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In the 1920s Prague went through huge changes. From a sleepy provincial Austro-Hungarian town it became a modern city and the capital of the independent Czechoslovakia. That caused many problems, including a marginal one: where to accommodate government delegations and other important guests coming to Prague. Yes, Prague didn’t have enough modern hotels.
A resolute response to this deficiency came from Mr. Josef Steiner, who bought a plot of land next to the Municipal House (Obecní dům) in order to build a modern hotel. In doing so he used his rich experience from abroad, namely from England and Switzerland. He approached architect František Malypetr and other experts, who created an exclusive European-class hotel building. The Grand Hôtel Steiner was opened on 25 February 1927.
The oldest reference to house no. 652 comes from 1406. At the beginning of the Thirty Years’ War (in 1623) the house was confiscated from its owner, Jan Sekerka of Sedčice. It was a punishment for his participation in the Bohemian Revolt against Emperor Ferdinand II. Although the house often changed owners during the following centuries, it was still called U sekerek (The Axes; “sekerka” meaning “axe”).
In the 19th century it became a tavern called U tří sekyrek (Three Axes), which ceased to exist along with the surrounding buildings during Prague’s redevelopment at the end of the 19th / beginning of the 20th century. In spite of that it can be seen, with almost the whole historical centre of Prague, in Langweil’s unique mid-19th-century model of Prague, which can be found at the City of Prague Museum, 10 minutes away from the hotel.
Josef Steiner brought to Prague many conveniences which were not commonly found at other hotels of that time. The hotel building alone was unparalleled in Prague. A special construction was used consisting of riveted iron columns, which made it possible to leave out central supporting walls and, as a result, save space in the interior.
The six-storey hotel had 100 rooms, many of which could be joined into an above-standard suite with a lounge, bedroom, private dining room and bathroom. Most rooms had their own bathroom, which, in the more luxurious once, included a bath and bidet. A newspaper article announcing the opening of the new Prague hotel regarded even running water (both cold and hot) in the rooms as worth mentioning. Apart from that, the rooms also had built-in wardrobes.
Hotel guests could also use garages, which was far from usual at that time. A beautiful neo-Rococo dancing hall, called the Boccaccio, was created in the basement. There were two terraces on the hotel’s upper floors – one was open and oriented towards Celetná street, while the other had a hanging sunroom.
A lamp annunciator was used as an original way to call room service. At that time bells were usually used at hotels. However, they were not only disturbing but also inaccurate. The attendant first had to look who was calling but even then a mistake could be made. The Grand Hôtel Steiner used a different system.
A button was pushed in the room and indicators came on above its door, on the direction indicator in the hall, on the room service panel as well as on the control panels in corridors. As a result, error rate was eliminated and the signalling didn’t disturb anybody. After coming into the room, the attendant would turn the indicators by pushing a button.
The whole action was followed on a control panel by the receptionist, who got a perfect idea of the attendant’s speed. The system also included portable buzzers carried by the chambermaids. The buzzer was plugged in while the room was being cleaned and if a guest called, the maid was notified by its sound and could find the guest quickly, being assisted by the routing system described above.
Another technical improvement was private telephones in rooms which could be used without having to call the reception first. Mr. Steiner left nothing to chance, which is why he had two accumulators placed in the yard to supply power in case of emergency. That way, a trouble-free operation of the annunciator and of the entry phone was ensured. Apart from that, the hotel had its own transformer in the basement.
Electricity powered 5 lifts: one was used by guests, two would transport food, another one would transport clothes (to reduce the load on the cloakroom) and one was used for supplies.
The room service also used a central vacuum cleaner.
The Grand Hôtel Steiner also spent a great deal of money on other furnishings, such as carpets, parquet floors, wall lining, etc. The bathrooms were furnished with original English faience washbasins and tiled with marble, and most of the interior was wallpapered where polished wood was not used. For example, the French restaurant was panelled with lemon tree wood, the main café with Caucasian cherry and the smaller café with inlaid cherry. Besides that, the interior was adorned with first-class china and carved and gilt elements. In the hotel hall there was a fireplace.
However, the true gem and demonstration of luxury (maybe almost sumptuous) was and fortunately still remains to be the Boccaccio Hall.
Although the Boccaccio Hall was built in a neo-Rococo style and is adorned with lavish stucco decoration, gilt elements and traditional Czech crystal, in its own time it was a very modern place, deliberately separated from the main hotel building so that the hotel guests were not disturbed. It has a separate staircase and entrance hall, which could be entered from the café. The smoky air was conducted away from the basement hall by an efficient air-conditioning system, at the same time supplying fresh air, which was heated in winter.
The Boccaccio dancing hall is the only part of the Grandhotel Bohemia that has been preserved in its original form. It is situated in the basement and you can visit it, too. It will take you back to the carefree 1920s, when couples danced on the marble floor to the rhythm of tango. A newspaper report of that period describes the Boccaccio as an “intimate and aristocratic hall,” which “irresistibly tempts you to dance.”
It is no wonder that this work of art consisting of artificial marble, gold and crystal glass and decorated with unique details immediately became one of the places most frequently visited by the cream of Prague’s society. Five O’Clock Tea Parties and Dance Nights (Soirée dansantes) were held every day and the guests who came to have fun included important persons, such as the Foreign Minister, Jan Masaryk, the U.S. Ambassador to Prague and many others. It is said that the whole Masaryk family (including Tomáš G. Masaryk, the first president of Czechoslovakia) had the large box above the bar reserved, which is why it is still called the Presidential Box.
In the afternoons, ladies would come to introduce their daughters to the society and look for potential husbands for them. Later in the evenings and at nights the Boccaccio would change into a luxurious nightclub for men. Business would be done, politics discussed and friends made in the company of beautiful women, while Cuban cigars were smoked and sparkling wine drunk. Welcome to the golden era of the Grand Hôtel Steiner.
At that time the hotel’s chef was Josef Bittermann. He stayed for a long 25 years, during which he also published his famous Big Cookery Lexicon. Since it first came out in 1939, it has not only been reprinted many times, but it was used as a basis of textbooks for cook apprentices as late as in the 1960s.
The Grand Hôtel Steiner survived WWII without any harm, but the arrival of the Communists ended its golden era abruptly. Ironically, the Communists seized power in Czechoslovakia on 25 February 1948, i.e. on the very day of the 21st anniversary of the hotel’s opening.
Its owner and founder, Josef Steiner, decided to offer his Prague hotel to the Czechoslovak Communist Party for official purposes under the condition that his family would be allowed to stay at least as employees of the hotel because all private enterprises had been nationalised and private business banned. Mr. Steiner probably hoped (like many others) that the rule of the Communist Party wouldn’t last long and wanted to make sure his family had some control of the hotel.
Unfortunately, he was wrong. His tracks were lost during the 40 dark years and so were the beauty and luxury of the hotel, which was renamed The Hotel Praha. It was inaccessible to the public because for a long 40 years it became the main provider of catering services for the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. It couldn’t be found in any guidebooks, wasn’t referred to by any tourist information offices and wasn’t even listed in the phone book. It was only used by the Communist Party.
Because the Central Committee of the Communist Party was a supreme state authority, besides providing catering services during different official visits, the hotel had to run the holiday resorts of the new state aristocracy, which were situated outside Prague, including the presidential summer residence in Lány. However, the most important events took place at Prague Castle and the Hotel Praha provided complete catering services for them. These events included Czechoslovak presidents’ inaugural lunches as well as the visits of the leading representatives of foreign countries, especially of those belonging to the socialist bloc.
However, in terms of professional skills it was a blessing in disguise. Top-class experts with experience from pre-war hotels and restaurants were concentrated at the hotel. As a result, the training of apprentices, who began to come in the 1960s to get more experience, was at a very high level. In fact, many of those trainees are now respected professionals in the hotel and restaurant business.
The original equipment and furnishings disappeared and were sold and the rooms were equipped with new “modern” unit furniture and fitted with eavesdropping devices because the hotel was used for accommodating as well as eavesdropping on Communist officials and for collecting compromising information. Wild parties for Communist Party officials and foreign guests were given in the Bocaccio Hall. They were probably really wild because during the 1993 reconstruction, bullets from a pistol were found in the ceiling.
In the 1970s the Grand Hotel from the First Czechoslovak Republic era was in such a condition that it was no longer possible to accommodate official delegations in it, so only unofficial and maybe even illegal guests would stay there. In another part of Prague, a new Hotel Praha was built, which was supposed to be used as the Communist Party’s official hotel.
A certain change happened at the beginning of the 1980s, when the new Hotel Praha was opened in Prague 6. It was also inaccessible to the public and was used solely for the accommodation of the government’s guests and for different government events. Some of the employees were transferred to the new hotel. The old Hotel Praha started to be used as a facility for the suites of government delegations, while VIP guests would be accommodated at the new hotel. Interestingly, the new Hotel Praha doesn’t exist any more as it was demolished by its owner in 2015. Thus, the Steiner / Praha / Bohemia Hotel survived not only the Communist era but also its successor.
The Neo-Baroque[JH1] Bocaccio Hall in the hotel’s basement has repeatedly been used by film-makers. In the popular film, Angel in a Devil’s Body (1983), it even briefly returned to the time of its greatest glory, i.e. the pre-war era, when the cream of society would meet in its cabaret.
Several Czech films made in the Boccaccio remind us of those times. The Boccaccio Hall was often used as a filming location during the Communist times. It made such a lavish impression that it perfectly matched the Communist idea of a “capitalist hellhole.” Czech film fans will certainly remember Angel in a Devil’s Body or The Angel Seducing the Devil, but the hall can also be seen in some of the episodes of The Sinful People of Prague and in one of the Thirty Cases of Major Zeman.
And you can see the ballroom also in french movie Paris 36 with Pierre Richard or in The Affair of the Necklace with Hilary swank and Adrian Brody.
The 1989 Velvet Revolution saved the Grand Hotel from destruction. It was returned to the Steiner family, who sold it to Austria Hotels. The hotel went through significant repair, was newly furnished and in a mere eleven months it was re-opened on 1 October 1993 bearing its present name, The Grand Hotel Bohemia.
Nowadays, this five-star hotel provides accommodation in 79 air-conditioned luxury rooms on eight floors and it can be found again in most guidebooks. It became a member of Gerstner Imperial Hotels & Residences as one of the Group’s eight hotels situated in Austria and the Czech Republic.
In 1993 the Boccaccio Hall was completely reconstructed so that it regained its previous beauty. The artificial marble was repaired, the wall decorations and paintings were restored and re-guilt, the sculptures of cupids holding musical instruments or arrows were carefully restored as well, and mirrors and lamps were replaced. Despite its appalling condition before the reconstruction, part of the original decoration was preserved.
As a result we can now admire the original parquet floor comprised of wooden panels, each of them consisting of nine kinds of Oriental wood. The time and thousands of pairs of dancing shoes have made the wood so hard that it survived even the disastrous flood in 2002, when the hall’s floor was covered by a one-metre layer of murky water and mud for three days. The floor is laid on a wooden grid so that it is flexible and doesn’t make the dancers’ feet sore, and as a result guests can stay for one more drink.
The central chandelier was also salvaged – during the reconstruction it was taken down and all its 4,000 hand-made pieces were carefully cleaned and hung again, so now you can admire its glittering beauty.
Today, the Boccaccio remains to be one of the most interesting halls in Prague. It frequently hosts different parties and wedding receptions as well as seminars and conferences. It is no longer used for its original purpose (i.e. as a dance hall, night club and restaurant) but it is definitely as beautiful as on the day when Mr. Steiner opened it to the public.
The hotel’s names and owners
- The Grand-Hôtel Steiner (owned by Josef Steiner, 1927–48)
- The Hotel Praha (owned by the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, 1948–93)
- The Grandhotel Bohemia (owned by Gerstner Imperial Hotels & Residences, 1993–present)
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domain: history


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Elon Musk has appeared on Saturday Night Live, poking fun at his own eccentricities and appearing to reveal that he has ‘Asperger’s’ in his opening monologue, and sending the price of his favored cryptocurrency Dogecoin plunging after joking that he would buy some for his mom for Mother’s Day.
As the hotly anticipated episode aired, many users complained that streaming options on the NBC app were crashing, presumably due to high user volume.
Notably, SNL cast member Aidy Bryant did not appear in any sketches alongside Musk, after appearing to take a dig over the centibillionaire’s fortune in an Instagram story. After appearing in the Mother’s Day cold open, which did not feature Musk, Bryant did not appear in the rest of the show.
In his monologue, Musk himself did not mention by name the joke cryptocurrency Dogecoin by name, sending the price of the volatile asset plunging dramatically as he spoke.
His mother Maye, who made a guest appearance for Mother’s Day, did say she hoped that his gift would not be Dogecoin, to which he replied: ‘It is!’
Elon Musk has delivered his monologue on Saturday Night Live, poking fun at his own eccentricities and appearing to confess that he has ‘Asperger’s’
Musk portrayed Wario (center) in one sketch, with the Nintendo character facing a murder charge in court
Musk’s girlfriend, the musician Grimes, appeared as Princess Peach in the Wario trial sketch, thrilling her fans
In another sketch, he appeared as doctor at ‘Gen Z Hospital’, delivering bad news in youthful slang to a group of teens
Musk appears alongside Kenan Thompson in a western-themed sketch for Saturday’s episode
In his monologue, Musk himself did not mention by name the joke cryptocurrency Dogecoin by name, but his mother pleaded with him not to buy it as a Mother’s Day gift
Aidy Bryant (left) did not appear alongside Musk, after seeming to aim a subtle shot at Musk, the world’s second richest man, by posting an old quote from Senator Bernie Sanders on Instagram (right) when he was announced as host
The value of Dogecoin dropped sharply as Musk spoke, losing more than 20% of its value
Robinhood trading app goes down during SNL
Robinhood, the online trading platform for buying and selling stock and cryptocurrency, suffered outages during Musk’s SNL appearance.
The company said it was ‘experiencing issues with crypto trading’ as the show was live on the air.
Musk is an online cheerleader for Dogecoin, and his SNL drove a speculative frenzy for the joke crypto.
Robinhood said that it had restored crypto trading early on Sunday, warning: ‘Due to high trading volume and volatility, some customers might see some intermittent issues.’
‘We’re working hard to provide a smooth experience, and will monitor the situation closely,’ the company said.
Dogecoin plunged more than 22% over the course of the SNL episode, with panicked sellers apparently disappointed that Musk did not tout the crypto more strongly.
‘I’m actually making history tonight as the first person with Asperger’s to host SNL. Or at least the first to admit it. So I won’t make a lot of eye contact with the cast tonight,’ Musk said in his monologue.
Asperger syndrome is an autism-spectrum disorder characterized by difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication.
Musk shared his vision that humanity ‘must become a multiplanetary spacefaring civilization’ before going on to joke about his eccentric nature and frequently bizarre Twitter posts.
‘Look I know I sometimes say or post strange things, but that’s just how my brain works,’ said Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX.
‘To anyone I’ve offended, I just want to say: I reinvented electric cars and I’m sending humans to Mars on a rocket ship. Did you also think I was going to be a chill, normal dude?’ he joked.
‘A lot of times, people are reduced to the dumbest thing they ever did,’ he continued. ‘Like one time, I smoked weed on Joe Rogan’s podcast. And now all the time I hear “Elon Musk, all he does is smoke weed on podcasts.”‘
‘It happened once! It’s like reducing OJ Simpson to murderer! That was one time,’ Musk joked.
Musk went on to poke fun at the name he and his girlfriend, the musician Grimes, selected for their young son, displaying it on the screen: X Æ A-Xii.
‘It’s pronounced, cat running across keyboard,’ he joked.
Musk went on to appear in numerous sketches on the show, and clearly appeared to be having fun.
In one sketch, he appeared as doctor at ‘Gen Z Hospital’, delivering bad news in youthful slang to a group of teens worried about their friend.
Another sketch was titled ‘Every conversation with people you haven’t seen since quarantine started,’ and featured nervous conversations at a house party.
‘Really good’ says Musk’s character when asked about how his wife is doing. ‘We’ve been working from home so we’re really productive and we get to see each other more.’
In a voiceover, Musk is heard thinking: ‘We’re getting divorced, and I’m losing my job.’
In one sketch, Musk appeared as doctor at ‘Gen Z Hospital’, delivering bad news in youthful slang to a group of teens worried about their friend
Another sketch was titled ‘Every conversation with people you haven’t seen since quarantine started,’ and featured nervous conversations at a house party
In another sketch, Musk portrayed a producer named Ragnarok on a bizarre Icelandic talk show, on which he proclaimed his love for the host Ooli
In another sketch, Musk portrayed a producer named Ragnarok on a bizarre Icelandic talk show, on which he proclaimed his love for the host Ooli.
During the Weekend Update segment, the first joke took aim at Musk, with Colin Jost noting that a Chinese rocket booster had crashed into the Indian Ocean just an hour before the show aired live from New York.
‘For once we know it’s not Elon’s fault. A lot of people have been wondering, why is he hosting our show and now we know, it’s because he needed an alibi,’ joked Jost.
Later in the Weekend Update segment, Musk appeared in the character of ‘financial expert Lloyd Ostertag’ to explain cryptocurrencies including Dogecoin.
‘It started out as a joke based on an internet meme, but now it’s taken off in a very real way,’ he said. Pressed over and over again to explain what Dogecoin is, ‘Ostertag’ finally admits: ‘Yeah, it’s a hustle!’
Breaking character, Musk then laughs and shouts ‘to the moon!!’ in the rallying cry for Dogecoin boosters.
In the Weekend Update segment, Musk appeared in the character of ‘financial expert Lloyd Ostertag’ to explain cryptocurrencies including Dogecoin
In one sketch, Musk portrays the evil video game character Wario, who is put on trial for killing Mario, his Nintendo arch-rival
In one digital short designed as a trailer for a movie titled The Astronaut, Musk plays the steely ground controller for a Mars mission whose fate lies in the hands of a bumbling astronaut named Chad, played by Pete Davidson
In one sketch, Musk portrays the evil video game character Wario, who is put on trial for killing Mario, his Nintendo arch-rival.
In a digital short designed as a trailer for a movie titled The Astronaut, Musk plays the steely ground controller for a Mars mission whose fate lies in the hands of a bumbling astronaut named Chad, played by Pete Davidson.
For a Western-themed sketch, Musk portrayed a reluctant posse member who proposes tunneling underneath the outlaws, a reference to his Boring Company venture.
The decision to tap the Tesla CEO and ‘Technoking’ to host the NBC sketch comedy show was seen as a risky gambit by creator Lorne Michaels to boost ratings and expand audience.
For the first time in SNL’s 46-year history, the episode featuring Musk aired live internationally on YouTube in more than 100 countries. The stream was not available to U.S. viewers.
‘SNL is a global phenomenon and this livestream marks the first time audiences around the world will experience the show simultaneously along with the US,’ Frances Berwick, chairman of NBCU’s entertainment networks, said in a statement.
‘It’s incredibly exciting to create this worldwide event with host Elon Musk and musical guest Miley Cyrus,’ he added.
For a Western-themed sketch, Musk portrayed a reluctant posse member who proposes tunneling underneath the outlaws
Musk posted a photo of himself, musical guest Miley Cyrus and Australian rapper The Kid Laroi along with the Shiba Inu dog from the meme that inspired the creation of Dogecoin
Saturday’s episode of the show quickly became one of the most hotly-anticipated of all time, due to the decision to cast the controversial Tesla boss as host for the evening.
The decision drew an instant backlash from its long-running cast members when it surfaced last month, with many making digs at Musk on social media.
Even hours before the live show, tensions were still simmering with sources saying some cast members ‘are getting a little too big for their britches.’
Musk’s girlfriend Grimes also hinted she will be joining him and Miley in an Instagram post where she told fans: ‘Tune into SNL tonight and watch me try acting’.
Grimes did appear as Princess Peach for the Mario Trial.

domain: news


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*Have YOU BEEN WATCHING this ONE??* *IMPORTANT NOTICE* A very SIMILAR UNIT in THIS COMMUNITY just SOLD FOR $480,000.00!!! *NOW is YOUR chance!!* **If sunsets and white sandy beaches are your idea of living the Florida lifestyle, this is the remodeled ranch villa you’ve been waiting for located in the heart of Belleair! This gorgeous 1-story villa is located in Pelican Place which is one of Belleair's most desirable communities nestled alongside the exquisite Pelican Golf Course and County Club. The location is unbeatable as it is just over a mile away to the beautiful award-winning Gulf beaches, intracoastal waterways, and public boat launch. The Pinellas Trail runs alongside this community for biking, running and walking enthusiasts.
As you enter the community, you will notice the beautiful canopy of oak trees welcoming you home to this distinctive neighborhood and providing shade throughout the day, so that you can enjoy leisurely walks or fresh air. As you make your way up to your private end unit villa, you will soak in the undeniable curb appeal and scenery of flowers, birds, and greenery the serene community offers. This move-in ready remodeled villa offers 2 bedrooms with 2 baths and features 1,360 square feet with an attached oversized 1-car garage. Upon entering the home, you will be greeted by the elevated ceilings, crown molding, stunning updated wood flooring, and the elegant wood-burning fireplace. This villa has a smart split floor plan featuring a private master bedroom (owner’s suite) on one side and another roomy secondary bedroom on the other side for added guest privacy or perfect for use as an office. The spacious and private owner’s suite is off the living room and showcases a beautifully remodeled en suite bathroom with a large walk-in shower, spacious vanity sink, and a walk-in closet. The modernized kitchen which is the focal point of the villa features plenty of warm sunlight, beautiful quartz countertops with a breakfast bar, a chic tile backsplash, stainless-steel appliances, stylish wood cabinets, recessed lighting, and a purposeful workstation. You will be delighted to find that everything in this villa has been recently updated to include a newer roof (2016), newer A/C system (2018), and new windows (2018). There is plenty of room in the spacious one-car attached garage for your kayak, paddle boards, motorcycle, or golf cart. There is also additional storage space in the attic above the garage. You will love relaxing on your private paved patio which is right off the living room while enjoying the greenery and mature landscaping.
This is truly maintenance free living as the HOA covers outside maintenance, water, trash, sewer, internet, and basic cable. Pets are welcome! No mandatory flood insurance required. Enjoy soaking up the Florida sunshine or put in a few laps at the lovely community pool. Enjoy the elegance of living in Belleair and the atmosphere of being located right next to the exclusive Pelican Golf Club, all while being a short drive to the Belleair Causeway, beautiful Sand Key and Clearwater beaches, or enjoy the multitude of nearby restaurants and shops. Don’t miss this delightful villa which is waiting to be yours. Schedule your private showing today!

domain: geography


LogMeIn support sites no longer support Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) browser. Please use a supported browser to ensure all features perform as they should (Chrome / FireFox / Edge).
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See About the Web App to learn more about joining from the web.


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Recognition is long overdue for Charlotte Atlee White Rowe, the first American woman appointed by any denomination or mission agency as an international missionary.
Charlotte White’s controversial 1815 appointment by the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions forced her to contend with gender bias because she was not an ordained man. Henry Holcombe, a member of the board and pastor of Philadelphia’s First Baptist Church, believed in women’s “inferiority in some respects” to men and led the effort to revoke her appointment, believing that it constituted a “usurpation of authority over the man.” When others resisted sending her by pleading insufficient resources, Charlotte contributed her modest estate for her own support.
The controversy continued until the board resolved that appointing single women missionaries was “not expedient in the future, as far as they can now judge.” That blocked other women from fulfilling their call to missions.
One who was blocked was Eliza Yoer, who moved to Philadelphia to begin preparing for mission service but returned to Charleston when she was not appointed. Another, a Miss Dunning from New York, likewise was not appointed even though she was interviewed, found suitable for service in India, and her brother had pledged to fund her work.
In April 1816, after 129 days at sea, Charlotte White and fellow missionary George Hough arrived in Calcutta (now Kolkata) en route to Burma. During the months it took to find a ship sailing to Rangoon (now Yangon), Charlotte met and married Joshua Rowe, a widowed British Baptist missionary with three young sons. She remained in India and worked with the British Baptist Missionary Society that regarded Charlotte and other missionary wives as unofficial mission assistants. Andrew Fuller, the society’s first secretary, held that since women did not preach, “they ought not to be called missionaries.”
Charlotte White Rowe and her husband served at Digah, some 360 miles northwest of Calcutta. There she overcame prejudice against educating local children. Indeed, an East India Company director maintained that England had lost the American colonies due in part to the folly of having allowed schools and colleges to be established in America and warned Parliament against repeating the mistake in India. But Charlotte persistently advocated for education, wrote a Hindi spelling book and grammar as teaching aids, recruited teachers and started Hindi-language schools for both girls and boys.
Charlotte persistently advocated for education, wrote a Hindi spelling book and grammar as teaching aids, recruited teachers and started Hindi-language schools for both girls and boys.
She also withstood new scandal when her confidential correspondence was repurposed in Philadelphia for anti-missionary propaganda.
Joshua Rowe died in 1823, leaving Charlotte the single parent of six children. For the next three years she worked at Digah without assistance from missionary colleagues. She alone managed the mission, supervised 10 schools, taught, organized construction and repair of schools and mission buildings, oversaw the Hindi-language church at Digah, and guided the ministries of indigenous itinerant evangelists who called her “their pastoress.” As her missiology matured, she adapted her work to the local culture, critiqued the role of money in missions, and challenged the system of language acquisition for new missionaries.
Charlotte left Digah in November 1826 to seek financial support from the Baptist Mission Society under whose auspices she had given a decade of self-funded missionary service. In London she found that official appointment by British Baptists would cause as much scandal in England as it had earlier in America. Women attending the society’s jubilee meeting 15 years later were told, “Ladies, it is not yours to be supreme, it is ours. It is yours to obey.”
Despite her significance as the first appointed woman missionary, Charlotte was consistently omitted from early mission accounts.
Despite her significance as the first appointed woman missionary, Charlotte was consistently omitted from early mission accounts. This led to her absence in later women’s studies and mission histories. Knowledge of her life and ministry now has emerged from research into previously unexplored source materials in India, England and the United States.
Charlotte did not seek fame, likening herself to a seemingly insignificant ant working with others to build a large, pyramid-like anthill on an Indian plain. Like the ant, she did “not shrink from doing little — doing many littles.” Yet she exerted a powerful influence by daring to open the door for women to receive full and equal missionary appointment with men.
Charlotte Atlee White Rowe ended her work in India on Nov. 1, 1826 — 175 years ago. Her appropriate recognition is long overdue.
Reid S. Trulson is the retired executive director/CEO of International Ministries. He previously served as the American Baptist representative to Europe in Austria and the Czech Republic, area director for Europe and the Middle East, Scripture Union regional secretary in Ghana, and as an American Baptist pastor in California and Wisconsin. He is the author of Charlotte Atlee White Rowe: The Story of America’s First Appointed Woman Missionary.
Black Baptist women in ministry and the principality of patriarchy | Opinion by Aidsand Wright-Riggins


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Love the collar shape of this shirt from the Hermès D’Ète 2015 collection.
There is this absolute hilarious irony over the latest Loewe Menswear FW15 look book. A long lost irony which is more than needed, especially in fashion. Yet again, Jonathan Anderson serves us with a beautiful quirky and elegant Loewe collection with a warm color palette and retro silhouettes, which flirts with a certain feminine side that also is seen in the design of Alessandro Michele.
From the Lanvin Resort 2014 collection. You can also spot the head-to-toe golden look in Gucci’s Resort 2014 collection and a golden pyjamas from Joseph Altuzarra.

domain: design


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Each February, everybody – Canadians and tourists in Canada – are invited to celebrate Black History Month. People honour ‘Canadians of African and Caribbean descent’ with many festivities and events. This year, Citizenship and Immigration Canada is focussing on the past and present achievements of black Canadians in law enforcement.
Some Activities in Toronto:
- REGGAE OR NOT: The birth of Dancehall culture in Jamaica and Toronto (February 1 – 28; Gladstone Hotel: 1214 Queen Street West, Toronto)
- KUUMBA: Celebrating Black History Month through the arts (February 1 – 3; Harbourfront Centre: 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto)
- TOUNKANDE: A Black History Month performance by Ballet Creole (February 1 – 28); various locations)
- L.A. Rebellion: Creating a new black cinema (January 31 – February 19; TIFF Bell Lightbox: 350 King Street West, Toronto)
- IN CONVERSATION WITH JULIE DASH (January 31; TIFF Bell Lightbox: 350 King Street West, Toronto)
- DRUM BEATS: As part of the Mutadi International Drumming Festival in honour of Black History Month (January 30 – February 28; various locations)
And here the link to explore the virtual Canadian Black History Museum: http://goo.gl/QFkcQ – You have to try it. It’s fantastic!
Your EC Toronto Team

domain: sociology


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Horse Set of 4 Quilting Applique Patterns
This unique set of horse patterns will help you make a one of a kind quilting masterpieces!
Once received, using each design is quick and easy. Start to finish, they can be done in under an hour using our simple techniques. Our directions will walk you through our simple method to keep applique fun and easy.
Size is an 8x8 inch quilting block for each applique, but you can adjust the size with your computer's editing software if needed.
MATERIALS FOR EACH PATTERN:
Fabric for applique (7x7 inches)
Fabric for background (8x8 inches)
Fusible adhesive (7x7 inches)
Fine tip pen
Needle and thread/sewing machine (optional)

domain: hobby


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- Why is Augustine’s Confessions important?
- When did Augustine convert to Christianity?
- What is Augustine’s definition of evil?
- What are the teachings of St Augustine?
- What are Augustine’s two cities?
- Where is modern day hippo?
- Can good and evil coexist?
- What was Augustine’s role in Christianity?
- Who made evil?
- Who baptized St Augustine?
- What was Augustine’s philosophy?
- Why is Augustine of Hippo so important?
Why is Augustine’s Confessions important?
Augustine’s Confessions provide significant insight into the first thirty-three years of his life.
Due to the nature of Confessions, it is clear that Augustine was not only writing for himself but that the work was intended for public consumption..
When did Augustine convert to Christianity?
Augustine) lived in the Roman Empire from 354 to 430 A.D. In 386 he converted to Christianity from the pagan Machanean religion.
What is Augustine’s definition of evil?
Augustine proposed that evil could not exist within God, nor be created by God, and is instead a by-product of God’s creativity. He rejected the notion that evil exists in itself, proposing instead that it is a privation of (or falling away from) good, and a corruption of nature.
What are the teachings of St Augustine?
In his struggle against evil, Augustine believed in a hierarchy of being in which God was the Supreme Being on whom all other beings, that is, all other links in the great chain of being, were totally dependent. All beings were good because they tended back toward their creator who had made them from nothing.
What are Augustine’s two cities?
His philosophical/theological doctrine is couched in terms of the “two cities:” Rome (or the new Babylon), which symbolizes all that is worldly, and Jerusalem (the city of heaven), which symbolizes the Christian community.
Where is modern day hippo?
AlgeriaHippo, also called Hippo Regius, ancient port on the coast of North Africa, located near the modern town of Annaba (formerly Bône) in Algeria. Hippo was probably first settled by Carthaginians in the 4th century bce. It later became the home of Numidian rulers.
Can good and evil coexist?
Nevertheless, while no one maintains that good and evil are not contraries, they can not only coexist, but the evil cannot exist at all without the good, or in a thing that is not a good. On the other hand, the good can exist without evil.
What was Augustine’s role in Christianity?
Augustine (354—430 C.E.) St. Augustine is a fourth century philosopher whose groundbreaking philosophy infused Christian doctrine with Neoplatonism. He is famous for being an inimitable Catholic theologian and for his agnostic contributions to Western philosophy.
Who made evil?
God did not create evil, but He does allow evil. If God had not allowed for the possibility of evil, both mankind and angels would be serving God out of obligation, not choice.
Who baptized St Augustine?
AmbroseAmbrose baptized Augustine and his son Adeodatus, in Milan on Easter Vigil, 24–25 April 387.
What was Augustine’s philosophy?
From ancient thought Augustine inherited the notion that philosophy is “love of wisdom” (Confessiones 3.8; De civitate dei 8.1), i.e., an attempt to pursue happiness—or, as late-antique thinkers, both pagan and Christian, liked to put it, salvation—by seeking insight into the true nature of things and living …
Why is Augustine of Hippo so important?
Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 354 – 430) was an Algerian-Roman philosopher and theologian of the late Roman / early Medieval period. He is one of the most important early figures in the development of Western Christianity, and was a major figure in bringing Christianity to dominance in the previously pagan Roman Empire.


Pleasure – 1977 – Joyous
Read Reviews, Buy the Album or Download the Album for free
Sublime jazzy soul from Pleasure one of the greatest groups of the west coast scene of the 70s and a key force in defining the Fantasy Records groove of the time! Pleasure have a sound that’s head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries especially groups on major labels who tried for this sort of blend, but never made it come off that right usually too smooth or too commercial. The mighty Wayne Henderson is a key factor in their sound as he produced some of the best tracks with that well-balanced groove he brought to his best work under At-Home Productions umbrella.
This is a @320 vinyl rip of my original Fantasy record with covers.
A1 Joyous (6:26)
A2 Let Me Be The One (5:11)
A3 Only You (3:20)
A4 Can’T Turn You Loose (4:14)
B1 Sassafras Girl (6:46)
B2 Tune In (6:37)
B3 Dance To The Music (4:50)
B4 Selim (3:48)
Pleasure couldn’t have asked for a more appropriate producer when, in late 1976, it employed Wayne Henderson on Joyous. A band that frequently brought jazz overtones to its funk-soul foundation, Pleasure needed someone who held jazz and R&B in equally high regard — and Henderson easily fit that description. The Texas trombonist first made a name for himself playing hard bop with the Jazz Crusaders, but as the 1970s progressed, he became increasingly R&B-friendly. Henderson was exactly the sort of producer that Pleasure needed, and the band’s appreciation of jazz comes through on the up-tempo funk numbers (which include “Dance to the Music,” “Let Me Be the One,” and the title song) as well as the dreamy quiet storm gem “Sassafras Girl.” Pleasure brings this vinyl LP to an appealing close with a jazz-funk instrumental titled “Selim,” which isn’t typical of Joyous on the whole — most of the tunes are vocal-oriented. This is a funk-soul record first and foremost, and it is also a classic that underscores Pleasure’s risk-taking nature.
70s Funk-Soul with Jazz overtones, that was Pleasure. Joyous was an achievement even for Pleasure; that’s saying something because the LPs before and after it were anything but dull. “Crusader” Wayne Henderson decided to produce this LP, and it turned out to be an excellent idea; Joyous contains some great songs: there is the title song which lives up to its title (we danced whenever the song was played in the clubs), and there’s Sassafras Girl, for me, the best song Pleasure ever recorded, complete with good solos (among others, Wayne Henderson playing his trombone), structure and arrangement.


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True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
From Wikipedia: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is a historical fiction novel by the American author Avi that was published in 1990. It takes place during the crossing of a ship from England to America in the 19th century. The book chronicles the evolution of the title character as she is pushed outside her naive existence and learns about life aboard a ship. The novel was well received and won several awards, including being named as a Newbery Honor book.The Winter PeopleFrom School Library Journal: In a Quebec village during the French and Indian War, 14-year-old Saxso, an Abenaki, is caught in a struggle of survival and rescue when his mother and sisters are kidnapped during a massacre raid by the English Rangers. Bruchac has based this historical novel on an event that took place in the fall of 1759 when Major Robert Rogers of the English forces led a group of 200 men in an attack on St. Francis. For the Abenaki, the struggle to survive, rebuild, and continue throughout the generations was nearly lost. Through Saxso's own words, Bruchac leads readers through the boy's pursuit to save his family.Fever 1793From Wikipedia: Fever, 1793 is a historical novel by Laurie Halse Anderson that was published in 2000. Set during the Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic of 1793, its protagonist and narrator is a teenage girl named Matilda Cook who lives with her hardworking mother, war-fought grandfather, and their ex- slave chef, Eliza, in the apartment on top of their family coffeehouse in Philadelphia. Matilda ("Mattie") Cook is a 14 year old girl with big dreams for her family's coffeehouse. After her father's death, she hoped to build an extension to the coffeehouse, and escape the title: "Little Mattie". But when the Yellow Fever Epidemic outbreaks during the long hot summer, people flee the city or die. Matilda realizes she needs to focus on something else now: fighting for her own life and the lives of her loved ones.As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight...for freedom. Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel. When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom.SacajaweaFrom Barnes & Noble: Captured by her enemies, married to a foreigner, and a mother at age sixteen, Sacajawea lived a life of turmoil and change. Then in 1804, the mysterious young Shoshone woman known as Bird Woman met Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Acting as interpreter, peacemaker, and guide, Sacajawea bravely embarked on an epic journey that altered history forever. Hear her extraordinary story, told by Sacajawea and by William Clark, in alternating chapters and including parts of Clark's original diaries.

domain: artistic


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Motion picture actors and actresses -- Pictorial works
Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Found in 1 Collection or Record:
Abstract Press kit for the 1994 Universal Studios film, The Shadow, starring Alec Baldwin, John Lone and Penelope Ann Miller, and directed by Russell Mulcahy. The archive alsos includes four issues of the detective fiction serial The Shadow published the 1930s and 1940s.


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Nigeria’s central bank, CBN has fined four banks N5.65 billion ($15.58 million) for breaching Nigeria’s forex regulations on illegal capital repatriation by telecommunications company MTN.
The CBN has also directed the banks to refund a total of $8.134 billion which MTN took out of the country through the banks.
The fines come few days after online news platform Sahara Reporters reported that central bank governor Godwin Emefiele blocked the CBN from imposing $6.5bn fine on banks that exported forex illegally.
In the report, the online news platform stated that Lagos-based law firm Tope Adebayo LLP undertook forensic analysis of all available certificates of capital importation (CCIs) and foreign exchange documentations for remittances and (or) repatriation of dividends to offshore corporate shareholders of MTN Communication Nigeria Ltd, with a view to tracing and recovering illegal remittances.
CCIs are CBN’s certificates issued by banks for importation of cash (foreign currency Inflow) for investment as Equity or Loan, and also for importation of machinery and equipment for investment as Equity or Loan. They legitimize and facilitate the repatriation of dividends and capital to a foreign investor.
#CBN Slams N2.4bn fine on Standard Chartered, N1.8bn on Stanbic IBTC, N1.2bn on Citibank, N0.25bn on Diamond Bank. All to also refund a total of $8.134bn for breaching Nigeria’s forex regulations on MTN’s illegal capital repatriation.
— Central Bank of Nigeria (@cenbank) August 29, 2018
According to the report, the firm’s findings showed that 10 individuals and corporate entities were involved in the forgery of false CCIs to the CBN and the foreign exchange market, contrary to Section 29 (1)(d) of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous) Provisions Act Cap. F34 LFN, 2004. According to section 29 (2) (a&b), a person convicted of an offence under subsection (1) of this section is liable to imprisonment for a term of five years or a fine of five times the amount of foreign currency involved, and in the case of a corporate body, to a fine of ten times the amount of the foreign currency involved.
CBN examiners had reportedly confirmed the findings of Tope Adebayo LLP, with the CBN eventually deciding that the affected banks return $6.5 billion. However, CBN announced that the banks are to return a total of $8.134 billion.
Mails sent to officials of two of the affected banks have not been replied as at the time of filing this report.
The CBN fined Standard Chartered Bank N2.4 billion, Stanbic IBTC Bank N1.8 billion, Citibank N1.2 billion and Diamond Bank N250 million.
A statement by Nigeria’s central bank said that following investigations, it was revealed that between 2007 and 2015, Standard Chartered Bank helped MTN to repatriate the sum of $3.448 billion, while the sums of $2.632bn, $1.766bn and $348.914m were repatriated by Stanbic IBTC Nigeria, Citibank Nigeria and Diamond Bank Plc., respectively.
“The CBN’s investigation further revealed that on account of illegal conversion of MTN shareholders’ loan to preference shares (interest free loan) of $399,594,146.00, the sum of $8,134,312,397.63 was illegally repatriated by the company,” the statement said.
UK-based account Feyi Fawehinmi commented on the fine. “This issue goes back to a share reconstruction MTN did in 2001. No money was undeclared or hidden – they mixed up CCIs but later rectified it. I don’t know why exactly but they (and the banks) have been pursued relentlessly over this matter,” he wrote on Twitter.
“The funniest part is CBN is asking the banks to bring back $8 billion which they will convert at the exchange rate at the time (2006). The banks presumably are supposed to ask MTN for the money. I think I know what MTN will tell the banks.”
Nigeria’s largest telco MTN had agreed to pay a $1 billion fine over failure to disconnect subscribers with improper registration. As part of the deal that cut the fine from an initial $5.2 billion, MTN must list on the Nigeria Stock Exchange latest May 2019.
An official of one of the affected banks got back to The Nerve Africa, declining comment on the matter.
A statement by StanbicIBTC’s parent firm StanbicIBTC Holdings says “the Bank is holding further engagements with the CBN, in relation to the issues it has raised”.


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Valencia, the third most populated of Spain's regional capitals, is a modern city, open to the sea; the streets and monuments of its large historical centre tell a remarkable story with the fifteenth century playing a particularly important role. All artistic styles are represented in here, but it is the image of the new city that has attracted travellers in recent years. The City of Arts and Sciences, a leisure and cultural complex that has become a modern icon, bears witness to the city's constant urban renewal and commitment to the future. Valencia is now fully-focused on the Mediterranean. Since the America's Cup in 2007, the area around the commercial port, the old goods warehouses and the beaches and promenades along the sea have been completely renovated.
On the banks of the River Turia, on shores of the Mediterranean, Valencia is equidistant from Madrid (352 km) and Barcelona (349 km) and at a similar distance by sea from the Balearic Islands. For many residents of central Spain, the city of Valencia is the nearest sea port. It is also an important stage on the Mediterranean coastal route from the Pyrenees to the south. Connections to other large cities in the province are good, with Castellon at 65 kilometres and Alicante at 166 kilometres.
810,064 (old town)
There are several tourist offices scattered around the city, in addition to the main office located in the Plaza de la Reina. There are offices at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento (tel. +34 618 18 35 00), the arrivals terminal of Manises airport (tel. +34 961 53 02 29), the railway station Estacion del Norte (Jativa, 24, tel. +34 963 52 85 73) and the Teatro Principal (Poeta Querol, s/n. Tel. +34 963 51 49 07. www.valenciaterraimar.org), en la calle Paz, 48 (Tel. +34 963 98 64 22. www.comunitatvalenciana.com. There are also two seasonal offices: one located at the beach (Pº de Neptuno, 2, open from June to mid October) and the other at the port (Estacion de Acciona. Muelle de Poniente, s/n, tel. +34 963 67 46 06, open only during cruise stops). The offices offer different services for visitors, including Tourist Card sales, hotel and restaurant reservations, museum entry tickets, excursions, city trails, bike hire, dramatised nocturnal visits...
© 2000-2008, HOLA S.A., Madrid – Miguel Ángel, 1 – 28010 – Madrid (España)


Governor Nathan Deal appears to be taking a page from President Obama’s playbook. Where the legislature has failed to pass certain initiatives, Deal is trying to accomplish the same through executive action.
Thursday, he proposed two ideas for advancing medical marijuana in Georgia, after a bill that would have done that died.
A few weeks ago, the governor directed his community health commissioner to do something for rural hospitals. Nine of them have closed in Georgia since 2000, leaving whole communities without quick access to emergency care.
But there are limits to what any governor can do alone.
This wave of rural hospital closures in Georgia started in Hancock County, halfway between Macon and Augusta. Hancock Memorial Hospital closed in 2001. Now, the building is overgrown.
Inside, the ceiling is collapsed and chunks of old computers line the floor.
Robert Moore chairs the board of Tri-County Health System, the primary care network in town.
“You just don’t have the financial support from the number of patients that you can have in a small rural hospital to maintain it,” said Moore.
He says when people in Hancock County need a hospital, they have travel 30 miles at least to Milledgeville or Sandersville. If patients have a more complex case, they must travel to Macon or Augusta. Both are an hour and half away.
The result is a dangerous lack of prompt emergency care in a part of the state that public health officials call Georgia’s “diabetes belt.” It’s a nickname that Hancock County Commission Chair Sistie Hudson at least a sense of humor about.
“We’re known for good cooks in Hancock County, “ she laughs.
The rural hospital crisis has become a political football in recent months. Republicans blame it on Obamacare. Democrats blame Governor Deal for not expanding Medicaid.
Jimmy Lewis, a lobbyist for Georgia’s small hospitals, says the main problem has been the state’s massive cuts in Medicaid reimbursements going back to 1999. Those are the payments the state gives healthcare providers for treating the poor and the disabled.
“We’ve cut the reimbursements on an annual basis about $1.5 billion, and that has reduced the per capita healthcare payments in the state of Georgia to Georgia being about number 47 or 48 on the list of payments,” said Lewis.
Combine that with a small and poor patient population, and Lewis says there just isn’t money in operating a rural hospital anymore.
But it may be cost-effective to operate something smaller than a hospital, like a standalone emergency room, or something just a little bigger than an urgent care clinic.
Right now there’s no legal framework that would allow for such a facility in Georgia, and legislation to create one died at the Statehouse last month. So the governor directed Community Health Commissioner Clyde Reese to look into administrative steps that could achieve the same end. Reese is forming a study committee, but he says this whole “rural semi-hospital idea” faces big challenges.
“They’re not going to be hospitals, they won’t be reimbursed as hospitals, they won’t be able to charge a facility fee, they won’t get the Medicaid add-on rate, et cetera,” said Reese.
In other words, Georgia’s byzantine healthcare system doesn’t provide enough ways for the operator of such a facility to get paid.
Could the state solve its rural hospital problem by funding healthcare directly? Unfortunately, Reese says that isn’t an option.
“No there’s no contemplation of that at the moment,” he said. “We’re not really looking to get into the healthcare facility business as a state.”
That political reality could leave rural healthcare in Georgia right back where it started — something that a few people really need, but no one wants to pay for.


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Defending the Electoral College since 2009
Maine has a unique system to award its electoral votes in presidential elections. Each of Maine’s congressional districts casts one electoral vote, and then the whole state casts two more. But all of these are based on how the people of Maine vote. That is what the Electoral College is about—the people in each state are represented in presidential elections.
Now, a campaign called National Popular Vote (NPV), wants Maine to give away its votes. If the Maine state legislature passes NPV—which it almost did in 2019—California voters would have more say over Maine’s votes than Mainers. In fact, NPV would give California 19 times more power over Maine’s electoral votes than Maine voters.
NPV is an interstate compact adopted by states through their legislative processes. States joining this interstate compact pledge to give away their electoral votes based on the nationwide popular vote.
NPV has a “trigger”—it only takes effect if passed by states with a total of 270 electoral votes, which would then control the election outcome without regard to what any other state does. Today states worth 196 electoral votes have passed this NPV legislation, meaning NPV is 73% of the way to nullifying the Electoral College without amending the Constitution.
National Popular Vote is a multi-million-dollar, nationwide campaign. The group lobbies state legislators in an effort to hijack the Electoral College, and they’ve set their sights on Maine.
NPV is targeting Maine
Maine has been a target for NPV since 2007. It first appeared in the state Senate, where it passed in April 2008. Interestingly enough, the bill’s sponsor in the Senate was elected to the State House and introduced the NPV there in 2009. Fortunately, the bill died in the House and almost a decade went by before NPV returned to the state.
In 2017, NPV was introduced in the House with 8 co-sponsors, marking what became a two-year-long, aggressive push in Maine. During that time, Save Our States experts were on the ground and in the airwaves educating legislators and the general public on the dangers of NPV. In the end, NPV came dangerously close to success—it passed in the Senate and then passed on first reading in the House. At the very end of session, the bill died on the House floor and the motion to reconsider failed.
There’s no doubt that NPV is aggressively targeting Maine this year. If you live in Maine, be sure to reach out to your legislators with our easy-to-use tool and ask them to stand up for the Constitution.
Time is running out
There is a real, immediate threat to the constitutional way we elect our president. National Popular Vote is 76% of the way to implementing their dangerous plan.


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President Barack Obama said yesterday in Decorah, Iowa, that he absorbs more political criticism than Abraham Lincoln, the assassinated 16th U.S. president, attracted from his Civil War critics.
The comment came during a question-and-answer session where one invited audience member asked Obama how he deals with his congressional critics in the GOP. “The Congress doesn’t seem to be a good partner. You said so yourself, they’re more interested in seeing you lose than [seeing] the country win,” the questioner lamented.
“Democracy is always a messy business in a big country like this,” Obama responded. “When you listen to what the federalists said about the anti-federalists … those guys were tough. Lincoln, they used to talk about him almost as bad as they talk about me.”
The comparison “is hysterical … that is really laughable in many respects,” said Alvin Felzenberg, the author of a book on American presidents. “You couldn’t print things today they said about Lincoln.” Felzenberg teaches at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, and was the chief spokesman for the 9/11 Commission.
Criticism of Lincoln in his day “was even more vitriolic than what you see about Obama,” said Eric Foner, a Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian at Columbia University. “Obama is a guy who has a thin skin and does not take criticism well.” Foner’s Pulitzer-winning volume was titled “The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery.”
Obama’s sensitivity to criticism is bound up with his progressive ideology, which sees political disputes as best resolved by experts, said Michael Franc, vice president for government studies at the Heritage Foundation. Obama believes “he has discovered the truth and if you disagree with him, it’s not only against the country, its unpatriotic and anti-Obama,” Franc suggested. (RELATED: Boehner steps in the ring to criticize Obama bus tour)
Eric Dezenhall, a former communications aide to President Ronald Reagan, went ever further in an interview with The Daily Caller: Obama’s complaint, he said, “is more grandiose than narcissistic … It’s equating any form of push-back with some sort of giant historical crime.”
Lincoln faced a civil war in which “half the country would rather leave than accept that he was a constitutional president,” Felzenberg told TheDC. But “no one challenged Obama’s election, no one tried to shut down the inauguration … to put himself at [Lincoln’s] level seems very vain and self-absorbed.”
Even though he was repeatedly snubbed and insulted by both Democrats and Republicans, “Lincoln had this amazing capacity for open-mindedness,” Foner explained. “He wanted criticism. He invited critics into the White House … I don’t think Obama does.”
“Lincoln was the original ‘moron Republican,’” and was frequently described as an an ugly, ignorant hick, said Denzenhall. In 1980, Reagan faced the same social scorn, Dezenhall added. “You could just feel it, whether it was comments about his ‘idiocy,’ his ‘laziness,’ about Nancy [Reagan] being Marie Antoinette, or his horrible brown suits.”
Obama, by contrast, “has never walked into a gathering of his [social] milieu and experienced anything other than being toasted,” Dezehall said.
Conservatives are increasingly highlighting what they say is Obama’s fear of any criticism, however minor. (RELATED: Obama may run Truman-style 2012 campaign)
In November 2006, then-Senator Obama rebuked New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd for mentioning his prominent ears. “You talked about my ears, and I just want to put you on notice: I’m very sensitive … [because] I was teased relentlessly when I was a kid about my big ears,” he told Dowd seven weeks after the column appeared.
“We’re trying to toughen you up,” Dowd replied.
Watch: Obama assures US economic comeback
In June of this year, Obama complained that he was “left at the altar” when GOP negotiators rejected his tax-boosting “Grand Bargain” debt ceiling deal. Congress subsequently negotiated a deficit reduction plan that left Obama on the sidelines.
“He’s put himself in a cocoon,” said Ryan Rhodes, a Iowa tea party activist who challenged Obama publicly on Monday. “A lot of his supporters are more sensitive … They seem to think any questioning of the president is racist,” he told TheDC.
In recent weeks, says Foner, even Democratic partisans have begun criticizing Obama’s apparent unwillingness to hear critics: “Obama has dismissed liberal and left-wing criticism … He acts as if they have no place to go and he doesn’t have to listen to them.”
Obama’s self-comparison with Abraham Lincoln came during the second stop of his three-day taxpayer-funded tour through Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.
Obama told another questioner that politicians should avoid invective. “Since I’ve been called a socialist who wasn’t born in this country, who is destroying America and taking away its freedoms because I passed a health care bill, I’m all for lowering the rhetoric,” he said.


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Depart home city for Beijing.
Afternoon arrive in Beijing, greeting at the airport and transfer to hotel. Dinner.
Begin your exploration of China by touring three famous sites - Tian An Men Square, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven.
Excursion to the Great Wall. Then continue on to the Ming Tomb Gardens, burial ground of 13 emperors.
Morning rickshaw tour of the old residential area of twisting lanes and courtyard homes. Enjoy lunch as the guest of one of the local families. Afternoon visit the Summer Palace. Beijing Duck dinner.
Morning visit the Lama Temple, an elegant and ancient temple known as the Yonghe Lamasery, which is the largest and most perfectly preserved lamasery in present day China. After lunch, transfer to the airport and fly to Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel and rest.
Morning excursion to the Yellow River. The neolithic and bronze age cultures reaching back 5,000 years makes this area the cradle of Chinese civilization. Afternoon visit the Henan Provincial Museum.
Morning drive to Dengfeng County. Explore a local village and be a guest in one of the cave homes. Visit the school and enjoy leisure time with the local people.
Morning visit to the Shaolin Monastery, the birthplace of the martial arts tradition in China and enjoy a Kungfu demonstration. Afternoon to Luoyang by coach, stopping at the ancient White Horse Temple en route.
Morning tour of ancient Buddhist sites. Explore the Longmen Grottoes, one of the greatest cultural treasures, where up to 100,000 Buddhist statues carved into a great riverside rock face. Afternoon board the express train to Xian. En route view the terraced hills and deep gullies of the red earth country of one of the oldest settled regions of China.
Full day exploration of this rich historic area. First, the 5,000 year old Banpo Neolithic Village, and finally the amazing Museum of the Terra Cotta Warriors - the great underground army of the First Emperor of China, buried with him 2,200 years ago.
Morning visit the Tang Art Museum and the Great Mosque. Afternoon fly to Chongqing. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel.
Visit the city of Chongqing with its beautiful zoo and the amazing art gallery. After dinner, board the Yangtze Cruise, your home for the next four nights.You will spend the night in your cabin and the cruise ship departs Chongqing early in the morning.
This morning, the ship docks at one of the three following ancient towns: Fengdu, Wanxian or Shibaozhai. You will tour the many temples and shrines, dedicated to the gods of the underworld. Following the tour, return to the ship and join the captain for a welcome dinner.
The ship enters the first gorge, Qutang Gorge. You will see the high peaks, sheer cliffs and the narrow gates that shape the river. Next the ship will reach Wu Gorge, considered to be the most beautiful of the Three Gorges. Later in the afternoon, the ship stops in Badong, where you disembark for an excursion on the Shennong Xi.
You will cruise through the last gorge, Xiling Gorge. The ship docks at Sandouping for a tour of the New Dam. The dam is a massive project, which is intended to control flooding and harness hydroelectric power.
The ship arrives Wuhan around noon. You will disembark and transfer to hotel upon arrival.
Sightseeing in Wuhan: visit the Guiyuan Buddhist Temple, the Bonsai Gardens and Hubei Provincial Museum where the heaviest musical instrument in the world, a set of chime bells, with 3,000 years of history and a total weight of 2,500 kilogram, is displayed. Evening fly to Shanghai. Transfer to hotel.
Morning visit the newly built, state-of-the-art, Shanghai Museum. After lunch, leisure walk along the legendary Bund.
Full day sightseeing of the Childrens Palace, the Yu Garden, and the Jade Buddha Temple. Evening enjoy the Shanghai Acrobats.
Morning excursion to Xitang Village, an old settlement of white plaster row houses and narrow slate-paved streets along an ancient canal. Afternoon return to Shanghai and transfer to the airport for your Air Canada flight back home. You will arrive in Toronto in the evening on the same calendar day.


There is a terrific and exceptional chance for these who like weather conditions below in Western New York! The Nationwide Weather Support office environment in Buffalo has an opening for a temperature spotter in Niagara County.
In accordance to a Tweet from the Countrywide Weather conditions Services in Buffalo, there are numerous openings around New York State that are for a very similar sort of occupation.
Who won’t appreciate temperature? Here in the Buffalo place, we converse mainly about two factors the climate and the Buffalo Charges. The weather conditions is usually on our minds since it adjustments so frequently. There are temperature specialists who pick out to appear to Western New York especially due to the fact of the range of weather conditions we get. With the two wonderful lakes, Erie and Ontario, the winds blowing across can modify points in just several hours.
Remaining a weather conditions spotter is a neat and fulfilling place. Not only are you encouraging the Countrywide Temperature Company, you are also aiding the local community. If there is harmful weather conditions looming you can support get the word out and you will have a hand in recording the file environment styles of temperature that we can get below in Western New York.
Talking of adjustments in weather, this 7 days we are likely from the 60’s on Thursday to the risk of measurable snow this weekend.
‘Bridgerton’ Season 2: Satisfy the New People
Under, learn the most recent faces signing up for ‘Bridgerton’ for Time 2. Discover out what we know about the people and the actors who participate in them.
The Funniest DVD Bootleg Addresses At any time
$125K a Thirty day period: Dwayne The Rock Johnson’s Outdated Beverly Hills Rental
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s former Beverly Hills is around 11,000 square ft and is up for hire for $125,000 a month.


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Hurricane Odile which is become stronger in the Pacific has started forcing at least one cruise line to alter ship itineraries.
Disney Cruise Lines has changed Disney Wonders’s 14-night cruise from San Diego. The cruise ship is to miss the ports of Cabo San Lucas which was supposed to call on Sunday September 13 and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico on Monday, September 14. Instead Disney Wonder will have two days at sea to avoid Hurricane Odile.
The storm has recently become a Hurricane and according to NOAA which operates the National Hurricane Center it has maximum sustained winds of 85 mph. Odile is moving north-west along the Mexican west coast at 5 mph. At the moment the storm is approaching the southern part of Baja California and as a result could cause ocean swells on the coast along with lots of rainfall.
The Disney Wonder collected passengers from San Diego for a Panama Canal cruise which also kicks off the cruise season from the western US port. San Diego is making a come with more cruise lines to begin sailing from the port but Hurricane Odile is not helping!
No other cruise lines have reported any cruise ship changes but Cruise Hive will update this report if there are any changes.


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Regular exercise may slow the progression of coronary heart disease and reduce
coronary risk better than angioplasty does in many cases, a study published in
March 2004 suggests.
German researchers assigned 101 men with coronary heart disease either to ride
an exercise bicycle 20 minutes a day and do an hour-long aerobic workout once a
week or to undergo angioplasty, in which surgeons use a balloon to open a blocked
coronary artery and insert a stent. One year later, the reductions in chest pain, or
angina, were similar in both groups. Moreover, the exercisers had better workout
capacity and experienced fewer cardiovascular events, including heart attack, stroke,
and hospitalization for worsening angina.
That doesn’t mean exercise should necessarily replace angioplasty for heart
patients. The study, published in the journal Circulation, was small and included only
patients with mild-to-moderate disease; in theory, angioplasty might have proved
superior to exercise in people with more disabling angina.
Still, the findings underscore the critical value of carefully supervised exercise for
all coronary patients. Equally important, the results suggest that exercise alone may
be enough to adequately relieve pain, improve functioning, and possibly reduce
cardiovascular risk in people who have mild heart symptoms. Angioplasty––or bypass
surgery in more serious cases––may still be needed when medication and exercise
cannot control angina. _
Avoiding runners’ injuries
If you run frequently, watch for these warning signs: pain when standing or moving; redness, swelling, and warmth in the lower leg after running; tenderness to pressure; and a crunchy feeling in the muscles, mainly at the start and end of exercise. Those may signal an overuse injury, such as tiny tendon tears, muscle strains, shinsplints (inflammation of the membrane around the shin bone), stress fractures (tiny cracks) of the shin, and inflammation under the heel (plantar fasciitis) or behind and above the heel (Achilles tendinitis).
Your best injury protection is to avoid putting excessive demands on your lower body. Favor slower, longer jogs over faster, shorter runs. Alternate running with other workouts and try to run on soft surfaces. Increase exercise intensity, frequency, and duration by no more than 10 percent per week. Choose flexible, comfortable shoes, with adequate cushioning and support, and replace them regularly. If your feet overpronate, or roll inward excessively, consider orthotics.
If symptoms arise, substitute another activity that doesn’t hurt until the discomfort disappears. Short-term use of a pain reliever can help quell the aching.
Health benefits of weight loss vs. exercise
Including exercise in a weight-loss program substantially boosts the benefits of slimming down––and sharply reduces the risks of being overweight even if you don’t shed pounds, research has shown.
In a four-year multicenter study published in September 2004 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers followed more than 900 women at risk of heart disease. Excess weight was not related to the chance of developing clogged coronary arteries or of having a heart attack or stroke. But the risk of such events rose steadily as physical fitness declined––an increase of 46 percent in women with below-normal fitness compared with the others.
However, excess weight, regardless of exercise, can still be risky. In a large Harvard University study of women, reported in the same issue of JAMA, being overweight predicted the development of type 2 diabetes far better than did lack of exercise. An even larger, longer Harvard study, published in December 2004, found that physically fit overweight women had nearly twice the risk of death of similarly fit but lean women—though still considerably less risk than inactive, overweight women.
If you’re overweight, focus on both exercise and weight loss as a combined goal. In addition to working out, try to limit calories, in part by favoring fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. That approach can provide substantial health benefits and helps take the focus off the scale as the sole marker of success, a potentially discouraging strategy. _
For information visit: ConsumeReportsonHealth.org.

domain: biology


text:
Although best known as a spice that gives a distinctive flavor and yellow color to curry powder and mustard, turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a member of the ginger family and has long been used for healing. Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and other traditional medicine systems practiced in India have relied on this pungent spice for centuries, and so it’s not surprising that the Asian subcontinent is where the most intensive research about this herb has been conducted.
The plant’s healing properties reside in its fingerlike stalk, which is scalded and then dried for medicinal preparations. This is the same part of the plant used to flavor, color, and preserve foods.
–Formulations to take internally include capsules, fresh juice, boiled tea made from powder, and tinctures.
–Topical formulations include creams, lotions, pastes, and ointments.
–To treat a specific ailment, look for turmeric standardized to contain 95% curcumin. You’d need to consume 100 grams (about 3 1/2 ounces) of turmeric as a culinary spice to get a therapeutic dose of curcumin (1.2 g per day).
–Teas are not as potent as formulations standardized to a curcumin concentration (and they don’t always appeal because of the herb’s distinctive taste). To make a tea, pour 1 cup (8 ounces) of boiling water over 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of powdered turmeric, let steep covered for 5 minutes, then strain. Drink two or three cups daily, as desired.
For carpal tunnel syndrome, indigestion, excess gas, and other other inflammation- and GI-related ailments: Take 300 to 600 mg (containing 95% curcumin) in capsule form three times a day. Alternatively, take 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of liquid extract, mixed into 1/2 cup of water, three times a day. Continue until symptoms are relieved. If there is no improvement after a week of continuous use, then it is unlikely turmeric is going to help.
For cancer prevention: At this point, there is not enough firm evidence to recommend turmeric on a daily basis as an aid for preventing cancer. However, you may want to take advantage of any possible benefits simply by using turmeric regularly as a spice or even sipping turmeric tea.
Guidelines for Use
Once inflammatory symptoms improve, cut the daily dose of turmeric in half. And once symptoms actually clear up, discontinue taking the herb altogether. Like other anti-inflammatory medications, turmeric provides no apparent benefit for inflammation after symptoms have disappeared.
Because turmeric is not particularly well absorbed when taken orally, you might want to look for products that combine it with bromelain, a group of protein-digesting enzymes found in the pineapple plant. The bromelain will enhance the absorption of the active compounds in turmeric. There are numerous commercial preparations combining bromelain and turmeric.
There are no known drug or nutrient interactions associated with turmeric.
Possible Side Effects
While turmeric is safe to take at recommended doses, prolonged use of higher than recommended doses can cause stomach upset and other gastrointestinal disturbances.
Don’t take turmeric if you have a bile duct blockage or a blood-clotting disorder; it may negatively affect these conditions.
Because the risks are unknown, avoid medicinal amounts of turmeric (or concentrated curcumin) if you are trying to conceive, are pregnant, or are breast-feeding.
If you have gallstones or any gallbladder problems, you probably should not use turmeric supplements. This caution stems in part from a small 1999 study (of 12 people) which found that curcumin in low doses stimulated contractions of the gallbladder. This means that turmeric could potentially harm a person with gallbladder problems.

domain: medical


text: A beautiful piece of contemporary furniture to add unique style and character any room. The item "Sparkly Antique Silver Crackle Mosaic Mirrored 3 Drawer Wide Chest of Drawers" is in sale since Friday, July 14, 2017. This item is in the category "Home, Furniture & DIY\Furniture\Chests of Drawers". The seller is "sprintfurniture2012" and is located in Wigan, Greater Manchester. This item can be shipped to United Kingdom.


“Ordinary people have more sense than their leaders sometimes,” he said. “They know the value of cooperation, mutual respect and harmony. I believe the people have spoken out loudly and clearly.”
Speaking at a luncheon talk in Singapore at the Regional Outlook Forum, organised by the Institute of South East Asian Studies yesterday, he said: “The future direction of the country is no longer going to be solely in the hands of the political masters.
“The people want to be involved. They have had enough of scandals, abuse of power, and poor administration.”
Zaid said he disagreed with the analysts who said the people voted for the Opposition in the March 8, 2008, general election out of frustration or in protest.
“They did so as a manifestation of their desire for a better country; for themselves, their families, their children,” he pointed out.
“The non-Malays ask that they be accorded the respect and recognition they deserve as equals. They believe, rightly so, that their future is inextricably linked with that of the bumiputras.
“The Malays on their part have responded positively to the idea of a truly unified Malaysia,” he said.
Zaid said Malaysia was a unique country in that although Barisan Nasional retained a majority there was almost instant pressure on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to quit and, at the same time, the leader of the Opposition was being touted as the PM-in-waiting although he was still 32 seats short of a simple majority.
On Abdullah, Zaid said he had begun to move towards the reforms he had promised, but was impeded by certain elements in Umno.
Excerpts of Zaid Ibrahim’s speech
… for Malaysians, “Malaysia Boleh” has come to symbolise something very different. To Malaysians it is about the government or the bureaucracy doing things that could not and would not be done anywhere else. Faced with unjustifiable mega projects like the national car project, building the world’s tallest building, creating the splendour of a new city in Putrajaya, hitching a ride into space on a Russian spacecraft that has been paid for with tax dollars or revenue that should have been used for more pressing matters like better equipped schools and hospitals, or an effective transportation system, and all the things that have come with them, what else could the average Malaysian do than shrug and say with resignation, “Malaysia Boleh.”.
It seemed however, there was at least one thing that they could do. “Malaysia Boleh” took on a different resonance during the last General Election. For the first time BN only got 49 % of the popular vote in Peninsula Malaysia. In terms of seats, BN only won 51% of those contested in Peninsular Malaysia. Only the seats from Sabah and Sarawak actually gave BN the solid majority it now enjoys. As for the Malays, a vote for the Opposition is no longer an act of treachery or betrayal to the Malay cause. PAS and Keadilan garnered more Malay votes than Umno in Peninsular Malaysia. Umno is no longer the dominant voice for the Malays.
So where did the results of the 2008 General Election put the country? In my view, the future looks good for Malaysia, current events notwithstanding. Of course we have a multitude of problems, but then which country is spared? What is important to note is that given our political history we are possibly in the best condition we could be to address and resolve those problems. As I stressed at the outset, Malaysia is no longer the country it was before 8 March 2008. For the first time we have a real prospect of a two-party system in Parliament. Even if the Pakatan Rakyat opposition fails to form the federal government in the next election – in my view they have a 50% chance – we will have a stronger and more effective opposition. To me, this is the only safeguard against abuse of power, corruption and the preservation of the rule of Law, or at least whatever is left of it. Though those of you in Singapore may not need a strong opposition to ensure good governance and low corruption levels, the Malaysian experience requires the counterbalance a strong opposition allows for.
The last general election bore witness to a new dynamic. The rakyat came together, the young and old and the person on the street, to work with and for one another regardless of race and affiliation. They had a common cause; the betterment of Malaysia. The majority of Malaysians who have been told repeatedly that they are of different races, that they have different rights and privileges, and to continue to blindly trust government decisions have now said enough! They have now found comfort and unity amongst themselves; they have found a rejuvenating sense of a new identity as one people. This is the new Malaysia.
Malaysia is like many other countries where the young will ultimately determine the nature and course of politics. The people have shown their abhorrence for greed and abuse of power. The people have shown that they want to be together as one community. They have shown that they prefer pragmatic discourse. Half of Malaysia’s population is below 35. These youngsters are eager for change, for a politics of idealism and honour. They want public officials to be more accountable, or at least, for a political process that is less corrupt and dirty. They want their leaders to be in tune with their needs, they demand security, remedies to their problems and social justice. Though still relevant, ethnicity is no longer a critical factor. The young are less susceptible to the instigation of racial hatred and prejudice. They want change. This is something that both sides of the divide must take note of. At the next general election, there will be another 4 million young voters who will determine the titanic struggle.
Why am I so positive about Malaysia whilst continuously pointing to the deterioration in ethnic relations, and religious conflicts? Because the majority of Malaysian are sensible people. Ordinary people have more sense than their leaders sometimes. They know the value of cooperation, mutual respect and harmony. I believe the people have spoken out loudly and clearly. The future direction of the country is no longer going to be solely in the hands of the political masters. The people want to be involved. They have had enough of scandals, abuse of power, and poor administration. It is not true that they voted for the Opposition just out of frustration or in protest as some pro-BN analysts have said. The people voted for the Opposition as a manifestation of their desire for a better country; for themselves, their families, their children.
The future of Malaysia is no longer in the hands of political masters


text:
Louisiana ACLU Defends “Bird” Over Denham Springs
After disagreements with her neighbors, Sarah Henderson of Denham Springs, Louisiana set up a Christmas light display on her roof resembling a human hand shooting someone "the bird". Upset neighbors called the police about the "offensive" display and they allegedly told Henderson that she was breaking the law and would have to remove the lights. Henderson did take down the display but the Louisiana ACLU responded to reports of the police action and advised Henderson that she was not in violation of any obscenity law.
Today on 'Mornings With Ken and Bernie' Marjorie Esman of the ACLU said,
The police told her wrongly that she had broken some laws and because she didn't know that laws were not broken she took it down. But the fact is she didn't break any laws. The following day the police chief admitted they knew she had not broken any laws. The question is whether in a free country we can allow the police to come to our homes and browbeat us if we are trying to make a statement that is unpopular.
We asked if any obscenity laws had been broken and Esman replied,
No, if it had, then those obscenity laws would be unconstitutional...the law states it has to do exclusively with exposure of body parts.... Municipalities are not permitted to regulate more strictly.
Listen to the interview:

domain: politics


text:
Support Rally And Prayer Vigil For Brittney Griner
This event will be held outside on our La Branch Street Pad at La Branch and Polk Street. The event is free and open to the public.
A Statement By Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee:
Brittney Griner was taken into custody in Russia in mid-February 2022 and shortly thereafter the tyranny of Putin raged and invaded a democratic Ukraine. Unfortunately, I knew that Brittney Griner’s destiny was going to be wrapped up in the leadership of the United States of America and the American people who had expressed their outrage and care for her.
Brittney Griner is a hometown girl raised in Houston, a graduate of Nimitz High School, excelled in basketball, and went on to Baylor University where she continued to excel onward to the WNBA and an Olympic championship. She has received many accolades for her basketball prowess, but what has come to define her most definitely is her kindness and proclivity for charity and helping others.
On Monday, June 6, 2022, the voices of Houston will be raised with clarity to say— Brittney Griner is a hostage in Russia and the whole community of Houston demands that she be released immediately. Our nation is founded on the values of equality and Democracy. On Monday Houstonians will stand up with pride in their love of Democracy, equality, and justice; and their voices will be heard in Washington DC, and all the way to where Brittney is held. We hope this rally and prayer vigil will continue to propel the Administration and the President of the United States to continue to work to secure the release of Brittney Griner and Paul Whalen. Houstonians' voices should never be silenced until Brittney Griner is brought home and we hope many voices will join us on June 6, 2022, at 6:00 pm at the Houston Rockets Toyota Center at the corner of Polk and La Branch, in Houston, TX. Please join us to stretch our hands to our athletic friends across the nation; to the WNBA, and NBA; to our schools; and to our many friends around the nation.
Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat representing the 18th Congressional District of Texas, is a senior member of the House Committees on the Judiciary, on Homeland Security and the Budget and the Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.


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“I think it’s really important that people keep signing up to these type of trials to push research forward.”
A trial looking at pertuzumab and docetaxel for advanced cancer (BO17021)
This trial looked at pertuzumab (also called Omnitarg) and docetaxel for advanced cancer.
Pertuzumab is a monoclonal antibody. Monoclonal antibodies are a type of biological therapy. They look for specific proteins on the surface of cells. Pertuzumab looks for a protein called HER2, which is made by some cancers.
Docetaxel (Taxotere) is a chemotherapy drug that was already licensed in the UK to treat cancers such as breast, prostate, stomach, bladder and ovarian cancer.
Doctors hoped that the combination of pertuzumab and docetaxel would be useful for treating advanced solid tumours. A solid tumour is any cancer except lymphoma or leukaemia.
The aims of the trial were to find out
- How well the combination of pertuzumab and docetaxel worked
- The best dose of docetaxel to have with pertuzumab
- What the side effects were
Summary of results
The researchers found the best doses to safely give docetaxel and pertuzumab together. They found that this combination of drugs helped some people with advanced cancer.
The trial recruited 19 people. The first 3 people had a low dose of docetaxel and a single dose of pertuzumab. As none of these people had bad side effects, the next group of patients had a higher dose of docetaxel. By slowly increasing the dose for each group of people, the researchers found the best dose of docetaxel to give with pertuzumab. Then they changed the dose of pertuzumab to find the best dose of that drug to have at the same time as docetaxel without causing too many side effects.
The side effects that some people did have with the combination of these drugs included
- A drop in the number of white blood cells
- Tiredness (fatigue)
- Sore mouth
The trial team also found that
- In 14 people, the cancer stopped growing after 2 cycles of treatment – researchers call this
- 9 people still had stable disease after 4 cycles of treatment
- In 1 person the cancer got smaller after 4 cycles of treatment – researchers call this a
As this trial found the doses at which it is safe to have the 2 drugs together, the researchers suggested there should be more trials to see how well this treatment works for different cancers.
We have based this summary on information from the team who ran the trial. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists (
How to join a clinical trial
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Prof Johann de Bono
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040


text:
This is pocket change for Kylie Jenner.
When the majority of us are seeking retail therapy, we head to the mall to cop a new t-shirt or something else that won't set us back too badly. Kylie Jenner, on the other hand, is out here collecting Rolls-Royce whips. The billionaire reality star has been adding onto her collection of supercars for years and this week, she showed off the latest addition to her garage, letting her millions of followers peep the new Rolls-Royce Phantom that she got delivered from a Calabasas luxury shop.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
We've been around to witness Kylie Jenner flexing her expensive whips on social media for years. She's shown off an impressive fleet of vehicles, including custom G-Wagons, sports cars, and Rolls-Royce sedans. Her latest pick-up and the newest addition to her family is a stunning RR Phantom, complete with stars on the roof and more add-on specs. She took to her Instagram story to show off the new whip, which retails for approximately $450K, including the custom scarlet interior that she picked out.
The owner of a make-up empire, Kylie Jenner quickly became one of the most financially successful members of her family. The 21-year-old is still growing too, making smart decisions that will impact her family positively for the future. It's not like this purchase will set her back at all either. Take a look at her new car below.

domain: celebrity


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Crump Tech was formerly known as Dark Sky Designs, LLC.
Over the years we have grown and the name didn’t incapsulate what we do. We provide all types for services from Web Site Development to Hardware Support.
Madison WI, United States


Henny wrote:Matt, good to see you back.
jorge, you wrote:
"So, by "arming" my LH fingers in the right position I minimize the movements of the LH. The rest is up to RH fingering"
to bring out the voices it makes a difference what right hand fingering you use. A or i makes
a different Tone /accent. when used appropriately first we need to know the harmony and voices: accordingly we put the RH fingering as to bring out in the best possible way the music. to come back to Sor op 60. nr 1, we can play it in different positions with different RH fingering as to bring out the melody and have more variety in Tone. i noticed in op 60 nr 16 this becomes more evident when choosing the RH fingering.
I try to have an equal quality in A, I and M but still I hear differences when attacking with A or I , besides the logical order of RH fingering in the last piece mentioned is up to the player and i noticed that without knowing the Harmony well the choices are more at random.
Note: i am now travelling without my guitar for 2 weeks but have access to reply.
good weekend all.
Fully agree with your observations above, Henny, and I would like to add that, sometimes, I do not use the open string to produce a particular note, but a different one so that I can exert a vibrato
to the note. This is the case in Opus 60 #5, measures 17, 18, 33 and 34 - the last doted notes, E and B, I play them in the second and third strings, applying thus a little vibrato
with a good effect (to my taste, naturally). Also in this piece, in the second group of notes of measure 13, I use fourth and third strings to produce the G (4th string, 5th fret) and the B (3rd string, 4th fret). The tone obtained is clearly different from the one I would achieve if I were to use the 3rd and 2nd open strings, and is consistent with the fact that the first of each of these group of three notes - measures 13-16 - is a bass note, and therefore, should (or have to), preferably, be played in the three upper, bass, strings. Does this make sense to you?


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I did these in gouache for part of Target's '07 Christmas line. It was fun to play with the whimsical styling of the figures.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
This was a fun piece to create. I experimented with tissue paper and acrylic glazing.
This Communion card was created using an acrylic dry brush technique.
These icons were created with just pencil and photoshop.
Here are some of my very first cards! I created them within my first couple months of starting at American Greetings in June of 2007. The elongated figures were painted in gouache.


So, I don't know where to put this topic so I'll try here.
Has anyone heard anything about the CZ 75 P-02? This is from the CZUB Site
New P-02 model is CZ 75 D COMPACT pistol equipped with Omega trigger system. The main advantage is the ease of decocking lever or manual safety interchange in the same manner as applied for the CZ 75 P-07 DUTY model.
Does anyone know when will it be released or if it is going to be ambidextrous like the P-07? I am left-handed and have been waiting forever for CZ to release a compact 9mm pistol with an ambidextrous manual safety.
The CZ-USA site doesn't even list it, so if anyone knows anything please share


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Toronto’s Buckzy Payments have announced an enhancement to its real-time cross border network by including real-time cross border bill pay through a single connection, solving a longstanding challenge to international bill payments.
Despite many industry leaders attempting to find real-time cross border bill payment solutions, Buckzy is the first to present a functional real-time bill pay network, now available to financial institution partners.
“There have been a lot of rumblings in the industry, with various attempts at developing a cross border bill pay solution, but we’re the first to actually offer a real-time network, with access to a wider international biller base, through our unified API,” said Abdul Naushad, CEO of Buckzy.
“The friction that has existed until now makes it very tedious, specifically within the consumer experience, but fortunately we’re able to piggyback on our real-time network, ultimately allowing financial institutions to offer this solution to their customers by providing an innovative alternative for cross border bill pay.”
Historically, customers have been required to either open bank accounts in other countries, or use expensive bank drafts, wire transfers or currency exchanges to settle such transactions, all of which come at a steep cost and inconvenience to all parties involved.
The service will first be offered in India, China, Philippines and the United States, with more than 25 additional countries to be live on the network by the end of 2019.
Buckzy is currently working with multiple leading bill consolidators around the world with a goal of rapidly bringing hundreds of thousands of billers into the network over the coming months.