| Jan 18, 2013
| 12:24 PM
Assembly Speaker John A. Perez (D-Los Angeles) issued a stern warning to University of California officials this week, saying that if the UC system follows through with plans to hike student fees, it will face the renewed scrutiny of the......
| Mar 10, 2014
| 10:21 PM
Elevated levels of lead have been found in the soil of homes and a preschool near a battery recycling plant in Vernon, prompting officials to issue health warnings and order more testing in adjacent neighborhoods.
State toxic waste regulators said the...
| Mar 8, 2014
| 2:07 PM
Politicking at the California Democratic Party Convention by candidates competing for official endorsements continued Saturday morning after delegate-hunting at a round of parties the night before.
Volunteers started with pep talks and breakfast at...
| Mar 5, 2014
| 1:38 PM
SACRAMENTO -- Two-term Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin is launching a bid for state controller, her campaign announced Wednesday.
Swearengin, a Republican, injects the GOP into a race that has so far been an intra-party battle between two high-profile...
| Feb 20, 2014
| 10:51 AM
SACRAMENTO -- An attorney who aided an investigation that resulted in fines against lobbyist Kevin Sloat said the settlement of the matter approved Thursday by the state Fair Political Practices Commission falls short and fails to address some of the most...
| Feb 12, 2014
| 3:16 PM
State Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) said Wednesday that he would submit a bill that would commit at least $25 million a year from state tax coffers to California’s government arts grant making agency, the California Arts Council.
If adopted, the...
| Feb 1, 2014
| 12:59 PM
Money flowed into the election campaigns for California's slate of lower-rung statewide political offices in 2013, a batch of races expected to vary from piping hot to, well, snoozers.
Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom currently face...
| Jan 24, 2014
| 12:29 PM
SACRAMENTO -- A state appeals court has ruled in favor of the California Legislature in its battle with State Controller John Chiang over his 2011 decision to dock legislators’ pay after he concluded the budget they passed was not balanced.
| Jan 22, 2014
| 2:15 PM
SACRAMENTO -- Assembly Democrats made it official Wednesday: Assemblywoman Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) is their choice to be the next speaker of the Assembly.
Atkins, who is now the Assembly majority leader, secured unanimous support from her colleagues...
| Jan 22, 2014
| 10:15 AM
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Jerry Brown took a swipe at California's critics during his State of the State address to the state Legislature on Wednesday, praising a "California comeback" he said delivered a million new jobs, a budget surplus and higher minimum...
| Jan 17, 2014
| 10:34 AM
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Jerry Brown's declaration of a drought emergency in California received widespread praise from state lawmakers, although some criticized the governor for not taking action sooner.
Lawmakers, farmers and activists for weeks have been...


text:
HP's Autonomy allegations trigger another investigation
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
PALO ALTO, Calif. Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) says British authorities have opened an investigation into allegations that the company was duped when it bought business software maker Autonomy.
The inquiry disclosed in a Monday regulatory filing is the latest legal fallout from a deal that has saddled Hewlett-Packard with massive losses and depressed its stock price.
- HP profits top forecasts, but problems persist
- HP: Feds probing Autonomy over improper accounting
- Autonomy's former CEO defends his record in open letter to HP
HP alleges that Autonomy employees fabricated sales in a ruse that drove up the company's sale price. HP bought U.K.-based Autonomy for about $10 billion in 2011 and then last year wrote off $8.8 billion of that amount in a move that stunned Wall Street.
In its latest quarterly report, HP says that it was notified last month that the U.K. Serious Fraud Office opened an investigation into the Autonomy mess.
Autonomy founder Mike Lynch has denied HP's allegations.
Popular on MoneyWatch
- Reverse cell phone lookup service is free and simple
- Why geniuses don't have jobs
- Microsoft slashes Surface prices to lure buyers
- Look who doesn't deserve financial aid at NYU
- Chrysler expected to make Jeep recall refusal official
- Chrysler agrees to recall of Jeeps at risk of fire
- Top 10 professional life coaching myths
- NSA-style spying has been around for years

domain: economics


Wilder cool to W.H. overture in Va. race
The Obama administration dispatched a senior aide to Richmond Wednesday to urge former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder to get behind state Sen. Creigh Deeds, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee.
Patrick Gaspard, the White House political director, met with Wilder, the nation’s first elected black governor, for over two hours in Virginia’s capital.
But Wilder, in disclosing the meeting in an interview with POLITICO, made it clear that he remained far from endorsing Deeds and was in no hurry to weigh in on the closely watched race — all the while outlining with his typical brutal candor what he thought some of the party’s challenges were and what was at stake.
On what the former governor called “bread-and-butter issues,” he said of Deeds: “Tell me what the man has done? I haven’t heard it.”
Asked if he thought Deeds may have a problem this fall with African-American voters, Wilder said flatly: “I do.”
He said black voters have no reason at the moment to vote for the nominee and referred to the decision this week of BET co-founder and Democratic donor Sheila Johnson to support GOP nominee Bob McDonnell.
“Many people feel taken for granted and I think that was built into the decision Mrs. Johnson made,” Wilder said.
The former governor could have also been talking about himself.
He pointedly noted that he had not yet met with Deeds — though he is scheduled to — while McDonnell has come to court many times.
“I’ve talked to him a lot,” Wilder said of the Republican. “He’s called a lot. We’ve had lunch, we’ve met. He’s not slow.”
And Wilder took a similar swipe at the state Democratic Party, saying he had not heard from its high command.
“I’m right here in Richmond,” he said with a chuckle. “I thought the party headquarters was in Richmond.”
But Wilder also said that Obama officials had aggressively sought his endorsement for Deeds. They argued that keeping the governor’s mansion in Democratic hands was important for the president’s political standing.
“The case that they made is that in Virginia and New Jersey — the two states that are up for election — losing one is bad, but losing both would be devastating.”
Wilder has never been shy about taking after his own party and basking in the attention that comes with it.
“It’s Doug being Doug,” said one Virginia political watcher when told about Wilder’s unvarnished critique.
That a top Obama official would not only meet with Wilder about the campaign but make the two-hour trip down I-95 to do so, however, reflects both the 78-year-old former governor’s still-considerable sway in state politics and the investment the White House has in winning the Virginia race.
While he’s been out of the governor’s mansion for over 15 years, Wilder just completed a term as mayor of Richmond, his hometown. He is still held in high esteem by many voters, especially older African-Americans and centrist whites.
The White House’s attention to Wilder and recognition of his desire for flattery dates back to the president’s own courtship of the wily pol.
As Wilder recounted in a 2007 interview with POLITICO, Obama approached him at a Washington dinner shortly after winning election to the U.S. Senate in 2004 and paid homage to the racial barrier breaker.
“He came over to my table, as a matter of fact,” Wilder recalled. “He said very nice things — how he had been inspired by what we had done in Virginia, and it meant a lot to see that take place.”
Wilder subsequently endorsed Obama early in the Democratic presidential primary and hammered Hillary Clinton in national media appearances.
And now Obama is again counting on the always-unpredictable Wilder.
In last month’s three-way primary, Deeds fared poorest in the Richmond-to-Tidewater region where Wilder still commands the most influence. Democrats are concerned that the state senator, who hails from an overwhelmingly white Allegheny Mountain town, may not have the same appeal to black voters as their past two governors, Alexandria’s Mark Warner and Richmond’s Tim Kaine.
Deeds trails slightly in early polls behind McDonnell and has less cash than his GOP rival.
But of the two governor’s races held this year — contests that are invariably scrutinized to assess the health of the party in control of the White House — Virginia may represent the Democrats’ best hope for success.
New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine trails his GOP rival by double digits in some surveys, and Obama’s appearance in the Garden State last week was seen by some as early box checking by the White House — the first and last time the president puts his capital on the line in the event the unpopular incumbent fails to show signs of life this fall.
“This is just July — it’s a long time,” he said with a laugh. “You know how long that is in politics.”
Further, in political terms, Virginia is more important to Obama than New Jersey. For the first time since Lyndon Baines Johnson’s 1964 landslide, the Old Dominion went in the Democratic presidential column last year. Obama and his team worked feverishly to win Virginia and will surely put in the same effort in 2012. They’d rather not give the demoralized Republicans there any hope. New Jersey, meanwhile, is almost certainly a sure thing in Obama’s reelection campaign.
The Virginia contest is also a personal matter for one of Obama’s top allies — Kaine. As the new Democratic National Committee chairman, it would be deeply embarrassing for him to lose his home state and be succeeded by a Republican.
“You gotta carry your own state,” as Wilder put it when asked about the stakes for Kaine.
In Deeds, Democrats have an authentically rural candidate with the potential to make inroads in Virginia’s heavily conservative countryside, for years a GOP bulwark and a key to its statewide success.
But lacking strong ties to the black community, one of the Democratic Party’s most loyal constituencies, has meant that Deeds has had to use the weeks since his primary victory to shore up support among African Americans.
Deeds has called Wilder several times since winning the primary but they have not yet connected.
“Creigh has nothing but respect for Gov. Wilder,” said Joe Abbey, Deeds’s campaign manager.
Still, the former governor said he has concerns over Deeds’s stance on guns, especially the one-gun-per-month bill Wilder pushed through the Legislature and signed into law.
Deeds, then in the state House, opposed what was then one of Wilder’s signature initiatives and what the former governor now sees as one of his legacy accomplishments. McDonnell, who also served in the state House when Wilder was governor, supported the one-gun-per-month limit.
“The last time Deeds was running, he said he wanted to repeal that,” Wilder said. “He hasn’t said too much about it this time around.”
Wilder also said that at a recent reception for all of Virginia’s living governors in the Executive Mansion, he had asked Kaine about the one-gun-per-month issue.
Kaine, Wilder recalled, noted that Deeds had shifted toward cracking down on the gun show loophole.
“And I said, ‘Well, OK, but what about my piece,’” Wilder recalled, alluding to one-gun-per-month.
Representing a rural swath of western Virginia — from Charlottesville to the West Virginia border — Deeds has a pro-gun-rights record and won the National Rifle Association’s endorsement in his unsuccessful race against McDonnell for attorney general four years ago.
Wilder did not endorse Deeds in that race, and the state senator lost to McDonnell by just 323 votes, running worse than the top of the ticket in Virginia’s heavily African-American cities.
The NRA has not yet weighed in on this year’s gubernatorial race. In what may be a play for the gun rights group’s support, a spokesman for McDonnell, citing improved background checks and changes in the law, said that the Republican now backs repealing Wilder’s gun control measure.
The courtship of the hard-to-get Wilder is a familiar political ritual for Virginia Democrats.
The independent-minded and outspoken former governor and mayor has frequently clashed with members of his own party and often been the Democrat Virginia Republicans love most.
In almost every high-profile statewide political contest since he left the third floor of Virginia’s Capitol, Wilder has either drawn out his endorsement for the Democrat until the closing weeks (or days) or stayed on the sidelines, offering a golden silence for the GOP nominee.
In 2005, Wilder came out for Kaine with a flourish, proclaiming his support for the current governor and DNC chairman less than a week before Election Day.
Wilder noted that while he had sat out some races, he had never “publicly endorsed” a Republican.
Asked about what he may do this year, Wilder suggested he would again keep his own party and the rest of the political world guessing.


text:
Perched on a plateau high in the Andes, Colombia’s capital offers everything from picturesque colonial architecture to top chocolate. We find the must-see sights and attractions.
Want a weekly dose of inspiration and exclusive contests direct to you inbox? Sign up to our newsletter below.
Missed the mag? You can still read it online here.

domain: geography


text:
Hello and welcome to another RetRollSpective, where we reflect on the history of marble sports teams that have appeared in the tournaments of Jelle’s Marble Runs. This time, we’re going to bring attention to the Hornets, a team that made their debut in the 2019 Marble League Showdown and went inactive in the spring of 2021. Read on to see how this team stung the competition!
The Hornets made their first bid for the Marble League championship during the 2020 Marble League Qualifiers. That said, the team is deeply rooted in other marble sports competitions, to the point where it has a fierce rivalry with another team: the Bumblebees. Their rivalry originated in the Bug Circuit, a regional tournament that began in 2011. The Hornets’ history as a team is slightly older: the team formed in 2010 in Buzzkill when Stinger brought its members together to race. Stinger and Wasp had known each other since they were young and came to know Vespa, Hive, and Yellowjacket through individual races. The team acquired its coach, Swarm, through Vespa’s parent, as they were a former athlete.
Each of the Hornets was such an important part of the whole of the team that without even one of them, the team would not have been successful in reaching the Marble League. Vespa, who was also chosen to compete in the first season of Marbula One, is known as the “Speed Queen” inside the Bug Marble community for their experience racing. As mentioned, Wasp had known Stinger for years before competing together, and as a result, was very loyal to them and the entire team. Their attitude may be aggressive at times, but it stemmed from their passion for marble sports and drive to never lose. Hive is an athlete that foiled Wasp perfectly: they were outgoing, funny, and friendly with other teams. They did not let poor results get to them, and they guided the team forward towards better results. Yellowjacket, the team’s only reserve, was the youngest member of the Hornets but never showed it through their energy and excellence competing with older marbles.
“I’m really lucky to be on such a hard-working team. We all push ourselves to be the best we can possibly be,” Stinger remarked.
Stinger was the glue that held the team together as its captain, but they also set an example for all marble athletes to follow. Apart from being one of the most decorated marble athletes, their self-control in times of pressure inspired Stinger’s teammates to remain hopeful and follow in their footsteps.
“We could not ask for a better captain,” declared Swarm. “In all honesty, I’m more of a mentor for the team. Stinger works so hard, and the team’s potential is so vast. I’m not afraid to push them to take it to the next level because I know they will do it. I have the best job in the world.”
The rivalry between the Bumblebees and Hornets blossomed in 2011 when the Bumblebees hosted the Bug Circuit that year. The Hornets narrowly edged a victory over the hosts and clinched their first championship, with the Bumblebees in second and the Ladybugs in third. The next year, the Hornets finished third in the 2012 Bug Circuit hosted by the Centipedes, where the Ladybugs rose above them to win the tournament and the Scorpions followed in a comfortable margin. The latter team retired after that year, with pressure mounting from the Hornets. This pressure resulted in the Hornets finishing second the next year in the 2013 Bug Circuit, beating out the Moths (that year’s hosts) in third but falling to the Dragonflies in first.
The Bumblebees had not answered the Hornets’ call to a rivalry for three years, but 2014 was a different story. It was the first year ever that the Hornets did not make the podium, which allowed other teams to take the spotlight. The Bumblebees battled against the Cockroaches and the Grasshoppers in a snow-themed circuit, hosted by the Snails, to claim their first Bug Circuit title since the Hornets joined. As the Bumblebees rumbled with joy, the Hornets were abuzz with what next year would bring, for the team had been selected to host.
The Hornets brought the sting back to the Bumblebees and other Bug Circuit teams, dominating over the Ants and Tarantulas to win their own 2015 Bug Circuit—something they prevented the Bumblebees from doing in their own tournament. During one of the races, the Hornets’ famous “BZZZ” chant materialized when Stinger was doing poorly in the final third. Stinger managed to snatch the win, and the crowd, buzzing about Stinger’s impeccable comeback, created the chant we now recognize.
The Bumblebees answered the Hornets’ win by finishing third in the 2016 Bug Circuit, while the Hornets missed the podium for the second time in three years. The team redeemed itself in the 2017 Bug Circuit, winning its third championship in seven years. There seemed to be no question as to who was winning the rivalry.
“No hard feelings towards the Bumblebees. I’m friends with Bea and Bumble,” said Hive. “Our rivalry is fun. It’s especially fun when you win most of the time.”
The Hornets, however, would not face off against the Bumblebees again in the Bug Circuit. In mid-2018, the Bumblebees announced that they were transferring to the 2018 Hubelino Tournament to replace Team Phoenix, who was retiring. The team was not the only team that had left the Bug Circuit: the Grasshoppers also left that season to train Grasshopper for the 2018 Sand Marble Rally, and the Tarantulas were in fact returning from helping Tarantula in the 2016 and 2017 Sand Marble Rallies. The Hornets remained in the 2018 Bug Circuit without someone to really compete against, and still finished in second overall—but felt something was missing.
“They were so distracted,” Swarm stated. “They did great, but not their best in 2018. They should have won so easily…and that’s when I realized that they could do so much more.”
“I have a lot of respect for the Bumblebees, and I knew they were going to excel in the Hubelino Tournament,” pledged Stinger. “They aren’t the best in speed events, but they play well to strategy. Their strategy to get into the Marble League from the Hubelino Tournament, for example, was ingenious.”
Upon learning that the 2019 Marble League Showdown would host a fan vote to determine the final two spots of the tournament, the Hornets applied. The team drew from their experiences in the Bug Circuit and their rivalry with the Bumblebees to rally support from the marblebase, and this, combined with a dominant social media presence, was more than enough to do so. The Hornets carried both rounds of the fan contest by two-thousand votes and were admitted as the eleventh spot in the Showdown.
The team’s social media presence continued in the coming months, as the Hornets decided not to attend the 2019 Marble League itself and focus on training for the Showdown. The team trained with the Bumblebees for the first time ever, thanks to Hive’s networking and continued relations with the team, and also trained with other Showdown teams as the tournament drew closer. The Hornets arrived at the Seven Seas Stadium six weeks before the beginning of the Showdown and continued to train, right up until the night before the first event, the Sand Rally.
Vespa remained in the top four throughout the entire race, facing a challenge from Bea for second place until they briefly got stuck in the final quarter of the race. Bea was able to finish sixth and recover well, but Vespa kept steady, netting a silver medal and fifteen points towards advancing to the 2020 Marble League Qualifiers.
The team earned another silver medal in Collision to rise to the top of the Showdown standings, five points ahead of the Rojo Rollers. The third event, Funnel Spinning, was the only event in which the Hornets did not make the podium and the only event where the Bumblebees placed higher than them—in fourth place to the Hornets in sixth. Nevertheless, the latter team already had enough points to advance to the 2020 Marble League Qualifiers.
The Hornets finished the 2019 Marble League Showdown on the third step of the podium, with a bronze medal in Balancing. They ended in second place overall, with forty-eight points to their name. The Bumblebees also advanced to the 2020 Marble League Qualifiers in seventh place.
When asked about the Bumblebees’ advancement, Vespa shrugged. “I think they deserved to make it in. They’re a good team, but they need a lot of work to prove themselves in a few months. As for us, we’re prepared to #BringTheSting in 2020, and we’re really looking forward to it!” Yellowjacket buzzed with excitement beside them.
As they prepared for the upcoming Qualifiers, the Hornets received an official letter from the JMRC inviting them to compete in the first season of Marbula One, an honor considering that the team has yet to compete in its first Marble League main tournament. The team accepted the invitation and would be represented by Vespa, “The Queen”, and Hive, “The Foil”, during the tournament.
an addendum by EduGJ23 and Vector
Participating in a main JMR tournament for the first time ever, the Hornets wanted to consolidate themselves as the rookies to watch out for.
The team selected Vespa for their debut at the Savage Speedway, where they didn’t impress with a thirteenth place finish. A week later at the O’raceway, Hive had a solid performance with a result of ninth, scoring two points. Vespa couldn’t keep the momentum going in the third round, and missed the point zone by 0.02 seconds after starting from last.
Hive, who collected two points in their first outing, wanted to achieve more at home, the Hivedrive circuit. Their qualifying lap of 28 seconds flat was enough for thirteenth, which didn’t indicate an improvement over previous races.
Things weren’t looking good after the start, either, as Hive fell down to last after a couple of hits in the first two turns. They did recover the lost ground after two laps, taking advantage of the distinctive feature of the track to stabilize near the tenth position for most of the race. But in the penultimate lap, the marble affectionately known as “The Foil” found an opportunity to gain more spots, which they swiftly acted upon, using the hive once again to finish in seventh. After the race, the home competitor said: “I’m happy to do such a solid race in front of our fans, this is a great incentive looking forward. And before anybody asks about it, no, that section of the track is not named after me.”
Unfortunately, the team would fail to earn another result in the top ten, earning no points during the rest of the season.
That said, the team as a whole was not deterred, and despite a close call in the Qualifiers, set their sights on a potentially prosperous 2020 Marble League. But how close was it? After a poor performance in Block Pushing, placing nineteenth, the pressure was all on Wasp into the fourth and final event, the 5 Meter Sprint. They ran in Heat 2, coming out in second after a photo finish against Indie, a difference of just four-thousandths of a second! The time of 5.292 secured an eighth overall position, and this slight edge allowed the Hornets to barely advance to the main tournament with 36 points, escaping the four-way tie for the two last spots by a single point. Without this margin, they would have missed out by medal countback.
According to Coach Swarm, the group considered the favorable retrospect in Marble League competition over their local rivals, the Bumblebees, as extra motivation into their first full league.
But it was not to be. During the first half of the 2020 Marble League, the squad collected subpar finishes, with the best results after seven events being two finishes in seventh in the Halfpipe and Hurdles, respectively. Despite a difficult debut so far, they worked to find a turning point, and hopefully, it would come with the captain, Stinger, who was set to race in the triathlon.
In the first heat of the event, Stinger won without threats, already positioning themselves as a candidate for the surprise of the day. The semifinal, against the previous champions, arrived, and the Hornets’ captain didn’t feel intimidated by theoretically stronger competition, as a bold move over Rapidly in the transition from the race track to the water put them in the second transfer spot to the final. Facing a big opportunity to raise up the podium, the underdog had a great start, leading on the sand and the circuit-style track, but this time, the water wasn’t their strong suit unlike during the stages before. Orangin, Momo, and Foggy passed by, and the final results were the inverse of each racer’s positions before entering the pool.
“Sad to lose such a clear chance to get a medal, but looking at the positives, we hope to grow from here and keep proving we can compete against anybody at a high level,” said the exhausted captain at the media area. About their final run of 33.07 seconds, their slowest of the day, they added: “I gave my all today, and I didn’t stop despite running out of energy before crossing the finish line. We need to take risks to become serious contenders.”
Despite their high hopes and efforts, the team didn’t earn anything better in the second half, with only two top-eight results.
The Hornets not only failed to pick up a medal during the competition but also finished in dead last, despite only a late-season comeback from Mellow Yellow in the final event dropping them into the basement.
“Well, we tried, and that’s what matters, right?” began a bittersweet Vespa. “I just know we can come back stronger.”
Little did they know at the time, but this would be the penultimate event that the Hornets would ever compete in.
After the teams selected to take part in the second season of Marbula One were confirmed, the public relations department issued the following press release: “We can’t say we are surprised by today’s news, because we didn’t perform well enough to secure another invitation for M1. We are sorry for disappointing our fans in the latest tournaments, but now, we look forward to the future and focus on the work to come back better and stronger in the 2022 season.”
However, Stynth visited the team in the offseason.
“When I arrived at their given address, I was quite confused: they had given me directions to a landfill, and there I was, gagging at the putrid stench of piles of trash. My first instinct was to call Coach Swarm.
“Oh…you accidentally went to 11 Hive Drive. The directions for our Hivedrive are 11 Hive Street.”
I checked my maps. Hive Street and Hive Drive intersected one another, bordering the landfill. I scrolled down. “Did you mean 11 Hive Avenue? That’s within the city center…it looks like there’s a stadium there—”
The phone line went dead.
I was on the verge of giving up, but I knew that wouldn’t be fair. I called an Uberry driver and headed into Buzzkill, getting off at 11 Hive Avenue. Though the streetlamps were dim, I could just make out a Gravitrax structure behind one of the buildings. The word “Hivedrive” adorned the side of the arena.
“You still came?” a voice asked behind me.
I turned around. Stinger, the captain of the Hornets, rolled across the street holding an umbrella. It wasn’t raining.
“The team…we…we’re pretty ashamed of how we’ve done over the past year,” Stinger admitted, looking with melancholy over the brim of their umbrella. “They didn’t want to show today.”
It made sense. I was disappointed—not even the Limers had turned me away in their most desperate hour. Nevertheless, I was there at that moment, and I heard Stinger out.“As their captain, I’m going to speak for them, even if they don’t want me to. We’re going to come back from this.””from Stynth’s “Offseason Moments – ML2020 Part 1”
The following months brought further issues for the team both competitively and non-competitively. They weren’t considered to participate in the new Marble League Winter Special, debts were beginning to mount, and motivation was lacking. All that could be done at that point was to sell the Hornets brand and licensing off and hope that the new owners would be willing to allow them to still compete.
One team member decided to leave the sinking ship that was the Hornets entirely.
“I was against this whole ‘selling the team rights’ thing from day one,” said an unusually aggravated Hive. “That’s partly why I quit; I’ve also always wanted a firsthand experience of the bright lights of show business. I’m a comedian now. It’s just small gigs to start with, yeah, but I’ll work my way up soon enough.”
Meanwhile, the remaining members of the team had little success looking for new owners. Vespa elaborated on the team’s search.
“We were already feeling hopeless, but what made it worse was that nobody wanted us. There was some buzz about this cosmetics company buying us out, and they did approach us, but their demands were way too much. No matter what happens, we’ll always be the Hornets, not the Hornets Brought To You By L’Oróll.”
With nobody willing to buy them out, the Hornets turned to the one offer they initially refused to even consider.
“Look, say what you will about the Hornets, they’re still marbles with lives and feelings. It’s tough to fall on hard times, heck, I started a youth marble training league that went bankrupt after half a year. I spoke to Queen, who also owns a small company designed to help us stay afloat, and they said they had actually thought about it themselves! That practically settled it,” finished Bumble.
“And we at BNT Sports can exclusively confirm a surprising outcome to the Hornets’ ownership woes. Beesports Ltd., a company set up by Bumblebees coach Queen, was created initially with the sole intention of owning the Bees themselves. But now, in a possible effort to expand the company, they have officially bought the Hornets out. They are to be absolved from all of their debts, however, the Hornets members will all be retiring before the 2021 Qualifiers, and will begin working for the Bumblebees as staff members and trainers. And now onto the latest Bug Circuit news, where the Moths have officially…”-A news broadcast from Buzznya News Today, a relatively large news channel, was the first to receive news of the Hornets acquisition.
It was official: the Hornets, as we knew them, were no more. They were now working as trainers for the Bumblebees. Many people saw this as an exciting new chapter for the Bees, but not all fans were happy. A particularly vocal marble, who goes by the name of Thorax, a passionate fan who already worked for the team as the spokesmarble and social media manager, fundamental for marketing the Marble League entry bid campaign, was bitter after the Bumblebees’ takeover cost them a major opportunity. It’s not hard to understand that they always were against the idea of merging with their rivals.
“I was meant to be the manager of the Hornets,” Thorax lamented. “but of course because of the Bumblebees I only got to do the Sand Race. The Bumblebees ought to apologize for costing me my big chance.
Thorax would get a personal apology from team captain Bumble, plus a job offer as a member of the Bees’ backroom staff (which they promptly rejected). But with that minor incident out of the way, it was finally time to wrap up the Hornets’ story once and for all.
Writing for the Felynia Times, journalist Crimson Eye said “The Hornets were never a team worthy of glory; they squandered every chance they had, they never made amends and they failed to even recognize their precise shortcomings. Yet, even though they made all the wrong decisions, and even though I should be laughing at this utterly unprepared team finally getting their comeuppance, I can’t help but feel bad for them. The Hornets, terrible as they were, gave it their all. You can tell by their performances that they really cared about marble racing. They had history, and frankly, I don’t blame them for trying to make it to the Marble League, but at the end of the day, it could be argued that the Hornets are a cautionary tale. Not every team with a long history in marble sports goes on to succeed in the Marble League and likewise, you can have no experience at all and win the whole thing.”
Despite all the buzz, there was one remaining event on the calendar. The team’s usual choice for sand rallies, Vespa, offered themselves to roll down in the 2021 Practice Race and send off the Hornets brand. In the end, their unimpressive result of twenty-fifth really didn’t matter, as we could observe Vespa having a friendly chat with Bumble after the race.
Later that day, Nectar and Beeline, the managers of the Bumblebees, were questioned about the implications of this acquisition to their group. They responded: “We have been following the reaction of the press and the fans regarding this news, and we honestly believe that some reporters were too harsh about the time of the Hornets’ members in JMR tournaments. Looking forward to the next seasons, we are sure they will be great assets for our organization and will help us to evolve.”
The remaining teammates quickly found their roles within the new structure. Thanks to their leadership skills, Stinger landed a spot in the management, preparing meetings and special events, and helping with all communications; Vespa mentors the Bees during training for racing events; Wasp is responsible for the fitness of the competitors, ensuring they’re always ready for each event; Yellowjacket and Swarm regularly follow youth leagues in the region, advising and scouting those who dream to become world-class athletes in the future.
In RetRollSpective, the Hornets are a cautionary tale in the world of marble sports. After a very long reign as one of the Bug Circuit’s “Big Two”, they suddenly began to take a shortcut to success, coasting off of their social media presence to gather a following. After their initial success in the Showdown, they lost the plot, even more, scraping by the qualifiers and going on to end up dead last in the 2020 Marble League, both of which they barely trained for. The team began to become more humble, and look for ways to improve, but at the end of the day, it was too little too late. Best of luck to the Hornets in the future, keep on rolling!
Thank you to Spark11 for creating both the Hornets and the lore surrounding the team!

domain: news


text:
unikko euro duvet cover twin redbed bath
The classic unikko pattern in white and red blooms on this twin cotton duvet cover.
Pattern: Unikko by Maija Isola (1964)
Material: 100% cotton
Colour: white/red/pink (001)
Measurements: euro twin duvet cover : 150 x 210 cm
This cover fits a standard north american twin duvet insert with a slightly more snug fit. It has an opening at the end.

domain: design


text:
MESSAGE OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN DEMOCRATIC TEACHERS’ UNION ON THE 112TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ANC
08 January 2024
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) joins the rest of South Africa in wishing the country’s ruling party – the African National Congress (ANC) well on its 112th anniversary. Formed on this day (8 January) in 1912 in Bloemfontein, the ANC is the oldest liberation movement in the world.
As a union in the education sector, SADTU owes its being to the ANC who, at the height of apartheid regime in the 1980s, played a critical role in convening teacher organisations from South Africa who were divided along racial and ethnic lines and brought them to Zimbabwe to talk unity leading to signing of the Harare Declaration which led to the process of forming a non-racial, non-sexist, unitary and democratic teachers’ union in South Africa that is SADTU today.
The year 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the country’s democratic breakthrough led by the ANC. It is also in the same year when the country will be holding its seventh democratic elections. We celebrate the efforts the ANC has made to change the lives of South Africans for the better, but we need to reflect on the challenges the country still confronts. Inequality, unemployment, rising levels of crime and a stagnant economy reminds us to work harder in defense of the freedom the ANC fought so hard for the country to attain.
However, despite the challenges, SADTU believes the ANC-led government has made critical inroads in ensuring quality and access to education to all in South Africa. We have also seen immense positive changes in the labour front since 1994 when the ANC took over. Workers now have a voice and platforms where they engage with the employer. We reaffirm our support for the ANC in the upcoming elections as we believe it is the only organisation that has a history of delivering even though there are challenges.
We fully support the tripartite alliance-led ANC election manifesto renewal process which had involved communities.
We know that our labour rights will be destroyed, and all our gains will be reversed by the regime change forces. We must never allow those who want to restore racism and white supremacy in our country. SADTU is therefore alert and standing ready and firm in defense of public education and collective bargaining and only the ANC has pro-workers policies.
Happy 112th anniversary to the ANC! Khula ANC!

domain: sociology


text:
Europa, Europa (1990) was definitely a different kind of film. The story recounts the true memoirs of Solomon Perel, a German Jewish boy coming of age during the ugly days of the Nazi rise to power. Based on Perel’s autobiography of surprisingly wild circumstances, director Agnieszka Holland’s film captures a whirlwind of desperate, heart-breaking, brave and happy turns in seven terrible years of a young boy’s life.
The film centers on Perel’s Jewishness, and one aspect of Jewishness is circumcision. Perel’s ‘covenant mark in the flesh’ will be his condemnation or his salvation, depending on who’s who. The film presses fluid situational ethics as the key to the hero’s survivability. Un-tethered and un-grounded ethics are a ghastly thing; the idea that there is no absolute truth is itself an absurd and illogical notion. But it is a notion mankind always struggles to accept in order to justify his actions. ‘Survival-with-no-ethics’ over ‘death-with-a-clear-conscience’ is almost a universal cry. One most men understand, because most men are inconsistent in their devotion to ideas. We love to say things like “what would you have done” and “the boy was certainly justified.” It is precisely Perel’s lack of strong conviction and powerfully strong sense of survival that expels him alive at the end of the meat grinder called WWII. Was it noble? Was it a victory of humanity or a failure of conviction? Is it better “to be or not to be, that is the question.”
The plot opens with “Solly” Perel’s Jewish family being attacked by a roving mob of Nazi filth. Solly and his family flee the thuggery, leaving behind a dead sister, unsure of what’s happening, unsure of the future. They find themselves in Lodz, Poland and ultimately, Solly ends up in a Soviet orphanage. Here he puts on the first of his many faces and becomes a model Stalinist youth.
There are moments of great emotion, tension, allegiances, stirring love, and horrible fears in this place, as in others to come, but eventually the Nazi’s overrun the orphanage and Solly has to find a course of survival. Thankfully, Solly’s mastery of his native German tongue and his adaptability, and a certain amount of good providence, all conspire to gain him a place in the German forces as a translator. He plays the ethnic German even to the point of being used as an exemplary Aryan specimen, much to the viewer’s delight. Its always good to see eugenics as the pseudo-science voodoo that it is. Nice jab. Rising through the German channels, he finds himself in the Hitler Youth, one of the elite. However, his Jewish-ness is always just one glance away from being exposed. This is his ever-present foil.
During his fearful and always-tense experience as a Jewish Hitler Youth and German soldier, he comes very close to being exposed by the uncomfortable advances of a homosexual officer, a pert young blonde girl, and a crazed older woman who wants Perel to give her children for the Fatherland. Once again there is a delicious sense of ironic satisfaction in discovering such moral deviants in the supposedly clean, homogeneous “master race.” Since its a memoir, the real life nature of the story tends to show reality as raw and politically incorrect as it is. Would the artsy types of the film world depict a homosexual man as a desperate pervert manipulating and preying on a young boy if it wasn’t a real-life case? You bet they wouldn’t.
As the challenges build, and war’s brutal sharpness and lack of compassion mount, Solly comes closer to death until, ultimately, he’s once more saved by a great turn of events that would be ridiculous were it not based in real life.
This film is a mature film for mature audiences. It has some nudity, but its some of the themes that require a sober mind. Reality and the struggles of life through history are often not pretty or the stuff of casual conversation. The reality is that Jewish-ness is marked in the flesh upon a vessel of life, and that can be awkward to discuss. But it is a worthy story with a deep undercurrent questioning the role of moral convictions. Because of the decided lack of moral convictions in society today, most folks might be expected to have a sense of compassion mixed with happiness for the hero, some others may feel compassion mixed with emptiness, and a great home that Solly might find something greater than merely surviving, but something worthy dying for. A good film to stir up thoughts.
More scenes from a beautifully composed film:

domain: library


text:
By Tim Gardner
The Avery County Health Department, an entity of the Toe River Health District (Avery, Yancey and Mitchell, NC counties), was notified Friday, September 4, of its first CoVID-19 associated death in Avery County.
This individual was in his or her 60’s. To protect the family’s privacy and for legal purposes, no additional information about the deceased person will be released.
“We want to extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of this individual,” said Toe River Health District Health Director, Diane Creek. “This virus continues to spread within our communities and has the potential to cause fatal results to anyone infected. This is one reason why it is important for everyone to comply with the face covering requirement and reduce the spread of this virus.”
Avery County has had 174 positive COVID-19 cases. 142 of those patients have recovered, 31 cases remain active and the 1 death has occurred.
Yancey County has had 187 positive cases, 159 have recovered, 27 remain active and 1 death has occurred.
Mitchell County has had 149 positive COVID-19 cases, 140 have recovered, 5 remain active 4 deaths have occurred.
The cases of community spread continue to rise in the North Carolina High Country. Doctors and other medical professionals urge others to Remember to practice the 3 W’s at all times: Wear, a face covering when out in public and you cannot physically distance yourself from others; Wait at least 6 feet away from others; and Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitizer if you do not have access to soap and water. It is also imperative for those testing positive to Stay at Home.

domain: medical


text:
Our Hoodies range comes in a luxurious 350gsm double brushed jersey fabric as standard. Its fit and feel has comfort and wear-ability in mind, with an extensive range of colours and finishes it has something for everyone no matter what your taste. From our badged Tom collection through to the intricate embroidery collection, we are focused on design and quality.
Forty will continue to provide the highest quality hoodies available at an affordable price. Sustainability is a world wide issue and here at Forty we are working with manufacturers and companies who are ethically sourcing their cotton for all of our hoodies.


text:
Many moons ago now (October last year) a group of people came together to marvel at a very special person, a very gifted, very marvellous person, an iconic figure from whom we can draw so much wisdom and inspiration.
A roundy baldy headed Manc called Karl Pilkington.
And he probably knows more about science than I, as a scientist, do:
So we, a bunch of scientists, having listened to Karl on the Ricky Gervais podcasts, having followed his teachings, gathered to see him in his latest intellectual triumph, his odyssey of diverse cultural edification: An Idiot Abroad.
For the occasion of the viewing of the torrented files I’d gotten hold of because it would take a further 6 months for the programme to be aired in Australia after it premiered in the UK, I put together two baked items inspired by our Holy Father Karl.
Because, as Karl observes, like the sage he is, in the podcasts: “You never see an old man eating a Twix”. And you don’t. It’s just a fact.
And of course, congress tart:
And it was a glorious occasion of much learning and mirth and young people eating Twix.
I would have made little orange-flavoured white chocolate truffles (perfectly spherical) and drawn Karl’s face on them, but I didn’t have the time.
Recipes after the cut.
It was a long time ago that I baked these things for Karl Pilkington Night, so I can barely remember how I actually did it.
I’m pretty sure the Twix were just a reproduction of this excellent recipe but without the lavender. I may have made changes but if I did I cannot remember them.
The recipe for congress tart I have managed to uncover, though, and I do recall it was surprisingly delicious (despite people being dubious of its reputation for being naff and, well, rather northern… according to the southern Englishwomen attending the night). Some recipes call for coconut, which is something I generally detest, so you’ll find none of that here.
250g plain flour
125g butter, cut into cubes and slightly softened
1 tsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
40ml cold water
Put the flour in a bowl and add the butter, egg, sugar and salt. Mix it with your hands to bring it together, making a texture like breadcrumbs. Add the cold water bit by bit until the pastry begins to cling together, then roll into a ball. On a flat surface, push the pastry to stretch it out flat, roll it up again, push it out again, and repeat a few more times. It should be nice and smooth. Roll into a ball, flatten into a disc, wrap in cling-wrap and leave in the fridge for 10 minutes. Take it out and roll it out about 5mm thick and line a ~25cm tart tin with it. Place the tin in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
3 egg whites
225g caster sugar
225g almond meal
1 1/2 tbs semolina
zest of one orange
1/4 cup raspberry jam
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Whisk egg whites until foamy but not quite at the soft peak stage. Mix the sugar, almond meal, semolina and orange zest together in a bowl then fold this into the egg whites.
Take the tart tin out of the fridge and cover the bottom with the raspberry jam, spread evenly. Add the egg white mixture into the tart case and smooth it out. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until the filling is golden on top and the pastry is cooked. Allow to cool before serving. Give it to your Auntie Nora, I bet you she’ll love it.

domain: hobby


text:
The açaí berry is often referred to as a "miracle berry" or "super fruit" in North America.
The background of these statements is: Açaí berries contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients. Açaí berries are often taken in addition to a proper diet or to ensure a further supply of high-quality micronutrients.
- You get the new Double Pack with twice as many capsules of identical ingredients
- One pack supplies 2 months of daily intake
- The extract from the berries is processed gently
- The product is produced exclusively in Germany
- Suitable for vegetarians and vegans
- Pure açaí berry extract without additives
- 200 mg (20: 1) açaí berry extract per daily dose
This is how Açaí Berry works:
The açaí berries are the fruit of "Euterpe Oleracea", a palm species mainly located in the lower Amazon, specifically in the Brazilian state of Pará. The fruits are used to produce a nutritious juice (açaí wine). Locally, the juice is traditionally consumed as a dietary supplement to increase energy and overall well-being. In addition to the high content of vegetable fatty acids and proteins, açaí also has a very high energy content.
For best results, ensure sufficient exercise, a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
Nutrient table - SanaExpert Acai Berry, Capsules, 120 Count
|Calories||10,8 kJ||1088 kJ|
|Calories||2,6 kcal||259 kcal|
|Fat content||0,06 g||6,9 g|
|saturated fat||<0,01 g||2,0 g|
|Contained carbohydrate||0,1 g||10,5 g|
|sugars||0,00 g||0,00 g|
|Fiber content||0,72 g||73,6 g|
|protein content||<0,01 g||1,6 g|
|Salinity||**<0,01 g||**0,04 g|
|Acai berry extract||***200 mg||***20202 mg|
* Daily Value not extablished.
** Naturally-ocurring sodium.
***(20:1) corresponds to 4000 mg
We try to keep accurate and up to date information. Nevertheless, we can not guarantee the accuracy and timeliness of the nutrient and quantity information.
Health claims made by SanaExpert have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
SanaExpert Açaí Berry, Capsules, 120 Count
Take 2 capsules once a day with plenty of water and before a main meal.
Period of use:
SanaExpert Açaí Berry is suitable for permanent consumption.
For those who are reluctant to swallow capsules: The SanaExpert Açaí Berry powder can easily be mixed into smoothies, juices, cereals, yogurts, or water.
Store dry and cool. Keep out of reach of children.
Country of origin:
Filler microcrystalline cellulose, açaí berry extract, capsule shell hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, release agents magnesium salts of fatty acids and silica.
- Suitable for vegetarians and vegans
- Gluten free
- Lactose free
- Fructose free
Contains release agents (magnesium salts of fatty acids) and filler (microcrystalline cellulose).
Please note the consumption recommendation. In case of doubt, talk to a doctor or pharmacist you trust. In particular, people with food allergies are advised to seek medical advice before taking.
Give your body some time to get used to the new nutritional contributions with SanaExpert Açaí Berry. Therefore, we recommend regular use for a period of at least 2 to 3 months. The indicated recommended daily intake should not be exceeded. Dietary supplements offer no substitute for a balanced and varied diet. Keep dry and out of the reach of children
SanaExpert Açaí Berry, Capsules, 120 Count:
The ingredients of the SanaExpert Açaí Berry capsules are obtained in a gentle process from the fruits of the palm "Euterpe-Oleracea". The açaí palm is mainly located in the lower Amazon, specifically in the Brazilian state of Pará. The mature dark purple fruits of the palm, the açaí berries, are traditionally used in their homeland by the local population as a nutritional supplement to increase energy and general well-being. Most often, the berries produce a vitamin and nutrient rich juice called "açaí wine". But the hearts are also eaten as vegetables and the extract in the form of delicious ice cream.
Since the fruits grow only in humid climates and can quickly spoil, the valuable ingredients of
açaí berries must be obtained so that they can develop their full effect even in our location. The ingredients of the SanaExpert Açaí Berry capsules are gently obtained and processed. The properties of the açaí berry are passed on to you in the high daily dose of 4000 mg. The capsules are made exclusively in Germany and are packed and sealed tightly to protect the valuable ingredients.
Although the name "miracle berry" is often used by many because of the precious texture of açaí berries, please keep in mind that the SanaExpert Açaí berry capsules are not a remedy for medical issues. Therefore, always ensure you have a varied diet, sufficient exercise, and a healthy lifestyle.

domain: food


text:
BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhuanet) --Although consumers have not realized the taste and texture changing of Japanese apples, the fact is an absolute “yes”, according to new research.
Over the past 40 years, a gradual change do happens on apples in Japan.
The Scientific Reports, a primary research publication from the publishers of Nature, said Monday that global warming could be likely responsible for the subtly alteration towards Japanese apples.
"The taste and textural attributes of apples in the market are undergoing change from a long-term perspective, even though consumers might not perceive these subtle changes," wrote lead study author Toshihiko Sugiura, a fruit tree researcher at Japan's National Agriculture and Food Research Organization.
Temperature, rainfall, time of bloom, time of harvest and other environmental indicators are recorded by researchers every year to compare annual qualification.
For better understanding the growth of apples, some “undesirable” conditions are still need to be documented, such as acid concentration, firmness and water core.
By the end of this year’s study, researchers found that apple had declined in acidity, firmness and water core rating. Even if the changing degree still stays at a “not high” level, the change is still significant.
"If global warming continues to progress, the changes in the taste and textural attributes of apples could be more striking as blooming dates become even earlier and temperatures increase during the fruit maturation process," the researchers said.

domain: agronomy


text:
Located in the Lake Geneva region of Switzerland, the beautiful Canton of Vaud is the ideal place to enjoy the perfect winter holiday.
Connecting Lake Geneva to the Alpine summits and the high Jura plateaus, the region of Vaud stretches over a varied territory with stunning sceneries.
There are many recreational activities such as downhill and cross-country skiing, sledding, ice skating, hiking and snowshoeing to share beautiful moments in the great outdoors. The region abounds with routes that are suitable for families.
Most resorts are equipped to offer children their first experience with winter sports in a fun way. The recreation area of Frience with its wide slopes, sledge zone and ski-lift is unique in Switzerland. In the Pays-d’Enhaut, the Barbapapa area will appeal to young sledding fans, while the Jardin-d’Oex Neige and its leisure park will delight aspiring skiers.
The sled trails of Les Diablerets and Les Avants and the frozen lakes of the Vallée de Joux and other ice rinks promise memorable fun, and magnificent downhill runs.
At the Col des Mosses or in Les Diablerets, dog-drawn sled tours are a great way to discover the snow-covered landscapes. In Gryon, families can even practice Skijöring, an activity combining skiing and horse-drawn carriage.
Winter nights in the region of Vaud are long with plenty of entertainment, including the outdoors. These activities are enhanced with tasty local produce.
Saint-Cergue, a village nestling in the Jura mountains, L’Orient in Vallée de Joux and La Forclaz near Les Diablerets, in the heart of the Alps, offer lit ski slopes for night-time skiing.
The resort of Les Diablerets operates one of the longest toboggan runs in the country even during the night. The Tobogganing Park in Leysin guarantees an adrenaline rush while zipping down its bobsleigh-inspired slopes on an air chamber.
Snowshoe hiking in the Montreux-Riviera region is a magical experience as the mountain falls silent at night. An aperitif of local products and a magnificent sunset await at the foot of a mountain called Rochers-de-Naye. In les Pléiades, the Lantern path ends with a delicious fondue or a dish of rösti.
As soon as it’s Advent, Christmas markets take over the public spaces, where one can browse the stalls in search of a gift or a local culinary specialty, go and greet Santa, or see him fly in the evening sky with his sleigh.
The Canton of Vaud will leave visitors spoilt for choice when it comes to spas, from hotels – luxury or for families – to the spas in Lavey-les-Bains, Yverdon-les-Bains, Villars and Vallée de Joux. Swimming pools and spas are renowned for their therapeutic qualities, sauna, hammam, jacuzzi, treatments and massages.
The region’s gastronomy boasts a number of Michelin-starred chefs, but it’s also famous for its refreshment bars and mountain restaurants.
Vallée de Joux is one of the cradles of high-end Swiss watchmaking, while the museums are renowned for their high-quality offer.
Located in the southwestern part of Switzerland in its French-speaking region between Lake Geneva and Lake Neuchâtel, the region is served by Geneva international airport, which is a 40-minute train ride away from Lausanne.


text:
Prasad was addressing a function in Patna organised to mark the inauguration of a new building of the Patna High Court by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde, in presence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, among others.
"We can surely criticise the reasoning of a judgement. But, I foresee a new trend which I need to flag today", Prasad said referring to "grossly unfair" comments on social media against judges by those who file PILs and feel aggrieved when the judgement is not favourable.
"I had been thinking of making my concerns public. I chose to do so here", said Prasad who also made a mention of having practiced, as a lawyer, at the Patna High Court and his current tenure as the local MP.
The Union minister, who also holds the portfolios of Electronics and Telecommunications, also referred to the recently issued guidelines for using social media which was "long overdue".
"We are supportive of freedom. We are supportive of criticism. We are supportive of dissent, too. But, the issue is the misuse and abuse of social media. There should be a grievance redressal mechanism for someone who is abused on the social media", he added.
The Union Law Minister also spoke of the proposed establishment of All India Judicial Services, "a work in progress", as part of which "the best minds" would be appointed as judges after cracking competitive exams held by the UPSC "under the direction of the Supreme Court.
Prasad also expressed satisfaction over the judiciary having risen to the challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic last year.
The total number of cases digitally heard across the country, till January 31, was a staggering 76.38 lakh. Of these 24.55 lakhs were heard at the various High Courts, another 51.83 lakhs at the district courts and 22,353 at the Apex Court.
"It is a matter of some assurance and appreciation", he asserted.


text:
There was one match at the 2015 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Singapore that spectators never got to see. While athletes were competing at the stadiums, elsewhere, a team of info communication technology (ICT) experts had their eyes fixed on a sudden spike in internet traffic from overseas, and taking positions to defend the Games’ system from any possible trespassers.
One of the key defenders was Sport Singapore senior technical consultant Jasmine Chan. She is one of the 30-odd staff from the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) seconded to the statutory board to enhance and oversee its ICT infrastructure. Set up last year, GovTech is tasked to use technology to transform the public sector and support Singapore’s push to become a Smart Nation.
(Jasmine Chan, Sport Singapore Senior Technical Consultant)
For Jasmine, this means blending technology with sports so that Singaporeans can be more active. During the SEA Games, she helped secure a massive ICT system that touched every aspect of the sports meet. Spectators were being kept on the edge of their seats thanks to the real-time scoreboards that were used at the competitions. From basketball rings to fencing vests, Jasmine was in charge of securing the systems that linked the built-in sensors with the scoreboards, so that they refreshed themselves automatically the moment someone scored. The scoreboards were also connected to the Games’ website so that people around the world could receive real-time updates too.
But such technology can fall prey to mischief, so as a precaution, Jasmine “ring-fenced” the scoreboards’ networks. “It’s like someone turning off your lights when you are shampooing,” she explains. “It’s a nuisance to you as a malfunctioning scoreboard is to athletes in a game.”
(Scoreboards with built-in sensors, 28th SEA Games)
With her slender frame and long hair, Jasmine is not someone you imagine to be talking about cyber security and ICT, particularly in a male-dominated tech industry. But as a teenager, she enjoyed coding and gaming so much that she decided to study computer science at the National University of Singapore. Over the last two decades, she learnt to secure computer systems and manage ICT infrastructure on the job. Of her 10 years in the public service, she has spent four at Sport Singapore.
What stands out about this mother of a seven-year-old is her curiosity about everything ICT—including areas outside her scope of work. Jasmine knowingly shopped at a website that was prone to credit card frauds, just to experience first-hand how hackers could bypass her bank’s One-Time Password (OTP) system and charge her credit card multiple times for the same purchase. “I wanted to know who’s protecting the consumers as the last line of defence,” she says. Singapore’s strong legal system and banking protocol, she found out, could undo those fraudulent transactions.
This interest in user experience has come in handy when Sport Singapore first automated the ticketing system of swimming complexes. At first, Jasmine and her team issued a pin number for users, but many people either forgot or entered it wrongly, holding up the line at the entrances. Her team tried issuing QR codes instead, but not everyone knew where the code was saved on their phone. To simplify the process even further, they allowed access via one’s identification card (IC), but kept the QR code option, because they realised that younger Singaporeans carry their phones instead of their ICs when they exercise.
These early efforts in using technology to make sports more accessible have culminated in ActiveSG, an app that allows Singaporeans to book and pay online for the facilities at the various Sports Centres island-wide. Working behind-the-scenes to keep this system running smoothly, part of Jasmine’s job has been to regularly “upsize” the system to cope with the growing number of users—from 200,000 in 2014 to 1.2 million today—while at the same time, rolling out compatible versions whenever new phone operating systems are released in the market.
As these platforms gather users’ information, it is also the responsibility of Jasmine’s team to keep them secure. Oftentimes, Jasmine receives calls in the middle of the night to handle suspected compromises—and she is expected to fix things immediately. “You recover the system as quickly as you can because you don’t want the hackers going around bragging about their attacks,” she explains.
While the demands of her job are taxing, Jasmine remains motivated by her sector’s constant move towards new possibilities. Her team is now exploring the possibility of a 24-hour public gym “manned” by just CCTVs. That way, there’s no need for an attendant to work in the wee hours, and people can hit the treadmills as late or as early as they want. To ensure security, video analytics will be deployed to flag out actions that are out-of-the-norm in a gym context.
This is another example of how Jasmine and other GovTech officers are using technology to improve life in Singapore. By making sports more enjoyable and accessible to all citizens, we are not only becoming a Smart Nation but also a sporty one.


Sociable video marketing belongs to an integrated internet website marketing mail messages approach made to greatly enhance market involvement by using vision societal exercise connected with a granted online video media. To put it briefly, video clip marketing and advertising is the use of online video for internet promotion performs in an involved promotion mixture. Movie promotion can bring in significant on the internet presence and market effect by virtue that it usually is contributed easily, simply seen and therefore distributed to other people. This creates a way for entrepreneurs to create virus-like online video advertisments. In addition, it delivers online marketers with the chance to generate extremely individualized online video information, which might then provide in contact, on sites plus in many other offline and online marketing and advertising endeavours. For example of online video marketing strategies that have proven profitable in generating an advanced of targeted traffic, brand and replies knowledge.
The internets online video media marketing of the tv series or perhaps an critical documented has the potential to unfold like a wild fire. The actual fact that visitors don’t have to hold out for the following event in their favored telly method makes online video media advertising an excellent way to get prospective people. There’s two simple components that determine the success of online video media advertising and marketing. 1st, it should be properly identified and second, it should be marketed in a fashion that will provide the supposed success. With this thought, below are some concepts for properly selling your video.
The initial step is usually to recognize your potential audience. This will help figure out this content and keywords and phrases that you’re going to use in your online video media information. Your video clip written content have to be aimed towards your audience. Video clip marketing experts have to consider the key terms and images found in their video clips. For instance, internet marketers using a commercial video clip plan may want to include things like videos of workforce showing how uncomplicated it is actually to generate money, rather then purely using a administrator or simply a supervisor in a business placing.
Bankruptcy lawyer las vegas training video content is generated, you’ll want to meticulously monitor it for almost any possibilities offensive materials. You ought to edit out attacking words along with information which may only trigger visitors to out their head of hair. In addition, it is best to determine so if you are very cunning for making your merchandise audio since it can be. Keep away from developing video tutorials that certainly appear like merchandise commercials, which only help to shut off potential readers.
Your movie written content needs to be highly relevant to your target market. But it won’t relate to the market within your crowd, you will be not showing your products or services for many years inside the right light-weight, in case your online video media capabilities an inventive photo of marketing. In addition, your movie really should converse right to those who topic most to your account, like your clients. Do saving time using a video that just concentrates on your company visitors.
You have to bear in mind your online video media content material ought to seem qualified and appropriate on your market. Your video is likely to backfire done to you if it feels like that you are communicating over cuff with virtually no investigation or prior arranging. For many people that you should not try and be as covert as you possibly can in your marketing with video work. You have to realise that this doesn’t mean that you should attempt to be extremely publicity or clear inside your marketing and advertising initiatives.
Be genuine within your online video media information, having said that. Video lessons have emerged because of the open online, which means that any discount or marketing statements which you make in your online video will swiftly achieve a better viewers than ought to you cause them to from the start through in the real world marketing. If you attend a session and initiate talking about how fantastic your service is, but you do not take the time to look at many of the bad components of your products or services, it is likely that you can drop some audience associates with no achieving your main goal, as an example. Alternatively, in the event you take the time to provide strategies as part of your online video, in addition to convey to the audience anything at all about you, you’ll more than likely get lots of people to enroll in your listing. For that reason, it is essential to select your video tutorials correctly.
So as to enhance total likely of your training video information, it is essential that you are to build this type of training video initially. Luckily, it’s easy to know the basic principles of training video production, then there’s many absolutely free assets accessible on the internet. It’s also advisable to have some type of computer, camera, plus the essential software to make your online video media material. Upon having figured out how to make a superior online video, you can engage in various online video media submission products and services that will assist you create the maximum amount of traffic aimed at your web. reliability, patience and advertising and marketing are important when looking to get the most from training video articles.
If you have any kind of questions relating to where and how you can make use of Buy Cheap Follower (for any Social Media Platform) https://levelup-socialinfluencer.com, you can call us at our own web page.
Additional tips from highly recommended editors:


text:
Pro-inflammatory diet linked to worsening relapse rate in MS
For people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a pro-inflammatory diet is associated with worsening relapse rate and greater periventricular fluid-attenuated inversion recovery lesion volume, according to a study published online May 6 in Multiple Sclerosis Journal.
Alice M. Saul, from the University of Tasmania in Australia, and colleagues examined whether Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) scores correlate with measures of MS progression and inflammatory activity. A total of 223 participants with a first clinical diagnosis of central nervous system demyelination were followed annually for 10 years. DII and energy-adjusted DII (E-DII) scores were calculated at baseline and at five- and 10-year reviews and assessed as predictors of relapses and annualized change in disability, and two magnetic resonance imaging measures were also performed and assessed.
The researchers found that the risk of relapse was higher with a more pro-inflammatory diet (highest versus lowest E-DII quartile: hazard ratio, 2.24). An association between E-DII score and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery lesion volume was evident when analyses were limited to those assessed on the same manufacturer of scanner and those with a first demyelinating event at study entry (β = 0.38).
“While an anti-inflammatory diet does not replace anti-inflammatory medications in MS, this study provides evidence that an anti-inflammatory diet could contribute to the health and well-being of people with MS,” the authors write.
One author disclosed ties to Connecting Health Innovations, a company that has licensed the right to his invention of the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®).
Alice M Saul et al, A pro-inflammatory diet in people with multiple sclerosis is associated with an increased rate of relapse and increased FLAIR lesion volume on MRI in early multiple sclerosis: A prospective cohort study, Multiple Sclerosis Journal (2023). DOI: 10.1177/13524585231167739
Copyright © 2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Source: Read Full Article


text:
Economic Liberties Urges Secretary Buttigieg to Act Now in Protecting Children Onboard Airplanes
Washington, D.C. — Today, the American Economic Liberties Project is calling on Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to end the delay in carrying out a six-year-old Congressional mandate to protect children and families traveling on U.S. airlines. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the regulatory agency tasked with overseeing airline passenger rights, has refused to take direct action by demanding that all air carriers cease charging fees for families with young children to sit together inflight.
In 2016 both political parties and both Houses of Congress passed the , which specifically addressed the DOT Secretary to “review and, if appropriate, establish a policy” to direct airlines to accommodate families with kids under 13 by seating them together without incurring additional fees. Under President Trump, former Secretary Elaine Chao refused to act, citing the small number of consumer complaints. A subsequent of DOT consumer complaint records confirmed that multiple children under the age of 4—including two children under the age of 1—were assigned seats apart from caregivers; some of these children had medical issues, including autism and severe allergies.
Now, after 18 months in office, Secretary Buttigieg is unnecessarily delaying taking action as well. Consumer advocates about this and other issues after he took office in January 2021, and asked him to take immediate action in a meeting in July 2021. But last week his office instead issued stating the Department is “urging” airlines to eliminate fees for family seating, and after four months will conduct a “review” and then potentially take “additionalaction” which “may” include a lengthy rulemaking process. This is unacceptable.
“How long will the DOT continue to kick the can and refuse to act on such a critical issue affecting the safety of not just kids, but all passengers onboard commercial flights?” said William J. McGee, Senior Fellow for Aviation and Travel at the American Economic Liberties Project. “From any perspective, not taking immediate action against such airline greed is indefensible. To state the obvious: Young children and toddlers seated alone pose a clear safety threat due to emergency evacuations, a clear health threat due to COVID, and a clear criminal threat due to an noting a recent increase in inflight sexual assaults. Congress already spoke on this issue six years ago, and action should not be predicated on the total number of DOT complaints. How can 1,000 lost bag complaints equate with the safety and wellbeing of a child? Since the airlines refuse to do the right thing on their own, it’s up to Secretary Buttigieg to force, not urge, them to do so.”
Furthermore, the FOIA results indicate that many U.S. airlines rely upon fellow passengers being inconvenienced by either agreeing to change seats and/or looking after a stranger’s child. This is not regulatory policy, it’s a failure by both the airlines and the DOT, and it’s simply unacceptable. Due to the “federal preemption” clause in the 1978 Airline Deregulation Act, state courts, state legislatures, and state attorneys general have virtually no authority over the US airline industry. Therefore Secretary Buttigieg is the sole defense for consumers against issues such as fees for family seating, more than , and the epidemic of last-minute flight cancellations this summer. The American Economic Liberties Project urges Secretary Buttigieg to end deliberation and take immediate action on these critical issues.
Learn more about Economic Liberties .
The American Economic Liberties Project works to ensure America’s system of commerce is structured to advance, rather than undermine, economic liberty, fair commerce, and a secure, inclusive democracy. Economic Liberties believes true economic liberty means entrepreneurs and businesses large and small succeed on the merits of their ideas and hard work; commerce empowers consumers, workers, farmers, and engineers instead of subjecting them to discrimination and abuse from financiers and monopolists; foreign trade arrangements support domestic security and democracy; and wealth is broadly distributed to support equitable political power.

domain: law


text:
Asset Panda is a tool to help you manage and track the value of your assets. It combines almost total customizability with excellent support for mobile devices, reporting, and even cloud connectivity.Read More
G2 Crowd is a business review platform that makes business purchasing decisions transparent and easy. Use Appy Pie Connect and sync G2 Crowd with more than 100 other apps you use every day.G2Crowd Integrations
It's easy to connect Asset Panda + G2Crowd without coding knowledge. Start creating your own business flow.
Triggers when a new asset is added.
Creates a new asset.

domain: finance


text:
Every year, IEHP assesses the overall quality of health care experienced by IEHP members. To achieve this IEHP uses NCQA, a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations and manages the evolution of HEDIS® which provides:
- a set of standardized performance measures based on statistically valid samples of members
- the public with information to compare health plan performance
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0 or later to view the PDF files. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader.


text:
Liver glucocorticoid receptor and heat shock protein 70 levels in rats exposed to different stress models
MetadataShow full item record
The aim of the present study was to define the stress-induced pattern of cytosolic glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and Hsp70 protein in the liver of male Wistar rats exposed to different stress models: acute (2 h/day) immobilization or cold (4 degrees C); chronic (21 days) isolation, crowding, swimming or isolation plus swimming and combined (chronic plus acute stress). Changes in plasma levels of corticosterone were studied by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The results obtained by Western immunoblotting showed that both acute stressors led to a significant decrease in cytosolic GR and Hsp70 levels. Compared to acute stress effects, only a weak decrease in the levels of GR and Hsp70 was demonstrated in chronic stress models. Chronically stressed rats, which were subsequently exposed to novel acute stressors (immobilization or cold), showed a lower extent of GR down-regulation when compared to acute stress. The exception was swimming, which partially restores this down-regulation. The observed ch...anges in the levels of these major stress-related cellular proteins in liver cytosol lead to the conclusion that chronic stressors compromise intracellular GR down-regulation in the liver.

domain: chemistry


text:
Please sign in to comment. Don't have a profile? Join now! Joining is absolutely free and no personal information is required.
I love them. This plant was rescued from a bad position and it was quite sick - touch and go for a while but nursed back - it's now as big as me (5 foot) and I can just manage to dead head the top blooms. Next year I will need a set of ladders !! Thanks Mariolyn - I wish you could have them too.
I so wish they grew in Calgary. Sigh.
A very happy bee indeed cevas, there are lots of them busily buzzing in and out. It was a fun pic to take, thanks for stopping by :)))
A beautiful flower and a happy bee!! What a great combination! Thanks Ladycharnley.
What a memory MajorDon - Evergreen, it lasts forever, but it can't beat strand power :))
rhododendron is a nice flower. Do the Strand - Roxy Music


text:
LITTLE EGYPT WINNIES
NOVEMBER 2018 NEWSLETTER
Our first destination, Landing Point, at Cape Girardeau, Missouri was full, no room in the campground so we stayed straight and settled into Cape Camping & RV Park. It was an ugly Thursday to be driving and setting up the coaches...rain and wind…but we endured and the rest of the weekend was lovely.
We visited some of Cape’s tourist sites. Missouri Department of Conservation/Nature Center is an educational venue for all ages. The two headed snake was a freaky thing to see..and yes it was alive. We left the Cape River Heritage Museum puzzled. Seems they could have a conflict over which town is their county seat. Could it be Cape Girardeau or Jackson or both? At any rate both towns do county business. Remember the movie “Gone Girl”? It was partially filmed in Cape. Remember that snowy kiss at “The Bar”. If you have an interest “The Bar” is for sale. We had lunch at another of Cape’s iconic restaurants, “Broussard’s”. It is known for their Cajun cuisine and swanky music. Yummy!! We shopped at the downtown antique stores. We entertained ourselves Friday evening with a potluck and dominoes.
The Osage Center’s annual craft/flea market plus three other craft sales kept us occupied Saturday morning. The new rage is partially bleached out flannel shirts. Distressed is the term for this look. Cape is home of Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO). “Our Town” was performed by the theatre and dance students. It was an unusual play as you had to use your imagination as the props. Then “Andy’s Frozen Custard” finalized the evening.
Sunday morning sent us home before the rains came again.


Watch: Achieving Digital Transformation In Automotive High Quality Management
Automotive Matlab & Simulink Options Matlab & Simulink
SAE’s charitable arm is the SAE Foundation, which helps many programs, together with A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series. Our Mission is to advance mobility information and solutions for the benefit of humanity. Industry pacesetters tackle cutting-edge technologies involving NVH and sound quality at 2023 Noise and Vibration Conference and Exhibition. Combine requirements, design, safety analysis and multi-domain simulation using an Ansys MBSE workfl… In this fascinating free webinar, you possibly can study from business specialists in regards to the emergence of adjusta…
In 1929, before the Great Depression, the world had 32,028,500 automobiles in use, and the united states vehicle business produced over 90% of them. After 1945, the united states produced about seventy five % of world’s auto manufacturing. In 1980, the us was overtaken by Japan after which grew to become a world leader once more in 1994.
- Five-year settlement entails the creation of a worldwide digital hubs network to support CNH Industrial in enhancing its digital capabilities.
- Currently, this electric motorcycle is in large manufacturing to provide 50 thousand models and will be within the market in 2018.
- ITS initiative to create an electrical car, GESITS, and Sapu Angin has gained international acknowledgment since these vehicles received many worldwide competitions.
- Influenced by several drivers, the automotive panorama is remodeling.
- This web site is designed to particularly translate the predominately English content of the English IATF web site into Chinese language.
Our Future Truck North America on-line event brings collectively greater than 1,000 stakeholders to discuss the enterprise fashions, applied sciences and developments shaping the method forward for trucking. Product and operation exams and inspections at different stages of the worth chain are made to keep away from these product recalls by guaranteeing end-user security and safety and compliance with the automotive trade necessities. However, the automotive trade remains to be particularly concerned about product recalls, which trigger appreciable financial penalties. The course of developed from engineers working on a stationary automobile, to a conveyor belt system where the automotive passed by way of multiple stations of extra specialised engineers.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant data and individual judgment to determine whether occasions or processes adjust to legal guidelines, rules, or requirements. Create design options for automobile components, such as camless or dual-clutch engines or different air-conditioning methods, to extend fuel efficiency. At the request of LGAI Technological Center SA, the contract with the IATF might Automotive be terminated efficient thirty first December 2021. Therefore LGAI Technological Center SA will no longer be recognized by the IATF as a Certification Body for IATF certification efficient 1st January 2022. In response to this, the IATF developed a switch course of including several waivers and concessions to support these organizations presently licensed by LGAI to switch to another IATF-recognized Certification Body.
In 2006, Japan narrowly passed the U.S. in production and held this rank until 2009, when China took the highest spot with 13.8 million items. With 19.3 million units manufactured in 2012, China almost doubled the us production of 10.3 million items, whereas Japan was in third place with 9.9 million units. From over to 2012 , the variety of vehicle fashions in the U.S. has grown exponentially.
Formed by the 2020 combination of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of Global Automakers , Auto Innovators is dedicated to propelling the unprecedented innovation that will make our lives higher. Driven by the collective power of the world’s multi-faceted auto trade, we’re on the forefront of transforming personal mobility, in a cleaner, safer, and smarter manner. And you need a nimble, powerful associate who is right here to create long-term worth for your corporation, our trade and society.
Particular Collection: Digitalising Manufacturing Engineering At Audi
The next technology of the one-box brake-by-wire brake system, the MK C2, builds up the required brake stress three times quicker than the previous techniques and may subsequently react quickly and safely to completely different driving conditions. The light-weight “Green” Brake Caliper provides high braking performance with decrease weight and considerably decreased residual brake torque – with the potential to save up to two grams of CO2 per vehicle. If an accident is unavoidable, the intelligent airbag management ensures that the airbag is deployed based on the occupants and the influence. These are just a few examples of Continental’s safety applied sciences that can make driving even safer in the future. With the results of the pandemic already evident, the world as we know it has changed in a single day.
No matter how complicated or demanding the project, we’re helping at present’s technology innovators solve it. Why the economics of electrification make this decarbonization transition different January 30, 2023 – The economics of decarbonizing fleets are demonstrably viable. The Association of Indonesia Automotive Industries is a non-profit organisation.


text:
Welcome to Alfa
Alfa will develop technology to support people with early stage dementia by stimulating their cognitive functions, supporting their ability for independent living.
The scientific framework we use to develop this form of stimulation is the Mirror Neurons theory as described in the publications section.
The project will develop three main tools: visual stimulation for walking and chewing by video, walking pattern (GAIT) analysis by sensor technologie and an interactive daily planning tool. These tools will be tested in pilot sites in the Netherlands and in Spain, in peoples homes and in residential care settings.
You can find information and latest news about the project on this website. Follow us on Twitter and stay updated about this project.
"ALFA is co-funded by the European Community and the participating countries under the Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme, Call 3." Read more


text:
When stretched out, the genome of a single human cell can reach six feet. To package it all into a tiny nucleus, the DNA strand is tightly wrapped around a core of histone proteins in repeating units -- each unit known as a nucleosome. To allow access for the gene expression machinery the nucleosomes must open up and regroup when the process is complete.
- Control of gene expression: Histone occupancy in your genomeMon, 30 Apr 2012, 20:33:11 EDT
- A foot in the door to genetic informationThu, 8 Mar 2012, 0:33:29 EST
- Controlling gene expression: How chromatin remodelers block a histone passSun, 26 Aug 2012, 16:02:09 EDT
- Road signs and traffic signals on DNAFri, 20 Aug 2010, 9:49:48 EDT
- Gene transcribing machine takes halting, backsliding trip along the DNAThu, 30 Jul 2009, 14:46:21 EDT

domain: biology


CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – West Virginia Governor Jim Justice is scheduled to give an update on reopening the Mountain State at noon Wednesday, June 10, 2020.
Today’s briefing comes shortly after the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources announced the 85th COVID-19-related death in the state.
In the governor’s “West Virginia Strong – The Comeback” plan, private campgrounds and State Park campgrounds, cabins, and lodges are opening today to out-of-state guests. However, they cannot stay longer than seven days at the sites.
He is expected to explain guidance for visiting nursing homes in the Mountain state during today’s update.
Justice did not host an update yesterday due to the state’s primary election.


text:
Many of us describe knee pain by how it feels. “Bone-on-Bone, grinding, loose or catching.” Sound familiar? Those are only a few descriptions we frequently hear from our patients.
There are a number of causes and diagnoses to go with the pain. In most cases knee pain is due to chronic overuse or an acute injury. In all cases surgery should be the last option. Here are the most common knee pain conditions that we treat here at Flexogenix® with our Knee-flex 5-Step protocol or our regenerative program, Progeni-flex™:
Why Non-Surgical Solutions?
Orthopedic and sports medicine has made tremendous advancements over the past decade. These advancements are cleared by the FDA and provide new options for patients to help them harness their body’s natural healing potential. Another major benefit our non-surgical approach offers is little-to-no downtime. We encourage patients to explore these options before going under the knife and through an exhaustive rehabilitation process.


Three short films and film fragments from the early 1930s.
00:00 Eddie Cantor in a film short (possibly entitled GIVE HIM A LIFT) for the National Recovery Administration (NRA).
02:39 Travel promo (musical) for Canadian Rockies
04:23 United Newsreel Corporation of America: THE AMERICAN EXPLORER: WASHINGTON LIMITED with Leo Donnelly, 1934. Film about Washington, D.C. in the Depression. Many snarky, comedic lines.
RightsIf you wish to license an HD-quality version of this footage, contact Getty Images.
July 15, 2013 Subject:
Theater Benefit from 1931 & pseudo newsreel from 1934
The first item in this clip is a 1931 promo with Eddie Cantor talking about a series of benefits for the unemployed.
On Oct 11, 1931 William Hays of the Motion Picture Association announced that 25000 theaters would donate proceeds from special showings during the week of Nov 18-25th in response to President Hoover's call for unemployment relief. So I would assume this short was released in late October or early November 1931.
Can't really date the second item. It probably is a Canadian travel promo.
The last item in this clip is part 1 of a 1934 "Pete Smith"-style pseudo newsreel on Washington DC. Many sarcastic remarks are made that would work just as well today. See the second half here: http://archive.org/details/AFP-66AG_B


text:
An effective and greenest insulator presently available in the market is Spray foam. It comes in liquid state and consists of highly reactive foaming agent. When sprayed on a hard surface, it expands up to 100 times its original size and fills all the holes and crannies in the wall. Thus insulating it completely is important.
Spray foam insulation help cut your energy bills by up to 40%. It helps keep residential and commercial building warm during winters and cold during summers. Spray foam completely insulates walls and roofs of building and does not allow air to escape through the cracks and holes. By reducing the heating and cooling needs, spray foam help to cut down the energy requirement by 20-40%.
Spray foam insulations possess higher R-values which is fundamentally the measurement of thermal resistance of materials used in the construction industry. Material having higher R value has got better insulation ability. Spray Foam insulation has got much higher R-value than fiber glass, cellulose or any other insulator available.
Additional tax benefits can be availed by people who use spray foam insulation in their home and buildings. Spray foam insulation add value to your property and sell at higher prices.
Made with renewable and recyclable material Spray foam does not fall off or disintegrate. It covers more area than fiberglass or cellulose insulation as it is in liquid form during application.
About the Author
Star Spray Foam Insulation is locally owned and operated by Brad Harris. Our Office is located in New Orleans and operates in the Gulf South region to include Biloxi to Venice. Baton Rouge to Houma. Brad Harris has been a residential builder since 1996 and has a complete understanding of Residential and Commercial business and considers the most efficient and effective means of accomplishing the job under any circumstances.