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SAN ANTONIO – The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and Bexar County Animal Control seized 80 animals on Thursday morning from a home on the far Southwest Side.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said a criminal tip led to the discovery of the puppy mill near Kinney Road off South Interstate 35, not far from Atascosa.
“A grotesque situation that we found in there,” Salazar said, adding the puppy mill was operated by a 79-year-old man.
Sixty of the animals were dogs, and eight were found dead, Salazar said. They also found several poultry animals and a goat that had injuries to its neck after being chained.
Salazar said the man was feeding them old hamburger and hot dog buns and water.
“He is not even bothering to open the bag he is just throwing the whole plastic bag full of bread in there and letting the dogs open it for themselves when they get hungry enough,” Salazar said.
The sheriff said the heat was another concern. He said all of the animals were being kept outside in the shade but described it as kennels on top of kennels with several puppies in a kennel, even pregnant dogs sharing kennels ready to give birth as soon as today.
“Some of these females, the momma dogs that are about to give birth, they are in there with other dogs,” he said. “I’m not an animal expert but I know that a momma dog can’t give birth to puppies around other adult dogs, and not expect bad things to happen to those puppies as they are born.”
The animals are now in the possession of Bexar County Animal Control.
“We see this as a public health issue in two ways,” said Dr. Andrea Guerrero-Guajardo, director of Bexar County Preventative Health & Environmental Services. “The health of the animals as a public health issue and the health of the homeowner as well.”
Veterinarians will soon be checking their health. Eligible dogs could be up for adoption in as soon as two weeks, said Dr. Guerrero-Guajardo.
Bexar County’s S.M.A.R.T. team spoke with the man at his home.
“They were able to make an assessment of the homeowner on site to make sure that he was able to make the decisions he was, to relinquish the animals, assessed his physical health, and had a discussion with him out there,” said Dr. Guerrero-Guajardo.
Currently, the man is not facing any charges. The sheriff said he is cooperating with deputies. However, if he does face charges they could potentially be animal cruelty charges.
“When you are laying in your own filth, eating bread that is at best a couple days, weeks old, that is a horrible situation for any living being,” Salazar said.

domain: pet


text:
Shane Black has discussed reuniting with Robert Downey Jr on Iron Man 3.
Downey Jr starred in Black's 2005 directorial debut Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and Black told Premiere magazine that their working dynamic has not changed despite how renowned Downey Jr has since become.
"He remained hyper-intuitive, fun and unpredictable," Black said. "The only thing that changed is that he's now one of the biggest stars in the world, and I can't cross the street with him without being mobbed."
Black went on to state that Iron Man 3 plays like a final chapter, but that it was not actually likely to be the last Iron Man film.
"I have the feeling that the story we developed for Iron Man 3 actually concluded a trilogy, while [also] leaving the door open to a fourth.
"I had a lot of discussions on this subject: 'Is this the last Iron Man for Robert?' Something tells me that it will not be the case, and that he'll be seen in a fourth or fifth."
Downey Jr has also recently hinted that he is likely to continue playing the role of Tony Stark for some time.
Iron Man 3 will be released on April 26 in the UK, and May 3 in the US.
Watch a trailer below:

domain: news


text:
A national craze of “creepy clowns” being spotted in public began a few months ago throughout the East Coast, and now just 3 weeks before Halloween, they have made their way to the Central Valley.
“Creepy clowns” is a phenomenon that started in South Carolina sometime around August, according to a news report by Fox11 in Los Angeles.
These clowns roam around different public areas, sometimes to scare or lure children. The trend is growing every day, with some cases leading to individuals being arrested for threatening victims, schools, and college campuses.
Just this month, reports of creepy clown activity have been made in Modesto, Merced, Fresno, and Sacramento, according to KCRA and FOX40.
Skateboarders at Beyer Park in Modesto chased a clown out of the area, as seen on a Twitter video. The Twitter video has garnered 1,500 retweets and 1,800 likes. Facebook posts have also indicated a sighting at the Vintage Faire Mall.
While the legitimacy is contested, the phenomenon and threats have spread to schools and other public areas.
Both Turlock Unified School District and Turlock Police Department have released statements regarding the latest incidences.
TUSD was made aware of “clowning” surfacing “near or about our community.” According to TUSD, they will continue to monitor social media and related threats while working collaboratively with TPD. TUSD identified “clowning” as including dressing up as a scary clown and harassing people; this can also include threats ranging from minor to potentially serious.
“At this time, we have received no threats to our schools but with heightened awareness and vigilance to adult presence on campuses, staff and School Resource Officers will continue to monitor and report any incidents,” TUSD acknowledged on Facebook.
TUSD is encouraging parents to have a conversation with their student(s) about not talking to strangers, and also recommends that all students walk with a group of friends directly to and from school.
If approached by a stranger, students are encouraged not to panic and to run directly to school or home while immediately reporting the incident to a trusted adult, school official, or the police.
TPD has been made aware of these “creepy clown” sightings, and although it is mostly thought to be a prank, officers would like the public to know that the matter is being taken seriously.
The Turlock Police Department wants to bring knowledge of this “trend” to our community and discourages anyone from participating.
If you see something suspicious or an individual threatening harm, please report it as soon as possible by calling Dispatch at (209) 668-1200 for non-emergencies or 9-1-1 for emergencies.


ATLANTA - Five Georgia men are challenging President Barack Obama's inclusion on next year's presidential ballot, with some arguing the Democrat is not eligible for office because the Constitution says that a president must be a "natural born citizen."
The challenges have been made through the Georgia Office of the Secretary of State and were reported in The Atlanta Journal Constitution (http://bit.ly/vmdkLq).
Two of the men filing the challenges are being represented by Republican state Rep. Mark Hatfield, a Waycross lawyer.
Hatfield says he believes the United States' founders intended not only for presidents to be born in the U.S. but for their parents to also have been U.S. citizens. Obama was born to an American mother and Kenyan father.
The complaints have been referred to the state administrative hearings office.


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The Vero Pro bib short is constructed of a high quality time-tested microfiber fabric with a focus on comfort and quality. A four-centimeter elastic leg cuff holds the bib in place without being restrictive. Bib uppers are made with a wide, soft, and stretchable microfiber for comfort and breathability. Cirro chamois.
100% Made in Italy
The Cirro S chamois features the Copa Mondiale, a recessed area at the front of the chamois specifically designed for our top of the line bibs and shorts. This sculpted area for the male anatomy provides comfort and support. The thickness of the Cirro S chamois varies to uniquely support each area of the body that touches the saddle and is 14mm at its maximum. The uppermost layer utilizes an all-way stretch microfiber that incorporates Aloe Vera that is permanently infused into the threads of the microfiber during the manufacturing process using Nano technology. The integrated Aloe cools, protects and is a natural defender against bacteria. Below this uppermost layer is a 3mm thick open cell foam that aids in ventilation and perspiration management by moving moisture away from the skin to the outside of the short where it can evaporate quickly. Underneath the upper layers is a highly ventilated 4mm thick, 120 density, open cell memory foam which is fused to the upper 3mm of foam. The final layer is a 7mm nonabsorbent memory foam that further aids in the movement of moisture to the outer most layer where it can evaporate.

domain: design


text:
When I spotted this helicopter hovering in the skies over Liverpool at first I was astounded as the wind was blowing really hard and the pilot was managing to hold it perfectly steady in their air as they watched the Everton football fans gather for their match. Of course I couldn’t resist trying to get a picture of it but it seriously was just a dot on the horizon and with the sun glinting off the body of the helicopter now and then, it took me ages to even find it in the sky with my long lens. I got there in the end though and I don’t often say this about my photographs, I have a very strong self critical streak, but I think this one bloody awesome shot, you can even see the rotor blades and the clear blue sky provides a truly beautiful canvas for this strangest of machines that man has invented.
“Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible.” ~ Lord Kelvin
Ps… Click on the icon below to see who else is joining in with The Creative Exchange and Sweet Shot Tuesday

domain: hobby


text: Hi there, i have just found out that the bearings have gone in my turbo. I have been looking at the option of upgrading from the 190 to the 240. Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions on this and maybe some advice of where to get one from? Any help or advice is more than welcome as i am a little lost :think:. Please help!


text:
Status: 09.09.2021 09:55 a.m.
In the morning, the bears dominate the development of the DAX. After the recent price slump at the start of trading, investors are primarily concerned with one question: How deep can the German benchmark index go down?
The DAX started the new trading day with losses. At the opening of Xetra, the German standard values lost 0.7 percent to 15,499 points, thus widening their price losses yesterday.
In the first few minutes of trading, it continues down to 15,455 meters before a technical countermovement sets in. The question now hovers over the Frankfurt floor: Where can the German standard values find support?
Stefan Wolff, HR, with information on the stock exchange
tagesschau24 10:00 a.m., 9.9.2021
“Today in the DAX could be groundbreaking,” emphasized the Citi analysts. “From a classic point of view, yesterday’s losses are a bearish signal and the risk of a correction to 15,400 / 300 points and even up to the 14,800 point range has increased noticeably.”
The HSBC analysts around Jörg Scherer are also critical: Should the low of mid-August at 15,622 points be breached, “the price development of the last few weeks would have to be interpreted as a double top with a setback potential of 400 points”.
The DAX bulls could counter this
The bulls definitely have a chance to counter and regain lost ground. From a technical perspective, a clear recapture of the August low at 15,622 points would be the minimum target.
A rapid rise above yesterday’s high for the day at 15,755 meters would even bring the German standard values back on track to the all-time high.
From a fundamental perspective, it is above all the fear of a possibly earlier start of tapering, i.e. the reduction in bond purchases by the US Federal Reserve, that is currently driving the markets. New York Fed President Williams said on the night that the tapering might come sooner rather than later. This put the US futures under considerable pressure. The future on the Dow Jones is currently down 0.4 percent.
“Williams’ remarks were backed up by the publication of a monster number of 10,924 million job vacancies, which suggests that employment in the US is not the problem, it is about getting Americans to take those jobs,” said Jeffrey Halley, Senior Asia Pacific Market Analyst at OANDA Forex Broker.
Focus on Governing Council meeting
In this country too, fears of tapering make up part of the emotional state of investors. After all, the Council of the European Central Bank is on the agenda today.
The further pace of the billion dollar crisis bond purchases is likely to be the dominant topic. Many experts expect that the monetary watchdog around central bank chief Christine Lagarde will promise a slower buying speed for the fourth quarter.
From yesterday’s trading day on Wall Street, there were at best mixed targets for the German stock market, even if the price losses in New York were comparatively limited.
The US standard value index Dow Jones closed on Wednesday 0.2 percent lower to 35,031 points. The technology-heavy Nasdaq was down 0.6 percent to 15,286 points. The broad S&P 500 lost 0.1 percent to 4514 points.
The rapid spread of the particularly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus made US investors nervous. In addition, they were once again concerned about an imminent change in monetary policy.
The negative forecasts made by some bank analysts also caused uncertainty. The experts at Morgan Stanley had downgraded US stocks to “underweight”. Citigroup, Credit Suisse and Bank of America also urged investors to be a little more cautious about the future outlook for the US stock market. The experts’ thesis is that the ratings are very high.
A combination of slowing global growth and the possible expiry of central bank stimulus measures continued to worry investors in Asia.
The Nikkei index, which comprises 225 values, was 0.6 percent lower at 30,008 points at the close of trading in Tokyo. Investors fared better on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The leading index there, SSE Composite, closed 0.5 percent higher.
The crude oil market is still completely under the impact of Hurricane “Ida”. Persistently high production losses in the Gulf of Mexico are driving oil prices. The price for a barrel (159 liters) of North Sea Brent rose by 0.2 percent to $ 72.66.
The idle production capacities are also driving up the price of natural gas. At midweek, natural gas was as expensive as it was seven and a half years ago, at $ 5.01 per million BTU. This morning the price of natural gas is largely able to hold on to its strong previous day gains.
The euro is trending sideways at $ 1.1814 in early forex trading. In the further course of trading, the ECB meeting is likely to cause movement in the currency pair.
The troy ounce of gold costs $ 1789 in the morning, 0.1 percent less than the day before. The psychologically significant mark of $ 1,800, which the yellow precious metal broke down at the beginning of the week, is moving further into the distance.
The biggest DAX winner is the Merck share, which is approaching its record high again. The Darmstadt-based pharmaceutical company is more optimistic about the future and is aiming for sales of around 25 billion euros by 2025.
“In all three business sectors Healthcare, Life Science and Electronics, the course is already set for sustainable, profitable growth,” said CEO Belen Garijo on the DAX company’s capital market day. The new sales targets by 2025 are above the current consensus estimate, emphasizes JPMorgan analyst Richard Vosser.
The activist investor Enkraft Capital has joined RWE and is calling for the controversial business relating to lignite to be separated. The “strategic adherence to (…) lignite activities leads to a significant erosion of values,” says a Reuters letter from the investor to RWE boss Markus Krebber. This is difficult to accept for the shareholders.
The US semiconductor manufacturer Intel wants to announce by the end of the year where it will build eight large chip factories on the European mainland by 2030. That said, CEO Pat Gelsinger of the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”. There are currently around ten location candidates, including several in Germany. Gelsinger has therefore already met with representatives of the EU Commission and has met Chancellor Angela Merkel twice in the past three days.
The US video game retailer Gamestop posted strong business growth in the second quarter thanks to the recovery from the Corona crisis, but fell short of market expectations. Gamestop reduced the loss from $ 111.3 million to $ 61.6 million. The share fell after hours by more than eight percent.
The electric car manufacturer Tesla wants to enter the energy trading business. Tesla is currently recruiting for energy trading to support its battery and renewable energy projects, according to a job posting posted by the company on LinkedIn. Tesla is already in the photovoltaic business, offering solar tiles. In addition, Tesla is building the largest solar system in the USA. The automaker also wants to market electricity in Texas.
Ex-Microsoft boss Bill Gates’ investment company will control the luxury hotel chain Four Seasons Hotels and Ressorts. Cascade Investments takes over half of the shares of the Saudi prince Alwalid bin Talal in the chain for 2.21 billion dollars. Cascade has acquired 71.3 percent of the hotel shares. The chain is valued at ten billion dollars.

domain: economics


text:
This chapter gives an overview of policy and practice for public participation and engagement in England and Wales, and explores the rationale for adopting a participative approach to research. It describes the process used for involving older people in the Grey and Pleasant Land project and some of the challenges that this raised. We review the literature for using the internet to promote public participation in and engagement with research and describe how we used synchronous and asynchronous online methods in this project. This is followed by a discussion of their relative merits and how online approaches compare with face-to-face involvement. The chapter concludes with a series of reflections and recommendations for the involvement of older people as key stakeholders in rural research.
|May 2022 onwards||Past Year||Past 30 Days|
|Full Text Views||2||0||0|

domain: sociology


A crash happens and then what? As an investigator, you may be called upon to evaluate the conditions of the crash, the forces and accelerations acting on the vehicles, and the forces and moments acting on the occupants. After you have completed this portion of the analysis, and you have studied the learned treatises and peer-reviewed literature relating to human tolerance, you discover that the severity and nature of the injuries may not be consistent with the level of forces generated in the particular crash.
Because crash injury protection is governed by the established tolerance of the human body to both inertial and impact injury mechanisms and vehicle forces are governed by the laws of physics, what can cause this disparity? One critical factor to consider is the design of the vehicle and its components, such as seats and seat belts. This paper focuses on collisions with a rear line of force relative to the occupant (i.e., rear-end crashes) and explores the design of the seating system as a cause of the disparity between the injuries to the occupants and the forces generated in the crash. In particular, this paper explores the risks versus the benefits of seat strength in the rear-impact direction to establish a roadmap for seating and restraint designers.
Review of the literature on automotive seating systems will show two opposing viewpoints on seat design. One view is commonly referred to as the "yielding seat"1,2,3,4 theory. This theory advocates a seat that "yields" rearward in a rear-line-of-force collision to allegedly offer benefit to the occupant by reducing the level of the crash impact force experienced by the occupant. The other view5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 maintains that a stronger seat design which does not collapse provides superior occupant protection by ensuring that the occupant is fully supported and restrained during otherwise survivable rear line of force impacts.
A risk benefit analysis addresses the question of whether a foreseeable risk is deemed acceptable. This paper provides an analytical evaluation of the decision-making process for automotive seat design in terms of risks and benefits, highlighting the trade-offs between the two in relation to the injury potential during a rear-line-of-force crash. Through a series of tests, learned treatises, and supporting literature, this paper quantifies the hazards associated with each approach.
The published literature 13,14,15,16 reports that the primary benefit of a seat that "yields" rearward in a rear line of force impact is that the yielding or deformation of the seat structure is a method of energy absorption and will result in less force being applied to the seated occupant in a given crash. This design approach has never been subjected to a rigid or proper engineering hazard analysis; it has never been quantified in terms of the amount of force reduction achieved by the "yielding" of the seat, and it has never been tested with human subjects under crash conditions.


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Brazil-Croatia: The controversial call
Thursday's World Cup opener between Brazil and Croatia had plenty of excitement, and a little controversy.
With the match tied at one in the 72nd minute, Fred made a move for the ball in the Croatia penalty area. Dejan Lovren appeared to not make much contact with Fred, but Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura awarded Brazil a questionable penalty that Neymar converted in the 71st minute, giving the host nation 2-1 up in what turned into a 3-1 victory over Croatia.
What did you think of the controversial call? Vote here to weigh in!
There was plenty of reaction from the interwebs:
Watch the actual call:
That call was _____________.- SportsNation (@SportsNation) June 12, 2014
Worst. Call. Ever.- Wayne Drehs (@espnWD) June 12, 2014
As I read somewhere this week, imagine the flopping in the NBA if a foul in the lane was worth 25 points.- Wayne Drehs (@espnWD) June 12, 2014
Awful. Awful. Awful. Love how Ian Darke says, controversy.- Pedro Gomez (@pedrogomezESPN) June 12, 2014
So, what would reaction here be if US had been on same receiving end as Croatia a while ago? Methinks Blue, Red states would finally agree.- Pedro Gomez (@pedrogomezESPN) June 12, 2014
Behold, the Prophet Hernanes...- Gabriele Marcotti (@Marcotti) June 12, 2014
The host nation are allowed one shocking decision. Brazil have used it early.- Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 12, 2014
Soooooo that happened. #BRAvsCRO- ESPN The Magazine (@ESPNMag) June 12, 2014
Nishimura's performance will only increase the discussion about some of Blatter's recent calls. Some sympathy for him though...- Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) June 12, 2014
... the Fred dive is basically impossible to properly judge in normal time.- Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) June 12, 2014
Hate to say this but that's a terrible call- Osi Umenyiora (@OsiUmenyiora) June 12, 2014
That looked like a dive.- Fernando Duarte (@Fernando_Duarte) June 12, 2014
That is a dismal, hilarious dive. Fred clearly a graduate of the Dwyane Wade School of Acting.- James Tyler (@JamesTylerESPN) June 12, 2014
NOT a penalty- Simon Le Bon (@SimonJCLeBON) June 12, 2014
A backwards dive is NOT a penalty.- Simon Le Bon (@SimonJCLeBON) June 12, 2014
And then, Neymar gets his chance for Brazil:
And there was much rejoicing! In Brazil ...
DILMA CAM pic.twitter.com/NnWMuvBDCE- James Tyler (@JamesTylerESPN) June 12, 2014
2-1 Brazil place is going nuts https://t.co/ON2aLWEGmc- Mike Mazzeo (@MazzESPN) June 12, 2014
Pletikosa is Croatian for Barbosa- Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) June 12, 2014
It's a tight call for Brazil's man of the match between Neymar and the Referee.- Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 12, 2014
Neymar was satisfied with the win ...
But Croatia coach Niko Kovac was not.


text:
my dreams and me.
hi jeseem,thanx for welcoming me..and ur scratch is wonderful..how nicely you potrate it...take care...
mona : thank u
oh she looks sexy!!! ^^the face is a bit indian!!
niki chan: maybe i shld cut her nose and giv her a bit chinese look
wow!!! good sketching.
u r great!
yeah absolutely lolllllthanks jeseem-chan!! happy sunday!!!!
oh sailor moon is japanese.(just in case chinese ppl visit ur blog) ^o^;;
uniaza : thank upoonaji : i am flying in the air :)niki chan : thank u. i know. i remeber seeing people read comics in the subways in tokyo
hey... beautiful sketches.. and thanks for commenting on my blog :)
ewww! ever been to tokyo??? ^o^
hey that is a nice one .......well white boards are a fav with a few .....:)
niki chan: s, few years back. it was a short trip. interesting. i looked like a dumbass not knowing a word of japanese :))ash: thank u. guess it was a natural progression of scribling jokes on college boards. but very late progression :)white magpie : thanks
awww~ lolololi could have taught u some words, if we met earlier...
niki chan, i went to a japanese language training course b4 that. but unfortunately the trainer gave up on me :)
Good ! as usual Whoa ! that was some trek
Nice picture !! Trying to understand it ;-)
awww~ naughty boy lollllKONNICHIWA HAJIMEMASHITE WATASHI WA NIKI DESU DOOZO YOROSHIKU ONEGAISHIMASU ""#Q%'")"#(!'something like that? ^^
bishoujo niki chan.i am doing fine.nice to meet u too. and hey u better teach me japanese
deepa chan : a hmm hmm ur way too :)
That was really complicated and nice. Its hardly a scribble! You're quite an artist!
hi dear,good sratching LOL...
u do only pencil sketches atho full-fledged painting um unto ?? nannaittuntu .. :)
ms . strictly for friends : thank u. its still scribble. artists r more expressionist. someday ... :)vibhor : thank u dearann : still only scratches. if i started painting on the cubicle board, then officil thallu kittum. plus my colors senses are soo good ( u see the dresses i wear :). so will stick to sketches, hopefully would draw my own cartoons someday ( or atleast threaten people with ' i will make a toon out of u' :)).
make mine !! it wud be easy I guess ;0) .. pakshey nannayittu varachillel pinnee mindillaaa ... ippozhe paranjekkam...!!! :0)
ann : madamjee, i am not yet good enough to draw potraits. so wait :)
Drawn very well. Great one indeed:)
awww~ thank u sooo much!! ^^bishoonen!!(male) hehe~please write wat u have been doing, jeseem-chan.its been a while!!

domain: artistic


text:
This free eBook is no longer available but you’ll find more free eBooks here. Enjoy this free eBook by Michelle Bellon (normally $2.99) only on November 26 & 27. Read it from your phone, tablet or computer using free apps.
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“To what lengths will a man go for the woman he loves? Reed Dartmouth will learn the answer to those questions time and time again throughout his relationship with Jade Montgomery.”
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domain: literature


text:
The sun shined over a crowd of more than 1,500 travel agents, local officials and maiden voyage guests during the naming ceremony of Holland America Line's ms Westerdam in Venice, Italy
on April 25. The 1,848-passenger Westerdam embarked its maiden voyage guests and sailed its inaugural 12-day cruise from Venice to Greece
The naming ceremony took place on the "Festa del Boccolo," or St. Mark's Day, the holiday celebrating the patron saint of Venice. As is tradition on this day, every woman received a red rose and Dutch actress Renée Soutendijk named the ship in fitting style, with a rose being launched toward the bow to signal the breaking of a champagne bottle against the Westerdam's name on the ship's hull. Prior to the naming ceremony colorfully costumed performers from a Venetian 16th century-style carnival troupe performed for guests.
"It was a very special celebration as we dedicated our first ship in Venice, Italy," said Stein Kruse, president and chief operating officer, Holland America Line. "The ship is beautiful and runs very well. I was proud to share in the moment with our maiden voyage guests, our friends in Italy, and several top travel sellers."
Following the naming ceremony, guests aboard the sold-out maiden voyage enjoyed a special reception as the ship overnighted in Venice before departing the next day. The ship will visit Dubrovnik, Santorini, Rhodes, Pythagorion, Athens, and Katakolon, Greece, Kusadasi, Turkey, and Valletta, Malta.
Born in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, in 1957, Renee Soutendijk has appeared in more than 50 films and TV programs. In 1991 she made her first American film, playing the title character in "Eve of Destruction" (1991), also starring Gregory Hines. She was honored with the well-known German film industry's Adolf Grimme Prize in 1999.
Like its sisters, ms Zuiderdam and ms Oosterdam, the new Westerdam boasts a spacious design for public areas and staterooms with a high passenger space ratio of 46. And 85 percent of its staterooms have ocean views, with 67 percent of all staterooms sporting verandahs, including the new value-priced stateroom category -- Deluxe Verandah Outside -- the best verandah value at sea. Penthouse and Deluxe Verandah Suite guests also enjoy the use of a private concierge lounge. The ms Westerdam will be the first ship delivered complete with the Signature of Excellence cabin amenities, including plush Euro-top mattresses, fluffy robes, and make-up mirrors in all cabins.

domain: geography


text:
ohmycoin.io is finally officially released!
ohmycoin.io is the 1st platform that allows you to make money by predicting the price of Bitcoin without taking any risk! Indeed, unlike traditional betting sites, you can only play once a day with a simple premium ticket the price of which is set at $ 2.50 (you can play a second time for free each day thanks to your bonus tickets. ). To your predictions :)


text:
With a rebound midway through the fourth quarter, Russell Westbrook notched his seventh consecutive triple-double, the longest such streak since Michael Jordan had seven in a row in 1989.
But as one streak continued, another ended, as the Houston Rockets won 102-99 to snap the Oklahoma City Thunder’s six-game winning streak. Westbrook finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists and sparked a 13-point comeback, but the Thunder fell short, with Westbrook and Anthony Morrow both airballing potential go-ahead 3-pointers in the final 30 seconds.
Afterward, Westbrook was in no mood to discuss the achievement, flashing only a cold glare coupled with awkward silence when he was asked about it.
Source: Royce Young of ESPN
Sources: Jameer Nelson Signs 1-Year Deal With Pelicans
Free-agent guard Jameer Nelson has agreed to a one-year deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, league sources told The Vertical.
Nelson entered free agency Wednesday, when the Denver Nuggets waived him to create roster space to sign Richard Jefferson and allow second-year guard Jamal Murray to assume the starting point-guard role.
Source: Shams Charania of The Vertical
Bobby Portis Apologizes to Bulls for Mirotic Fight
Bobby Portis has apologized to his Bulls teammates for getting into a fight that left Nikola Mirotic with facial fractures and a concussion. “He didn’t address us today, but he did address the team before so that was taken care of,” Bulls swingman Justin Holiday said after Friday’s practice.
Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg acknowledged that Portis’ apology took place during a team meeting but did not want to go into specific details about his message. “I’ll keep that between the team,” Hoiberg said, “as far as exactly what was said in that meeting.”
Source: Nick Friedell of ESPN
Joel Embiid Still Not Cleared for Back-to-Back Games
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid said he has not been cleared to play back-to-back games and does not expect to be in the lineup Saturday at Toronto.
Embiid was in the starting lineup for the home opener Friday night against the Boston Celtics, scoring 11 points to go along with 14 rebounds in 28 minutes as Philadelphia lost 102-92. Asked after Friday’s game if he was OK with not playing Saturday night, Embiid replied, “Um I’m not OK with it but we have a plan in place and we have to follow it.”


Police teargas striking Eldoret nurses
Police in Eldoret town were on Wednesday, June 28 afternoon forced to lob teargas to disperse striking Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital nurses who took to the streets over pay hike demands.
The over 800 nurses were dispersed after they attempted to barricade roads leading to the referral hospital.
Led by Kenya National Union of Nurses, Eldoret branch chairman, Kennedy Orangi, the nurses claimed the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) conducted a skewed job evaluation exercise which they say discriminated the nurses.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Union of Clinical Workers has threatened to down tools by Friday.
Secretary General, George Gibore, says they are against implementation of the new job group proposal.
No comments yet.


A final attempt by David Bain to have five charges of murder against him dismissed will be heard in the High Court in Christchurch on Monday morning.
A retrial was ordered by the Privy Council in London in 2007 after it quashed the original murder convictions, saying there had been a miscarriage of justice.
The Bain defence team returned to the Privy Council two months ago to say it had new evidence that should entitle Mr Bain to a stay of proceedings.
The Privy Council said the New Zealand courts should deal with the application, which is being heard on Monday.
Mr Bain is accused of murdering his parents and three siblings in 1994.
The defence team says advances in forensic testing since the original trial in 1995 show there is no case against Mr Bain.
He has already served 12 years of a life sentence. He has been on bail since May 2007.


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There's a row house in Hazelwood whose days -- like those of dozens of other homes nearby -- are numbered. Two of its three front windows are dark and missing glass. Bricks have fallen from the top of its right side. The left side has no exterior wall at all.
The house that used to be next door is already missing, giving the block the punched-out look of a hockey player's smile.
The back door is wide open; someone has piled garbage next to it, and a track of footprints in the February snow suggest a recent visitor.
Inside, though, are only the scattered possessions of former inhabitants. On the first floor there's a December 2007 calendar nailed to a wall, a mound of Tupperware on the floor. Upstairs, there's a gift basket with some deodorant and a handmade "I <3 You Dad" button. Beside the basket is a box full of baseball cards. There are photos, too: a wedding and camping trips, five young men standing shirtless in front of a river. There's a tackle-box with a flask of gun oil in it, and a prescription bottle for the painkiller Hydrocodone.
Sometime in the next few months, even these traces will be gone. The house itself will be torn down; the wreckage, and what little remains inside it, will be trucked off to a landfill. The home's foundation will be filled with mud, left for weeds and grass to claim.
This house is one of the almost 60 Hazelwood homes scheduled to be removed as part of a demolition "blitz." For years, vacant homes like this one have sat in Hazelwood and throughout the city, condemned but never removed. They stand as reminders of the much larger city that Pittsburgh once was -- and symbols of the challenges it faces today: a surplus of housing that represents fire hazards, blight and dens for criminal activity.
The goal of the blitz -- for which the city has doubled its demolition budget -- is to target individual neighborhoods, hitting them with a slew of demolitions in a relatively short time. "[A vacant home] is an area where crime can and does develop," Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said at a Feb. 19 seminar on demolition. "It's a blight to the eye, but it's also a public-safety issue."
At best, though, demolition is a partial solution -- a quick answer to a crisis that has been years in the making. For long-suffering neighborhoods like Hazelwood, it is easier to tear down than to rebuild.
"We have problems here," says Alexander Jozsa Bodnar, a Hazelwood resident and owner of Josza's Corner restaurant. "You heard all the horror stories: Who the hell would want to set up here?"
From the time the first white settlers arrived in Hazelwood, the area has been haunted by traces of its former occupants. According to a 1972 history published in Carnegie Magazine, the area was dotted with Indian burial mounds. But the early Scots-Irish who settled the area -- which was known for a time as "Scotch Bottom" -- were unsentimental about the ruins. The burial mounds, wrote Jerry Vondas, were built large enough that "when the first settlers finally demolished them, there were enough stones to pave the old Indian trail that was later to become Second Avenue."
For a time, Hazelwood was a genteel place, lined with stately homes owned by riverboat captains and other prosperous citizens. But as the 19th century progressed, the river attracted industry, and industry attracted new generations of workers from Eastern Europe and elsewhere. Hazelwood became a key link in the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, which operated a roundhouse and other facilities. It also housed a portion of the Jones & Laughlin Pittsburgh Works, a massive steelmaking complex that sprawled along both sides of the Monongahela River. The mill attracted workers, who built a self-sustaining, if somewhat gritty, community nearby.
There was a time when "[y]ou didn't have to leave here," recalls Suzanne Murray, as she bounces her great-grandson, a seventh-generation Hazelwood resident, on her knee. "It was dirty: You couldn't keep this place clean. But it didn't bother us."
Murray lives in her great-grandmother's 110-year-old house. Her father worked at J&L, and Murray herself was lucky enough to live through some of the golden years: "This place was booming, I bet you, in the '50s and '60s," she says.
"We used to have a lot of fun over here. It used to be good family living," agrees Saverio Strati, a Hazelwood resident for more than 50 years. Originally a stoneworker by trade, Strati moved here from Italy after a five-year stay in Canada. Hazelwood, he recalls, "was one of the most desirable [neighborhoods] for the labor force."
Strati says there were thousands of jobs to be had with J&L and B&O. He himself ended up in a J&L warehouse, where he climbed from laborer to repairman to machinist.
Back then, Hazelwood had a movie theater and a bowling alley, not to mention a supermarket and variety stores. Now, Murray does her shopping at the Waterfront Giant Eagle. The closest bowling alley is in Squirrel Hill.
"We had a mass of people moving away after the mills started to shut down in the late '70s, early '80s," Strati says. "With the kids growing up, and the mills slowing down, the young people started to move away. The older people started passing away and the young kids don't come back."
As the population continued to slide, local businesses closed. "It was rough in the late '80s and early '90s," Strati recalls. In the 1990s alone, the neighborhood lost over 1,100 residents -- roughly 15 percent of its population, according to the Hazelwood Initiative, a community-redevelopment group.
Fran Bertonaschi, a Hazelwood Initiative board member, says that when he moved into the neighborhood in 1986, it was still on the decline.
"The mill down here was still going, but it had scaled down," he says. The coke works -- where coal was transformed into a fuel for steelmaking -- was the last part of the mill to close, and at times a sulfurous haze from the plant would permeate the neighborhood. Even people who worked in the mills moved away as they got better paid, Bertonaschi says.
"Houses started getting hard to maintain. The town changed. More and more houses became empty," Strati says. "We used to be a neighborhood. That's not the case anymore.
"The kids can only find recreation on the streets. And for years it's been like that. Nobody had the guts to do anything."
For Strati, Hazelwood's last, best hope died with Mayor Bob O'Connor, who took the city's helm after representing Hazelwood and nearby communities on City Council. He remembers the mayor, who served for less than a year before dying of brain cancer, telling him, "I know Hazelwood has been neglected for a long time. If I get elected, we're going to put Hazelwood on the right track."
"The way he passed away, that hope went away."
But for restaurant owner Alex Bodnar, the trouble started long before O'Connor's death. The seeds for Hazelwood's current despair, he says, were already being planted in the days of its triumph.
"We allowed the industrialists to take over," he says. "Yeah, they provided jobs, but they left." And while it's easy to wax nostalgic about the days when Pittsburgh's population was roughly twice its current size, in Hazelwood it's still possible to see the dangers of packing so many employees so close together.
"You cannot set up homes in such a fashion, when the supposed firewalls were no firewalls," Bodnar says. If fire struck one home, "[i]t burned straight through." In January 2007, for example, a fire that was started in a vacant Hazelwood house burned through 12 row houses, displacing two dozen people and sending one man to the hospital in critical condition. That blaze, in fact, "brought Hazelwood front and center" on the city's list of priorities for demolition, says Michael Huss, the city's director of public safety and formerly its fire chief.
Hazelwood has also been living in the shadow of the Mon-Fayette Expressway, a toll-road project that has been on drawing boards for a half-century, but whose critical Pittsburgh-to-Route 51 portion remains unbuilt for lack of funding. "Since the '60s, they've been talking about building this highway," Strati explains. "Some people still don't know where it's going to go. People don't put money to maintain their own property because they think the highway is going to take everything."
In between dirty jokes (in English and Hungarian), Bodnar tells horror stories from the area's more recent past, when prostitution and drug peddling replaced legitimate businesses. Perhaps most famously, Terrance Cole was sentenced to life in prison in March 2006 for running a multimillion dollar cocaine ring out of Hazelwood. "Our area was starting to be well known for selling dope," Bodnar says.
Bodnar says his own Hazelwood home has been broken into. The windows of his restaurant have been battered.
"Do you think the police give a flying rat's ass?" he asks. "I'm living on an island."
On the counter of his restaurant, Bodnar has a copy of the 15th Ward Chamber of Commerce's first annual phone-directory booster book. On one of its first pages there's a letter from Bodnar, calling for change and revitalization.
"You saw the date?" he now yells. "'86! What the hell has happened since?"
From the looks of things, very little. Some of Hazelwood's abandoned homes have cracked windows or missing doors. The city boards up some condemned properties, but even then it's not uncommon to find that someone has yanked a board from its place.
"They should have taken them down a lot earlier because it wouldn't have had a chance to gather all these kinds of people, buying and selling," Strati says. "It wouldn't have rooted."
Many of the structures are in such bad shape that rehabilitation would cost more than the property is worth.
"Who wants to look at a big vacant lot, but who wants to look at some of the houses that are out there?" Murray asks.
Like many of those homes, "Hazelwood is basically a shell at this point," Bodnar concludes. "Now we're in limbo. Even some of the community organizers and community heads don't want to face up to [it.] This is a shell of a community."
Kurt Rouse is knocking down those shells as fast as he can. The 46-year-old works as site manger for ROAC, Inc., a family-owned demolition company that won the bid to knock down 57 houses in Hazelwood.
Using an excavator -- a cabin on two tank-like tracks with a long arm attached to a shovel -- one of ROAC's operators pulls down the second of three houses in a row. Rouse and another laborer look on. It's Tuesday morning, March 4. The wood cracks, and the walls come down as the sound of splintering fills the air.
The work is swift, but at times tricky and often thankless. Rouse says that cheaper houses, built with only one line of bricks -- common to a neighborhood like Hazelwood - cause a problem for machine-backed demolition.
"When you shake the wood, the bricks fall sort of haphazardly," he says.
So he takes down those houses by hand, which takes longer and makes a worker more liable to criticism. Rouse says he was working on one roof, pulling the bricks inward, when a neighbor came out to voice a complaint. Worried that he was going to let the bricks fall towards her house, she started yelling.
"I almost fell out of the chimney," he says. "She screamed and startled me. It's painstaking and laborious and she's screaming at me."
The third house is still standing at the moment, but there isn't much left in it. Some playing cards are spread across the floor, along with piles of clothing and a 7-year-old copy of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Otherwise it's empty but for the tinny splash of rain finding its way inside.
In all of these homes, Rouse points out, some of his work has already been done. Demolition crews sometimes earn a nice side-profit by salvaging metals from abandoned properties. But here, metal pipes have already been taken by scavengers.
"It's scrapped like I scrapped it," he says of the third house. "It's a testament to how blighted this neighborhood is." By day's end, ROAC will take down this house as well, plowing the wreckage into the space that served as its basement. The three plots will sit side-by-side-by-side -- three freshly-dug graves, filled with their own walls.
These are among the first of 600 houses that the city has allocated $4 million to demolish this year. If the city reaches that target, it will have removed half of the 1,200 properties that building inspectors have condemned across the city.
Hazelwood isn't the only city neighborhood awaiting such treatment. It's not even the neighborhood with the worst vacant-housing problem. According to 2000 Census data compiled by the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Social and Urban Research, 457 homes -- roughly 1 of every 7 in the neighborhood -- are vacant. That puts Hazelwood in the top third of neighborhoods for vacancy, but just barely.
But vacancies in Hazelwood are more concentrated than in many other places. Huss notes that while demolition work in other neighborhoods will have to be more "surgical," in Hazelwood there are several spots where condemned properties sit alongside one another. "It was relatively easy to begin" the blitz there because of the arrangement of vacant property, Huss says. And officials hope to get some economies of scale from clear-cutting the properties.
But the pace won't be easy to maintain. Under his contract, Rouse has four months to knock down almost 60 houses. Simple math tells you that's 15 a month. Simple math, however, doesn't include weekends or inclement weather, or laborers calling in sick.
But after years of inattention and neglect, everyone is hurrying to tear down Hazelwood's decay.
"This is kind of a bad job," Rouse says. "They rushed it."
For one thing, the city's ambitious deadline means that Rouse had to begin work in the winter. And that has complicated an already dicey situation involving how to handle the asbestos lurking inside some buildings. (See "Foxes Tearing Down the Henhouse?")
Asbestos is a carcinogen; when the material crumbles, microscopic airborne fibers can cause respiratory and other ailments when inhaled or ingested. Ordinarily, demolishing a single house presents little to no health risk. But county health officials are concerned about the volume of asbestos involved in clear-cutting several buildings at once. And Rouse is required to wet buildings down before demolishing them -- an effort to reduce the dust stirred up.
In cases where the dust is overwhelming, Rouse says he's glad to hose buildings down, for the sake of his health. "There was a lot of hazardous shit that me and my guys gotta deal with," he says.
Still, wetting the house makes the work heavier, and spraying water around in winter's freezing temperature makes things even harder. "If it's 20 degrees below, you still have to use water," he says.
Fortunately, there are days when Rouse and his crew don't have to hook up the fire hose: One rainy day in March, Rouse stood among the remains of a knocked-down house on Monongahela Street and said, "God is blessing me with the stuff that keeps the dust down."
But for all Rouse's haste, the blitz still has a long way to go. By the end of February, the city had signed contracts to demolish only 64 properties: That's just over one-tenth of the number it hopes to tear down this year, though city officials say progress should pick up as the weather gets warmer.
Each one of those demolitions passes through the office -- and is mounted on the wall -- of Bureau of Building Inspections demolition manager Paul Loy. Loy's desk faces a giant shelf of manila folders, each representing a condemned property.
In some cases, the city already owns the property. In others, it can condemn a property for code violations -- some egregious examples in Hazelwood include homes with unpatched roofs or missing walls.
Inspectors monitor communities and respond to neighbor complaints. If an inspector finds a house with code violations, and determines that the property is falling apart, a demolition inspector is called in, and he or she can condemn the building. Property owners have 30 days to respond to a condemnation notice.
A block away from the Monongahela Street sites, the wrecking process has already begun. ROAC is tearing down a house adjacent to Bernice Murray's by hammer and hand. The building is too close to Murray's to bring in the excavator; the risk that they might damage her house is too great.
"I'm glad the houses are getting torn down," says Murray, who has lived in her house since 1958. "If that house [next door] is on fire, my house is gone."
Murray says she's spent $2,000 in extermination fees for the vacant home. She also says she used to pay to have the bushes trimmed, but gave up last year.
"One girl almost [overdosed] over there," Murray says of the home. "The front door was wide open, the back door was wide open, but they never did board it up.
Still, says Murray, once the house is torn down, "It's going to be weird, because this street used to be full. It's sort of scary. There's so many bushes and trees, you don't know who's in there [with a vacant lot.] I wish they would build some more houses."
She's not alone in that wish.
"If they're gonna knock it down, they've got to rebuild it," says 20-year-old Deondre Taylor. "When I was growing up, the whole street was packed with people. I loved it, having grown up here."
Now Taylor looks around and sees the same problems his older neighbors do.
"Look at the neighborhood. What is there for the kids to do?" Taylor asks. When kids end up hanging around with nothing to do, he says, "The police talk about, 'Move.' Where the fuck do you want us to go?"
For now, no one has a good answer, and by itself, demolition isn't likely to provide one. Once the homes are demolished, the lots they sit on will remain fallow. In time, grass and weeds will take root over the sites, as silent as Hazelwood's old Indian burial mounds, but less impressive.
In time, the sites might become used for urban farming, or neighborhood beautification. "It's not unreasonable to say that as we roll that out, one of the uses will be farming, gardening," says Jim Richter, executive director of the Hazelwood Initiative.
Residents may be able to purchase adjoining lots through a side-yard program; if the city owns or can acquire the land, neighbors can purchase the lot for roughly $400.
But the cash-strapped city is lucky just to be able to tear buildings down, let alone replace them. In 2004, the city was put into a state-administered financial-oversight system. Financial trustees tightened the city's demolition budget from more than $2 million to just over $500,000.
Half a million dollars can pay for demolishing fewer than 100 homes, estimates the BBI's Paul Loy. "We were condemning them faster than we were tearing them down. It wasn't a whole heck of a lot."
The budget for demolition was later restored to roughly $2 million a year, before being doubled for 2008.
Even so, demolition in Hazelwood is only "part of a much larger puzzle," says City Council President Doug Shields, whose district includes the neighborhood.
In 2001, the city gave Hazelwood funding to develop its own master plan. The final report gave recommendations for waterfront development, neighborhood redevelopment and new construction.
"This is their plan. This was developed by the people of Hazelwood," Shields says.
But there have been a few hitches. For one thing, Richter says, the lingering Mon-Fayette Expressway proposal has stalled progress, in part by creating false perceptions among the community.
While building the highway would require buying out 40 properties at most, "People think their properties are worth more than they are, so they sit on them," Richter says. "It's really been hamstringing us. ... I hope that the prospect [of running the expressway through Hazelwood] is not only dim, but that the lights are out forever."
Meanwhile, even large institutional buildings have gone vacant. In 2001, the Pittsburgh Public School district closed down Gladstone Middle School; five years later, it shut down another Hazelwood school: Burgwin Elementary. Both buildings remain empty to this day.
Shields' vision for Hazelwood involves moving the YMCA branch from its current location on Chatsworth Avenue to the much larger Burgwin. There, it would be adjacent to an outdoor basketball court and baseball field. It would also be closer to the neighborhood pool -- which has also been closed in recent years due to city budget-tightening.
"This is where the core of the community is, near Burgwin," Shields says. "What could be a better campus for the YMCA?"
To fill Burgwin's second and third floors, Shields suggests moving the city's Emergency Medical Services from Shadyside and the 9-1-1 call center from the Strip District, and then selling the buildings that they're in now.
"I have been promoting this with the Ravenstahl administration and I get no answers at all," he says.
The mayor's press secretary, Alecia Sirk, responded to questions from City Paper: "We're glad that Doug is thinking innovatively," she said, adding that the administration hopes that Shields will pursue the suggestion with the concerned parties (meaning the YMCA and the county, in addition to the city), if it is an economically viable option.
As for Gladstone, "We've looked at [it] every which way you can," Shields says. "I'm of the mind that we should just tear it down." And as things stand, he says, "I'm very concerned about the lack of recreational opportunities in Hazelwood."
Right now there's a playground with a basketball court across from the current YMCA location. There's a Carnegie Library branch on Second Avenue, but as Deondre Taylor points out, if you lack even a library, "Then your neighborhood really ain't shit.
"They been gave up on Hazelwood," he says. "I ain't a racist, but them Caucasians don't care about us."
Taylor already says he can predict what will happen when kids living in Hazelwood today "turn 20 and you're knocking down 60 more houses." Those kids won't even have the memory of a prosperous community, not even the wreckage of one. And if the world turns on them, Taylor says, those kids will have a ready excuse: "I didn't have shit."
For now, though, the kids -- and Hazelwood itself -- will have to make the best of it. Around the corner from a pair of row houses tagged for demolition one wintry morning, a group of kids tossed snowballs at one another. They took turns climbing a blockish white mound, jockeying to see who could scale the highest ... playing "King of the Mountain" on a gutted couch.


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Asian Recipes (Most Popular)15745 results - showing 13291 to 13300
Adapted from the mutton curry in Economy Gastronomy.
I have taken out the coconut milk (was only 3 tbsp anyway and who wants to open a whole tin to just use that much)
and swapped oil for spray oil.
You could add a few drops of coconut essence if you can find it which I can't.Submitted by WAHZOE
Normally served with jasmine (fragrant) rice. Could also be served with noodles.Submitted by WAHZOE
If you can't get coconut cream do NOT use creamed coconut neat, it is not the same thing, follow the following quantities.
Creamed coconut can be used to make coconut milk and coconut cream. When exposed to temperatures above 23C, the creamed coconut will liquefy allowing it to mix perfectly with water.
1 part creamed coconut + 5 parts water = coconut milk
1 part creamed coconut + 2.5 parts water = coconut creamSubmitted by WAHZOE
Another recipe from the Hairy Bikers new book the Hairy Dieters.
This is a light but tasty recipe and the chicken is brightened up no end by the harissa paste.Submitted by WAHZOE
Thai-style coconut tofu soup, with a few substitutions for ingredients easy to find in a supermarket. Submitted by LAWYERHOLLY07
They're technically oriental scrambled eggs, but my mammaw always called them thai scrambled eggs and that is how they shall remain!Submitted by LADYLOOMI

domain: food


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St. Mary's High School sophomore educates peers about concussions
Concussions in soccer soared more than 1,500 percent in the last 25 years according to a study published in the medical journal pediatrics. Now one Saint Mary's High School sophomore is hoping to educate his peers on how bad a concussion can be.
Braden Benz has been suffering with a concussion for about three months now. He still has daily symptoms such as headaches and nausea. He hopes to teach his peers to take concussions seriously.
Benz was playing soccer for Saint Mary's High School in late August. While playing, he was hit in the head and suffered a concussion.
"I was like this is weird. I don't really know what I'm feeling. Thinking was really hard like in math class especially I got bunch of headaches and problems were harder than they usually are," said Benz.
Since then, Benz has had ongoing symptoms and has even passed out at times. His concussion has gotten so bad that he had to travel to the Children's Hospital in Minneapolis.
"He was also having some difficulty with the balance and dizziness, some mood changes. He was getting really irritable after because you just don't feel good," said Mary Koolmo, Children's Hospital.
Now, Benz wants to educate his peers on the dangers of concussions. One way he is doing it is by giving talks to his class mates.
"So even to just know a little bit, just to kind of watch for signs and help whoever gets the concussion and know that other people have gone through this," said Benz.
Benz's physical therapist has been working with him for almost two months now and says his condition has improved.
"He's made some progress in his balance. he's got much better at using his vision for his balance. He still has some what I would call sensory integration issues," said Ruth Beachey, CHI St. Alexius.
During his talk Braden is asking students to take concussions seriously and always seek medical help if you think you have sustained a concussion
There's no timetable on when Braden will be fully healed, but he hopes when he's back to full health he can play soccer again.

domain: medical


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We live in challenging times. There are battles to be fought for the environment, for human rights, and for social justice. To look around and see such physical, material, and political work that needs to be done, it can be difficult to see the value in the abstract. What good does art do for a starving child? In Create Dangerously: The Immigrant Artist at Work, esteemed writer Edwidge Danticat explores the intersection of art and exile. She helps us to see the very real and embodied ways in which artists do the work of providing context, making space for connections to be made, giving voice to those who would otherwise go unheard, and effecting social change.
Danticat opens with the “creation myth” of her life as a writer — the true story of the execution of two men who opposed the dictatorial rule of Duvalier in her home country of Haiti. In their story, she finds the powerful threads of disobedience, banishment, and tragedy, but also inspiration, immortality, and creation that she weaves together in the twelve essays that follow. In them, we meet a host of artists — journalists, filmmakers, writers, sculptors — most of them members of the Haitian diaspora. In each of their accounts we see the different ways in which these individuals are motivated to create; to share their experiences, despite the horrors that swirl around and threaten to consume them.
The prose has a calm flow to its cadence that belies its tragic content. The laundry list of seemingly insurmountable obstacles to overcome, including the 2010 Haitian earthquake, clearly pain Danticat and cut her to the core. But, she is able to retain a sense of clarity and an air of pride that solicits sympathy, but not pity. One walks away from these essays believing in the importance of human connection that can only be gained in one-on-one interactions as we come together to create. Danticat is an expert storyteller and gets your attention by whispering. She not only profiles artists in exile to show the value in their work, she demonstrates it through her own writing. For it is our minds — the words and stories and images within them — that always offer the last place of refuge and resist occupation by even the most tyrannical dictators. In our art, we are free.Powered by Sidelines


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LOWELL − Children are encouraged to get messy and in touch with their creativity this year at Art and Soul DIY Studio’s art camp, now in a new location in Lowell.
Owner Krista Gray said when she was young, she remembered doing a lot of projects in schools that allowed her to play with her hands and be messy. Because of the pandemic and ongoing funding issues, she sees less of that in schools.
“A lot of schools do not have dedicated art rooms anymore,” Gray said. “Every kid I know doesn’t know how to do things like papier-mache.”
At the art camp, children are encouraged to be messy and be a hassle. The studio space reflects that making a mess is OK, Gray said, with paint splotches on the floor and tables covered with sheets of paper so there is no concern about getting them dirty.
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“I want kids to feel free,” Gray said.
The new location opened in March and has allowed a lot more space for children to be creative, in addition to private parties and popup events.
“It’s a great family activity that is semi-affordable,” Gray said, comparing it to going to museums or amusement parks with high entry fees.
Each week at the camp has a different theme, exploring several different ways campers can engage with their imagination. The first week explored big colors and textures. Children were able to use puffy paint and other items to create 3D elements of their art.
The second week was cartooning, where children were able to build a story line about anything they wanted to present to their family.
“I wanted them to work from their imagination and make it their own,” Gray said. “It teaches them how to plan and be organized, because comics have less room for spontaneity.”
Danica Zunica, a camper during the cartoon week, created a story line based on her own original characters titled “Levitating.” Finn Stenberg, another camper, chose to take characters he loved and incorporate them into a story all together.
Upcoming weeks include sculpting, print making and process art, where campers will be able to practice spin paint and pouring paint over a canvas.
Registration for the camp is still available. One week of camp costs $195 and it is split between children from 5-10 years old and 8-17 years old. There are also options for day passes, which are $45.
In addition to the summer camp, Art & Soul DIY Studio is working with BellaBoo’s Children Play and Discovery Center to offer art workshops every two weeks. The first workshop focused on the creation of dreamcatchers, where kids were able to work with yarn and hoops to fashion a catcher.
“The director of Bellaboo’s loved the vibe here and invited us to work with them,” Gray said. She said it is geared toward children who are 9 years old or under, but anybody is able to do it.
To sign up for the camp, parents can visit Art & Soul DIY Studio’s website.


Ohhh yes! This what we needed to get past this chilly Monday day, and for those stuck at home cause of hurricane Sandy; let's all get warm by listening to Kelly Clarkson's flawless and almost-heavenly vocals in her brand new country single "Don't Rush" featuring Vince Gill...Listen to the radio rip above!
The song is taken from KC's upcoming "Greatest Hits: Chapter One" CD (in stores November 12. Make your pre-orders now!), it was co-written by Blu Sanders, Natalie Hemby and Lindsay Chapman, and 'Don't Rush' is simply an exquisite old school-feeling country record. I adore it! Everything is 'pleasure to ears' in this song. From the soulfulness and softness in Kelly's voice, the limited yet very nice and fitting Vince Gill adlibs, to the laidback country/rock-ish instrumentation, and the loving lyrics. 'Don't Rush' is going to S.L.A.Y the country charts. I just know it. And what an intelligent move by RCA to release this officially. Kelly's collaboration with Jason Aldean "Don't You Wanna Stay" was a hit last year, so why not keeping up with the country singles, huh?. KC and Vince will perform "Don't Rush" at the 2012 CMAs.
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