Porsche has long been renowned for its exceptional performance and timeless designs. When it comes to special edition vehicles, the German automaker has never disappointed, offering enthusiasts a range of unique models over the years. One such model that has captured the attention of Porsche enthusiasts worldwide is the Porsche 924.
Originally introduced in 1976, the Porsche 924 was the company’s first front-engine, water-cooled sports car. It quickly gained popularity for its superb balance, handling, and affordability, making it the perfect entry-level Porsche. While the 924 never received as much attention as its more powerful siblings, such as the 911 or 944, it was still a remarkable vehicle in its own right.
Despite not being as widely acknowledged, the Porsche 924 did see a few special edition variants over its production period. These limited-edition models were designed to add an extra element of exclusivity and style to an already outstanding sports car.
One of the most notable special edition versions of the Porsche 924 is the Porsche 924 Carrera GT. Introduced in 1980, the Carrera GT was built to compete in the FIA Group 4 racing category. Limited to just 406 units, this model featured a more powerful engine, flared wheel arches, a large rear spoiler, and a stripped-out interior. With its lightweight construction and increased power output, the Carrera GT set new standards for the performance capabilities of the Porsche 924.
Another special edition of the Porsche 924 worth mentioning is the Martini Edition. Inspired by Porsche’s racing heritage, the Martini Edition featured a distinctive livery reminiscent of the iconic Martini Racing cars. Available in both white and black, this limited edition model included Martini Racing stripes, decals, and color-matched wheels, giving it a unique and eye-catching appearance.
In addition to the Carrera GT and Martini Edition, the Porsche 924 also saw a few other special editions like the Le Mans Edition, the Sebring Edition, and the Special Edition. These versions often included various visual enhancements, special paint colors, unique badging, and interior enhancements, further elevating the exclusivity and desirability of the Porsche 924.
While the Porsche 924 may not have received as many special edition models as some of its counterparts, the ones that were produced have become increasingly sought after by collectors and Porsche enthusiasts. Their limited availability, distinctive features, and connection to motorsport history make them highly desirable additions to any collection.
Whether you’re a fan of the Porsche 924 or simply appreciate exceptional automotive craftsmanship, these special edition models offer a chance to own a piece of Porsche history. With their unique styling, increased performance, and limited production numbers, they stand as a testament to the innovation and dedication that Porsche brings to the automotive world.


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Wakis African Kitchen opened its doors last Friday, becoming the only restaurant of its kind in Columbus, Georgia.
Olatunji “TJ” Aiyeola moved to Columbus from Nigeria in 2014 to be near his sister Olasumbo Dada and her husband, who were already living in the area.
The restaurant is the second place of business Aiyeola has started in Columbus, joining his similarly named grocery store the Wakis African and Caribbean Mart. Aiyeola’s wife, Lashanda, told the Ledger-Enquirer that opening the restaurant fulfills one of her husband’s dreams.
“He’s been working on it for a very long time,” she said. “And finally he was able to do it.”
Located on University Avenue near Marco’s Pizza, Wakis Kitchen is take-out only with limited seating.
The food is cooked to order, so patrons should expect a long wait as it is freshly prepared.
For customers new to African cuisine, Aiyeola recommends trying the jollof rice, a rice dish blended with vegetables and a combination of spices. The dish comes directly from Aiyeola’s West African heritage, he said.
“I’m from the southwest of Nigeria,” he said. “There’s no family back home that doesn’t eat jollof rice. What else do you want to eat?”
Another staple on Wakis’ menu is the egusi soup, which can be served with beef, chicken, tilapia croaker or goat meat.
Columbus resident Natasha Luke was one of the first customers to come to the restaurant’s grand opening on Friday. She had been hearing about the opening for the last month on Facebook, and regularly called to find out when the restaurant would open.
“Years ago, my sister’s fiance from Africa used to make us all different kinds of dishes,” Luke said. “And we just fell in love with it.”
When she heard Wakis African Kitchen would serve authentic cuisine, Luke knew she had to try it.
“It’s different,” she said. “(People) should widen their taste buds and try it out.”
After moving to the United States, Aiyeola worked as a cab driver but knew he wanted to do something more.
So, he began thinking about investing in a business and knew if he needed to find a niche he could fill to make his business successful. That’s when he realized there was a demand among the African community in Columbus for authentic food.
“It’s not common,” Aiyeola told himself. “I’m not going to have that much competition.”
He told his family he wanted to open a grocery store, and they wholeheartedly supported the idea.
“Especially my sister,” he said. “She has always been my backbone encouraging me.”
After receiving advice from Dada, Aiyeola opened the Wakis African and Caribbean Mart located on Moon Road. It is the only African grocery store in the city, he said, and it gave people who wanted to cook African food a place to shop without traveling to Atlanta.
Since the grocery store has opened, customers asked Aiyeola about opening an African restaurant, he said. The idea to open Wakis African Kitchen was due to popular demand, Aiyeola said.
After putting the news online that the restaurant was coming, he began fielding calls from people — like Luke — who were interested in knowing when it would be open.
Now that the time has come, Aiyeola is excited to see customers come and try their food, he said.
“I’m very excited,” Lashanda said. “I’m happy that we’re able to bring something different to the community.”

domain: geography


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Two people were injured in a house fire in southwestern Cherokee County Tuesday morning, authorities said.
A passerby contacted Cherokee County 911 at around 4:30 a.m. Tuesday to report smoke and flames coming from the roof of the structure at 3041 Kellogg Creek Road. Units from Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services responded and began working to extinguish the fire.
“Engine 19 arrived on scene to find a home with heavy fire involvement on the first floor and attic, with reports of occupants still inside,” Battalion Chief Chad Davis said in a statement.
Members of Engine 20 helped an elderly man out of a basement apartment, while firefighters from Engine 19 and Squad 1 located the other resident at the front door as she was walking towards the door to leave the home.
Both residents had smoke inhalation injuries, and the woman also had thermal injuries, investigators said. They received treatment on scene before being transported to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

domain: news


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Last night, Yung Gravy took Addison Rae’s mom to the VMAs. If you don’t know what any of these words mean, consider yourself blessed and save yourself from learning more. We, on the other hand, have unfortunately learned all about this niche TikTok drama against our will.
Mr. Gravy, a 26-year-old rapper whose real name is Matthew Hauri, made out with Sheri Nicole Easterling, mother of TikTok darling Addison Rae, on the red carpet of last night’s event in coordinating lavender outfits. The duo got together after weeks of online flirtation following Easterling’s split from Addison’s father, Monty Lopez, upon reports surfacing of Lopez’s infidelity with a 25-year-old influencer.
Yung Gravy, best known for his song “Betty (Get Money),” teased that he was planning on taking Easterling as his date last month and told “Page Six,” “I hit on her first, I knew of her and I thought she was fine.” He also noted that he was “into MILFs” and that Easterling, 43, is “kinda the queen of MILFs.” Wow, romance is not dead.
Since catching wind of the flirtation, Lopez has been taking to TikTok to share his grief in the form of a series of loosely threatening videos. In one, Lopez warns Gravy, “Watch your mouth when you’re slapping your gums, bro.” In another, he flexes his muscles while shirtless and grits his teeth, overlaying the video with texts that read, “When @younggravy won’t accept a boxing match!” Then, standing to reveal his “Lopez” stomach tattoo, a text overlay reads, “Run whiteboy Run.”
Lopez has been posting these veiled threats against the rapper for weeks on end despite the 20-year age gap and numerous children that separate the two of them. Last night, via Instagram and once again shirtless, Lopez thanked Gravy for “taking the leftovers.” We’d very much like to erase this narrative from our minds.
Addison no longer follows Lopez on Instagram.

domain: celebrity


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Play any type of Game at Y8.com. The biggest Game Collection to play free online. Flash, Unity 3D, Html5, Android, Java and Shockwave.
Move your team into positions to best attack the enemy forces that sit on the randomly generated map
This game is played with mouse only.

domain: entertainment


Eugene Capper – Words & Chords
BWR034 (T-Shirt with Download)
Words & Chords is a 5 track EP by Eugene Capper. It was released in the lead up to the Welsh Music Prize nominated ‘Pontvane’. A project with long time collaborator and fellow Cardiffian Rhodri Brooks. They are now formally known as Smudges).
The release comes as a t-shirt, design by Eugene Capper himself, and a digital download is included with every purchase.


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Man's body found in clothes recycling bin by member of public in Scarborough
The grim discovery was made early on Friday and the victim's family are being supported by officers, say North Yorkshire Police.
Friday 17 March 2023 14:25, UK
Police are not treating the death of a man whose body was found in a clothes recycling bin as suspicious.
The grim discovery in Scalby, Scarborough, was made by a member of the public early on Friday, who raised the alarm.
The victim's family have been informed and are being supported by officers, North Yorkshire Police said.
A cordon at the scene has now been removed.
The force said in a statement: "There are no suspicious circumstances around the man's death and a file has been passed to the coroner.
"The man's family have been made aware and are being supported by officers."


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Amy-Jill Levine, University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School and College of Arts and Sciences, will speak about “Jesus the Jewish Storyteller: Hearing the Parables Anew.”
College of Arts and Sciences News
History Department Chair Ernest Freeberg’s work was cited in the podcast 99% Invisible about how street lights transformed the experience
Fifteen teams from thirteen East Tennessee high schools will compete at the sixth annual Tennessee High School Ethics Bowl. The daylong competition is sponsored by UT’s Department of Philosophy and the Humanities Center.
The UT Humanities Center’s Conversations and Cocktails series continues on Tuesday, February 3, with Vejas Liulevicius, Lindsay Young professor and the director of the Center for the Study of War and Society, talking about “Eastern Europe’s Dangers.”
Be sure to catch Ernest Freeberg, head of the history department, at 9:00 p.m. Tuesday on PBS’s American Experience. Freeberg was interviewed about Thomas Edison. In the show he profiles the inventor whose achievements include a long-lasting incandescent light bulb.
WBIR-TV interviewed Derek Alderman about his new research project. Alderman, head of the university’s geography department, has received $62,000 from
Jeff Pappas, director of the School of Music, has been elected to the board of directors of the National Association of Schools of Music.
Research by Derek Alderman, head of the department of geography, was featured by WBIR-TV. More than forty years after the
Michelle Johnson, an alumna of the Department of Political Science was surprised last week with a $25,000 national award for excellence in teaching.
Gary McCracken, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, was a guest on the NPR radio show “On Point with Tom


Founded in 1999, Baileigh Industrial is now an international power house of manufacturing for both wood and metal. The company began life in Wisconson, founded by Stephen Nordstrom. Nordstrom began working on solutions to bend and turn metal pipes. The company started with a very niche offering, but soon expanded based on the needs of its customers. Today, Baileigh serves thousands of individuals and industries worldwide, with plans to expand into Australia and beyond. Today, the company handles the distribution and manufacture of these machines, but their beginnings were not concerned with projects so grandiose.
At the time, the process of bending a pipe relied on several operations that carefully altered the shape of a pipe at various intervals until the perfect degree was achieved. Nordstrom and company constructed a machine that was capable of completing this process in one smooth action, using a dual hydraulic system. The Rotary Draw Bender 150 was the first hydraulic tool on the market that could bend a pipe at a 180 degree angle in one fluid motion. The dual hydraulic action allowed for greater range of motion and a faster bend that greatly improve efficiency for those who used it.
It was with the dawn of the RDB-150 that Baileigh began focusing on metal working exclusively. They released a number of tools for the purpose of bending and shaping metal, slowly working their way into the process of cutting metal as well.
Distribution and Manufacture
Over 5,000 dealers across the world sell tools that carry the Baileigh branding, including Baileigh itself. The company sells its machinery at cost to consumers, so businesses have the option to buy directly from a trusted distributor if they wish. Everything purchased packs and ships within 72 hours of completing the transaction, so new operations can get off the ground faster.
International expansion began in 2006, when the company opened its first international branch in Coventry, England. By 2010, they had opened another plant in Stutsgart, Germany. Domestically, the company also expanded to Ontario, California, where a wood working plant was opened.
Baileigh’s products are used heavily in industries from architecture to automotive design. Designers utilize metal shapers and rollers to cut accessories for doors and fences. Woodworking tools help shape the joints needed to construct tables or accessories for the home. Even the funeral industry uses metal rollers to create the polls that are mounted to the sides of a coffin, for pall bearers to carry the deceased for a final honoring before burial.
Do you sit around all day and imagine what it would be like to have a better job? Of course you do. Some studies have said that well over 90% of Americans do not like their jobs. That means the vast majority of Americans spend 40 hours a week basically doing something they hate. Plus, if you look at the economy, it’s also probably fair to say that this thing isn’t exactly paying real well either. Is it any wonder so many people are depressed and just want to give up?
But before you consider anything too crazy, think about a career change. That might be all it takes to really turn things around. Take some information technology classes in Los Angeles and you’d be surprised how much sunnier your prospects look (maybe it’s just that famous California weather though).
Something as simple as a little Microsoft training in Los Angeles could be all you need to start cashing in serious paychecks and love what you do. Plus, IT professionals are always needed so you have just about the best job security anyone could ever ask for!
Computers don’t just rule the day, they’re the wave of the future too, meaning if you know how they work, you can parlay that into quite the position. It should be no surprise that a plus training in Los Angeles is key to ruling this industry, which is why Brand College makes so much sense.
Written by: Port Containers
There are anywhere from five to six million shipping crates in transit at any given point in time. At least one of those containers is bound to be lost at sea, never to be found again. These containers have unintended consequences for the environment, and they result in massive losses to the shipping industry. Here are some tips that will help improve the methods of transporting shipping containers.
It’s rare that an intermodal container is actually weighed before it can be shipped. Some simple oversight of weights and measurements would go a long way to securing freight for overseas shipping. In the future, shipping companies will use RFID technology to identify a shipping crate’s dimensions. This will greatly improve the organization of the ship so that containers are properly secured for the rough seas. Shifting seas are the biggest source of losses.
The problem is how containers are stacked. Much like a stock shelf, heavier containers are usually placed at the base of the stack to give it some stability. With no method of tracking weight, workers assemble the stack based on guess work.
RFID will power another development in shipping, better documentation. We know that breaking the cold chain is one of the biggest sources of loss of perishable stock. We have also identified tracking as part of that issue. If containers were tracked with more certainty, manufacturers would have greater control over where and when their stock moves.
Right now, shipping companies do provide documentation, but their reach is limited. If there are handoffs that occur, it can be difficult for the manufacturer to keep track of. Each company may offer different documentation as well, leading to confusion of where stock is located.
Investigate the Shipping Company
Another issue is reliability of the shipping company. You should take the time to research each shipping company and make sure you’re dealing with professionals. Ask them about the technology they use to ship, and read reviews online. Companies like Angie’s List maintain useful databases of independent reviews.
Quality of container rarely plays a role in losses at sea. Used shipping containers for sale perform just as well as their new counterparts, even though some require a bit of restoration. Also be sure that you have adequate refrigeration for perishable items. Once you know what you’re shipping, and how many crates you’ll need, detailed records will help cut down on your losses.


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Will ‘Watchmen’ Return for Season 2? Damon Lindelof Says…
HBO’s highly acclaimed series Watchmen wrapped its first season, and despite ending on a major cliffhanger, it remains unclear if the show will return for another season.
But showrunner Damon Lindelof is clearing a few things up post-finale, reassuring fans that this may not really be the end. After all, in the comic book words of Doctor Manhattan, “nothing ever ends.”
In an interview with Variety, Lindelof shared that conversations were likely to take place regarding another season, but not much else has been decided.
“Right now the space that HBO is in and that I’m in is we’re asking the question, ‘Should there be another season of Watchmen?’ And if there should be another season, what would it be? I’m not saying I don’t want to do it,” Lindelof said, “or it shouldn’t exist. I’m just saying, ‘Boy, every idea that I had went into this season of Watchmen.'”
The sentiment certainly makes sense considering how densely packed the season was with Easter eggs and more. “I’m going to put up my antenna, see if it’s receiving anything,” the creator said. “If it’s not receiving anything in a reasonable period of time… then I think we move on to [the] question, which is, ‘if not me, then who?'”
Like the hungry viewers pining for more, Lindelof doesn’t disagree. “I actually do agree with HBO that this should be a continuing series,” he said. What that looks like will remain to be seen as he added, “maybe it’ll continue in a year or two, maybe they’ll continue it in four years or whatever, but I want to see more Watchmen.”
Considering where the season left viewers — with Angela (Regina King) tentatively stepping out onto her pool after consuming a possibly Dr. Manhattan-modified egg — it wouldn’t be surprising that HBO would renew the series to provide more answers for viewers less satisfied with ambiguity.
For now, Watchmen fans can relive Season 1’s set of nine episodes until their heart’s content.
Watchmen, Season 1, On Demand, HBO Go and HBO Now


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Wednesday, September 15, 2010
If we understand the concept of development as a state of individual and collective wellbeing, with individuals and society existing within sustainable means and mechanisms, then we can present an argument thus; that the pre-colonial peoples occupying the territories of what is presently the geographical delineation known as Nigeria, were at various levels of development prior to the abrupt intrusion of Europe, into the respective political and economic affairs of these sometimes large and often times small social formations domiciled within the region (Okoh, 2005: 191-192).
Among the major groups that had commenced defined developmental trajectories, were the Sokoto Caliphate, exercising loose control over the Zaria and Kano areas, the Yorubas to the western parts, the Igbo Republican societies, the Edos, Tivs, Jukuns, Nupe, Efik and Ibibio, Urhobo, and a plethora of other decentralized state like formations. There is as yet an authoritative computation on the precise number of ethnic groups domiciled in Nigeria, but many of these societies existed as individual and independent formations, centuries before modernization hit Africa, and in many respects, they were widely varied, and differed in culture, language, social norms, political and economic institutions etc.
With each of these formations existing within the parameters of their respective autonomy, they were destined on a collision course with the European explorers who initially promoted mercantilist relations. This dovetailed into the “trade in humans” which was an unfortunate episode in the history of Africa’s relations with the world, (Rodney, 1972:108-131). However, it was the imperialist conquest of Africa that proved to be the total deconstruction of the prevailing status quo that the various indigenous people existed within. According to Ikelegbe (2004:1), “it is necessary to demonstrate the achievements and contributions of Nigerian pre-colonial states in the device and utilization of different machineries to govern and sustain their states.” Ikelegbe also identified the presence of both centralized and decentralized authorities, applying sanctions and rewards within the acceptable framework of their unique cultures and values (Ikelegbe, 2007:141-147).
In terms of the practice and maintenance of an effective economic system, these formations making up pre-colonial Nigeria were actively engaged in productive economic activities based on householding, reciprocal and redistributive roles (Zwingina, 1992:31). Zwingina views the household to be the main unit of production, with it also doubling as the immediate unit of consumption. Accordingly, “while the fruits of land and labour belonged first to each individual , reciprocal privileges and duties within the family prescribed a mutual sharing that discouraged personal differences in material prosperity” (July, 1976:111). Untainted by colonial political and economic ideologies, these pre-colonial formations thrived in their unique economies, with a significant volume of surplus left over for the purpose of exchange. This unique exchange was based on the reciprocal needs of the various households, and oftentimes with other social formations, or for expropriation by a centralized formation (Zwingina, 1992: 31; Aderibigbe, 1962: 194).
July, (1976), douses the temptation to categorise pre-colonial African farming economies as subsistence in nature when he pointed that:The societies of pre-colonial Africa were geared to a subsistence agriculture, but traditional African economies were not in any literal sense subsistence economies, for they were quite capable of accumulating and utilizing small but measurable quantities of surplus wealth. The ancient farming communities of Africa organized their land occupation without reference to private ownership, but the principle of private ownership was understood and practiced full well (July, 1976: 117). The inference made from the above is that the social formations in pre-colonial Africa (including the ones domiciled within the boundaries of modern Nigeria) were at various levels of growth and development from the economic point of view. This inference is given more credence when we take into consideration that “the British administration in Nigeria between 1860 and 1960 was made relatively easy by the fact that it met with a philosophy of economic growth on which the modern system was built on” (Ekundare, 1973:383-384). However, while the desire for personal profit was powerful, accumulation in Europe was fuelled by economic principles; in Africa, it was social (July, 1976:117).
More so, the political structure on which the colonial administration was built upon, i.e. the indirect rule system, made effective use of the existing political institutions, proving extremely successful in many cases and only suffering limited friction in areas where the evolution of the socio-economic and political structure had reached levels of sophistication, arguably exceeding the practice in Europe at the time (Edigin and Osarhiemen, 1996 :45).

domain: history


Stay Sharp This Spring with Rimfire Rifle Training
Where it’s legal to hunt with a rifle, hunters can achieve some incredible accuracy at impressive ranges. When compared to bows, shotguns, or even muzzleloaders, there’s really no competition. But unless you have a lot of spare time, some extra cash sitting around, and a decent shooting range close by, it can be tough to practice with a centerfire rifle throughout the rest of the year. Many hunters only break it out shortly before opening day to make sure it’s still on target. Have you ever thought about rimfire rifle training to improve your rifle shooting skills? If not, there are several reasons why you should consider it and some simple rifle shooting drills you could try this spring and summer.
Why Rimfire Rifle Training?
But first, why would you train with a rimfire rifle if your ultimate goal is to get better with a centerfire rifle? Wouldn’t it make more sense to just practice with your actual big game gun instead? Depending on your own situation, maybe or maybe not. Besides the actual mode of firing, there’s not a lot of difference between the actual shooting skills between the two rifle options.
- You still rely on the basic processes – steady breathing, holding still, and gently squeezing the trigger. You also learn how to avoid target panic when you’re looking through the crosshairs with scoped rimfire rifles.
- Rimfire rifles produce significantly less recoil and noise than a big game hunting centerfire rifle, which just makes it easier on the shoulder and ears, and helps you to avoid any kind of learned flinching behavior that will hurt your accuracy later on.
- In addition, the ammunition for a .22 rifle, for example, is a lot cheaper than that for a .270 rifle. When you look at practicing every week from now until hunting season, that can really add up. Ultimately, that also means you can stretch your shooting budget further.
- As another bonus, becoming proficient at using a rimfire rifle (like a classic Ruger 10/22) can help you once small game seasons open again in the fall. What can you hunt with a 22 long rifle? Squirrels and rabbits both immediately come to mind, but you might even be able to take game birds, varmint animals, and even feral hogs with the right shot placement.
Rimfire Rifle Training Drills
With all that said, hopefully, you’re convinced that rimfire rifle shooting practice would be a good thing for you to try. If so, here are some rimfire rifle training ideas that you can start in on right away this spring. If you keep at it over the summer, we think you’ll be impressed how much your accuracy improves by next fall.
While it might not directly apply to hunt scenarios (with a rimfire or centerfire rifle), benchrest shooting can really challenge you and improve your accuracy and precision. Find a shooting range near you (the best being one on your property) and set up a sturdy shooting bench. Use sets of sandbags or a shooting rest to find a position that is comfortable and lined up well with the target. For this exercise, start out at about 25 yards, but feel free to increase this steadily. With a good quality scope, you should be able to shoot out to some remarkable distances using this approach. Load your rimfire rifle, don your hearing protection (even for this), and settle in. For this rimfire rifle training exercise, focus all your attention on your breathing and trigger pull. Despite how long you’ve been shooting, it helps to renew your focus on these areas.
After confirming your range is safe, take a few steady, deep breaths. Let your crosshairs settle in and drift around the bullseye. Don’t panic and pull the trigger when you get close – simply let your crosshairs drift in a circle around it, and focus on slowly pulling the trigger so it is a genuine surprise to you when it happens. This will teach you how to shoot tighter groups with a rifle over time, teach you how to hold a rifle steady and form a muscle memory habit that will help you in any other rifle shooting situations. Start by shooting 5 to 10 rounds and see what your group looks like. Over time, you might add or subtract rounds depending on how your accuracy and precision are improving.
For this next rifle training drill, you will focus on a more hunting-relevant shooting skill. After all, you generally won’t have all the time in the world to make a shot when you’re hunting squirrels or deer. Instead, this exercise is meant to challenge you to shoot within a certain time limit (e.g., 5 seconds). This might seem like it would undo all of the other training drill’s progress, but it is actually a cumulative gain. You can use a scope for this exercise or shoot using iron sights – as long as you keep it relevant to how you would hunt in the fall.
Set up a paper target sheet with several distinct bullseyes or mini targets on it, such as the Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C Bull’s-eye. Step about 25 yards away from it. When you are ready to shoot, raise your rifle to your shoulder and start counting. Your goal is to acquire your target (the first one in the row), steady yourself, and make a shot within 5 seconds. At first, it will feel rushed and you will definitely miss your mark – often. After shooting three targets in a row, for example, take a break for several minutes to regain your composure. Over time, you should notice a real improvement in your ability to quickly find and hit the targets within that timeframe. If you start hitting 3 out of 3 targets, feel free to step further away rather than decrease your time (remember, you don’t want to force yourself to go too fast and create target panic).
Switching Shooting Positions
The last of these rimfire rifle training ideas focus on a similar principle as above – forcing yourself to get used to different shooting positions to make you a more efficient hunter. Because again, you won’t always get the perfect shot opportunity – sometimes you’ll be forced to shoot from an awkward position that you have never practiced before. Getting better at those shooting positions now will help you when the time comes. Again, start out at 25 yards and work your way up to 100 yards. Here are a few ideas for you to try, regardless if you are right- or left-handed:
- Kneeling on one or both knees;
- Lying down (prone) using a backpack as a rest or just your elbows;
- Free-hand standing still;
- Resting against the side of a tree trunk;
- Sitting position using your knees as rests; or
- Half-crouched and turned sideways (because you know it will eventually happen while hunting).
This spring and summer, don’t neglect to get out with the rimfire rifle once in a while to keep your shooting skills fresh for next season. If you have kids, practicing with the rimfire rifle is also a great way to include them in the training and fun.


Beatles Promoter Sid Bernstein Dies
Sid Bernstein, the music promoter who famously brought The Beatles to Shea Stadium and Carnegie Hall, has died. He was 95.
Bernstein was key force in fomenting the ‘60s British Invasion of America. In addition to showcasing The Beatles, he brought such artists as The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Herman’s Hermits and The Moody Blues to the U.S. when the careers of those bands were in their early stages. Other artists he for whom he served as promoter included Jimi Hendrix, Sly and the Family Stone and, later, Lenny Kravitz.
The concerts he promoted for The Beatles are legendary. On February 9, 1964, the group debuted on The Ed Sullivan Show and, three days later, played two shows at Carnegie Hall. Bernstein brought the band back a year later for the famous Shea Stadium concert. He remained active as recently as last year, releasing an album titled Sid Bernstein Presents.


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When you dream about someone quotes – Dreams are an inner experience, the gateway to our unconscious. Its images and symbols often appear in today’s daily life, especially in stressful situations or when we face important decisions.
Dreaming about someone is a statement about the state of your subconscious mind. In the dream state your mind is totally disconnected from your physical body, so it can bring you into other dimensions of the universe and open your eyes to worlds that are hard to comprehend. Dreaming about friends and family members is always a difficult task because personal feelings and emotions can affect the interpretation of the dream, so in order to help you to understand this process better, I’ll provide you with some when you dream about somebody quotes that will give you an insight into what could have happened during your dream.
When you dream about someone, you are dreaming about your hopes, fears and unfulfilled wishes about them. When you dream about a family member or friend, a relationship is often the focus of the dream. Common themes in dreams about friends or family members include love, sharing emotions with one another, or being separated from one another. Dreams can also take a more symbolic approach and use a character to represent some aspect of your own personality.
When you dream about someone, it’s a sign that you’re thinking about them. The dreams might be pleasant or unpleasant, but in either case, they mean that the person on your mind is important to you.
Dreams about someone who’s been in your life for a long time are more likely to be positive than dreams about someone you’ve just met. Dreams of people from the past often have a nostalgic feel to them; they make us feel good because we remember when things were better than they are now.
When you constantly dream about someone who has recently left your life, it can be a sign that you miss them and wish things could be different between the two of you. If this happens frequently, consider contacting the person in real life and talking through what happened between the two of you. A conversation can help clear away any lingering doubts or confusion so that both parties can move on with their lives without feeling anxious or guilty about what happened between them previously – or what didn’t happen!
Best Dream Quotes About Life, Love and the Future
Think you’ve got true grit? Shine on with these determination quotes to ignite your fire within!
Looking for thought-provoking dream quotes about your waking life?
The study of dreams has long been a fascination for many.
People often wake up puzzled by what they have dreamt.
Some want to search for the meaning of what ran through their mind.
As bizarre as some of the images and themes may seem, dreams are our subconscious way of working through things that are troubling us, or that are unsettled, while we sleep.
Dreams have been studied by so many individuals for years.
Many books have been written explaining the symbolism found in them.
While there is some discrepancy or multiple meanings for some of the dream symbols, most remain consistent.
Understanding them can help an individual see the bigger picture and find greater meaning in their dreams.
In this respect, here are some dream quotes, dream sayings, and dream proverbs from some of the great – and surprising minds – of our time. Read them to understand more about your dreams and the nature of your reality.
We also have a collection of inspirational good night quotes to put you in the right place before you sleep. Be sure to read that as well.
Dream quotes to help you interpret your dreams and waking life better
1. “No one has ever achieved greatness without dreams.” – Roy T. Bennett
2. “All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream.” – Edgar Allan Poe
3. “Dreams are illustrations…from the book your soul is writing about you.” – Marsha Norman
4. “A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow.” – Charlotte Brontë
5. “In a dream you are never eighty.” – Anne Sexton
6. “Sleeping is no mean art: for its sake one must stay awake all day.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
7. “The Future Belongs To Those Who Believe In The Beauty Of Their Dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
8. “Dreams are often most profound when they seem the most crazy.”- Sigmund Freud
9. “Yet it is in our idleness, in our dreams, that the submerged truth sometimes comes to the top.”- Virginia Woolf
10. “It’s difficult to follow your dream. It’s a tragedy not to.” – Ralph Marston
11. “All the things one has forgotten scream for help in dreams.”- Elias Canetti
12. “For often, when one is asleep, there is something in consciousness which declares that what then presents itself is but a dream.”- Aristotle
13. “Dreams are more real than reality itself, they’re closer to the self.”- Gao Xingjian
14. “The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind.”- Sigmund Freud
15. “Dreams are true while they last, and do we not live in dreams?”- Alfred Lord Tennyson
16. “In sleep, fantasy takes the form of dreams. But in waking life, too, we continue to dream beneath the threshold of consciousness, especially when under the influence of repressed or other unconscious complexes.”- Carl Jung
17. “A dream which is not interpreted is like a letter which is not read.”- The Talmud
18. “I am accustomed to sleep and in my dreams to imagine the same things that lunatics imagine when awake.”- René Descartes
Also, check out our list of The Secret quotes that will inspire you to manifest your dreams.
Dream quotes about the nature of our reality
19. “Your world is not real!”- Inception, 2010 film
20. “Every dream that anyone ever has is theirs alone and they never manage to share it. And they never manage to remember it either. Not truly or accurately. Not as it was. Our memories and our vocabularies aren’t up to the job.”- Alex Garland
21. “Dreams are excursions into the limbo of things, a semi-deliverance from the human prison.”- Henri Amiel
22. “Insomnia is a gross feeder. It will nourish itself on any kind of thinking, including thinking about not thinking.”- Clifton Fadiman
23. “Sleep… Oh! How I loathe those little slices of death.”- Author unknown
24. “Huge and mighty forms that do not live like living men, moved slowly through the mind by day and were trouble to my dreams.”- William Wordsworth
25. “Dreams say what they mean, but they don’t say it in daytime language.”- Gail Godwin
26. “The best thing about dreams is that fleeting moment, when you are between asleep and awake, when you don’t know the difference between reality and fantasy, when for just that one moment you feel with your entire soul that the dream is reality, and it really happened.”- James Arthur Baldwin
27. “Recall the old story of the rather refined young man who preferred sex dreams to visiting brothels because he met a much nicer type of girl that way.”- Vivian Mercer
28. “I think we dream so we don’t have to be apart so long. If we’re in each other’s dreams, we can play together all night.”- Bill Watterson
29. “There’s a long, long trail a-winding into the land of my dreams.”- Stoddard King, Jr.
30. “One can write, think, and pray exclusively of others; dreams are all egocentric.”- Evelyn Waugh
31. “Our dreams disturb us because they refuse to pander to our fondest notions of ourselves. The closer one looks, the more they seem to insist upon a challenging proposition: You must live truthfully. Right now. And always. Few forces in life present, with an equal sense of inevitability, the bare-knuckle facts of who we are, and the demands of what we might become.”- Marc Ian Barasch
32. “Dreams feel real while we’re in them. It’s only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange.”- Inception, 2010 film
33. “In dreams, we enter a world that’s entirely our own.”- Steven Kloves
34. “I’ll take the dream I had last night, And put it in my freezer, So someday long and far away, When I’m an old grey greezer, I’ll take it out and thaw it out, This lovely dream I’ve frozen, And boil it up and sit me down And dip my old cold toes in.”- Shel Silverstein
35. “Even the loveliest dream bears like a blemish its difference from reality, the awareness that what it grants is mere illusion.”- Theodor Wiesengrund Adorno
Don’t forget to also read these insightful reality quotes that will inspire you to live your best life.
Beautiful Dream Quotes for You
36. “The best reason for having dreams is that in dreams no reasons are necessary.”- Ashleigh Brilliant
37. “I have always been amazed at the way an ordinary observer lends so much more credence and attaches so much more importance to waking events than to those occurring in dreams…. Man… is above all the plaything of his memory.”- Andre Breton
38. “A dream is a microscope through which we look at the hidden occurrences in our soul.”- Erich Fromm
39. “Even thus last night, and two nights more I lay, And could not win thee, Sleep, by any stealth: So do not let me wear to-night away. Without thee what is all the morning’s wealth? Come, blessed barrier between day and day, Dear mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health!”- William Wordsworth
You might also like these inspirational morning quotes to help you seize the day.
40. “We are not only less reasonable and less decent in our dreams… we are also more intelligent, wiser, and capable of better judgment when we are asleep than when we are awake.”- Erich Fromm

domain: psychology


text:
Make it your own!
What’s a party without your favorite foods and drinks! Bring your own “goodies” as well as decorations to make your party more special. And we are a BYOB studio so wine, beer, cider, and seltzer as well as a non-alcoholic beverage are welcome. There is plenty of room for you to set up your treats so you and your guests can relax and socialize while painting. We’ll even play some of your favorite tunes!
Some folks live far away or are not ready to come out? Invite your guests to join the party at home with our live virtual connection via Zoom! Individual “to go” art kits can be picked up at the studio or sent to out-of-towners. A Zoom invite will make sure they are able to join the fun.

domain: hobby


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Universal Studios Consumer Products Group has released content based on the NBC hit series “Heroes” on Xbox Live.
For the first time, fans of the series can customize their Xbox 360 experience with theme packs and gamer pictures downloaded from the Xbox Live Marketplace. Gamers will be able to decorate their Xbox Live portal with rendered paintings from the series, as well as photos featuring “Heroes” characters as avatars.
” ‘Heroes’ has broken new ground in episodic storytelling and has resonated with an astonishingly broad audience, and certainly with the gamer community,” said Bill Kispert, Universal Studios Digital Platforms Group vp and GM.
Despite the connection with gamers, the show has not yet been made available for digital distribution through the Xbox Live Marketplace. The only NBC series available on the popular service, which is second only to Apple’s iTunes, is “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.”
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Scapa TPP for Remedy – Capture, Process, Go
Why test Remedy with Scapa TPP?
Scapa TPP is a fast and cost-effective performance test, monitoring and optimization platform for BMC Software’s Remedy and ITSM solutions. The tool’s simple 3 step process – CAPTURE, PROCESS, GO – automates the creation of tests that replicate real-world business processes accurately, allowing tests of any complexity to be created in minutes.
Scapa TPP is the only tool that provides complete coverage of Remedy infrastructures – testing the C API, the GUI and the mid-tier – allowing unrestricted and unrivaled visibility of system performance and user experience.
CAPTURE, PROCESS, GO – 3 Simple Steps to Achieving Optimal Remedy and ITSM Performance
The latest release of Scapa TPP for Remedy encompasses all of our 10+ years of experience in ensuring Remedy and ITSM system environment performance and simplifies the process of creating tests to 3 easy steps: “Capture, Process, Go”.
The first two steps (“Capture” and “Process”) automate test creation of intricate scenarios, such as incident or change creation or modification, then, in step 3 (“Go”), the user simply clicks the button to start the test. Each of these steps require minimal or, indeed, no user intervention. With Scapa TPP – “Capture, Process, Go”, Remedy system testing of any size and complexity is achievable, even for users with no prior experience of Remedy. Short video clips illustrating each stage of this process are available here.
Make smarter, more informed business decisions
Scapa TPP’s simple, repeatable tests use REAL DATA to simulate and replicate your business operations in the most accurate way – testing with synthetic data may obscure some key information specific to your system environment and, therefore, not provide the insight you need. Scapa TPP’s use of real data, plus its unique connectivity and testing capabilities, will help you make smart, informed decisions, achieve agreed service levels, validate vendor claims and identify the right software to support and protect your business now and in the future.
With Scapa TPP for Remedy, risks are minimized, profits maximized
Scapa TPP provides the assurance that your Remedy or ITSM solution is of the highest quality and is working at optimum performance during migration or upgrade projects. It also ensures that the system is at peak efficiency during day-to-day operations through continuous monitoring and straightforward, iterative testing.
Used by BMC Software
Scapa TPP for Remedy is a proven product, used by BMC Software and by other software vendors, systems integrators and end-user organizations to simulate many thousands of users in test and in live production environments in order to maximize quality while minimizing the risks associated with performance-related failures.
Professional Consulting Services
Whether you need help getting your testing projects off the ground or you require someone to take care of it all for you, our highly skilled and experienced consultants and partner organizations work worldwide, either on-site or remotely, to deliver performance testing services across a wide-range of applications and environments, including Remedy and ITSM systems.
For more information about all of our consulting services, click here or download our Professional Services Datasheet and Scapa Expedite Methodology white papers below:
- Scapa Technologies Professional Services Datasheet
- Scapa Expedite Methodology White Paper
- Scapa Expedite Testing Activities White Paper
For details of our low cost, high value Packaged Services for Remedy and ITSM environments, designed to give you a quick insight into your system’s performance characteristics, in very short time frames, click here.
Scapa TPP pricing is determined by the number of virtual users of a system, whether in a test laboratory or production system environment.
Please contact us to discuss your specific licensing requirements.
For additional product information, please use the links on this page or contact us.
- Load Test Mobile Apps – iOS Android
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“We use Scapa to perform many types of technology comparison tests….
[to] provide valuable performance and scalability information to many areas
of the company as well as to our clients.”
Chuck Hunt, Senior Team Lead, Abilities Lab., Cerner Corporation


Are you tired of inaccurate temperature readings that compromise the quality and consistency of your processes? Look no further! In this blog post, we will explore how vibration systems and thermocouple upgrades can help maximize accuracy in your industrial operations. With the right tools and techniques, you can achieve precise measurements that enhance product quality, reduce waste, and boost efficiency. So let’s dive in to learn more about these powerful solutions for improving your temperature monitoring capabilities!
Introduction to Vibration Systems and Thermocouple Upgrades
Vibration systems and thermocouple upgrades are essential for accurate temperature measurements. Vibration systems help to reduce the stray electrical signals that can distort thermocouple readings. In addition, vibration systems also protect thermocouples from mechanical damage. Thermocouple upgrades improve the accuracy of thermocouple readings by providing a higher level of protection against distortion and damage.
Benefits of a Metal Thermocouple
Base metal thermocouples are among the most popular temperature sensors used in industry today. Their versatility, reliability, and low cost make them ideal for a wide variety of applications. Metal thermocouples offer many benefits over other types of thermocouples, including:
1. Excellent Accuracy: Metal thermocouples have a very tight manufacturing tolerance, which results in excellent accuracy.
2. Long-Lasting: Metal thermocouples are incredibly durable and have a long lifespan.
3. Wide Temperature Range: Metal thermocouples can be used in a wide range of temperatures, from cryogenic to high temperatures.
4. Versatile: Metal thermocouples can be used in a variety of ways, such as with screw-in probes or immersion wells.
5. Inert: Metal thermocouples are inert, meaning they won’t react with the environment around them. This makes them ideal for use in hostile environments.
Types of Metal Thermocouples
There are three main types of metal thermocouples: bare, covered, and miniature. Bare thermocouples have the least amount of protection against environmental factors and are therefore the least accurate. Covered thermocouples have a layer of insulation that helps protect them from outside influences, making them more accurate than bare thermocouples. Miniature thermocouples are the most accurate type of metal thermocouple, as they are specifically designed to be used in high-vibration environments.
How to Upgrade Your Vibration System with a Thermocouple
A thermocouple is a simple and effective way to upgrade your vibration system. By adding a thermocouple to your existing system, you can improve the accuracy of your readings and make sure that you’re getting the most out of your investment. Here’s how to do it:
1. Choose the right thermocouple for your system. There are many different types of thermocouples available on the market, so it’s important to select one that is compatible with your particular system. Consult with a specialist to determine which type of thermocouple will work best for you.
2. Install the thermocouple in the proper location. In order for the thermocouple to work effectively, it must be installed in the correct location within your system. Once again, consult with a specialist to ensure that you install the thermocouple in the optimal spot.
3. Connect the thermocouple to your system. Most thermocouples come with easy-to-follow instructions that will walk you through this process step-by-step. If you have any trouble, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional for assistance.
4. Test your system after completing the installation. Once you’ve installed the thermocouple and connected it to your system, it’s time to test it out and make sure that everything is working correctly. Run through a few tests and compare the results with those from your old system – if everything looks good, then you
Bearing metal thermocouples offer many advantages over other types of thermocouples. They are more rugged and can withstand higher temperatures, making them ideal for use in vibration systems. They also have a lower thermal mass, which means they respond more quickly to changes in temperature. This makes them more accurate than other types of thermocouples, which is important in applications where precise temperature measurements are critical.
Best Practices for Installing a Noble Metal Thermocouple
There are many factors to consider when installing a noble metal thermocouple in order to maximize accuracy.
First, the type of metal used for the thermocouple should be matched to the application. Second, the thermocouple should be installed in a location that is free from vibration and other sources of mechanical noise.
Third, the thermocouple should be protected from electrical interference. Fourth, care should be taken to ensure that the thermocouple junction is not damaged during installation. Finally, the reference junction should be maintained at a constant temperature to avoid errors in the measurement.
Maximizing accuracy with vibration systems and thermocouple upgrades is essential for getting the most out of your equipment. By correctly utilizing these tools, you can ensure that your machinery continues to operate at peak efficiency and performance. With regular maintenance, as well as proper installation and periodic calibration, you’ll be able to maximize the accuracy of your machines in no time.


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Chronic Pika Pin
- This adorable pikachu hitting a bong enamel pin is a must have for every chronic little one!
- This little chronic stoner pikachu is simply the cutest little thing ever!
- Toke up, baby!
- Made of high quality zinc alloy with a secure backing included!
- Every little one needs a kawaii brooch and lapel pin collection, and this is a perfect start!
Littlespace Ageplay Tip: Pair this cute pikachu enamel pin with a Matching Pikachu Cardigan, also available in our kawaii ddlg shop!

domain: design


text:
CARY, N.C. – Minnesota State Mankato's baseball winning streak ended Saturday at 13 games.
The University of Tampa beat the Mavericks 8-2 in the championship game of the NCAA Division II tournament to win its sixth national title.
MSU Mankato, after taking third place a year ago, was making its first appearance in the championship game. And it didn't go well. Harvey Martin, the national Division II pitcher of the year, started for the Mavericks but was gone after failing to retire a batter in the second inning.
The Spartans scored five runs on six hits that inning to take a 5-0 lead. Martin (9-1) gave up two singles and then three consecutive doubles, which made it 4-0 Tampa before reliever T.J. Larson came in. Six MSU pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts.
The Mavericks two runs came in the fourth inning on a throwing error and in the ninth on Lucas Skjefte's RBI-single. Stetson Olson was 3-for-3 for MSU Mankato and Parker Sullivan 3-for-5.
Tampa (46-13) was the nation's No. 1-rated team in its division, the Mavericks (42-9) were No. 2.


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Singer Alexander Bagonza alias A Pass has come out and promised to make his relationship with his unknown lover official but not any sooner.
The Guli Wano singer opened up about his marriage plans after he appeared on the famous list of ‘ Bu Love Nigga Busemyekozo‘ that has gone viral on social media.
Mulinde embaga Eno list njagala kujivamu naye ate temumpapya nkyetegereza, loosely translated as ‘wait for my wedding but don’t rush me because am still observing’.A Pass
He went on to note that he does not want to fall in love with a woman who will act as his mother, mentioning that his mum did all she was required of.
He also expressed his disappointment of placing him in a position close to Bebe Cool, saying he wanted Kenzo’s podium place.


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Images for this Case
For more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
Thursday, Dec 8, 2011County: Calhoun
Case Images: 6 files available
Abuser names unreleased
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Documented, eye-witness videotaped testimony from former employees and volunteers has resulted in indisputable evidence that abhorrent cruelty, bordering on sadistic torture, has occurred in Calhoun County Animal Control Center, (CCACC), Anniston, Alabama.
(Note: Video contains graphic descriptions unsuitable for children. The original video that was presented to Calhoun County Commission on December 8 is over an hour in length. This version was edited for publication.)
Until this week, suspicions and complaints of wrong doing at CCAS had fallen on deaf ears of officials in Calhoun County, and/or eye witnesses feared retribution if they came forward. Calhoun County animal advocates, headed by Anniston resident Millie Harris, Political Liason for Alabama Voters for Responsible Animal Legislation (AVRAL), President of S.A.V.E., a spay/neuter advocacy group in Calhoun County pursued and secured evidence, and subsequently, are proceeding through the proper channels Alabama law requires.
Harris says that their group was visibly shaken by the level of abuse revealed in the taped testimony, though they were aware of long suspected maltreatment of impounded animals. Harris, along with the group of supporters, state, in unison, "It's easier to live in our "ivory towers" and pretend that such ghastly behavior doesn't really exist. It's so much easier to "not know.
"In the end, if this goes another step towards ending the horrific suffering here and in other facilities, it will be well worth the struggle."
A formal complaint has been filed with the Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners,(ASBVME), the only state board with regulation authority over euthanasia methods within AL animal control facilities. In the coming week, Harris will accompany witnesses to Calhoun Sheriff's Department to file criminal charges against the alleged participants in the crimes listed below:
Intracardiac injection without sedation - William Chapman, Tabitha Barger, and Charles McDonald.
Co-mingling of the bodies of both dead and living animals, which were presumed to be dead. Dogs, which are not yet dead, have been thrown on a truck in bags with dead dogs and have chewed through the plastic bags in an attempt to escape - William Chapman, Tabitha Barger and Charles McDonald.
Delayed care or delayed euthanasia of animals, which has resulted in suffering and amounts to cruelty by the very people entrusted with the care of the animals. One example is a cat with a huge, swollen head that Tabitha Barger refused to euthanized. The next morning, the cat's head had exploded. - William Chapman, Tabitha Barger and Charles McDonald.
Failure to separate dying animals from others. Mother dogs were forced to witness their puppies being heart stuck before they were put down and thrown on the pile with them.
Dogs being killed in the open kennels (see photo) William Chapman, Tabitha Barger and Charles McDonald
Slamming dogs' and cats' heads against the wall, shattering their skulls - William Chapman.
Allowing dogs and cats to suffer during the month of December whenever the money was too scarce for euthanasia drugs - William Chapman.
Shooting dogs - William Chapman
Hitting a dog in the face as it was dying - Tabitha Barger
Starving a horse - Charles McDonald
Threatening employee of arrest for theft who attempted to save the life of a mother and litter of puppies, who had them in foster care, and ready for rescue with completed papers. She was forced to return them, and they were killed. - William Chapman
Knowingly euthanizing a pet that a family had lost. The inmate, Billy Santivasci, alerted Tabitha that the lost dog featured in a "Lost Dog" photograph on the front bulletin board was in the back. She would not allow him to use the phone to notify the family and killed the dog instead. -Tabitha Barger
Failure to provide water (buckets too high for smaller dogs) and heat in the winter. Dogs have frozen to death being kept outside pens with no source of warmth. - William Chapman, Tabitha Barger and Charles McDonald.
Calhoun County animal advocates, who labor daily to save condemned animals in CCACC commented, "The recordings reveal much, much more about the way the animal control center is run. It indicates a culture of tax-funded cruelty."
|An investigation into allegations of animal abuse at the Calhoun County Animal Control Center moved forward this week.|
A comprehensive report of the investigation's findings was turned over to the district attorney's office Thursday. After review, Calhoun County District Attorney Brian McVeigh said he will decide whether further investigation is needed in the case.
"We have tried to talk to everybody who has or believes they have information we need to have," said Sheriff Larry Amerson, whose office is investigating the allegations. "Since we have no other people to interview at this time, we're turning over the information that we have."
Amerson said the two investigators assigned to the case interviewed nearly two dozen people since the claims of abuse at the county-operated facility were reported in December at a Calhoun County Commission meeting. There might be more people to talk to, Amerson said.
"That door is still open," he said. "Some of the people who have spoken to us in the investigation have told us that there were more people out there that had information."
The investigation began after two people filed complaints with the Sheriff's Office days after animal rights supporters leveled allegations of animal cruelty against control center employees. According to those who made the allegations, the control center euthanized animals improperly and maintained unkempt kennels.
The director of the control center, Charles McDonald, has said he's never participated in or witnessed any abuse at the center. He said in December that if any abuse was detected, he would "take action."
Calhoun County Commissioner Eli Henderson said he has no reason to believe the investigation will yield criminal charges. He also said the commission is taking proactive steps to ensure no unreported problems occur at the facility in the future.
Two of the steps the commission will consider are creating a five-member board to oversee the control center and adding security cameras in the facility, Henderson said.
Amerson said the investigation was unusual because of the subject matter. Unfamiliar with the animal abuse laws that would be violated if the allegations were accurate, the Sheriff's Office consulted outside sources.
"We have taken this investigation very seriously," Amerson said. "Allegations have been made of torture of animals and abuse of animals, and we wanted to make sure we talked to all parties that may have evidence or information."
|Source: annistonstar.com _ Jan 7, 2012|
Update posted on Jan 8, 2012 - 9:51AM
|Calhoun County sheriff's deputies will investigate recent allegations of animal cruelty at a county-run animal control center, officials said Monday.|
Deputies just need the people making the allegations to file official complaints with the Sheriff's Office, they said.
Chief Deputy Matt Wade of the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office said an investigation would likely begin today regarding the recent allegations of animal cruelty at the Calhoun County Animal Control Center. However, he added that no criminal charges had been filed because no one making the allegations had filed a report with the Sheriff's Office.
County officials discussed the investigation Monday during a press conference at the Calhoun County Administration Office.
"There has been no formal report of criminal wrongdoing," Wade said. "We'll do an investigation, but that takes time â€" it's not something you do in an afternoon. But those people need to come to us. Until we get a report, we can't get subpoena power."
Millie Harris, an Anniston resident and animal rights supporter, said at the meeting that a report would be filed with the Sheriff's Office. At a Calhoun County Commission meeting last week, Harris presented a video in which people who identified themselves as former animal control center employees alleged animal cruelty.
"I can assure you, charges will be filed and these eyewitnesses will come forward," Harris said.
The commission requested the investigation after Harris and other local animal rights supporters presented the claims last week.
"We will investigate any and all claims," said Eli Henderson, chairman of the Calhoun County Commission. "We have nothing to hide."
Henderson said the commission does not tolerate animal abuse of any kind.
"But there has been no substantiation for any of these charges," Henderson said. "To my knowledge, I thought we had one of the top facilities in the state."
The allegations were made by two former animal center employees in a video released last week which has since been posted on the Internet. The people in the video allege that in the past three years, animals at the center have routinely been euthanized with injections to the heart without first being sedated.
The Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners forbids injecting animals in the heart -â€" a process referred to as intracardiac injection -â€" without first sedating them. The board is responsible for licensing of veterinarians and for certifications to perform animal euthanasia in Alabama.
According to Rule 930-X-1-.35 of the board's Alabama Veterinary Practice Act and Administrative Code, "intracardiac injections are acceptable but can only be used on unconscious animals."
The policy further stipulates that anyone who violates euthanasia procedure can face disciplinary action from the board.
Whether performing the procedure without sedation constitutes animal cruelty under Alabama law and therefore requires criminal prosecution, is unclear, Wade said.
"We just learned about these allegations (Monday)" Wade said. "Is doing euthanasia against policy a crime or is it civil? We're not sure yet. Right now we don't even have a complaint."
Tom Nelson, veterinarian and co-owner of the Animal Medical Center in Anniston, said intracardiac injection is the fastest way to euthanize an animal if it is performed properly. Nelson said the proper way to perform the procedure is by sedating the animal first. He added, however, that the procedure is typically performed on gravely injured animals.
Nelson said he found the allegations surprising, given his familiarity with the Animal Control Center. The center sometimes brings wild animals to Nelson, who is also a wildlife rehabilitator. The center's employees also sometimes bring him injured animals that they didn't want to put to sleep because there was a question whether the animals had owners.
"Every time I've dealt with them, they've been conscientious and had care for the animals," Nelson said.
Henderson said the center was doing the best it could under current economic situations. Due to the sluggish economy, the commission had to cut the budgets of all county agencies by 2 percent in the current fiscal year. He added that the center is usually overwhelmed with animals, between 300 and 400 animals per month.
"That's tough on us," Henderson said. "And there is not nearly enough" interest in adoption among the public, he said.
Nelson said the stray animal population is a serious problem in the county.
"The whole nation has a problem with it, but it's more of a problem in the South than in the North," Nelson said.
Harris, who is president of a local spay-and-neuter advocacy group, agreed that overpopulation of animals must be addressed.
"It's a terrible problem," Harris said. "And once they get to the center, very little effort is made to get them adopted."
Still, to Harris, nothing can excuse the treatment of animals at the center that some have alleged.
"It's a tax-funded slaughterhouse," she said.
|Source: annistonstar.com - Dec 13, 2011|
Update posted on Jan 8, 2012 - 9:48AM
Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.
For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.

domain: law


text:
After bringing home some locally sourced chicken thighs from our nearby farm shop, it felt only right to treat them in the way they were intended: lavishly filled with flavour and shared with friends.
And so a casserole of chicken, mushroom and cider came to being, thanks to the River Cottage Everyday cookbook by the seasonal champion himself, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall – a master of all that is natured, nurtured and straight-down-the-line delicious.
A new addition to my bookshelf, but one that I’ve endeavoured to work my way through for the next seven days!
Sitting alongside a generous helping of the new season’s kale and a buttery, creamy mash, this dish has the power to warm not just the body but the soul – and when eaten in the company of close friends, it made it all the more delicious.
Tempting, isn’t it!

domain: food


Educate yourself and clients about the lone star tick
R. Scott Nolen
October 28, 2020
Although not a vector for the Lyme disease–causing Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium, the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) is no less a threat to public and animal health.
“We talk a lot about ticks, but sometimes I think we overlook the lone star tick,” said veterinary technician Beckie Mossor during a presentation for the AVMA Virtual Convention 2020 this August.
Found throughout the eastern and southern United States, the lone star tick spreads several diseases, including tularemia in humans and dogs and cytauxzoonosis in cats. Ehrlichiosis—another disease transmitted by the tick—was diagnosed in more than 189,000 dogs in 2020, according to the Companion Animal Parasite Council.
“It’s actually really important that we identify these ticks so we know what diseases we’re dealing with,” Mossor said.
Adult A americanum females are easily recognizable by a white, starlike spot on their scutum. The life cycle of the lone star tick is three years, during which time a mature female can lay up to 8,000 eggs.
Clients’ knowledge about ticks tends to be very limited, Mossor added. They don’t realize ticks are part of the arachnid family and remain active during a mild winter. “I feel like people think ticks fall from trees or that you have to be deep in the forest and stray off the trail to pick up ticks,” she said.
Lone star ticks spend most of their time in the wild on the ground in leaves and in mulch. As the fastest member of the tick family, they are known as “the questing tick” for their habit of aggressively running toward a potential host. “When the client says, ‘Oh, I never go off the trail,’ I’m like, ‘Here’s a fun fact: Did you know the lone star tick can actually run you down?’” Mossor said.
To illustrate how quickly the tick moves, Mossor played a video showing dozens of them scurrying over blades of grass, their legs extending upward to seize a passing host. She advised playing the video for clients in the waiting area to get them thinking about the need for tick control products. Mossor said it may help because many pet owners believe the risk from ticks is low or nonexistent.
“What I tell clients is we know lone star ticks are generally transported by white-tailed deer. Then I ask if they have deer where they live, and a majority of them are going to say yes. Use this as a pushing off point to explain that the risks are real,” she explained.
This is an important conversation because it’s an opportunity to educate clients while also advocating for their pets.
“I know for a lot of people that conversation is touchy because we feel like our clients think we’re trying to sell them something,” Mossor said. But that’s not what this is.
“This is patient advocating,” she continued. “This is educating the client so that they never come back and say, ‘You didn’t tell me my pet could get sick. You didn’t tell me that these were lifelong diseases. You didn’t tell me they could kill my pet. You didn’t tell me there was a zoonotic concern—not between me and my dog but between me and these parasites.’
“This whole conversation needs to happen because that is what we do as advocates.”


text:
A majority of registered voters say they’re open to giving President Donald Trump a second term — with almost a quarter of them citing the economy as their reason, a new poll showed Monday.
In the HarrisX survey conducted for The Hill, 54 percent said they’d think about voting for Trump; 46 percent said they wouldn’t even consider casting a ballot for Trump.
The economy will figure prominently in voters’ decision, according to the poll; 22 percent of those saying they could vote for Trump cited the economy as their primary reason.
"Clearly the economy is always the issue in every presidential election," GOP pollster Ed Goeas told Hill.TV. "Because that's what it always is. Jobs, the economy, taxes. Basically, do people feel their lives are doing better economically than when that president went in?"
The margin of error in the poll — which was conducted before a summary of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation was released — is plus or minus 3.1 percent points.
Here’s some other findings:
- 95 percent of respondents who said they voted for Trump in 2016 said they’d do it again in 2020.
- 76 percent of 2016 Hillary Clinton voters said they would "never" vote for Trump; 24 percent said they’d at least consider it.
- 65 percent of respondents who didn’t vote in 2016 said they’d never vote for Trump; 35 percent said they could do so.
© 2023 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


text:
One of the things I feel is lost in our current society is an understanding for the “art” in fine art photography. Digital SLRs are so cheap now they are prolific in their use by ordinary folks. Before digital it was a rare person who spent the money to purchase an SLR camera. They were expensive and difficult to operate. People would instead buy camera like the Brownie, or Instamatic. If they had some money they might buy something like the Rollei 35B but rarely a 35mm SLR. Rich people might buy a Leica M series camera.
The photos taken with these camera litter draws. Travel photos, parties or other special occasions. Today as an artist I try to recreate the look of some of these camera much the same way people use the Holga camera. But then along came digital cameras. It took years to develop them into the machines of today and now with price points dropping almost anyone who wants a camera can pick up a Digital SLR and bingo they are a photographer. Add to that programs like Photoshop Elements and you can act like a pro.
There is just one problem. Training. Learning about Art. Seeking valid critiques of your work. You see a real photographer studies and learns all he(she) can about the ART of image creation. The image could be a drawing or a print; maybe an etching. The principles are all the same. You must learn the rules before you break them. When you break them there needs to be a good answer to the question “Why?”
Then the new camera owner assails us with his wonderful images on Flickr or some other image sharing site and claims to be able to comment and critique other peoples work. What they don’t know is those of us who have spent a lifetime in study and practice don’t really care what they have to say and; really your photos are so mundane.
I personally push the limits when I work. I search for meaning and emotion. I want my image to be more than “just a photograph.” I may spend two hours working on an image in my digital darkroom then print it and pin it up on the wall and look at it for several days. They I learn what wrong and go at it again to get the final results I’m looking for.
Here is my advice to those of you who have just gotten home with that new digital SLR. First off don’t spend too much on the camera. I have done some amazing photos with the cheapest cameras. Second don’t buy Photoshop. Instead get Photoshop Elements. It will have all you need. Third, organize your images. Think hard about work flow so you develop a consistent process and image storage system.
Fourth, READ. One great book is “VisionMongers: Making a Life and a Living in Photography.” Click HERE for a good book on workflow. Locate a local photo club. In Kansas City it might be Digital Dimensions of Kansas City. Take some art classes. I’d do an art appreciation class then maybe even a drawing class. You have to “learn” how to see and how to process the world differently than you do right now.
Fifth, learn your camera and your software. For the software you may only need to know 20% of how it works to use it for the kind of images you create but learn it well. You have to understand white balance, exposure control, noise reduction, histograms, curves, and how not to create a cliché.
And for God’s sake don’t get on Flickr and tell me what I’m doing wrong. Instead react emotionally to the photos and tell me what they mean to you. That tells me so much more than comments like, “you need to crop tighter.” You may not have a clue as to why I cropped the way I did but there is a reason.
Remember, photography is very difficult to do well.

domain: artistic


text:
The parents of a third-grade boy are suing a Ft. Worth school district and two employees for forcing their son to shower in front of them because he was “smelly.”
Amber and Michael Tilley claim that their eight-year old son was taken to the nurse’s office at Peaster Elementary School where he was forced to remove his clothes.
The complaints alleges that: “[School officials began violently washing his body with a washcloth, scrubbing him over a large portion of his body, stuck cotton balls in his ears, all while ridiculing and harassing him about being ‘dirty’.”
The parents said that they filed a police report but no charges were set.
According to the claims made in the lawsuit, the boy became distraught over the incident and had to see a therapist shortly after.


At- a- glance ( 2 pages). Cisco Catalyst 4500E Supervisor Engine 8L- E: Enhanced Campus Access and Aggregation Supervisor Engine Data Sheet Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series Supervisor Engine V Data Sheet Cisco Catalyst datasheet 4500 Series Supervisor Engine IV - Integrated Resiliency for Advanced Control of. CISCO CATALYST 4500 Switch Modules datasheet. Catalyst 4506- E Switch datasheet pdf manual download. Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series Cisco cisco Catalyst 4500 Series integrates resiliency for cisco advanced control of convergednetworks.
Catalyst 4500 Catalyst 4506- E Catalyst 4507R+ E cisco . Line cards ( 23 pages) Switch Cisco Catalyst 4503 Description. The new ' E- Series' with CenterFlex technology is designed with unprecedented backward forward compatibility delivering exceptional investment cisco protection deployment flexibility to meet the evolving needs of organizations of all sizes. backward- compatible with all classic Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series line cards 4506- E, 4506, , 4507R- E, can be used in both datasheet the classic Cisco Catalyst 4500 chassis with the Cisco Catalyst 4503, 4507R, 4510R Switch chassis as well as the Cisco Catalyst 4500 E- Series Chassis: Cisco Catalyst 4503- E, 4510R- E Switches. Cisco Catalyst 4506- E: Product Brochure. Cisco Catalyst 4500E 48- Port UPOE w/ 12- cisco Port MultiGigabit and 36- Port 10/ 100/ 1000.pdf - datasheet Cisco datasheet 4500 switch modules can extend the usefulness of your datasheet cisco catalyst 4500 switches by installing the modules in your system. 170 West Tasman Drive San Jose CAUSA. We have 7 Cisco 4506 - Catalyst Switch manuals available for free PDF download: Configuration Manual How- to Manual, Product Support Bulletin, Datasheet, Overview, Supplementary Manual Description. Figure 1 datasheet Cisco Catalyst 4503 4507R Series Overview The Cisco Catalyst® 4500 Series offers nonblocking Layer2/ 3/ 4 switching with integrated resiliency, 4506, further enhancing control of converged networks. Also for: Catalyst 4506 Catalyst 4500 series, Catalyst 4510r- e, Catalyst 4510r, Catalyst 4507r- e, Catalyst x4424, Catalyst 4503- e, Catalyst 4506- e, Catalyst datasheet 4507r . here you can find catalyst 4500 e- series supervisor engine, cisco. View and Download Cisco Catalyst 4503 datasheet online.
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This short summary of the Cisco Catalyst 4506- E network equipment chassis 10U data- sheet is auto- generated and uses the product title and the first six key specs. 4503- E, 4506- E, 4507R+ E, and 4510R+ E chassis are extremely flexible and support either 24 or 48 Gbps per line- card slot. Integrated resiliency in the Cisco Catalyst 4500E Series includes 1 + 1 supervisor engine. User Manuals, Guides and Specifications for your Cisco 4506- E - Catalyst Switch Network Router, Switch. Database contains 6 Cisco 4506- E - Catalyst Switch Manuals ( available for free online viewing or downloading in PDF) : Datasheet, Configuration manual, Manual, Overview, Description, How- to manual. 1 Introduction This is a non- proprietary Cryptographic Module Security Policy for the Cisco Catalyst 4503- E, Catalyst 4506- E, Catalyst 4507R- E, Catalyst 4507R+ E, Catalyst 4510R- E,.
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text:
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text:
Last July mobile rewards startup Kiip announced it had raised an $11 million funding round “led by Relay Ventures, with participation from existing Series A investors Hummer Winblad and True Ventures, and others.” Now the company is disclosing that Interpublic Group was among those “other” investors.
IPG’s investment doesn’t preclude Kiip from taking funding from or working with other agency holding companies, Kiip cofounder and CEO Brian Wong said. However it does solidify ties between Kiip and IPG's collection of agencies. The startup has already worked with Initiative and Ansible. Now Kiip will also work closely with IPG Media Lab, the holding company’s unit charged with finding emerging technologies for clients to start using in their marketing.
Wong wouldn’t say how much cash IPG poured into Kiip but described it as a “strategic” investment, which suggests the holding company took a small stake in the 21-year-old’s startup compared to the VC investors. Then why wait to announce IPG’s investment until six months after the round was announced? So that articles written about the round didn’t overshadow IPG’s inclusion and vice versa, it seems. “I think it was more a matter of people being too busy; there was no real reason for us [to announce it],” Wong said.
“What we wanted to do is have a really clear idea of how that partnership would look like, how we would work together, before we were able to talk about it publicly,” Wong added. “I wish I had a more juicy answer for you, but it literally was like, ‘Let’s just do it in January’ because we don’t have to [announce it]. We’ll just wait until it’s a kick-off to the year and really showing that validation [for Kiip].”
Also validating’s Kiip position as a mobile rewards partner are the 100 campaigns it ran last year for 75 brands including Pepsi, American Express, Best Buy and Mondelez. The startup had started out as an in-game ad platform, high-fiving mobile gamers with virtual goods when they completed a level or beat a game, but has grown into rewards platform that brands can use to deliver offers tied to these “own-able moments” — moments that can deepen the relationship between brands and consumers, Wong claims. Last year Kiip saw 1 billion of these moments—and 280 million in the last 30 days—and served 200 million rewards. Wong wouldn’t say how many of those rewards were redeemed “because that way people will know our revenues” but said that redemption rates range from 10 to 25 percent per reward.
Kiip’s rewards platform has been largely mobile-centric—spanning 700 apps, 70 percent of them games, according to Wong—but the company has begun making headway into search and social. Discussing the IPG investment during last week’s International CES, it seemed a logical next step for Kiip could be the connected car. “Let’s just say it would be a mistake for us not to think about other areas where rewards could be applied to,” Wong said.
“Our eventual goal as a company is to own every single achievement moment on the planet, whether it be you hit your energy savings goals with your Nest thermostat or you were able to get good mileage with your hybrid [car],” he said.


text:
Attorneys are headed to federal court Thursday to argue over a Portland city ordinance that establishes a buffer zone in front of a downtown abortion clinic, saying they will be closely watching a nearly identical case in Massachusetts that could soon be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The ruling could influence the outcome of the Maine case currently pending in U.S. District Court in Portland – or even make the local case moot.
Anti-abortion activists are asking the court to temporarily suspend the 39-foot buffer zone around the entrance of the Planned Parenthood health clinic on Congress Street, which was approved by the Portland City Council last November.
A Shapleigh family, Daniel and Marguerite Fitzgerald and their children, claim that the buffer zone around the clinic violates the First and Fourth amendments of the U.S. Constitution, which protect free speech and prohibit unlawful search and seizure. They were joined in the case in March by another anti-abortion protester, Richmond resident Leslie Sneddon.
In their lawsuit, the Fitzgeralds and Sneddon name the city of Portland, Mayor Michael Brennan and each member of the City Council as defendants.
The city’s attorneys, Patricia McAllister and Danielle West-Chuhta, had sought to have the suit put on hold until the U.S. Supreme Court issues its ruling in the Massachusetts case, but the judge rejected their motion last month.
McAllister, however, said Wednesday that it’s “highly unlikely” the judge would suspend the city ordinance and does not expect Judge Nancy Torresen to rule immediately.
“All of the case law is in our favor, which is why the council passed the ordinance in the first place,” McAllister said. “Our ordinance mirrors, almost word for word, the ordinance that was approved in Massachusetts and upheld by the 1st Circuit (U.S. Court of Appeals).”
But McAllister said she can’t predict how the Supreme Court will rule in the Massachusetts case or exactly when it will rule.
The Supreme Court has 16 remaining cases to decide before its annual term ends in two weeks, including a Massachusetts case that asks whether the state can enforce a 35-foot buffer zone near the doors of abortion clinics or whether that violates the First Amendment rights of protesters hoping to persuade pregnant women from ending their pregnancies.
The high court heard oral arguments in the Massachusetts case, Eleanor McCullen v. Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, on Jan. 15, and has not announced when it will issue a ruling.
One of the attorneys representing the Fitzgeralds and Sneddon said on Wednesday that they expect the Supreme Court to overturn the Massachusetts buffer zone, thereby invalidating the Portland ordinance.
“If and when that happens, the Plaintiffs would move to have the City of Portland’s ordinance struck down consistent with that opinion,” said attorney Erin Elizabeth Mersino of Michigan, in an email while en route to Maine. “The Supreme Court’s decision in McCullen v. Coakley will be instructive for the Maine case, however it may not be determinative. The prohibited speech zone in the Maine case is even larger and even more intrusive on our Constitutional freedoms than the zone the Supreme Court is examining in McCullen v. Coakley.”
Mersino said that even if the Supreme Court issues its decision on Thursday morning in the Massachusetts case, Torresen would still need to decide whether to suspend the Portland ordinance.
“There was no need for this ordinance. The ordinance does not accomplish anything other than making the public sidewalk open to one class of people, while excluding another based upon the point of view of one’s speech. If you’re trying to counsel a patient of Planned Parenthood, then you are no longer welcome on the public sidewalk and you are subject to fines,” Mersino said. “That concept is un-American. All Americans regardless of viewpoint should be able to voice their viewpoint on the public sidewalk and in the public square.”
McAllister said that since the City Council approved the 39-foot buffer zone around Planned Parenthood, there have been no police enforcement issues and far fewer complaints.
“Things have quieted down tremendously since the ordinance has been in place. It has made a drastic difference over there,” she said.
For about a year before the Portland ordinance was enacted, 10 to 25 anti-abortion protesters, including children, have gathered regularly in front of Planned Parenthood’s entrance, some holding large signs with graphic photos of aborted fetuses. Some shouted Bible verses at women and called them murderers.
Soon after the protests started, Planned Parenthood hired police officers to ensure that the protests did not get out of control. The clinic also had volunteers in brightly colored vests help patients navigate the crowd.
Portland Police Chief Michael Sauschuck said in a sworn statement filed in federal court that although no one was cited for criminal or civil offenses during the protests, he supported the buffer zone ordinance.
“Just because certain behaviors might not rise to the level of criminal harassment, that does not mean a person having to transit a ‘gauntlet’ of protesters while entering the clinic might not legitimately feel harassed and intimidated,” he wrote.


It’s often easy to think of artificial intelligence (AI) in only the most fantastic terms - to imagine something closer to Rosie, The Jetsons’ robot maid, than, say, the hardware in your phone. But the truth of it is far simpler, and indeed, far closer to home; AI has already colored our lives in all kinds of ways, creeping into the apps we use, the devices we own, and for some (in the case of Teslas, certainly) even the cars we drive. It’s how we know what to watch (Netflix), and where to turn when we’ve lost our way (Siri). But what might it mean for the everyday marketer? Should marketers see AI as a windfall (an opportunity, helping them meet their objectives and revenue goals?), or their eventual downfall (what replaces them down the line)?


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16 May 2022
Meet Shaun (he/him) – he’s a Structural Engineer working at our South Flank and Yandi mines in the remote Pilbara region and one of the leads for Jasper, BHP's LGBT+ network.
As part of IDAHOBIT Day 2022, we caught up with Shaun about his journey at BHP, what the role of Jasper is, and how people can learn more.
Why did you join Jasper, Shaun?
I finished my degree in Civil Engineering at UWA and had a great experience in the BHP Grad program.I joined Jasper about a year after starting with BHP. I identify as gay and I felt like I needed a group of people who understood my experience as a gay man working in the mining industry. Mining can be quite fragmented across different remote sites – and for me, Jasper was a great peer support group. It’s a network where people can be themselves without feeling pressured to hide their sexual or gender identity. I felt like I wanted to help out and drive some initiatives so I became a committee member and now I’m really excited to be leading Jasper for WA Iron Ore.
What sort of experiences have you had at BHP?
Luckily for me, every experience I’ve had at BHP has been overwhelmingly positive. I have had amazing teams where I’ve been comfortable being openly out and gay in the team.
I know that’s not the case for a lot of people.
Sometimes I do feel awkward with people outside of my team if they ask if I have a girlfriend, but I know they don’t mean any ill intent or hostility from asking that question. Everyone is different but I don’t feel comfortable or necessary to bring it up with everyone.
In my experience, the mining industry seems quite progressive. But I do hear of people who have negative experiences. I wish everyone had the same experience that I did. I wish everyone had Allies around them for support, like I do.
What makes your team unique and your experience so positive?
My team is already quite diverse. Everyone is very open to discussion and not afraid to speak up about things they are passionate about. Everyone is incredibly open minded.
How would you suggest people address this topic and help LGBT+ people feel safe and comfortable at work?
Personally, what I have found really heart-warming is when people mention Jasper events and topics in the daily safety meeting. It signals that this is something the team supports and is worth their time to talk about LGBT+ issues and topics. That special days like IDAHOBIT, Wear it Purple Day or Pride Week and the LGBT+ community are just as important as other big issues in the world.
It is about dignity and respect for people that identify as diverse sexual or gender identity. We all deserve this time to talk about these issues that are important to us.
Thank you Shaun, for sharing your experiences today. We want everyone to be able to feel safe to bring their whole selves to work and realise their full potential – and that’s why it’s important we recognise days like IDAHOBIT and stand against fear or misunderstandings of our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex LGBT+ teammates.
More on Jasper, BHP's LGBT+ ally inclusion network here - Jasper - LGBT+ inclusion at BHP| BHP

domain: sociology


text: This paper reports a normative study on the phonological development of British English-speaking children. Speech samples of 684 children, aged between 3;0 and 6;11 years, randomly selected from nurseries and schools in eight different areas throughout the UK, were collected and analysed to obtain normative data. This paper reports on two aspects of speech development: the age of acquisition of sounds (phonetic acquisition) and the age that error patterns were suppressed (phonemic acquisition). It discusses the effects of age, gender and socio-economic status on speech sound development. The study found that older children had more accurate production and fewer error patterns in their speech. It found no gender differences in the younger age groups. However, in the oldest age group, it found the phonological accuracy measures of girls' better than boys. It found no significant effects of socio-economic status on any of the phonological accuracy measures.