BENGALURU: Former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was summoned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the CD-gate case, skipped the inquiry, citing health issues. The SIT had issued a notice to Ramesh, who is allegedly seen in the sleaze CD, asking him to appear before the investigating officer on Friday.
However, Ramesh’s advocate met Special Investigation Team officials and gave them a letter, stating that his client is unwell and he will appear for inquiry in one or two days.
“SIT officials agreed and said they will issue another notice. Ramesh will appear whenever he is summoned and will cooperate with the investigation,” the advocate said, adding that Ramesh is in Gokak and had no fear of arrest. The SIT, meanwhile, continued its inquiry of the woman seen in the purported CD even on Friday. She was questioned for over six hours and was asked to come for inquiry again on Saturday.
Investigation impartial: DG&IGP DG&IGP Praveen Sood said that the Special Investigation Team is conducting an impartial probe. On the sidelines of the Police Flag Day function, he said, “The purpose of setting up an SIT is to conduct an independent and impartial probe. The intention will fail if people interfere on a daily basis. I am confident that the SIT will do its job as per law.”


text:
Renowned for its pubs, cafes, diverse cuisines and pulsating night culture, Hauz Khas Village is the perfect blend of history and modernity. Walk across the green cluster of fourteenth century monumental remains including a world famous university that overlooks a royal water reservoir. Explore the plethora of boutiques and quirky restaurants that encompass the precincts of these monuments.
Delhi Walks is the first organized walking tour brand and was conceptualized keeping the vivid cultural weave and diverse history of the capital city in mind. “Delhi Walks” is a part of “India City Walks”, a two time National Tourism Award Winning Brand.
Meeting Point: Deer Park, Hauz Khas, Delhi
Tips:Please wear weather-appropriate clothes.Please wear a comfortable pair of walking shoes or flip-flops.Please do not carry valuables.Carry a bottle of water.
Extra Costs: Nil

domain: geography


text:
Apply for a Library Card
If you are a resident of the Suffern Central School District, you are welcome to apply for a Suffern Library card online or at the check out desk at the Library. You will be asked to present a government issued photo I.D. and proof of address when you apply in person or the first time you use your card at the Library. Children age 5-17 must apply in person with a parent or legal guardian at the check out desk.

domain: library


text:
Help for Parenting Teens, Finding Time for You, Free Therapy & more
Read RelationTIPS Newsletter from Wasatch Family Therapy here.
If you’d like to sign up to recieve Monthlyl RelationTips Newsletter click here.
Dynamic self & relationship expert Dr. Julie de Azevedo Hanks, LCSW loves to make a difference for women. She owns Wasatch Family Therapy and regularly contributes to TV Shows and her advice has been featured nationally including Wall Street Journal, Parenting, Fox News, and others. Connect on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter. Her books The Burnout Cure and The Assertiveness Guide are now available. Dr. Hanks is currently accepting coaching clients.

domain: psychology


text:
La Nava, Boada and Villafáfila. Several species of Geese, Common Cranes, Great Bustards and Short-eared Owls
We traveled to two provinces, Palencia and Zamora to especially watch Geylang Geese and other Waterfowl, Great Bustards, and Short-eared Owl.
On the first day of the weekend we will visit the La Nava and Boada Lagoons all day.
The second day we will dedicate, first thing in the morning, to spot Short-eared Owl and then we will visit the Visitors Center of the Villafafila lagoons. The rest of the time we will go to the best observation points to see Greylag Geese and the Great Bustards. At dusk we will wait for the upcoming of the Greylag Geese to the Lagoon.
Temperatures at this time of year can be very low and even with some fog in the morning which can further accentuate the feeling of cold.
Recommendations for the trip
It is necessary to go very warm and waterproof clothing in case it rains although in both places there are observatories.
Difficulty of the excursion
Low. The displacement to the places of observation is done by vehicle and there are no great walks.

domain: travel


text:
23 January 2011
Powerful South Auckland exhibition confronts Pacific body politics
A new exhibition presented by Fresh Gallery Otara for the Auckland Arts Festival confronts cultural attitudes towards the female body and the high rates of preventable cancers and heart disease in Pacific and Māori women. Ngā Hau E Whā – The Four Winds, is a bold and powerful video installation by Otara artist Leilani Kake, who is of Cook Island Maori (Manihiki, Rakahanga) and New Zealand Māori (Nga Puhi, Tainui) descent.
The work combines imagery of four women at different life stages; youth, pregnancy, motherhood and menopause, inviting the viewer to reflect about the Pacific female body.
Kake’s work is influenced by highly personal stories of dealing with issues of identity and culture, tradition and change. “Loving our whanau starts with loving ourselves and taking care of ourselves; physically, mentally and spiritually. We as women of the Pacific need to engage in discourse that will lower these health risk statistics and educate all our whanau.”
A 2010 New Zealand government report stated that Pacific and Māori women have been twice as likely to develop cervical cancer as other women, and their risk of dying from the illness is more than twice that for other ethnicities.
These startling statistics point to the need for greater public awareness and action; as such, the controversial content of the exhibition is deliberately intended to draw attention to the health issues of at risk women.
Exhibition curator Ema Tavola says that it is exciting to bring such a major work to the Otara community. “In terms of scale and content, this is the most significant exhibition ever produced for Fresh Gallery Otara.”
“Idealised depictions of women’s bodies in the mass media abound, while images of bodies like our own and those of our family are noticeably absent. This exhibition, with its realistic nude bodies, challenges the way that we perceive the female body.”
This exhibition contains nudity. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Entry to the exhibition is at the discretion of gallery staff.
Leilani Kake received significant funding from Creative New Zealand for this project and Fresh Gallery Otara has been supported by Toi o Manukau and Manukau School of Visual Arts (Manukau Institute of Technology) in presenting the exhibition.
What / Where / When
Ngā Hau E Whā – The Four Winds, a solo exhibition by Leilani Kake, curated by Ema Tavola
Exhibition dates: 4 March – 16 April 2011
Fresh Gallery Otara, Shop 5, 46 Fairmall, Otara Town Centre, South Auckland
In Conversation – The Taboo Body
Leilani Kake, Luisa Lefao-Setoga, Ema Tavola in conversation with Kolokesa Māhina-Tuai
12.30pm – 1.30pm, Monday 14 March Pacific Crystal Palace Spiegeltent in Festival Garden
Artist Talk / White Night
Artist’s floor talk with Leilani Kake followed by a fun night of music and entertainment with FMC VXN and friends
6pm – late, Saturday 12 March
Fresh Gallery Otara
Panel Discussion – Body, Community, Future
19 March, 12pm – 2pm
Four local women discuss the social health and artistic implications of Leilani Kake’s new work, Ngā Hau E Whā – The Four Winds.
Images available on request.
For more information please contact Erin Stewart 09 262 8900 x 8690

domain: artistic


The NewTom Giano represents the latest technology in ‘3-in-1’ maxillofacial imaging from the company that invented cone beam, QR Systems. Using dedicated high resolution 2D sensors, the Giano produces exceptional quality OPG’s and Cephalometric images and is designed as a true workhorse for busy radiology practices. Full PACS compatibility means that the system will integrate seamlessly with your existing workflow. In 3D mode, the revolutionary flat panel detector, coupled with a very small focal spot, produces the clearest and sharpest volumetric images possible.
The Giano takes a low dose pulsed image every degree of rotation (360 images) and produces super high resolution 3D volumes at 0.075mm/voxel with less than 1 minute of reconstruction time. The 3D volumes produced by the Giano are the highest quality of any CBCT system on the market and compliment the image quality produced by the other CBCT systems in the NewTom family.
Small Footprint and Flexible Positioning
The small footprint and flexible patient positioning of the Giano make the unit the practical choice for practices where space is at a premium. The Cephalometric arm can also be mounted on the left or right side of the unit, thereby increasing the flexibility of the system even further.
The Giano is also perfect for Wheelchair patients with easy access for the patient and operator.
NewTom increase the value of the Giano system by adding removable sensor technology. This allows the operator to safely detach the 2D sensor from the main structure and use it on the Ceph arm. A detachable 2D sensor is the perfect solution for those practices which require a high quality device at a competitive price.
Through the development of a truly modular system, the Newtom Giano can be upgraded to CBCT or Pano with Ceph with minimal effort. It is possible to upgrade NewTom Giano’s features by adding Ceph and CB3D at any time.
Network Ready with Touch Screen
Being ‘network ready’, the Giano can be connected directly to your practice network and PACS through a simple ethernet cable. No dedicated workstation is required, making the installation and operation of the system even easier.
Featuring an embedded touchscreen control panel, the Giano is a pleasure to use and allows the operator to select the diagnostic program, level of collimation and select the patient position, before you start the scan. Scanned images & volumes can be viewed across the network or saved onto a USB stick for easy sharing between practices.
Images from the Giano can also be displayed on an iPad, allowing you to view your images in high resolution while on the move or in situations where a workstation may not be available.
NewTom Smart FOV
The NewTom Giano features an 11cm diameter FOV, taking true images of the whole mandibular arch while providing a safety margin for ease of positioning and room for radiological guides.
The NewTom Giano also boasts a revolutionary headrest design featuring 5 rigid support points, with independent right/left movements to balance out cranial asymmetries, adjustable forehead & chin rest, a fixed bite block and independent temple supports. Laser guides ensure that the patient is in the perfect position before each scan.
ref : http://www.inline.com.au/giano


Requisition ID: 49305
Join the Global Community of Scotiabankers to help customers become better off.
As Scotiabank’s engine of modernization, the PLATO platform enables technology teams to build software quickly and securely using modern practices. PLATO is an integrated set of technical capabilities, services and processes that encapsulate critical enterprise functions through standardization, re-use and automation.
The PLATO team is comprised of engineers, problem solvers, agilists and creatives in roles such as Enterprise Platform Engineering and Architecture, Enterprise Data Services, Cloud Infrastructure and Architecture, Product Engineering, and Product Management. Together, the team provides the platform that enables the Bank to deliver transformative experiences that help our 24 million customers become better off.
Interested in joining an agile team that’s impacting change for our customers around the world? Watch our video
The role of the Staff Cloud Software Engineer operates within the Cloud Hosted Services. This valuable member of the team will be responsible for creating platform components and services for the broad enterprise use.
Key accountabilities include development, management and maintenance of cloud platforms, services and components to enable safe enterprise-wide use of cloud common functionality.
Level 3 support responsibilities are included as well.
Technical ownership/leadership of enterprise cloud product(s) or a complex part of a larger product.
Designing, implementing and refactoring code (typically Java, or C#).
Participating in design discussions focused on scalability and design and implementation best practices.
Ensuring software, programs and applications are developed and/or configured to meet high availability, integrity and reliability requirements.
Working with other lead engineers and architects on breaking-down, scoping and estimating tasks.
Participating in planning and retrospective sessions, attending stand-ups, etc.
Be able to design, build and operate the highly available and scalable software and infrastructure .
Our teams are flexible and fast – you will be asked to provide leadership, mentorship, peer review and quality control on a daily basis.
What we are looking for?
Bachelor (equivalent or higher) degree in computer science or engineering/mathematics discipline.
Enthusiasm for cloud transformation and cloud platform/components/services development.
Strong development experience, delivery history and breadth of language experience (Java, C#).
Full understanding of software development life cycle as well as related technologies in the context of Scotiabank
Sufficient domain expertise to evaluate and recommend platform features and capabilities
Proven experience in cloud development (Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure).
Ability to solve ambiguous and typically novel problems that require the effort of several engineers
Expert in either a modern technology stack being built out by PLATO or in Scotia’s legacy systems
Full stack experience in product and/or application and platform development
Experience in technical leadership of small to medium sized technical teams in delivering production solutions
Strong communication skills, both written and spoken; of specific importance the strong communication to a technical audience
Knowledge of software design patterns.
Awareness of how scalable, enterprise-level software system is designed (both on code and infrastructure levels).
Experience working with relational databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server).
Understanding of software release process (environments, binary repositories, CI/CD).
Attention to details, high standards for quality.
Desire to learn, grow yourself and your team.
Experience within Canadian financial institutions a benefit
Location(s): Canada : Ontario : Toronto
As Canada’s International Bank, we are a leader when it comes to inclusion. We are a diverse and global team, speaking more than 100 languages with backgrounds from more than 120 countries. We value the unique skills and experiences each individual brings to the bank, and are committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. Candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly. If you require accommodation during the recruitment and selection process, please let us know. We will work with you to provide as seamless a recruitment experience as possible.


text:
Students should not return to school in person
As November approaches, the option for students to return to school in person is becoming less and less viable.
With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to climb in the state and county, the school should not reopen for in-person classes. For the period of Oct. 10-23, Blair County reported 272 new cases. On Oct. 23, Pennsylvania alone reported 2,258 new cases. These numbers are sure to grow if students are to return to school.
Right now, all high school and junior high school students are attending synchronous and asynchronous classes while elementary school students are split between the elementary schools and the junior high school. Now, this system isn’t great, but it is working. There hasn’t been a large outbreak of cases in the school community, and students are lucky to be able to participate in extracurricular activities.
Though some aspects of virtual learning can be difficult, it is the safest way to keep students and staff safe from COVID-19.
For many students, the reason why they want to return to school is selfish; they want to see their friends. Students don’t consider the dangers of going back to school and only consider the positives.
Many of the faculty and staff in the school are over the age of 55, are immunocompromised or have underlying health conditions. Although anyone can catch the virus, those who are most at risk of serious illness are those who are over the age of 55, are immunocompromised or have underlying health conditions. Students are selfish for not considering the lives of the faculty and staff as they decide if they want to return to school.
If school is to return to in person classes, it should return with a hybrid system where only half of the students are in the building at a given time. Students could be divided by last name or grade level and attend schools on Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday with Wednesday being used to clean and sanitize the school. This would allow for easier social distancing and contact tracing. If after a reasonable amount of time, there are not frequent cases, then the school could resume in person classes as normal with precautions put in place.
The health and safety of the students, staff and the community are paramount to any dance, game or class, and students should consider this when deciding if they want to return in November.
Students should return to school in person
On March 13, the way of learning changed for many students as the COVID-19 virus started infecting the people of America.
In an attempt to keep the students across the state protected, Governor Tom Wolf closed all schools. After some time, each school created their own version of virtual learning, and around the beginning of this school year, some schools have even reopened. However, the school environment is not the same as it was before due to social distancing guidelines and mask requirements.
To many students, school being taught publicly has and always will be easier to manage. Now, students may seem to have more time to do work, but they actually might not because of a plethora of things going on. Things may be going on in a home setting that teachers may not see or know about such as a part time job, a busy home life, mental health issues, etc.
Public school also benefits a teenagers need to be social and active. Sitting at a desk-like area, being on different classroom video calls, doing different digital worksheets and looking at a screen all day is not nearly as beneficial to a high school student as being out of the house and at school. At school, students are constantly up and walking around, and most students take physical education classes that get them up and moving a little extra.
Most students’ grades also show an improvement when attending in-person, public school regularly. Students are able to learn in what they are being taught and teachers are able to make sure their students are actually learning just by seeing the progress. During in-person class, if the majority of a class is confused, the teacher will be able to see that and go into more detail and try to help their students; however, they cannot do that as easily if they are on a classroom phone call when the majority of students have their cameras and microphones off.

domain: sociology


text:
This story is in honor of my close friend’s dog, Toby.
He was the best.
Black and brown were the colors of his coat, and chocolate brown were the color of his eyes.
He was mine.
After loosing our family dog not too long ago, this dog was a blessing from heaven.
After our family dog died, I knew I needed a new shadow to follow me around, so me and my brother set out to find our two new companions.
Both of the dogs clicked with our family.
My dog was what made me smile each day.
He was a wild, yet loyal puppy.
Training was needed, knowledge would be needed, but he was needed.
I could do it.
I knew I could.
He was rambunctious, but I was experienced.
So I worked.
I trained that dog so hard.
I worked him day after day until he learned every trick I had in my book.
He was the smartest dog in town.
He played hide and seek, he ran with me when we played airsoft, he sat, he laid down, he ran to his crate, he shook my hand, he was himself.
He was mine.
One of the best dogs I'd ever had.
He chased the goats, but he didn’t mean any harm.
If he ever did, I disciplined him well enough.
He listened when I talked to myself and him as I worked on school, cocking his German Shepard head.
He played well with my siblings, even when my sister rode on his back.
He was tall, his tail long, and his muscles strong.
Sometimes he would beg at the table, and I’d see my little siblings sneaking him treats.
I’d yell, “No!” But only because I wanted him to be a good dog.
If he listened, he got the treat he was after.
He was the best companion.
He never left my side, even when I wanted to be alone.
He comforted me with his loyalty, and I knew I would never have a dog as good as him ever again.
Sometimes I wished people knew me like my dog did.
He had heard me talking to myself so many times, he probably knew more about me than my own brother.
Now that I think about it, I guess I’m glad people don’t know me as well as he did.
One day, he got out of the yard.
We couldn’t find him for hours.
I checked the brush around our house, under our sheds, in our rooms, just in case.
My mom drove around the neighborhood, asking if anyone knew where he was.
Turns out, he was at the neighbor’s.
Relief flooded me the instant my mom brought him home.
If he had run away, and we hadn’t been able to find him, I don’t know what I’d do.
The rest of the year passed, and the next few weeks were smooth.
My dog hadn’t escaped and ran since that one time.
He was still my greatest achievement, and my greatest friend.
His personality was like mine, but in dog form.
Adventurous, risk taking, tough.
He liked to jump, to dig, to run.
Though, we had to get him a shock collar.
I was afraid he’d run off again.
He had shown signs of wanting to run off again, and he even got out of the yard a couple times. We caught him if we were fast most of the time, but we didn’t want to take any chances.
It was hard to hear the volts make him yelp, but I had to do what I had to do.
He was fine until just recently.
He had bolted again.
It was the plan for my parents to travel out of state for two days, and I was to go stay at a friends with all my siblings.
But the day he bolted was the day before my parents were supposed to leave.
We looked for him long into the night before we were to be dropped off.
He was nowhere.
The neighbors had no idea where he was, my parents had no idea where he was, I had no idea where he was.
In the late hours, we turned in, my arms void of my dog.
When we woke up in the morning, my mom made the decision to stay with me to find my dog, my dad and one of my siblings would go out of state, and the rest of my siblings would go to a friend’s house.
It didn’t matter how spread apart our family was for the moment.
My mind was focused on one thing.
The day after my dad and brother left to go out of state, and the other kids had stayed the night at the friend’s, we found my dog.
A neighbor had spotted him on his property and for whatever reason, used his shotgun.
It could have been to protect his stock, it could have been the fact that an unfamiliar dog was on his property, it could have been anything.
I was utterly crushed.
The thought of my brother's dog, who was adopted at the same time as mine, searching for her fellow dog friend, wrenched my heart.
That night was especially dark.
I’m not ashamed, I shed some tears.
How could I go home knowing my Shepard wasn't going to be in my room in his crate? Wagging his tail, whining to get out?
How could I come home and tell my little siblings, "He's gone." ?
There was a void inside me.
When my last dog had died, I was sure that nothing could completely fill that void.
And nothing could… completely.
But this dog almost filled it.
Now he was gone.
But maybe something else could almost fill the void.
I needed another companion.
I had to find one.
So, around a week later, we checked the dog shelter.
As we walked down the aisle, we peered into the cages.
Then I saw him.
Black and white with one blue and one brown eye.
A collie, a husky, I don’t know what he was- a mix, maybe?
He was awesome.
He had one brown sock, and a white streak down his nose.
He was supposed to be mine.
My mom agreed.
I would name him Kylo.
He was joyful, bouncy, and wild.
He made me smile with his puppy antics.
He was extraordinary.
My last dog would always inspire me to train my new dog Kylo harder, to work myself harder.
He was elusive.
He was Toby.
Rest in peace, Toby. You brought joy when you were on earth. Thank you for being the awesome companion that you were.

domain: pet


Forest bathing is an activity we can all benefit from...and you can do it in the incredible woodlands all around the farm at Kittisford Barton.
Forest Bathing is a term that has been rising in awareness over the last few years. There is no doubt that people have been using the calm of a woodland and the sounds, sights and smells to connect with nature and to gain a feeling of peace for eternity, however now it is becoming an activity that people are actively seeking to do.
True forest bathing (or 'shinrin-yoku' as it is known in Japan, where the practice originates), involves removing the technology, cameras and phones that we typically carry with us everywhere, and taking time to immerse our senses in amongst the trees. Dr Qing Li, author of 'Forest Bathing: How trees can help you find health and happiness' suggests that the key is to use all five senses. To touch the bark of a tree, to see the leaves blowing in the wind, to hear the birds tweeting or the rustling of autumn leaves, to smell the aromas of soil, flowers, moss and to taste the freshness of the air as you take slow deep breaths. There is scientific evidence that the phytoncides (natural aromas) released by plants can improve immune function and that time spent forest bathing has been shown to reduce stress hormones and lower blood pressure when compared to city environments.
When it comes to childrens health there is also evidence of great benefits to being outdoors, and our woods are perfect for that too. Den building, fairy hunting, tree climbing, learning about animal tracks and shapes of leaves on the different trees are just some things you could do in the woods with your children - but I bet they could think of lots more!
From Woodpecker Woods at the top of our farm to the woodland running alongside the bathealton stream at the bottom we hope you will take the opportunity to try forest bathing while you are here. In spring time there is wild garlic to forage (wild garlic pesto recipe from the Woodland Trust here!), and through late summer and autumn there are berries to forage and crumbles to make!
So come and have a go at Forest Bathing, and if you want to read up on it first then have a look at some of these recommended books:
Shinrin-Yoku: The Art and Science of Forest-Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness - Dr Qing Li
Forest Therapy Seasonal Ways to Embrace Nature for a Happier You - Sarah Ivens
National Trust: Go Wild in the Woods: An Adventure Handbook - Goldie Hawk and Rachael Saunders
Forest School Adventure: Outdoor Skills and Play for Children - Dan Westall and Naomi Walmsley


A pursuit suspect was taken into custody after crashing into another vehicle during a Monday night chase through the San Gabriel Valley, video from Sky5 showed.
The chase came to an end when the white sedan plowed into another vehicle at an intersection in San Dimas and the driver ditched the car, running to a nearby shopping complex in the area of Arrow Highway shortly before 8:30 p.m.
Officers caught up with the driver outside one of the stores and detained him.
Several people also ran from the car after it crashed, and at least two were seen being taken into custody.
The impact of the collision left debris littering the roadway, with heavy damage to the front of the suspect’s car and the passenger side of the sedan it crashed into.
It’s unclear whether anyone was injured in the crash.
During the pursuit, the white sedan was seen speeding through intersections and weaving between vehicles as patrol cars followed close behind.
Authorities did not provide information on what prompted the pursuit, and no further details were immediately available.


text: Comparison of proliferative capacity between F3 and F3.Olig2 human NSCs. (A) Cell proliferation assay measured by Cell Counting Kit-8. Cells were grown in a 96-well plate and the viability was measured at different time points after initial culture. ** = p < 0.01, *** = p < 0.001 by unpaired T test. Error bars indicate mean ± SD. N = 4 replicate experiments. (B) BrdU incorporation assay. Cells were grown on a 9 mm coverslip for 36 hours and BrdU was added for 2 hours. *** = p < 0.001 by unpaired T test. Error bars indicate mean ± SD. N = 3 coverslips for each condition. (C-H) Representative images of transverse spinal cord sections doubly stained with human mitochondria (red) and Ki67 (green) at 2 weeks after transplantation. A majority of grafted F3 cells (C-E) did not express Ki67, whereas the nuclei of F3.Olig2 grafted cells (F-H) were frequently colocalized with Ki67 (arrows). The nuclei were visualized by DAPI (blue) (E, H). Scale bar = 20 μm. (I) Quantification of the percent grafted cells containing Ki67 positive nuclei. Error bars indicate mean ± SD. ** = p < 0.01 by unpaired T test. N = 3 and 4 animals for F3 and F3.Olig2 groups, respectively.

domain: medical


Rexxie Shares About His Music Journey And More On The ‘WITH CUDE’ Podcast
Talented Nigerian record producer and songwriter, Chisom Eze alias Lexiis a guest on the new episode of Chudae Jidongwopodcast of #With Chude.
In this enlightening episode, the Grammy-winning producer explores how it all started, juggling life for himself and his family, moving to Lagos, Yabatecand many more..
See excerpt below.
When I realized I wanted to do music:
The music started out of love in the church, and the production itself was for love. There was a time when her mother wasn’t very well and she didn’t get much money from her family. Music was the only thing that sorted out their funds at the time. Wow this is actually a hustle. If you can do this and this, then it all started from there.”
To watch the full episode, click here or tap here to listen.


In January, Apple announced the Mac mini 2023. With the biggest improvement being super-fast M2 chips. What is new? And where can you buy the Mac mini? Read all about it in this file.
The latest Mac mini 2023 posts
Mac mini 2023 prices: Apple’s latest Mac is almost too cheap
3 minutes ago1 minute
Apple introduces Mac mini 2023: same box, new chips
Mac mini 2023 in a nutshell
- Announced at a mini Apple event on January 17, 2023
- Official release on January 24, 2023
- Two variants: with M2 or M2 Pro chip
- 2 or 4 USB-C connections, 1x HDMI, 1x Ethernet and 2x USB-A ports
- Cheapest desktop Mac (but without peripherals)
- Starting price: €719 (M2 chip) or €1569 (M2 Pro). You will soon be able to buy it at, among others, Mediamarkt, Coolblue and Bol.com.
What is Mac mini?
Apple’s Mac mini is the most compact and affordable computer in the Mac series. Perfect for users who don’t want a large computer but want the power and performance of a Mac. The Mac mini can be connected to an external monitor, keyboard and mouse – which you still have to buy. The latest version is the Mac mini 2023, which follows the Mac mini 2020.
Mac mini 2023: new chips
The previous Mac mini was equipped with an M1 chip, Apple’s first proprietary chip. As a result, the Mac mini has already made a flight. And with the Mac mini 2023, Apple takes it a step further. Or two scoops, actually. The new Mac mini is now available with two new chips: M2 and M2 Pro. Apple calls the first a workhorse and the second a racehorse. How is that exactly?
Mac mini M2
The first new Mac mini has an M2 chip with eight CPU cores (four high-performance and four high-efficiency) and ten GPU cores. The M2 chip is the direct successor to the M1 from 2020. We know this chip from the MacBook Air 2022, and it makes the performance of the Mac mini a bit faster. Apple cites the following concrete examples: “Up to 2.4x faster ProRes transcoding in Final Cut Pro, up to 50 percent faster filter and feature performance in Adobe Photoshop, and up to 35 percent faster gameplay in Resident Evil: Village.” Still, we certainly wouldn’t trade the Mac mini M1 for it.
Mac mini M2 Pro
In addition to the Mac mini M2, there is also a Mac mini M2 Pro, with which Apple clearly focuses on the professional user. The M2 Pro chip is brand new and also found in the MacBook Pro 2023, which was announced at the same time as the Mac mini. It is also available with this chip’s superlative, the M2 Max.
The M2 Pro has a CPU with up to twelve cores (eight high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores) and a GPU with up to nineteen cores. And here Apple mentions the following specific examples compared to the M1: “Up to 2.5x faster graphics performance in Affinity Photo, up to 4.2x faster ProRes transcoding in Final Cut Pro and up to 2.8x faster gameplay in Resident Evil: Village” .
The Mini is one of three desktop computers from Apple, along with the iMac and Mac Pro. The Mac mini has had the same recognizable design for years, and Apple hasn’t tampered with it this time either. It is still the same ‘block’ measuring 19.7 x 19.7 x 3.58 cm. Logical: Companies use Mac minis en masse as servers and have purchased special enclosures for that purpose. Then you won’t suddenly have another size added. The Mac mini comes in one color: silver.
Lots of connections
The Mac mini has several connectivity options:
- Thunderbolt 4 (two connections on the M2 model, four on the M2 Pro).
- Two USB A ports (up to 5 Gb/s)
- HDMI port
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- Mini jack connection
Notable difference: The M2 model has simultaneous support for up to two displays. You can connect three to the M2 Pro.
Want to buy Mac mini 2023?
The Mac mini was announced on Tuesday, January 17 and went on pre-sale. It will officially hit stores on Tuesday, January 24. Mac mini with M2 chip is available from € 719. That is 70 euros less than its predecessor with M1 chip. The Mac mini with the M2 Pro chip is considerably more expensive and starts at €1569. You will soon be able to buy it from Mediamarkt, Coolblue and Bol.com, among others.
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The Lowdown: Transfer ball rolling
The Red Devils appear to be finally getting things in place ahead of Erik ten Hag’s first season in charge.
Reports have suggested that deals have been agreed in principle for both Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong and Feyenoord left-back Tyrell Malacia.
The Latest: Eriksen update
The Guardian shared a transfer update regarding United on Wednesday evening, name-checking De Jong, Malacia and Antony.
They also provided news on Eriksen however, claiming ‘there is hope at United that Eriksen could join after previously signalling a preference to remain in London’.
The Verdict: Fingers crossed
Things are seemingly falling into place off the pitch, with De Jong and Malacia set to bolster the club’s central midfield and left-back ranks respectively.
How many signings do Man Utd need to make this summer?
A move for Antony would also provide Ten Hag with a senior right-winger ahead of the new season, something he currently doesn’t have.
Eriksen could be the cherry on top of the cake at Old Trafford, with Gary Neville labelling the attacking midfielder’s passing as ‘out of this world‘ back in May.
He’d provide plenty of competition to Bruno Fernandes and would also be able to play out wide if required, so fingers crossed United can get a free transfer over the line.
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Ever since some alarming reports appeared about Sharmila Tagore not keeping good health, the legendary diva has been inundated with calls from anxious friends, relatives, and fans.
Putting to rest all concerns about her health, Sharmila Tagore ji says, “By God’s grace I am in fine health. There is absolutely no reason to be concerned. Though I’m 76, I keep myself very busy reading, gardening, social engagements, and of course attending to my obligations at home. There is no time to brood .”
The past year’s lockdown also gave the highly versatile critically acclaimed actress an opportunity to watch all her films chronologically. “Many of my own films, I had never seen before. And I must say some of my old films like Choti Bahu and Badnaam Farishtay have withstood the test of time. I like Asit Sen’s Safar and Bhimsain’s Dooriyaan because I played a proper professional. This was so different from the conventional roles for heroines during those days. I like Anupama, Safar, Amar Prem, Talaash and Aradhana. Apur Sansar was a milestone and so was Devi. I got to work with Satyajit Ray in both.”
Sharmilaji’s own personal favourite performance remains the one she gave in the great Satyajit Ray’s Devi when she was just 14. “It is my own favourite film and performance. My life changed when I was introduced to Satyajit Ray. It was acting for me thereafter. But I kept telling myself I’d quit after every film. I saw myself in my first Hindi film Kashmir Ki Kali and I didn’t like myself. I said, one more film and I’m done. But it continued. But I left so many films: Khilona, Tere Mere Sapne, Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, Aadmi Aur Insaan…. You have to appreciate the fact that acting is not the be-all end-all of my life. There is so much more to life. In any case, unlike Jaya (Bachchan) or Shabana (Azmi), who went to acting school, I was an accidental actress. I remember seeing Jaya at age 13 with her father, the distinguished journalist Tarun Kumar Bhaduri. Even at that age she was decked up, a rose in her hair and so on. She was very enamoured of the camera. She was destined to be an actress. I had no such aspirations. I actually wanted to go to Shanti Niketan. I wanted to be a dancer.”
Catch us for latest Bollywood News, New Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection, New Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi, Entertainment News, Bollywood News Today & upcoming movies 2020 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.


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Crypto Coins news article ctu Student login is an easy way to get access to credit cards and other financial information from your school.
ctu is the name of a student financial aid program that provides a student ID number to aid in accessing funds for students.
If you don’t have an ID number for your school, you can register for one online at http://ctu.us/index.cfm.
There, you will need to provide the school name, address, phone number, email address, and a valid email address to receive your ID.
The program also allows you to use the student ID to sign in to other school websites.
Ctu student enrollment has increased dramatically in the past few years.
“Student enrollment has been increasing and in some cases has doubled every year.
Student enrollment is now higher than in the early years of the program, when it was limited to students who could afford to pay for tuition,” said the university’s President John Schmitt.
“We have increased the number of students and faculty enrolled in ctu each year for the past four years.”
The program has increased in popularity in recent years, with nearly 6 million students enrolled and over $20 million in student aid received.
However, ctu has had its share of controversy in recent times, with some students filing class action lawsuits against the university, citing the program’s “unfair” practices.
Earlier this year, ctU students petitioned the court to block the program from being implemented.
In a decision issued in May, the Supreme Court ruled that the students lawsuit was not “based on merit” and that ctu was not discriminatory in its treatment of minority students.
The program currently allows students to sign up for two credit hours of credit at a time, with the first $5.50 to be used toward fees.
The cost of the credit hours ranges from $0 to $20 per credit hour, with students paying an additional $0.50 for each credit hour spent.
For the time being, students can only access their student ID on the ctu website, which is still up at http:/www.ctu-us.edu.
While ctu enrollment has grown significantly in the last few years, some students are not happy about the new rules.
“We are concerned about the changes to the program and what it means for students,” said student Karla Gee, who works in marketing.
“The way the program is being implemented is unfair, it’s discriminatory and it’s not helping the students who need it the most.”
“Ctu is a student-run program and as a student, I feel that this is an unfair way to use my money, as a taxpayer, and I’m not going to be able to do it,” she added.
Other students who feel the program has unfairly treated minority students are also concerned.
“I don’t think ctu should have to be like this because I can use my credit card for anything else, so why should I have to go to another institution to access that same information?” said student Anissa Koehler.
Another student, Erica Dennison, added, “I’m not sure I want to go back to ctu, but I’m very much looking forward to ctu.”
Despite the controversy, ctnu continues to gain popularity in the U.S. as more and more students are enrolling.
In 2014, the program was able to secure over $8.5 million in scholarships and grants from universities and private sources.

domain: news


Membership soccer is lastly again after a protracted worldwide break and what an thrilling match-up we’ve for the weekend. Soccer followers around the globe are gearing up for an thrilling Premier League fixture as Manchester Metropolis prepares to host Liverpool on the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
This extremely anticipated match is about to be an exhilarating encounter between two high groups in England. It has at all times been a high-scoring fixture within the Premier League so you may wager it’s going to be thrilling.
Manchester Metropolis vs Liverpool Preview
Manchester Metropolis can be searching for revenge after struggling a defeat to Liverpool earlier this season at Anfield. This can be an important sport for Metropolis as they intention to shut the hole on the high of the desk to only 5 factors, placing them in an excellent place to overhaul Arsenal within the title race.
Liverpool, then again, can be trying to bounce again after a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth of their final Premier League outing three weeks in the past. The Reds haven’t been at their greatest this season and are presently trailing Tottenham by seven factors, albeit with two video games in hand.
The place to Watch Man Metropolis vs Liverpool
The sport will kick off at 12:30 pm BST, and soccer followers around the globe can be eagerly tuning in to look at this extremely anticipated match. Within the United States, the sport could be watched on ESPN+ and NBCSN, whereas within the United Kingdom, the sport can be broadcasted dwell on Sky Sports activities and BT Sport. Nevertheless, sadly, the sport won’t be televised in India.
Each groups are lacking key gamers from their squads as a consequence of accidents. It is going to be fascinating to see how each groups line up however we are able to make an informed guess primarily based on the crew information.
Man Metropolis Crew Information and Predicted Lineup
When it comes to crew information, Manchester Metropolis has not reported any contemporary damage issues of their squad. Solely Julian Alvarez stayed again in Qatar to play the World Cup knockout rounds past the quarter-finals with Argentina. Phil Foden won’t be able to play for Man Metropolis as a consequence of damage, though Erling Haaland will have to be examined by the medical crew previous to kickoff.
As such, the ahead will get a number of weeks off earlier than re-joining coaching. Man Metropolis is prone to area a robust line-up that features Ederson; Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, John Stones, Kyle Walker; Cole Palmer, Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne; Mahrez, Erling Haaland, and Jack Grealish.
Liverpool Crew Information and Predicted Lineup
Liverpool, then again, has been boosted by the return of Luis Diaz, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Jordan Henderson. Nevertheless, solely the latter two are in with an opportunity of constructing it into the matchday squad towards Man Metropolis. Luis Diaz returned to full coaching this week however Jurgen Klopp confirmed that he gained’t be part of the squad towards Man Metropolis. Thiago and Naby Keita are each out as a consequence of sustaining accidents.
The Reds’ predicted XI will embody Alisson; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson; Harvey Elliott, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho; Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo.


The A-Wing excels at hunting down and engaging other starfighters. As an interceptor, it makes use of its impressive speed and maneuverability in order to close in on its enemies and to shake off pursuers.
The Afterburner ability grants a speed boost to the A-Wing, and can be used in order to break missile locks and to shake pursuers.
With the Hard Lock ability, the A-Wing can dedicate itself into hunting down single targets by dealing increased damage, locking onto them faster, and being unable to lose them. The Hard Lock ability can also be used in order to take down Hero Starfighters faster, and can also be used on objectives for increased damage.
The Concussion Missile ability allows the A-Wing to briefly disorient enemy starfighters it hits, along with being able to blind soldiers on the ground that are near the explosion. While not as powerful as torpedoes from the Fighter or Bomber, the Concussion Missile is still capable of finishing off weakened targets.


Despite her intense dislike of Miesha (Cupcake) Tate, Ronda (Rowdy) Rousey hasn’t lost sight of the big picture.
Sure, Rousey had to endure her rival’s pranks and passive-aggressive potshots while filming The Ultimate Fighter 18. The UFC women’s bantamweight champion has also now has to deal with the reality that she may have lost some fans due to her own behaviour on the popular reality series.
But as far as Rousey is concerned, these are minor details in the grand scheme of things. What’s important is that they translate to eyeballs for women’s mixed martial arts.
Since the UFC’s female 135-pound division is still in its infancy — and competing for attention with more established weight classes — it doesn’t hurt to have a heated feud grabbing headlines.
However, Rousey admitted some fans have developed the wrong perception of her.
“If you really notice, I’ve never had a problem with any other opponent that I’ve ever had,” Rousey told reporters on a recent media call. “Everyone thinks about me as being this big trash talker, but who have I had a problem with that I fought except for Miesha? It’s not like my dislike for her outweighs how much I care for women’s MMA. It’s not like I want her to be permanently injured or retire or anything like that.
“It’d just be nice to not have to deal with her personally … anymore. But the notoriety that she’s gained from this rivalry has helped all the other girls out. So I’m happy that she’s actually sitting better because of it.”
Rousey rematches Tate in the co-main event of UFC 168 in Las Vegas Saturday. Though the bout means another huge step forward for women’s MMA, it doesn’t change the fact that once the cage door shuts, Rousey has every intention of putting the rivalry to bed.
“I want to win every single fight,” Rousey said. “They’re all equally important to me, no matter who it’s against, but it’ll be nice to not have to deal with it anymore. I really don’t want to have to put myself in this situation where anyone can instigate me ever again.”
Rousey’s bad blood with Tate dates back to their first encounter in early 2012 under the Strikeforce banner, a bout the 2008 Olympic judo bronze medal winner secured due to her consecutive first-round submission wins and a consistent stream of trash talk aimed at Tate.
Rousey made good on the opportunity, submitting Tate with a gruesome armbar to capture the Strikeforce 135-pound title.
Not only did the fight bring immediate attention to women’s MMA, it played a pivotal role in swaying the UFC to green light its first female division.
Following her title win, Rousey’s stardom took off. Even before she debuted in the UFC she was one of the sport’s most visible figures.
When she finally submitted Liz Carmouche at UFC 157 in the inaugural UFC women’s fight this past February, Rousey had already gone through a gamut of media appearances few male fighters have ever experienced.
Though Rousey and Tate have done their fair share of press work leading up to their rematch, much of the spotlight has been on the middleweight title fight between Chris Weidman and Anderson Silva.
Rousey said she’s enjoyed having a more relaxed schedule this time around.
“It was actually really great for me (to be) co-main to Anderson and Chris because I kind of got to take a back seat on the press,” Rousey said. “I’ve really been able to isolate myself and just dive into camp ever since.”
With promotion all but done, the only thing left is for Rousey and Tate to fight.
Since their first encounter was not only an historic moment for women’s MMA, but also an exciting bout, expectations are much higher for the rematch. It will also be held on the biggest stage the sport has to offer.
As a result, Rousey continues to carry the weight of women’s MMA on her shoulders. But she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Every single fight is more pressure than ever before,” Rousey said. “Even if I’m fighting in a high school gym for a local judo tournament, it still feels like a lot of pressure to me. Every single fight is the end of the world. I’ve always been raised to be the kind of fighter who rises above myself in high-pressure situations.”
TALE OF AN ARMBAR
Sporting a pro record of 7-0, Ronda (Rowdy) Rousey has finished all her opponents via first-round armbar submission.
OPPONENT — FIGHT TIME (in minutes) — DATE
Liz Carmouche — 4:49 — Feb. 23, 2013
Sarah Kaufman — 0:54 — Aug. 18, 2012
Miesha Tate — 4:27 — March 3, 2012
Julia Budd — 0:39 — Nov. 18, 2011
Sarah D’Alelio — 0:25 — Aug. 12, 2011
Charmaine Tweet — 0:49 — June 17, 2011
Ediane Gomes — 0:25 — March 27, 2011
Ronda (Rowdy) Rousey isn’t convinced Nick Diaz will stay retired.
A friend and training partner of Diaz, Rousey is one of the few fighters allowed inside the former Strikeforce welterweight titleholder’s inner circle.
During a recent appearance on FOX Sports Live, the UFC women’s bantamweight champion said she believes Diaz will be back when he’s ready.
“I think he will,” Rousey bluntly told host Charissa Thompson ahead of her title defence against Miesha Tate at UFC 168 Saturday in Las Vegas.
Diaz hasn’t fought since losing a lopsided unanimous decision to then-UFC champ Georges St. Pierre in March. Though he has mostly remained quiet during his hiatus, the Stockton, Calif. native promoted a fight card, WAR MMA, this past June.
UFC president Dana White recently revealed he offered Diaz a rematch with Carlos Condit, which would have taken place at UFC 171 in Dallas March 15, but the Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu fighter turned it down. Condit won their first encounter via controversial unanimous decision in early 2012 to capture the interim welterweight title.
Rousey said she understands why Diaz shot down the opportunity.
“Nick’s been fighting for a really, really long time,” Rousey began. “I’ve only been fighting for three years. I mean, he’s been fighting for over a decade now. This sport puts a lot of miles on you very quickly.
“If he feels like he needs a rest and to take a break, you can’t fight for anyone other than yourself. You can’t fight sooner than you feel like you should. It really is a life and death situation out there. You have to do it when you feel it’s right.”
However, should Diaz opt to stay retired, he would exit the sport with a 26-9 (1 NC) record. Over the course of his career he’s picked up wins against B.J. Penn, Frank Shamrock, Hayato Sakurai, Paul Daley and Robbie Lawler.
UFC officials are targeting a pivotal lightweight fight for UFC 170.
MMABoxing.ru was first to report the promotion aims to book Khabib (The Eagle) Nurmagomedov against Gilbert (El Nino) Melendez in Las Vegas Feb. 22.
Though an official bout order has yet to be revealed, Nurmagomedov and Melendez would likely be slated for the pay-per-view portion of the card. The headliner will see Daniel Cormier make his light-heavyweight debut against Rashad Evans.
Currently ranked No. 7 at 155 pounds, Nurmagomedov is 21-0 as a professional and has been on a tear since joining the UFC roster in early 2012. The Dagestan native’s last outing saw him win an entertaining unanimous decision over Pat Healy in September.
For Melendez, the bout represents a big step towards securing another title shot. The former Strikeforce champ debuted under the UFC banner in April, losing a controversial split decision to then UFC kingpin Benson Henderson.
Melendez then bounced back with a wild unanimous-decision victory over Diego Sanchez two months ago.
Contrary to reports, Pat (HD) Barry and Nam Phan have not been released by the UFC.
Both Barry’s manager, Brian Butler-Au, and Phan, who represents himself, confirmed with MMA Fighting this week that neither side has received walking papers. According to both camps, UFC matchmakers have assured each fighter that he will receive another opportunity in the octagon.
Over the weekend, rumours and speculation began to swirl that Barry and Phan had been fired following losses at UFC Fight Night 33 in Brisbane, Australia earlier this month.
Barry suffered his third KO defeat in four fights, succumbing to heavy ground-and-pound courtesy of Soa Palelei. The loss brings the former kickboxer’s UFC record to 5-7.
As for Phan, The Ultimate Fighter 12 cast member dropped an entertaining unanimous decision to Takeya Mizugaki. Like Barry, Phan has now lost three fights in his last four outings.
A battle between emerging bantamweights has been inked for the UFC’s upcoming Brazil card.
Yuri (Marajo) Alcantara will meet Wilson Reis on the undercard of UFC Fight Night 34 Feb. 15 in Jaragua do Sul. The show will be headlined by a pair of middleweight bouts, as Lyoto Machida faces Gegard Mousasi and Francis Carmont takes on Ronaldo Souza.
A talented grappler, Reis made a successful UFC debut in September, winning a workmanlike unanimous decision over Ivan Menjivar.
The Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt is 5-1 since dropping to 135 pounds. His sole loss in the division came via KO against current Bellator champ Eduardo Dantas in late 2011.
Alcantara is looking to get back on track following a failed bid to crack the bantamweight top 10, which saw him lose a tough unanimous decision to Urijah Faber in August.


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National Guard troops refusing the COVID-19 vaccination won’t be paid for their drills or be excused from any training or duty conducted while under federal authority, according to a memo released Tuesday by the Pentagon.
The memo from Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin amounts to a shot across the bow to Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, who has sought to block Mr. Austin’s vaccine mandate for personnel in the Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard who don’t want to take the vaccine.
“Vaccination is essential to the health and readiness of the force,” Mr. Austin wrote in his memo to the service secretaries along with other Pentagon officials including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the chief of the National Guard Bureau.
“No Department of Defense funding may be allocated for payment of duties performed under [federal authority] for members of the National Guard who do not comply with the Department of Defense COVID-19 vaccination requirements,” the memo stated. “No credit or excused absence shall be afforded to members who do not participate in drills, training or other duty due to failure to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.”
The memo came the day after Mr. Austin’s rejection of a request from Gov. Stitt a waiver from the COVID order for members of the Oklahoma National Guard. The governor said the mandate “violates the personal freedoms of many Oklahoman’s” because it asks them to potentially sacrifice their personal beliefs in order to not lose their jobs.
“All of our National Guardsmen take this calling very seriously,” Mr. Stitt wrote. “These are patriotic citizens who are willing to put their lives on the line to protect others in our communities during times of greatest need.”
Secretary Austin told the governor he made the decision because of the hospitalizations and deaths of military personnel and their families because of COVID-19, which he said “jeopardizes our ability to meet mission requirements.”
“The concerns raised in your letter do not negate the indeed for this important military readiness requirement,” Mr. Austin wrote in his reply.
Pentagon officials said they’ve received no other requests from state governors for a vaccination waiver as the service’s deadlines come and go.
“By not taking the vaccine, therefore not meeting a mandatory readiness requirement, an individual in the National Guard could put in jeopardy their ability to continue to serve,” chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday.
Unlike the completely federal Army Reserves, the Army and Air National Guard operated under a dual command system. It can operate as either a state force where the governor is the commander-in-chief — known as Title 32 — or as a federal military agency — known as Title 10.
This issue is at the heart of the dispute.
“Failing to follow the governor’s lawful orders while on [state duty] would be both illegal, unethical and against our sworn oaths,” Brig. Gen. Thomas Mancino, the adjutant general for Oklahoma, said in a statement. “If [Oklahoma Guard troops] are not mobilized on Title 10 orders, the only entity that can give you a ‘lawful order’ — that is an order backed by the authority of law — is the governor and his designated chain-of-command.”
It wasn’t immediately clear on Tuesday what Oklahoma officials intend to do now that Secretary Austin has denied the request. They estimate that more than 800 Oklahoma Guard personnel — about 10 percent of the force — don’t plan to receive the vaccine.
“It is irresponsible for the federal government to place mandatory vaccine obligations on Oklahoma National Guardsmen which could potentially limit the number of individuals that I can call upon to assist the state during an emergency,” Mr. Stitt wrote.


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How much is Dan Bilzerian worth?
Professional poker player and now internet media sensation, Dan Bilzerian, has an estimated net worth of $150 million. Although Dan is a well-known poker player it was his controversial internet persona that really made him famous. He now has over 17 million followers on Instagram. He gains attention by his flashy lifestyle, constant surroundings of provocative women, and very risky things like blowing stuff up and throwing women off of roofs.

domain: celebrity


Prince George's County Warming Centers and Winter Weather Tips
Prince George's County Office of Emergency Management advises citizens and residents of hazardous winter weather conditions. With expected temperatures from the low teens to mid-20's, with 20 to 30 MPH wind gusts, residents are reminded to use caution.
· Residents are encouraged to Stay Informed and utilize Notify Me Prince George's to receive updates regarding the weather. Citizens can register by logging onto https://notifyme.princegeorgescountymd.gov/ or by texting 411912 to receive real-time notifications via registered mobile devices.
· Prince George's County will also keep citizens updated through usage of its Office of Emergency Management Facebook, and Twitter account. Residents should also monitor the weather through local media sources.
· Residents are reminded to check on the elderly and those individuals with functional needs to make sure they are safe and warm.
· Remember to call 911 only in cases of emergency. Residents are encouraged to utilize Prince George's County's County Click 311 system to obtain information about public services or call 888-731-0999
For tips during freezing temperatures visit the Cold Weather Tip Center.
In Addition, the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) continues to monitor the weather conditions and power outages due to the extreme cold. The OEM in collaboration with the Prince George's County Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission encourages residents without heat to utilize one of the following local warming centers.
Please Click Here for more information.


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- Will Kate be a Queen when William is King?
- Does the queen watch the crown?
- What happens if Prince William abdicates?
- Can the Queen skip Charles?
- What happens to William and Kate when Charles becomes king?
- Will the queen ever abdicate?
- Does Camilla become queen?
- Does the Queen like Camilla?
- Will Prince Charles abdicate to William?
- Why won’t the Queen step down?
- Why is Prince Philip not king?
- Can Prince Charles give the throne to William?
- Will Camilla be queen if Charles dies?
- Can Prince Harry become King?
- Will the queen abdicate in favor of William?
Will Kate be a Queen when William is King?
What will Kate’s title be when Prince William is King.
Once Prince William assumes the throne and becomes King, the Duchess of Cambridge will become Queen Consort.
Contrary to popular belief, the Duchess will not become Queen of England in the same way Queen Elizabeth II is now..
Does the queen watch the crown?
Does Queen Elizabeth II watch The Crown—and does she even like it? Though she’s never publicly spoken about the show, in 2017, the Sunday Express reported that the monarch watched all 10 episodes of the first season. … “Edward and Sophie love The Crown,” a senior royal source said.
What happens if Prince William abdicates?
13 Bizarre and Notable Things That Will Happen When William Becomes King. … It could happen—if Queen Elizabeth abdicates or passes away, the throne will go to the next in line, which is Prince Charles (Prince William’s father). However, if he abdicates or passes away, Prince William will become His Royal Highness.
Can the Queen skip Charles?
“The Queen doesn’t believe in breaking the rules, she does not want Charles to step aside when she passes. … Charles has not given any indication that he plans on stepping aside once Queen Elizabeth passes.
What happens to William and Kate when Charles becomes king?
Things will change for Prince William and Kate It will be all change for Prince William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, when Charles accedes the throne. As King, he will no longer be entitled to profits from the Duchy of Cornwall. Instead, these will be passed on to William.
Will the queen ever abdicate?
The Queen would ‘never abdicate’ because ‘it is simply not in her DNA to abandon her people or duty’, royal insiders have told Vanity Fair’s Katie Nicholl. According to well-placed sources, the monarch, 94, views ‘abdication as a dirty word never to be uttered in her presence’ and plans to ‘serve until her death.
Does Camilla become queen?
Vanity Fair wrote in a lengthy profile on the royal couple in 2018, “According to recent reports, she will eventually become queen consort, the customary title for the wife of a reigning king.” This is also the title that Kate Middleton will receive when Prince William eventually becomes king.
Does the Queen like Camilla?
But she added the Queen’s attitude towards Camilla was not founded on a personal dislike. … She had been very fond of Camilla in all the years she had been married to Andrew, but it was Camilla who had been responsible, wittingly or not, for all the disasters that had befallen the price since his marriage.”
Will Prince Charles abdicate to William?
Under common law, Prince Charles will automatically become King the moment the Queen dies. Prince William could only become King if Prince Charles chose to abdicate. That would require legislation, as happened with the Declaration of Abdication Act 1936.
Why won’t the Queen step down?
The Queen is reportedly reluctant to step down from her role – and it’s because of Princess Charlotte. Reports on Wednesday in the United States have suggested Prince Charles is “ready” to take over the throne as soon as The Queen decides to step down.
Why is Prince Philip not king?
The reason Prince Philip didn’t become King Philip when he married Queen Elizabeth in 1947 has to do with parliamentary law. In British royalty, the spouse of a king or queen is called a consort. A man who marries the queen is called the prince consort and a woman who marries the king is the queen consort.
Can Prince Charles give the throne to William?
Prince Charles couldn’t pass the crown to William immediately, due to common law. The Constitution Unit said he would unavoidably become King once his mother dies. And passing the crown to his son would require new legislation, passed through Parliament.
Will Camilla be queen if Charles dies?
Although technically Camilla should be Queen Consort when Charles succeeds his mother and becomes King, the couple have decided against that title. Clarence House has previously confirmed that Camilla will not take on the title of Queen Consort and instead will be known as Princess Consort.
Can Prince Harry become King?
As the second son of Prince Charles, who has spent his whole life waiting to become king and is himself now a formidable 71, Harry has virtually no chance of ever becoming king himself.
Will the queen abdicate in favor of William?
THE QUEEN will “never” abdicate in favour of her eldest son Prince Charles because of the “oath before God” she made at her coronation, former royal aide Paul Burrell claimed.


Mumbai: India’s central bank, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), intensified its fight against inflation by increasing its policy rate, which will likely have a bearing on the rate at which banks lend to firms as well as individuals, by one quarter of a percentage point to 8%.
It will also result in an increase in the interest rate on bank deposits.
The RBI’s out-of-turn move comes after the bank tried to contain inflation, now at a four-year high of 8.24%, by raising the balance banks need to park with it by increasing the cash reserve ratio. It also indicates the central bank’s willingness to control inflation at any cost—previously, it had been reluctant to raise its policy rate because this could have an adverse effect on economic growth.
/Content/Videos/2008-06-12/Tamal on RRP Hike_MINT_TV.flv
This is the third instance of RBI taking policy measures to contain inflation in the past two months. In April, it raised banks’ CRR by 75 basis points to 8.25% in stages. One basis point is one-hundredth of a percentage point.
Economists and money market analysts expect RBI to increase the interest rate again in July when it meets for a quarterly review of monetary policy because wholesale price-based inflation is expected to rise further on the back of the recent hike in fuel prices.
While lending rates of banks may go up, the rupee, which has lost more than 8% against the dollar since January, may strengthen as a higher interest rate may attract capital flows that have completely dried up. The Indian currency closed at 42.86/87 to a dollar on Wednesday before the new policy rate was announced.
Yields on the benchmark 10-year bonds which closed at 8.26% may rise 10 basis points and not more as the bond market has already factored in the hike.
“The hike has removed the uncertainties from the market,” said A. Prasanna, vice-president, ICICI Securities Primary Dealership Ltd, a firm that buys and sells government bonds.
THE INDIAN REPO TRICK (Graphic)
Equity fund managers do not expect a huge impact on the stock market because the market has already discounted the rate increase.
“...that is why stocks were falling so fast,” said A. Balasubramaniam, chief investment officer, Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund, which has about Rs13,000 crore worth of assets under management.
The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex has lost more than 9%—from 16,415.57 points to 14,889.25—in June. The index closed at 15,185.32 on Wednesday, up about 2% or 296.07 points.
M.B.N. Rao, chairman and managing director of Canara Bank and also chairman of the Indian Banks’ Association, the bankers’ body in the country said that the “outlook on inflation will decide whether medium and long-term interest rates will be hiked or not.”
Canara Bank will take a call on rates soon, he said. The asset liability committee of State Bank of India, the country’s largest lender, will meet on Friday to do so too.
Chanda Kochhar, joint managing director of ICICI Bank, said her bank would “monitor the impact of this hike and take a decision at an appropriate time.”
M.V. Nair, chairman of Union Bank of India, Meera Sanyal, country executive of ABN Amro India, and Romesh Sobti, managing director and chief executive officer of IndusInd Bank Ltd, too, said banks will have to raise their lending rates following the policy rate hike.
Economists expect RBI to now increase the reverse repo rate and CRR too to contain inflation.
“With the hike in fuel prices, inflation is likely to shoot up. Globally, for the central banks, the focus has shifted from growth to inflation and RBI is no exception,” said Abheek Barua, chief economist of HDFC Bank Ltd.


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The first two mares bred to Kaleem Shah's grade II winner Concord Point are in foal.
California shipper Summer Wind Dancer, scratched from Sunday's Milady Handicap (gr. I) at Hollywood Park, tops a field of ten entered in the $750,000 Delaware Handicap (gr. II) at Delaware Park Sunday.
Irish-bred Volga, racing in the finest form of her career, registered a convincing 2 3/4-length win Saturday in the $200,000 La Prevoyante Handicap (gr. IIT) over 1 1/2 miles on the turf at Calder Race Course.
Robert S. Evans' 5-year-old homebred mare New Economy won the $200,000 La Prevoyante Handicap (gr. II) last year and goes for a repeat tally Saturday in the 12-furlong turf test at Calder.
Richard Mandella, who made history by winning four Breeders' Cup races on Oct. 25, closed out the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita in style Sunday by winning the $74,150 Avigaition Stakes with 7-5 favorite Crazy Ensign.
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domain: sports


Ahwatukee Volunteers Bring Thanksgiving to Kids in Foster Group Homes
Thanks to volunteers from Ahwatukee organizations, more than 300 kids in foster care group homes were able to give thanks and share a Thanksgiving meal.
According to the Ahwatukee Foothills News, this is the second year that the dinner has taken place.
“Everybody has the idea that foster kids are in foster homes with parents,” Carolyn Arndt, one of the organizers of the dinner, told the newspaper “The reality is a child turns 13 and they’re more of a challenge and those traditional foster homes don’t want them anymore, so they are floating in a system and ending up living in group homes.”
Arndt and her co-organizer Andi Pettyjohn contacted OCJ Kids, the Department of Child Safety and Jewish Family and Children Services to find out which homes in the area weren’t hosting their own dinners. Then, with help from First United Methodist Church of Mesa, Desert Foothills United Methodist, Ahwatukee Kiwanis and Mountain View Lutheran Church, a full Thanksgiving meal for the kids took place at First United Methodist Church in Mesa, the newspaper said.
- Ahwatukee Groups Come Together to Send Care Packages to Troops
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- Ahwatukee Chamber Selects 3 Women for Scholarships
- Fired Pie Pizza Restaurant Now Open in Ahwatukee
- Preschoolers Create Teddy Bears for Pediatric Patients
This local update courtesy of your Ahwatukee Community Expert.


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Japanese animation has brought forward many films which are regarded as classics of the genre (for now ignoring the fact that anime isn't really a genre in and of itself, but rather a style of animation which encompasses several different genres, eg. horror, comedy, sci-fi, etc), but for some reason Macross: Do You Remember Love is seldom mentioned alongside gems like Akira, Ghost In The Shell, or Mononoke Hime (and pretty much every other Studio Ghibli effort) - something I find quite difficult to understand. I was lucky enough to catch this movie on late night TV several years ago and was completely spellbound by it. It has a simple storyline (boy loves girl, while humanity's future is threatened by warmongering cyborgs - hey, it's anime) but an innocence at heart which very few movies, even animated ones, are able to match. I was even luckier when I discovered a subtitled VHS copy of it, and it has since become one of my favourite animated movies of all-time. For its time, the standard of animation is quite impressive. This movie must have taken at least a few people's breaths away when it was initially screened in 1984, because, even when you compare it to Japanese animation of the time (including Hayao Miyazaki's much-lauded feature debut Nausicaa), the level of detail and movement on display is mind-boggling. People don't just move their eyes and lips (as was the case in virtually 99% of animation then); their hair moves, their clothes show wrinkles, whilst the background details are nearly inch-perfect. Macross itself doesn't just look like a huge intergalactic space station, it also *feels* like one. I can think of few films which display a similar attention to detail as DYRL, and for that reason alone it deserves its rightful place in the animation hall of fame, next to anything Disney or Ghibli have ever brought forward. The storyline, as mentioned before, is fairly straightforward (and admittedly clichéd at times), but thankfully this doesn't sidetrack from its unique charm, especially as the narrative progresses from a bogstandard battle of Good vs Evil into something else entirely, which I won't describe in great detail lest I completely ruin the surprise for you - however, I will say this: the ending itself is one of the most awe-inspiring things I have ever seen. Quite aside from the strangely moving premise of J-pop saving the universe, the entire choreography of that scene is an utter stroke of genius. It's a bizarre ending, but strangely enough it works. I'll be the first to admit that I'm no expert on the Robotech series - in fact, I know pretty much next to nothing about the other instalments in the Macross/Robotech series. But I like to think that I know good film-making when I see it, and Do You Remember Love certainly is that. It's an unsung classic of Japanese animation which does not deserve to fester in obscurity, but instead requires widespread recognition as the ground-breaking work of art it truly is. Simply put, it's wonderful. (NB, I want to point out that this review concentrates solely on the subtitled version of Macross: Do You Remember Love, not the dubbed and narrowed-down version of the movie entitled Clash Of The Bionoids, which, as many here have pointed out, is a monstrosity to be avoided.)
Macross: Do You Remember Love?
Macross: Do You Remember Love?
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In the next century, a reconfiguring ship (think "Transformer" with a pilot) called Macross carries fifty thousand refugees within its hold as it returns to Earth pursued by giant humanoid ...
November 12, 2020

domain: entertainment


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The Five Great Rice Meals of Japan
About Japanese Food & Traditional Foods of Japan | Food in Japan
– tag –
Grilled Squid (いかの鉄砲焼き)
Get ready to talk about grilled squid, a squid stuffed with homemade ginger sweet miso. This dish is loved by everyone, young and old. We'll explore all about it - health info, history, how they make it and why it tastes so good! 【What ...

domain: food


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The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey postponed a vote on a proposal for a $1.2 billion loan guarantee that would help developer Larry Silverstein build 3 World Trade Center in lower Manhattan.
A financing plan for a third World Trade Center skyscraper in lower Manhattan is at risk as commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey prepare to vote on a $1.2 billion loan guarantee.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie appointed an independent reviewer to investigate any suspected misconduct in his office, among the recommendations in an internal analysis of the George Washington Bridge traffic jams.
The moonscape highways around Fort Lee, New Jersey, have left cracked axles, bent rims and chunks of tire strewn across the lot at George Washington Bridge Towing. While the traffic jams Governor Chris Christie’s crew engineered here are gone, these broken vehicle parts show that the consequences of their boss’s economic choices endure.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s former ally David Wildstein told colleagues that he got clearance from the “front office” for the George Washington Bridge lane closings, Christie told investigators.
Anthony Sartor resigned after serving 15 years on the board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, becoming the second commissioner to exit as the agency is probed by federal and local prosecutors.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. is investigating whether the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey improperly financed the $1 billion renovation of the Pulaski Skyway, a person familiar with the matter said.

domain: finance


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I bought my first guitar (a steel string applause) many, many years ago. I taught myself basic chords and then started taking lessons, which only lasted a few months. I honestly don't remember why I quit. After learning chords, I could strum a lot of pop tunes from the 70's.
Fast forward to about seven years ago, I let a few decades pass without picking up my guitar. Then I started taking lessons again at a local music store and was not that impressed with the instructor. The instructor could play well but not teach well. I then signed up at my local community college and started taking classical guitar lessons because I wanted to learn how to play better.
Today I am still taking classical guitar lessons and enjoying it immensely. However, as this is only a hobby and not for a career, my progress is slow, though I am perfectly happy with my progress. Part of the slowness comes from my instructor helping me overcome all the bad habits I learned when teaching myself to play the steel string guitar, which is very different from playing a classical guitar, at least for me.
I just came across this great site this morning while searching for Julio Sagreras lesson books which I have heard are phenomenal books. I will be playing one of the easier ones (my copy only reads Sagreras Etude
) in a master class today. I am a little nervous and I look forward to breaking through another level of performance anxiety.
I love classical music and I would also like to play Latin music as that sound simply resonates with me.

domain: hobby


- Enables cost-effective, scalable deployment of secure outdoor wireless LANs using Mesh technology
- Available in a Lightweight version only.
Cisco Airnet 1500
- Next Generation wireless mesh access point with integrated 802.11 a/b/g dual radios
- Supports DOCSIS 2.0 cable modem interface with power-over-cable and strand mounting capability for integrating to Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC) infrastructure
- Rugged NEMA 4X certified enclosure for deploying in harsh and hazardous outdoor environment
Cisco Aironet 1520


Did you know that Dr. Brice Miller is one of the most popular and prolific songwriters in New Orleans? YES, his services are in constant demand and his songs can be heard on the radio, movie scores, documentary films and commercials.
He’s currently been in the studio with Delfeayo Marsalis, working on songs for Marsalis’ Uptown Jazz Orchestra’s upcoming CD, which will feature an updated version (pt3) of Dr. Miller’s New Orleans anthem, ‘I’m So New Orleans!’
So yes, in conjunction to being an emcee, event host, narrator and cultural spokesperson, songwriter and hit-maker are additional titles. Need or want a jingle written? Drop us a line and let Dr. Miller work his 🖊 magic!
Be on the lookout for Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra’s 2023 CD release.


His right arm draped around Anton Gill, the left hand he used to finish an alley-oop during a dizzying 10-0 third-quarter run dangling at his side, Montrose Christian forward Justin Anderson spoke to Gill as they walked down a Georgetown Prep hallway toward their locker rooms.
Anderson saw Gill drop his head after Montrose Christian’s 64-48 win over Gill’s Ravenscroft (N.C.) in the quarterfinals of the eight-team National High School Invitational on Wednesday, and like MoMo Jones (Iona), Tiny Gallon (formerly of Oklahoma) and Avery Bradley (Boston Celtics) had done for him in previous years, Anderson encouraged a budding player.
“He just told me just to keep my head up, keep working. I have a lot of stuff ahead of me. Just to keep working hard and everything will work out,” said Gill, a Louisville-bound junior. “I really appreciated that somebody that can be as competitive as he is and works as hard as he does can look at a younger guy and say, ‘It’s alright.’
“He’s a great player, but even better person.”
Anderson, who finished with 21 points, four rebounds and three assists, is certainly a great player, but when he plays Montverde (Fla.) in the semifinals at 11:30 a.m. Friday, the Virginia signee will have his coach’s even-stronger endorsement to validate.
“Justin Anderson’s one of the best players in the country” Montrose Christian coach Stu Vetter said. “I think a lot of people have made a lot of mistakes in picking McDonald’s All-American teams, Jordan All-American teams. I think that I’ve coached a lot of great players. He’s one of them.
“He’s as good an athlete as ever played at Montrose or any other schools that I’ve been at. Now, he’s got the basketball skills to go with it. I’ve had a lot of guys jump as high as he can jump. Nobody jumps with the power that he jumps with.”
That was evident on his left-handed slam in the third quarter, part of a run that also included an Ishmil Wainright putback dunk, an Anderson 3-pointer and a Michael Carrera and-one. Those plays broke the game open, but as spectacular as they were, Wainright probably trumped them in the fourth quarter.
Wainright, rising for a dunk, lost control of the ball while being fouled, and before he even realized where the ball went, it fell through the hoop. He was asked whether he’d look for the dunk on YouTube.
“YouTube?” Anderson said, interjecting incredulously. “He wants SportCenter. He said, ‘Hey, J, you think that could be on Top 10?’ I said, ‘You’ve got a chance, big bro. You’ve got a chance.’”
Twenty seconds after his accidental three-point play, Wainright dunked on an alley-oop from Anderson to close the game’s scoring. A short time later, Anderson was in Gill’s ear.
“He willed his team to the end of the buzzer,” Anderson said of Gill. “He never gave up. He never yelled at his teammates. He was a great leader, and his teammates, they played as hard as they could to help him out. Clearly, he could shoot it every time and make it, almost. But he was a great team player, and I respect that.”
Anderson, who scored 11 first-quarter points before deferring more to his teammates, could have just as easily been talking about himself.
Asked for response to his coach’s ringing endorsement, Anderson recalled when teammates approached him after he was bypassed for individual honors.
“My response to them was, ‘It happens,” Anderson said. “… Me trying to take something away from somebody else that may be in a McDonald’s game or Jordan game, that’s selfish on my end, because then I’m basically saying they didn’t deserve it. I think whoever got selected deserved it, and I don’t want to take anything from what they did in the gym.
“How I look at it is, I still have possibly two more games with this jersey on. I’m not worried about any individual accolades. I want to make sure these guys are happy, and we all can come back again with the reunion. We can put our rings up and feel the same energy.”
Montrose Christian 64, Ravenscroft 48
Ravenscroft 9 17 9 13 48
Montrose Christian 16 17 15 15 64
Ravenscroft (31-4): Anton Gill 16, Madison Jones 11, Marcus Bryan 9, D.J. Langley 5, Andrew Franz 3, Quinn Billerman 3, Avery Edwards 1.
Montrose Christian (21-2): Justin Anderson 21, Ishmil Wainright 15, Michael Carrera 9, Kevin Larsen 7, Kevin Zabo 7, Yuri Togashi 3, Cedric Blossom 2.


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Views of Old China
3-D Stereoview Cards: Gallery Fifty
Wounded Japanese after a desperate charge on the Russian stronghold -- Field Hospital near Port Arthur.
A Russian prisoner, just brouight into the Japanese lines -- siege of Port Arthur
The Heroine of Port Arthur -- the only woman soldier -- killed here a few hours later.
Reminders of the terrible eight week's Siege -- ruins of French Legation, on Legation Street, Peking
British infantry marching through the streets, Shanghai
Y.M.C.A. rooms for soldiers of the allied armies, formerly a notorious dive on the busiest street of Peking,
The Chinese Artillery on the Wall at Peking
Ancient China In Three Dimension
BACK TO CONTENTS
BACK TO 3-D
MANITOBA PHOTO ARCHIVE
Hillman Brandon University EduTech
All Original Work : Image Restoration ©2011/2014
Assistant Professor (Retired)

domain: history


text: I went to this restaurant on a Friday night so it was busy. The service was attentive but unobstrusive. The food was fantastic. I was very impressed. I thoroughly recommend the carpaccio of yellowfin tuna. It was spectacular. The wine list and the ambiance was also good. This gem goes on my list of top Italian restaurants. Bon appetit!!


With the state struggling to pay for needed transportation work, multiple measures moving through the Tennessee statehouse would expand the number of projects that could be paid off through tolls.
The state has no toll roads, but Gov. Phil Bredesen signed a bill into law last year that authorized tolling as a method to pay for new road and bridge work. The “Tennessee Tollway Act” allows the state to issue bonds and incur debt to pay for two pilot toll projects: one bridge and one road.
The law allows tolls “as an additional and alternative method” to pay for highway work. It doesn’t specify toll roads or rates.
With the movement toward tolling, the state’s Senate and House have approved a bill that would limit the operation of toll facilities. The bill – SB2724 – would require any companies contracting with the state to operate toll roads or bridges to be majority American owned.
Sen. Tim Burchett, R-Knoxville, said he doesn’t support toll facilities, but if they come to Tennessee he wants to require them to be operated by American businesses. He said the measure would emulate Federal Communications Commission rules that require radio stations to be American-owned to prevent foreign interference in cases of national emergency.
SB2724 has moved to the governor’s desk.
Another bill moving forward would remove a cap on the number of toll projects that could be built.
House Transportation Chairman Phillip Pinion, D-Union City, said he would like to see more projects made available for tolling. As a result, Pinion introduced a bill – HB2868 – that would amend the law to drop the two project limit and allow the Tennessee Department of Transportation to look into as many toll projects as it chooses.
The House voted 77-13 to advance the bill to the Senate for further consideration.
A similar measure to expand the state’s tolling authority recently won approval in the House Public Transportation and Highways Subcommittee. Sponsored by Rep. William Borchert, D-Camden, the bill would authorize a third pilot toll project.
Borchert’s bill – HB2836 – would specify a bridge be erected over the Tennessee River to connect Benton and Houston counties via state Route 147.
Another bill also calls for adding a third project. Rep. G.A. Hardaway, D-Memphis, wants to authorize a bridge crossing the Mississippi River in the Memphis area.
Hardaway’s bill – HB2768 – and Borchert’s bill are in the House Transportation Committee. The companion versions in the Senate – SB3718 and SB3003, respectively – also are in committee.
Supporters of tolling in the state point to encouragement from the federal government to consider alternative methods to pay for road and bridge work as a way to compensate for fewer federal funds. Tennessee has lost out on more than $230 million in federal funds this budget year, The Associated Press reported.
Opponents say toll roads amount to an extra tax, when fuel and other taxes should cover road building. Others say Bredesen should repay about $280 million diverted from the state’s road fund during his first term to other programs.
To view other legislative activities of interest for Tennessee, click here.
– By Keith Goble, state legislative editor


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Promoting fair play among buyers, sellers
The old Chinese saying goes, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” But that all presumes that the fisherman is able to get a reasonable price for his catch when he takes it to market.
The Shanghai-based nonprofit group iFair has long been striving to eliminate the disconnect that exists between disadvantaged people who produce goods and buyers who purchase them down the supply chain. In most cases, the producers earn a pittance and remain poor.
IFair promoted the concept that putting trade on a more equal footing benefits society as a whole and helps needy people pull themselves out of poverty without the indignity of accepting handouts.
The organization’s program was singled out last year as among the best in the city by the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau.
“Our goal is to make people understand and accept the idea of fair trade, so that more needy people can escape poverty by earning their own living,” says Chen Lecong, 44, secretary-general of the iFair China Fair Trade Center.
Most people might think that “fair trade” means “no cheating in trading,” she says, but that’s not the case. According to World Fair Trade Organization, “fair trade” pursues the welfare of producers, especially economically disadvantaged producers.
The iFair organization started from a bazaar in the city in 2007 aimed at attracting designers. Because orders were small, hardly any factories were willing to do the manufacturing. Two of the organizers of the bazaar, Chen and a media insider named Liu Qiongxiong, went looking for individual processors willing to accept odd-lot orders.
“At that time, we talked to some charities, asking if they could recommend some processors, and they told us what we were doing was close to the idea of fair trade,” Chen says. “That was the first time we had heard of the term.”
Intrigued, the two did further research. They found that the concept of “fair trade” was not widely practiced on China’s mainland. Even in the West, the idea is barely 70 years old and has had mixed results.
“So we thought it would be good to be a ‘fair trade’ pioneer here,” Chen says. “A nonprofit organization incubator happened to ask us if we were interested in starting a group to promote fair trade, and we agreed.”
Liu and Chen co-founded iFair in 2008. Chen later quit her public relations job to work full-time for the organization.
As one of its earliest projects, iFair tried to open fair trade stores all over China, but the effort was not successful.
Chen says the original idea was to open 100 stores selling handmade goods produced by ethnic minority craftspeople. Eventually only eight stores — one in Shanghai — were opened, but only two remain in operation. The stores sought to ensure that profits the craftspeople earned were no less than local minimum wages and no less than 10 percent of the products’ prices.
“The problem is that you need to update your products constantly to keep a business going, but it’s impossible for these craftspeople to develop new products and design new patterns like professionals do,” Chen says.
At the same time, many consumers said they thought the products were too expensive and confined themselves to window-shopping.
“One of our jobs is to help people be more empathetic,” Chen says.
In that vein, the group embarked on another project. It sought to encourage travel to remote areas of China where handicraft workers lived, with visitors staying in local homes.
Started in 2013, the project has attracted thousands of people to remote ethnic areas in Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan and Yunnan provinces. The travelers are supposed to pay their hosts according to fair trade principles.
For their part, craftspeople hosting the travelers must be masters of their folk arts, speak Mandarin and be able to use modern communications tools.
“The trips are not exactly relaxing holidays because travelers have to endure some very challenging living conditions,” Chen says. “But the gain is all worth the pain.”
The trips aim to show the true meaning of fair trade beyond just being a form of charity.
Li Hui was a volunteer team leader on one of the trips in 2016. In the small village of Baixing in southwestern China’s Guizhou Province, one of the travelers in the group bought a handmade, maple resin-dyed headband that cost her 400 yuan (US$63). The buyer reckoned it was a pretty high price for 1.2 square meters of cloth, but she said she decided to purchase it anyway to help out needy local people.
“I thought that was not right,” Li says. “Fair trade should be fair to both makers and buyers, or it is no different from a donation.”
After returning to Shanghai, Li discussed her concerns with iFair. Volunteers calculated the cost of the cloth and the time it took to make a headband. That process, including extracting maple resin, turning the resin into dye, sketching the pattern and making the headband, took a local artisan at least 10 days. If the local women went to nearby cities to work, they could earn a minimum wage of 80 yuan a day, which means price of a headband didn’t even begin to cover the cost of staying home to do handicrafts .
“The incident taught me a lot about the significance of fair trade,” Li says. “It is not about lending a hand to the vulnerable, but rather creating an environment where buyers understand the true cost of production so that people can trade with equality and respect.”
IFair now conducts training courses for volunteers that teach them how to do handicrafts and let them price their own works.
“When volunteers are put into the position of producers, their mode of thinking changes,” says Chen. “They take everything into consideration when pricing, including how much they would earn if they spent an equivalent amount of time at an outside job.”
Chen says she hopes more tourism companies and related institutions will join iFair to promote the travel project so that more destinations and routes can be developed and more people helped.
“The result of the project has thus far been satisfying,” Chen says. “Some of the hosts now can earn more than 100,000 yuan a year, which is extraordinary in their hometowns. And some of the craftspeople have been invited to big cities to give lessons or open up studios. We can see that fair trade is changing their lives.”


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This page is a printable version of: https://www.iow.nhs.uk/news/Island-NHS-Trust-launches-new-Green-Plan.htm
Date: 28 November 2023
This week we have launched our ambitious response to the challenge of climate change with a new 3-year sustainable development plan.
The Green Plan sets out a clear framework for what the Trust is doing to reduce its impact on climate change and pollution, minimise its reliance on unsustainable services and medicines, as well as its future plans to embrace green learning and innovation.
Sustainability Lead for the Trust, Kayleigh Richter, said, “Climate change poses a major threat to our health as well as to our planet. As an NHS trust based on the Isle of Wight with its distinct local identity and a wide variety of natural, rural and urban landscapes, we are well placed to work with our partners across the Island to lead the way in improving our environment.
“We are aware of the important role we need to play in helping to reduce emissions and improve sustainability impact overall. Our focus is on embracing digital transformation including exciting projects like the introduction of drones, reviewing our transport services to support the use of greener technology and increasing our energy, water and waste efficiency.
“The next steps are to turn our strategy into a clear action plan and recruit and train a team of green champions to support us to implement new projects, encourage new ideas, and reinforce positive sustainable behaviours. As a Trust we’ve got a lot to do, but we are committed to reducing our impact and meeting our net zero target by 2045.”
Interim chief executive, Nikki Turner, added, “At the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, we understand that climate change and human health are inextricably linked and that we have a duty to reduce our impact wherever possible, and to ensure that we can continue to provide quality care for future generations.
“The Isle of Wight is a dedicated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and we understand the importance of this designation and are prepared to contribute and uphold the values that are aligned with this prestigious honour to ensure that the Isle of Wight continues to lead the way in sustainable development and innovation.”