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This past July, with two years to go until the 60th anniversary of Algeria’s independence and in anticipation of its celebration, French President Emmanuel Macron commissioned historian Benjamin Stora, a leading authority on Algerian history, to write a “report on the memory of the colonisation of Algeria and the Algerian War”.
Postponed on numerous occasions since last autumn, mostly due to the hospitalisation of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, with whom Macron had discussed the report before commissioning it, Stora finally submitted his findings on 20 January.
READ MORE Colonialism: ‘France has to acknowledge the contradictions in its history’, Ayrault
When reading the mission statement describing Stora’s report, it sounds like a straightforward academic study on a specialised subject, but this is far from being the case. The project is the outcome of a joint dialogue between both countries’ authorities, with the Algerian president appointing Abdelmadjid Chikhi, director-general of the National Centre for Algerian Archives, as Stora’s counterpart tasked with conducting research from an Algerian perspective.
The report has clearly attracted a great deal of interest on both sides of the Mediterranean, where positive and negative commentary alike – uninformed by the report’s actual content – on the very future of its existence has been endlessly rehashed by the media. The historian even expressed his surprise at the number of political figures and the wide array of organisation leaders, not to mention military representatives – beginning with the chief of staff of the French army – and intellectuals and historians specialising in colonial studies who were bent on meeting with him before he wrote up his lengthy report (147 pages all told).
The scale of the report is unprecedented. Macron described it as signalling nothing less than a “willingness to promote reconciliation between the French and Algerian people”. It also serves as an extension of his recent initiatives, dating back to February 2017 (when he referred to the colonial system as a crime against humanity) and summer 2018 (when he acknowledged that the French government was responsible for the death of Maurice Audin, a mathematician with close ties to the Front de libération nationale [FLN], during the Battle of Algiers).
READ MORE France entrusts historian to highlight truth of Algerian war
The French president, like his Algerian counterpart and the report’s author, believes that issues stemming from the two countries’ competing memories about the Algerian War and colonisation need to be openly addressed for reconciliation to truly take place.
On the Algerian side, there are leaders who regularly call on the former colonial power to “show repentance”, and on the other, French figures who make a point to emphasise “the positive aspects of colonisation”, making it quite plain that the barriers that remain in place will not be easy to overcome.
But Stora thinks progress is possible, particularly if the series of concrete actions recommended in his report are taken – actions that would demonstrate that both parties intend to move forward for the greater good of their citizens – and if France and Algeria can bypass the “false dilemma between an excess of memory and a total lack of it”.
Beyond focusing at great length on “the scars, lingering legacy and after-effects of the memory of colonisation and the Algerian War on French society”, the report puts forward a series of new initiatives that France could implement to pave the way for a “reconciliation of memories”. While Stora’s work also examines Algeria’s side of the story, it is important to keep in mind that it was commissioned by the French government.
In the interview below – conducted after the report was completed but shortly before its submission – Stora discusses what shape an assortment of these initiatives could take. At the end of the report, Stora added an extensive list of goodwill “gestures” that France and, to a lesser degree, Algeria could make to improve the relations of the two former warring sides (see “Stora’s recommendations” below the interview).
The Africa Report: Why was the report on the history of the colonisation of Algeria and the memory of the Algerian War commissioned last year? Just because the 60th anniversary of the end of the war is approaching?
Benjamin Stora: Things are not as simple as that, but I’d say that this is definitely a special time in history. For starters, France has opened a significant and ever growing swath of its archives on the colonial period. This process began to take off in the 1990s, after Pierre Joxe pushed the government to open its military archives, a move that has taken historical research to much greater heights. Advances have even been made in sensitive areas of research, such as the justice system, torture and conscientious objectors during the Algerian War.
READ MORE Is Algeria once again confronted with the threat of terrorism?
The volume of archives available today is so much greater than what it used to be. I should know better than anyone since I’ve been working for more than 45 years on colonial history, with a special focus on Algeria. Of course, there are still some ongoing battles to expand the archives further, but great strides have been made.
Secondly, and this is very important, there’s the fact that the colonial past has become decisive, if not central to our understanding of the history of the French nation, whereas it had long been viewed as peripheral. This past, we’ve realised, is one that France was instrumental in fuelling.
Does the report also serve to tell the story of those who lived through this period?
Today in France we have young people who are second-, third- or fourth-generation immigrants and they want to discover their history and get a glimpse of the past. They want to know what their fathers, grandfathers, etc., went through and find out how they ended up here, why they have one identity or another and where they stand in relation to the rest of French society.
READ MORE Algeria : a battle between Paris and Moscow for the wheat market
This desire to understand and to be a citizen is something new. What’s more, Algerians who lived through the colonial period are dying out. That Algeria will soon be no more. Algerians who are 70, 80 or 90 years old want to pass on, explain, talk out and rationalise their past. They’re no longer satisfied with the conventional, convenient narratives that up until recently gave them permission to be silent and to think that, by being this way, it would protect the younger generations.
Another reason behind this shift is that the world has changed. The flow of ideas, information, knowledge, archives, accounts and even people have been taken to a new level over the past 20 odd years. So it should come as no surprise that colonial history now occupies a prominent place in French political, intellectual and journalistic circles
How has France’s relationship to the war and colonisation changed from one French president to the next?
Macron represents the third generation of French politicians who have dealt with or who continue to deal with the fallout from the Algerian War.
The first generation was that of General Charles de Gaulle and François Mitterrand, as well as others who held office during the Algerian War, like Guy Mollet, or those who saw the events of the war unfold, such as Jacques Chirac, Michel Rocard and Joxe. Their view of this history was inevitably coloured by a sense of regret for the lost empire, even though they all tried to maintain diplomatic and economic ties with the newly independent nation.
Then, a second generation of leaders – Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande – came to power. These men were born during the war, in the middle of the 1950s, but did not wage it. You would think that these leaders would be free of complexes but, even indirectly, French Algeria left its mark on them. They were invariably shaped by the scars this history left on France through the 1970s and 1980s – scars that are evident in their political careers.
But now with Macron at the helm, we’re dealing with an entirely different generation, the third, and they are curious about the war like young people in France today. They are interested in origins and the past, but aren’t prisoner to it. There’s no longer a reason to bite one’s tongue or uphold taboos.
This latest generation is unabashed. Why not talk about the horrors of the colonial past and the positive aspects that may have existed during that period? The new generation isn’t crushed by the weight of history, and that makes all the difference.
But why has Macron made this subject a key part of his platform?
Because it’s a subject that cuts across France’s collective memory. And it doesn’t just concern, as the president pointed out, young people who have a connection with Algeria, but every young person whose parents are from a former French colony.
Everything that happened during that particular time in history is linked to problems we are facing today – problems we cannot avoid addressing head-on: segregation, social hierarchy, racism, south-north relations, the relationship to authority and the place of religion, especially Islam.
READ MORE Algeria: President Tebboune returns to Germany for health treatment
If the issue of reconciling memories is still so acute, isn’t this also because people on both sides of the Mediterranean have been drowned in hearsay and stories, i.e., an emotionally fuelled account of the events of the war, more so than informed by historical research?
It’s important to understand the situation in which historical research has long found itself.
In the 1970s and 1980s, there were just a few of us working on the subject. And that wasn’t only due to the fact that most of the archives were closed. No one in the political, intellectual or cultural establishment was interested in examining this part of the past and it was considered far off and subordinate.
Separatist nationalism, and thus the Algerian War, was seen as an outdated issue. After waves of interest in socialism and revolution during the era of Third Worldism, the issues on the agenda in the 1980s dealt with the republic, French identity and the nation. So these trends contributed to a dearth of historical research.
If there was censorship, it came first of all from society, which didn’t want to face up to a traumatic past, largely as much as from the government, which jealously guarded its secrets. It’s important to keep in mind that at the time in France people were saying that there weren’t enough films about the Algerian War, when in reality there were more than a few. People simply weren’t watching them.
That said, the four volumes of Yves Courrière’s La guerre d’Algérie [The Algerian War] series were immensely successful in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
That’s true, and Courrière did more than just that four-volume series on the Algerian War. He went on to be the managing editor for several years of the review Historia Magazine – La Guerre d’Algérie, whose circulation peaked at 500,000. One might conclude that it was in fact a symptom and I discussed this in my book La gangrène et l’oubli [Gangrene and Forgetting].
READ MORE Algeria : Khaled Nezzar wants to settle the score with Gaïd Salah
That meant that despite the fact that society was consciously or unconsciously creating a state of amnesia on the issue in the public realm, the Algerian War refused to fade into the background. Courrière lifted the barriers. It’s the manifestation of an untenable forgetfulness that emerged a few years after the war ended. But there were barriers and he derived his success from them.
Is what we’re seeing today a form of revenge of history against this state of amnesia, and will it make it possible for historians to go about their work relatively unimpeded?
Revenge is too strong of a word, but it’s true that for a long time the big names – the likes of Pierre Vidal-Naquet and Germaine Tillion – writing on colonialism and the Algerian War were more than anything else guardians of memory. These committed public figures played a vital role, hands down. Today, as time continues to pass and eyewitnesses die out, it’s easier to take a step back and to rid ourselves of official accounts and ideologies.
How is it possible to “reconcile memories” – the purpose of your report – when people on both sides of the Mediterranean tell a different version of the events of the war?
I don’t shy away from this question in my report, but I don’t purport to solve it either. The idea isn’t to write a collective history of France and Algeria. I don’t believe this is possible given the extent of divergence in people’s views and imaginaries. You cannot reconcile the irreconcilable and I don’t claim to do that. We’re referring to a colonial history where, on one side, people had their land taken from them and there were massacres and deportations, and on the other, you have people who thought they were a civilising and cultural force, one that built a country by constructing roads, hospitals and other infrastructure.
READ MORE Algeria: Said Bouteflika’s surprising acquittal from his 15 year sentence
Clearly, these are two opposing visions that cannot be reconciled. But underneath these visions, there’s nevertheless a cultural mixing that has taken place, ties that have been forged, contact that has been established and a togetherness that has existed: almost 150 years of French presence in Algeria, spanning five generations, is no small thing!
So, there’s still a history we can draw on, not as a way to bring about reconciliation, which cannot be, but to find common ground. If we tap into this history, we see that there are things that bridge us together and potential avenues for cooperation, and that allows us to envision a sort of future together, with the help of specific initiatives. These initiatives can take the form of paying tribute to those who were killed or went missing in the war, promoting literature, etc.
Speaking of literature, how does one go about writing stories about the war that will be well received on both sides of the Mediterranean?
French continues to be widely used in Algeria. And if you recall, the Algerian writer Kateb Yacine famously wrote that the French language is “our spoils of war”. I think it’s possible to write fictional stories that are well received on both sides of the Mediterranean and it has already been done. To take but one example, Alexandre Arcady adapted Yasmina Khadra’s novel What the Day Owes the Night into a French film, even though this particular director was considered more close-knit with the pied noir community than Algerians. The movie was a well-deserved hit.
It’s possible to work collectively to take on representations and imaginaries that will convey stories of passion, separation, hate and even love. Condemning the realities of colonialism in Algeria doesn’t preclude literary opportunities.
Isn’t the issue of repentance, which a great deal of Algerian public figures call for, a major stumbling block for both countries?
This demand doesn’t have unanimous support in Algeria. In the report I explain why issuing a formal apology is an option worth considering. In Constantine and Algiers, respectively, former presidents Sarkozy and Hollande gave addresses in which they alluded to France’s wrongdoing, so that was a step in this direction. But I don’t think apologising will get to the heart of the issue.
The problem of colonisation goes much deeper. Fundamental historical forces are at work: the embedded colonial ideology in French society, the belief that one is superior to the colonised, the invention of French nationalism through the colonial empire, and, later on, the sense that France’s empire was contracting and losing its status in the world. A mere formal apology wouldn’t fundamentally change the situation.
READ MORE Algeria – France: Macron interview raises hackles
The apologies Japan has regularly made to South Korea and China regarding the crimes it committed during its colonial rule have had little impact on these societies. What’s more, they don’t stop Japanese leaders from periodically paying their respects to war criminals. No one has topped Aimé Césaire’s brilliant 1955 indictment of the colonial system. Some 65 years or so later, his speech remains unrivalled in its message, arguments, thoroughness and complexity.
What do you think needs to happen?
We have to wake up to the fact that we have a long road of work ahead of us, one that involves taking concrete actions. For one, we need to better inform the public through school curricula, films, conferences, etc. To get the ball rolling on such initiatives, it would be helpful to set up an assortment of joint bodies, one of which I suggest be called a “Memory and truth” commission.
What concrete actions could be implemented quickly? The report refers to four areas: nuclear tests, archives, cemeteries and missing persons.
There’s no hierarchy of priorities. But I would add another item to the list: the creation of a sort of Franco-Algerian youth organisation, which would be in charge of coming up with and directing audio-visual productions. And, of course, it’s important that we facilitate people’s movement between both countries.
Why is it so difficult to examine the human and material cost of the nuclear tests performed in the Algerian Sahara during and after the independence movement?
Indeed, we should initiate an inventory of the actions that need to be taken on the ground and identify the people concerned. We’re definitely behind on that front.
READ MORE Algeria: France urged to reveal truth about past nuclear tests
This is France’s fault, though Algeria also had its part to play, as the tests continued post-independence pursuant to the Évian Accords. What I can say for sure is that France has prioritised addressing the impact of nuclear tests in Polynesia. Now we need to make up for lost time.
What work is there left to do on the archives front?
We shouldn’t get hung up over the issue of opening more archives, although we need to continue to work towards that goal. It’s almost become a mantra, if not a fantasy, because a horde of academics conduct research and publish their work thanks to the vast amount of documents at their disposal. Probably the area that needs the most immediate attention is the time-consuming nature of consulting the archives: a lot of documents are classified as “state secrets”. We’ve got to overcome this obstacle.
A second problem revolves around the need to further facilitate the movement of researchers and their access to documents. Finding a way for Algerian researchers to come to France and consult the archives and for international researchers, particularly French ones, to gain access to Algeria’s archives is another key question on both sides of the Mediterranean.
Why are cemeteries a thorny issue?
It’s not always easy to preserve and maintain the hundreds of cemeteries that date back to the colonial era. And the very high cost isn’t the only issue.
For example, a long time ago my father asked me to pay a visit to my grandfather’s grave in Khenchela. What was once a small village of just a few thousand inhabitants back when he was buried there had become a city with a population of more than 100,000.
The cemetery was located in what used to be the outskirts of the village, but over time the area had become the city centre. So, the issue of preserving the cemetery had morphed into a very different problem altogether. Some time ago we had considered combining the European and Jewish cemeteries to simplify their upkeep. However, the various organisations concerned were opposed to disinterring and moving the dead, which is understandable.
It’s also hard to talk about those who went missing – people who, more often than not, were tortured or summarily executed – during the war. What needs to be done?
It’s inaccurate to think that nothing has been done, but the problem hasn’t been sorted out entirely. For instance, a collective of anti-colonial historians created a website, “Les mille autres disparus” [The one thousand other missing persons], after Macron acknowledged that the French government was behind Audin’s disappearance – hence the name “the one thousand other missing persons”, as he was just one of more than 1,000 individuals who have been documented as missing in the aftermath of the Battle of Algiers.
READ MORE ‘Does Macron understand how much influence France has lost in Africa?’ – Achille Mbembe
The collective reached out to the public so that the families of these missing persons, almost all of whom were Algerian, come forward. In addition, the French authorities, working in cooperation with organisations, have tried to establish a list of the Europeans who went missing during the war or shortly thereafter, such as in Oran in the summer of 1962.
There are many such cases, no two of which are alike, and the only solution to deal with this issue involves going through existing organisations, reaching out to families and gathering witness accounts. Obviously, this is a difficult process because the war wasn’t your typical affair where people counted the dead and then proceeded to preserve and bury the bodies. Many people went missing in this conflict, which in certain respects seemed like a civil war: an invisible war with invisible casualties.
So, the most important thing is political will?
Of course. And we have a good reason to demonstrate this political will, as Algeria is a key partner for France and Europe, whether we like it or not. With its 1,400-kilometre-long coastline, it has the longest maritime border with Europe. What’s more, the country is home to/borders on the world’s largest desert, the Sahara, whose strategic importance is evident. We really need to find the ways and means to move forward, one step at a time, so that memory will no longer be an impediment to cooperation or to Franco-Algerian reconciliation.
After the election of presidents Macron and Tebboune, is there a real window of opportunity for France and Algeria to make strides in these areas?
Absolutely. I can’t say for sure that this window of opportunity on the issue of Franco-Algerian history and memory will be open for a long time, but it definitely exists.
In addition to putting forward an overarching recommendation on the “need for the two countries to form a new reconciliation pact”, the report suggests a wide array of significant symbolic measures, including:
- The establishment of a “Memory and truth” commission to “encourage joint initiatives” on history and memory
- The construction of a memorial in Amboise in commemoration of the military leader Emir Abdelkaderas as well as the restitution of his sword to Algeria
- France’s admission of responsibility for the murder of lawyer Ali Boumendjel during the Battle of Algiers
- The publication of a “guide of missing persons in connection with the Algerian War”
- The creation of a commission of Franco-Algerian historians tasked with shedding light on the kidnapping and killing of Europeans in Oran in July 1962
- The location of the sites where Algerian prisoners executed during the war were buried; new remembrance days in France marking such events as the crackdown on Algerian protesters on 17 October 1961
- The participation of European-Algerians in World War II, etc.
- The conversion of the French colonial administration’s internment camps for Algerians into memorial sites
- A greater emphasis on France’s history in Algeria in school curricula
- The creation of a Franco-Algerian commission tasked with establishing the history of the famous Baba Marzug cannon and studying its possible restitution
- The revival of plans for a Franco-Algerian history museum; the organisation of conferences in 2021 (on African independence movements
- The rejection of the Algerian War by major French figures from Mauriac to Aron and Sartre to Ricoeur and Mandouze
- The establishment of an archival collection jointly held by both countries and open to the public;
- The formation of a Franco-Algerian youth organisation
- The entry of lawyer Gisèle Halimi, who provided legal defence for FLN activists, into France’s Panthéon
Understand Africa's tomorrow... today
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domain: economics


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1,000 signatures reached
To: Ministers for Corrections and Police
Get Serco out of New Zealand prisons
In 2016, 4619 ActionStation members helped get Serco out of the horrendously mismanaged Mt Eden Prison.
But Serco still operates one prison in New Zealand, and it’s one of our worst.
Time and time again, Serco has proven themselves to be an unfit, profit-hungry private operator leaving New Zealand worse off.
It's time to terminate Serco's contract to run South Auckland Prison and get them out of New Zealand prisons once and for all.
Why is this important?
Privately owned, profit-driven prisons like Serco's are not only expensive and inefficient, they’re leaving us all worse off.
They are designed primarily to make money, not to rehabilitate offenders. This can mean inmates leave prison more likely to re-offend, meaning more crime and more prisoners in the long run.
Only 18 months old, the only Serco run prison had already recorded some of the worst levels of assaults, positive drug tests and justified complaints by inmates.
It's time to drop the profit-driven New Zealand prison experiment for good.

domain: sociology


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« Live your dreams rather than dream your life” is the motto which guided the launching of MERCI LOUIS by Jean-Christophe MIQUEL in 2013… Curiosity kept the cat alive! Travelling, visiting, listening, exploring, reading, hunting, searching… are paths that permanently guide the creations of MERCI LOUIS
Play with inspiration, revisit, create innovative and exclusive collections; this passion has become reality and summarizes the concept of Merci Louis since its creation in 2013.
Merci~Louis, the choice of these two words sets the tone and summarizes the intentions of a collection very much influenced by the rigorous, demanding, perfect but also exuberant achievements of the 17 and 18th centuries.
Merci Louis collections suit current usages but keep, in their finishings, well-worn stigma and patina of time.
What the press has to say about us
Article published on 27/03/2021 in Campagne Chic & Broc’ magazine

domain: artistic


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Escalation: Blood Claws pack complete (With new 32mm bases)
Ding! Feel like I’ve leveled up again, first pack with new bases done and they look so much better than my previous lazy bases. Really super happy with them. They’re not the most grim dark bases but balls to it! Not every battlefield has been fought over for millenia, the Space Wolves are fighting on new turf!
As ever, here’s some more pictures:

domain: game


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domain: library


U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry, the federal on-scene coordinator; Doug Suttles, BP Chief Operating Officer; and Lars Herbst, MMS Regional Director of the Gulf of Mexico Region, gathered to update the media and answer questions here, May 8. In the briefing, the Unified Area Command discussed several topics concerning the oil spill response efforts currently underway. (U.S. Coast Guard audio clip by Petty Officer 3rd Class Kevin Metcalf)
|Date Posted:||05.08.2010 22:53|
This work, Unified Area Command press conference, is free of known copyright restrictions under U.S. copyright law.


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The death of Navy SEAL trainee James “Derek” Lovelace has been ruled a drowning homicide by the San Diego coroner, according to CBS News.
Lovelace was just 21 when he drowned during a training exercise back in May in Coronado, California.
Charges are expected against at least one of the supervisors involved in training Lovelace, and reports say this is a case of a trainer going too far.
Trainees are not supposed to be dunked, but Lovelace was dunked more than once.
An unnamed supervisor was placed on leave shortly after Lovelace’s death.
In a statement, Navy investigators said: “The nomenclature of the autopsy report does not signal that the Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigation into Seaman Lovelace’s death has culminated, nor that conclusions have been reached regarding criminal culpability.”
Lovelace was in just his first week of training when he was taking part in an exercise that involved him wearing a full uniform and a diving mask.
A Navy spokesman said back in May that Lovelace showed signs of distress, was pulled from the water and was pronounced dead at a civilian hospital shortly thereafter.
He had been treated for asthma in the past.
Lovelace attended Faulkner State Community College in Bay Minette and played baseball at Crestview High School and had earned the National Defense Ribbon and Sharpshooter Pistol Qualification after graduating basic training in January.

domain: news


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- Posted May 21, 2012 by
This iReport is part of an assignment:
City smackdown: Tampa
I Remember Tampa
What I love most about Tampa is the strong sense of identity and togertherness we have here. The city is a melting pot of varied races, religions, and nationalities, and yet, despite our vast differences, we have been able to evolve into a cluster of very close-knit and family oriented communities. Ybor City, Davis Island, Belmont Heights, Seminole Heights, West Tampa, Palma Ceia, Interbay...these and more are the areas that make up the city of Tampa. Chances are, you can be anywhere in the country, or in the world for that matter, hear someone from Tampa talking, and know exactly where they came from and what neighborhood they grew up in. We have developed our own unmistakable dialect. Furthermore, you can live here all your life, meet someone for the very first time, begin a pleasant chat--one where you start dropping names of friends and family members--and before you know it, you're connected, and feeling as though you'd been friends all of your life. Our roots are deep, our bonds are strong, and our hospitality is contagious.
The video I've submitted is entitled "I Remember Tampa", and it is based on a song by the same title which I wrote last year. The song was inspired by a local television program called the Tampa Natives Show, which focuses on preserving our rich history through the sharing of memories from live call in audiences respondng to specially selected topics about growing up in Tampa. The hourlong show airs once a week in Hillsborough County, on Tampa Bay Community Network, and can also be viewed from anywhere in the world via TBCN's webcast. Most of the pictures shown in this video have been featured on the show at one time or another over the past 5 seasons since its inception. This is only the tip of the iceberg, but these pictures should give everyone a good idea of what Tampa is all about. And the song should echo the sentiments of all who grew up here. I've traveled throughout the United States and visited many beautiful cities, but for me, there's nowhere else on earth like Tampa. (For additional information regarding the Tampa Natives Show, visit www.tampanativesshow.com...for additional information on Tampa and it's history, visit www.tampapix.com.)

domain: geography


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(See also Overview of Immunodeficiency Disorders Overview of Immunodeficiency Disorders Immunodeficiency disorders are associated with or predispose patients to various complications, including infections, autoimmune disorders, and lymphomas and other cancers. Primary immunodeficiencies... read more and Approach to the Patient With an Immunodeficiency Disorder Approach to the Patient With Suspected Immunodeficiency Immunodeficiency typically manifests as recurrent infections. However, recurrent infections are more likely to have causes other than immunodeficiency (eg, inadequate treatment, resistant organisms... read more .)
Leukocyte adhesion deficiency is a primary immunodeficiency disorder Primary Immunodeficiencies Immunodeficiency disorders are associated with or predispose patients to various complications, including infections, autoimmune disorders, and lymphomas and other cancers. Primary immunodeficiencies... read more that involves phagocytic cell defects Phagocytic cell defects Immunodeficiency disorders are associated with or predispose patients to various complications, including infections, autoimmune disorders, and lymphomas and other cancers. Primary immunodeficiencies... read more . Inheritance is autosomal recessive Autosomal Recessive Genetic disorders determined by a single gene (Mendelian disorders) are easiest to analyze and the most well understood. If expression of a trait requires only one copy of a gene (one allele)... read more .
Leukocyte adhesion deficiency is caused by deficiency of adhesive glycoproteins (eg, integrins, selectins) on the surfaces of white blood cells (WBCs); these glycoproteins facilitate cellular interactions, cell attachment to blood vessel walls, cell movement, and interaction with complement fragments. Deficiencies impair the ability of granulocytes (and lymphocytes) to migrate out of the intravascular compartment, to engage in cytotoxic reactions, and to phagocytose bacteria. Severity of disease correlates with degree of deficiency.
Three different types of syndromes have been identified:
Leukocyte adhesion deficiency 1: Deficient or defective beta-2 integrin family
Leukocyte adhesion deficiency 2: Absent fucosylated carbohydrate ligands for selectins
Leukocyte adhesion deficiency 3: Defective activation of all beta integrins (1, 2, and 3)
Type 1 results from mutations in the integrin beta-2 gene (ITGB2), encoding CD18 beta-2 integrins. Type 2 results from mutations in the glucose diphosphate (GDP)-fucose transporter gene. Type 3 is caused by mutations in the FERMT3 gene (11q13.1), which encodes kindlin-3 in hematopoietic cells.
Symptoms and Signs of Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency
Manifestations of leukocyte adhesion deficiency usually begin in infancy.
Severely affected infants have recurrent or progressive necrotic soft-tissue infections with staphylococcal and gram-negative bacteria, periodontitis, poor wound healing, no pus formation, leukocytosis, and delayed (> 3 weeks) umbilical cord detachment. WBC counts remain high even between infections. Infections become increasingly difficult to control.
Less severely affected infants have few serious infections and mild alterations in blood counts.
Developmental delay is common in type 2.
Diagnosis of Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency
Testing for adhesive glycoproteins on the surface of WBCs
Diagnosis of leukocyte adhesion deficiency is by detecting absence or severe deficiency of adhesive glycoproteins on the surface of WBCs using monoclonal antibodies (eg, anti-CD11, anti-CD18) and flow cytometry. Leukocytosis detected by complete blood count is common but nonspecific.
Genetic testing is recommended for siblings.
Treatment of Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency
Supportive care using prophylactic antibiotics and granulocyte transfusions
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Treatment of leukocyte adhesion deficiency is with prophylactic antibiotics, often given continuously (usually trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole). Granulocyte transfusions can also help.
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation is a rapidly evolving technique that offers a potential cure for hematologic cancers ( leukemias, lymphomas, myeloma) and other hematologic disorders... read more is the only effective treatment and can be curative.
Gene therapy, which is under study, appears promising.
For patients with type 2 leukocyte adhesion deficiency, correcting the underlying defect with fucose supplementation should be tried.
Patients with mild or moderate disease can survive into young adulthood. Most patients with severe disease die by age 5 unless treated successfully with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Drugs Mentioned In This Article
|Drug Name||Select Trade|
|Primsol, Proloprim, TRIMPEX|

domain: medical


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A Christmas Carol Children's Auditions
Milwaukee Rep Announces dates for upcoming Children’s Auditions
The longest-running recurring show in Milwaukee, The Rep's annual production of A Christmas Carol has been through countless Tiny Tims and Martha Cratchits over the years. Search for child actors to fill the show'Âs roles is a constant process as child actors grow into adults and move on.
The auditions have been announced for this year'Âs production, which is scheduled to run December 1 -24 at the Pabst Theatre. The audition process is positively cute--parents interested in having their children considered should send "Âa separate photograph of each child, along with height, weight, age, clothing and shoe sizes, address and parent'Âs home and work phone numbers to: Children Auditions; Milwaukee Repertory Theater; 108 East Wells Street; Milwaukee, WI 53202" Children must also submit a brief note about themselves and why they want to be in A Christmas Carol.
All information must arrive at the Rep by Monday, August 15th. Audition slots are by appointment only. Those chosen to audition from submitted photos will be called with an audition time during the week prior to the audition date. Auditions are to be held on August 18th. Callbacks will be held on Saturday, September 10. Rehearsals are Tuesdays through Sundays from November 8 -Â 30.


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Dating birks silver software to build a dating site
The English ones are relatively easy to research and date due to England’s system of hallmarking. © Copyright Sugar et Cie 2015 While the Canadian silver ring boxes are for the most part marked sterling or plated, dating them is a bit harder.You can’t simply look at the hallmarks, look for the city mark and then look up the date letter to determine the year the piece was made. It is unlikely that you will be able to pin down the year, but you will have a better chance of identifying the period correctly. Limited on a catalogue dated 1915/16 and Ellis Bros. While these dates do not point to the exact date of the name changes, they are good reference points, from primary sources, which you can use to assess the maker’s mark that is on your box (or piece of jewelry from these makers).Why have these ring boxes become so highly sought after?
But somehow, its not quite the same as a velvet or silk lined sterling silver ring box that screams – HEIRLOOM.Most people don’t realize that around 80-90% of all diamonds mined are not suitable for use in jewellery.The majority of natural diamonds are highly included and opaque little pebbles.© Copyright Sugar et Cie 2015 Over the years we have come across a few from the U.S., some from England, but the majority of the ones we have been interested in, come from Canada (Birks, Ryrie, Ellis Bros.).

domain: hobby


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The Only Solution
“‘But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’ — he said to the man who was paralyzed — ‘I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.’ And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God” (Luke 5:24–25).- Luke 5:17–26
A young woman who was about to get married was terribly distressed and visited a professor at her Christian college for some counsel. During the meeting with her professor she confessed that her troubles came from the guilt she was feeling for engaging in premarital sexual relations with her fiancée. Prior to meeting with her professor she had talked with a liberal clergyman who told her there was no reason for her to feel guilty since she was an adult and could make her own decisions about her body and her relationships. However, this advice did nothing to alleviate her guilt.
The girl’s professor explained that she felt guilty because she was in fact guilty of breaking God’s law for sexual behavior. He also told her that the Lord’s solution to this problem was for her to trust Christ and seek forgiveness. In so doing, she would be absolved of her guilt and be made new before the judgment seat of the Father. Taking the professor’s advice, the young woman repented of her sin and turned to Jesus, and she left the counseling session overjoyed that many of her feelings of guilt and self-loathing were gone.
This story illustrates the point that the only real solution to real guilt is real forgiveness. Too many people today try to deal with their guilty consciences by denying sin, rationalizing iniquity, or other measures. But though feelings can be suppressed, the objective reality of guilt will inevitably work itself out in a person’s life if the underlying reality of his transgression is not addressed. Christian counselors and pastors well know that sin not confessed produces all sorts of marital difficulties and other relationship problems, and contributes significantly to the development of addictive habits and other issues. This is all on top of the most dreadful consequence of unresolved guilt — estrangement from God.
As we have said many times before, our Father in heaven promises to forgive, without exception, every sin if we come to Him through Christ, confessing and asking Him to forgive our misdeeds (1 John 1:8–9). And when we do this, the Lord will forgive us, enabling us to go forth with joy and gratitude, as shown in today’s passage.
One of the most important reasons we need godly friends is so that we can discern our guilt and experience the Lord’s forgiveness. Left to ourselves we will often rationalize our sins or quickly suppress guilt feelings, but others can help up see when we are doing this and point us to Christ. They can also help us determine the reality of our objective guilt so that we may recognize guilt feelings that are actually illegitimate. Seek out such godly friends.
Passages for Further Study

domain: literature


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Skin bleaching is a cosmetic practice that aims to lighten someone’s skin. Some individuals may use it to try lightening specific areas or dark spots, while others may want to lighten their overall skin tone.
Many products that claim to lighten skin tone are not safe. According to the
Hydroquinone and niacinamide are safer options. However, there is no guarantee they will lighten the complexion evenly.
Researchers connect racism to the trend for skin bleaching. When people believe that only lighter skin is attractive, they may become unhappy with their own appearance. This can affect mental health.
In this article, learn more about skin bleaching, the methods for doing it, its origins, and the risks.
Skin bleaching is the practice of trying to lighten the skin. It has existed for hundreds of years.
Some use skin lightening to reduce the appearance of specific areas of hyperpigmentation. This is when a specific area of the skin darkens in response to an injury or medical condition, such as:
- sun damage
- pregnancy, which can cause melasma
Dermatologists often provide advice and safe treatment options for lightening smaller areas of skin.
However, the term “skin bleaching” usually refers to overall skin lightening, which is not something dermatologists support. This practice aims to lighten the whole complexion, changing a person’s skin tone.
Skin bleaching is very common worldwide. A
A report by the
Skin bleaching is not medically necessary but something people choose to do for cosmetic reasons. Some people use it to lighten melasma, blemishes, and age spots, while others try to use it to alter their skin tone.
People may feel this will make them more attractive or more confident. However, the practice of attempting to lighten a person’s complexion links to racism.
Racism frames being white as superior to all other races and ethnicities. This also applies to beauty standards, causing people to view white, European forms of beauty as the most desirable.
Another key driver of skin bleaching is colorism, which is related to — but distinct from — racism. Colorism is a discriminatory practice of preferring lighter skin tones over darker skin tones, both intraracially (within groups) or ethnoracially (across groups). It can affect any racial or ethnic group.
Colorism is rooted in racism, and like racism, it places value based on skin color.
A 2018 study found that internalizing white beauty standards contributed to African American and Indian women’s dissatisfaction with their skin and hair, as well as attempts to lighten both.
Another 2019 study found that exposure to advertisements and self-esteem issues predicted skin bleaching among students at the University of Lagos.
This shows how the negative messages people hear about skin tone can substantially alter their self-image and influence behavior. However, the reverse is also true — hearing positive messages may bolster self-esteem and reduce the desire for skin bleaching.
A 2019 study in Nigeria found that self-acceptance and education about the risks of skin bleaching could help prevent the practice.
There are several active ingredients that can fade areas of hyperpigmentation. Some ingredients also reduce pigmentation in the skin more generally. Skin bleaching products may contain:
Vitamin C may reduce spots of hyperpigmentation, including those from acne. A
Vitamin C can bind to melanin, reducing melanin production and addressing hyperpigmentation.
Manufacturers often market niacinamide as an antidote to age spots and other types of hyperpigmentation. It is safe in small doses applied to the skin.
A 2020 study found that niacinamide could reduce hyperpigmentation when researchers used it as part of a blend that also contained tranexamic acid, kojic acid, and hydroxyethylpiperazine ethane. The study suggests using these products with antioxidants could address hyperpigmentation in skin of color.
Retinoids such as retinol can help accelerate the skin turnover process, which may help the skin heal from injury. A
Retinoids are generally safe. However, forms such as tretinoin
As with vitamin C, retinoids make the skin more sensitive to the sun, so sunscreen is necessary. It can also cause side effects such as:
Hydroquinone is a depigmentation agent that is present in many skin bleaching products. A person can buy a 2% solution over the counter or seek a prescription for a stronger 4% solution. Results usually appear within 3–6 months after applying hydroquinone one to two times per day.
Hydroquinone has many potential adverse effects. It can increase the skin’s sensitivity to the sun, so it is important to use sunscreen. Some other potential side effects include:
- blue-gray skin discoloration
- skin irritation and redness
- damage to the skin
- skin dryness
- false elevation of blood glucose on a blood glucose test that uses blood from capillaries
Mercury is a toxic metal that harms humans and the environment. Despite this, it is in
People who use mercury-containing products on the skin may develop:
- skin rashes
- skin discoloration
- reduced resistance to skin infections
- peripheral neuropathy
- kidney damage
With enough exposure, mercury can cause death.
Mercury may appear on product labels under the following names:
- mercury oxide
- mercuric iodide
- ethyl mercury
- mercurous chloride
- phenyl mercuric salts
However, not all manufacturers list their ingredients transparently, making it hard to know if skin lightening products contain mercury. Instructions to avoid contact with metal jewelry can be a warning sign, as mercury bonds to some precious metals, such as gold.
Numerous countries have banned mercury for cosmetic use, but not all. Even in places where it is illegal, it is often still possible to buy products that contain it online.
When people wash mercury-containing products off their skin, it eventually ends up in the ocean, where it can enter the food chain and contaminate fish. Eating these fish can also harm humans, as well as other animals.
The results of skin lightening treatment, whether for specific areas or the whole complexion, vary greatly.
Safer ingredients, such as niacinamide and vitamin C, may modestly reduce hyperpigmentation. However, the extent of the reduction depends on the individual case.
Attempts to change the entire skin tone are often much riskier. It can result in patchy, uneven pigmentation or in hyperpigmentation, making the skin darker in places.
For example, hydroquinone
Treating areas of hyperpigmentation can be safe if a person uses dermatologist-approved methods and avoids harmful substances.
However, attempts to bleach the entire skin are always risky, even if someone uses safer methods. It
- an uneven skin tone
- irritation, rashes, or eczema
Globally, the biggest risk of skin bleaching by far comes from mercury.
The Minamata Convention on Mercury established an upper limit of
For example, a
Even when mercury products are illegal, they are easy to obtain. The WHO calls this “a global crisis expected only to worsen with skyrocketing demand, especially in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.”
There is no DIY or home remedy that can safely bleach the skin. The recipes people can find for this online may contain unsafe or risky ingredients. Even ingredients that do seem relatively safe may cause damage over time.
For example, some DIY skin lightening recipes call for lemon juice. Lemon juice is an acid that can exfoliate the skin and contains vitamin C. However, it is strongly acidic and can cause:
- uneven skin tone and white patches
- sensitivity to UV light
For this reason, it is best to purchase skin products that are diluted to a safe pH level and that a third party has tested for safety.
Speak with a health professional before using any homemade or store-bought skin-lightening product, even if it seems safe.
Skin bleaching is a common cosmetic practice worldwide. Some use it to lighten specific areas of hyperpigmentation. However, many use skin bleaching products to lighten their complexion overall.
There is no safe or reliable way to lighten someone’s skin tone. Products or DIY recipes that claim to do so carry numerous risks. Even legal and over-the-counter options, such as hydroquinone creams, can sometimes lead to permanent discoloration.
The pressure of white beauty standards, colorism, and racism drives the demand for skin bleaching products. However, research shows that educating people on the potential risks, and fostering self-acceptance, can prevent people from using risky products.
If a person is concerned about hyperpigmentation or is considering trying skin bleaching, the safest strategy is to speak with a doctor.


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Through the Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator, you’ll create a path towards your new career. Gain valuable digital skills to improve your career possibilities and gain financial independence. From basic computer knowledge to office applications, we have a digital skills program to fit your interest.
What Should I Expect After Enrolling in the Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator?
Learning a new skill can be challenging and requires planning, hard work, and dedication. That’s why Goodwill works with a vast network of community and business partners to provide a comprehensive program regardless of your individual needs. You will gain:
- Awareness of the digital skills needed to succeed in the highly competitive workforce
- Digital skills training and access to Northstar Certification to help build your skills
- Connections to community partners for additional support
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Let Goodwill Prepare You for The Rising Digital Skills Workforce
- Approximately 27 million online job postings require digital skills.
- Mid-level digital jobs represent roughly 38 percent of overall job postings.
- More than three-quarters of mid-level jobs require spreadsheets and word processing skills as minimum requirements.
- About 17 percent of digitally intensive mid-level jobs pay more than non-digital mid-level jobs
- Baseline digitally intensive mid-level jobs average $20.00 per hour.
- Advanced digitally intensive jobs average at or above $28.00 per hour.
Research conducted by Burning Glass Technologies and Capital One. The Digital Edge: Middle-Skills Worker and Careers. Boston, MA: Burning Glass Technologies, 2017
When it comes to education, hands-on training and career navigation planning, many people need help. Goodwill provides the skills training you need to reach your goals.
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Blain’s Morning Porridge – November 25th 2019
“It needs a bit of improvement… ”
Lots of stuff to look forward to this week!
Here in Blighty, the election continues apace. Yay! The party manifestos have been released, and perhaps now we’ll get some real feedback into which particular vision of tax and spending hell the UK plebiscite is headed. Labour’s policy document outlines massive borrowing, sweeping nationalisation and grandiose spending plans, while the Tories’ document doesn’t say much, but promises to keep taxes steady. I suspect all the earlier Tory promises of massive spending were designed to deliberately goad Labour into going big and trying to outspend them. It’s worked! It’s all pure political theatre and means diddley-squat in real terms. The bottom line is any UK govt can borrow as much as it requires or desires – as long as it does so with its credibility intact.
The UK polls point to a Tory Majority – even the left-wing Gruniad says the Tories have a 19% lead over Labour. Three-quarters of Brexit leave voters are likely to vote for Boris, despite the fact he is distrusted by many. Does that mean it’s time to load up on Sterling and UK assets? Well, perhaps… but it’s still 17 days till the election, and Boris certainly has the ability to trip himself up multiple times before then.
In the US I’ve practically given up trying to follow the impeachment thang. Who are all these people and which ones are the ones who have done what… ? I suspect most American Voters have also lost the plot – polls show most have not changed their already polarised view on Trump; which means it’s been a wasteful distraction for the Democrats. They will be looking forward to Thanksgiving on Thursday which means it will be a quiet week before the quiet month of December.
Donald must be delighted to have a new distraction on the Democrat side. Way back in 1990 I was lucky enough to land a job at Bloomberg – and now Mike Bloomberg has announced a campaign for the Democrat nomination in the US. A couple of hundred million dollars for a shot at the White House is nothing for a man worth $50+ billion. He can outspend Trump a multiple number of times. But will Democrat votes coalesce around him in time for him to win? Or will he just be yet another distraction? He’s got track record as mayor of New York, and is a centrist, but he’s 77 years old. I will wait to hear what my US chums reckon.
Back in the markets, we’ve got a slew of recent data, and more due that sends mixed signals about global growth. Industrial production has been dropping, the US, Asia and Europe all look lethargic. Yet, the market continues to hit new highs and exhibit surprising strength.
According to the Wall Street Journal – S&P 500 companies are spending less on investment, and slowing their future spending plans. Capital spending is down 3%, on everything from buildings to Its spending. Investment across the US has slowed – coinciding with business sentiment survey showing the nascent trade war, and uncertainty re US politics are causing companies to pull investment plans. Rather than trade tariffs causing US companies to build further domestic capacity – they’ve slowed construction plans. Most companies are actually cutting spending – the number is skewed higher only because of a few big-spenders like Amazon and Apple. The cuts are most obvious in industrials, but also in finance where it looks like IT programmes stalled.
What’s really happening out there? The biggest influence on markets remains hopes of a China US trade deal – but hopes of a solution are just a glamour, which to those of us a Celtic persuasion means a fairy spell cast upon something ugly to make it appear more beautiful than it is. Any deal – which is now a low probability – will simply be a sticking plaster over the long-term issue of China vs US power. Consult your history books for a reminder on the Thucydides Trap, Rome vs Carthage, France vs Everyone, the Dreadnought Race, etc for how that one is likely to play out long term.
Yet, as previously noted, markets remain positive. How? In the face of such uncertainty you would expect at least something of a wobble?
Many investors are concerned – that’s why the press headlines any story about bears, for instance Bridgewater going massively short get front page headlines, even though Ray Dalio said it wasn’t the case! The market upside is apparently based on three assumptions: i) A trade war can be resolved, ii) There is nothing wrong with the global economy, and iii) Central banks will remain accommodative.
Collectively these are not irreconcilable, but at some point someone is going to figure out the reason the markets are so strong is simply due to the volume of cash sloshing around Financial Assets… Doh, it’s the money that is keeping markets so strong!
I’ve been pointing it out for years! QE, low rates and central bank monetary mistakes have simply created massive financial asset inflation. The market seems not in least bothered. Why should investors care – all that lovely free money is making their existing money worth more as it pushed stock and bond prices higher and higher. Precious little finds its way into the real economy. A great investment trick is “follow the money” and if it’s all being invested in already inflated financial assets, then go with it. (I am adding Follow The Money to my list of market mantras…)
FTM explains why I’ve been so wrong about markets. I try to employ logic to my market view… but that’s not how it works. Every year I predict the inflation of financial assets can’t continue any longer, but I’m invariably wrong. The supposedly irrational market is being very rational – it is following the money. And since the money is going into financial assets, that explains why corporates are not investing in real assets. They are holding back from the real economy, and playing financial assets, buying back their own shares to manipulate their stock price higher. Financial Assets are real, and real assets aren’t? I suppose.
And it doesn’t actually matter…. At some point in the not so distant future all the current political uncertainty will be resolved. Donald Trump will be a fading memory. We will be forgetting how Boris flubbed the election through his horrible gaff on Dec 9th at the Queen’s Christmas drinks. We will be fondly remembering the joys of Prime Minister Corbyn’s regime. And global growth will have recovered… stock prices (which never fell, because central banks kept bailing out markets), will look reasonably valued as global growth accelerates…
Yeah… dream on…
Five things to read today:
Out of time, and back to the day job…


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Supplements. There always seems to be some new 'BAZOOKA BLASTING ENERGY SHOT' and 'SUPER DOOPER SHAKE AND BAKE' but what's essential and what really works? From protein powder to multi vitamins and everything in between.
So, what's important for our everyday health and fitness? We'll specifically be looking at the following:
- Protein powder
- Multi Vitamin and mineral tablets (in particular Magnesium, zinc and vitamin C
This is a small list but a very powerful list - the ones covered in this article may be included in your collection of products year round and is what we recommend will make the biggest impact. Now we are going to break these above supplements down into simple to understand terms, how they work and how they should be taken.
Let's start with everyone's favourite. Protein powder!
How it can help you: Protein powder in its simplest form is protein in powdered form. WOW. So, what does this mean and how can it help. Protein powder can be used for a number of different reasons from post workout recovery aid to a quick and easy solution to increase protein amounts in the daily diet. The main reason is for post workout recovery aid as the powder is the quickest way to get protein into your blood stream and then into your muscles. There's a small window of about 30 minutes where your body is in a dull version of shock and is grabbing and absorbing as much as it can - imagine if you had to spend the time driving home from the gym, cooking some protein and rice, eating it and then digesting. In comparison to something you can whip up and drink in 2 minutes, it simply makes sense. You might even pre-prepare it and bring it to the gym! If you can fit in that source of protein sooner, rather than later, you'll find your recovery to be quicker and muscle soreness to be less. The powder is simply the easiest for your body to digest and absorb into the bloodstream. This will help to repair any muscle tissue that was broken down.
And think of the variety! There are endless recipes for protein pancakes, protein muffins, protein balls, protein cookies and don't forget the vast array of smoothies and shakes that are possible! Our favourite is the frozen mixed berries, blended with the Vision Vanilla Protein Powder, almonds, almond milk and chia seeds.
If we look at using protein powder to increase protein amounts in the daily diet there is one main factor to look at. Anytime you can get your needed nutrients from whole food the better it will be for your body and your body will respond better. The reason for this is due to the vitamins and minerals you will get from eating whole foods. So, protein powder can be used as the quick fix to get an extra 23-24g of protein into your diet but other methods should also be explored. The best protein sources to use are chicken, turkey, kangaroo and eggs. Salmon and tuna are great protein sources but be mindful with the fat content associated with these foods.
The next product to consider is a multi-vitamin as well as certain mineral tablets. The name says it all. Multiple vitamins and minerals in capsule form. These are considered to be the essential vitamins and minerals and must be obtained through the diet or via supplementation. This is where the capsule form makes it so easy. On average 1-2 multi vitamin tablets per day gives you your daily dosages. Now this doesn't mean you can't get these vitamins from your food sources but it ensures you are getting them into your body daily. In case you have an off day with your nutrition, you still know your body has all its needed vitamins and minerals to keep it healthy and functioning at its best. Some minerals will even help with muscle recovery. The main mineral tablets to look into taking are Magnesium, zinc and vitamin C.
Magnesium will help with a range of things such as improved energy levels, increased nutrient synthesis into the blood stream and it will also help to maintain healthy heart function. Zinc will help with improved immune functions, balance hormone levels which is essential for weight loss and also help with muscle repair. The role that vitamin C has on the body and your health is to help lower cholesterol levels which will lower blood pressure and to help improve immune function.
The last supplement to look at is BCAA (Branch Chain Amino Acids). BCAA's are amino acids which are derived from protein sources. These amino acids mainly help to keep your muscles from breaking down to be used for energy and recovery. They can be taken during the day in-between meals to help increase protein synthesis or during a workout to avoid muscle breakdown. Some BCAA products have an ingredient called beta alanine which will help against lactic acid build up. The main benefit for BCAA products is to keep your muscles from breaking down so should be taken daily.
So, there you have it! The main supplements you should look into and the reasoning behind them.
*Disclaimer: Individual results vary based on agreed goals. Click here for details.

domain: food


text:
Cabin of the "Morning Star"
A spittoon is on the floor in the foreground
Steamboats; Steamboats--Passenger accommodation; Transportation
Publisher: Indiana Historical Society
Sorry, we are unable to provide the full text but you may find it at the


A514 Grade B, steel plate A514 Grade B is for high yield strength, quenched and tempered alloy steel plate of structural quality in thickness of 32mm and . under intended primarily for use in welded bridges and other structures. The max thickness of A514 Grade B is 32mm. in the heat treatment, A514 Grade B shall be heat treatment by the mill to
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Baden bei Wien was made in Baden, Vienna, during David Huchthausen’s European travels in the late 1970s. There were no production facilities available for the sculptures he intended to make, so he developed glassblowing skills on his own. The thick clear glass encases and blurs the layers of mountains and trees, simulating the experience of moving quickly through the landscape.
“My work is deliberately … mysterious. I constantly strive to generate a strange and curious quality that both tantalizes and challenges the viewer to develop his own response system. The work must have an existence and energy of its own if it is to have any real significance.” David Huchthausen, Seattle Times, 1985
Alpine Landscape (Baden bei Wien #177)
- 7 x 6 in. (17.8 x 15.2 cm) diam.
- Credit Line
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Gift of Carol and Don Wiiken
- Mediums Description
- Landscape – tree – evergreen tree
- Landscape – weather – snow
- Landscape – mountain
- Object Number
- Linked Open Data
- Linked Open Data URI


NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan – Kazakhstan’s senate deputies on December 29 approved a bill on the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aimed at abolishing the death penalty.
The protocol is aimed at the adoption by Kazakhstan of international obligations to abolish the death penalty.
Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi said at a plenary session of the chamber that the protocol is the second international document adopted by the UN in the development of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966, which Kazakhstan ratified in November 2005.
“The use of the death penalty in Kazakhstan was completely suspended on December 17, 2003. Continuing the course of active integration into global processes, and taking into account the global trend, in December 2019, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the Foreign Ministry to begin the procedure for Kazakhstan’s accession to the Second Optional Protocol,” the minister said.
Tleuberdi informed, on September 23, 2020, the Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN, Kairat Omarov, signed the Second Optional Protocol.
At the same time, the fact of signing did not mean the immediate entry into force of the provisions of the document. It is subject to mandatory ratification by parliament.
“The signatory countries take the following obligations: first, not to apply the death penalty, second, to take all necessary measures to abolish the death penalty within their jurisdiction. The only exception is the death penalty is allowed in case of wartime,” Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister said.
The death penalty in wartime is applicable after being found guilty of especially grave crimes of a military nature, which he committed in wartime.
The document adopted by the parliament is sent for signature by the president of Kazakhstan.
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights was adopted in 1966, entered into force in 1976, and currently 173 states have acceded to it.
The Second Optional Protocol to it, aimed at the abolition of the death penalty, was adopted on December 15, 1989. In 1991, the document came into force, 88 states are members of the agreement.


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The Dept. of Interior on Oct. 12 lifted a July 12 moratorium on deepwater drilling for offshore operators that can comply with new and existing offshore regulations and demonstrate the availability of adequate blowout containment resources.
“The oil and gas industry will be operating under tighter rules, stronger oversight, and in a regulatory environment that will remain dynamic as we continue to build on the reforms we have already implemented,” said Interior Dept. Secretary Ken Salazar on Tuesday. Deepwater drilling was banned following the April 20 explosion on BP’s Mancondo well that left 11 dead and millions of gallons of oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico.
The offshore industry greeted the announcement with skepticism, saying that until the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management begins issuing permits for deepwater activity, the moratorium remains “de facto.”
“The Interior Dept. today referred to the Œdynamic’ nature of future regulations in an effort to show they would adapt as circumstances warrant. That sounds good. In reality, however, it introduces another level of uncertainty to a regulatory process that has come to be less predictable than in many under-developed nations around the globe. When billions of dollars of investment are at stake, a Œdynamic’ regulatory process could be as dangerous to future offshore energy development as an outright ban,” said Randall Luthi, president of the National Ocean Industries Association in a statement issued Tuesday.
Salazar said he based his decision to lift the deepwater moratorium on information gathered in recent months, including an Oct. 1 report from BOEM Director Michael Bromwich that shows significant progress in reforms to drilling and workplace safety regulations and standards, and increased availability of oil spill response resources.
Bromwich said that before deepwater drilling will resume, BOEM intends to conduct inspections of each deepwater drilling operation for compliance with regulations, including but not limited to the testing of blowout preventers.
Salazar said he expects the Dept. of Interior and BOEM will consider additional safety measures � including a redundant blind shear rams on BOPs, remote activation systems for BOPs, and enhanced instrumentation and sensors on BOPs.


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Syngonium — care at home
Increasingly found in offices and private homes of flora of South America.
Looks more impressive than the plant, so it is more popular.
And even the fact that some individuals are poisonous, gardeners that don’t stop.
It is to such plants is Syngonium. Though it is grassy, but grows to significant size.
Singonium to be comfortable to grow in a flowerpot you need to install the prop – tube, wrapped with coconut fiber.
Syngonium — care at home
Location and lighting
As syngonium develops lunoobraznoe, plants need to allocate a permanent place for the movements not to harm either its stem or aerial roots on them.
Besides outdoor location syngonium at home you can keep in limbo. Beautiful long stems – original designer solution.
But to syngonium pleasing to the eye, the plant should be protected from direct sunlight. Therefore, to keep in the summer, this vine needs away from the window, and only in winter, move the plant closer to the light.
The optimum temperature for this representative of the tropics should be able to withstand the range of 20-24°C in summer. In winter, during the rest period, syngonium «useful» temperature +18°C.
The plant is able to endure and lowering the temperature to +10°C. under such conditions the flower will not live long, so you should not rely on its cold tolerance.
Watering and humidity
The presence of singonium of aerial roots suggests that it is more «likes» the humidity than dryness.
So in the summer the plant should be regularly sprinkled with warm water. And as often as possible to wipe the leaves with a damp cloth.
But with irrigation it is advisable not to overdo it so that water does not stagnate in the earthen substrate or in the pan.
Watering the plant should be often but sparingly as it dries the top layer of soil. The frequency of watering depends on the temperature, the lower it is, the less watering.
To syngonium at home is well developed in the period of growth, it should be fertilizing liquid consistency, suitable for decorative indoor plants. And do this preferably every 15 days.
But winter feeding should be removed completely, so as not to stimulate the growth of singonium in the dormant period.
Transplantation and propagation
One of the conditions of care of a plant is its transplant into the new pots. In the first years of life syngonium transplanted every spring. Mature plants require transplanting every 3 years.
Propagated adult specimens the tops that are cut back in winter. In this case, the handle must be at least 2 aerial roots. In place of the cut appear side shoots, which are transplanted material.
Pests and fight with them
Despite the fact that syngonium – plant is poisonous, there is a «gourmand». To these «brave men» are aphids, scale insects, thrips are located on the
the stems of the plants and on both sides of the sheet.
To deal with pests can be widely common insecticides.
It is recommended during the treatment of plants to use 2 types of drugs, alternating between them.
But before you proceed to the improvement of plants, it should be washed with soap and water.

domain: agronomy


Lady Gaga didn't walk away with a trophy on Oscar Sunday, but she was still one of the night's undisputed winners.
The 29-year-old singer hit the Dolby Theatre stage to perform a powerful rendition of her Academy Award-nominated song, "Til It Happens to You," along with a group of sexual assault survivors. The moving moment proved to be one of the show's highlights, garnering a standing ovation within the venue and drawing tears from stars like Kate Winslet and Rachel McAdams. After the set, Brie Larson made a point to hug each and every single survivor up on that stage, while Jason Segel and Jared Leto also offered hugs and words of praise.
"The support we received was amazing," one of the performers, Kirat Sandhu, a member of the "It's On Us" campaign, told ET on Monday.
Sandhu was one of about 50 individuals that joined Gaga for the performance, following an introduction from Vice President Joe Biden. During rehearsals on Friday, Sandhu says that the pop star was incredibly candid with the entire group.
"She made a point to say to us, you know, we are helping her get through it. She's helping us heal, and we really wanted it to be an empowering moment for all of us and all the survivors that were watching," says Sandhu.
"[Gaga] kinda brought us into a group huddle ... it was just a one-on-one conversation with all of us and she said how much it meant to her that we were there," Sandhu recalls. "The first time we saw her, she was sobbing. She could not believe that this had been made possible, that we were all there. That we were getting to do this with her."
"Til It Happens to You" was co-written by Diane Warren for the documentary The Hunting Ground, which focuses on sexual assault crimes on college campuses in the U.S. The song holds special significance for Gaga, who has previously opened up about her own experience being raped at 19 years old.
"She talked about her experiences and the pain she still feels years after this happened," Sandhu recalls of their first rehearsal. "She said, 'I want all of you to look into that camera and I want you to hurt.' ... 'This is gonna be the time that we heal, and we’re gonna heal together.'"


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O’Hara Says Pacific Rubiales Bid Was Going to Fail in VoteChristine Jenkins and Nacha Cattan
Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. shareholders were set to reject the Colombian oil company’s pending takeover before a vote on the deal was delayed, according to the main opposition investor group.
O’Hara Administration Co. said in a statement that as of Thursday, almost 60 percent of shareholder votes cast by proxy were against the deal. The disclosure came a day after Bogota-based Pacific Rubiales said the vote would be delayed until later in July. The proposed buyers, Alfa SAB and Harbour Energy Ltd., said they requested more time to sway shareholders in favor of the $1.7 billion deal.
The delay of the final shareholder vote “will result in further waste of Pacific Rubiales resources in pursuit of a fatally flawed transaction and will delay much-needed change,” O’Hara said. O’Hara, which holds almost 20 percent of the stock, says the C$6.50 a share offer for Pacific Rubiales is insufficient.
The shareholder meeting to approve the deal was postponed to July 28 from July 7. Thursday was the deadline for submitting opposition votes by proxy.
The shares rose 4.4 percent today to C$5.26 as of 12:55 p.m. in Toronto trading, rallying from a low of C$4.37 yesterday before the postponement was announced.
“It is just a little bit unclear whether O’Hara has anything more in mind than trying to shake Alfa down for a higher bid,” Ian McCall, a money manager at Geneva-based Quesnell Capital SA said. “Let’s assume that their data is right, then this is the moment of truth for Alfa. If they really want this asset they have to raise their bid.”
Pacific Rubiales and Harbour didn’t immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment on the O’Hara statement. Alfa declined to comment.
Alfa and Harbour have said their joint bid was fair and final, given the difficulties Pacific Rubiales would face surviving as an independent company amid a drop in output.
Pacific Rubiales has said it’s seeking to get Canadian courts to exclude some shares held by the O’Hara group from the vote. Pacific Rubiales alleges O’Hara’s purchase of part of its stake came in violation of Canadian securities laws.
Alfa may also be betting that oil prices will fall by the time the vote comes around, according to Monex Casa de Bolsa; a lower oil price would make the share offer for Pacific Rubiales look more attractive.
“Perhaps they’re waiting for a situation in the market, maybe due to Greece or an accord between Iran and the U.S., that could bring down the price of oil,” Monex analyst Fernando Bolanos said in a telephone interview.
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Gustav Stickley was born in Osceola, Wisconsin, in 1858 and began to train with his father in stonemasonry and woodworking at the age of 12. At 18 he became an apprentice in his uncle's Pennsylvania factory, where he produced chairs and caned seats. He and two of his brothers, all educated in the fam
Even if you don't actually read books, chances are you like displaying them. It may be a pretentious front for your insecure intellect or that you simply like the color and texture they add to your home, but in either case, books can make a room sing.
Excited by the visual effect of a book collec
With the exception of clothes, furniture is the thing with which we live most intimately. We spend our nights sleeping on it, our days working amidst it, our free time lounging on it. We even store our most prized possessions in it. Collaborating with some of the century's most renowned designers, Vi
Arguably the finest architect and designer to hail from the banks of the Clyde, Scotland's Charles Rennie Mackintosh is known worldwide. His unique style combined straight geometrical lines with the sinuous curves of Art Nouveau and the organic symbolism of the English Arts and Crafts movement. A for


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“Pirate tales and the Florida Keys go together like ice and rum,” or so says the Fl Keys News. And with swashbuckling swagger, superstar NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife, Amy, an interior designer, have added a new chapter: a pirate-themed revamp of a 3,306-square-foot historical mansion in the heart of the now-trendy Old Town, Key West.
With Dale Jr. now semi-retired, the couple teamed up in 2018 to restore conch houses. Unique to Key West, this style of home was developed by Bahamian immigrants known as “Conchs.” Many of them were boat builders, and so nautical touches such as timber framing are common. The duo’s first such restoration was documented in a four-part reality TV series, “Renovation Realities: Dale Jr. & Amy” (DIY Network).
The Earnhardts’ latest project is an 1863 conch house with five bedrooms and four bathrooms. They were hands-off with most of the original architecture, including the charming gingerbread facade. Instead, they focused on enhancing it with pirate and nautical-themed touches. To the wood-beamed kitchen, for instance, they added such features as a skull-and-crossbones-patterned mural, a ship’s wheel at the end of a wood counter, and cabinets built to emulate sea chests.
Another wall mural, this one of a tropical sunset, graces the main staircase, which also features a rope-wrapped pillar. A can’t-miss original feature of the home lies at the top of the stairs: a secret hatch designed to let the homeowners keep a wary eye on buccaneers in the parlor below. Parrots are a recurring theme throughout.
And while it may not be “full fathom five,” the swimming pool is an impressive 14-feet deep. The garden surrounding it has a cultivated jungle quality and a tastefully appointed guest house lies beyond. Think the pirate life is for you? It will set you back plenty of doubloons: the restyled conch house, now on the market, is priced at US$3.7 million. •
Photos courtesy of https://www.toptenrealestatedeals.com/

domain: design


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My method for each student is very personal.
I always start with warm-ups, that are molded for the level of the student and the piece we are preparing.
My goal is to try to open and reach the full potential of the voice, whether it's for singing professionally or for personal pleasure.
I am Mezzo-soprano, with Master’s degree in solo and opera singing. Currently I’m a soloist at the Tbilisi State Opera House.
For years I’ve been enjoying giving private singing lessons.
I also graduated musical school as a pianist.
I speak several languages: English (fluent), Russian (fluent), Italian (intermediate).
Born on April 24, 1992 in Tbilisi, Georgia, Irina Sherazadishvili earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Vocal Performance from the Tbilisi State Conservatoire (2010-2016).
Since 2016, she has been an soloist at the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theatre, where she appeared in the following productions: G.Verdi "Aida" (High Priestess), G.Donizetti "L'elisir d'amore" (Giannetta), Z.Paliashvili "Abesalom and Eteri" (Naana), V.Dolize "Keto and Kote" (Maro, Babusi, Barbale), J.Massenet "Werther" (Charlotte), G.Verdi "Don Carlos" (Princess Eboli), G.Verdi “Nabucco”(Fenena), G.Verdi “La forza del destino” (Preziosilla) and others.
Perfect! Very professional and encouraging. Extremely knowledgeable and accessible. Highly, highly recommend.
|at her home||at your home||By webcam|
|1 hour||Not available||Not available||$50|
|5 hours||Not available||Not available||$250|
|10 hours||Not available||Not available||$500|


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The hotel is quite far from the beach, however shuttle is available twice a day so still convenient for me and my family. In the rooftop, they have a big bungalow with fantastic pool view. The coffee shop in the lobby is also a good place to try
- Reservation Options:
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domain: travel


A Conversation with Mark Penn
Q: What inspired you to write Microtrends?
A: To help people understand what the world looks like when you look at the numbers. For 30 years, I've been a pollster -- looking at trends for political, corporate, and social sector clients all over the world. And I've learned that in almost all cases, the key to success is finding the small, under-the-radar groups who are doing or thinking things that run counter to conventional wisdom. It is those groups that can tip an election, make or break a business, or trigger a social movement. They make a huge difference, and yet many conventional commentators on society either don't see them or deny them outright.
Q: What is a microtrend, exactly?
A: It's a small but growing group of people, who share an intense choice or preference, that is often counterintuitive and has sometimes been missed or undercounted by the companies, marketers, policymakers, and others. Typically, a microtrend can be as small as 3 million people, or about 1 percent of the American population, and even if that group never grows, it can still have enormous impact on society.
Q: And why should I care about microtrends ?
A: Because they are the new driving force behind our society and our future. Our society is blessed with unprecedented choices and people are expressing those choices in ways that create new markets, new affinity groups, and new movements. And if you are relying on conventional wisdom to find them, you will be left behind because CW is a lagging indicator not a leading one.
Are you aware of the growing role of protestant Hispanics, how elites are becoming so much more impressionable, or how Internet marriages are breaking down conventional class barriers? People are always looking to catch a wave; in this book we reveal that there are literally thousands of new, smaller waves to catch if you look for them.
Q: So you depend on numbers to counter conventional wisdom?
A: We adopted the magnifying glass as our icon because it symbolizes the search for a meaningful microtrend, And recent events are demonstrating the importance of some of the trends we are finding by looking at the numbers - we identified "educated terrorists" as a critical threat months before the conspiracy of doctors was uncovered in the UK; we are in a surprise credit crunch - one of the threats is created by the 5 million new middle class buyers of second homes and they will be a key force in determining the impact and politics of what happens.
Q: But how do numbers tell the story? Isn't a microtrend, by definition, a small identity group?
A: Yes. But to identify these groups, I've looked at numbers in extensive polling and statistical data. Numbers help you land on something incontrovertibly true. Then what's key is that you can find the story behind the numbers. That's what's important, because that tells us the changing ways that people are living their lives. So for example in sex-ratio singles we demonstrate that the straight sex ratio today complicates the lives many heterosexual women because the numbers show that there are simply more straight women than men in today's world. It's just a fact based on the numbers.
Q: What are your favorite microtrends?
A: I love a lot of them. One real favorite, I guess, is Working Retired. While conventional wisdom tells us that America's aging population is about to retire in record numbers, the truth is that manyAmericans are choosing to remain in the workplace longer than ever. This has implications not just for our retiring generation but for younger workers expecting promotions, politicians grappling with Social Security reform, and the health care industry.
I really like Impressionable Elites, too. I find it just stunning that Average Joe voters know and care more about the issues than the "elites," with all their education and success. But the elites can afford to view the issues from a greater distance because of how well they have been doing.
Q: How about the most surprising microtrends?
A: I'm fascinated by Permissive Parents - parents now believe that that they are the strict ones and that everyone else is soft when it comes to discipline. Of course, that's not possible - they are part of a trend in which people have redefined what it means to be a strict parent and the kinds of punishments that are permissible.
Q: Doesn't the development of all these tiny, swirling microtrends signify a depressing fragmentation of society?
A: I think we are seeing an explosion of tolerance for differences which is an important pre-condition for the growth of microtrends. People have to feel comfortable expressing themselves and so society is opening up in many new ways. Instead of along old dividing lines like race and religion and neighborhood, they can do it along the lines of taste and preference. Microtrends represent the triumph of personal choice, and with the rise of choice comes not only greater personal satisfaction, but also greater freedom for individual and minority rights.
Q: So small is the new big?
A: Yes, it's the small forces that are really shaping the big changes we see today and tomorrow.
Q: And what about Hillary? Does she like the book? Is she going to win?
A: She is pretty busy these days - and she has a real understanding of America and the changes we are undergoing both big and small. She is doing great out there - the more people see of her, the more they like her.
For more information about Mark, please visit MarkPenn.com


2018 Qatar MotoGP | Image Gallery E
Images by AJRN
The fith part of our visual coverage of round one of the 2018 MotoGP at Qatar.
As always the action has been beautifully captured by our resident snapper AJRN.
Images brought to you by AJRN
Image Gallery E
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