anticipation of this show as well as it did to the expectation of disappointment for those waiting for number after number of Strokes classics. Those ignoramuses quickly and it seemed at times, almost gleefully, celebrated Julian’s failure to play all of Is This It, whilst truer and less hasty audience members enjoyed his divine, faultless set of new songs. ‘Ludlow St’ was the perfect nostalgia-toned track easing the sell-out crowd into a set that ended festively with Christmas songs and efficient soulful rock and roll from New York’s finest front man.
With standout performances of ‘Out of The Blue,’ River of Brakelights’ and standout single ‘11th Dimension,’ the collection of songs is a confident but steady one which manages to seize desperation, jubilation and nostalgia from track to track and project these emotions upon his steadfast fans. Not one to disappoint a single attendee, Casablancas threw in a wonderful rendition of early demo ‘I’ll Try Anything Once,’ if only to settle those angry peeps stuck way back in 2005. He pulled it off with laid-back charm and dignity, ever the true professional.


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19 September 2011
This exhibition is a celebration of another season of Crotchety Knitwits and all the great work they have done! Knitwits can bring projects they have been working on throughout the year and they will be arranged artfully all over the stage for all to see. It'll be a lot of fun and of course everyone is welcome to come down.
Free entry. 6pm - 8pm. Monday the 26th of September.
There will also be live music after this event which is also free so please feel free to stick around for a dance.


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As Canadians flock to their nearest Tim Hortons for a quick coffee pick-me-up and a chance to win big in the company's beloved “Roll Up The Rim to Win” annual contest, a growing number of ambitious YouTubers are increasing their odds (by a lot) in a ...
Half of small and mid-sized businesses surveyed by ATB Financial say they've reduced prices as the recession grinds on. Mark Lennihan / AP.
VANCOUVER - The City of Vancouver is launching another court case in a bid to derail Kinder Morgan's proposed pipeline expansion.
A once-discarded deal between TransCanada Corp. and Western Canadian natural gas producers for lower-cost shipping to access key Ontario, Quebec and U.S.
OTTAWA -- Ontario's government, the City of Victoria and Canada Revenue Agency have won awards for wasteful government spending, as judged by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

domain: finance


text:
If You’re a fan of Bad Bunny, the Grammy-winning Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, and rapper, and also a WWE enthusiast, you won’t want to miss out on the Bad Bunny Hardcore Grammy WWE Shirt. This shirt is the perfect way to show off your love for Bad Bunny and WWE while staying fashionable and comfortable.
|Printed With Different Colors
|Various Size (From S to 5XL)
|Hoodies, Tank Tops, Youth Tees, Long Sleeve Tees, Sweatshirts, Unisex V-necks, T-shirts, and more.
|From the United States
H2: Bad Bunny Hardcore Grammy WWE Shirt – Show Your Love for the King of Latin Trap
Bad Bunny, the Grammy-nominated Latin trap and reggaeton superstar, has become a household name for music lovers around the world. Now, you can show your love for the “King of Latin Trap” with our Bad Bunny Hardcore Grammy WWE Shirt. This exclusive shirt is perfect for fans of Bad Bunny who also appreciate the high-flying action of WWE.
Featuring Bad Bunny’s iconic image in his signature glasses and a WWE-inspired design, this shirt is the perfect addition to any fan’s wardrobe. Whether you’re going to a concert, watching WWE matches with friends, or simply want to show off your love for Bad Bunny, this shirt is sure to turn heads.
Our Bad Bunny Hardcore Grammy WWE is made of high-quality materials to ensure it lasts through many wears and washes. It’s also available in a variety of sizes to fit every fan. And with its eye-catching design and attention to detail, this shirt is sure to make a statement wherever you go.
So why wait? Get your hands on the Bad Bunny Hardcore Grammy WWE Shirt today and show the world that you’re a true fan of the “King of Latin Trap” and WWE. Order now and add this exclusive shirt to your collection!
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domain: entertainment


There have been 78 instances of criminals firing fully automatic weapons in Minneapolis so far this year, according to ShotSpotter data.
A fully automatic weapon is one which fires more than a single bullet per press of the trigger. They are also known as “machine guns,” have been tightly regulated since 1934 and banned since 1986. Today, collectors are allowed to own machine guns produced before 1986, but high price tags and exceedingly strict regulations make them next to impossible for the average person to acquire. Fully automatic rifles in poor condition cost about $20,000 — higher-quality rifles routinely sell for over $50,000.
The amount of fully automatic gunfire in the streets of Minneapolis is shockingly high given America’s tight control of these weapons.
Since the outset of this year, the Minneapolis Public Health and Safety Committee reports that 935 rounds have been fired as part of fully automatic strings based on data collected by the city’s ShotSpotter. If even one of these bullets were to find its mark, it would represent a substantial change to American gun crime statistics.
Over the last 86 years, fully automatic weapons have only been used in four documented incidents that resulted in death, three of which were perpetrated by police or military members who used their service weapons. The fourth killing occurred in 1992 and might not have even involved a machine gun — details about this shooting are scant.
In 2019, a Mississippi man used a fully automatic rifle to fire at police in an event that was so unusual it elicited comments from federal law enforcement.
Fully automatic rifles popping up at crime scenes is “extremely, extremely, extremely rare,” Rich Marianos, a former assistant director of the ATF, remarked after that incident. Robert Haar, the agent in charge of the local ATF field office, seconded this assessment, noting that it’s “very unusual” to see a fully automatic weapon used in crime.
Machine guns account for about 0.1% of the 393 million guns in the U.S.
However, in the grand scheme of things, the amount of fully automatic gunfire in Minneapolis pales in comparison to the amount of regular gunfire. In January through September of 2019, the city’s ShotSpotter technology detected 5,402 rounds fired across 1,533 activations. This year through September marks a nearly 381% increase in the number of rounds fired with the city reporting 20,611 shots across 5,303 incidents.
Fortunately, the majority of these bullets don’t contact a person. 503 people have been hit so far this year, a 26% increase over last year through September. 84% of these people have been black. 42% are from outside Minneapolis. 10 people have been shot more than once in the city in 2021.
The average number of shooting victims per week has increased from 5.2 in 2019 to 13.2 so far this year — up 254%.
Meanwhile, the police have recovered fewer guns from crime scenes this year than last as the overall rate at which crimes are solved continues to plummet.


text:
Ballmer's CES Keynote and Pre-Show Media Events Build Momentum on Eve of 2010 CES
Las Vegas, Nevada, January 7, 2010 - A comprehensive keynote address from Microsoft's Steve Ballmer and innovative product announcements from top technology companies fueled excitement on the eve of the 2010 International CES®, the world's largest tradeshow for consumer technology. Owned and produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, the 2010 International CES opened today in Las Vegas and runs through Sunday, January 10.
"Our pre -show events created tremendous buzz on the eve of the 2010 International CES, as the world eagerly awaits the next generation of technology innovation," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CEA. "The 2010 International CES will be a phenomenal show with more than 2,500 exhibitors, including a record of more than 330 new companies, showcasing more than 20,000 new technology products and services. The products unveiled this week at CES will change the face of the global technology industry."
In other pre -show news, CEA released its Global CE Sales and Forecast. According to new data from CEA and Gfk, consumer electronics sales worldwide in 2010 will generate $681 billion in retail revenue.
On Tuesday evening, the 6th annual CES Unveiled: The Official Press Event of the International CES kicked off the pre -CES media events at The Venetian. The event hosted a record number of more than 1,000 media. With 67 exhibitors, including Lenovo, Logitech, Parrott and Samsung Mobile, CES Unveiled featured the latest technology innovations including 3D TV, Netbooks, eBooks and robotic devices.
Product announcements continued on Wednesday with CES Press Day, featuring 14 exhibitor press conferences. CES exhibitors making new product announcements included LG, which announced an Ultra Slim 6.9 mm LED TV; Toshiba, which introduced CELL TV, converting all content from 2D to 3D; and Panasonic, which announced the world's largest - 65 inch - plasma 3D HDTV.
Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft Corporation, delivered his second pre -CES keynote on Wednesday evening at the Hilton Center. Ballmer focused on the importance of changing screens for the television and PC, cloud computing across multiple platforms and the evolving natural user interface. Ballmer, along with Ryan Asdourian, senior product manager for Windows, showed off a wide variety of innovative Windows 7 -compatible PCs and software.
Next, Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division, discussed the exclusive content available in 2010 on the XBOX Live console. Bach wowed the audience by saying the popular video game series Halo will come out with a new title, Halo Reach, in the fall of 2010. Microsoft also announced that Project Natal, its revolutionary new video game that requires no game controllers, will be in stores by the holiday 2010 season.
For the latest news and developments from the 2010 International CES, visit www.CESweb.org .
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $165 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also sponsors and manages the International CES - Where Entertainment, Technology and Business Converge. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA's industry services. Find CEA online at www.CE.org.


text: i picked these precious juicy tomatoes from our garden yesterday. the freshly planted organic garden is one of the wonderful gifts that we inherited from the previous owners of our fancy new house. these little guys are called "early girl" tomatoes. we also have some heirloom and something else back there as well as carrots, snap peas (not sure what I'm supposed to do with those....do you boil them?), and parsley!


Karachi, September 20, 2023 – The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has embarked on a vigorous campaign, imploring citizens to promptly file their income tax returns as the looming deadline of September 30, 2023, approaches.
With just 10 days left for taxpayers, including salaried individuals, business owners, Associations of Persons (AOPs), and companies with special accounting years, the FBR has stepped up its efforts to ensure compliance.
The FBR has adopted a multi-pronged approach to remind taxpayers of their obligations. One of the strategies employed is sending SMS notifications to registered mobile phones of individuals who have filed their income tax returns in previous years. Simultaneously, registered email addresses are being utilized to convey the importance of fulfilling their national duty through tax compliance.
Despite the FBR’s efforts to streamline the process, some tax practitioners have raised concerns about the newly upgraded IRIS 2.0 return filing portal. The Pakistan Tax Bar Association (PTBA) and other affiliated tax bars have voiced various issues related to the portal’s functionality. However, the FBR remains steadfast in its assertion that the portal is functioning seamlessly and that taxpayers are successfully filing their returns through it.
Official sources within the FBR have clarified that there will be no extension of the filing deadline beyond September 30, 2023. Instead, the organization has devised plans to impose penalties on those who fail to comply. Unlike previous years, the FBR has issued income tax return forms promptly this year, providing citizens with a statutory three-month window for filing their tax returns.
This stern stance by the FBR underscores the urgency of tax compliance and the need for taxpayers to act promptly to meet the upcoming deadline. With penalties on the horizon, it is imperative for all eligible individuals and entities to ensure their returns are filed correctly and on time to avoid any legal consequences.
As the deadline draws nearer, the FBR’s campaign is expected to intensify, further emphasizing the importance of timely and accurate income tax return submissions. Citizens are encouraged to use the upgraded portal, IRIS 2.0, and seek assistance from tax professionals if needed to ensure compliance with tax regulations.


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ASTRO‘s Cha Eunwoo is well-renowned for his incredible talent as an idol and actor, his kind and humble personality, and his unmatched “natural face genius” visuals.
The handsome idol always looks incredible in any picture, whether it’s a pre-debut one…
A picture of Cha Eunwoo acting as one of the characters in his dramas…
Or when fans see the idol in real life.
No matter where he is, Cha Eunwoo makes every opportunity his personal runway.
Given Cha Eunwoo’s unreal visuals, it’s not surprising that many fans have made edits of the idol. One such edit went viral on TikTok for showing off Cha Eunwoo’s insane visuals even though the idol was simply putting on the hood of his jacket.
The comments on the video generally agreed that Cha Eunwoo’s visuals are so handsome that they’re “unreal.”
In fact, Cha Eunwoo looked so handsome in the edit that some viewers wondered if it was a filter.
Not them asking is it a cartoon filter💀😭I know eunwoo is so good looking that it feels he ain't real🙇 pic.twitter.com/dCIuLHpadQ
— Chastarscharm💫 (@Eunwoosminions) December 10, 2022
But, of course, as fans know, it’s simply the idol’s actual handsome visuals.
You can watch the edit here.
You can read more here.


Rescheduled from July 10. New reservations are required. The Sarah the Fiddler Trio will play two shows on the outdoor patio on Friday, July 17. Show #1 is from 5:45–6:30 pm. Reservations are required. Please call 413-342-4358. Combining her influences of Old-Time, Irish, World and Classical music, Sarah takes her audiences on a musical journey from old-time sing-alongs, to lively polkas and rousing reels. Sarah will be performing with her husband Keith DaSilva on drums and Joe Dziok on piano & accordion.
We want to send a huge thank you to the Sarah the Fiddler Trio for donating their time and talent to help support the reopening of the Trinity Pub!


text:
Jumat, 24 April 2009
Video: Nindy "Buktikan" (Prove It)
Since chosen as winner of "Olay duet with Audy" in 2006, Nindy has been enjoying her new career as a new superstar. Her single "buktikan" (Prove It) hits and becomes one of the most popular song in the country. Enjoy the video above!


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U-shaped association between plasma sphingosine-1-phosphate levels and mortality in patients with chronic systolic heart failure: a prospective cohort study
Lipids in Health and Disease volume 19, Article number: 125 (2020)
The endogenous lipid molecule sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) has received attention in the cardiovascular field due to its significant cardioprotective effects, as revealed in animal studies. The purpose of our study was to identify the distribution characteristics of S1P in systolic heart failure patients and the prognostic value of S1P for long-term prognosis.
We recruited 210 chronic systolic heart failure patients from June 2014 to December 2015. Meanwhile 54 healthy people in the same area were selected as controls. Plasma S1P was measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Patients were grouped according to the baseline S1P level quartiles, and restricted cubic spline plots described the association between S1P and all-cause death. Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to determine the relationship between category of S1P and all-cause death.
Compared with the control group, the plasma S1P in chronic heart failure patients demonstrated a higher mean level (1.269 μmol/L vs 1.122 μmol/L, P = 0.006) and a larger standard deviation (0.441 vs 0.316, P = 0.022). Based on multivariable Cox regression with restricted cubic spline analysis, a non-linear and U-shaped association between S1P levels and the risk of all-cause death was observed. After a follow-up period of 31.7 ± 10.3 months, the second quartile (0.967–1.192 μml/L) with largely normal S1P levels had the lowest all-cause mortality and either an increase (adjusted HR = 2.368, 95%CI 1.006–5.572, P = 0.048) or a decrease (adjusted HR = 0.041, 95%CI 0.002–0.808, P = 0.036) predicted a worse prognosis. The survival curves showed that patients in the lowest quartile and highest quartile were at a higher risk of death.
Plasma S1P levels in systolic heart failure patients are related to the long-term all-cause mortality with a U-shaped correlation.
CHiCTR, ChiCTR-ONC-14004463. Registered 20 March 2014.
Heart failure is the terminal state of a variety of cardiovascular diseases that affects the health of patients and increases the burden on society. Despite formal drug treatments, the 5-year mortality of heart failure patients remains high [1, 2]. Searches for new biomarkers with long-term prediction value and early identification of high-risk patients to reduce mortality are always important for guiding clinical treatments. Heart failure activates a variety of systemic compensatory stress responses, including stimulation of the sympathetic catecholamine system, the renin angiotensin aldosterone system and other systems. In recent years, a large number of studies have found that immune system activation and dysfunction are present during the occurrence and development of heart failure, and these immunity disorders always occur simultaneously with abnormalities of the neurohumoral endocrine system. Therefore, in-depth investigations of these pathophysiological changes call for appropriate molecules to connect the two systems together.
The circulating immunoregulatory factor sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), an endogenous lipid molecule, is produced by the phosphorylation of sphingosine by sphingosine kinases. S1P is an intracellular secondary messenger, and it can also enter the circulation and bind to the G protein-coupled receptor family of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors 1–5 to play an immunomodulatory role [3, 4]. In recent years, studies have shown that S1P interacts with β-adrenergic receptors to play a role in simultaneously regulating immune system and sympathetic nervous system functions [5, 6]. Meanwhile, S1P has received attention due to its important role in cardiac ischaemia-reperfusion injury [7, 8] and ventricular remodelling inhibition [9, 10]. It is interesting that previous in vitro and in vivo studies of S1P levels and its receptor targeting activities reveal a common feature that whether the S1P level is elevated or depressed in the experimental group, the heart-protecting effect is always achieved through adjusting the S1P/S1PR axis function to the level of the normal control group. These results suggest that keeping S1P levels in the normal range may have protective effects on the heart [11, 12].
Until now, it has been unclear whether there are abnormal S1P levels in clinical patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), what its normal level is, what its clinical significance is, and whether it is related to poor prognosis. The purpose of our study was to identify the distribution characteristics of S1P levels in the blood circulation of outpatients with stable systolic heart failure and its prognostic value for long-term prognosis.
We recruited systolic heart failure patients treated in Jingyang Hospital and Xunyi Hospital, both located in Shaanxi Province, and who were diagnosed according to the “2014 China Heart Failure Diagnosis and Treatment Guideline” and “2012 ESC Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute and Chronic Heart Failure”  before and treated in the outpatient clinic from June 2014 to December 2015. The inclusion criteria were as follows: 1. 18 to 80 years of age; 2. Echocardiography showing left ventricular systolic dysfunction (EF < 50%); 3. Not hospitalized in the past month; and 4. Standardized drug treatment regimens. Patients were excluded if they met any of the following criteria: 1. Systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg or haemodynamic instability; 2. Second-degree type II AV block or severer; 3. HR < 55 beats/min in conscious resting state; 4. Significant abnormal liver or kidney function; 5. Malignancy; 6. Pregnant or lactating women; and 7. Dementia or mental disorder. The study design and population are detailed in Fig. 1.
All participants signed written informed consent forms. The study conformed to the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by relevant ethical bodies. Registration site: http://www.chictr.org.cn. Registration number: ChiCTR-ONC-14004463.
A group of senior professors from The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University formed a coaching team to conduct unified and standardized training for the clinicians of the two hospitals through centralized training and prescription instruction before patient enrolment, according to the guidelines  to ensure consistent treatment management principles to reduce deviations in patient treatment regimens arising from different medical units and physicians. The biomarker data generated in this prospective study were not used for treatment decisions.
On the day of enrolment, the patients were examined by uniformly trained physicians and systematically measured for body weight, blood pressure and heart rate. Heart failure symptoms were assessed using the New York Heart Association functional classification, and a 12-lead ECG was performed. Echocardiography was performed using Philips iE33 ultrasound system (Philips, Amsterdam, Netherlands) by experienced cardiologists independent of the 2 hospitals. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) value was uniformly measured by biplane Simpson rule. At last physicians recorded the treatment regimens.
Blood samples were obtained by venipuncture and centrifuged at 1700 g to separate EDTA plasma and serum at once and shipped to a central laboratory with standardized procedures. Serum was collected for analysis including liver, kidney and lipids function-related tests and electrolytes (HITACHI 7180, HITACHI, Tokyo, Japan). Full blood samples were used to test the hematologic parameters (KX 21 N analyzers, Sysmex, Kobe, Japan). After these tests, all samples were stored at − 80 °C for future analysis. The serum NT-proBNP levels were detected as a batch analysis in a central laboratory by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (Roche Diagnostics, Rotkreuz, Switzerland).
Plasma S1P was measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We used a previously described protocol with minor modifications . Plasma (100 μL) was deproteinated by the addition of methanol (400 μL). The internal standard D-erythro-C17-sphingosine-1-phosphate (10 μL, 10 μmol/L, Avanti Polar Lipids Inc. Alabaster, USA) with the m/z 366.4 to 250.4 was used to correct for variations in sample preparation and instrument response. Extracts were cleared by 5810R EPPENDORF centrifugation (12,000 rpm, 10 min) (EPPENDORF, Wesseling-Berzdorf, Germany) and subjected to reverse-phase chromatography on an Agilent Eclipse XDB C-18 analytical column (2.1 mm × 150 mm, 3.5 μm) (Agilent Technologies Inc. Santa Clara, USA) at 1a flow rate of 0.3 ml/min. S1P was eluted by a ballistic gradient (30 to 85% methanol, 0.2% formic acid; % = volume%) and measured by a Shimadzu HPLC system coupled to an API 4000 tandem mass spectrometer (Applied Biosystems/MDS SCIEX, Framingham, USA). The quantification determination was performed using multiple reaction monitoring (M + H S1P parent ion). A calibration curve (0.125–5 μmol/L S1P) was generated to calculate S1P level in samples. The same sample was tested multiple times with a relative standard deviation less than 5% within 12 h, and less than 10% within 6 days when stored at room temperature.
Assessment of outcomes
The primary endpoints were all-cause mortality and hospitalization due to aggravation of heart failure. The occurrence of patient end point events was determined through telephone follow-ups of the patients and their families, a review of hospital medical records and death certificates. All 50 all-cause deaths satisfied the definition of cardiovascular death. Therefore, no further statistical analysis was performed on cardiovascular death as secondary outcome. And we used the “average No. of hospitalization per person per year” to adjust the multiple hospitalizations and different length of follow-up. The follow-up ended on December 31, 2017 or patient death.
The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to test whether a variable conformed to a normal distribution. Normal distribution variables were expressed as the mean ± standard deviation (SD), and Student’s T test was used for comparisons between groups. Variables that did not conform to a normal distribution were expressed as the median [interquartile 1, interquartile 3], and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for inter-group comparison. Patients were grouped according to the baseline S1P level quartiles (Quartile1 (Q1), Quartile2 (Q2), Quartile3 (Q3) and Quartile4 (Q4) group). The baseline characteristics among the 4 groups were analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis test for nonparametric variables, ANOVA for parametric variables, and the χ2 test for categorical variables. Spearman and Pearson correlation analyses were used to explore the correlations.
We analyzed S1P level as a continuous variable, fitting a restricted cubic spline function with 4 knots (located at the 5th, 35th, 65th, and 95th percentiles), and 1.10 μmol/L (The median S1P level in control group.) was chosen as the reference for all spline plots .
Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to determine the relationship between S1P and all-cause death. The Q2 group was selected as the reference category because it has the largely normal S1P levels and associated with the lowest risk of all-cause mortality . We calculated the Meta-analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure (MAGGIC) scores  of all patients to fit a multivariable Cox regression model. The multivariable Cox models are shown as follow. Model 1: S1P was adjusted by age and gender. Model 2: S1P was adjusted by MAGGIC score. Model 3: On the basis of Model 2, lgNTproBNP was added. The only missing data in the final model were 2 patients for NT-proBNP (< 1%), and we replaced the two missing NT-proBNP by the previous nonmissing value. As a result, the final model contained all the 210 observed patients, 50 events and no more than 5 variables which were identified to be independent predictors of all-cause death. The ability of S1P to improve death risk prediction beyond using traditional risk factors was assessed using indexes of discrimination as measured by integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) and reclassification as measured by the net reclassification index (NRI).
Survival curves were using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test was used for comparison. A 2-tailed P value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. SPSS22.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA), STATA13.1 (StataCorp, Inc., Texas, USA) and GraphPad prism 5.0 (GraphPad Software, Inc., Cary, NC) were used for statistical analysis and graphing.
Baseline and distribution characteristics of S1P levels
Among the CHF patients who completed the follow-up, 210 patients had plasma S1P test results. The patients were grouped according to the baseline plasma S1P level quartiles, and 54 healthy volunteers in the same area were selected as controls. The comparison results of S1P level are shown in Fig. 2. The overall plasma S1P of CHF patients had a higher mean value (1.269 μmol/L vs 1.122 μmol/L, P = 0.006) and a larger standard deviation (0.441 vs 0.316, P = 0.022) than those in the control group. Compared to the control group, S1PQ1 was lower, S1PQ3 and S1PQ4 were higher, and S1PQ2 showed no statistical difference.
The baseline data for the entire study population and the occurrence of outcomes in each quartile are presented in Table 1. The average age of the patients was 61.7 (SD 9.3) years, males accounted for 63.8%, LVEF was 35.76 (SD 7.57) %, NT-proBNP was 1633.5 [857.33–3123.25] pg/mL, 9.1% of patients had a history of diabetes, and 31.3% had a history of hypertension. Groups with higher S1P levels had a higher red blood cell count (P < 0.001), haemoglobin (P = 0.018), monocyte count (P < 0.001), and percentage of monocytes (P < 0.001). The neutrophil count (P = 0.001) and percentage of neutrophils (P = 0.007) showed the opposite trend. In ultrasonic cardiogram, LVEF% (P = 0.04) and LVEDV (P = 0.039) differed between the groups. Although we used the uniform principles, β-receptor blockers were used more frequently in the Q3 group, which might be related to the fewer contraindications for drug use. The usage rates of other drugs did not significantly differ between the groups.
The correlation analysis showed that the plasma S1P level was positively correlated with the red blood cell count (r = 0.312, P < 0.001), haemoglobin (r = 0.189, P = 0.006), monocyte count (r = 0.287, P < 0.001) and monocyte percentage (r = 0.412, P < 0.001), but it was negatively correlated with the percentage of neutrophils (r = − 0.263, P < 0.001).
After an average follow-up period of 31.7 (SD 10.3) months (range: 2–43 months), 50 all-cause deaths occurred in the 210 patients, and 121 patients were re-hospitalized due to exacerbation of heart failure (Table 1). All 50 all-cause deaths satisfied the definition of cardiovascular death. Therefore, no further statistical analysis was performed on cardiovascular death as secondary outcomes. The Q2 group had the lowest all-cause mortality and proportion (n = 6, 11.3%), while Q3 (n = 12, 22.6%), Q4 (n = 16, 30.8%) and Q1 group (n = 16, 30.8%) showed increased all-cause mortality. The similar trend could be found in all-cause mortality and hospitalization rates during the first 2 years of follow-up and the average No. of hospitalizations per person per year. However, there was no significant difference in the HF re-hospitalization rate between the groups.
Prognostic value of baseline S1P levels
Based on univariable Cox regression with restricted cubic spline analysis, a non-linear and U-shaped association between S1P levels and risk of all-cause death was observed (Fig. S1). And the trend still existed in adjusted HR spline (Fig. 3). The inflection point of U-shaped spline was 1.06 μmol/L. Patients with a S1P level of 1.06 μmol/L had the lowest risk of all-cause death, which was consistent with the results in Fig. 2, where the S1P level of the Q2 group and the control group did not significantly differ. We divided patients into two groups according to the inflection point. In the group with S1P level ≥ 1.06 μmol/L, patients with lower S1P had significantly better survival (Adjusted HR = 2.368 [1.006–5.572], P = 0.048). In patients with S1P level < 1.06 μmol/L, a greater decrease in S1P level was associated with increased risk of all-cause death (Adjusted HR = 0.041[0.002–0.808], P = 0.036). The U-shaped association was robust in the multivariate analyses (Table S1).
Then we analyzed S1P level as a category variable according to the quartiles. The Cox proportional hazard analysis results are shown in Table 2. The patient plasma S1P level belonging to the Q1 group, the patient plasma S1P level belonging to the Q4 group, lgNT-proBNP, DBP, uric acid, haemoglobin, LVEF, LVEDD, LVESD, LVEDV and LVESV were found to be univariate predictors of all-cause death. Univariable analysis revealed that low S1P levels (Q1 group: S1P < 0.967 μmol/L; HR: 3.271 (1.277–8.381), P = 0.014) and high S1P levels (Q4 group: S1P > 1.490 μmol/L; HR: 3.870 (1.504–9.960), P = 0.005) were both associated with the high risk of all-cause death. Multivariable analysis showed that patient plasma S1P level belonging to the Q4 group (adjusted HR 3.418; 95%CI 1.320–8.849; P = 0.011) were independent predictors of all-cause mortality, while the prognostic value of patient plasma S1P level belonging to the Q1 group (adjusted HR: 2.525; 95%CI: 0.972–6.563; P = 0.057) subsided after additional adjustment for MAGGIC score and lgNT-proBNP.
According to the S1P optimal thresholds obtained by the restricted cubic spline, patients can be divided into high risk group and low risk group. Adding S1P classification to the model with MAGGIC score and lgNT-proBNP, we found a 39.8% (Z = 2.425, P = 0.015) improvement in the NRI (Table S2) and a 0.027 (Z = 2.226, P = 0.026) improvement in the IDI.
The survival curves in Fig. 4 showed that plasma S1P levels in the lowest quartile (S1P < 0.967 μmol/L) and highest quartile (S1P > 1.490 μmol/L) were at a higher risk of death. But there was no significant difference in the re-hospitalization rate due to aggravated heart failure between the groups.
The main finding of this study was that plasma S1P in patients with heart failure was associated with all-cause mortality, which showed a U-shaped correlation. And we also described the overall distribution of S1P levels in heart failure patients and first provided CHF patients normal (low risk) S1P thresholds for reference.
U-shaped relationship bridges the gap from basic study to clinic patients
In this study, we found that S1P had different distribution characteristics in the normal population and CHF patients. Abnormally increased (Q3, Q4 group), decreased (Q1 group) and roughly normal S1P levels (Q2 group) coexisted in CHF patients. Because abnormal decrease had less amplitude and room than increase, the CHF group showed a higher mean value (1.269 μmol/L vs 1.122 μmol/L, P = 0.006) and standard deviation (0.441 vs 0.316, P = 0.022) of S1P level than the control group. Combined with the restricted cubic spline results, where patients with roughly normal S1P levels (Q2 group) had the lowest mortality rate, these results suggest that the S1P level is associated with all-cause mortality in a U-shaped relationship, indicating that there may be a normal value range for S1P levels in the middle of the entire distribution rather than on either side.
In previous animal model studies, different results were reported for the S1P/S1PR axis function.
Some of the studies have found that S1P and S1PR expression decreased after heart injury which can be improved by upregulating S1P level or S1PR activity. In the model of post-ischemic HF, Cannavo A et al. demonstrated that either cardiac or circulating levels of S1P are reduced compared to non-ischemic control . S1PR1 receptor expression decreased after myocardial infarction, and chronic S1P treatment could arrest post-MI HF progression . Meanwhile, S1P lyase activation in the myocardium following ischemia leads to reduced S1P levels and that knockout mice for this enzyme exhibit higher S1P levels and smaller infarct size . In addition to the ischemia model, Yan H et al.  demonstrated that exogenous S1P improved rat cardiac hypertrophy induced in the transverse aortic constriction model. Similar conclusions were reached in studies of FTY720 (A kind of high-affinity agonist of S1PR1 and S1PR3–5). Hofmann U et al.  have tested the hypothesis that FTY720 can improve functional recovery when applied with reperfusion after myocardial ischaemia. Yeh CC et al.  showed that S1P levels decreased after myocardial infarction in rats and that administration of FTY720 reduced apoptosis and ventricular remodelling after infarction. Santos-Gallego CG et al.  found that S1PR activation with FTY720 during acute MI reduced infarct size via the reperfusion injury salvage kinase and survivor activating factor enhancement pathways, improved systolic LV function, and mitigated post-MI LV remodeling.
Other studies have found that S1P levels increased after heart injury. Zhang F et al.  showed that plasma S1P levels, Sphk1 and S1PR1 activities increased after myocardial infarction in rats and that downregulation of S1P function by an inhibitor could protect the heart. In another mouse model study , 10-week-old C57Bl6 mice underwent experimental myocardial infarction. At 1 to 12 weeks postoperative, S1P was increased as early as 1 week after MI and remained elevated. Empinado HM et al.  made similar findings. In their research myocardial infarction was used to induce CHF in rats. Heart failure increased diaphragm S1P level. They found that the levels of S1P in CHF group were increased twofold than control group.
These studies used different animal models, observed different time points during the disease process, and identified different S1P change directions. But fortunately, the similarity of these studies is that either an increase or a decrease of S1P levels in heart failure animal models is harmful, and regulation of abnormal S1P level towards the control level is beneficial for heart protection. We identified both elevated and decreased S1P levels in clinical patients and a U-shaped association with all-cause deaths, allowing different directions of previous animal model studies to be simultaneously reproduced at the clinical level.
In summary, before this study, there was insufficient information to suggest that either upregulate or downregulate S1P signaling will be effective in the setting of heart failure . For the first time, our study showed a U-shaped relationship between the S1P levels and all-cause death, and provided CHF patients normal (low risk) S1P thresholds for reference. Through restoring abnormal levels to a normal range instead of simply up-regulation or down-regulation, S1P has the potential to be a therapeutic target for reducing the risk of death in patients with heart failure in the future.
U-shaped relationship bridges the gap between different mechanisms
At present, excessive activation of the neurohumoral endocrine system (Sympathetic nervous system and Renin-angiotensin system) and its consequent progressive ventricular remodeling are the most recognized mechanisms leading to the development of heart failure. Although an increasing body of experimental evidence supports the notion that normal S1P/S1PR system protects the heart, there is insufficient evidence to support that abnormal S1P is directly involved in the development of heart failure. Our study has the inherent limitation of observational research, that is, the causal relationship between abnormal S1P level and the development of heart failure cannot be explained from the mechanism, but it can provide hypothesis for the direction of future research.
In this study, the prognostic value of decreased plasma S1P levels for all-cause mortality diminished after correction with NT-proBNP and LVEDV. The LVEDV is an independent risk factor for all-cause death and also presents the degree of left ventricular remodeling in heart failure. The S1PQ1 group had higher LVEDV than S1PQ2 group (230.46 (SD 83.55) vs 187.76 (SD 65.60), P = 0.007). And Cannavo A et al.  showed a mutual regulation mechanism between S1P/S1PR function and β-adrenergic receptor function. These results suggest that an abnormal decline of plasma S1P may be associated with heavier ventricular remodelling. Furthermore, Gazit SL et al.  showed that S1P deficiency may aggravate vasoplegia, arguing a vital role for S1P in maintaining vascular resistance during recovery from circulatory shock. The results may explain the relationship between the increased all-cause mortality and low S1P levels in some patients.
The prognostic value of an abnormal elevation of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) for death is completely independent of the previous high-risk factors and the prediction indexes associated with heart failure. After adjusting for variables associated with S1P and risk factors for all-cause death in heart failure, the prognostic value of S1P was not reduced, suggesting the presence of a new mechanism for the occurrence and development of heart failure that is independent of previously identified conventional risk factors. As an endogenous sphingolipid molecule with important biological activity, S1P has important immunomodulatory functions [26, 27] that S1P/S1PR abnormally changes in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis  and in severe infectious diseases such as sepsis . The excessive activation of S1P/S1PR can also lead to the occurrence of immune disorders and inflammation , which is also one mechanism of heart failure. The cause of S1P changes in heart failure patients, the mechanism by which excessive activation of the S1P/S1PR axis leads to increased all-cause mortality in these patients, and the relationship between the S1P/S1PR axis and immune disorders await further research for confirmation.
We hypothesize that during the occurrence and development of heart failure, the two different directions of abnormal changes in plasma S1P levels are linked to the two different mechanisms of ventricular remodelling and immune disorders, separately or simultaneously. S1P may have the potential to act as the “bridge molecule” that links the neurohumoral endocrine system and the immune system, which can be investigated in future studies on the pathophysiological process of heart failure occurrence and development.
There are several limitations related to our study. Because out-of-hospital CHF patients were enrolled in this study, some patients did not undergo coronary angiography, so in these cases the patients were not classified according to the aetiology of heart failure. As a result, whether different causes could affect the direction of plasma S1P could not be analysed in depth. Furthermore, we do not know the variance of S1P value if it is measured at different time points in the same patient at present. Although the all-cause mortality during the whole follow-up period and in the first two-year showed the same trend, we still wonder whether it is more appropriate to use the sequential value of S1P to predict the prognosis more than 2 years after the enrolment. Moreover, only patients with heart failure in 2 hospitals were enrolled in this study. Due to these limitations, we consider our study mainly as a hypothesis generator. Future large-scale, multicenter clinical research will effectively improve the reliability of these findings.
In patients with chronic systolic heart failure, plasma S1P levels are related to the long-term all-cause mortality with a U-shaped correlation. Through restoring abnormal levels to a normal range instead of simply up regulation or down regulation, S1P may have the potential to be a therapeutic target for reducing the risk of death in patients with heart failure in the future.
Availability of data and materials
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
- AV block:
Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor
Angiotensin II receptor blocker
Chronic heart failure
Diastolic blood pressure
Ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid
Estimated glomerular filtration rate
Low density lipoprotein
Left ventricular ejection fraction
Left ventricular end-diastolic dimension
Left ventricular end-systolic dimension
Left ventricular end-diastolic volume
Left ventricular end-systolic volume
N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide
New York Heart Association
Systolic blood pressure
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Conflict of interest
This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China. [Grant numbers: No.2012GS610101 and No. 2017YFC1308302]
This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China. [Grant numbers: No.2012GS610101 and No. 2017YFC1308302].
Ethics approval and consent to participate
Ethical approval was obtained from the ethics committee of the First Affiliated hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University (2013–133). All patients and controls provided written informed consent. All steps of the study conformed to the Helsinki Declaration and Good Clinical Practice guidelines.
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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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Table S1. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses for S1P in two subgroups. Table S2. Net reclassification of death and not death with adding S1P to Risk Factors. Figure S1. Association between S1P levels and the hazard ratio for all-cause death.
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Xue, Y., Jiang, W., Ma, Q. et al. U-shaped association between plasma sphingosine-1-phosphate levels and mortality in patients with chronic systolic heart failure: a prospective cohort study. Lipids Health Dis 19, 125 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12944-020-01262-2

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The mayor of Oakland, California is seeking to reverse a multi-million dollar budget cut planned for local police, instead calling to hire more officers and boost funding amid a surge in violent crime and homicides in the area.
Mayor Libby Schaaf said her office would press the Oakland City Council to undo the upcoming $18 million budget cut, which was approved by local lawmakers in June and is set to take effect next year. She vowed to continue efforts at “violence prevention” outside the realm of law enforcement, but nonetheless stressed the need to expand the police force.
“While we are not backing down whatsoever on our historic investments in prevention, as well as a non-police response option…, we must address police staffing shortages, and that is what we will do,” Schaaf said on Monday.
There is nothing progressive about unbridled gun violence. This is what Oaklanders want, a comprehensive and effective approach to safety, and that includes adequate police staffing.
Today I announced our plan to restore police staffing by keeping the promise to voters who passed Measure Z + cancelling some of the police cuts scheduled for July 1. Increased police response will not reduce our historic investments in violence prevention + MACRO.
— Libby Schaaf (@LibbySchaaf) November 29, 2021
The announcement followed a series of shootings last weekend that left three people dead, including a 1-year-old boy struck by a stray bullet as he slept in a car seat, as well as a retired police officer killed while working a security detail for a local news crew, according to the Associated Press. Those brought the number of homicides investigated by the Oakland PD to 127 so far this year.
The mayor also noted that a measure passed by voters in 2014 requires the city’s police department to have at least 678 officers on staff, and that the PD had fallen just one officer short of that threshold, adding that it would boost its recruitment outreach to meet the quota.
READ MORE: Black Lives Matter-backing mayor of Washington, DC now wants to FUND the police, citing spike in murders
The decision to defund the Oakland Police Department mirrored similar moves in a number of cities following the death of George Floyd at the hands of officers in Minnesota last year, which sparked months of protests nationwide and calls to slash police budgets across the country.
However, some cities that saw cuts, including New York, Los Angeles, Portland and Washington, DC, have begun to revive law enforcement budgets, or at least flirt with the idea. In July, DC’s Mayor Muriel Bowser pressed for an additional $11 million to hire and train more officers after city lawmakers voted to slash the police budget, while Portland more recently passed a measure to restore $5.2 million to the local PD following similar cuts last year.


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A new year has begun, and I enter it with the best of intentions. I have made my plans for this year, and have even found at least one way to make myself accountable for achieving my goals. At this juncture, I would do anything to make sure I have something to show for all of my efforts at the end of this year, especially since I’ll be turning forty this spring.
The one way I have found to make myself accountable for achieving my goals this year is what’s known as a bullet journal, which I’ve created to keep myself on track vis-a-vis my tasks for this year and which I plan to use often. I’m sure I’ve made some mistakes in creating this journal–it’s my first bullet journal, after all–but it’ll definitely serve its purpose.
My goals for this year are: complete a novel I’ve spent a good decade trying to write; finish planning another one; start saving money again, and get my finances in order; get on a regular exercise schedule; eat healthier food than I have been; get most of my belongings packed up (I’m moving house in 2021, or before), and improve my housekeeping habits; increase my visual art and photography skills; find other income streams besides my current job; increase my output on my blog and vlog and start a podcast; and return to political activism, if only part-time. I know that sounds like a lot, and I’m going to try not to spread myself too thin, but these are things I feel I need to do.
I don’t know if I’m set for 2019, but it seems I’m on my way.