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SYDNEY: The increasingly unpredictable government of the Solomon Islands has issued what it called a “moratorium” on the visits of all naval ships after a US Coast Guard vessel and a British naval ship failed to receive timely diplomatic approval for recent port calls, forcing them to divert to Papua New Guinea.
“The Prime Minister’s Office sought and received the required information on 20th August 2022. Approval was granted for the US Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Henry to enter the country and participate in the FFA operation Island Chief event on 20th August 2022,” according to an official statement on the government’s main website, referring to the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency’s (FFA) Operation Island Chief.
“Unfortunately, by the time the approval was communicated on the evening of 20th August 2022, the Ship’s captain had decided to leave our waters,’” Sogavare said in a statement.
In a wonderful bit of logic, the president argued that the “delay” in getting a visit approved — even though it was requested and permission to enter was given on the same day, according to the government — means the Solomons must “review and refine its approval requirements and procedures for visiting military vessels to Solomon Islands.”
More broadly the government claims that the “Solomon Islands have had unfortunate experiences of foreign naval vessels entering the country’s waters during the course of the year without diplomatic clearance granted, hence would like to avoid such incidents from reoccurring.”
“To this end we have requested our partners to give us time to review and put in place our new processes before sending further requests for military vessels to enter the country. Once the new mechanism is in place, we will inform you all. We anticipate the new process to be smoother and timelier,” Sogavare said in the statement.
The US embassy in Canberra, which helps manage communications with the Solomons and other Pacific islands, issued a statement today, saying that on “August 29, the United States received formal notification from the Government of Solomon Islands regarding a moratorium on all naval visits, pending updates in protocol procedures.” The statement notes that the Coast Guard ship is in the region as part of the FFA exercise, which works with regional countries to “effectively and efficiently protect their national interests; combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; strengthen maritime governance on the high seas; and model professional maritime behavior to partners and competitors.”
The embassy statement, while expressing appreciation that the USNS Mercy was allowed to call at the Solomon capital of Honoria, said, “It is disappointing that the USCGC Oliver Henry was not provided diplomatic clearance in support of its operation with the FFA.”
The new directive from Sogavare came at an odd moment as well, during a ceremony welcoming the Mercy, which will stay in port at the island from today through Sept. 9. “It is a fitting demonstration of our strengthening cooperation with the visit coming shortly after the commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal earlier this month,” Sogavare said of the occasion.
Why did the Mercy get permission while the Oliver Henry and a British ship, HMS Spey, did not — at least in a timely fashion? The US Embassy in Canberra statement says that the Mercy “received diplomatic clearance prior to the moratorium being implemented. We will continue to closely monitor the situation.”
The British have said very little about the situation. The Solomons prime minister’s statement said the Spey’s “approval process to enter Solomon Islands was aborted when the Prime Minister’s Office received notification from the British High Commission in Honoria, that they were no longer seeking approval for HMAS Spey to enter the country.” (Note that the Solomons government is so used to dealing with Australia that they designated the Spey an Australian ship, with HMAS, in both their statement and in the caption for a photo of the ship.)
While no one is mentioning China, suspicions are rife that there is some connection between Sogavare’s increasingly close relations with China and the apparent miscommunications that led to these two ships not calling at Honoria. His government signed a secret security pact with China earlier this year.
Sogavare’s government “has asked all partner countries with plans to conduct naval visits or patrols to put them on hold until a revised national mechanism is in place. These will universally apply to all visiting naval vessels,” the statement says. Ironically, the Mercy is, of course, a US naval ship. The Coast Guard ship is not a US Navy vessel, although the Coast Guard can be militarized in wartime. The Mercy doesn’t have weapons and provides a huge range of medical and dental care, often hard to find on remote Pacific islands. Perhaps that’s the difference.


Jacoby Bolton Death – Cause of Death – On Tuesday night, 16th of November 2021, Jacoby Bolton, 19, died after a fatal shooting in a quiet Wiggins neighborhood. Bolton was shot once in the 1300 block of Hope Avenue. The Police, EMTs, and the Wiggins Fire Department responded to the shooting and found Bolton lying in the street upon arrival.
Bolton was quickly transported to Memorial Hospital at Stone County where he was confirmed dead. Anyone with information about the crime should contact the Wiggins Police Department or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers.
Wiggins Police Chief Jeff Thomas said on the 17th of November 2021; “No one at this time has been arrested. We do have a person of interest and we are currently trying to interview that person. We’re doing extra patrols through the area just to help calm the neighborhood down and help ease some of the feelings there, the nervousness of the events that occurred there last night.”


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All about lavender oil
BENEFITS OF LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL
Used medicinally, Lavender essential oil has been found to eliminate harmful bacteria, relieve muscle spasms, relieve flatulence, disinfect and soothe inflamed skin especially when resulting from a venomous, itchy bug bite, promote speedy healing of irritated and scarred skin, and to relieve muscle tension when used in a massage.
When used in aromatherapy, this mild sedative is reputed to reduce stress by relaxing the brain waves, which is also said to reduce cortisol levels that contribute to the stress hormone. As cortisol leads to lower immunity, Lavender would accordingly support the immune system by helping relieve feelings of stress that can weaken health. Lavender is believed to help balance hormones, to reduce feelings of nervous tension, and based on empirical evidence, has worked to reduce feelings of depression for some individuals. Due to its calming and relaxing properties, it can work as a sleep aid for those suffering from insomnia.
As illustrated, Lavender essential oil is reputed to have many therapeutic properties. The following highlights its many benefits and the kinds of activity it is believed to show:
anti-septic, anti-inflammatory, deodorant, relieving, soothing, cytophylactic, cicatrisant.
anti-depressant, anti-rheumatic, anti-spasmodic, decongestant, deodorant, relaxing, sedative, soothing, nervine.
anti-septic, analgesic, anti-convulsant, anti-depressant, anti-rheumatic, anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, bactericidal, decongestant, relieving, soothing, vulnerary, sudorific, rubefacient, hypotensive, emmenagogue, diuretic, cytophylactic, cicatrisant, carminative.
USES OF LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL
The uses for Lavender essential oil are abundant, ranging from medicinal and odorous to cosmetic. Its many forms include oils, gels, lotions, soaps, shampoos, sprays, and candle making.
Used in aromatherapy, the fragrance is inhaled and scent receptors in the brain’s emotional powerhouse process the smell as calming, allowing the brain and body to relax. Similarly, a few drops smoothed onto a pillow may promote faster onset of deeper sleep with a decreased number of sleep disturbances. Its ability to reduce emotional stress such as anxiety and its potency in alleviating headaches also extends to its ability to reduce feelings of motion sickness and to improve the mood. It is believed that Lavender can reduce symptoms of hay fever when inhaled deeply.
Diluted with a carrier oil and used topically, Lavender oil moisturizes chapped and aging skin. Its anti-septic and anti-fungal properties may help to reduce itching and swelling caused by insect bites. Known to have anti-microbial properties, it provides soothing relief to minor burns and cuts, decreasing pain and inhibiting bleeding while eliminating bacteria from the wound. Its potential to restore skin complexion is also demonstrated with use on aging and acne-prone skin on which it slows the look of aging with its powerful anti-oxidant action and improves the look and feel of skin that is subject to eczema and psoriasis. In hair care, Lavender is known to be an anti-septic that effectively eliminates lice, nits, and dandruff when rubbed into the scalp.
As a spray, Lavender acts as a natural perfume and a non-toxic air freshener that creates a relaxing atmosphere, especially for the bedroom. In the bathroom, it can be sprayed onto towels for a fresh and calming scent.

domain: medical


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Herbal Medicine on Response Immune Patient with COVID-19 Infection a Scoping Review
Keywords:Herbal medicine, COVID-19, Citokine storm
BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has spread through the world and has caused a global pandemic. There is a lot of evidence that taking herbal medicines could increase the immune response but otherwise, the relation of herbal medicine and inflammation factors that lead to cytokine storm is still discussing.
AIM: The purpose of this article is to review the evidence of herbal medicine that use in COVID-19 patients and the effect on the immune response of patients with COVID-19 infection.
METHOD: We conducted a scoping review on the PubMed and Science Direct databases from January 1 to July 2020 using searching terms “COVID-19”, “SARS-CoV2 Infection”, “Herbal Medicine” AND “Immune Response” Or “Humoral Immune, Response”. We use only scientific articles that discuss herbal medicine and its effect on the immune response. There were eight articles included in the analysis, many types of herbal medicines are used to maintain symptom management and to enhance the patient’s immune response, including, Echinacea, QPD (qingfei paidu) and Western medicine, Jiedu Capsule (SFJDC), Yidu-toxicity blocking lung decoction and Ayush Kwath, nagella sative, and LHQW.RESULTS: This article concludes that several alternative herbal medicines affect the immune response in COVID-19 patients, especially in reducing inflammatory agents, cytokine levels, and immunomodulators. Echinacea, Jiedu Capsule (SFJD), QPD (qingfei paidu) and Western medicine, and Ayush Kwath, nagella sative, and Lianhuaqingwen (LHQW) are the alternative herbal medicines that could provide benefits for COVID-19 patients, although research on the target mechanism must need more exploration.
Plum Analytics Artifact Widget Block
Arksey H, O’Malley L. Scoping studies: Towards a methodological framework. Int J Res Methodol. 2005;8(1):19-32. https://doi.org/10.1080/1364557032000119616 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1364557032000119616
World Health Organization. WHO Guidelines for Assessing Quality of Herbal Medicines with Reference to Contaminants and Residues. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2007. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241594448. [Last accessed on 2021 Jan 25].
Emelda E. Potential Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia Jack.) as anti-inflammatory. JCPS. 2017;1(1):25-9.
Aucoin M, Cooley K, Saunders PR, Carè J, Anheyer D, Medina DN, et al. The effect of Echinacea spp. on the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 and other respiratory tract infections in humans: A rapid review. Adv Integr Med. 2020;7(4):203-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aimed.2020.07.004 PMid:32837894 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aimed.2020.07.004
Xin S, Cheng X, Zhu B, Liao X, Yang F, Song L, et al. Clinical retrospective study on the efficacy of Qingfei paidu decoction combined with Western medicine for COVID-19 treatment. Biomed Pharmacother. 2020;129:110500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110500 PMid:32768975 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110500
Zhao J, Yang X, Wang C, Song S, Cao K, Wei T, et al. Yidu-toxicity blocking lung decoction ameliorates inflammation in severe pneumonia of SARS-COV-2 patients with Yidu-toxicity blocking lung syndrome by eliminating IL-6 and TNF-a. Biomed Pharmacother. 2020;129:110436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110436 PMid:32768938 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110436
Gautam S, Gautam A, Chhetri S, Bhattarai U. Immunity against COVID-19: Potential role of Ayush Kwath. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2020;13(1):100350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaim.2020.08.003 PMid:32837101 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaim.2020.08.003
Nugraha RV, Ridwansyah H, Ghozali M, Khairani AF, Atik N. Traditional herbal medicine candidates as complementary treatments for COVID-19: A review of their mechanisms, pros and cons. J Evid Based Complement Altern Med. 2020;2020:2560645. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/2560645 PMid:33101440 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/2560645
Dwinta E. Increasing public health knowledge and awareness O antimicrobial resistance with radio communication media. Educ Commu Serv. 2021;1(1):218.
Kusumawardani N. Anti-inflammatory test of ethanol-hexane fraction of methanol-water extract of Macaranga tanarius L. leaf on carrageenin induced swiss strain mice. Essay. 2015. Available from: https://repository.usd.ac.id/2536/2/128114081_full.pdf Its unpublished article in a respository.
Bordoni L, Fedeli D, Nasuti C, Maggi F, Papa F, Wabitsch M, et al. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of nigella sativa oil in human pre-adipocytes. Antioxidants. 2019;8(2):51. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox8020051 PMid:30823525 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox8020051
Liu W, Guan WJ, Zhong NS. Strategies and advances in combating COVID-19 in China. Engineering. 2020;6(10):1076-84. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004882.pub3 PMid:33078078 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2020.10.003
Liu X, Zhang M, He L, Li Y. Chinese herbs combined with Western medicine for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;10(10):CD004882-CD. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004882.pub3 PMid:23076910 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004882.pub3
Ang L, Lee HW, Kim A, Lee JA, Zhang J, Lee MS. Herbal medicine for treatment of children diagnosed with COVID-19: A review of guidelines. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2020;39:101174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101174 PMid:32379639 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2020.101174
Tao Z, Zhang L, Friedemann T, Yang G, Li J, Wen Y, et al. Systematic analyses on the potential immune and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of Shufeng Jiedu capsule against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-caused pneumonia. J Funct Foods. 2020;75:104243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2020.104243 PMid:33072190 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2020.104243
Maideen NM. Correction: Prophetic medicine-Nigella sativa (black Cumin Seeds) Potential Herb for COVID-19. J Pharmacopuncture. 2020;23(3):179. https://doi.org/10.3831/KPI.2020.23.010 PMid:33072416 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3831/KPI.2020.23.3.179
Li LC, Zhang ZH, Zhou WC, Chen J, Jin HQ, Fang HM, et al. Lianhua Qingwen prescription for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment: Advances and prospects. Biomed Pharmacother. 2020;130:110641. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110641 PMid:34321172 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110641
Xiong WZ, Wang G, Du J, Ai W. Efficacy of herbal medicine (Xuanfei baidu decoction) combined with conventional drug in treating COVID-19: A pilot randomized clinical trial. Integr Med Res. 2020;9(3):100489. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imr.2020.100489 PMid:32874913 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imr.2020.100489
How to Cite
Copyright (c) 2022 Winda Rofiyati, Hamam Hadi, Ratna Wirawati Rosyada, Tengku Isni Yuli Letari Putri, Muhammad G. A. Putra, Indah Ayuningtyas, Mulyanti Mulyanti (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.


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cute lucky star filled christmas tree ornament - ERMAGERD I leeerve this so much!
A huge and beautiful collection of ornaments and tree toppers are now available in Anthropologie's holiday decor shop:
Magical tree topper Pine cone tree topper by AttitudeNature (Christmas Tree Ideas)
DIY Christmas Tree Topper - I need someone to make me a few of these.
Make your own rustic star tree topper! I just need to find some sticks somewhere in Florida.
A pale pink Christmas Tree Could I get any MORE trendy than a rose gold tree?
Best Christmas Decorations, Elegant Christmas Trees, Black Christmas, Diy Christmas Ornaments, Homemade Christmas, Xmas Trees, Christmas Time, Unique Christmas Tree Toppers, Frozen Christmas Tree
DIY Paper Snowflake diy diy ideas diy crafts do it yourself crafty snowflake paper snowflake
10 Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas // A simple and minimal Christmas Tree made with DIY clay stars
rustic wreath with mini bottle brush trees, lovely! Love the bottle trees - much more impact on a wreath at eye level than on a mantle where they "disappear"
Origami tissue star love this for holiday decorating

domain: artistic


text:
We don’t see a lot of mixed couples around here, and we’re not like some of the other states in the Confederate United Republic. It’s not like they’re gonna get killed or lynched or nothing. But it’s tough just the same. And although it’s weird enough that they’re an interracial couple, it seems to me that they’re arguing about something bigger than merely coming into this café.
I don’t know any Blacks. You got to go to Laramie, or Cheyenne to see them. But I watch Cosby when it’s on. The Confederacy ain’t as bad as the folks in Columbia might think. Sure everyone’s segregated, but it’s all equal and the Platte County school district is pretty good about African-American History Month.
Rated PG. Contains heavy racial and political themes.
Decoder Ring Theatre

domain: sociology


Filterability Index Unit
The Atico Filterability Index Unit enables a water quality test to be made on a suspension to be filtered through sand or similar granular media. It can therefore be used in routine control at waterworks, or at a sewage treatment works which employs tertiary filtration.
- measurement of filterability of a given suspension performance of a standard water quality testprocedure
- procedure for filtrationbasic principles of filter operation for student study
- basic principles of filter operation for student study
The use of deep beds of porous granular media to filter liquids to improve their clarity is widespread in municipal and industrial practice. Predominant is the filtration of drinking water and industrial water, although the filtration of sewage as a tertiary stage of treatment is increasing. Other liquids are filtered through granular media in the processing of beverages and food products for example.
The Filterability Index Unit utilises a bed of granular material, normally sand, which can be chosen by the investigator to suit his own purposes. The measurements taken with this apparatus enable a filterability number to be calculated which has significance in deep bed filter performance.
It must be stressed that the Filterability Index Unit is not intended for filter design purposes. That requires pilot filter column equipment such as the Deep Bed Filter Column. However preliminary assessment of pre-treatment processes, and possible filter media with the Filterability Index Unit will reduce the amount of testing required with pilot filter columns.
A particular application of the Filterability Index Unit is in the process control of existing deep bed filter operation. The effects of changing pre-treatment dosing (for example poly-electrolyte dose) can be rapidly tested before making changes on the operating plant.
Flow is controlled by a needle valve and observed on a variable area meter. Head loss is measured directly by a water manometer. The filter unit can be readily demounted to change the sand. This unit and all tubing connections are transparent so that the operation can be observed and air bubbles avoided. Metal fittings are corrosion resistant.
Test filter cell diameter: 38mm
Height of filter: 60mm maximum
Variable area meter range: 20-280m/min
Water manometer length: 0.5m
Equipment consists of a metal framework supporting a 1 litre vessel connected by transparent tubing to a 60mm high filter unit. A needle valve controls flow which is observed on a Rotameter. A 0.5m water manometer measures head loss. Test filter cell diameter: 38mm. Flow meter range: 20-280ml/min.
1 litre Measuring cylinder
Triple beam top loading balance:
capacity: 2610g; sensitivity: 0.1g; tare: 225g
100ml Measuring cylinder
Laboratory drain or 1 litre receiving vessel
Gross weight: 60kg


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|>>Watch Free: Link 1||Fmovies|
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Where Can I watch A Big Feature For Free? Now a days there are many sites available for free to watch A Big Feature online. Now a days we prefer to watch A Big Feature online because for offline first we have to download and then watch it, but for online we can see right now.
First feature length feature of 'Scott Hicks', this black-and-white experimental short feature film is about a young drifter who drops out of university and goes bush only to later return to his girl-friend. The theme of wayward youth roaming would again be revisited by Hicks in _Down the Wind (1975)_ (qv) and _Freedom (1982)_ (qv).
Documentary feature about the village 'Rotfront' located in Kirghizia, where half of the inhabitants have German roots. The feature depicts their history, their motivations to stay in Kirghizia and their relationship to Germany.
Captured over the last three years by Plan B filmers, this feature is Paul's first video part since Nike SB's 2007 skate video Nothing but the Truth. The feature is full of progressive street skateboarding and includes several never been done tricks.
A moving portrait of Israel Becker, a founder of the first professional Yiddish theatrical company in post-war Germany and writer and star of the 1946 autobiographic feature film Long is the Road (restored by NCJF), the first feature to portray the Holocaust from a Jewish point of view.
Feature film about Evromaidan. The shooting took place from the first day of the appearance of protesters at the square. The script of a full-length feature film 'Once in Ukraine' was written during the week after the events of 11-30-2013, when the authorities violently dispersed and beat peaceful student-demonstrators.
Another feature film from the makers of the "Ramar of the Jungle" television series in which three TV episodes were stitched together and sent out as a feature film. Let somebody who knows the series(or cares)
In the days before a horrific act, time passes and an urge builds until it can't be contained anymore. Inside this house, the boy wants to be free. Someone stands in his way. A prologue to the feature film WHAT HE DID, written and to be directed by Kyle Burns, currently in development with the assistance of the Sundance Feature Film Program (Screenwriters Lab).
Lafayette is a feature film about a witch who torments a young man. Is she real? Experience the horror with him first hand. Lafayette is a film written and directed by Erin LaMere and is an independent feature film which will go on a festival run.
An enchanting 16 minute documentary film featuring some stunning unseen footage, historical treasures, and the true story of the origins of the real Winnie The Pooh. The feature also includes interviews and behind the scenes secrets about the newest feature The Book of Pooh and its creator Mitchell Kriegman.
Released both as a 15-chapter serial and as a condensed feature version (for theaters that didn't use serials) which means that all of the cast and crew would one day be credited in some sources with a misleading extra film appearance added to their filmographies even though they only worked on (and got paid) for one performance or job. The story (serial and/or feature) deals with the plotting o
There are many Free and paid sites to watch A Big Feature online . And some of sites you have to login or signup but there is also some sites where login or signup is not required to watch A Big Feature for free.
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Here's a Random Selection Of Free Movies


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The “pranks” began shortly after Donald Williams Jr. started his freshman year at San Jose State University.
In early September 2013, he was standing in his hallway when one of his roommates came up behind him and placed a U-shaped bike lock around his neck. Williams struggled to be released, but the lock remained clamped shut until his roommate gave him the key five minutes later.
A week later, three of his roommates again attempted to secure him inside the lock. Williams resisted and a scuffle ensued, ending with Williams walking out.
The bike lock was never to be used again, but other dubious ploys took its place: hanging a Confederate flag in the common room, displaying a racial slur on a dry-erase board, penning a sarcastic letter quoting the “Beloved Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr.”
On other occasions, the claustrophobic Williams was locked inside his room and closet. In time, he said he gained the nicknames “three-fifths” and “fraction” — a reference to how the Constitution once counted black slaves when apportioning representation in Congress by the states.
These events, pieced together through police statements in an independent fact-finding report commissioned by the university, are at the crux of a high-profile bullying case that found three of the white students involved guilty of a misdemeanor against their roommate — but not of a hate crime — on Monday.
Colin Warren, Logan Beaschler and Joseph “Brett” Bomgardner were found guilty of misdemeanor battery after “offensively touching” Williams during the bike-lock prank, the San Jose Mercury News reported.
But the jury acquitted Bomgardner, 21, of misdemeanor commission of a hate crime by use of force and was deadlocked on hate crime charges against Warren and Beaschler, both 20, the Mercury News also reported.
They had all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The decision — by a jury of 6 men and 6 women, none of whom was African American — marks the beginning of the end for a case that prompted an investigation within San Jose State, an apology from the school president and the formation of a task force for combating racial discrimination on campus.
Since news of the harassment broke in 2013, the task force has made more than 50 recommendations and provided diversity training to dorm residents. The four students involved, including one charged as a juvenile, were expelled from the university.
“Much work lies ahead as we seek to create a truly inclusive, welcoming and safe environment for every member of our community,” Sue Martin, San Jose State’s interim president, told the Associated Press in a statement.
But for those frustrated by the lack of hate crime convictions, the work on Williams’s case itself is far from done. Among these voices is former California Superior Court judge LaDoris Cordell, who heads the task force.
“I am saddened that 12 jurors could not agree that calling a black male ‘Three-fifths’ or ‘Fraction,’ or forcing a lock around his neck, or creating an environment promoting racism with Confederate memorabilia, or hearing how this young man was humiliated, amounted to a hate crime,” Cordell told the Mercury News. “This verdict demonstrates that we are a long way from living in a post-racist America.
The abuse was made public after Williams’s parents visited their son’s dorm, where they saw the Confederate flag and the “N-word” scrawled on a whiteboard.
The flag was intended to “ruffle some feathers,” Beaschler told police. After Williams objected to the display, he and a couple of other roommates addressed gave him a letter in cursive type.
“It has come to our attention that you have taken offense to some of our actions over the past month,” the letter began. “It is not our intention to beget hostilities between the members of our humble abode but rather welcome all with a sense of congenial pride.”
The letter went on to “extend our sincerest apology if our previous conduct did not make you feel welcome as a member of our communal domicile” and quoted “the Beloved Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr”: “‘We must learn to live together as brothers or perish as fools.’ As you may have noticed many of us in this suite have formed a paternal brotherhood and we would like to cordially invite you to join us as faith or fin.”
Yet the flag and whiteboard writing remained in the suite when Williams’s parents arrived days later.
Protests erupted on campus in response to the alleged incidents, with students expressing anger that the behavior had gone on for months without repercussions.
“By failing to recognize the meaning of a Confederate flag, intervene earlier to stop the abuse or impose sanctions as soon as the gravity of the behavior became clear, we failed [Williams],” then-University President Mohammad Qayoumi said. “I failed him.”
In court, the roommates’ lawyers argued that the students’ actions were but a “prank war” gone awry, resulting in actions that were “immature, insensitive and stupid” but not criminal.
“Kids with too much time on their hands will do stupid things,” Beaschler’s attorney, Charles Mesior said, according to Reuters Reuters. He described his client as a “nerdy” engineering honor student.
Meanwhile, Colin Warren’s attorney, Dek Ketchum, said during his closing argument that Warren “isn’t racist” because he was “dating an African American woman and did not want the relationship to end.”
Prosecutors countered that the continued abuse constituted more than innocent gags.
“Prejudice is not a prank,” Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen told reporters Monday. “This violence did not happen in a historical vacuum. This violent act was done to a young black college student by five white men, an injustice inflicted upon him because of the color of his skin.”
A juror in his 30s who spoke to the Mercury News after the decision said he went in thinking the actions were a hate crime but concluded that it was Williams’s word against his roommates’.
Beaschler, Warren and Bomgardner will be sentenced in March. They face up to six months in jail, but the absence of hate crime convictions make it likely that punishment will be limited to community service.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office will consider asking for a retrial on the hate crime charges, according to NBC Bay Area.
At San Jose State, where just 3 percent of the student body is African American, a black political science major expressed dismay at the deadlocked jury.
Gary Daniels told the Mercury News: “Who knows who these guys are going to terrorize in the future?”
More from Morning Mix

domain: news


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I am sure that if you are reading this, you are a fan of the AMC series The Walking Dead. Many of my friends are fans as well as myself, and we have had many discussions about season two. Yes, it ended up being a thrilling season so far, but the beginning could have been much more interesting. The way the season began was not nearly as exciting to me as season 1 was. (It also set up one of the most annoying wild goose chases in television history with Sophia and the gang.)
When I found out via Geek Tyrant that there was another story in mind that we will never see now because AMC fired Frank Darabont, I was a sad panda. Sam Witwer, a character from season 1, explained the idea this way in an interview:
Look, I think it would be really cool to tell a prequel story about how Atlanta fell, do ‘Black Hawk Down,’ but with zombies, have a few main characters pass through, but the lead will be you. You’re a soldier and all these horrible things happen, and the chain of command breaks down, and, eventually, you have to take out your superior officer. Then, eventually, in the end, you get bit.’ He’s pitching me this. ‘You’re crawling and you crawl into this tank and you have a grenade and you’re going to blow yourself up, but you set the grenade next to you and you die. Then, we reprise the scene from the pilot, where Rick gets in the tank and there’s a zombie there.’
Quint from Ain’t It Cool News sought out Frank Darabont to verify that the information from Witwer was legit. Here is his response:
…I wanted to kick off the 2nd season with the flashback episode Sam describes, which would have followed a squad of Army Rangers getting trapped in the city and trying to survive as Atlanta falls.
The idea was to do this with a very focused “you are there” documentary feel. Not going all shaky-cam, but still making it a bit rawer and grainier than the rest of the show. We’d start with a squad of maybe seven or eight soldiers being dropped into the city by chopper. They have map coordinates they need to get to; they’ve been told to report to a certain place to provide reinforcement. It’s not a special mission, it’s basically a housekeeping measure putting more boots on the ground to reinforce key intersections and installations throughout the city. And we follow this group from the moment the copter sets them down. All they have to do is travel maybe a dozen blocks, a simple journey, but what starts as a no-brainer scenario goes from “the city is being secured” to “holy shit, we’ve lost control, the world is ending.” Our squad gets blocked at every turn and are soon just trying to survive. I wanted to do a really tense, character-driven ensemble story as communications break down, supply lines are lost, escape routes are cut off, morale falls apart, leadership unravels, mutinies heat up, etc. (Yes, this approach owes a spiritual debt to a number of great films, including Walter Hill’s Southern Comfort.)
Along the way, I thought we could briefly dovetail this story with a few established characters from the show. Not to overdo that, mind you, because it could get silly and too coincidental if you load too much into that idea. But I thought it would be great to veer off on a quick narrative detour that brushes our soldiers briefly up against some people we know. Picture our squad arriving at a manned barricade where some civilians are being held back from leaving the city on shoot-to-kill orders to stop the spread of contagion, it’s a panicked high-intensity scene, and in this crowd of desperate people we find Andrea and Amy. The barricade gunners panic, the civilians start to get mowed down by machine gun fire, and in this melee the girls get pulled to safety by some old guy they don’t even know. It’s Dale. He’s nobody to them, just some guy who saw the opportunity to do the right thing and reacted in the moment. This would have been perhaps a minute or two of the episode, just a cool detour like the various outposts the soldiers encounter in Saving Private Ryan, but we would have witnessed the moment that Dale meets Andrea and Amy, seen where that relationship began. I also felt it would be a great way to get Emma Bell back into the series for a moment, because she was so wonderful and we were all so sorry that her character died and she had to leave the show. (Of course if this “brush with established characters” idea didn’t work in the script stage, I’d have tossed it out. You try a lot of ideas like that as you go, see how they play. But I thought this one stood a pretty good chance of being engineered to work well.)
So the story follows these soldiers through hell as the city falls apart and the squad implodes, with Sam’s soldier being the main character and the moral center of the group. He becomes the last survivor of the squad, and he finally gets to the map coordinates they’ve been trying to get to from the start: it’s the barricade at the Atlanta courthouse intersection from the pilot where Rick later finds the tank. The soldier is still alive when he gets there, but he’s been bitten. He’s accomplished his “simple” mission, but he’s gone through seven kinds of hell to do it (including being forced to frag his squad leader), and now he’s dying. And he crawls off into the tank just to get off the street and under cover. As his fever builds and the poor guy starts to hallucinate, he pulls his last grenade and considers ending his life. He sets the grenade down on that shelf for a moment to reflect on all the shit and misery that brought him to this sad end-point of his life, and to dredge up the courage to pull the pin…but before he can act, the fever burns him out and he dies.
The kicker comes in the last moments of this episode:
After the soldier dies this squalid, lonely death…and after a quiet lapse of time…we do a shot-for-shot reprise from the first episode of the first season: Rick comes scrambling into the tank to escape the horde…blows that zombie soldier’s brains out…now Rick’s trapped…fade out…the end.
The notion was to take the “throwaway” tank zombie Rick encountered in the pilot, and tell that soldier’s story. Make him the star of his own movie, follow his journey, but don’t reveal who he is until the end. The idea being that every zombie has a story, every undead extra was once a human being with a life of his/her own…was, in a sense, the star of his own life’s movie. And we’ve followed this one particular guy and seen how his life ended; we witness his struggles, see his good intentions and his failures, and we experience his godawful death in this tank. That’s why I cast Sam as that tank zombie in the first place instead of just casting some extra. I had this story in mind while filming the pilot, and I knew I’d need a superb actor to play that soldier when the time came.
And then starting with Episode 202, we’d be back with Rick’s group and back in step with the flow of the established story from last season.
I always had in mind to throw in a “wild-card” episode every season, maybe as a season opener or closer. Just a separate story more in the feel of an anthology series, one that appears completely off the track of the regular series but actually does wind up tying in somehow by the fade-out. They did that sort of thing on LOST on occasion, and I really respected it. It always seemed like a bold choice that trusted the audience and rewarded their loyalty with a totally unexpected surprise episode every so often.
That’s it from me. I hope things are well on your end.
I cannot imagine that I am the only person pissed about the fact that we won’t see this opener. I feel like it would have been much more exciting and gotten everyone even more interested.
The series continues onward starting February 12th. You shall hear from us again at that time either to rave about how awesome it was, or to bitch and moan.

domain: entertainment


text:
WHAT IS THE NEW STAY AND SPEND SCHEME AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
The new Stay and Spend scheme allows you to claim tax back on hotel accommodation, food and non-alcoholic drink (known as qualifying expenditure) bought between 1 October 2020 and 30 April 2021.
The Devlin will be participating in the Stay and Spend Scheme and this means, that when you book your break with us, you are entitled to claim expenses for your stay.
Under the terms of the incentive:
You must spend a minimum of €25 in a single transaction on qualifying expenditure and submit the receipt to Revenue
You can submit receipts up to a total of €625, or €1,250 for a jointly-assessed married couple
Revenue will provide an income tax credit of up to €125 per person, or up to €250 for a jointly-assessed married couple
You can claim expenses on:
Fáilte Ireland registered accommodation.
Food and non-alcoholic drink – served in a café, restaurant, hotel or pub.
You cannot claim expenses on takeaway food, alcoholic drinks, drinks (either alcoholic or non-alcoholic) served without food or amounts below €25, so you can add everything to your room bill and we can give you a receipt at the end of your stay, or you can pay per transaction and keep your individual receipts.
You must have receipts to prove your claim for Stay and Spend expenses.
HOW TO MAKE A CLAIM:
Submit your receipts to Revenue using the Revenue Receipts Tracker mobile citizensinformation.ieapp or using the receipts tracker service in Revenue’s myAccount
Make an electronic claim for Stay and Spend tax credit through your Income tax return – Form 12 in myAccount (if you are a PAYE taxpayer) or Form 11 in ROS (if you are self- employed).
Read more about the Stay and Spend Tax Credit on citizensinformation.ie

domain: economics


Just about every garden, no matter how small, can reap the benefits that a greenhouse can provide. It can be as simple as erecting your new greenhouse and adding a couple of grow bags but to maximise its potential try the following five ideas.
1 Arrange Your Plants With Care
It’s no good expecting everything you plant to grow and proliferate just because it’s in a greenhouse. The additional warmth and protection from wind and rain that your greenhouse provides will go a long way to helping your plants but you still need to take care over their situation. Some plants thrive in bright sunshine, while others prefer full or partial shade, so take your time in choosing plants and ensure that you provide them with an environment that will allow them to flourish.
2 Add Shelving And Staging
Maximise the available space in your greenhouse with shelves and staging which can hugely increase your growing potential. Make sure that shelves are situated at a comfortable height for you, particularly if you have a potting area. Stooping or stretching will cause discomfort and limit your ability to make the most of your hobby. Carefully thought out shelving will allow you to grow a wider variety of plants thanks to the different areas of light and shade which will be created in your greenhouse.
3 Just Add Water
Part of the pleasure of owning a greenhouse can be the daily ritual of watering plants as it allows you to inspect their progress and bask in the satisfaction of watching the fruits of your labour grow to maturity. Watering the floor of your greenhouse can help to lower the temperature which can be of particular importance during the hottest and sunniest days of the year. However, this can become a chore when it prevents you from spending time away from the house. Relying on a neighbour, friend or relative to spend time every day watering on your behalf is not always convenient, so relieve yourself of the pressure and install a watering system.
4 Don’t Forget A Heater
Just because your greenhouse makes the most of available light and heat, don’t imagine that no further heat is required. Whilst it’s perfectly possible to use your greenhouse without the addition of any extra heating, adding a dedicated heating system appropriate for your size of greenhouse will greatly maximise you’re growing opportunities. Use your greenhouse throughout the year to ensure a steady supply of fruits, vegetables and plants without having to rely on the vagaries of the British weather.
5 Let There Be Light!
Adding an electricity socket to your greenhouse allows you to not only heat the area but also to light it. Whilst the summer months are light enough to enable you to spend time in your greenhouse even late into the evening, without artificial light you will be constrained by the available hours of daylight during the darker winter months. A simple light bulb will allow you to work in your greenhouse whenever it suits you allowing you to make the most of your home-grown plants all year round.


text:
Blinded by the Dark
Through the dark we fear the worst
We want the world so bright
We shroud our minds with foolish thoughts
And are blinded by the light.
Through the light the world is grand
What we want is ours to take
Our lives are what we want it to be
Even if it all is fake.
Within the dark there are the fears
And ache in one's own soul
The fear of death, the fear of hate
The fear we won't be whole.
And darkness brings the honest truth
Some bitter by the taste
We ask who wants to suffer from truth
When a lie's too good to waste.
The light might keep us happy
It might make all seem great
Yet I'd rather be blinded by the dark
For the dark will hold my real fate.
Genevieve Pilat's Other Poems
Read this poem in other languages
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
Comments about this poem (Blinded by the Dark by Genevieve Pilat )
- Bane of Attraction, Anthony Edmond John
- Wandersong, Neil Kennett
- Open Me Up, I'm Present, Luva Boy
- The Poem, Neil Kennett
- Arrival of Fall, Tirupathi Chandrupatla
- I Want You Woman, Luva Boy
- Almost A White Horse, mary douglas
- The Tall Ride, Tirupathi Chandrupatla
- Paces, Neil Kennett
- ህድደን ዎርልድስ - Hidden Worlds, Is It Poetry

domain: literature


text:
Warning: Male×Male sex!
The silver-haired man ripped the boy's coat as if he wanted to tear those annoying clothes into piece. At the same time, he suddenly covered the rosy lips of Zoisite to lick and suck them heavily.
It was a violent, domineering but passionate kiss. Devoted so deep in the kiss, Kunzite even stopped the movement of his hand and was completely absorbed in the kiss.
Zoisite finally gave up to the kiss, he felt himself melting in the heat of that pair of dynamic lips. He began to kiss back, as the best of one who had never kissed could do.
Feeling the response of his dream beauty, Kunzite started to tear off Zoisite's clothes again while kept kissing the younger one. Not until they had to break the kiss for breath did Zoisite notice that he was already naked.
Kunzite felt himself almost on fire. His rational part was burnt out and his passionate was boiling. The beauty beneath him was moaning, and tears were blinking in the emerald eyes. Kunzite wiped out the tears with his tongue but Zoisite tried to get rid of his licking.
That noticed Kunzite that he was forcing the boy and in some way made Kunzite feel bitter. The ice king hesitated, he told himself that he could not hurt the delicate boy. However, he loved him so much that he was so eager to own at least that delicate body, at least for this time, hadn't he could gain Zoisite's love.
Zoisite dared not to meet those silver eyes. He felt embarrassed for his being naked, but when noticed himself secretly yearning for getting further he felt even more shame. At last he tried to avoid meeting his teacher's gaze and let the moan escaped his mouth.
The moan was so sweet-sounding to Kunzite that almost drove him crazy. He lowered his head and began to lick and suck the younger one's nipples, first one of them, then the other one. At the same time he took off his own clothes before carelessly threw them on the floor.
"Kun…Kunzite-sama…" It was even difficult for Zoisite to pronounce a complete single word. He hated to have so sensitive a body. His nipples were badly swollen being teased like that, and something was waking up inside him, as some part of him was becoming harder and harder.
Kunzite was satisfied with what was happening. His own length was already hardened and sprung up with the stimulation spread through him from his tongue and fingers. Zoisite's skin was soft and smooth…and tasted like rose.
He was a rose in bud, thought Kunzite. The silver-haired general was so eager to have the rose bloom for him, even if for only once, only this time.
With these thought Kunzite lifted the boy's waist with one hand, and stroke the boy's butt with the other hand. Zoisite shivered with tears, and his manhood raised its head as if staring at the man who awakened it. Zoisite blushed when noticed what happened to him, but that only made his teacher more aroused.
"You're mine, Zoisite." Kunzite's voice was deep and hoarse with lust and madness mixed in it. He didn't stop the dance of his wet tongue when saying that. It's over too…sexy! Such words suddenly came to Zoisite's mind.
"All belong to you, Kunzite-sama." Zoisite couldn't help murmured. Because I love you, whatever you think. The youngest general quietly added in mind. Still he dared not to express his love to that glacier, though he wasn't like a glacier at all at that moment.
Kunzite didn't waste too much time on tasting the pair of cherries on the younger one's chest. He kneeled between Zoisite's legs, used his fingers trying the entrance of his student while bent to kiss the rosy lips again.
Feeling the fingers dancing coquettishly around the entrance, Zoisite again trembled, he could felt the heat of himself that made him feel shame for himself. Yet, it was so magical a feeling that made Zoisite even has no time to notice his shame…What he wanted to do only so badly was to melt in the embrace of his cold teacher, and to dissolve in the ice…
Zoisite screamed when Kunzite's finger suddenly invaded. That felt like kind of narcotic drugs, really painful but with a mystery attractiveness. The sensitive, delicate boy was almost tore apart by the impulsion of evading from his teacher's impetuous invasion and the desire of wanting more from the man on his top.
So was Kunzite.
The highest general clearly understand that he might have gone too far, but he wasn't able to control himself. Perhaps it was because of the alcohol, but Kunzite actually didn't know whether it was mostly because of the wine he drank or the words Zoisite had joked, neither did he care. He loved that student of his so deep that he wanted him worse than any time he had suffered before.
And if that meant he have to force Zoisite for that, thought Kunzite, then he was ready to become a rapist.
The beauty's breathing fast beneath him excited Kunzite even more. He put the second finger into Zoisite as the younger one screamed once more.
And then, the third one.
Kunzite scissored his fingers in Zoisite while the younger one's length began to brush his stomach. With another screaming filled with the mixture of fear and lewdness Zoisite burst into tears, and Kunzite knew that he had found the point.
The silver-haired general withdrew his fingers and covered Zoisite's mouth with his own before the copper-haired boy could moan for the feeling of loss at his backward. Swallowing the groans together with the saliva, Kunzite thrust into the younger one.
It was like a violent, fierce battle. Neither of them realized that how long had passed. The two naked bodies were twisted together, Zoisite was yelling "stop that" with tears but his legs wrapped around the waist of the man on top, trying to grab him closer, while his arms were also holding Kunzite's back tightly.
The silver-haired general was like fighting on the battle-field. Feeling the manhood of the beauty beneath him goring his stomach shyly but hard, he knew that Zoisite was close. Realizing that Kunzite couldn't help smiled and loosened his arms holding his beloved a little, allowed the younger one to take a deep breath.
Zoisite creamed "Kunzite-sama" and closed his eyes as he finally came on his teacher's stomach. Before he could say a single more word, he's tongue was grabbed by Kunzite's immediately.
During the passionate kiss Kunzite assaulted for a few more times before he came…came inside the delicate boy who was blushing and panting breathlessly with the mixture of sweats, tears and saliva on his face.
"How breath-taking a beauty you are, Zoisite." Kunzite fondled Zoisite's pretty face with these words when he calmed down a little. He got up before swept the completely exhausted boy in his arms:"We need a bath, Zosite, and it's time to go to sleep." He paused before added:"It's too late for you to leave, and I suggest you stay here tonight."
Kunzite's voice heard cool and calm, as if he was talking about the arrangement of the battle or a training of the army of the kingdom. Zoisite was hurt by the coldness, but he just nodded quietly without saying a word.
Kunzite didn't disturbed a lot when Zoisite was bathing, and they just finished it silently.
The embrace of the ice king felt warm and safe. Zoisite leaned closer to his teacher as he felt the older general tightened his arms. Those silver eyes were closed, and Zosite thought that the silver-haired man must be asleep.
"Kunzite-sama." He raised his head and quietly whispered to Kunzite's ear, "Although you did it only because of alcohol, I still love you." Well, Zoisite hadn't expected a sleeping man would hear that, yet he was just so eager to speak it out.
To his surprise, the pair of silver eyes suddenly opened: "It's not alcohol, Zoisite, actually my mind was completely clear." Kunzite continued as those emerald eyes widened:"I had fallen in love to you since long time ago, but I dare to do so only…under the guise of alcohol."
Before Zoisite answered, Kunzite kissed his beloved beauty again and whispered:"Would you forgive my being so rude, Zoisite?"
There was no answer. The copper-haired boy was just shyly stroking his lover's shoulder with his smooth face.
Feeling so filled with happiness, the lovers eventually fell asleep, leaving the quiet sweet fragrance to the air of the night.


text:
|Any group of items being offered as a lot must be sold as a lot.|
|It's never too late to|
have a happy childhood!
|Quality Merchandise At Reasonable Prices|
|You don't have to be an eight year old to enjoy having|
a childhood treasure.
|An Ever Changing Inventory|
|Whether you've collected Memorabilia for years or just want to feel like a kid again, please take a few moments to browse through what we|
have available for sale.
make great gifts!
|The picture shows a view of all (53) Small Old Dog Related Items in this lot. There is a variety of items included here. There are (20) figures. Many of these are playset figures and a few may be old cereal prizes. One is ceramic or porcelain. One is a bronze Afghan Hound figure from England but his nose is broken off. There is a miniature planter figurine from Japan and one Hummel looking plastic figurine with a boy and his dog.|
There is a ''Buried Treasure'' popcicle handle with a bloodhound, (7) old gumball machine prize toy rings, and (10) toy charms. There is a pin with three dogs, a pair of dog earrings, and (8) more small figures. The last two items are coins. One is made of plastic. It has a dog on one side and a bear on the other. The other one is made of aluminum. It is a good luck token coin from the ''North Shore Animal League''. One side has a German Shepperd and the other side has a cat. All of these items for one price! To judge the sizes the figurine with the boy measures 4-1/8'' tall. These items appear to range from good to mint condition as pictured.
Click on image to zoom.

domain: hobby


text:
Leaders from the Carolina Alternative Meeting of Professional and Graduate Students and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender caucus within UNC's School of Public Health organized the event with input from several organizations throughout the Triangle region.
Glenn Grossman, chairman of CAMP and a graduate student in the School of Public Health, worked to organize Saturday's event and said the summit was a good opportunity to address issues that normally do not receive much attention.
"Every population has unique needs," Grossman said. "Gay men have a unique set of health needs that have not been dealt with well. This conference (looked) at the broad spectrum of things."
The summit featured multiple workshops in the Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building throughout the day, addressing issues such as "Depression in Gay Men" and "Influencing Public Health Policy."
The participants came together just before lunch for the keynote address by Eric Rofes, a professor at Humboldt University in California and the author of two books on the subject of gay men's health. During his address, Rofes explained the importance of the gay men's health movement.
"We are a tremendously strong community -- we survived a culture that told us not to exist, and we are here now," Rofes said, prompting an applause from the audience. "We need to take (our) energy and use it to galvanize a gay men's health movement across the country."
He also stressed the importance of reaching out to all members of the LGBT community and including both those who are a public health risk and members of different races and beliefs.
"We need to make sure this isn't a movement of the best little boys in the world," he said. Rofes said the greatest obstacle in gay men's health is sustaining a long-term movement that "does not depend on crises."
The growth of HIV infection has been the most visible crisis within the gay community, Rofes said. But like most public health issues in the United States, gay men's health only receives attention when a crisis such as HIV is being discussed.


Nick Cannon Seems to Defend Kevin Hart’s Homophobia by Pointing Out White Female Comedians’ Use of Similar Slurs
Calling out a double standard (good!) to defend homophobia (boo).
Last week, Kevin Hart stepped down as host of the Oscars just about 24 hours after he was first announced as having taken the gig. The Academy asked him to apologize for old homophobic tweets and standup bits, which he refused to do (though he did offer an apology, so perhaps it was just the idea of an ultimatum he was objecting to).
Over the weekend, rapper/actor/comedian Nick Cannon offered what appeared to be a defense of Hart by reposting old tweets from a number of white female comedians. Sarah Silverman, Amy Schumer, and Chelsea Handler have all posted tweets using homophobic slurs, namely the f-word. Cannon retweeted them, commenting “Interesting, I wonder if there was any backlash here…” and “I’m just saying… should we keep going???”
Interesting🤔 I wonder if there was any backlash here… https://t.co/0TlNvgYeIj
— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) December 8, 2018
🤔 I’m just saying… should we keep going??? https://t.co/1kESA82WqR
— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) December 8, 2018
The implication is that there is a double standard regarding what white women can get away with vs. black men. And that’s a totally valid point and worth calling out. We, as a collective society, have proven ourselves to be highly selective in who we hold accountable for their actions and black men are often held to a much different standard. (See, for example, Casey Affleck and Nate Parker’s concurrent Oscar campaigns.)
But Cannon’s other implication seems to be a message of Everybody’s doing this, so Hart should be able to, too, which is just a terrible takeaway. Personally, I’m all for calling out these women and examining their use of harmful language. We here at The Mary Sue been critical of Silverman, Schumer, and Handler for other problematic messages, so there are definitely no free passes being given here based on their gender, their whiteness, their politics, or anything else.
Is it really that hard to not be homophobic?
— deray (@deray) December 9, 2018
But there are some factors that Cannon seems to be missing or deliberately ignoring. First, none of those women were chosen to host the Oscars. That’s an incredibly high-profile job for which a person is chosen to, in some ways, represent the Hollywood film industry. A host is chosen based on their established career so their appointment is a tacit celebration of that career. For those who work in film or care about film, it’s completely justifiable to care about who is chosen for that job, and to object to seeing certain people or behaviors celebrated.
Also, not everyone will agree, but there is an argument to be made about the context in which all of these comments were said or written. Billy Eichner, who was vocal in his criticism of Hart last week, offered his take on Cannon’s comparisons. He reiterated a point he made originally regarding Hart’s deeply homophobic messages, which go beyond just one single word.
Eichner writes that he, personally, thinks that “there are so many other words to use” that we really just shouldn’t be using this one. But he goes on:
Now, because I am a grown up and not a child, I do take context, nuance and *intention* into consideration. I think these are comedians who felt they can use that term because they have very large, dedicated gay male followings, myself included. They feel like they’re ‘one of us.’ So I think in some of these cases it was being used with what is *intended* as some sort of endearing, if irreverent, affection. And I do think there is a sizable difference between using this one word in this type of context and saying with some amount of gravity and truth that you’re going to smash a dollhouse over your child’s head if they exhibit stereotypically gay behavior.
Again, he says it’s “not a fun word” to hear, “Even when I know it’s coming from an ally – and certainly when I know that it isn’t.”
As Eichner prefaces his note, that’s just one person’s opinion, but it’s a valid one. If we’re looking for terrible opinions, we can, as always, look to Tammy:
The attacks on @KevinHart4real are ridiculous but it’s interesting to watch this culture of overly sensitive crybabies eat their own with their PC BS. Hollywood Libs might change their tune when this whole thing blows up in their face!
— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) December 7, 2018
This isn’t an instance of liberals “eating their own” because that presumes that Kevin Hart and those condemning homophobia are automatically on the same team. Are we supposed to give him a pass on homophobia because he’s presumably liberal–an idea that seems to be based solely on the fact that he works in entertainment, since he’s notoriously apolitical in his comedy? I don’t know what sort of liberal agenda is helped by ignoring hateful homophobia but that’s not any team worth being a part of.
And there it is. Quite a day. When the history of this is written–tomorrow–don’t believe anything that cites trolls or “political correctness” or a “mob.” This was human beings, standing up for themselves and/or those they care about. https://t.co/PPHB0vUGjo
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) December 7, 2018
(image: Mark Davis/Getty Images for BET)
Want more stories like this? Become a subscriber and support the site!
—The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]


text:
Helped by the offer for sale (OFS) route, a whopping Rs 45,300 crore was mobilised through public equity markets in 2013, a growth of 25 per cent over last year, according to Prime Database.
After six years of consolidation, the Indian equity market has finally broken out to scale a new high and this has just started to ring bells in local investors’ minds.
Moving in line with equity market, the rupee fell by 20 paise to 62.30 against the American currency in late morning trade today on fresh dollar demand from banks and importers.
The BSE benchmark sensex snapped 3-week losing streak by gaining 334 points as investors cheered the interim budget proposals coupled with finance minister P Chidambaram's announcement that the fiscal deficit will be contained at 4.6 per cent of the GDP for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014.
The markets may have ended in the red following the decision of the US Federal Reserve to taper its bond buying programme by $10 billion every month from 2014.
In a complete reversal from five years ago, emerging market economies are "most unloved ever" and are now seen as the biggest risk to financial market stability, according to the latest Bank of America Merrill Lynch Fund Manager survey.
The most commonly held belief about equity investing is that if one selects profit-making companies with established track records and holds them over the long run, one earns stupendous returns.
The markets may be in a state of flux, but that has not stopped fund houses from launching new equity schemes. As many as six new fund offers (NFOs) in equity are closing this month in what is turning out to be a busy season for launches.
IDFC Mutual Fund has launched &lsquoIDFC Equity Opportunity Series 3&rsquo. The new fund offer (NFO), which opened on February 10, closes on February 24. It is a 21-month close-ended diversified equity fund with a minimum investment amount of Rs. 5000 with a dividend pay-out and dividend sweep option. The fund aims to create a portfolio of high dividend paying companies with average dividend yield of the portfolio at least 50% higher than the benchmark dividend yield.
ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company has announced the launch of ICICI Prudential Equity Savings Fund, a close-ended equity fund that focuses on investing in shares of companies which are likely to see expansion in Return on Equity over the next three years. The new fund offer (NFO) period is from January 20 to February 7. The fund is also valid for tax benefit under the Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme.
Reliance Mutual Fund has launched a new scheme&mdashReliance close-ended equity fund- series A &ndash having a five year lock-in period. The new fund offer, which opened for subscription on November 15, would close on November 29.
For an Indore-based investor, Dhirendra Kasliwal, the crashing of share market on Monday came as an opportunity to invest. He said, "I bought shares of some of the good companies to the tune of more than Rs 2 lakh on the day. I did suffer loss in some of the shares as bought by me on the day when the market recovered on Tuesday. However, I'm happy to say that I was able to recover my loss on Tuesday's trading'.
Domestic wine market is growing at 30% per annum and likely to touch around 28 million litres by 2015 from current estimated level of 21 million litres in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Bangalore, Punjab and Pune producing a good deal of wine consumers, according to latest paper from ASSOCHAM.
School of Business Management and Legal studies under Kerala University, Karyavattom campus is organising a national seminar on social marketing at Akkulam HLL, R&D Corporate Centre on March 14 and 15.
The Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is exploring participation of foreign institutional investors in the commodity futures market, chairman of the Forwards Market Commission (FMC), Mr Ramesh Abhishek said at an ASSOCHAM event held in New Delhi on Thursday.
VIA Marketing Forum in yet another initiative for Nagpur's businessman and industrialists has organized a talk on "Leveraging Emerging Media Trends Especially FM To Build Your Brands" by Giraj Sharma, Founder-Director of a Brand & Strategic Consulting boutique - BehindTheMoon Consultants who will help participants to understand how emerging media FM can build your brand on Thursday at VIA Hall, Udyog Bhawan, Civil Lines at 6.00 p.m.
The stock market continued to remain bullish on Thursday. It had appreciated on Wednesday too. Hence, the investors in the stock market have been advised by the experts to start buying now. The only thing that they must focus on good shares while doing so so as to ensure profit. Still, the experts say that the investors are not seen in the market, may be due to their nonchalance towards the stock market.
Even though stock market remained flat on Wednesday, merely a day after having soared by more than 250 points, experts have advised the investors that there is no need for getting panicky. Still, they have a word of advice- Be cautious, while putting your money into the stock market, as the market is likely to continue to be in a volatile mode for next 3-4 months. There are nearly 14 companies, that are listed at Madhya Pradesh Stock Exchange (MPSE).
The usually bustling fish market of Mapusa wore the deserted look on Thursday as the fish vendors observed a one day close down to bring it to the notice of the authorities to consider their suggestion before shifting to the new fish market building.
A free educational workshop on stock market has been organized on Sunday at 11am at Anudarshan, office of Anudarshan Advisory and Stock Broking LLP, Vinayak Nagar, near Radha Nagar, Amravati . The workshop is beneficial for beginners as well as traders in the market. Limited seats are available on the first-come-first-served basis.
Great Lakes Institute of management recently held a two day marketing conference at its campus on the outskirts of Chennai.


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Lady and the Tramp Announced As Disney's Next Live-Action Remake
The animated classic is getting a new movie remake!
Disney's New Live-Action remake Is Lady and the Tramp!
Director Charlie Bean, who recently helmed The LEGO Ninjago Movie, has been hired by Disney to helm their live-action reimagining of Lady and the Tramp. However, this film will not be going to theaters, instead the movie will debut on Disney's exclusive streaming service which will launch in 2019. Indie filmmaker Andrew Bujalski (Computer Chess, Results) penned the script for the redo, and Brigham Taylor (The Jungle Book) is producing. Before being tasked with helming Warner Bros.’ LEGO spin-off, Bean was a mainstay in animation on shows like Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, and Tron: Uprising. The previously announced The Sword in the Stone remake will also debut on the streaming service which is also where we'll be able to see Jon Favreau's upcoming Star Wars live-action series.
Disney has had much success with their live-action remakes lately. From 2010's Alice in Wonderland to Beauty and the Beast last year, the studio has remade some of their most beloved animated films and they've been well-received by audiences and critics. Currently in development are new retellings of Dumbo, Aladdin, The Lion King, Peter Pan and Mulan. The studio also still has plans to remake Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Black Hole, Cruella, The Haunted Mansion, James and the Giant Peach, The Little Mermaid, Robin Hood, and Pinocchio. The only ones with confirmed release dates are Dumbo set for theatrical release on March 29, 2019, Aladdin on May 24, 2019, The Lion King on July 19, 2019, Peter Pan on November 8, 2019, and Mulan on March 27, 2020. Lady and the Tramp has been released from the Disney vault and is now available on Blu-ray.


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“Many people hear voices when no-one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up on rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called writers and they do pretty much the same thing.”
— Meg Chittenden
Writers like to write. What most of us do not like to do is market our work. Why? Well, because we like to write. And, if we are busy marketing, we are not answering the cries of those characters inside our heads fighting to get out.
Those characters and sometimes even previous characters that come back to tell more of their story don’t understand that you need to work on guest blogs and interviews. Or that you should be interacting with the community at large on forums and discussion groups, spending your time scouring the internet for the right sites to target your readers, setting up distribution channels and writing the perfect blurb to catch a readers attention, and using social media to its fullest. No, those characters are whispering in your ear the next great story and keeping you up at night acting out scenes in your head so you will get back to your keyboard.
And the voices sometimes can come at the most inopportune time. When you are driving and can not write down that perfect speech they just gave in your head. Or when you are in shower and debate getting out -shampoo still in hair – to write down the way a clue works into the overall story. Or in my case when I am at my day job – the one that pays the bills – and I try like hell to tell those voices to save that thought until later when I can focus on them. Because, you see, these characters are like children. They want your attention and they want it NOW. And they don’t understand sometimes that there are other things going on in your world.
The best thing to do? Give in. Obviously, if YOUR voices are telling you to do something wrong like murder your neighbor over that branch hanging into your yard you need to go and get help to make those voices go away. Those are bad voices. If you are a writer, however, you have got to get to a pen, pencil or keyboard and get the story out. And, if you are seeing these scenes and hearing snippets of conversations and you are not a writer – perhaps you have found your calling?


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Jewelry comes in many colorful shapes and sizes, but sometimes you only want a simple, delicate pendant. Jewelry and department stores are filled with them; however, making pendants at home lets your imagination and taste guide the finished piece. Jewelry findings, which are small connectors, wires and other parts and pieces, are readily available at most craft stores. Look for unusual materials to make your pendant unlike any other.
Create a wispy, rod- or pendulum-style pendant from clear or translucent beads, a head pin and a slender chain. A head pin is a thin metal rod, no larger than a sewing needle, with a small disk or ball at one end. When beads are slipped onto the pin, the disk at the bottom acts as a stop. The top of the pin is straight, so you'll need a pair of precision jewelry pliers to bend it into a small circle or a soldering tool to fashion a loop to suspend the pin from a chain. The pendulum of beads will swing gently with the wearer's movements or lie flat against the collarbone, depending on the length of the chain.
Select one perfect imitation pearl bead to float against the skin with no visible means of support. Place a drop of jewelry adhesive on one drilled opening of the pearl and push in the pin of a bell cap to secure it to the bead. After the adhesive dries, apply another drop on the opposite end and attach a bead cap to cover the bottom of the pearl. Cut a piece of thin-gauge monofilament or fishing line a few inches longer than you need and slip the end through the loop of the bell cap. Fasten the ends to a necklace clasp using crimp beads. Monofilament is unobtrusive, so the pearl will stand out.
A single copper ring pendant complements summery blue blouses and brightens a plain black sweater when the weather turns cool. Slice off a thin ring from the end of a large-diameter copper pipe using a rotary tool equipped with a metal cutting disk, then polish off the rough edges with a fine grinding disk. Buff the ring until it shines with the same tool and a buffing wheel. There is no need for a loop or any other jewelry finding. Slip a chain or a thin cord through the ring to suspend it. Copper develops a green patina, so coat the ring with clear sealant to prevent discoloration.
Chokers and pendants are uncommon partners, but they combine to make an interesting necklace that accentuates a low or backless dress. A choker-length chain forms the foundation of this necklace. String a few beads on a short piece of jewelry wire, then string several beads on a longer wire. Connect loops to one end of each strand of beads and crimping beads on the opposite ends, then slip the strands on the choker. To wear the pendant, fasten the chain around your neck, then arrange the shorter strand in front and the longer strand in back.

domain: design


He can read stoplights – he’ll stop and go just as the light directs. So the three of them pile on the camel, golf clubs and all and took off.
An hour later the mechanic saw the three of them standing a couple of miles down the road and the camel was not in sight.
“What in the world happened and where’s my camel?”
“Well, we had stopped at that light and a car pulled up along side of us. The guy in the car stuck his head out the window and said ‘Look at the three nuts on that camel!!'” When we got off to look, the beast took off when the light turned green.”


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I don't know who this Mike chap is, but my family & I have stayed at le tilleul three times - twice in the barn (once in the summer - 5 of us and once for Christmas- 6 adults and 1 toddler) and once in la maison de grande mere (summer break for three). Although wer arrived for the first time in daylight, we didn't go cross country from Doue Le Fontaine and stayed on the main road as per instructions and found the property without any difficulty.
Although you are out in the middle of nowhere, you're less than 10 minutes away from everything you need. If you have children with you, a visit to the zoo at Doue is an absolute MUST.
Both gites are stunning, the perfect place to switch off, unwind and chill out. Lovely walks, superb views both in summer and winter
If you are arriving late or on a Sunday (the supermarkets are shut) I can whole heartedly recommend Marcella's meal, ready and waiting for you when you arrive.
My only suggestion I could make is to install wifi into the properties - makes it SO much easier for those of us with our own businesses.

domain: travel


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BONNIE & CLYDE WILD OMEGA-3 FISH OIL 8 OZ
Support your pet's skin, coat, joint, and heart health with Wild Omega-3
From kittens to old cats; puppies to senior dogs. Adding Wild Omega-3 fish oil to their diet is a great way to give them a healthy daily amount of EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids.
A gentle water vapor deodorizing process leaves Wild Omega-3 virtually free from the strong odours of other fish oils. No more nose-pinching, and a lot more smiling. Made with sustainably-caught, wild sardines, anchovies, and mackerel. By using these smaller-bodies fish, Wild Omega-3 contains more EPA and DHA per teaspoon that most salmon, cod liver and krill oils.
Packed with 40 IU of sunflower-based, natural source Vitamin E per pump. Wild Omega-3 is one of the only products that replaces lost Vitamin E from Omega-3 supplementation. No soy, GMOs, gluten, artificial flavours or preservatives, or synthetic ingredients.

domain: food


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Jaguar Land Rover to build electric XJ car at Castle Bromwich plant
Jaguar Land Rover is to build an electric version of the Jaguar XJ saloon at its Castle Bromwich factory, in a boost to the embattled automotive industry.
Britain’s largest carmaker will invest billions of pounds in creating a blueprint for the new vehicle and upgrading the plant on the outskirts of Birmingham, safeguarding the jobs of 2,500 people.
The last of the current XJ model will roll off the factory lines on Friday before the company switches production to the new model over the summer. JLR, which is owned by India’s Tata, had previously pledged to create electric versions of all its models by 2020.
Workers at the plant last month voted in favour of a four-day week amid a £2.5bn cost-cutting drive. The company is in the process of cutting 4,500 management jobs across its global workforce.
Ralf Speth, the JLR chief executive, said the company was locating electric vehicle manufacture, electronic drive units and battery assembly together near Coventry “to create a powerhouse of electrification in the Midlands”.
JLR has built a battery assembly plant at Hams Hall, between Coventry and Birmingham, which could make up to 150,000 units a year – equivalent to one-third of JLR’s 2018 output from the UK of 449,000 cars.
However, in the absence of a major UK manufacturer, Hams Hall will import cells for its batteries from Asia.
On Friday JLR called for the creation of multiple “gigafactories” in the UK to provide the large volumes of battery cells it will need.
Speth said battery production was crucial for the future of the UK car industry. “One thing is clear, if batteries go out of the UK then also the automotive production will go out of the UK.”
JLR is in talks with battery manufacturers thinking of building a facility in the UK. However, Speth declined to commit to buying batteries from a British gigafactory.
He said the rapid increase in demand for batteries from the automotive sector would probably push up prices for the foreseeable future.
“Jaguar Land Rover is really very much interested to have a battery factory in the UK, but it also has to be the next generation of batteries and it’s also quite clear it has to be a cost-competitive battery,” Speth said.
Buying British-made batteries would be an attractive prospect for JLR, given that it makes the majority of its cars in the UK. The automotive battery industry is currently dominated by Asian manufacturers, such as China’s CATL and South Korea’s LG Chem, but importing the temperature-sensitive components costs time and money.
The business secretary, Greg Clark, said the UK was “now perfectly placed to host a gigafactory and we are determined to realise that ambition”.
The all-electric Jaguar XJ is not the first car powered solely by a battery that the carmaker has produced. However, its I-Pace SUV is manufactured in Austria by Magna Steyr, a contractor.
The Castle Bromwich plant, which builds the cheaper Jaguar XE and XF saloons and the F-Type sportscar, will have the ability to switch quickly between all-electric, hybrid, petrol and diesel versions of the XJ. Other carmakers have adopted a similar strategy to hedge against uncertainty over demand from consumers for different fuel types.
In common with other carmakers with significant British operations, JLR is keen to avoid a no-deal Brexit, which would probably result in tariffs on its imported components.
JLR has been particularly hit by the slump in demand for diesel cars – which are expected to account for about two in five of the company’s sales this year – after the backlash triggered by Volkswagen’s emissions-cheating scandal. Speth said the “demonisation” of diesel “really hurt us very much”.
At the same time, car sales in China – the key growth market for the global automotive industry – fell last year for the first time in nearly three decades.
JLR was forced to take a £3.1bn accounting writedown in the last quarter of 2018 after admitting its investments in China were worth much less than planned, resulting in its worst annual loss.


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Big autos' big dive in stock market valuations and sales spells serious problems for domestic advertising, as it thrusts local television stations and newspapers into what could be their darkest days yet.
In the absence of a universal form of media measurement--which isn't coming soon--companies are opting to focus on the sliver of metrics that work to their advantage, to tell advertisers what they want to hear. Until all media flows through a digital filter, a compelling universal standard of measurement is not possible.
What does Bollywood see in Steven Spielberg that the U.S. entertainment investment community doesn't? At a time when America's natural resources are attracting foreign investors, we risk losing some of our best and brightest. Surely the director of "ET" and "Indiana Jones," who happily concedes "I dream for a living," is a major American treasures we would never allow to fall into international hands.
Now that LinkedIn has mastered how to monetize online social networking, it is out to do itself one better. Supported by advertising, premium subscriptions, classifieds and corporate solutions. LinkedIn is stunning proof that social networks need not rely solely on advertising.
At the moment, some digital content providers are getting paid something, some of the time. That's hardly a firm business model for future growth. The faster online players gravitate from old ways of making money on new platforms, the sooner they will hit pay dirt. But it could take a while.
Sometimes, it seems like Google is going to take over the world. But just as a mainstream Internet made Google's pervasive, innovative applications possible, deeper levels of interactivity will yield the next generation of enterprising players. Still, one wonders what's ahead for Google.
There is an urgent need for all media companies, regardless of their legacy or core businesses, to accurately measure their success by relying on interactive quotients. Such a new metrics template will measure what matters most in the new digital world: generating interactive revenues.
Don't look now, but television and online video are being swept into a third wave of media--emerging broadband and mobile media markets--which is expected to generate $6 billion in advertising and paid content fees and $17 billion in asset value by 2011. So much for the online video-burst bubble theory. Welcome to Television 2.0.
Monetizing the content, causes and communities that define public media--without compromising its noncommercial standards--is good business. And it assures its future financial viability. Public media can creatively use Web 2.0 tools to leverage its strong ties to special-interest consumers to generate revenues to offset declines in sponsorship and government funding.
Public broadcasting may be better situated for the digital transition than its commercial broadcasting counterparts, having forged its fortunes on content bound by special interests, political issues and civic action. But it could be obscuring its own passage to financial sustainability through interactive ties with its close-knit constituents.


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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease which can cause chronic inflammation of the joints and other areas of the body. It is a serious disease that attacks the joints and other body parts.
Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis:
- The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis, it's thought that it may result from a combination of genetics and environmental factors. Some researchers believe an infection with a bacteria or virus can trigger the development of rheumatoid arthritis in someone who's genetically susceptible.
- Several auto antibodies including Rheumatoid Factor(RF) and anti-CCP antibodies are associated with RA
- Additionally, endocrinologic and reproductive factors may also contribute to the development of RA
SYMPTOMS OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis come and go, depending on the degree of tissue inflammation. When body tissues are inflamed, the disease is active. When tissue inflammation subsides, the disease is inactive (in remission). Common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are as below:
- Joint swelling and pain
- Morning joint stiffness
- Poor sleep
- Loss of weight
- A feeling of having the like symptoms


Think of it as a
catalytic converter for your house.
As part of a $1.7
million project aimed at eliminating dangerous airborne pollutants, two Swedish
construction companies – Skanska and Cementa – are developing building
materials that can actually resist and break down the nasty chemicals in the
The key element in
the project is an experimental cement and concrete product that is coated with
titanium dioxide, the same substance used in toothpaste and some white paint.
According to CNN, when UV rays react with the chemical, they can
actually break down the molecules of pollutants, including nitrogen oxides
produced by diesels and other engines.
“Among other things, we want to construct concrete walls
that break down vehicle exhausts in road tunnels,” said Karin Pettersson, a
spokesperson for Skanska, told CNN.
The companies have
tested the products on 75,000 square feet of roadways in Sweden, and found a
reduction in nitrogen oxide levels of 60 percent. The new cement is also being
tested in real-world situations, such as for the construction of the Jubilee
Church in Rome.
“Now we have to change and think of the product not just for
architectural purposes, but also for environmental purposes,” Francesco
Galimberti, spokesperson for Italcementi, the company that created the Roman
church, told CNN.
There’s also a bonus
side effect – the chemical coating also keeps dirt from sticking, making it
that much easier to clean large buildings.


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Now researchers are investigating the idea Darwin posed more than 100 years ago. They've demonstrated that humans can detect an animal's arousal — which can range from low (asleep) to high (frenetic).
We can sense excitement in the sounds of species as different as frogs and pandas, the researchers say. The scientists also suggest that these sounds are part of a very old “signaling system.”
“Our study shows that humans are naturally able to recognize emotional arousal across all classes of vocalizing animals,” said Piera Filippi, who studies the evolution of cognition and communication at the Vrije University Brussels in Belgium. Filippi and her colleagues, psychologists and biologists from Germany, France, the Netherlands and Canada, published their study Tuesday in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. “This outcome may find an important application in animal welfare, suggesting that humans may rely on their intuition to assess when animals are stressed.”
The scientists asked 75 college-age people to listen to sounds from nine species. To check for consistency across languages, the group included English, German and Mandarin speakers. The researchers collected 180 recordings of animal vocalizations, reflecting high or low levels of excitement.
This was not excitement like the kind you'd find at Six Flags. Instead, these were desperate or negative screams: the sounds of frogs in competition for mates, monkeys reacting to danger or ravens confronted by a dominant bird. Representing our species were actors speaking in Tamil, asked to read lines as if increasingly upset. The subjects had to identify which vocalization, out of paired sounds from the same species, represented higher arousal.
“Humans performed better than expected by chance,” Filippi said. As you might suspect, they accurately selected humans acting out emotional distress (95 percent correct) over humans talking regularly.
But the excited giant panda (94 percent) was close behind, followed by the hourglass tree frog (90 percent), African bush elephant (88 percent), American alligator (87 percent), black-capped chickadee (85 percent), pig (68 percent), common raven (62 percent) and a monkey called a Barbary macaque (60 percent).
“These results suggest that fundamental mechanisms of vocal emotional expression are shared among vertebrates,” the authors wrote. Put broadly, every unhappy land-dwelling four-legged animal sounded unhappy in a similar way.
Harold Gouzoules, a bioacoustician and animal behavior expert at Emory University in Atlanta who was not involved with this research, called this study a “significant contribution” toward answering the questions that had puzzled Darwin. “It goes beyond previous studies of mammals and birds to include reptiles and amphibians,” Gouzoules said. “That also makes it challenging to understand.”
It struck Gouzoules as odd that humans were better at identifying arousal in tree frog sounds than for the monkeys. But Filippi said that it was possible the difference in emotional intensity of the low and high monkey calls was “less extreme” compared with the other species' sounds. “However,” she said, “finding that humans perform better in evolutionarily more distant species corroborates the hypothesis that this is a biologically rooted ability.”
What's more, Gouzoules argued that this study does not get to what Darwin would have considered emotion. “If emotions are equivalent to a carrot cake,” he said, then arousal is like the “wheat before it becomes flour.”
Arousal is an important dimension of emotion, but “it doesn't equate to assessing emotional processing,” he said. He offered the example of a chimp baring its teeth. “A person will describe that as a smile. They would read it as emotional — they'd get that, easy,” he said. But “they’d get it dead wrong,” Gouzoules said. (These chimp facial expressions are in fact “fear grins.”)
The authors acknowledged that this research would benefit from physiological data. Having brain recordings or heart rate might paint a clearer picture of the animals' true feelings.
Filippi also wants to repeat the experiment, but with a twist. “We are currently running the same study on black-capped chickadees, in order to assess their ability to identify emotional intensity,” she said. So we may soon know whether these little birds can tell the difference between an excited or relaxed panda.
Listen to the animal calls — can you tell which sound is more excited?
A domestic pig:
A black-capped chickadee:
An hourglass tree frog:
(For the pig, the first track is more excited. For the chickadee, the first, too. For the frog croak it's the second file.)

domain: psychology