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PTSB's Skoczylas hits out at bid to halt court action
A DIRECTOR of Permanent TSB has criticised a court bid to prevent any legal action by him or others aimed at disqualifying a number of other directors from involvement in the management of a company.
Piotr Skoczylas described the bid by the bank and 10 of its directors and former directors as "an egregious breach of court process".
Mr Skoczylas told the president of the High Court, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, the proceedings against him and others, including some shareholders of PTSB, should be "flung out" with an order for costs against the bank and the 10.
Last Friday, Permanent TSB and 10 of its directors or former directors secured an interim order restraining Mr Skoczylas, Scotchstone Capital Fund Ltd and six others taking any legal proceedings aimed at disqualifying any of the 10 under Section 160 of the Companies Act.
Mr Justice Kearns returned the interim order to yesterday, when Mr Skoczylas said his side had prepared affidavits replying to the PTSB application and was ready for the case to go on.
Paul Gallagher, for PTSB and the 10, said he wanted an opportunity to reply to the affidavits.
Mr Skoczylas argued the other side was seeking to encroach on his side's fundamental constitutional rights and there was clear case law indicating the application could not stand.
Mr Justice Kearns said he had to grant an adjournment to allow for a reply to Mr Skoczylas's side's affidavits. He made directions for exchange of affidavits and returned the matter to Monday next.
Mr Skoczylas was appointed to the Permanent TSB board directly by shareholders at an EGM of the company held on July 22, 2011.
He is managing director and fund manager at Scotchstone Capital Fund Ltd.
Last Friday's interim order was made against him, Scotchstone and six named individuals – Gerard Dowling, Padraig McManus, Georg Haug, John Paul McGann, Tibnor Neugebauer and Muriel Scorer. Some of those are shareholders of Irish Life & Permanent (IL&P).
The interim order was sought on behalf of Permanent TSB, its chief executive, Jeremy Masding and several directors and former directors – Kevin Murphy, David McCarthy, Bernard Collins, Ray MacSharry, Margaret Hayes, Emer Daly, Sandy Kinney and Pat Ryan.
They claim any issuing by Mr Skoczylas of proceedings under Section 160 is an abuse of process and part of an ongoing campaign against the recapitalisation of IL&P.


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Summary from Goodreads:
Meet Emma Corrigan, a young woman with a huge heart, an irrepressible spirit, and a few little secrets:
Secrets from her boyfriend:
I’ve always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken.
Secrets from her mother: I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom with Danny Nussbaum while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching Ben-Hur.
Secrets she wouldn’t share with anyone in the world: I have no idea what NATO stands for. Or even what it is.
Until she spills them all to a handsome stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger.…Until Emma comes face-to-face with Jack Harper, the company’s elusive CEO, a man who knows every single humiliating detail about her...
I have a section on my shelf overflowing with Kinsella's novels (I cannot pass up buying any that I don't already own) and I'm now finally going to read them all! This one was a library book sale find for .50, I love it because it has the beautiful cover pictures above instead of the old cover. I hope you enjoy my review and expect more Kinsella reviews in the future as I make my way through all her novels.
What I Liked:
Character Development. I was not a huge fan of Emma at the beginning of the novel. However, as the book went on she grew on me. Plus, she became a great character/person who was not afraid to stand up for herself.
Side Characters. I loved Emma's family, her grandfather (and later on her parents), plus her roommates. She had interesting interactions with both her friends, the bullies at her work, and the main love interest. Out of them all, I have to say that Jack (the love interest) was my least favorite. I found myself more interested in Emma's interactions with her family members and with her coworkers rather than the main romance.
Humor. The characters and their various actions/responses had me laughing throughout the novel. I found the idea of spilling all of your small white lies to a complete stranger both humiliating and funny. Kinsella does a great job coming up with witty lines and funny/humiliating situations for her main characters.
Writing/Plot. I'm a fan of Kinsella's writing style and the fact that she always comes up with unique story-lines. This time around I did not find anything predictable. I knew that as a romance it would have a happy ending but everything in between was not formulaic. Instead, It was an exciting ride with humorous moments and characters placed in between the main romance.
What I Disliked:
Romance. I was a fan of the romantic story-line/interest up until the last half of the novel (no spoilers) but then I did not like aspects of it. However, the first half has a lot of cute moments between the two main characters, Emma and Jack. It might have been better if we also had Jack's point of view during some scenes.
Characters. Some of antagonist characters were a bit over the top. The worst one was Kerry, Emma's step-sister/cousin who did not seem to have any redeemable characteristics and was horrible throughout the whole novel. Those types of characters really grate on me but I suppose that was the main point.
Length. I did feel that the novel went on longer than it needed.
I recommend checking this out as a quick fun read if you enjoy cute romances and Kinsella's writing style.
3.5 Stars Out of 5 Stars.

domain: artistic


Free shipping on all US order or order above $200
Quectel SC66-J Cat6 Module is the new generation of multi-mode Smart LTE Cat 6 module with Android 9.0/10.0. Based on Qualcomm ARM KryoTM 260 64-bit octa-core high-performance processor with built-in AdrenoTM 512 GPU, it is an ideal solution for a wide range of industrial and consumer applications requiring high data rates and multimedia functions. SC66 series is available in five variants: SC66-CE, SC66-E, SC66-A, SC66-J and SC66-MW.
This module supports multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology. The use of multiple antennas at the receiver end at the same time and on the same frequency band greatly minimizes errors and optimizes data speed. The module also combines high-speed wireless connectivity with embedded multi-constellation and high-sensitivity GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS and SBAS) receiver for positioning.
A rich set of interfaces (such as LCM, Camera, Touch Panel, MIC, SPK, UART, USB, I2C, SPI) extend the applicability of the module to a wide range of M2M applications, including smart POS, smart cash registers, smart home gateways, smart robots, smart wearables, security surveillance, PDA & tablets, vending machines, delivery lockers, AI, police and law enforcement equipment, in-car video streaming and entertainment systems, etc.
Abundant supply to meet market demand. The warehouse is rich in goods with all kinds of commodities, which Can meet the needs of different customers.
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No matter how great our goals are, or how many great things waiting for us to do, we must keep our promises and do it well. Because these is one word that cannot be missing in the secret of success. That is "integrity".


Things aren’t looking so hot for Google Wallet. We told you last week about a piece of leaked intel exposing Sprint’s plans to introduce their own wallet-like service for devices on their network, bringing into question the fate of Google Wallet on the only carrier to officially back it. It now looks like Sprint may have already begun turning their backs on Google Wallet, starting with the HTC Evo 4G LTE.
There’s been some ruckus over on XDA where users are having trouble getting Google Wallet up and running on their new devices. Like it so often goes in the developer forum, users came up with a workaround that involved tricking Google Wallet into thinking it was a Galaxy Nexus. The result? A perfectly functioning app (for the time being). Once thought to be an issue on Google’s sides of things, things are becoming a whole lot clearer with a new message being displayed for would-be Google Wallet hackers: “Unfortunately, Google Wallet has not yet been certified in your country or on your device/carrier.” Ouch.
No official word from Google or Sprint on exactly what the problem is, but we have a good idea what’s going on. Looks like the end could be nigh for ‘ol G-Wallet. This isn’t the first time users have been having trouble with Google Wallet either. A few weeks ago, we brought to your attention users who unknowingly bricked Google Wallet after a routine factory reset.
Any Sprint customers upset at this news? Was Google Wallet really ever a “must-have” service for you? Would a decent Sprint alternative suit you just as well?
[The Verge | Android Police | XDA-Developers 1, XDA 2, XDA 3]


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Crazy Deluxe Bubbles Recipe 1 cup warm water 2 tablespoons liquid dish or laundry detergent 1 tablespoon glycerin 1 teaspoon white sugar How to make bubbles: Gently stir all ingredients together and store in a airtight container. For everyday bubbles
Crafty Mom: Be a 'mad bubble scientist' with your kids
Made w/corn syrup. Recipe for Giant Bubble SolutionTo make our giant bubble solution, I mixed: 6 cups of water cup of dishwashing liquid 2 Tablespoons of glycerin I have read that you can use corn syrup in place of the glycerin, but I haven’t tried it!
Here's a recipe for beginning cold-process soap makers. It features a soap recipe and instructions for mixing the lye solution and making soap.
If you have a bottle of champagne that has recently gone flat, drop a raisin in it. The carbon dioxide left in the bottle will cling to all the grooves in the raisin and release back into the liquid, making it bubbly again. Source Source 2
I have this new infatuation with soap bubbles. Is that strange? I think i would blow bubbles all day from this bottles of bubble liquid if i could afford one (oh my adorable little teenage fund) (*´∇｀*) - House Decorators Collection
“World’s Best Bubbles” recipe bubble mix. 1 quarts of water cup light corn syrup 1 cup liquid dish soap Mix water and corn syrup until completely blended. Slowly stir in soap. Will last several weeks in an airtight container.
The Best Bubbles Ever 6 cups water 2 cups Dawn dishwashing liquid cup light corn syrup Mix all ingredients together in a LARGE container of sorts.an empty water bottle, milk jug, etc. Shake everything up and let sit for a few hours.

domain: chemistry


If you are trying to search Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP specification, Reviews, including photos and other info then you are in the best place you could be. We will be discussing Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP Engine Technical Data, Fuel Consumption, Emissions, and Range. Now, try to see Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP Performance, Size, Dimensions, Aerodynamics, and Weight here.
You will get all that you have to think about this specific branded vehicle of Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP. We have presented as much data as anyone could ask about Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP special car. Let’s begin
Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP Engine Technical Data
The Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP comes with new type engine with Inline 4 cylinders. This car runs on Petrol and it has Not Found framework empowered. The engine size is about 1368 cm3 or 83.5 cu-in.
Number of valves of Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP is 8 Valves. With a squeezing ratio of 11, the car has a supreme torque of 115 Nm or 84 lb.ft @ 3250 rpm. Torque limit is 115 Nm or 84 lb.ft @ 3250 rpm maximum. There is another cool feature of this car that FWD drive wheels. 5 speed Manual Transmission Relations1st Gear Ratio: 2nd Gear Ratio: 3rd Gear Ratio: 4th Gear Ratio: 5th Gear Ratio: Reverse Gear Ratio: Final Drive Ratio: Transmission Gearbox is one of the best feature of this car.
|Name of the Car||Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP|
|Type of Engine – Cylinder Number||Inline 4|
|Code number of Engine||–|
|Fuel System||Not Found|
|Engine Size||1368 cm3 or 83.5 cu-in|
|Bore x Stroke||72 x 84 mm2.83 x 3.31 inches|
|Number of valves||8 Valves|
|Ratio Of Compression||11|
|Maximum power – Output – Horsepower||78 PS or 77 bhp or 57 kW @ 6000 rpm|
|Maximum torque||115 Nm or 84 lb.ft @ 3250 rpm|
|Drivetrain – Traction – Drive Wheels||FWD|
|Transmission Gearbox – Number of speeds||5 speed Manual Transmission Relations1st Gear Ratio: 2nd Gear Ratio: 3rd Gear Ratio: 4th Gear Ratio: 5th Gear Ratio: Reverse Gear Ratio: Final Drive Ratio:|
Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP All Specs, Including Fuel Consumption, Capacity, Engine Details, etc.
Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP uses Not Found on Economy, Highway. On the other hand, it consumes Not Found on Economy, City road. However, The Fuel Tank Capacity of the car is 45 L 9.9 UK gallons 11.9 US gallons gallons.
|Consumption of Fuel – City – Economy||Not Found|
|Fuel Counsumption||5.9 L/100km 48 mpg UK / 40 mpg US|
|Fuel Consumption – Economy – Highway||Not Found|
|Fuel Tank Capacity||45 L 9.9 UK gallons 11.9 US gallons|
|Emissions of CO2||139 g/Km (Fiat)|
Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP Performance, Including Consumption, Capacity, & Other Specs
|Top Speed||165 km/h or 103 Mph|
|Acceleration 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph)||13.2 s|
Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP Aerodynamics, Size, Weight and Dimensions
Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP’s body comes with Not Found. The number of total doors in this car is Not Found. This car’s exact length and width are 406.5 cm or 160.04 inches and 168.7 cm or 66.42 inches, respectively. About 149 cm or 58.66 inches height is available on this car. The front axle length is Not Found. In the other hand, the exact length of rear axle is Not Found.
The front brakes have Vented discs whose dimension of the discs are Vented Discs (257 mm) and Rear Brakes also have Discs where the dimension of the discs are about Drums (228 mm). It also have 175/65 R15 tyres on the Front Wheels whose width is Not Found. And it has 175/65 R15 tyres on the Rear Wheels whose width is 7 A ½”.
Curb Weight of the car is 1100 kg OR 2425 lbs. The Weight power output ration is 14.1 kg/hp. Well, Not Found steering are available on this car. This car’s Front Suspension consists of Independent. McPherson struts. Coil springs. Anti-roll bar.. I Rear Suspension it consists of Semi-Independent. Coil springs. Torsion bar..
|Num. of Doors||Not Found|
|Wheelbase||251 cm or 98.82 inches|
|Length||406.5 cm or 160.04 inches|
|Axle of Front||Not Found|
|Rear Axle||0 Kg or 0 lbs|
|Maximum Towing Capacity Weight||–|
|Aerodynamic drag coefficient – Cx||Vented Discs (257 mm)|
|Front Brakes – Disc dimensions||Drums (228 mm)|
|Disc Dimension – Rear Brakes||175/65 R15|
|Front Tyres – Rims dimensions||175/65 R15|
|Rims Dimension – Rear Tyres||Not Found|
|Front Wheels Width||Not Found|
|Width of Rear Wheels||1100 kg OR 2425 lbs|
|Curb Weight||14.1 kg/hp|
|Weight-Power Output Ratio||275-1030 L|
|Capacity of Boot / Trunk||Not Found|
|Steering||Independent. McPherson struts. Coil springs. Anti-roll bar.|
|Front Suspension||Semi-Independent. Coil springs. Torsion bar.|
This is the end of Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP Cars. After getting full review, specifications, and other information we would like to know your thought. Please comment below. The car is from a reputable brand, so you can rely on the quality of Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP. It built with super robust materials that make the car durable and comfortable while riding.
If you have anything to know about Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP, then feel free to comment in the below. Let us give you a complete information about Fiat Punto Evo 3d Dynamic 1.4 8v 77HP.


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Create magical vibrant effects on paper with felt-tip pens and water to make super cute projects!
This fun technique can be used over and over again!
Simply apply dots of colour with your felt-tip pens and then use the water pen to drop water over the paper. Watch the ink as it spreads to create beautiful tie-dye effect patterns!
Leave your blotted paper to dry and then use with the stencils to create the various projects.
Add some sparkle to your patterns with the decorative stickers, sequins, beads and glue which are also included.
This kit contains a variety of 18 cute and colourful projects with fun googly eyes and beads, as well as a pretty pink flower shape workstation!
Contains everything you need to create 4 x mini animal cards, 4 x mini shelf garlands, 2 x bookmarks, 2 x wall decals, 2x gift tags, 1 x gift box.
8 x sheets of blotting paper Cardboard templats for various cardboard based projects 4 mini animal cards 2 bookmarks 2 origami animals Felt tip pens Pink flower workstation Sticker sheet Glue Beads and sequins Googly eyes Coloured cord Instructions

domain: design


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J. PAUL GREGORY, LCSW
Mr. Gregory worked in New York City as a psychiatric social worker for more than 35 years. This included many years working with the severely mentally ill in hospital, residential and shelter settings; most of this work also included treating and managing the complications of concurrent substance abuse. Several years working with latency aged boys in a residential treatment center helped reinforce for him the overwhelming importance of timely care for people whose painfully deprived life circumstances render them at great risk for severe emotional difficulties, mental illness, substance use, incarceration and homelessness.
He developed housing programs for the chronically homeless, which serve both people who are street homeless and people who are frequent users of jail and shelter. He also developed the clinical program for a low income residence serving homeless special-needs families. Although he has retired from Social Work, he will always feel privileged to have spent his professional life getting to know and help our society’s least cared for members.

domain: sociology


The paisa singer-songwriter and actress has just closed and opened a year full of conquests, she released her second composition entitled “Plenitud”. After having a great reception with her first single “Estereotipos”, this young woman makes her way in the music market to the rhythm of pop and acoustic ballads.
“The lyrics and the melody were born in the year 2014, while I was praying and extracting the lyrics from the Bible in verses like: “For it pleased God to dwell in him with all his fullness” (Colossians 1:19 NIV), I heard sounds of violins and it was that instrument that no musical producer wanted to accept me in the composition, but I persevered and after 3 failed attempts with producers, the fourth producer relented and agreed to record the violin, although at first against his taste and musical argument ” — Camila commented in an interview with the medium Comunicando con Propósito.
The official launch was made on her birthday, December 21, 2021 at the Viejoteca Covadonga, accompanied by her family and 50 people who have supported her in her artistic career, whom she invited to share that special moment, she told them the anecdotes lived with the recording and first showed the video clip, which takes place in Cabo Tortuga, a beach in the city of Santa Marta in Colombia. After seeing the majestic drone shots, the heavenly melody of the violin and the lyrics, at the end the audience exclaimed: “Yes, he had a violin”, at which point the attendees themselves confirmed that premise through their applause and enjoyment.
“Plenitud” is now available on all digital platforms and the video on the YouTube channel. You can find Camila Delacruz Artist in all social networks.
The production was under Diego Cardona and Adoradores Studio.
The video was directed by Ramon Delacruz, Camila’s husband, with the cameras of Filmanaudiovisuales and the edition of the renowned “La Mona de las fotos”.


LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -- The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles on Wednesday announced that it will offer extended hours on weekdays and will be closed on Saturdays.
According to a news release, the four DMV offices in Henderson and Las Vegas, as well as the Reno branch, will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. beginning Monday, Aug. 17. Offices will be closed on Saturdays as of Aug. 15.
Appointments will still be required for most services, officials said. Customers will be able to book the new appointment times by the end of the week. A specific date was not given.
Driving skills tests, which are available by appointment only, will be offered but the buildings will be closed to the public otherwise, according to the DMV.
Staff will continue to work on Saturdays to process backlogs and drop-off transactions.
As previously announced, the agency said it is on trck to offer online driver license and identification card renewals beginning this fall. Approximately 75,000 Nevadans whose license or ID expires in 2020 will be eligible to renew online, officials said.
Two extensions on expired documents granted by Gov. Sisolak earlier this year remain in effect:
- Any driver's license or other DMV-issued document with an expiration date between March 12 and July 15, 2020, has been extended through September 13.
- Drivers age 65 and older have been given a separate extension to allow them more time to schedule an appointment.
The DMV metropolitan offices offer some limited services without an appointment Monday through Friday. These include general information and document review, kiosks, movement permits, license plate surrenders, drop-off transactions for vehicle registration and vehicle inspections.
The DMV said its commercial and rural offices, which are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for walk-in customers only, are not affected by the changes. However, rural offices serve local residents only.


ISLAMABAD: Keeping in view the spread of information from various sources including social and other media, speakers at a training workshop stressed the need of media literacy for all news consumers in order to make them able to access and analyse information.
Media literacy is very important consumers as many of whom have little experience in learning how to locate, evaluate, and critically analyze the information they are consuming, speakers debated at two days workshop on Tools for Media Information Literacy (MIL) organized by Individual Land Pakistan and Information for All (IFA) at the Pakistan Scientific and Technological Information Center (PASTIC).
Director General (DG) PASTIC-IFA, Prof Dr Muhammad Akram Sheikh speaking on the occasion said that media literacy is varying for all news consumer to make media consumers aware of their media environments and increase critical thinking about media’s constructions of reality.
While briefing the participants about United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO’s) MIL work in Pakistan, UNESCO’s representative in Pakistan, Vibeke Jensen said, “UNESCO has been working with various local stakeholders to promote MIL in the country. One of our most recent endeavors was focused on use of MIL for the prevention of violent extremism in Pakistan.”
She said that media literacy become major tool to excess to retrieve, understand evaluate as well as share information. By using these tools in proper way we can participate and engage in societal activities, she said.
Executive Director Individual Land Pakistan, Gulmina Bilal Ahmad was of the view that “media literacy is fast becoming a must-have skill for every consumer of media, as it can help them in becoming smart social media users with the ability to identify fake content and develop and disseminate their own content.”
In the workshop, trainers focused on the discussion on MIL in Pakistan. Moreover, tools to understand fake and doctored images, fact-checking and social media monitoring were also discussed.


We’re talking about emerging technology in networking in this episode for sure! Silicon photonics sounds like something straight out of the realm of science fiction, but the technology behind it has been around for years. The problem is simple: copper wires can only shrink so much and electricity generates heat of any size. The more we try to shrink equipment, the more likely we are to run into barriers we can’t overcome.
The brightest minds in networking know that moving past 400 gigabit Ethernet is going to be difficult without a shift to these advanced new techniques. We can’t keep up with the pace of technology with the limits that we have in place today. That means exploring new ideas and implementing them in ways that are cost-effective. Exotic lasers and transparent silicon wafers may sound incredible, but then again so did hard drives without moving parts and networking without wires so many years ago.
In this episode of Tomversations, we explore the ideas behind silicon photonics and talk about applications that could see our processing power and networking speeds radically increase sooner than we think. When our need for more speed and power eclipses what we use today, it’s time to start thinking about tomorrow’s solutions.


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Deloitte has announced the findings of its annual UK mobile consumer survey, which provides insight into the mobile behaviour of more than 4,000 smartphone users. According to the latest figures, smartphone penetration has seen growth across all age groups, with the 55-75 category seeing the most growth increasing from 40% in 2013 to 77% in 2018.
Smartphones in the hands of shoppers are rapidly becoming a major influence on UK retail sales with 84% of millennials claiming to use their phones for shopping assistance while in a store.
Matt Sebek, Vice President of Digital at World Wide Technology, comments: “The retail industry is rapidly changing. Time-poor and digitally connected individuals are driving the increase in online shopping and causing a decline in high-street footfall. But mobile holds the key for bricks-and-mortar retailers to fight back: by leveraging new technologies they can provide a richer customer experience, creating the store of the future.”
According to Sebek, mobile is not so much a disrupter as it is an enabler of improved customer experience. Smartphones play a significant role in a customer’s decision making process.
“We can see from this latest report that over a third of all shoppers use mobile devices in-store,” he says. “That figure rises dramatically to 84% when it comes to the vitally important ‘millennial’ generation.”
Meanwhile, bricks-and-mortar stores are tapping into mobile technology to offer in-store customers an improved version of the shopping experience they encounter online, he says.
“A frictionless experience can be created in a physical store by combining the speed and efficiency of online shopping with the benefits of in-store shopping such as the ability to see, touch and try the products prior to purchasing.”
Sebek continues: “Sainsbury’s, for example, recently launched an app that lets customers scan the contents of their trolley as they browse the aisles, reducing waiting time at the checkout. In addition, clothing retailer Zara recently introduced a click-and-collect store, with the option for customers to order and pay via their mobile phones in-store. Tapping into the latest mobile technologies in this way is a crucial part of delivering the store of the future.”

domain: economics


Airline To Offer Nonstop Miamitel Aviv Flights
By Claudio Mendonca
A 15% increase in the flow of travelers from the US to Israel has fueled El Al Israel Airlines to begin flying twice a week between Miami International Airport and Tel Aviv.
At 6,600 miles, the flight will be Miami International’s longest nonstop journey. Service Tuesday and Thursday afternoons is scheduled to begin March 28.
"The demand has been incredible in the last five years," said Sheryl Stein, El Al spokeswoman. "We’ve been having a huge concentration of passengers from all over the Southeast region."
El Al has provided seasonal nonstop flights from Miami to Israel, Ms. Stein said, but never year-round.
Demand has grown because the political situation in Israel has improved in the past five years, she said, expanding tourism. Depending on how business fares in the summer, when demand is usually higher, she said, flights could increase from two a week to three.
El Al’s flights are among service additions the airport has attracted. On Jan. 9, Continental Connection began operating daily flights between the airport and the island of Bimini in the Bahamas. Flights to Bimini were interrupted after a Chalk’s Ocean Airways seaplane plummeted off Miami Beach in December, killing 19 passengers.
The Miami-Dade Aviation Department has been working with South African Airways for about three years to have the company return to Miami International. So far, no service has been confirmed.
"We expect them to announce new US destination points this summer, and we are hoping that nonstop service between Miami and Cape Town is one of those new routes," said Greg Chin, an airport spokesman.
"Carriers that want to expand their operations in South Florida are taking advantage of our available gates and our four-runway airfield," said county Aviation Director JosÈ Abreu. "We are extremely excited to have these new flights, and I believe these are just the first of many carriers that will be coming to MIA in 2006."


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Opened in September of 2022, the Sculpture House is a gallery dedicated to the creation and exhibition of 3D and experimental art. Exhibitions rotate on a quarterly basis. The space also functions as a residency for working artists to utilize as a studio and exhibition space. Artists Barbara Sorensen, Brooks Dierdorff, and Shannon Rae Lindsey have each worked in the house as artists-in-residence since the Sculpture House's inception.
The house is a renovated ranch style, mid-century home, adorned with a colorful mural designed by artist Claire Lavin and installed with the help of local seniors, artists, employees of the city, and the Florida Sculptors Guild (FSG).
Illuminated in the carport is the work artist Marla E. Six painted plexiglass panels are backlit and glow bright in the night, drawing people close to see the warm beauty.
Currently on Display
Eugene Ofori Agyei
Reception: Saturday, February 18, 2023
On View: January 17 – March 24
Eugene Ofori Agyei (1993) is a ceramic sculptor, fiber and installation artist and an educator originally from Ghana living in Gainesville, Florida. He graduated from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana with a BA in Industrial Art, majoring in Ceramics in 2018. Prior to his MFA at the University of Florida, he was assigned as teaching and research assistant in the same school where he received his BA for one year. Eugene is the 2020/2021 recipient of the University of Florida Grinter Fellowship award and 2022 Artaxis Fellowship award. In April 2022, the Morean Arts Center named Agyei as one of its Fresh Squeezed 6: Emerging Artists in Florida. He won the Pathways 2022: Carlos Malamud Prize at University of Central Florida Gallery and Rollins Museum of Art which comes with a $10,000 prize and a solo exhibition in summer 2023. He has another upcoming solo exhibition at Art Center Sarasota (FL) in the Spring of 2023.


We’re through six innings here at Camden Yards, and the Nationals, while lumbering a little bit through the middle innings, are in to the seventh with a three-run lead on the Orioles. The Orioles scored three in the fifth, though only one was earned after a pair of Ian Desmond errors, and they were threatening in the sixth, but Drew Storen struck out Miguel Tejada to end the inning with runners on second and third.
In other news, Arizona’s Edwin Jackson just finished a no-hitter against the Rays. It’s funny, because I actually heard a rumor tonight that the Nationals were exploring a trade for the talented, if erratic, right-hander. He’s got a power arm and a good changeup, but he’s been prone to wildness throughout his career (he threw 149 pitches tonight and walked eight), and is due to make $8.35 million next season. You’d have to think the no-hitter will raise his price, though.
I’m not sure how likely a possibility this is, but the Nats are shopping for more pitching, and Mike Rizzo obviously has some connections in Arizona. Stay tuned.


We ask the questions
What makes tick? Nick Leys investigates
IT’S a chilly Monday night in Melbourne and the last place most people would choose to be is sitting in a deckchair in Federation Square watching a giant screen as the wind off the Yarra whips around their legs. The deckchairs belong to Q & A, the ABC1 program billed as ‘‘ adventures in democracy’’, and they are there as part of the show’s ongoing quest to engage viewers and find wider audiences. Put out a deckchair and they will come and Tweet, despite the cold night air and chance of drizzle. The chairs look lonely.
‘‘ Who thought that would be a good idea,’’ Q & A’s executive producer Peter McEvoy says of the deck chairs. ‘‘ Oh yeah, that would be me.’’
The famously laidback executive producer’s self-deprecation is wasted, however. By the time the show goes to air live about 80 Melburnians will have taken up position in the deckchairs to watch the night’s debate. And many will attempt to see a comment they have posted on Twitter with the ‘‘ qanda’’ hashtag actually make it on to the show, a digital trophy to brag about in some circles.
Inside the venue, a large crowd is waiting, an enthusiastic mob as you might expect in inner-city Melbourne during the Writers Festival — for Q&A an annual venture south from its home in the ABC’s Ultimo studios in Sydney’s inner west. They are here to see actor Simon Callow; Ghanaian-British-American philosopher and novelist Anthony Appiah; Nigerian author Sefi Atta; and a favourite on the show, the iconoclastic feminist and provocateur Germaine Greer.
There is an added bonus tonight as well as another Q&A favourite, journalist and commentator David Marr, is in the crowd as a guest and ripples of excitement pass through those
their smartphones on gathered. Many train Marr for a picture.
A half-hour before the show goes live the smartphones and their shutters are at it again, this time as host Tony Jones appears to welcome them and give advice. The sight of Jones raises the excitement a few levels and reminds those waiting patiently they are about to become part of a live television audience.
‘‘ Q&A is live political theatre,’’ Jones tells them in a pep talk he delivers at about this time every Monday night. ‘‘ Keep that in mind. You are part of a live audience and it’s important to have respect for each other and each other’s views.’’
Pep talk over, the crowd is ushered into the theatre and the countdown to the show’s live opening begins. With minutes to go, the guests are brought on one at a time and introduced to applause that ranges from enthusiastic (Callow) to thunderous (Greer). The set is cleared of anyone not involved in the production and everything goes quiet as the show’s theme music is played. ‘‘ Good evening, welcome to Q & A, live from Melbourne’s Edge Theatre. I’m Tony Jones.’’ FORMER prime minister Paul Keating was asked during a public event in Brisbane a year ago if he would ever appear on Q & A. His response was typical of Keating and no doubt made the average fan of the show laugh at the putdown but cry at his refusal to appear.
It is a Punch and Judy show, he said, featuring a ‘‘ ragtag’’ bunch, people ‘‘ of no note whatsoever’’. ‘‘ I wouldn’t be caught dead on it,’’ he said. ‘‘ If I was prime minister I would not let federal ministers go on that program. You just wash the government through mud every time you turn up. If you go on Tony Jones’s [show] you need a hip flask of mace.’’
As it approaches the end of its fifth year on our screens, Q&A appears to have an image problem. The show was devised and came to us with the aim of offering an outlet for a weekly national discourse, a natural home for the debate of political, moral and ethical issues facing the community. It would find new voices to speak with the old and established ones and, more than anything else, provide a forum that all Australians — conservative or radical, metro or regional — could feel engaged in.
Has it succeeded? Or, to use that hackneyed phrase of television criticism, has Q&A jumped the shark?
Review found a surprising response from various people about how important the show was or what contribution it made. Several of them politely declined to comment, not because they didn’t like the show but because they had ceased to watch it. People in the media and areas of public policy, those who you would expect to be avid watchers, did not list the program as compulsory viewing.
The main criticism the show now faces
Producer Peter McEvoy and Tony Jones


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The Shopping Mall "Mediterranean Cosmos" that opened on the 20th of October 2005, is considered the biggest mall in Greece. While the owning company (Lamda Development) argues that it includes the greatest variety of brands, companies, and entertainment in south-east Europe.
Mediterranean Cosmos is located in the east part of the city at Pylaia district and just 5 kilometers from the International Airport of Thessaloniki. The followed architectural concept is very close to an actual indoor village and among others, it includes more than 200 retail shops, an 11-screen cinema, cafeterias, restaurants, and bars as well as the church of Agios Andreas (St. Andrew).
Thousants of locals but also tourists are among the daily guests of the shopping mall. The easy access to a parking lot (that has a low daily cost thought) and the vast variety of choices make shopping and entertainment an easy and efficient process.
Given that Thessaloniki is a favorite shopping destination for a series of Balkan neighboring countries Mediterranean Cosmos attracts many foreign customers. The huge parking place of the mall facilitates the tourists who travel to Halkidiki by car in order to have a nice break during their trip.

domain: travel


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Just under a year ago, on May 26th, 2016, the Psychoactive Substances Act finally came into force after months of delays.
Protests against the Act had come from all sides, with drug policy reform campaigners adamant that simply banning ‘legal highs’ would drive the trade underground and increase harm, pointing to similar legislation in the Republic of Ireland and Poland as evidence. The police, it was claimed, had voiced their own concerns about the enforceability of the Act, whilst scientists argued that its definition of ‘psychoactive’ made little sense, and would make prosecutions extremely difficult.
Editorials and blogs from journalists from all points on the political spectrum urged the government to reconsider their position, and I was among them. Across various publications I railed against the PSA, calling it, among other things, “a source of perplexed amusement [and] despair,” “the tardigrade of bad policy [that just won’t die], and “an affront to centuries of legal tradition”.
It would, I argued, lead to an increase in the harm caused by drugs such as Spice and Black Mamba, as the supply moved from regulated (albeit loosely) headshops to the streets. The vagueness of the Act’s wording would make policing impossible, leaving bathroom chemists free to produce ever-stronger and more untested chemicals to unleash upon communities made more vulnerable than ever by the erosion of their access to medical help.
Well, I was wrong.
Not about any of those things, of course. The use of Spice (or, more accurately, Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists, or SCRAs) has exploded among the homeless community in places like Manchester, Lincoln (which banned ‘Spice’ long before the PSA), and Liverpool, as well as in the UK’s already-stretched prison system. Images of people under the influence of these drugs (callously labelled ‘zombies’ by many outlets) have been all over the news in recent weeks. Many are calling it an epidemic.
Users report that the drugs are more readily available, cheaper, and more powerful than ever before. Homeless services are at a loss as to how to accommodate rough-sleeping addicts, who are often turned away from shelters and forced back onto the streets, whilst the police – despite the closure of many headshops – have successfully prosecuted only a handful of dealers in 12 months. As predicted by legal experts and scientists, they’ve found it nigh on impossible to demonstrate the psychoactivity of products in the absence of human subjects to test them on, and this lack of clarity over what is and isn’t banned has made it increasingly difficult for the police to uphold the law, whilst at the same time making lawyer’s jobs that much easier.
All of those predictions have come true within the first year of the ban’s introduction. Those of us who made such dire predictions have been proven depressingly, painfully correct. But I was still wrong. Despite predicting the failure of the Act and the harm it would cause, I still, unlike most, harboured a sliver of positivity.
In an article for politics.co.uk in January of last year, before the Act’s eventual introduction, I attempted to argue that despite its obvious flaws, the PSA could in fact end up triggering the end of the war on drugs. Essentially, my argument was that because the Act didn’t criminalise possession or use of legal highs, it represented a significant move in the right direction for British drug policy.
The situation in Ireland, to my mind, only added weight to my theory – since the Irish government had introduced their own legal high ban, the signs were that the campaign for real reform was gaining traction. Supervised injection facilities were planned, and there were rumblings – including from within the Garda – that further decriminalisation of all drugs was on the horizon. They’d had to suffer through the failure of their own ill-fated attempt to ban legal highs, but in the end it looked as though it might be worth it.
Sadly though, that momentum has not proven to be as strong as it looked. Supervised injection facilities are still on their way, as is – in theory – medical cannabis. But it hasn’t been the revolution that many hoped. What’s worse, the British government appear to have done almost the exact opposite.
My hope had been that they had finally seen the folly of criminalising drug users simply for being drug users – after all, one of the main architects of the Act, Mike Penning, had said as much in Parliament. In a rare moment of optimism I had imagined that this admission of the failure of prohibition might in fact lead to a Portugal-style decriminalisation of all drugs. As it turns out, I could hardly have been more wrong.
Instead, whilst the consequences of the PSA and the enormous harm it has caused have become clear for all to see; whilst users, despite not being criminalised, have been hit hardest by its failures, the reaction of Theresa May’s government has been to punish them again. Rather than reacting to a public health crisis with sympathy and humanity, they have once again shown their disdain for drug users by opting to move many of the most potentially harmful SCRAs – the active ingredients of the various ‘Spice’ mixes causing so much devastation – out of the Psychoactive Substances Act and into the remit of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
In doing so, they have criminalised the most vulnerable section of society in an effort to sweep their suffering out of sight. It is a callous act that will help nobody, and do nothing to address the failures of the PSA or the MoDA, but, perhaps more worryingly, it is an act which has gone largely unnoticed.
This is perhaps understandable. The government have been careful not to draw attention to their course of action. But whether people are aware or not, the decision has undoubtedly caused more harm to users, whilst making the job of enforcing our drug laws even more difficult for the police. As if it isn’t already hard enough for officers to know whether a particular user is in possession of a substance that is completely outlawed, or one that is only illegal to produce and/or supply, they’re now being told, less than a year after the PSA’s introduction, that everything’s changed again.
The really worrying thing about all of this is what might happen next. It’s entirely possible that should the government continue on this path, and continue to criminalise more and more users of SCRAs, they could succeed in getting the issue out of the public eye. But attempting to arrest their way out of this crisis is not going to help those who are suffering. The drugs will still be there, and our drug laws will still be causing nothing but harm to the people who use them.
It’s safe to say that any optimism I may once have felt about the long term consequences of the Psychoactive Substances Act has all but dried up. Instead, I’m now left with a sense of fear. The PSA’s only positive was that it didn’t criminalise users, but it now looks as though the government are quietly abandoning that path in favour of an old-fashioned clampdown, designed not to solve the problem, but to cover it up. I sincerely hope that I’m wrong once again.
Deej Sullivan is a journalist and campaigner. He regularly writes on drug policy for politics.co.uk, London Real, and many others, and is the Policy & Communications officer at Law Enforcement Against Prohibition UK. Tweets @sullivandeej

domain: law


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SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson provided the exclamation point, his game-winner delivering victory from the clutches of defeat. But Wednesday’s 102-101 win over visiting Sacramento was a win for the vibes. The Warriors’ culture was the star in this one.
“I think I can’t name one person in there who hasn’t shown the willingness to sacrifice thus far,” Draymond Green said. “And I don’t see that changing. That doesn’t mean a guy isn’t going to be mad that he is coming out the game. We’re competitors. We want to play. But when it was all said and done, I’ve got my teammates’ back. I’m not going to be a distraction to this team. Last year, we had an awful team as far as chemistry goes. It was pathetic. But chemistry has been a strong suit here.”
A Domantas Sabonis 21-footer from the top with 15.1 seconds left felt ominous. Sabonis, who Kevon Looney owned in the first round of the playoffs back in April, has been hesitant to shoot against the Warriors. But with the Kings down a point, he launched a jumper and it banked off the glass. The Warriors trailed by one and this game looked as if it would be one of those learning losses. And that’s not all bad. Growing pains will be part of this journey.
Then Steph Curry got trapped at half court with eight seconds left. He passed out of it to Green, his safety valve. Then Green picked up his dribble and got stuck without options as the Kings pressed up on defense. Yeah, this felt like a rerun.
But Green was patient. He didn’t force a shot. He trusted. Eventually, Thompson, who started in the right corner, drifted to the right wing, giving Green a target.
Thompson caught the ball behind the arc with Kings defensive specialist Davion Mitchell pressing up on him. Thompson took two dribbles left and stepped back a couple feet behind the free-throw line. Mitchell, whose listed height of 6-foot-2 seems a tad generous, didn’t stand a chance. Thompson drifted left a little, but he got enough of his legs under him to get off a pure shot.
The midrange has been working for Thompson this year. He was 11-for-17 on the season from that distance as he rose up. Green raised both arms, celebrating the shot before it landed.
Make it 12-for-18.
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 2, 2023
“Any time you hit a game-winner,” Thompson said, “you are going to feel on cloud nine. If someone isn’t, they are just lying to you. I feel amazing.”
But Thompson’s 17-footer with 0.2 seconds Wednesday did more than give the Warriors a 102-101 win. It was the reward for their togetherness. Aesthetically, Golden State’s fourth win in five games was rough. With 18 turnovers and a tepid night shooting from 3-point range (11-for-31), the fully healthy Warriors struggled to beat a Kings squad missing De’Aaron Fox.
The beauty of this team, though, was evident in the struggle. What shined in their first home win of the season was their cohesiveness.
This wasn’t a night Curry saved them, wiping away their flaws with the stroke of his shot. He finished with a team-high 21 points on 7-for-15 shooting. But he was part of the problem with seven turnovers. The Kings outscored the Warriors by six points in Curry’s minutes.
This was a night where winning required a fortified front. Warriors coach Steve Kerr went 10 deep in his rotation, searching for combinations to find some momentum.
Then, at the end, he was faced with the dilemma of who would finish the game.
At the 4:30 mark, with the game tied at 87, Chris Paul and Thompson checked in for the final stretch. The question was who would come out. This wasn’t one of those nights where it was obvious.
The answer, this time: Andrew Wiggins and Moses Moody.
Not long after, Kerr replaced Kevon Looney with Gary Payton II so he could match up with Kings guard Malik Monk, who tends to torch the Warriors with his penetration.
Even rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis got to partake. With 0.2 seconds left, which per NBA rules is only enough time for a tip-in, Sacramento inserted JaVale McGee. The Kings’ plan was to throw the ball near the rim and hope McGee — a legit 7-footer who can jump well — could make something happen. Golden State countered by subbing in Jackson-Davis. He thought it was to cover McGee. Instead, it was to cover the inbounds, using Jackson-Davis’ height and leaping ability to make the pass more difficult. He just had to watch his feet on the sidelines to avoid a technical foul.
“I kept telling myself,” the rookie recalled with a smile, “over and over, ‘Don’t step over the line. Don’t step over the line.’ Then GP came up to me and said, ‘Don’t step over the line.’ I wasn’t going to touch that line.”
On this night, Wiggins and Kuminga spent crunch time minutes on the bench, as did Looney for the final two-plus minutes. The last crunch-time situation, last Sunday in Houston, Payton, Kuminga and Moody sat and watched. Paul did, too, until the final two minutes. Next time, perhaps in Friday’s inaugural in-season tournament game in Oklahoma City, it might be a different mix.
This is possible, though, because the Warriors have buy-in. They can’t stop talking about how different it is this year. How the focus is all on winning. How the message of staying ready is landing.
“Last year was horse s—. It was hard to come to work,” Green said as he channeled his inner Thompson and folded the stat sheet into a paper airplane. “Not fun. This year, you see the joy on guys’ faces when they come into the building. You’ve got guys staying over two and three hours after, just sitting around talking. Getting here two or three hours early just to be here. You start to see that and you’re like, ‘OK, this is a group that likes being together.’”
The journey to this place of harmony, which is tangible even beyond how often they mention it, began this summer. They had two team dinners. One in Los Angeles, another in Las Vegas. They also got together for some pick-up hoop before camp. The bonding sessions are paying off.
They’ve already talked about their depth and how some players will pay the occasional price for it. It began with Paul, the first-ballot Hall of Fame point guard who embraced coming off the bench for the first time in his career. Nine players have seen crunch-time action already. Well, 10 if you count Jackson-Davis’ 0.2 seconds.
The culture is at work. This is what Kerr wanted, what the veterans wanted, and what general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. delivered. Six months after Curry gave his speech imploring unity before Game 7, the Warriors seem to have it back.
“I have actually been on a team like this before. A couple years ago,” Payton said, referencing the 2022 NBA champions. “This feels like that team. We just wanna win. We don’t care. Whoever comes in, bro, do what you’re supposed to do. Make the right play. Next guy up — come on. Make the right play. It should be a routine now. It’s a new night every night. It’s somebody’s night every night. We just want to win.”
Playing seven of the first nine games on the road seems to be helping. Nothing like a road trip to expedite the bonding. Coming off a three-game stretch away from home, Wednesday’s game against the Kings felt a bit like another stop, especially since the Warriors fly out for a four-game road trip on Thursday. When they come back home, they will have played their last eight games in eight different cities.
The trick will be keeping the vibes. Right now, it’s fresh. It’s new. They’re winning. It’s all good. The revelation is they have a chance to be really good if they can keep it like this. They’re still learning each other’s play. Still getting a rhythm and, for some, getting in condition. If they can get enough players in midseason form and have this same spirit among them, the Warriors could be dangerous in the West.
Wednesday’s game was evidence. They didn’t play well, but they stuck it out. They buckled down on defense. They stayed ready. This time, it was Thompson who delivered.
“The way that the season ended and what happened over the summer,” Curry said, “I think the times that we got to spend together as a group, the two or three times we all got together, were huge. You could kind of get the elephants out the room. … We just played and hung out on and off the court. It helped to have some familiarity, and understanding everybody’s personalities and presence and motivation going into the year. I think it’s translated to some early success, for sure, because even though we’re not playing perfect basketball, there’s nice cohesion and chemistry and trust amongst each other …
‘And without that trust, there can be some bitterness that can creep up based on who’s the finishing five and all that type of stuff. We know it’s gonna change from game to game and everybody’s gonna get an opportunity. And we have to believe in that throughout the course of the year.”
(Top photo: Lachlan Cunningham / Getty Images)

domain: sports


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Students from UNC Jaycee Burn Center: “Teen Weekend Escape” Hosted
By Julie Nettifee
Members of the CMI took part in hosting approximately 24 students and counselors from the UNC Jaycee Burn Center. A program on “interactive science” was the first stop on an NC State tour coordinated by Tara Britt and UNC Burn Center Camp Counselors. After an overview by Dr. Jorge Piedrahita and Julie Nettifee, the campers had an opportunity to participate in some “hands-on” science:
- FTE Regenerative Medicine with Dr. Jorge Piedrahita, Dr. Ke Cheng, Dr. Ashley Brown and Renan Sper.
- TPP and Mathematical Modeling with Dr. Belinda Apka.
- EID and Science Testing with Brittany Sherbert, representing Dr. Ed. Breitschwerdt and the Tick Borne Disease Lab.
- Biomedical Career Opportunities with CMI Associate Members, Alix Berglund and Pedro Huebner.
This program was a great chance for the CMI to provide outreach science education to high school students and to work with the UNC Burn Center. We would like to extend our thanks to Dr. Bruce Cairns and Tara Britt for this invitation.

domain: biology


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A group of VG Musicians have fallen into a black hole and reached the singularity. The result? Scientists can only describe it as a CARNIVORTEX. The debut album by LONELYROLLINGSTARS bursts with lively arrangements from the supergrouping of Ailsean, Cubosh, finbeard, norg, and Stemage. From the intricately rearranged cover of the Gamecube start screen, I knew this album was going to be something else entirely.
The group absolutely crushes it arena rock style in the stemage arranged "LONELYR~.BAT" an energy filled prog rock rendition of Lonely Rolling Star from Katamari Damacy. Like any great album, the ending song is both lengthy, soaring, and memorable. I may have listened to this grande finale as many times as every other song on the album combined.
As the song, and album come to a close, the instruments appear to dwindle until a jarring break brings the song back to its raucous beginnings, sending the album out with a bang. Simultaneously blowing my mind, and making me hit replay on this album again.


After giving up 40 points to Sehome – a team that lost 18 games in a row – the week before, some wondered if the Mountlake Terrace Hawks’ defense could slow down any opposing offenses this year. Perhaps after Friday’s performance, the Hawks’ defense made doubters into believers.
Terrace held the Cedarcrest Red Wolves to just 106 yards in total offense on Friday and defeated the visitors from Duvall 24-7 in a non-league tilt played at Edmonds Stadium.
The Red Wolves scored a touchdown on their first possession of the game, but that was the only scoring they could muster against a strong defensive effort by the Hawks.
Junior linebacker Thaddeus Merten, playing with a sore hamstring, had four solo tackles for Terrace, three of which resulted in loss of yardage for Cedarcrest. Merten credited the Hawks defensive coaches for the the big defensive plays.
“There was a lot of blitz calls for me – and I appreciate that,” Merten explained. “Then I can get those sacks. It’s just what the coach calls, and I’m happy with that.”
Terrace Coach Kelly Dougan noted that Merten is a vital part of the Hawk defensive scheme. “With the style of defense we run, we need a guy like him in the middle. And so far, so good. He’s done a great job,” he said.
As a team, the Hack defense held the Red Wolves to just 73 yards rushing, picked off two Cedarcrest passes, recovered a Cedarcrest fumble and held the Red Wolves passing attack to just 33 yards.
The defense also put two point on the scoreboard for Terrace when JaBrae Richardson sacked Cedarcrest quarterback Aaron Davenport in the Red Wolves end zone midway through the first quarter.
The rest of the Terrace scoring came off of touchdown passes of 10, 37 and 65 yards by Jesse Martineau. The Hawk junior quarterback connected with Keegan Grayson in the first quarter, Brandon Bach in the fourth quarter, and Bach again in the third quarter on a 65-yard TD pass play that came on third down and 33 yards-to-go.
“We seem to get ourselves into those situations quite a bit,” Dougan conceded of the third-down-and-long situation that his offense faced prior to the third quarter touchdown. The coach chalked up the team’s response in this case to poise and determination.
“That’s just about those guys maintaining their cool, their composure, believing in each other,” Dougan said.
Martineau rifled a strike in-between two Cedarcrest defenders to Bach, who turned and took the ball down the left sidelines for the score.
Martineau completed 10 passes in 16 attempts in the game for 218 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Bach had three receptions for 102 yards while teammate Keegan Grayson collected four receptions for 105 yards in three quarters of play. Grayson sat out the fourth quarter as a precaution after taking some heavy hits earlier in the match-up.
Terrace rushed for 77 yards in the game, Moussa Traore leading the ground attack with 43 yards on 11 carries.
The clash was slowed by a combined 27 penalties by the two squads for 233 penalty yards. Four of Cedarcrest’s nine first down came off of Hawk penalties; six of Terrace’s 18 first downs resulted in fouls committed by the Red Wolves.
While Dougan admitted that his squad needs to cut down on penalties – specifically personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties – he conceited that he wants his team to play with passion and fire.
“We’re going to just keeping focusing and working on these guys staying in control of their emotions, channeling their energy in the right direction and to keep their mouth shut,” Dougan said.
“We really want our guys to play on the edge,” he continued. “For us to compete at a high level we have to play right on the edge. So we need to find out where that happy medium is.”
The competition gets tougher for Terrace starting next week as the team will open Wesco League play with a home game against the Everett; the Seagulls defeated the Hawks 37-10 last year and are looking to make a name for themselves this season in the league’s South Conference.
Prep Football: Cedarcrest at Mountlake Terrace, Sept. 8
Cedarcrest 7 0 0 0 — 7
Terrace 8 0 8 8 — 24
9:58 — Tyler Gray (Cedarcrest) 44-yard TD run; PAT kick is good
5:54 — JaBrae Richardson (Mountlake Terrace) tackles Aaron Davenport in end zone for safety
5:35 — Jesse Martineau (Mountlake Terrace) 37-yard TD pass to Keegan Grayson; two-point conversion attempt is unsuccessful
3:55 — Jesse Martineau (Mountlake Terrace) 65-yard TD pass to Brandon Bach; two-point conversion attempt is good
3:06 — Jesse Martineau (Mountlake Terrace) 10-yard TD pass to Brandon Bach; two-point conversion attempt is good
Records: Mountlake Terrace 0-0 in 2A/3A Wesco League, 2-0 overall; Cedarcrest 0-0 in Cascade Conference, 0-2 overall
Mountlake Terrace next game: versus Everett, Friday, Sept. 15, 5 p.m. at Edmonds Stadium
–By Doug Petrowski


Wheeler (elbow) has begun throwing bullpen sessions, Marc Carig of Newsday reports. Wheeler's timetable for return is not yet firm, but this progress, barring any setbacks, may be a signal that a rehab assignment may be in his near future. The pitcher is still recovering from Tommy John surgery, which he had in March of 2015.
Wheeler is at least a month away from joining the Mets and could remain sidelined even longer due to slight setbacks in his recovery, GM Sandy Alderson said Thursday. Wheeler is throwing again from 90 feet and should start slope work again this week. But that is a step back from where he was a few weeks ago, when it looked like he would be able to rejoin the team in July. Once Wheeler progresses to slope work and bullpen sessions without setback, he would then be able to progress to kicking off the 30-day rehab assignment window. The possibility remains that Wheeler will not be back this year due to the continued pushback of return date.
Wheeler resumed throwing activities Monday, Adam Rubin of ESPN.com reports. Wheeler was able to throw 90 feet on flat ground during his workout on Monday. This is very much a relief, as Wheeler had recently been experiencing elbow discomfort. However, said discomfort was diagnosed as nerve irritation, which shouldn't be a major setback as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. The Mets are in no rush to bring Wheeler back into their rotation and are expecting him to return sometime in August.
Wheeler (elbow) is scheduled for long toss Monday, Matt Ehalt of The Record reports. Wheeler has yet to throw since his recent setback, but following a recent cortisone injection, the young right-hander was permitted for baseball activity as tolerated. It looks like the Mets will start slow, with the hope that Wheeler is able to begin throwing off a mound in short order. Regardless of the outcome, it's looking more and more like a post-All Star break return is in the cards for Wheeler, as the Mets surely won't be taking any chances by rushing him.
Wheeler (elbow) has been diagnosed with sensory nerve irritation but no structural damage in his right elbow. He received a cortisone injection and can resume activity as tolerated, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. This diagnosis has to be viewed as good news, as there was some speculation that this setback could sideline Wheeler long-term. It's unclear when he will be able to resume his return from Tommy John surgery, putting the All-Star break timeframe in severe doubt.
Last 7 Games


Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Mazda CX-9 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, unless covered in "Zone A," Mazda is recalling certain 2011-2013 Mazda6, 2011-2012 CX-7, and 2011-2015 CX-9 sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless covered in Zone A or Zone B, Mazda is recalling certain 2010-2013 Mazda6, 2010-2012 CX-7, and 2010-2015 CX-9 vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F.
2015 MAZDA CX-9
April 11, 2016
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 2, 2015, 2013-2014 Mazda2 vehicles manufactured July 3, 2013, to August 8, 2014, 2014-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured January 19, 2013, to December 2, 2015, and 2013-2015 CX-9 vehicles manufactured December 6, 2012, to July 31, 2015. The lower mounting nuts and bolts that attach the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle may loosen, allowing the steering knuckle to separate.
If the steering knuckle separates from the strut assembly, it can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lower mounting nuts and bolts that secure the front strut assembly to the steering knuckle. If the bolts are loose, they will be replaced and then correctly tightened, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 20, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9316D.


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Student Led Conferences
Imagine Bella students prepared for student led conferences about their first quarter report cards. Students had the opportunity to share a portfolio of work samples that demonstrated their strengths and areas for improvement. Students reflected on each piece and explained why it was selected. Additionally, students shared with their parents their academic and behavior goals for next quarter.


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Remarks by Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President, Ontario Public Service Employees Union, for a presentation to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs re: the 2015-16 Ontario Budget
Committee Room 151, Main Legislative Building, Queen's Park, Toronto, January 29, 2015, 9:30 a.m.
Good morning. I’m Smokey Thomas, president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. With me today is our Political Economist, Randy Robinson.
We’re here to talk about the next Ontario budget on behalf of roughly 130,000 Ontarians whose work adds value to the lives and communities of every person in the province – including every person in this room.
Not a day goes by when you don’t benefit from the incredibly varied and vitally important work OPSEU members do.
Taken together, the work of OPSEU members makes Ontario a kinder place, a safer place, and a smarter place. We make it a better place.
The work of the public sector also makes Ontario a more prosperous place.
Overall public spending at all levels of government provides roughly 20 per cent of jobs in the Ontario economy. But here’s an interesting fact: among employed people in Ontario, 32 per cent live in a household where at least one person works in the public sector.
What this means is that, when you cut wages and benefits for OPSEU members, or other public employees, you are cutting into the spending power of nearly one-third of the working people in this province. You’re cutting family spending power.
And that is gutting our ability to create good jobs with good pay in this province.
The Centre for Spatial Economics, a mainstream forecasting firm, has estimated that the economic drag from the current government’s austerity program will reduce the number of jobs in Ontario by 105,000 in 2015 and cut GDP growth by 0.6 percentage points.
Slower growth, of course, means lower tax revenues. It is no wonder that, after five years of wage freezes and benefit cuts across the provincial public sector, the Ontario deficit is actually going up.
Austerity is not working.
It’s time to stop the wage cuts. It’s time to start putting money back into working households. It’s time to boost consumer demand so this province can create more of the good jobs with good pay that this province needs.
Stronger public services are good for people and they’re good for the economy, but right now, our public services are starving – right across the board. It’s time to put money back into those services.
People need them. People deserve them. People depend on them.
And just as importantly, it’s time to raise the living standards of our poorest Ontarians.
Recently, there was a lot of media attention on social assistance because of the SAMS computer system’s difficulties with issuing correct cheques. What we didn’t hear about was just how small those cheques were.
A single person on Ontario Works cannot get by on $626 a month. We need to raise the rates – substantially – for both Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program. Tiny hikes below the rate of inflation just don’t cut it.
We can afford to care. At present, Ontario has the lowest public spending per capita of any province in Canada. But at the same time, our GDP per capita is at record levels.
There is lots of money in this province. We can afford the public services people need, and expect, from their government in a first-world nation. What we cannot afford is to funnel the wealth of this province to the people who need it least.
The last 20 years in Ontario have seen a massive transfer of wealth from regular people and the public services we depend on to big corporations and the high-income individuals who live off them.
This has happened through tax cuts, and it has happened through privatization.
Much has been said by others about taxation, so I will only say this: at a time when Canadian corporations are sitting on more than $600 billion in cash, we need progressive tax measures that will breathe life back into public services and get some of that dead money back into circulation in our communities.
That money could be creating jobs and improving services. That money should be creating jobs and improving services.
On the issue of privatization, we’ve gone far past bad policy. We’re now into a full-blown crisis.
We all saw the Auditor General’s report. We all know that we’ve paid $8 billion too much for major infrastructure projects because of the government’s “Alternative Financing and Procurement” model. We all know that that money came straight out of the public purse.
In terms of lost money, it’s at least 100 times worse than what happened at Ornge. At the very least it warrants a special investigation by the Public Accounts Committee.
Unfortunately it’s not only infrastructure projects that are throwing away public dollars on privatization.
The government’s policy of “Alternative Service Delivery” is shoveling dollars by the bucketful to companies that are delivering services at higher cost than the public sector.
The excessive costs of contracting out of government IT services, of medical lab testing, of LCBO agency stores, and other services has been well documented. It is costing us hundreds of millions of dollars, each and every year.
Clearly, we need to get privatization under control. That’s why I have proposed legislation to rigorously test proposed privatizations so that bad proposals can be rejected before they do any damage. Under my five-point plan, a new law would require that:
- No public service will be privatized or contracted out without public consultation and clear evidence that privatization will lead to improved services.
- Any decision to privatize or contract out a service will not be made without a full and open review by an independent body or individual, who will ensure full cost/benefit analysis and comprehensive social and economic impact studies are conducted.
- Public sector workers, their representatives and other interested parties shall have standing in the review process.
- The reviewing body or individual will issue and table with the Ontario legislature a final report with recommendations along with all studies and analysis.
- In the event that a specific privatization is recommended, employees will have the ability to move to the new employer with existing rights, benefits and entitlements.
I would be delighted to see enabling legislation for this in the budget bill.
This year I’ve purposely shortened my presentation to allow more time for questions. We’d be pleased to take your questions now.

domain: finance


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Photo by Bob Oliver
A wall for the first of 12 Habitat for Humanity houses in Dearborn is raised on May 29. Participating in the ceremony were Dearborn Mayor John O’Reilly Jr. (left) and several Habitat volunteers and directors. The house — at 7607 Neckel — is one of six that will be built on that street.
By BOB OLIVER
DEARBORN — The first of 12 new houses being constructed by Habitat for Humanity had its walls raised by city officials, Habitat volunteers and community members May 29.
The house, at 7607 Neckel, is one of two under construction on Neckel. The two are the first of four to be built on that street, with six more to be built of Hartwell later this year.
Detroit Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Vincent Tilford said that although Habitat has been working in Detroit for more than 20 years, this is the first construction in Dearborn. He added that the project has been in the works for the last few years.
“For about the last three years we’ve been meeting with the city of Dearborn,” Tilford said. “We knew that we wanted to do something together.”
Tilford was joined by Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, Mayor John O’Reilly Jr. and Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services Director of Social Services and Special Projects Brigitte Fawaz-Anouti in speaking about the origins of the houses being built and how they will impact the community.
O’Reilly said the city has been looking to get involved in a house-building project for some time and was very excited about the new houses being built. He also participated in the wall-raising and reminisced about the area. He said that the house that he and his father before him were raised in was only a couple lots down the street from the construction site.
“For me this is very personal,” O’Reilly said. “My family has been in this neighborhood for many decades.”
He added that the houses were good for the whole community.
“This is going to give some people who have been through some very difficult times a really nice home they can own, live in, raise their families in and enjoy life in this neighborhood,” O’Reilly said.
Algina Johnson also participated in the wall-raising. She was recently approved for a Habitat house and said that she was elated that she and her family were chosen for a future house. After the raising she began her first day as a volunteer on the worksite.
“I’ve never done this type of work before, but it’s fun,” Johnson said. “It’s great to be able to build someone a home and it’s perfect to have the community coming together to help.”
Detroit Habitat for Humanity Construction Manager Dan Garan said working in Dearborn has been very good so far and that the response from the community has been great.
“The turnout by the volunteers has been terrific,” Garan said. “We’ve gotten a great reception by the city as well. It’s been really nice.”
Garan added that the side walls were going to be built on the house at 7607 Neckel while a crew did the brick work to the second house down the street.
“We’re moving right along,” Garan said. “We’ll see some real progress soon.”
The houses are ranch style, which is unique to the area, and are being built to meet city ordinances in place for new houses. They will have four bedrooms, three-quarter bathrooms in the basement and two-car garages. They also will be built to be energy efficient.
O’Reilly said the city is paying for brick facing on the houses to add to their appeal and value.
He added that the lots that the houses are being built on also came from the city, which has purchased 214 sub-standard lots since 2007. The city tore down the houses that were beyond repair and has sold many lots to neighboring properties at discounted rates. Other lots were kept or combined and held by the city.
The Habitat houses are being built as part of a project that hopes to revitalize Dearborn neighborhoods through the new home construction, and preference for the sale of the houses will be given to working Wayne County families that include veterans and victims of domestic abuse, though the applications are open to everyone.
Construction of all 12 houses is expected to be completed in about one year.
(Bob Oliver can be reached at [email protected])


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The surf might be the same on every shore, but its sound is different on Cape Cod than anywhere. And I miss it—it’s been a handful of years since I’ve been there, so in a mood of summer longing and nostalgia I turned to Thoreau’s Cape Cod, an 1883 edition that’s looked fine in my library for years but that I’d never touched.
It’s a good read. The chapters are like thick travel essays, of the kind I vaguely remember in those paper things they used to call magazines, back before the net age. Like the longreads that now sometimes fall into our phones.
Each chapter is on some subject or portion of the Cape. Thoreau explains that the book was the result of his own travels there, and right away in reading it, I see it turns out I’ve spent almost the exact amount of time there as he did: three distinct visits, totaling about three weeks. I’ve written about Cape Cod before—much of it yet unpublished—but this reminds me that I’ve got more to write even if I never return.
My visits weren’t as gruesome as his—the book nearly begins with scores of dead bloated bodies tumbling in with the tides, and with Thoreau seeing headless bodies on the dry-sanded shore, and beaches lined with coffins and unrecognizable victims of mean shipwrecks. In my modern visits there was none of that. In fact, it seemed that everyone could live to be old and wrinkled as walnuts if our common plagues like cancer and car accidents were avoided.
Otherwise, the people he describes and the old haunted streets and the treeless shores are much like the Cape I know. Like him, I agree that October is the time to be there—the Cape is haunted, the shore moans with ghosts, and that’s the best time to catch them.
Cape Cod by Henry David Thoreau. 1865.
Reviewer bio: Michael Stutz is the author of Circuits of the Wind, the story of the net generation. His writing has appeared in many journals and magazines.
Buy this book at our affiliate Bookshop.org.

domain: library


Post-SC verdict, Sambhaji Chhatarapati urges govt. to issue ordinance to resolve the imbroglio
A day after the Supreme Court refused to re-examine its May 5 verdict holding the reservation for the Maratha community unconstitutional, influential community leader and BJP MP Sambhaji Chhatarapati — a direct descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji — said the Centre must clarify where it stood on the issue and urged it to issue an ordinance to resolve the imbroglio.
“After the Supreme Court’s latest rejection, the Central government will now have to take the call on the reservation issue. We want to know whether the Centre intends to give justice to the Maratha community or not,” said the royal from Kolhapur, speaking in Pune.
The court on Thursday also held that only the Centre had the power to declare a community as socially and educationally backward and to include the community in the Central List to avail quota benefits.
“We have just two alternatives now that the Supreme Court has unfortunately rejected the Central government’s petition filed under the 102nd Amendment. The first being that the Centre should issue an ordinance as soon as possible and that would mean effecting a constitutional amendment. The ordinance would help restore the powers of the State government to make an Act to give reservation to the community,” he said.
The MP, who has been galvanising the community’s efforts in the wake of the Supreme Court’s repeal of the Maratha quota law in May, said that until the Central government filed an ordinance, the State could create a backward class commission under 338B of the Indian Constitution, recollect pertinent data on the Maratha community, and rectify the loopholes of the erstwhile Gaikwad Commission.
“This data [collected by the newly-constituted commission] can then be sent to the President through the Governor with a request from the State government that reservation be granted to the Maratha community under exceptional circumstances. If the President thinks that the report proves that the Maratha community falls under the socially and educationally backward classes [SEBC], he can refer the matter to the National Commission for Backward Classes under Article 342A. The commission, after seeking data from the State committee, can revert back to the President, who, in turn, can lay it before Parliament,” said Mr. Sambhaji Raje.
The MP, who has emerged as the face of the agitation after the court’s scrapping of the Maratha quota law, was generally complimentary of the ruling Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s efforts in addressing the issue.
“After our ‘silent rallies’ in Kolhapur and Nashik, the Uddhav Thackeray government has accepted our six key demands and has sought some time to implement them, which we have accordingly granted … the Maratha community has already demonstrated its ire on this issue by staging 58 massive ‘silent rallies’ in the past. It is pointless coming out in the streets now that the issue is being fought on legalities,” said Mr. Sambhajiraje.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minister Ashok Chavan, who headed the Cabinet Sub-committee on the Maratha reservation issue, said the court verdict had made clear that the ball was now in the Centre’s court.
“Only the Centre can take a decision. Our expectation will be that the Central government without delay recognise the need for promptly and proactively taking up the quota issue,” Mr. Chavan said.
The Supreme Court, while rejecting the Centre’s review petition, had further stated that there was no need to re-consider Maratha quota petitions which means that the State had no right to determine whether or not the Maratha community fell under the ambit of socially and educationally backward classes.
‘Set up panel’
Maratha community coordinator Vinod Patil, a respondent in the case, said the State government must immediately work towards setting up a backward class commission and appoint members form the Maratha community on it.
“A sub-committee must also be set up in connection with this, which would collect data in a time-bound manner and prepare a fresh report which should be placed before the Cabinet and then the State legislature. The legislature should approve it and send it to the Centre, which now has to take the final call on the matter,” he said.
However, former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the BJP’s Leader of the Opposition, said the ruling MVA government should not shirk its responsibilities by placing the onus of the reservation issue on the BJP government at the Centre.
“The State government must take steps to prove conclusively the backwardness of the Maratha community. It cannot merely thrust the issue on the Centre and do nothing,” Mr. Fadnavis said, warning that the longer the State government delayed the process of constituting the backward class commission, it would provoke greater restiveness among the Maratha community.
Source: Read Full Article


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Ageless Living social commerce company, Youlab Global, has announced that direct selling market veteran, Chris Oliver, has joined its company as an Independent Executive.
Having built an admirable career in social commerce for nearly three decades, we are thrilled to be welcoming Chris to our team, said John de Vries, Founder and CEO of Youlab Global. We are confident that he will play a pivotal role in our continued success.
With a strong work ethic guiding him, Oliver became one of the youngest Senior Vice Presidents at a financial services company by the age of 23. He was then exposed to a new company leading the deregulation of the telecommunication industries. During his 11-year tenure at the company, Oliver hit the top level of RVP as an individual in 10 months, the fastest in company history and held that record for ten consecutive years, in addition to helping grow a team of more than 40,000 partners.
Most recently, Oliver served in the Gourmet beverage industry, where he achieved one of the top positions, in addition to qualifying as a $100k, $250k and $500k Ring Earner.
As a result of his continued success, Oliver has been featured in Fortune, Success, Network Marketing Lifestyles and more.
ABOUT YOULAB GLOBAL:
Youlab Global is an Ageless Living company guided by Vision, Belief, Integrity and Passion. Our products allow you to FEEL the results and work from the Inside Out. We are a social commerce company with products marketed through independent distributors.

domain: news