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Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – which still remains the stupidest and most ham-fisted way to set the anthology films apart – is the prequel Star Wars fans have been waiting for. The film does have some glaring issues but they are faint in comparison to what is otherwise a pulsating prequel.
It starts off at a worrying pace
Right off the bat, I’m going to make a comparison that will come unexpected to most. Rogue One starts off alarmingly like Suicide Squad. The film doesn’t really begin … instead it stumbles into a surprisingly compelling story. As Gareth Edwards, the film’s director, flits from one corner of the galaxy to another we are given select moments with our central group of rogues. Some of these moments work and some don’t.
Jyn, meticulously portrayed by Felicity Jones, may be armed with your by-the-book childhood loss and suffering origin, but it is her conflicted nature and her attrition with Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) that elevates that character. Cassian’s introduction in which he cynically kills an informant in order to escape sows the seeds of redemption, which does pay off in the film’s climax. K-2SO’s (Alan Tudyk) first lines may as well have been ‘comedic relief from here on in.’
However, Chirrut (Donnie Yen), Baze (Wen Jiang) and Bodhi (Riz Ahmed) all feel short-changed. Sure the characters are built on with every other scene and become favourites by the time the credits roll, but, if I’m being honest, I had to visit IMDb to be sure of their actual names.
In truth, the film’s opening 20 minutes is not indicative of the rest of the film. It’s difficult to work through and, at times, confusing. Rogue One supposedly entered extensive reshoots and re-edits with Bourne scribe Tony Gilroy overseeing the minor overhaul. And if I’m going out on a ledge – preferably one that can handle a hefty slice of weight – the first half of the film was the problem.
Disney goes dark and it’s a smart move
It may sound like I didn’t like the film. In fact it’s quite the opposite. Rogue One is a fantastic instalment in this revitalised franchise. It is an edgy, dark and brooding corner of the Star Wars universe and it is oddly refreshing to see an ‘adult’ Star Wars movie. It’s because of this adoration that the blemishes become noticeable and must be pointed out. In other words, this is nit picking.
When Rogue One gets into the shadowy alleys of the galaxy far, far away, it is a fresh take on Star Wars. It is proof, more so than Force Awakens even, that Disney is being smart with the Star Wars franchise. Sure they’re going to bombard us with this Intellectual Property (IP) and sure they’re selling Death Star Waffle Makers and Grapes Sponsored by Yoda, but when it comes to the films they’re being smart.
An Awesome Climax
Despite the reported problems with Gareth Edwards’ first cut of the film, Edwards directs perhaps the best climax of any Star Wars film to date. Whilst The Force Awakens conclusion was one laced with emotion following Han Solo’s murder and triumph against Star Killer Base, Rogue One’s was vast, rapid and tense. Every character had their cathartic moment. Every hero had his/her sacrifice. Every villain got his due in one way or another. It was a near perfect close to a fantastic film and Edwards has to be complimented for that.
Saw Gerrera and his dialogue
So look, I’ve complimented the film right? Now I get one nit pick, right? So, I want to take a moment to talk about Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker). I understand that Saw is a character that appeared in the Clone Wars animated series and is already established in this universe … but, what in god’s name was with the dialogue? I understand the rather heavy-handed parallels between Saw and Vader and, in some capacity, actually appreciate it but the character was a walking trope. Every single line of dialogue given to Saw was predictable, cheesy and entirely flat. ‘Save the Rebellion … Save the Dream’. Lord in Heaven. Poor old Whitaker gave it his sweaty-faced all but Saw came off as laughable rather than intimidating or anything else actually. And just when he was beginning to open up in the face of Jyn … boom he’s gone. And that’s the end of his Star Wars Story.
K-2SO and Chirrut steal the show
But then there’s the likes of K-2SO and Chirrut. Tudyk and Yen are the scene-stealers in this film. To put it in simple terms, K-2SO is Rogue One’s BB-8 and Chirrut is Donnie Yen at his most Donnie Yen. K-2SO is both comedic relief and a mirror held up to Jyn’s face – a very well meaning one. She treats him like a throwaway droid to begin with and ends with them supporting one another to the death. It’s typical but goes a long way to bring the Rogue’s together in their final moments. It makes it a bittersweet ending but one that eventually leaves you with a full heart.
Chirrut builds on abstracting the Force
Chirrut is a character that represents a lot. Not only does he provide the audience with moments of visceral enjoyment, like sniping a TIE fighter out of the sky, he also presents a tonal shift in the Star Wars franchise. The original trilogy made it so that the Force was very much cut and dry; if you used it for evil, you were deemed a Sith and if you used it for good, you were deemed a Jedi. No one else seemed to have a handle on it. What characters like Chirrut and, to some extent Finn, have done is abstract the Force away from Force users. It isn’t just a McGuffin anymore but rather an aura that flows through every film. Star Wars isn’t just black and white anymore, it’s grey and that is far more compelling.
Raising the dead … and the consequences
Get ready for another nit pick. So let’s just say it: Governor Tarkin is in the film. He’s in this film despite Peter Cushing, who portrayed him in the original trilogy, being totally dead. What they decided to do is have Guy Henry (a well-respected British stage and screen actor) imitate Cushing’s delivery and replaced his face with a CGI recreation. It works, it really works, in some moments but in others it doesn’t.
When I first left the theatre it wasn’t an issue at all. Cushing’s recreation was actually a highlight but then it felt avoidable and ultimately a mistake. There are a few villains in this film: Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn), Tarkin and Vader. We’ll get the latter in a bit. But the main paradigm here is that of Krennic and Tarkin. Why have Tarkin in the film if he just takes away from Krennic? Mendelsohn was already crafting a snivelling yet imposing Imperial Official and was heading towards being a solid villain. But with Tarkin he was undermined and lessened as a villainous threat.
In truth it felt like a calculated Marvel-esque move. (Spoilers for Doctor Strange for the remainder of this paragraph). In Doctor Strange, the hero fights off against Kaecillius (Mads Mikkelsen, who is great in Rogue One) and his lackeys for 90% of the film. It’s fun, it’s ramping up and it’s going somewhere. Then, in the final third, it’s revealed that Dormammu, a being from another dimension, was behind the whole thing and he’s the real threat. I felt cheated and I felt sorry for Mikkelsen who was crafting a decent Marvel villain, an aspect of their films that is rarely memorable. Unfortunately, the same thing happened with Krennic.
That Awesome Climax … again
The difference, however, between Doctor Strange and Rogue One is that one had an amazing and riveting climax that made the conflicts and resolutions mean something whilst the other was an anti-climactic cop-out.
Rogue One may have done an injustice to Krennic and Mendelsohn both but it did the audience justice with its space battles. The invention in hammerheads pushing and splitting Star Destroyers in half, ships being stopped dead in their escape, the camera swooping with ease yet immersive chaos came together for an awesome final battle.
Vader puts Daredevil to shame
And nothing made the final moments better than seeing Vader in all his glory. Vader had two scenes in Rogue One. In the first he made a pun and everyone, including myself, loved it. In the second, he decided to do his best audition for a horror movie and destroyed a substantial amount of guys in a hallway. He not only put Daredevil to shame with a hallway massacre but was also incredibly frightening and imposing doing it. It was a masterful sequence, the best in the movie, and builds on the allure of Vader as one of cinema’s most loved villains.
Let’s take a moment and appreciate the diversity
Aside from the aforementioned love and the terrible nit picking, one also has to commend Disney for some mother-flipping diversity. Whilst their other company Marvel has taken nearly a decade a put out a film with either a female lead or a black lead, Lucasfilm is doing the lord’s work. We’ve had two Star Wars films with female leads and they’ve made all the money under the sun. We’ve had a Pakistani, a couple of black guys, two Latinos, a ginger and two Chinese dudes and that’s just the front-facing cast. It’s even better when you look at the supporting cast and it’s only going to get better. In an age where whitewashing is abundant, diversity has to be praised and supported, even if it is the evil face of Disney behind it all.
A justified Star Wars Story
And I want to sign off this ramble review with a positive – a rather blatant one at that. Before I went to see Rogue One, I wasn’t excited. I wanted to return to Rey’s story and Finn’s story and see what’s up with Luke. Rogue One just wasn’t pulling me in. But, when the credits rolled, and it became clear that this was one movie, one story and one adventure with a group of characters we’d probably never see again, I appreciated it even more. I appreciated that every character died and passed on the mantle to the original trilogy. I appreciated that the film didn’t force a kiss between Cassian and Jyn. I appreciated that despite its touching humour, K-2SO didn’t make it. I appreciated the bittersweet climax. It felt like Star wars but also like discovering a new take of Star Wars and it was all worthwhile. It was, in the end, a story worth telling.
PS: On my journey home from the theatre, accompanied by the lads, a rather wasted man tried to pitch us a sequel, he dubbed it Rogue Two, in which the entire film – wait for it – would centre on Leia putting the plans inside R2. Have a lovely day.


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Foreign nationals are the future of the tech industry in Silicon Valley, not Americans, say tech executives who are demanding that Congress give an amnesty to 3.5 million illegal aliens.
At Microsoft’s San Francisco headquarters, Ron Conway, co-founder of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s open borders group, FWD.us, said it was illegal aliens covered by the President Obama-created Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that would be “the next Mark Zuckerberg,” in reference to the billionaire Facebook CEO.
“In this group [of DACA illegal aliens] is the next founder of a great tech company — the next Mark Zuckerberg, the next Sergey Brin,” Conway said as he sat next to former Obama Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano. “We have to get pissed off and call our members of Congress.”
Microsoft executive Jack Chen similarly claimed that it was “disproportionately” foreign nationals, not Americans, in the tech industry who are driving innovation as he pushed for an expansion of immigration into the U.S.
“So much of the benefit and innovation in technology comes disproportionately from immigrants,” Chen said. “We have been a talent magnet for so long, and I want to posit that we don’t want to find out what it’ll be like if we no longer are.”
DACA illegal aliens, though, are not the high-skilled, profoundly education middle-class foreigners that the tech industry and open borders lobby have made them out to be.
For example, a study by Harvard scholar Roberto Gonzales shows that 73 percent of illegal aliens covered by DACA are living in low-income households, qualifying for free lunch at American public high schools, as well as other federal welfare benefits.
Additionally, a study by the American Council on Education admitted that only between five to ten percent of DACA illegal aliens enroll in college. This is far from the case for American high-school graduates, of whom, in contrast, 65 percent enrolled in college in 2013 and 68 percent in 2016, according to the federal government.
Another study by Gonzales revealed that roughly 40 percent of DACA illegal aliens have no education beyond a high school diploma, leaving them vastly more likely to compete against America’s working-class than any other socioeconomic group.
Another 21 percent of DACA illegal aliens dropped out of high school. Most notably, only 22 percent of DACA recipients have earned a four-year degree from a college or university, according to Gonzales’s research.
Only four percent of DACA recipients have completed college, far below the roughly 17 percent of similar-aged young Americans who have college degrees, according to data released in November by the Migration Policy Insitute. According to the Migration Policy Institute:
While DACA recipients are almost as likely as U.S. adults in the same age group (15-32) to be enrolled in college (18 percent versus 20 percent), they are far less likely to have completed college (4 percent versus 18 percent).
The DACA people are a subset of the larger population of young illegals — dubbed ‘dreamers’ — whose overall graduation rate is just one-tenth of the 18 percent of similar-aged Americans who hold four-year college degrees, says the MPI data.
Silicon Valley tech giants, though, have continued to demand more immigration to the U.S. as a way to drive down wages in the American workforce, breeding a never-ending flood of cheap, foreign labor.
Through the H-1B visa — whereby more than 100,000 foreign workers are imported to the U.S. every year to take American jobs — the tech and outsourcing industry has successfully been able to replace American workers with foreign nationals in Silicon Valley jobs.
As Breitbart News most recently reported, foreigners now outnumber Americans in Silicon Valley’s white-collar, high-paying jobs, with 57 out of every 100 jobs in Silicon Valley that require at least a bachelor’s degree being taken by a foreign-born resident.
The growing foreign-born population taking jobs in Silicon Valley comes as nearly 500,000 Americans graduate in the STEM fields every year. Those American graduates are then forced to compete with an unprecedented foreign-born population in the U.S. and foreign workers who are imported by outsourcing firms and major tech conglomerates.
Under the DREAM Act amnesty, which tech executives want to see tacked onto a year-end spending bill, 3.5 million DACA illegal aliens and DACA-eligible illegal aliens would be allowed to permanently remain in the U.S., thus receiving a pathway to citizenship.
After the group of amnestied illegal aliens obtained U.S. citizenship, they would then be able to bring their foreign, extended family members into the country as well. This is what’s known as “chain migration.”
Should a DACA amnesty be passed and signed off on by President Trump, a chain migration to the U.S. of roughly 9.9 to 19 million foreign nationals would follow, with the mass immigration impacting an entire generation of Americans.
Every year, more than 1.5 million illegal and legal immigrants are admitted to the U.S., with the current foreign-born population booming to an unprecedented high of roughly 44 million individuals. Mass immigration to the U.S. has been at the expense of American workers in the working and middle-class who have been forced to compete with foreign labor while their wages have remained stagnant.

domain: sociology


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Quote of the Week: Rhoda and Ken Leffler
Tanzania was everything we hoped it would be – and more. With one of us extremely eager to go and the other more reluctant, the fact that we both enjoyed ourselves so much is a testament to the breadth and knowledge of our experience. From the meticulous attention to detail in the printed information we received before the trip to the prompt personal service each time we had questions, every concern of ours was addressed. This led us to be well-prepared for our safari. But once again, nothing prepared us for the reality of it. On the second morning, as we watched dawn break over the Serengeti, we arrived at a vast plain still green from recent rains. Herds of elephant, zebra, giraffes, impala and even buffalo, munched together peacefully on their morning meal. It was as if we had arrived back in time to the Garden of Eden, a singular privilege we will never forget.
Rhoda and Ken Leffler

domain: travel


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14 August, 2017
Sodium Nitrite & Cancer
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists cancer as one of the leading causes of death. Sodium nitrite is a chemical used to cure meat products and has been implicated as a cancer-causing agent. If you have ever consumed cured meat, you have been exposed to this chemical. Most lunch meat, canned meat and sausage contain sodium nitrite.
Purpose of Sodium Nitrite
Sodium nitrite is a Food and Drug Administration-approved food additive. It is used to cure meats and is a preservative. In the food industry, sodium nitrite is used to give cured meat its pinkish color, increase its shelf life and inhibit the growth of the bacteria that causes botulism. Although sodium nitrite is a naturally-occurring chemical in vegetables, it might increase the risk of developing cancer when used as a food additive.
Large Doses May Increase Cancer Risk
Large portions of processed meats that contain sodium nitrite have been linked to increased incidences of cancer. A study consisting of nearly 10,000 adult males and a 24-year follow-up found a relationship between sodium nitrates from smoked fish and colorectal cancer but not from other cured meats such as smoked sausage and lunch meat.
Small Doses Are Safe
Sodium nitrite does not become toxic or increase risk of cancer in doses up to 10 mg of sodium nitrite per lb. of body weight, according to the FDA. This translates to an intake of 19 lbs. of cured meat for a 150-lb. individual. The FDA considers 200 parts per million, or ppm, of sodium nitrite added to food as safe; this is equivalent to about 1 lb. of sodium nitrite additive per 5,000 lbs. of cured meat.
Uncured Meats are Available
Overall, small amounts of cured meats containing sodium nitrite are not likely to cause cancer. If you want to avoid sodium nitrite altogether, many natural food supermarkets offer meat products that are nitrite-free. These products are often labeled uncured and will not have sodium nitrite listed as an ingredient.
- Purestock/Purestock/Getty Images

domain: food


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Humacao weather in April (Puerto Rico)
What can you expect from the weather in Humacao during April? Check out this comprehensive weather guide.
In Humacao the weather in April is generally perfect, with high temperatures and moderate rainfall. Throughout the day, temperatures typically settle at around 28°C. But by evening, they drop to around 23°C.
Humacao in April usually receives moderate rainfall, averaging around 93 mm for the month. Delving into the climate records from the past 30 years, one can predict that nearly 14 days of the month will see rainfall.
The days are predominantly sunny, with an estimated total of around 268 hours of sunshine. This amount of sunlight does not only brightens the days but also contributes to a cheerful ambiance in the area during this month.
If you're inclined towards comfortable temperatures and drier conditions, April is a prime time to visit Humacao. January, February, March, April and December typically offer the best circumstances. While September tends to showcase less optimal conditions.
For an in-depth look at the yearly conditions, visit our specialized Humacao climate page with graphs.
Humacao, monthly averages in April
Where to go in Puerto Rico in AprilFind out more about the weather in Puerto Rico in April and which places have the best weather conditions in this month.
So, what should you wear in Humacao in April?It's going to be warm! Consider airy clothing, t-shirts, and other summer clothes. Shorts for men made of cotton or linen are good options for staying cool. However, there's a good chance of rain, so bring a raincoat just in case.
What To Do
We rated the following activities from 1 (least suitable) to 10 (best) to do in April.
Interested in more climate information?
Weather and Climate provides you with all the information you need about the climate in Humacao.
Our site offers climate and forecast data for every country in the world. Are you going to Puerto Rico? On this website you can find historical weather averages for many cities in Puerto Rico. Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal climate conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

domain: geography


HYDAC HMG 4000 portable hydraulic data logger
The HMG 4000 is a portable measuring and data logging device, mainly developed for measuring values related to hydraulic systems, such as pressure, temperature, flow rate and position. With main applications being servicing, maintenance or test rigs, this device is said to provide high flexibility, even when it comes to evaluating other measuring values.
The HMG 4000 has an easy-to-operate user interface due to its large 5.7″ touchscreen. The operator can access all of the unit’s functions and settings by means of clearly presented selection menus. It can record the signals of up to 38 sensors at once and it is optionally possible to connect the HMG 4000 to an existing CAN network. This enables the recording of measured data transmitted via CAN bus (such as motor speed and pressure) in combination with the measured data from the hydraulic system.
The HMG 4000 can also be used to record, online and in real time, the dynamic processes of a machine in the form of a measurement curve and render them as a graph. HMGWIN software, specific to the HMG 4000, is supplied for post-processing, rendering and evaluation of measurements on a computer.
Phone: 03 9272 8900
Fully compatible with older versions, the SolConeX range can be used in Zones 1, 2, 21 and 22,...
The Schmersal HDS switchgear series is designed for use in heavy industry.
The CP20.248 power supply features an integrated real-time condition display that informs about...


Illinois public school districts are preparing next year's budgets. It's a difficult undertaking with state aid still up in the air.
The legislative session will begin several weeks later than usual. It's not known when the governor and the lawmakers might agree on education funding.
General State Aid to school districts was cut 5% for the current fiscal year.
West Prairie Superintendent Jonathan Heerboth said the cuts for next year could be worse.
He said, ”What I hear, and I don't know if this is going to be the case, is that they are planning to pro-rate it at 90% for next year, which would really be a significant cut-back in state funds to local school districts.”
He said the budget uncertainty keeps districts from making long-term commitments to improving their academic programs or facilities.
Heerboth said, “This is a time when we really want to be moving forward with our academic programs, in a variety of areas, and it's going to take continuing levels of funding to support that.”
He said many districts are running out of areas they can cut without harming education.


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Aaron Blecha and His Cartoon Monstrosities
You may have seen his work on the Cartoon Network or through Warner Brothers. If you haven't, come sit by me and get to know Wisconsin-born Aaron Blecha.
It's the editorial work he's done while living in London that caught my eye (for example, the images posted below).
While I enjoy animated shows, there's something that changes just beneath the surface of a cartoon when you take the same animation artist and apply their skill in a different medium for an older audience: the corners are a little darker; the characters are a little edgier; there is a commentary to the unspoken story.
That's not to say Blecha's zombies are terrifying, of course.
And his army of goblins aren't going to give me nightmares either, but both teams of characters appeal to me as an adult and as an oversized kid who hasn't grown up.
I'm looking forward to the follow-up book, "Vile & Vicious Varmints of the Northwoods": not just because I like the artist, but because the cover of the book has a whisper of "Where the Wild Things Are" about it.

domain: artistic


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The Outsiders is truly an incredible book. I couldn't put it down. It painted such a vivid picture of life in the 1950's-1960's. S.E. Hinton does a spectacular job in emphasizing each character's feelings about growing up, and the problems they face at home. The setting is also described well, and as the reader, I feel as if I was hanging out with Ponyboy and his friends. I would recommend The Outsiders to anyone.
When I first read this book,I was instantly hooked.The story is amazing,and the characters are to.To this day,I still read this book because it is one of my favorites.In my opinion,people who like adventure and suspense should read this book.Its an amazing story that I love.
When I first started reading this book, I didn't want to admit that it was a well written book. I had to force myself to stop reading so I could pace myself because it really engaged me. It changes your emotions throughout the story, and makes you know how it feels to be Ponyboy. You can relate to the characters as you learn more about them.

domain: literature


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Sunday, July 26, 2009
Away We Go!
I had an independent film buff’s dream by seeing Away We Go and 500 Days of Summer on the same day.
Away We Go touched my heart more than I ever expected, and that’s in large part to Maya Rudolph’s understated yet beautiful performance. She is a wonderful actress that brought rich texture to her modern mom-to-be character of Verona. Maya can be completely goofy, as clearly illustrated from her SNL years, but there’s no problem taking her performance and her character seriously. However, there is one scene in which Verona is telling a bedtime story to her boyfriend’s niece. She’s talking through the girl’s stuffed frog, and John Krasinski is the stuffed crab; their comedy backgrounds are exposed because both their voices had me in hysterics!
This is a simple story about a couple (John Krasinski of “The Office” and Maya Rudolph) expecting their first child. They travel around the U.S. and Canada, looking for the perfect home to raise their family. The screenplay was written by the writing couple, Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida. These two are pretty hip cats in the writing world, and I hope they have more movies in them. Their screenplay subtlety touches on our definition of what makes a family and true meaning of love, commitment and parenthood.
Do not misunderstand; most of this movie is a complete crack-up. The family and friends they visit are one of the nuttiest groups you’ll ever encounter in such a short film. Allison Janney almost steals the whole movie as Verona’s completely inappropriate ex-co-worker, whose mothering of her two young children should never be emulated by anyone!
At first, Krasinski and Rudolph seem like an odd pair, but by the film’s end, the viewer believes this couple is the real deal, and you’re rooting for them to make it.
This film avoids clichés. There are no characters misunderstanding each other, a scene that puts the pregnancy in danger and a false breakup just to have the main players dramatically reconcile in the third act. This is a quiet movie about a family finding their place and I’m glad this movie can find its place too. Amongst the big special effect-laden blockbusters and raunchy comedies, it’s a treat to see this well thought out, smart, funny little film going to battle with the big boys.
Posted by Colleen at 11:14 PM


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Baltimore -- Addressing a cable audience one week after his
departure from AT&T Broadband & Internet Services, Leo J. Hindery Jr. said he
loved the business, but he wouldn't work for anyone else in it.
"It is difficult to conceive that I would ever work
for another company in the cable industry," the former AT&T Broadband CEO, now an
adviser, said during a speech last Wednesday at the East Coast Cable '99 convention
His tumultuous term at Tele-Communications Inc. and at
AT&T Corp.'s cable unit "would be a tough one for me to match, and I have no
intention of trying," he added.
Afterward, Hindery, who accepted the "Cablevision/Bill
Daniels Cable Operator of the Year Award" for AT&T Broadband, told reporters he
hasn't determined his future plans.
During his speech, he stayed away from talking about
difficulties he may have had with AT&T's corporate culture. But he predicted more
major telecommunications mergers and challenges from them.
"We will all be called upon to create new
opportunities to form these combinations," he said. "To some extent, this may be
a very difficult challenge."
Hindery said three elements make a successful company:
people, leadership and culture. He lauded several executives on his management team,
saying, "AT&T is blessed, truly blessed, to have these people on their
Asked later if he thinks AT&T will move its cable
headquarters from Denver, Hindery said, "It never should, and I don't think it

domain: news


text: P individuals based on a novel target and MoA.RESULTSNiclosamide attenuates canonical Wnt activity with reversal of Snail-mediated EMT at nM levels in colon cancer cellsWhile earlier research focused on cell death at M levels in vitro, we hypothesized that niclosamide inhibits the EMTwww.impactjournals/oncotargetprocess inside a physiologically relevant nM concentration [12, 13]. To examine this hypothesis, we initially screened cancer cell death with variable concentration in colon cancer cells and located that niclosamide induced cell death at M level whereas nM concentrations didn’t (Figure 1A). We then evaluated -catenin protein abundance and TCF/LEF transcriptional activity with reference to physiological levels of niclosamide in colon cancer cells. Constant with preceding observations , niclosamide suppressed -catenin protein abundance and TCF/LEF activity inside a dose-dependent manner (Figure 1B). Because the canonical Wnt pathway straight up-regulates the Snail-mediated EMT system of cancer cells [7, 8], we next examined Snail and E-cadherin protein abundance. Examining protein abundance of Snail and E-cadherin, we identified niclosamide therapy suppressed Snail abundance when escalating E-cadherin in colon cancer cells (Figure 1C). Given the well-known function of Snail as an E-cadherin transcriptional repressor [16, 17], nM levels of niclosamide were adequate to improve E-cadherin promoter activities (Figure 1D). As a scaffolding protein in the Wnt pathway [18, 19], Axin2 shuttles GSK3 to enhance membranous LRP6 phosphorylation/stabilization and to reduce nuclear GSK3 activity, activating intracellular signaling of Wnt and Snail-mediated EMT [8, 10]. Although earlier studies have recommended that Axin can be a tumor suppressor, recent evidence supports the critical part of Axin2 in canonical TCF/LEF activity too as in Snail-mediated EMT progression [8, 9, 20]. As a TCF/LEF target gene, the Axin2 is very expressed in colon cancer because of loss of APC tumor suppressor function or -catenin mutation [18, 19, 21], and we validated improved Axin2 abundance in colon cancer cell panels (Supplementary Figure 1A).CD83 Protein Accession Subsequent, we examined no matter whether Axin2 regulates TCF/LEF transcriptional activity along with the Snail-mediated EMT plan in colon cancer cells.SPARC Protein MedChemExpress Consistent with earlier observations , inducible knock-down of Axin2 exhibited suppression of canonical Wnt activity in tandem with reversion of Snail-mediated EMT, similarly to niclosamide therapy (Supplementary Figure 1B-1E).PMID:24624203 Due to the fact Axin2 is needed for nuclear and membranous GSK-3 dynamics [8-10], we next examined abundance of nuclear GSK3 and phosphorylated LRP6. Certainly, niclosamide treatment improved nuclear GSK3 whereas -catenin and Snail abundances were suppressed inside a colon cancer panel (Figure two). The phosphorylation and protein abundance of LPR6, a Wnt co-receptor, were also considerably suppressed by niclosamide (Supplementary Figure two). These information assistance that niclosamide might affect Axin function in colon cancer cells.Niclosamide directly binds to GSK3, disrupting the Axin-GSK3 complexDuring the Wnt signal transduction, Axin serves as a scaffolding protein that directly interacts with GSK3 ,Oncotargetand Axin1 and Axin2 proteins are functionally equivalent in vivo . We validated Axin2 functions as equivalent to Axin1 when it comes to GSK3 binding and nuclear export function primarily based on structural analysis (Supplementary Figure 3A) . To ascertain irrespective of whether niclosamide can inhibit.


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Tantalum polymer capacitors are expanding their market share in the defense and aerospace market because they offer superior electrical performance (primarily much lower ESR), have outstanding reliability, and display a more benign failure response than the incumbent MnO2-cathode tantalum capacitor technology.
It is normal that engineers want to use this new technology in high reliability applications. It is expected that during the next four (4) years the adoption of this technology will increase by 22% (compared with 2019 data).
Figure 1 – Market forecast for Polymer technology (www.statista.com)
Polymer technology can offer significant advantages and savings over traditional tantalum capacitors and other solutions as MLCC’s or Electrolytic components. They have lower voltage de-rating, provide good volumetric efficiency, which is complemented with ultra-low ESR and ESL, so ripple current ratings are significantly improved. The capacitance range at discrete level can go up to 1,500 µF and rated voltages from 2.5 to 63 VDC. The ESR can be as low as 5 mOhms and ripple current ratings can be 4 to 5 times higher than traditional MnO2 tantalums.
Ta polymer capacitors are solid state capacitors that demonstrate no wear out mechanisms when operated within their recommended guidelines. While they can be operated at full rated voltage, most circuit designers seek a minimum level of assurance in long term reliability, which should be demonstrated with data.
A voltage derating can provide the desired level of demonstrated reliability based on industry accepted acceleration models. Capacitance is not impacted by bias and it is a suitable technology for high reliability applications that follow the actual trend of higher switching frequencies with better performance in terms of capacitance roll off.
Figure 2 – ESR and Capacitance behavior in frequency (Polymer Vs MnO2)
Defense and aerospace application requirements are changing fast. In space segment, ultra-low ESR is the main drivers and defense designers are searching for solutions that can combine the lowest ESR (single digit level) with the highest capacitance possible for power rails from 28 V up to 50 V. the derating capability offered by polymer technology becomes the preferred solution in this scenario. In Fig. 3, the differences between the standard Tantalum (MnO2) with a derating of 50% are compared with the new landscape of power lines for tantalum polymer technology, requiring only 10% to 20% voltage derating.
Figure 3 – Derating capability: Polymer Vs MnO2
Hi-Rel polymer series, are the first polymer electrolytic capacitors available with failure rate options as defined by KEMET’s KO-CAP Reliability Assessment method. This method utilizes accelerated conditions (voltage and temperature) applied to board-mounted samples to assess long term device reliability. The failure rates available are B (0.1% per 1,000 hours), C (0.01% per 1,000 hours), and D (0.001% per 1,000 hours). The KO-CAP Reliability Assessment method was developed as a result of over 10 years of research to find a solution for reliability grading of polymers since Weibull grading as per MIL-PRF-55365 is often ineffective when applied to this technology. Because this well-established tool often proves ineffective, the new reliability assessment strategy was needed to be developed by KEMET (applicable to T540 and T541 Series) and for the new MIL-PRF-POLY T580 and T581 Series.
With significant success in Defense and Aerospace market, typical applications for polymer tantalum capacitors include, decoupling, hold-up, and filtering. In addition, the T540/T541 and T543 Polymer HRA stack devices can be utilized in defense and aerospace equipment’s, including, High Power Amplifiers for radars and multiple applications where GaN active components are a part of the design.
Figure 4 – KEMET Polymer series (HRA and MIL-PRF) Vs market segments
High capacitance is a requirement for these applications and KEMET’s TSP (Tantalum Stack Polymer) becomes a viable solution when there are space limitations on the PCB but adequate headroom to accommodate the height of the TSP Series. This is driven by the need to build large charge storage banks.
KEMET has available multiple configurations for stacking, different case sizes and applicable to most of existing series available (including MnO2 – TSM Series).
With the introduction of the new O case size in HRA Series (T541 and T543), improved volumetric efficiency became available to the defense and aerospace market. The O case, is an EIA (7360-43) with the following mechanical specifications:
This new case size extends the offer of capacitance to each rated voltage level and in parallel with the ESR reduction of these new part numbers. Below, the extension of T541 values, is presented (from X case to O case).
The TSP series has two available configurations using the discrete O case size:
TSP2 – Two (2) discrete capacitors
Example of a high runner (2O) part number:
TSP4 – Four (4) discrete capacitors
Example of a high runner (4O) part number:
KEMET’s TSP (Tantalum Stack Polymer) capacitors are the most efficient solution when engineers need to design a high energy source for signal power amplification. With the highest volumetric efficiency available and the unique ultra-low ESR performance in a high reliability application, this product is an ideal solution for the described use scenario. Rated voltage levels are aligned with the today’s requirements for Vdd bias (typical levels of 28V up to 60V) offering high capacitance stability in a wide range of voltage and temperature.


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Juicing has become a popular element of a healthy lifestyle because of the endless fruit and vegetable combinations that you can choose from. Juicers have made it more convenient to try out tasty recipes at home and have juice with the highest level of nutrients because it is the freshest. While juicers are primarily used to make fruit and vegetable juice, they can also be used to make:
- Homemade crackers
- Vegetable burger patties
- Nut Butter
After pushing fruits and vegetables down a chute, juicers chop and grind these ingredients to extract the juice. The fruit and vegetable pulp is discarded by juicers into another compartment because this is considered waste. However, there are some juicers that will let you choose whether or not to let the pulp mix into the extracted liquid because of the dietary fiber that pulp offers.
Different juicers are designed to extract juice differently but will all get the job done. Juicer prices will range anywhere from $50 to $1000 depending on its size, yield, and how much dry pulp is produced after juicing. Additionally, centrifugal and twin gear juicers will produce juice that contains 30% of fruit and vegetable skin, seed, or fiber while a juice press will be 99% pure juice.
This kitchen appliance can also be used to make your own version of the popular V8 fruit and vegetable juice where you can add other ingredients to your liking. Also, a juicer can be used to extract the pulp from potatoes so that you can make and fry up hash browns for breakfast. You can also choose to juice only vegetables to make a hearty soup. Here is other food that a juicer can be used for:
The juicer can be used to make baby food at home. This way, you can choose exactly what nutritious fruits and vegetables to introduce to your baby and be assured that what you are feeding your baby is fresh. Prepare your chosen fruits and vegetables by washing them thoroughly and removing stems, skin, and seeds. You can steam your ingredients for 10 minutes and prepare the juicer while waiting.
To prepare the juicer, attach the homogenizing piece which will eliminate the use of the juicer’s screen holder, this way, the pulp of the fruits and vegetables will not be discarded and will make the baby food more solid. If you do not have a separate homogenizing body, you can use the blank plate your juicer comes with or add the extracted pulp after juicing.
Add the ingredients into the juicer one at a time then transfer to a food jar. You can also store your homemade baby food in the freezer by pouring it into ice cube trays and using it within 3 months.
The juicer can also be used to make cocktails. You can use frozen fruit as long as you use the Frozen Food attachment and push them through your juicer. Pour the juice into a cocktail shaker with your alcohol of choice, shake, and enjoy your cocktail.
If you want to use fresh fruit, you can juice the ingredients after chopping them up into smaller sizes. Add your vegetables, salt, pepper, and refrigerate the juice for an hour. Stir in the alcohol afterwards and then serve.
An alternative way to use a freezer is as a dip maker. You can use fresh tomatoes when they are in season to make salsa. Wash your tomatoes and put them through the juicer and do not discard the pulp so that you can make a tomato sauce. You will need to transfer the tomato sauce into a pan and cook it on medium heat until it reduces to about half of its original volume. You can add your onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and other spices after it has been reduced.
As for hummus, add a whole can of drained chickpeas into the juicer. Combine the pulp and the extracted juice from the chickpeas with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic.
A juicer can also be used to make hash browns. Instead of grating the potatoes by hand, wash a handful of potatoes, peel them, and slice them. Run them through the chute and push them down making sure that you are separating the pulp.
Toss the potato pulp in a bowl with salt and pepper and heat your pan. Add your oil of choice into the hot pan and spoon your potato into a small pancake that is about ½ an inch thick. Flip when you see the edges brown.
The juicer can also be used to make healthy vegetable crackers. After juicing your vegetables for a green juice, take the pulp and move it into a mixing bowl. You can add flax meal, chia seeds, nutritional yeast, and spices for your cracker mix. Place this mixture on a baking sheet and make sure that it is flat before you bake it in the oven or use a dehydrator.
Before using your juicer as a nice cream maker, you will need to make sure that the ingredients are prepared. This non-dairy alternative to traditional ice cream will need peeled and frozen bananas that have been in the freezer overnight. Use the blank plate or homogenizing function of your juicer to make sure that the frozen banana will come out of the pulp tube with a smooth texture. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy.
Another use that a juicer has is as a nut milk maker. For plant-based milk like almond milk, you will need to make sure that you soak almonds overnight or for 6 hours to 8 hours in a bowl of water. This will make the almonds soft enough for juicing.
Turn on the juicer and pour out the old water and rinse your almonds 1 or 2 times. Add equal parts of fresh water back into your bowl of almonds. For a juicer, 1 cup of almonds will make 1 cup of almond milk. Your fresh water to almond ratio should be 2:1 and you can use a ladle to scoop almonds and water into the juicer for unsweetened and fresh almond milk. Consume homemade nut milk within 2 to 3 days and make sure it is refrigerated.
The juicer can also be used to make almond, hazelnut, peanut, and cashew butter. Use the blank screen or attach your homogenizing piece to the juicer if you want to make nut butter. Using roasted nuts, feed them into the juicer’s chute and push them through. Add about ½ a cup of nuts at a time and push the nuts through more slowly if you want a creamier consistency. The nut butter will be plain so you can add a sweetener of your choice or a pinch of salt. Refrigerate the nut butter and consume it within the week.
Use your juicer to make nutritious and fresh salad toppings. After juicing your fruits and vegetables, save the pulp for your salads. You can either use the pulp as is or mix it into a vinaigrette for a salad dressing with texture. This is a great way to give your salad a boost of nutrients and color.
Also, the juicer is a great kitchen tool for making sauces. To make a tomato sauce for your pasta and pizza, you will want to use the blank screen or homogenizing piece to make sure that the liquid and pulp are not separated. Of course, if your juicer does not have either, you can recombine the pulp and liquid after juicing.
Make sure to wash your tomatoes, other vegetables, and aromatics before pushing them through the juicer. You can use the juicer to puree the onions and garlic right into the juiced tomato to save time and add texture. Simmer the ingredients in a pot until combined well and add seasoning of choice.
A juicer is great for making and saving the pulp for your smoothies. The fiber content that fruit and vegetable pulp is a great booster for your smoothies which will help you absorb nutrients better. You can add the pulp right into your smoothies or freeze them in a freezer-safe bag for other days that you are planning to whip up a smoothie.
The juicer can also be used as a soup maker. If you’re on a raw food diet, juicing your ingredients is a quick and easy way to make soup. However, the ingredients can also be heated and cooked after juicing.
For a simple tomato and basil soup, wash the tomatoes, carrots, and basil beforehand. Chop up the tomatoes and carrots before pushing them through the juicer’s chute. You can roll up the basil before pushing it through the juicer. Add salt, pepper, and parsley for taste and consume raw. You can also simmer the juice in a pan for 10 minutes on low or medium heat to cook the ingredients.
Use the juicer to make your own version of the popular vegetable juice drink, V8, instead of buying it at your local grocery. Homemade V8 will not be pasteurized because you will not heat it and remove beneficial nutrients, vitamins, and enzymes. You will also be able to add in the pulp if you want to take advantage of the benefits of dietary fiber.
Wash your tomatoes, carrots, beets, celery, lettuce, parsley, spinach, and watercress before slowly feeding the ingredients into your juicer. You can add in some pulp afterwards but overall, homemade V8 is healthier than the one you will find on the shelf because it is fresh and you can control your sodium intake by not adding salt into the vegetable juice.
Vegetable Burger Patties
Finally, use your juicer to make vegetable burger patties. You can use beet, carrot, celery, or spinach pulp as the base for your veggie patties. Take about 2 cups of vegetable pulp and combine into a bowl with 1 egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. You can also add ½ cup of black beans for extra protein. Then, shape your mixture into patties before putting them in a pan on medium heat. Cook each pattie for about 4 minutes on each side before putting it on a bun and adding your burger toppings.
What are the common mistakes for usage of a juicer?
No matter what type of juicer you purchase, there are common mistakes you need to avoid when juicing fruits and vegetables or using your appliance for the use cases above such as:
- Adding too many soft fruits and fibrous vegetables. If you have grown used to adding large amounts of soft fruit or dark, leafy greens, you could be damaging your juicer. Leafy greens are very fibrous and are difficult to break down in a short amount of time which is why it is recommended to mince them before adding them to your juicer. As for soft fruit like oranges or tomatoes, there is a lack of fiber and too much mushy pulp which is why your juicer may clog.
- Drying the juicer in the oven. The heat of the oven can deform vital parts of your juicer which can affect its performance and assembly. Additionally, the magnetic sensors can be damaged which will signal to your juicer that it is not safe and as a result, your juicer will not turn on.
- Juicing too quickly. If you are pushing fruits, vegetables, and herbs down the juicer’s chute too quickly, it can also damage your juicer. Your juicer is designed to thoroughly grind and chop ingredients and this process should not be rushed if you want the juicer to do its job well. Let your juicer process one ingredient at a time and you can have about 15% more juice.
- Not cleaning up the juicer after using it. Holding off on cleaning your juicer immediately after use can cause blockage. If there is dried juice or bits and pieces of fruit and vegetables, there can be a pressure that builds up which will cause cracks to form in the juicing screen.
- Overfilling the juicer. Putting too many ingredients when the juicer is still filled to the brim can jam the juicer or the excess juice can back up into the feeding tube and into the motor. Either of these instances can damage your juicer in the long run.
- The juicer is running for too long. If the juicer stops working after you have been juicing for quite some time, it might have overheated. Running your juicer for long periods of time can cause the motor to overheat and your juicer will shut down as a safety measure.
- Use other utensils to push your fruits, vegetables, and herbs down. Using other utensils such as knives, forms, or a cleaning brush as a make-shift pusher can damage your juicer. Using utensils as a pusher can jam the juicer, usually the auger, and will damage it.
- Use water that is too hot to wash the juicer. The cold-press parts of your juicer should not be run under scalding water. The hot temperatures can damage seals and important sensors that give your cold-press juices their high nutritional content. Never wash any of your juicer’s parts in water that is heated over 176 °F (80°C).
- Your ingredients are too big. Clogging can occur if you have not prepared your ingredients for the juicer beforehand. When the ingredients are too big, they might also cause the juicer to work too hard which can cause overheating and internal damage.
Avoid these mistakes when you are learning how to use a juicer to efficiently use this kitchen appliance and maintain it.
What is the history of usage of juicers?
Juicing has been around since 150 B.C. to 70 A.D. as recorded in the Dead Sea Scrolls. During this time, figs and pomegranate were mashed and consumed for their healing benefits as the Essenes believed that this juice would give them strength. Fast forward to 1920, the organic fruit and vegetable diet was introduced to the world by Max Garson who believed that the juice from soft fruit and herbs have healing properties and can cure cancer.
So, what is a juicer? It was only in the 1930s when Dr Norman Walker invented the Norwalk Hydraulic Press Juicer because he was an advocate for the raw food diet. This machine would grate and squeeze fruits and vegetables where the pulp would be transferred into a linen bag. The pulp in this bag would be processed with a hydraulic press. This is considered the first juicer that became widely available.
The masticating juicer, also known as the cold-pressed or slow juicer, was invented in 1954 and was called the Champion Juicer. This was considered the best juicer on the market because of its ability to extract juice from nearly all fruits and vegetables. A health and fitness advocate named Jack Lalaine launched Jack Lalanne’s Power Juice juicers afterwards.
Then in 1993, Mr Kim invented the first twin gear juicer: The Greenpower Juicer. This type of juicer was designed off the mortar and pestle where the twin gears would press fruits and vegetables without the heat generated by high-speed blades. This way, the juice would still be full of nutrients and enzymes that could have been destroyed if it were processed by a centrifugal juicer.
From the 1990s onwards, juicers have become more efficient in extracting juice from fruits and vegetables and are no longer limited to juicing as seen by the case uses above.
Do the use cases of a juicer change based on type?
Yes, the use cases of a juicer change based on the type of juicer it is. Some juicers are designed for certain produce such as citrus fruits or wheatgrass and not all juicers have the same yield
The fast juicer is the most popular type found in homes and is called the centrifugal juicer. The centrifugal juicer is affordable and can shred fruits and vegetables at 6,000 rotations per minute (RPM) to 14,000 rotations per minute. Produce is fed down a tube and is shredded by the blades where the juice is spun towards the sides of the spinning basket and through a screen and into your glass. However, the high speed of this juicer can compromise the quality of your juice and there is about 30% of solids (stems, pulp, fiber) in the juice. Additionally, produce with high fiber content, nuts, and seeds should not be juiced in this type of juicer.
There are also masticating juicers that will juice produce at 80 RPM to 100 RPM which does not oxidize juice as much as the previous type of juicer. These juicers are slower, have smaller chutes, and can be more expensive and bulky.
Then, there is the twin gear juicer which has two augers that will spin and pull the fruits and vegetables. The juice of produce is then extracted by pushing ingredients into a screen that allows some pulp through.
Finally, there is the juice press which is the best and most expensive juicer on the market. A hydraulic juice press is also known as the two-stage juicer because produce is ground into a pulp and then extracted under pressure. This pneumatic juice press is where the term “cold-pressed” stems from and will give your juice the longest shelf life of 3 days to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Which juicer is best for vegetables?
The best juicer for hard vegetables will be a centrifugal juicer while leafy green vegetables should be juiced in a masticating juicer. A centrifugal juicer will be able to quickly juice cucumbers and carrots but the rotation can cause the juice to oxidize quickly which is why it should be consumed immediately. For spinach, wheatgrass, or kale, the masticating juicer will take longer but will extract the juice well and can last longer.
Does a juicer have more use cases than a blender?
No, a juicer does not have more use cases than a blender. Looking at the juicer vs. blender debate, the blender has more use cases because of its various blades and settings. Though both kitchen appliances have similar case uses the blender can be used to make sugar, vegetable rice, and dessert batter as well as be used to grind meat, breadcrumbs, and grains for flour.
What are the other kitchen tools with various use cases similar to juicer?
Other kitchen tools with various use cases similar to the juicer are the:
- Blender: This electric appliance has a jug or body with rotating blades that are used to chop, puree, mix, and liquify ingredients.
- Food processor: A food processor is a kitchen tool that is used to perform repetitive tasks such as grinding, pureeing, slicing, chopping, shredding, kneading, or mixing solid and liquid ingredients.
- Grinder: A grinder has cutting blades that are used to slice and grind food into specific sizes or shapes depending on what blade is used.
These kitchen tools have unique uses that set them apart from juicers and you can learn more about the 5 uses of these 3 appliances here.


The NBA has announced that Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has been suspended for one match against Detroit Pistons Isaiah Stewart on Sunday.
A four-year-old MVP argued with Stewart for a free throw and hit a 2-year-old man in the face, causing severe bleeding. Stewart followed James but the two parted ways, both were released during the game.
According to Pro Sports Transactions, this is the first time in his 19-year career that James has been suspended by the NBA.
They have joined a long list of 11 other NBA MVPs who have been suspended for assault or fights. Below you will find all the events along with the year, the number of suspended games and the reason for the suspensions.
How many NBA MVPs have been suspended for striking?
All entries are by default Pro Sports Transactions.
|LeBron James||2021||1||Getting to Know Isaiah Stewart|
|Nikola Jokic||2021||1||Push Markieff Morris|
|Giannis Antetokounmpo||2020||1||Hit the head Mo Wagner|
|2015||1||Shooting Mike Dunleavy Jr.|
|James Harden||2015||1||Getting to know LeBron James in the groin|
|Kobe Bryant||2007||1||Beating Mark Jaric|
|2002||2||Fighting Reggie Miller|
|Dirk Nowitzki||2008||1||Beating Matt Harpring|
|2008||1||Know Andrei Kirilenko|
|Steve Nash||2008||1||Great rivalry between Rockets-Suns|
|Kevin Garnett||2015||1||Shot head Dwight Howard|
|2008||1||Know Andrew Bogut|
|2007||1||Getting to know Antonio McDyess|
|Shaquille O’Neal||2002||3||Getting to know Brad Miller|
|1999||1||Fighting Charles Barkley|
|1997||1||Know Greg Ostertag|
|1995||1||Beating Eric Montross|
|Karl Malone||1999||1||Beating Anthony Johnson|
|Hakeem Olajuwon||1998||1||Fighting Antonio McDyess|
|Charles Barkley||1999||1||Fighting with Shaquille O’Neal|
|1996||1||Fighting Charles Oakley|
|1990||1||Fighting Bill Lambeer|
O’Neal has been suspended more than any other NBA MVP for fights, counting four suspensions and six games missed due to disputes.
Barkley and Garnett have been suspended three times each, while players like Malone and Bryant could be at greater risk if you add up the time they were released and suspended for being beaten.
Nash is still the only NBA MVP suspended for escalating fights, although Stephen Curry received a fine for the same reasons in 2013.
James joins MVP Nikola Jokic as the second winner to receive a suspension for striking this season.
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The search for a new director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California took a surprising turn today, when the rumored leading candidate withdrew his name from consideration. The withdrawal follows hard upon last week's last-minute delay of the appointment of a director. Sources say the stall was caused by tensions between the lab and its two overseers, the University of California (UC) and the Department of Energy (DOE). Furthermore, it seems that a long-running rivalry between Livermore and Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico played a role, as well as the fact that the candidate in question once oversaw a scientist accused but later absolved of spying.
UC runs both Livermore and Los Alamos labs for DOE. Typically, the university's Board of Regents rubber-stamps the UC president's choice for director, and DOE in turn approves the selection. But recent lab controversies have forced DOE to pay more attention to such appointments. New candidates were to have been presented 26 April for action by the board.
The leading candidate was believed to be Los Alamos's Raymond Juzaitis. But choosing a Los Alamos manager would be "a strong rebuke to Livermore," says Hugh Gusterson, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology anthropologist who has written extensively on both labs. "Livermore has a tradition of weak management oversight," he adds, "while Los Alamos has always been thought to run a tighter ship."
In a letter to UC president Richard Atkinson, Juzaitis, currently associate director of weapons physics at Los Alamos, withdrew himself from consideration because "events of last week, including the unwarranted linking of my name to the Wen Ho Lee affair in an attempt to cast a cloud on the appropriateness of my appointment, suggest that the unfounded controversy may hinder my effectiveness in leading the Laboratory." Juzaitis once ran the division that employed Wen Ho Lee, the former computer scientist at Los Alamos who was caught up in allegations of spying but never charged with espionage (ScienceNOW, 11 September 2000). Sources say that the relationship could have revived questions about how DOE handled the case.
Candidates left standing are believed to be Jeff Wadsworth, Livermore's deputy director for science and technology; Michael Anastasio, deputy director for strategic operations; and Steven Koonin, a nuclear physicist and provost at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.


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Dignity for All in Practice
The 17th edition of the annual journalism awards for Poverty Eradication was organized by Association of Journalists of Kosovo and UN Family
Can we ask ourselves how much we as journalists contribute to building social cohesion and trust? How much do we work to balance between important values such as diversity, inclusiveness, equal opportunities and a just, democratic, open and tolerant community? How much can we do to promote and practice gender equality on the media and with all journalists?
During the 17th edition of Journalist Poverty Eradication prize 2022, we asked all these question through two panels and discussed in depth these matters of interest to Kosovo society. In the end we concluded with the award ceremony, presenting best journalistic pieces, covering the period from 18 October 2021 up to 18 October 2022.
In the first panel, moderated by the Head of the Board of Association of Journalists of Kosovo, Mr. Xhemajl Rexha, composed of: Mr. Budimir Ničić, Journalist from Medija Centar-Gracanica, Ms. Ardinana Thaçi, journalist from Klan Kosova Tv, Ms. Biljana Nasteska Kalanoska, representative Association of Journalists from North Macedonia.
We heard about challenges that journalists face in dealing with ever changing political climate, often fighting against borderline hate speech. While in Kosovo there is no more daily press printed, in North Macedonia there are one or two daily printed media and few periodicals. Online media taking over are extremely challenging in terms of responsibility for the published information, leaving a lot of room for misinterpretation and out of context citations published and promoted in the social media. Further the panel concluded that today's media cannot exist without the old values of journalism, but it also requires new skills. We need more critical thinking than ever before. We must question everything that is happening around us and understand what is behind every story. This will lead us all to higher levels of responsibility and professionalism.
In the second panel also moderated by the Head of Board of AJK Mr. Rexha participants: Ms. Vlora Tuzi Nushi, Head of UN Women; Ms. Luljeta Demolli, Executive Director of Kosovo Gender Studies Center, and Ms. Gentiana Begolli editor from RTK1, as well as former Head of AJK Board.
The panelists discussed difficulties of working as a journalist for common good, and trust building, when there is a general trend in the media and political public discourse that seems to be working against it. Citing as a good example increasingly good portrayal of strong women in the media, as well as citing as bad cases miniscule portrayal of women in some media, by talking about their appearance and housework more than about their values and contribution.
We followed with the presentation of the Jury members composed of:
Ms. Dafina Zuna, Communication Officer from UNICEF
Ms. Donika Sabovic, Communication Officer from UNFPA
Mr. Isa Myzyraj, Freelance Journalist
Mr. Bojan Tomic, Journalist from RTK2
Ms. Doruntina Baliu, Journalist from Radio Free Europe
Based on the evaluation from the jury, AJK and UNKT awarded following prizes:
UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Mr. Niels Knudsen awarded to ‘The Best Short Video Story’ to DORUNTINA BYLYKBASHI - Discriminated in education and pocket, the piece produced for RTV Dukagjini aims to reflect the socio-economic situation and the difficulties faced by the non-majority communities in Kosovo, namely the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian citizens, and their coping with education challenge. The video story, made at the end of December 2021, focuses mostly on the new situation created due to the pandemic, which as a result had exacerbated the troubles for these communities (and not only). Protagonists in it are students of the lower education cycle, for whom permission is normally obtained from their parents for interviewing; students, who worked voluntarily for the integration of children from non-majority communities; organizations that focus on education and advocate for the integration of Roma, Egyptians and Ashkali in Kosovo; statistics from the Statistics Agency of Kosovo and statistics from the rectorate of the University of Pristina. As well as from the institutional level, the Minister of Local Government, Elbert Krasniqi, is also a part of the story, who not only speaks in the name of his official position, but also as a member and representative of the Egyptian community. The images show the condition of over 100 residents of these communities. In general, they face poor conditions and many difficulties in everyday life, also affecting the non-existence of basic rights. The place where the story took place is the village Plemetine/a, in the municipality of Obiliq/ć.
UN VOLUNTEERS Coordinator, Mr. Blerim Azizi presented the award for ‘The Best TV Documentary’ to DIAMANT BAJRA - Nothing for the minority, for his on Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities. In this documentary, the life of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities living in Kosovo is reflected. Inequality and discrimination in society make these residents of minority communities in Kosovo live with minimal living conditions. In this documentary, some members of the non-majority communities who live in Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje are interviewed. Also, part of the documentary are their representatives in institutions, who show their role and commitment to the members of the communities. From what is reflected in the documentary, it can be seen that in the absence of the necessary support from the authorities and inequality in society, being a member of minority communities is a challenge in itself. According to the data of the population census conducted in 2011, it is said that 8,824 Roma, 15,436 Ashkali and 11,524 Egyptians live in Kosovo. The purpose of making this documentary was to highlight the real situation and the challenges they face, with the aim of improving this situation.
UNICEF Operations Menager, Shpend Selimi presented the award for ‘The Best Written Story’ to DAFINA HALILI- Ghost school, ghetto school and Segregated shifts, for her inspiring investigative written piece about consequence of poverty and children segregation based on their ethnic lines in schools. In this investigative story, K2.0 tracked and documented that hundreds of Roma and some Ashkali children are separated from their peers in several Serbian system schools in ethnically mixed cities and towns across Kosovo. K2.0 confirmed that there are ethnically segregated shifts in North Mitrovica, an almost empty school in Obiliq/ć and a ghettoized branch of a Roma-only school in Gjilan/Gnjlane, and how there are indications of similar practices in Janjevë/o, Plemetine/a, and in Fushë Kosovë/KosovoPolje. The story also traced and verified how the schools of the official school system of Kosovo have illegally discriminated against Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian children, while attempts at such segregation practices continue. K2.0 shows how decision-making by parallel Serbian education structures and tacit acceptance by Kosovo's official education system allow discrimination in education to continue. But at the root of all this are the continuous deprivation of Kosovo Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian from economic rights, the gaps in supervision that are the result of the dual education system in Kosovo.
Representative of UNOPS, Mr. Sherafedin Mustafa presented ‘The Best Photograph’ between VALDRIN FETAHU - Perspective and ADNAN BEQIRI - Survival, and in addition announced that in the future this category will include also the video category under the name Best Camera.
WHO Officer, Mr Bujar Rexhepi presented the award for ‘The Best Audio Story’ to the journalist MILENA TODOROVIĆ - Position of Roma in Graçanicë/Gračanica, for her radio piece. On World Roma Day, which is celebrated on April 8, we visited Graçanicë/Gračanica, in order to see for ourselves how members of the Roma community live on the territory of this municipality. Through conversation with our interlocutors, we learned that, like most of the Roma population throughout Kosovo, the Roma in Graçanicë/Gračanica face numerous challenges, but the most pronounced are socio-economic problems. Due to high inflation in Kosovo, due to low incomes, members of this community are particularly affected, who expect help from the Government of Kosovo. Roma in Graçanicë/Gračanica are mostly engaged in physical work, the number of employees in institutions is small, therefore they are still a very sensitive category of the population in terms of existence.
UNFPA Head of Office, Dr. Visare Mujko-Nimani presented a special prize for ‘The Best Audio/Radio Story’ to journalist MAJLINDA DODA - Dismissal of pregnant women from work, for her piece of employment insecurity for pregnant women. The chronicle "Dismissal of pregnant women from work" elaborates the challenges of the female gender in a workplace, at the moment when they become pregnant. Working or starting a family is one of the dilemmas faced by women in Kosovo, mainly those who are employed in the private sector or even claim to get a job, where during the past year, over 1 thousand 500 women have left the workplace due to pregnancy. The character of this material, Donjeta, mother of three daughters, tells how she was accepted to work twice and passed all the tests, but she did not manage to get a job, because she was expecting a child, and this was to the detriment of businesses. who also told him on the spot. Meanwhile, the story further emphasizes that for the implementation of the Maternity Law, there are not enough inspectors in the field, while the official data do not have data on what percentage of women have left work for this reason. Work or family, a phenomenon that is affecting the decrease in the birth rate, considering that the unemployment level in Kosovo is 20.5 percent.


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Midterm Break is over, and we’re now beginning the section of our program set in Belfast. We were able to travel independently over the break, so I traveled within Ireland. I was able to see the Frank McCourt museum and take the Angela’s Ashes walking tour in Limerick.
Just riding on the bus to reach places on the Dingle Peninsula was absolutely beautiful. Tralee has a very nice town park where I practiced some of my watercolors, and Dingle Harbour also had some amazing views, although it would've been easier to watercolor if the rain would stop drizzling or me every fifteen minutes or so. It was nice to take things at a bit of a slower pace, although I wish I had done more work while I was at it.
I was traveling by bus, which gave me plenty of time to do some reading. Seamus Deane’s Reading in the Dark and Glenn Patterson’s The International are both books on our Belfast reading list. I enjoyed The International the most, although both were good books for trying to get some idea of the experiences of The Troubles. I did find it interesting that Patterson’s narrator Danny, a barman at The International Hotel, identifies as neither Catholic nor Protestant, although one of his coworkers does identify him as Protestant based on his educational experiences. Meanwhile, Seamus Deane’s young narrator is decidedly Catholic; his book is definitely about the Catholic experience living in such a violent environment. It seems that Danny is intended to be a more generally relatable narrator, although I'd be curious to know if he would seem to be Catholic, Protestant, or neither to a native of Northern Ireland.


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- One of French automaker Renault's newest creations, the Morphoz concept, isn't your average electric crossover.
- It can shape-shift, stretching itself out for long trips and shrinking for city driving.
- The SUV can travel 249 miles in "city mode," Renault claims, while boasting a range of 435 miles in "travel mode."
- The Morphoz isn't meant for production, but it demonstrates what's possible when carmakers take advantage of flexible electric powertrains.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Lots of cars claim to do it all, but this new electric crossover truly is two vehicles in one.
The Morphoz — a new concept car that French carmaker Renault announced on March 2 — has some neat party tricks, even if the car isn't destined for production. Like "Transformers" but less cool, the Morphoz stretches for longer voyages and shrinks for quick trips around town.
In city mode, when compact size takes priority over long range, the Morphoz assumes a smaller footprint and can travel a claimed 249 miles on a charge. Renault claims this should suffice for 90% of the driving people do.
For the 10% of the time when drivers need more range and cargo room, the Morphoz offers a travel mode. With it, the Morphoz expands to make room for extra luggage and a beefier battery pack, which ups range to an estimated 435 miles.
The Morphoz is just a concept car, so it's unlikely anything resembling it will head to market soon. But it's proof that carmakers can — and should — take advantage of the flexibility of electric powertrains to build exceedingly practical, modular vehicles.
Take a closer look at the shape-shifting SUV below:


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Getting prepared for retirement can seem like a major chore—but it is possible to do. One way to help ensure a safe and comfortable retirement is to follow the path of those who have already prepared for their post-work years.
And fortunately, baby boomers who have successfully managed their finances, as well as retirees who have eased into their golden years, all have practical tips and guidance to share.
We can certainly learn plenty from these real-life experts. They’re people who have achieved a huge part of the American dream: getting to a point in their lives where work is optional or they have financial peace of mind as they approach retirement.
Yet nearly one in three baby boomers in America acknowledge that they aren’t yet economically ready for retirement, according to a new Investor Index Survey released by TD Ameritrade. The good news, however, is that 71% of Boomers say they are prepared for the day when they’ll bid the workplace goodbye.
According to TD Ameritrade’s survey, those who ably prepared for retirement cited these five things as the biggest contributors to their retirement success:
- Limiting use of credit (67%)
- Saving early and consistently (58%)
- Spending less on luxuries / discretionary items (58%)
- Having employment with an excellent salary (56%)
- Investing in/maintaining a well-balanced portfolio (51%)
So as basic as it may seems, simply handling routine financial functions well (like saving, spending and borrowing) played an enormous role in people’s retirement readiness.
Don’t Play the Blame Game
The survey further suggests that a person’s mindset plays a role in his or her financial predicament or success.
When “prepared” boomers were asked what allowed them to stay on track and successfully save for retirement, their top three unprompted responses were personal actions they had taken:
• Budgeting and regular saving (37%)
• Participation in a company retirement plan, such as a 401(k) (20%)
• Controlling their spending and incurring little or no debt (20%)
However, “unprepared” boomers cited external factors as the top three reasons they are not on track for retirement:
• Loss of or poor employment (35%)
• High costs of living and a poor economy (33%)
• Above-average healthcare expenses (12%)
In other words, the “unprepared” group failed to take personal responsibility for their circumstances. Instead, they appeared to blame their financial problems exclusively—or at least primarily—on outside forces or situations beyond their control.
Of course, no one chooses to endure a job loss or to face a huge rise in healthcare bills. But if you claim that you’re not prepared for retirement solely (or mainly) due to these factors, you’re kidding yourself. You’re ignoring the role that you play in your financial life, and the things that were within your own power to do—things like stashing away more when you did have a job, or managing your cash-flow better during good times.
That was a common trait among “prepared” retirees: even when times were good, they maintained a fiscally conservative approach, particularly with their spending. Meanwhile the “unprepared” group was more likely to splurge during good times.
So what about you? How prepared are you for retirement and are you willing to take the steps necessary to achieve retirement security?
This article originally appeared on AskTheMoneyCoach.com.


WILKES-BARRE — The historic preservation ordinance had the support of city council and the public Thursday night, but not so for the mayor’s proposed 2021 budget.
Council, in a joint live and virtual meeting , voted 5-0 to approve the first of two readings of the ordinance crafted to protect the city’s historical buildings from demolition and establish a clear process if any of the structures have to be torn down.
The ordinance introduced by council Vice Chairman Tony Brooks maps out the historical properties and establishes a seven-member advisory committee to inventory the properties and recommend to council additions to the map, among other things.
The public support came from near and far.
South Franklin Street resident Joel Zitofsky said he’s been restoring downtown properties since 1978. “I think the ordinance is long overdue,” he said.
Ron Babcock, who grew up in nearby Laurel Run, sent an email from Pasadena, California. City Clerk Jim Ryan read portions of Babcock’s message into the record. Babcock noted that while he was a student at the University of Scranton in 2000 he produced an hour-long documentary on the Hotel Casey in Scranton. It was demolished to make way for a parking garage.
“One of things I learned is that communities who look at their historic structures as opportunities rather than obstacles do better,” Babcock wrote.
Budget in focus
The ordinance cleared the first obstacle without a problem, but the fee increases included in Mayor George Brown’s proposed $53.2 million balanced budget present a challenge to that getting approved. Brown’s plan would not raise property taxes, opting instead to double the sewer and recycling fees to $100 each to raise an estimated $2 million in revenue Brown said he needs to run the city. If council fails to approve the increases, layoffs are an option, he acknowledged.
“I don’t want to do this It’s something we may have to do,” Brown said. “If we have to do it, I’m sorry but we’ll do it the best way we can for our employees.”
Councilman John Marconi was the first to ask for input from the city’s four labor unions in the upcoming budget discussions.
“I would just like to invite all of the union reps to join our November 4th budget meeting. We’re looking for solutions to keep the city going and also to help the residents as well,” Marconi said.
Brooks and council woman Beth Gilbert McBride also issued invites to union reps.
“I believe that there are things that we can still cut back on in the budget without necessarily laying off workers who do their job to the best of their ability,” McBride said. She also said she is against laying off emergency services personnel.
During the public comment period, Lois Grimm of Spring Street phoned in and advocated wage freezes, putting a hold on all non-essential spending, special events and unnecessary overtime.
“We have consistently seen mayor after mayor after mayor put the responsibility of running the city primarily on the backs of taxpayers and we cannot afford it anymore,”Grimm said.
Body cameras, bridge contract
The city has the money to pay a portion of the $391,800 it will cost to buy 70 body cameras and a data storage unit, Brown said. Council approved the purchase from Axon Enterprises Inc. of Scottsdale, Arizona.
The first two annual payments of $78,360 will come from the Police Department and the city will seek grants to pay for the final three payments, Brown said.
Council approved awarding a $311,000 contract to Minichi Construction for the Strauss Lane bridge rehabilitation project. The funding will come from a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Multimodal Grant.
Traffic signal request
Council also approved submitting a request to PennDOT to reinstall a traffic signal at the North Wilkes-Barre Boulevard Exit 2 of the Cross Valley Expressway.
Marconi introduced the resolution and prior to the council meeting he council Chairman Bill Barrett visited the site where the light would go.
Barrett, a former city police chief, said he did accident reconstruction for the department.
“The point being, I know a dangerous intersection when I see one and I’m looking at one right here,” Barrett said.
Marconi pointed out there were no accidents at the intersection when the signal was temporarily in place for a detour for construction of the ramps at Exit 3.
Council, which serves as the Board of Revisions of Taxes and Appeals, met before its combined work session and public meeting. The Board voted 3-2 against reducing the assessed value for OSJ of Wilkes-Barre LLC to $253,000. City assessor John Anstett recommended the reduction and reducing the assessed total valuation of the property where an Ocean State Job Lot store is to $2,750,000 from $3,375,000.


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Hey, there! It’s Saturday so it’s Crazy 4 Challenges time! Plus, since it’s the third Saturday, it’s sketch week :) Helen has a fun sketch for us this week, so let’s get to it!
I will admit to being a little stumped for a bit while planning out this card. BUT, after I decided to think outside the box I came up with using MFT’s new Office Space stamp set and Office Space Die-namics. I’m using the roll of tape as my circular element and it totally works, I think, don’t you?
I started with a Kraft card stock base, then stamped up some patterned paper using Plaid Builder Background and Chocolate Brown ink, Razzle Berry ink, and Insulation Pink ink in my new fave diagonal strips. On a panel of Razzle Berry card stock, I adhered a strip of that and a piece of Primitive Cream card stock that I dry embossed with Jumbo Polka Dot stencil. I cut the tape holder from more Primitive Cream card stock and, after masking of the roll of tape with, well, tape, I inked up the holder with Chocolate Brown ink, removed my mask and carefully inked up the tape roll with Grout Gray ink. I popped that up on foam on the card front.
Next, I stamped the sentiment from the set on Chocolate Brown card stock with Whip Cream pigment ink and heat embossed with off white embossing powder, trimmed it down, and popped it up on foam, as well. To finish it off I added some enamel dots.
On the inside, I stamped the tape holder with Insulation Pink ink then overstamped the sentiment with Chocolate Brown ink.
And that's it! Be sure to check out what the rest of the design team has for you, including our August Guest Designer, Donna Wright!
- Anja de Regt
- Barbara Anders (<-- that's me!)
- Danielle Lounds
- Frances Byrne
- Heather Pulvirenti
- Helen Cryer
- Jessie Rone
- Joanne Grzelak
- Karen Aicken
- Kelli Hull
- Kristine Reynolds
- Peggy McCurry
- Donna Wright – August Guest Designer
THEN, you know what to do--we'd love to have you come along and play with us. Just do your thing with the challenge and link it to Mr. Linky on the Crazy 4 Challenges blog. Please link directly to your project. And, if you upload to a public gallery, please use the key word C4C249.
Thanks so much for stopping by today!
Stamps: Office Space, Plaid Builder Background (MFT)
Ink: Chocolate Brown ink, Razzle Berry ink, Insulation Pink ink, Whip Cream pigment ink, Grout Gray ink (MFT)
Paper: Kraft card stock, Razzle Berry card stock, Primitive Cream card stock, Chocolate Brown card stock (MFT)
Accessories/tools: Vagabond; Office Space Die-namics, Jumbo Polka Dot stencil (MFT); enamel dots, foam tape, off white embossing powder, heat tool
CUTE! LOVE the pink and brown together! And you rocked that sketch! (It would have had me scratching my head, too!)ReplyDelete

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deviate from the norm.
And what is norm anyways? If we’re all so unique, could there really be a set of perfectly outlined, agreed upon norms? Or is it more like a spectrum? I love guidelines that are used in kink play: CSS: Consensual, Safe and Sane. I believe as long as three of these parameters are met, anything we feel or do is OK. Thoughts?
I tend to say “The future is friendly” – just like an old telecommunications commercial has taught us 🙂 Our fears, anxiety about the future and negative projections typically never come true exactly as we were afraid they would. Have a wonderful day, my friends and enjoy today! It’s magnificent. And the NOW is also we ever had anyways!
FOCUS IS EVERYTHING. Shifting focus from being in the epicenter of the painful emotions to becoming the space around them. Witnessing the pain, fear, anger, rage while holding space for yourself takes an edge on and allows to settle down and soften the pain. “Pain is the mind. It’s the thoughts of the mind. Then I get rid of the thoughts, and I get in my witness, which is down in my spiritual heart. The witness that witnesses being. Then those particular thoughts that are painful – love them.”
“It’s better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing, than a long life spent in a miserable way.” Alan Watts This theme came up in a client coaching session today and I couldn’t agree more. Ever since my thyroid cancer diagnosis I understood this more clearly than ever – […]
“What we have to discover is that there’s no safety, that seeking is painful, and that when we imagine that we have found it, we don’t like it.”
I remember reading a book called “The happiness trap” It’s centered around a premise that happiness is an elusive state. Highly valued, relentlessly perused, rarely experienced. Ironically, the harder we try to buy, seize, or closet happiness, the less likely we are to be happy. Indeed, even talking about “how we can be happy” often leaves us with a sense of dissatisfaction – the happiness trap.
“It is so importance to answer this question: What do I desire?”
Right now for me – Connection. What word comes to mind for you?
“You are something that the whole Universe is doing, in the same way that a wave is something that the whole ocean is doing.” Alan Watts
“This is the real secret of life – to be completely engaged in what you’re doing in the here and now.”
“See the light in others and treat them as if that is all you see.”
Let’s start this week on a positive, lighter note 😉 Tag someone special and let them know what you really appreciate about them.


Fundraiser set for ‘The Clarinet Guy’ at Slates
A beloved musician is getting support from the community that he has entertained for years after incurring a stroke.
Jim Snyder, fondly known as, “The Clarinet Guy,” has been a mainstay at Slates Sidedoor Jazz Club in Cape Coral since it opened more than four years ago.
Now, the club that has cherished hearing Snyder’s smooth tones and top-notch style is drumming up a performance of its own to lend a helping hand.
“What I thought I would do to try and help him with his medical expenses is to do an evening of music dedicated to Jim and have some of the performers that he plays with come in and just have an open evening of jamming with jazz and blues,” said Allan Cotter, owner of Slates, along with wife Nancy.
On Saturday, Aug. 3, beginning at 7 p.m., Slates Jazz Club will host a benefit for Snyder, with many of his fellow musicians coming out to support a colleague that has garnered much respect and admiration from those who hear him play.
“Everything that that room generates on that night will go to Jim,” said Cotter. “It’s our way of saying ‘Get better soon,’ and we hope this helps.”
The musicians coming to play that night have even offered their usual paychecks to go towards Snyder’s recovery.
Snyder boasts an impressive resume and has been part of heralded bands, symphony orchestras and has been a Yamaha performing artist since 1982.
His gigs have ranged from Bourbon Street nightclubs to prestigious symphony halls.
“He’s an incredible saxophone and clarinetist,” said Cotter. “He comes with a lot of credentials.”
Snyder was also the band leader for the Walt Disney Company in Orlando.
“Because of his flexibility and highly recognizable sound, (Snyder) is in demand as a soloist and sideman on recordings that run the gamut of popular music styles; yet his musical training is truly autodidactic,” read a portion of his biography from Yamaha.
Snyder is currently a resident in the Jacksonville area, and would make the trip down to Cape Coral twice a week to perform at Slates.
“His dedication and loyalty was to be admired,” Cotter said of Snyder’s constant appearances despite the travel.
Beyond being a great musician, Snyder is a great guy, said Cotter.
“He’s an incredible person. Great sense of humor — and when he picks up a horn, it’s over. He’s just a good person and I hate to see this happen, but it does,” said Cotter. “This is where his friends step up.”
The crowd always seems to turn up when Snyder is playing in the close-knit setting of Slates Jazz Club, said Cotter.
“He’s just a master at his craft,” said Cotter. “The audience definitely enjoys when he’s playing. It’s an intimate setting. You’re right there. The acoustics are really nice. We have a good time.”
At the end of the day, what matters most is helping ease the burden of a dear friend by doing what he loves most, and that’s playing music, organizers said.
“Hopefully it’s going to be a supportive, fun night, with great music,” said Cotter.
For more information on Slates, visit www.SlatesCapeCoral.com.
Slates is at 4820 Candia Street.
-Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj