What the Heck is a Bolster!
This just shows how oblivious I am to the world of interior design and decor, but I recently added a new word to my vocabulary. But, to be completely honest, I'm not quite sure I'll ever use it. I'd much rather just say pillow, instead of using the word bolster. I guess it is easier to say "bolster" than it is to say, "long, thick pillow. It may just be used once or twice in my lifetime. Time will tell.
Anyway, we all know the typical look of one of those long circular looking pillows, I mean a bolsters. They're usually solid colors with some sort of extremely uncomfortable trim. The kind that makes you not want to use the pillow at all, because when you try to lay on it, it feels like you're going to have a permanent mark where the trim pieces touched your skin!
I've never been much of a bolster guy, until I saw bolsters used in a different way, a more creative and useful way. So check out these bolsters. If you're the rustic type, or happen to own a cabin in the mountains, these are the perfect fit. Now, instead of a boring, long pillow with uncomfortable trimmings, you can have something that still doesn't serve a purpose, but actually looks good.


text:
Corrupting science: Shunning forensic expertise, OPCW left Douma, Syria murders unsolved
By A Guy Called LULU on Mon, 12/06/2021 - 4:02pm |
In its probe of an alleged chemical attack in Syria, the OPCW shunned the critical investigative area of forensic pathology and censored a recommendation to pursue it. The Douma killings remain unsolved.
https://thegrayzone.com/2021/12/06/corrupting-science-part2/
Toxic Legacy - ChemWeapons & Birth Defects in Syria
https://syriaaccountability.org/updates/2021/12/02/a-toxic-legacy-chemic...
A Reflection On Accountability For Chemical Weapon Use In Syria
https://www.interaction.org/blog/a-reflection-on-accountability-for-chem...
'Syria has not disclosed its chemical weapons arsenal yet'
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211130-syria-has-not-disclosed-its-c...
At least 1,510 Syrian Citizens, Including 205 Children and 260 Women, Have Been Killed and 12,000 Injured, With Victims Still Waiting for the Syrian Regime to be Held Accountable
https://sn4hr.org/blog/2021/11/30/57099/
Your first link speculates on the connection between chemical weapons use and a spike in birth defects. Such a connection seems very believable to me just like a connection between reprocessed uranium artillery shells and birth defects seems likely even though neither has been proven. The fact is though, that whether true or not, birth defects being caused by chemical attack in Syria has nothing to say one way or another about whether the OPCW has misrepresented and covered up evidence about the one particular case which Mate's reporting deals with.
Your second link, published this past November, mentions several gas attacks but does not mention Douma. The third link reports on a statement by Fernando Arias, the Director-General of the OPCW, that says Syria is still hiding chemical weapons. Maybe so, but the statement says nothing about Douma and adds nothing to the controversy over the Douma investigation. Any statement by Arias that does pertain to the Douma investigation should be considered in light of the fact that it was Arias who got to find himself not guilty of Mate's charges but continues to hide information. The fourth link, also from last month, also stops short of mentioning Douma, but at one point says:
The report documents 222 chemical weapons attacks in Syria since the first documented use of CWs was recorded on the SNHR database of chemical weapons attacks on December 23, 2012, up to November 30, 2021, confirming that 217 of these chemical attacks were carried out by the Syrian regime, while the other five chemical weapons attacks were carried out by ISIS.
If you trust that assertion from your own link then it must be hard to deny the possibility that the Douma attack could have been a false flag carried out by ISIS or some other group. Do you have anything of substance which actually pertains to the subject. The subject is the corruption of science and the shunning of forensic expertise by the OPCW which left the Douma murders in Syria unsolved
by A Guy Called LULU on Tue, 12/07/2021 - 7:30pm
You like Douma Douma Douma at the expense of all else. Even if Matés contention were true, there's enough other civilian atrocity by Assad (with Putin's support) to be horrified by. But Aaron doesn't care - he's got a few basic tasks on his agenda, and everything else can go hang
actual Syrian news:
Israeli air strikes hit Syrian port city of Latakia, local media says @ Twitter events
Syrian state media says that Israel carried out air strikes on the Mediterranean port city of Latakia, causing multiple shipping containers to catch on fire, AFP and Al Jazeera report. No casualties were reported in the strikes but there was material damage reported in the "rare attack targeting key facilities," according to AFP. The port of Latakia is Syria's main port for supply flow, particularly food, and it is also close in proximity to a Russian air base, according to Al Jazeera.
"Actual" Syrian news. That is your introduction to a report that has nothing at all to do with the subject of this post but is a way to take a backhanded swipe at it without supporting your view in any way. Correct me if I am wrong: [Or if you can't maybe PP will jump in and run interference for you] It looks to me that by totally ignoring the subject [Something I have seen you get livid about when others do it while commenting on a post by you] and calling your post "actual news", that you are snidely intending to draw a distinction that incriminates the reporting by Mate' as being non-news or fake news or maybe something else, but not "actual" news. Do you really believe that there are not legitimate questions about the OPCW investigation of the Douma attack and that there is no actual "news" worth posting about it
Syria disinfo is the subject of this post, and you're getting the blowback it deserves.
No, how the OPCW handled an important, and therefore newsworthy, investigation is the subject. I don't think you are so stupid you can't see that, I think you are being intellectually dishonest in trying to deflect since you cannot argue on the merits.
by A Guy Called LULU on Thu, 12/09/2021 - 8:52pm
I've argued on merits numerous times. It's a dead end, a time sinkhole. All of 2 Syrian dictatorships, Russian involvement in Syria, a Civil War with massive civilian death, and a weird conflagration involving Kurds, ISIS & Turkish troops disappear into whether a single chemical weapon shell was faked (and whether the UN hushed up renegade leaking inspectors). Apparently the UN and all its members are too stupid to see the brilliant wisdom of Aaron Mate and the Russian delegation to the UN, and insist on sanctioning Syria instead. Must be heartbreaking.
I spent some time looking at the home page of Grayzone after looking at your link. Nearly every single one of their "news" posts is actually not just not news, but pretty much on the same topic: the United States is bad and we're searching the world to find anyone willing to say that. It's beyond me how you can't see that, it's very blatant.
by artappraiser on Wed, 12/08/2021 - 12:43am
How does reporting on one area of interest say anything one way or the other about the quality and accurateness of the reporting? It doesn't. I cannot see why you cannot see that.
A few more news tweets make clear how simple things are in the general area and how easy it is to figure out what's going on -
Notorious Tajik Islamic State Recruiter Reappears In Syrian Refugee Camp https://t.co/WbX5AvBdgg
— Aaron Y. Zelin (@azelin) December 6, 2021
"Elite Iraq interior ministry forces and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters managed on early Monday to control Luhaiban village, though [ISIS] militants have left some houses booby-trapped with explosive devices…" https://t.co/TktOAsmEcT pic.twitter.com/pSxtXmdKGp
— Jake Hanrahan (@Jake_Hanrahan) December 7, 2021
New photo of DKP - BÖG, a Turkish Marxist militant group that's been fighting alongside the YPG since 2014. It's hard to believe BÖG's still active in Syria, although there's talk they're fighting in Afrin with HRE. The high-cover ponchos adds weight to that imo.
(h/t @war_noir) pic.twitter.com/oX5ow9E5uO
A Turkish strike on #Sinjar in NE #Iraq has killed the commander of the YBŞ, a PKK-backed Yazidi militia.
The commander, Marwan Badal Hajji, is the 4th top YBŞ commander assassinated by Turkey since 2018, as per @abdullahawez's research. pic.twitter.com/9VgsRowbfo
Worth noting. https://t.co/DHrM0DjfTh
but surely Aaron Mate sitting in Brooklyn, NY can figure it all out using Wikileaks.
He already did - US responsible whatever bad happens.
Russia's just helping humanitarily and/or asserting its natural rights/strategic interests.
This one is funnier than most. You start out saying how a few tweets [that are not about or relevant to the subject] show "how simple things are and how easy it is to figure out what's going on". Then ending with a sarcastic remark indicating that Mate' actually cannot figure anything out because he is sitting in Brooklyn. Where are you sitting that gives you a special perch to see all the answers so clearly?
6 ghosts of fellow travelers past
https://digbysblog.net/2021/12/08/a-system-gone-insane/
PP you might want to use this one some day in the future
France Court: Assad Official Cannot Be Prosecuted — Because Assad Regime Has Not Signed War Crimes Statute
Posted by Scott Lucas | Nov 26, 2021
[....] The Court of Cassation accepted the argument of the defense that "the State where the acts were committed or of which the accused is a national must be party to the Rome Statute" of the International Criminal Court.
AN END TO JUSTICE?
The ICC has decided, for the moment, that it has no jurisdiction for judgement of war crimes in Syria. The UN Security Council could refer the situation in Syria to the ICC Office of the Prosecutor, as it had done over war crimes in Libya. However, in 2014 Russia and China cast Security Council vetoes to prevent referrals.
The French case had been seen as a breakthrough in pursuit of justice. In February a regional court in Koblenz, Germany, delivered the first guilty verdict against a former Assad official, sending him to 4 1/2 years for aiding and abetting crimes against humanity, including torture and arbitrary deprivation of liberty. The trial against a second defendant, the former director of investigations at a regime intelligence branch in Damascus, is ongoing with claims that the official supervised the torture of more than 4,000 people between 2011 and his defection in 2012.
Complaints have been filed in Norway, Sweden, and Austria against former high-ranking regime officials. A German arrest warrant has been issued for Jamil Hassan, the head of the Air Force Intelligence Service until July 2019. Syrian nationals and NGOs have filed criminal complaints in Germany and France over the regime's mass killing of civilians with sarin near Damascus in 2013 and in Khan Sheykhoun in northwest Syria in 2017.
The Netherlands and Canada are pursuing the option of proceedings in the the International Court of Justice under the UN Convention against Torture. The ICJ cannot determine criminal responsibility by individuals, but can rule on State responsibility.
In July, a Dutch court sentenced a former member of the Islamist faction Jabhat al-Nusra to 20 years in prison over the 2012 killing of an Assad regime soldier in northern Syria.
When heroes are turned into villains by #disinformation, it's not just a problem for the @SyriaCivilDef, it's a problem for all of us.
A Character Assassination Campaign against #WhiteHelmets Founder https://t.co/CDQxq12pLd @derspiegel excellent reporting Christoph Reuter
— Natasha Hall (@NatashaHallDC) December 9, 2021
This is so sickening by a regime that continued to use chemical weapons even after joining the CW convention. #Accountability https://t.co/0FuQFJpOke
— Bente Scheller (@BenteScheller) December 9, 2021
both found retweeted by Scott Lucas who is a Brit, self-describes as
Founder @EA_WorldView, Co-Founder @AmericaUnfltrd @Dive_Politics, Prof Emeritus @UniBirmingham
Associate,@Clinton_InstUCD Political analyst on TV and radio.Birmingham, UK
eaworldview.com
went to his site, found this
US Sanctions Senior Assad Officers Involved in Chemical Attacks
Posted by Scott Lucas | Dec 8, 2021
"Narco-State": The Assad Regime and the Surge in Illegal Drug Trade
Israel Hits Assad Regime's Port at Latakia
OR ALTERNATELY, I would especially recommend
Al-Monitor's SYRIA SECTION
https://www.al-monitor.com/syria
as they offer news, analysis and opinion from various experts on Syria and don't beat a dead horse.
oh I see now, that EA Worldview has a Syria section too:
https://eaworldview.com/topics/syria/
and I also checked out the U.N. News Service, which has a Mideast Section
https://news.un.org/en/news/region/middle-east?page=1
where there's not a lot on Syria recently except on their food shortage BUT SHEESH they sure are bashing Israel a lot lately about the situation in Palestine and also on settlements, not exactly a U.S. lackey on that point, seems like they don't always follow U.S. instructions, imagine that
Wow, I'm sure Aaron Maté will be right on it. A pretty horrific tale.
Aaron's distracted with the Assange story right now.
By the way, I get a kick out of the way people like Lulu bash me for using Twitter not realizing that people like Aaron Mate tweet like several times a day mostly U.S. bashing. He last promoted the OPCW Douma Syria story like 10 tweets ago on Dec. 8. If you like Aaron's "reporting" that's where he promotes it, like virtually anyone else purporting to practice journalism.
P.S. And The Grayzone Tweets here.They promoted and linked to Aaron's story here:
In its probe of an alleged chemical attack in Syria, the OPCW shunned the critical investigative area of forensic pathology and censored a recommendation to pursue it. @aaronjmate sheds new light on why the mysterious Douma killings remain unsolved https://t.co/mpnsAnF1xn
— The Grayzone (@TheGrayzoneNews) December 6, 2021
Turns out Twitter DOES have all the U.S. bashing you might want. You just got to use the Search box, it's not internet rocket science. I just don't follow them because I know, like they say there, their emphasis is on investigative journalism on empire. That's a big negative indicator for me because I don't believe any "empire" exists anymore, I see that and I think: well, these people are not worth my time, they got a distorted old timey ax to grind and they use Jack's site to do it.
You are going to great effort to disagree with Mate's reporting without in any way even mentioning, much less disputing, what he reported. This comment train should at least occasionally refer to what he reported by those who bash it, don't you think? The report is about an international organization, It is not primarily about the U.S. It is about the OPCW, it is not about Assad. Promoting a story at twitter is hardly the same as reporting a story at twitter which I do not think can be effectively or correctly done. A movie poster promoting a movie is not the movie. Did you read the report this thread is about? Do you dispute anything that Mate' reported? I will wait for PP to answer for you.
I just don't follow them because I know, like they say there, their emphasis is on investigative journalism on empire. That's a big negative indicator for me because I don't believe any "empire" exists anymore, I see that and I think: well, these people are not worth my time, they got a distorted old timey ax to grind and they use Jack's site to do it.
At what point, approximately, did we cease to be an empire if we ever were one? Was it very recently? I ask because very recently a couple of your Republican neocon heroes of late, Bill Kristol and Max Boot, have said that we are in fact an empire. You have shown that those two clowns have been worth a lot of your time including the time spent reading their opinions and chewing the mental cud of those opinions until they were somehow digestible and then bringing their opinions here and defending them as enlightened wisdom. The NYT has said recently that we are an empire as have several highly acclaimed books published in the last few years. Do you think we quit being an empire in the last couple months or maybe even way back two or three years ago? I won't be surprised if you reject Niall Ferguson's conclusion that we are an empire because he is a historian and you have so often dismissed history as having little to do with today.
by A Guy Called LULU on Fri, 12/10/2021 - 6:01pm
Lulu - why are you wasting your time arguing with people whose minds are completely closed? Life is too short. Eat, drink, and be merry.
by HSG on Fri, 12/10/2021 - 7:45pm
Hey HSG, good to see you checking in.
mho, Lulu looks for confirmation bias on analysis sites that have ply the same old timey narrative of the world that he is fixated on because of emotional memories. Fine, but to over and over and over and over expect others to waste time pointing out the faults in the articles IS A WASTE OF TIME. He's looking to argue with adversaries about the narrative he obviously has belief in with a few anonymous users on Dagblog. I REFUSE TO WASTE MY TIME DOING HIS WORK FOR HIM. If he wants interlocutors to challenge the cherry-picked narrative in long debates over and over and over, there's tons of news materials on the internet that can furnish that besides Peracles Please and artappraiser on Dagblog. I refuse to meticulously debate line by line the old timey lefty analysis he presents. I'll look at it, grateful that he wants to share an article he likes but I consider it a collosol waste of time to serve as as a debater picking apart his article and narrative choices over and over and over. There's plenty of counter-information narratives available, why doesn't he just read and share those too? The whole thing that Dagblog participants (or TPMCafe before that) should serve as his debate partners or they have a closed mind IS ABSURD and self-centered.LIFE IS TOO SHORT to have the closed mind he does and expect others to confirm that bias he has even further.
Is Russia an Empire? or China? asking for a friend.
Ooh, now your friend has a very interesting question!
China is definitely working on it!
A few examples here, I see plenty more all the time
China to take over Uganda's Entebbe International Airport for default on debt repayment.
China has rejected Uganda's request to re-negotiate toxic clauses in the $200m loan picked six years ago for the Airport expansion.
The Airport is the only Intl Airport in the country. pic.twitter.com/EXkYwFBG6y
— Tanzania Updates (@TanzaniaUpdates) November 26, 2021
NEW: Africa's biggest leak of financial information reveals how Chinese mining companies moved millions of dollars to allies of Congo's former President Joseph Kabila
Read The Big Take https://t.co/whuKgpQ8u1
— Bloomberg Wealth (@wealth) November 29, 2021
China and Pakistan signed MoU to Deepen Tourism Cooperation and Exchanges pic.twitter.com/pFF45tlswQ
— Zhang Heqing (@zhang_heqing) December 7, 2021
Pakistan's decision not to attend "Summit for Democracy" followed intense pressure from China that it back out.
China told Pakistan that participating in the two-day virtual summit this week would be detrimental to their relations https://t.co/hG4VM4w2uD
— Yusuf Unjhawala (@YusufDFI) December 11, 2021
Remembering India's Fearless Military Man Who Openly Challenged Pakistan & China. All through his life, Gen Bipin Rawat has been stern in retaliating to India's enemies. The Chief of Defence Staff never fettered in giving a strong warning to Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/DqDQ0WERji
— Eagle Eye (@SortedEagle) December 10, 2021
"China is a great friend of Pakistan and our relationship is going from strength to strength.
Anybody who wants to invest in Pakistan we are open for it." NSA @YusufMoeed pic.twitter.com/wbDPtqdNHc
— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 8, 2021
The Embassy and the China People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) co-organized the 2021 Forum on Cooperation between China and Pakistan Friendship Provinces and Cities in Beijing today. pic.twitter.com/fsFYRlI7VO
— Pakistan Embassy China (@PakinChina_) December 9, 2021
number of Indonesian companies are keen to invest in #SEZs being established under the umbrella of #CPEC project.CPEC projects will emerge as a game changer for entire region through connectivity up to Central Asia & Western China.
Amb #Indonesia #Pakistan Adam Tugio pic.twitter.com/aIQ27t5Na1
— Syed Kamal Hussain Shah (@shahsabg) December 11, 2021
Italy has got tens of thousands Chinese workers in obscure textile companies in the Prato (Tuscany) region:https://t.co/iCpJXcOpRf
— Skyman66 (@skyman661) January 16, 2021
Main problem was the Wuhan flights carrying Chinese workers to Lombardi region after Chinese New Year.
Chinese had bought many of the Made in Italy textile companies.
Made in Italy sounds better than Made in China.
— Kevin Wilkinson (@kevwilkinsongo1) December 27, 2020
Many Italians in Northern Italy sold their leather goods and textiles companies to China. Italy then allowed 100,000 Chinese from Wuhan/Wenzhou to move to Italy to work in these factories, with direct Wuhan flights. Result: Northern Italy is Europe's hotspot for Wuhan Coronavirus
— George Martinez (@TruthScope) November 20, 2020
China ????? Watch up Bangladesh , think twice! Huawei to propel Bangladesh in 5G era in partnership with Teletalk https://t.co/dQJXVf0wfA
— MizanurKhan (@mizanurk) December 11, 2021
re: Gwadar port built by China in Pakistan:
If Bangladesh's ports such as Chittagong (Chattogram), Payra & Mangla can be connected with Pakistan's Gwadar Port, or Karachi Port via Sri Lanka's Colombo & Hambantota Ports, both Bangladesh & Sri Lanka would benefit mutually. #CPEC #Chinahttps://t.co/9zQjSjwaeY
— Naumaan F Hassan (@nfhassan) December 11, 2021
Mho, on the other hand, Russia is small, is no longer the USSR, but Putin always trying to get that mojo back regarding patriotic pride. Reality is that no way can they do the USSR empire thing, it's for show now. Plus plenty of people there still have bitter memories about spending Russian blood in takeover of Afghanistan, they don't want lots of international projects, just the patriotic pride. The Russian trolls causing chaos in social media is doing that on the cheap. World dominance is no longer a supportable project, but regional is. Putin is truly genuinely afraid of NATO,.and (like it or not, just sayin') that is a balance to any ambitions he might have.
Like I said, I read your article, and then I looked at their home page. And I found them pushing a narrative that as usual is extremely biased to the point of ridiculousness, trying to confirm his narrative that there is some order in the world and the U.S. is in charge of it.
Then I went to some of my favorite sources for related news on Twitter and then in like 5 minutes found counter-narratives galore and even objectivity.
It's fine that Mate has fixated on this one incident in the past and do a deep dive to find things that confirm his con narrative. It's like a hobby! (Though no doubt he would only last a couple days as an actual detective, would be fired for deluding himself with cherry picking.)
THE WORLD HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN, RADICALLY, HAVE YOU HEARD? There's a pandemic on, one much greater than the "Spanish flu" that changed the world and one that might still rival the Black Death.
You might get a sense of comfort by pretending the Cold War is still on and the U.S. is the bogeyman in cahoots with the U.N. and reading to confirm that delusion, but I don't. I don't want to waste my time debating your delusions, I'd rather spend the time reading to figure out what is really going on. I put things in threads not to ply a narrative BUT to actually figure out what's really going on, whether I like it or not. You don't help me by posting things on crime and police in the U.S., why should I help you promote your old timey narrative that the Cold War is still on.
For the umpteenth time I explain why I don't want to debate a silly navel-gazing old timey lefty point with you (especially on Syria use of chemical weapons, that few care about anymore they care more about the Syrian refugees piling up on their shores, they wish Assad or someone else would take them back)
Why do I do that? Because you have this insidious thing of making people feel guilty because they see that things are not as simple as you suggest and won't school you on how to find better news.
Those links didn't take me anywhere near as much time as responding in written word like this to you. I consider it a respectful favor to answer you and tell you that I found it wanting. ISN'T THAT ENOUGH FOR YOU? Why don't you just say: thank you arta and PP, I disagree? Instead you use it as whipping boy to accuse me of what you actually do: fixate on a narrative that is comforting to you by reading only sources that confirm. You are supposed to do the work, write more shit up defending it and I might or might not read. Why do I have to do your work if I find the article wanting. I offered my opinion, why isn't it enough.
Please lord, help me to resist being polite to Lulu by taking his bullshit challenges and accusations seriously. I could have been reading better sources, MANY, in the time I s
I EVER complain that you don't look at the stuff I post. Why do you do that about yours? Expect hours and weeks of debate about it .I am not your seminar leader, I don't have to go through the article point by point, to debate it with you.
Again, I actually did read it and found it a waste of my time compared to other things I pointed to on Twitter that would serve me far better if I read them.
PP is the one who has raised interesting topics about the present and future on this thread, which got me interested enough to look for more. You as usual furnish crap and then get upset that I offer the opinion that it's a crappy article and I feel I wasted my time.
Your first paragraph is loaded with demeaning accusations and IMO is wrong. You then say:
Then I went to some of my favorite sources for related news on Twitter and then in like 5 minutes found counter-narratives galore and even objectivity. [Emphasis in original]
You even found objectivity? Cool. And you recognized objectivity? Double cool. And you saw objectivity there but not in the Mate's reporting? Hmm. I guess we have to take your word for it since you say it but do not support it. There are no doubts on my part that some pundits defend the OPCW's alleged cover up and some attack Mate' in the process. I have seen some of them but none which I believe made a good case. That said, I think local protocol would expect you to provide a link to your quick and easy find of evidence that he is wrong.
Soon you start screaming.
THE WORLD HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN, RADICALLY, HAVE YOU HEARD?
When in the last hundred and fifty years of rapid development would that statement not be true, but also when would the statement, "The more things change the more they stay the same" not point to a strong element of historical truth? And how about history does not repeat itself but it often rhymes? The next time a government lies to justify something they did or something they intend to do will not be the first time. When you say everything has changed do you mean that our government has quit playing loose with and covering up the truth and that critical looks by independent journalists at what they say are of no value because even if the government lied it was yesterday that they lied and yesterday is so ... uh ... yesterday and that we should now only listen to what the government says today and journalists should not question what they say today because today is a new day and the world has changed.
Next you start to really lose it.
… I don't want to waste my time debating your delusions, I'd rather spend the time reading to figure out what is really going on. I put things in threads not to ply a narrative BUT to actually figure out what's really going on, whether I like it or not. You don't help me by posting things on crime and police in the U.S., why should I help you promote your old timey narrative that the Cold War is still on.
You start out calling me delusional which is one of several times you have made unflattering analysis of my psyche and go on to say that you are just into gathering information. As you do you are spreading onfo on your own psyche too.
You don't help me by posting things on crime and police in the U.S., why should I help you promote your old timey narrative that the Cold War is still on.
Maybe so many people that think a new cold war actually is beginning are wrong, I don't think so, but that is not what I posted about anyway although it is related. And you go on to say that because I am not "helping" you make whatever point you are trying to make by posting an endless stream of crime by blacks is why you will not help me promote what information I offer a few times a month on international policy. Simple and cold as that huh? That's part of how your approval-needy mind works? No thanks. Your relentless posting of black crime news and accompanying comments, as a whole, look more like a vendetta against the now departed than any simple gathering of information.
Those links didn't take me anywhere near as much time as responding in written word like this to you. I consider it a respectful favor to answer you and tell you that I found it wanting.
Well pardon me if I don't see the respect. Until now you have brought me up in the third person described with derisive comments of your own or to PP or by high-fiving his cheap shots all the while ignoring both the subject of my news post and my direct questions to you that are directly relevant to the comment of yours where they appear. You also ask somewhere in this mess why I get angry. This is, I believe, another case of projection. You seem quite angry. It has been a long time since I have become angry at anyone here.
... I consider it a respectful favor to answer you and tell you that I found it wanting. ISN'T THAT ENOUGH FOR YOU? Why don't you just say: thank you arta and PP, I disagree? Instead you use it as whipping boy to accuse me of what you actually do: fixate on a narrative that is comforting to you by reading only sources that confirm. You are supposed to do the work, write more shit up defending it and I might or might not read. Why do I have to do your work if I find the article wanting. I offered my opinion, why isn't it enough.
Now that screaming is fucking screamingly hilarious. And so is the rest of that paragraph. Actually, your entire comment is pretty funny. What am I expected to defend when nothing stated by the article is addressed, directly disputed, or compared to countervailing evidence.. You don't attack the article, you smear the author. You don't bring counter arguments, you just say that there are some but add that it is an old story and we should all just move on. And you express anger at wasting time which nobody asked you to spend one way or another but that you did in fact waste spouting nonsense. And you say I should thank you.
Are you losing your voice from screaming? I assume you tried to holler 'never' instead of 'ever'. Actually, just above you did complain that I never "help you" on your crime posts. And I have never ever, not once, complained that you did not look at what I post or that you did not respond to what I wrote or linked to. I have pointed out here and other times when you only come in with deflection from the topic and with straw men to shoot at while refusing to address the actual topic. This thread is an example.
In a response to HSG above you say,
"PP is the one who has raised interesting topics about the present and future on this thread, which got me interested enough to look for more.
Those interesting topics on different subjects could be presented on a blog of his own and you two could stroke each other there rather than flooding this blog with ad hominem straw man off-topic deflections which I think PP does for perverse trolling pleasure.
And in an earlier response to HSG further above there is more screaming:
I REFUSE TO WASTE MY TIME DOING HIS WORK FOR HIM.
Relax AA, I am not asking and have not asked you to do any work for me.
by A Guy Called LULU on Sat, 12/11/2021 - 11:19pm
PeraclesPlease 35 min ago

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Home » Marine Corps Marathon » 'Farther beyond that finish…
'Farther beyond that finish line': Md. woman's first marathon part of her weight loss journey
John Domen
The Oct. 28 Marine Corps Marathon is not just a finish line to 27-year-old Constance Roberts, but one step on her journey of weight loss and running. She has been working up to running a marathon for almost three years, and improving her health and life along the way.
Constance Roberts has lost over 160 pounds and found a passion for running. The Oct. 28 Marine Corps Marathon is not just a finish line to her, but one step on her journey of weight loss and running. (Courtesy Constance Roberts) (Courtesy Candace Roberts)
Roberts, 27, decided to train for a marathon after successfully completing her first 5K. (Courtesy Constance Roberts) (Courtesy Candace Roberts)
Roberts said her weight loss journey was far from straightforward. She lost 100 pounds in college only to gain it back, and she said this helped her realize that her motivation needed to be intrinsic and not based on what others think of her. (Courtesy Constance Roberts) (Courtesy Candace Roberts)
Now, Roberts eats a vegan diet and knows what exercise works for her (running) and what doesn't (lifting weights). She also volunteers with Girls On the Run, a nonprofit that uses a 5K race to encourage and improve self-esteem in elementary and middle school girls. She said the day after the marathon will be a big part of her journey, where she will decide if she wants to keep running marathons or go for longer races. (Courtesy Constance Roberts) (Courtesy Candace Roberts)
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WASHINGTON — If just a few years ago you had told Constance Roberts of Montgomery Village, Maryland, that she'd be running a marathon, and be excited to do it, she probably not only wouldn't have believed you, she'd probably have called you a jerk or something worse.
Growing up, Roberts was never in great shape and never liked to run. And her peers were never nice about it.
"I've always been big, I've been big since I was a child," said Roberts. "I hated running when I was in school. I dreaded the fitness test at school where you had to run a mile. I couldn't do it. And I was bullied for my weight."
But things have changed a lot in the last few years.
"About 2 1/2 years ago I lost 140 pounds, so I kind of started my weight loss journey, and I started Couch to 5K which is an app that gets you from no running to 30 minutes of running. And I just fell in love with running … Then once I ran my first 5K, I just decided right there I was going to run a marathon. I didn't care how long it took me or what I needed to do; I was going to run a marathon."
And it really has been a journey for Roberts, who dropped about 100 pounds in college, only to gain it all back. So what worked this time?
It started with her motivation. When she was 19, she lost the weight in response to the way others judged her.
But after gaining all the weight back, and losing it again, she's learned that "you can't really lose it until the motivation comes from the inside. You have to really want to do it for yourself, not for other people, and I think I just got tired of who I was, being big and feeling unhealthy."
She started by improving her diet. She also found the exercise that worked for her. Lifting weights is something doctors will often recommend to help lose weight, and Roberts admitted lots of people like to do it, but she just wasn't one of them. What worked for her was running.
"I love running and I think it's so important to find an exercise you love to do," she said.
But developing a love for running is only one of many, many aspects that have changed in her life since the days when she weighed over 300 pounds.
"People treat me differently now [since losing the weight], which is hard," she admitted. "But there's upsides too. I just feel better. Everything I do is easier now. I just feel better in my own skin which I think is the most important thing. It should be for you. So I just block out what other people think of me and focus on myself and my own journey."
Those experiences she had growing up, and the lessons she's learned from childhood and from figuring out how to get healthy, have also led her to get involved as a volunteer with Girls On the Run, a nonprofit that uses a 5K race to encourage and improve self-esteem in elementary and middle school girls.
"We train them cardiovascularly to prepare for the 5K, but we also teach them life skills, and how to get along with their peers, and confidence skills," said Roberts. "We have girls of all different sizes, and all different abilities, and we cater to all of them. We want all of them to feel successful. It's a 100 percent positive atmosphere which is different than what I experienced when I was in school doing the fitness test."
Now she admits the hardest part, and her biggest worry, is keeping the weight off. Today she's gone totally vegan with her diet, and she's more energetic than she ever was before. More than that, Roberts is also totally motivated to stay on the current path.
"I feel more confident in myself for going through the journey and continuing," she said. "This time around it was very motivated internally. I wanted to do it for me. I wanted to run the marathon for me because I wanted to do something that I thought was impossible for me to do, which totally was. I could never — in my mind there was no way I'll ever run a marathon when I was 300 pounds. So that goal to do something I thought was impossible for me was my main motivator when I would get up every day."
She has progressed since her first 5K, going on to run a 10K and running her first half-marathon last spring.
Along the way, the 27-year-old is now down 160 pounds. And whereas most people running in a marathon might think and dream about crossing that finish line after running 26.2 miles, Roberts said she's already looking further ahead.
"I know that the following day will come, and then I'll have to decide do I want to run another marathon, do I want to run [even longer races]," she said. "So I think about the marathon, I also know it's not the end-all, be-all for me. I have more that I think I can do."
For the thousands of people running, the finish line is a real, physical thing that will be set up on Oct. 28 on an uphill path leading to the Iwo Jima Memorial. For Roberts, it'll just be part of the journey.
"I think it's an accomplishment for a goal I've had for three years, so it's huge, right? But I see myself going farther beyond the finish line," said Roberts. "I don't know where that is yet."
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Selected by the Packers with the third of three picks in the fifth round (No. 174 overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft, a compensatory pick awarded to the team. Became just the fourth WR in school history to be drafted out of South Florida.
Played in 25 games with 23 starts in his two seasons at South Florida (2016-17), posting 75 receptions for 1,294 yards (17.3 avg.) and 11 touchdowns.
His average of 17.3 yards per catch was the top mark in school history (min. 70 receptions) and his receiving-yardage total of 1,294 yards ranks No. 10 in school annals despite only playing two seasons for the Bulls. Ranks No. 6 in school history with 11 TD catches.
In two seasons at USF, scored five TDs of 50-plus yards (catches of 95 and 64 yards and 75-yard run in 2017, catches of 77 and 51 yards in 2016).
Scored 12 TDs for the Bulls (11 receiving, one rushing), averaging 40.5 yards on those scoring plays.
Set the USF single-season record with 879 yards on a team-high 53 receptions with six TDs as a senior in 2017.
Set the school mark with a 95-yard TD catch at Connecticut in 2017 and posted the second-most receiving yards in a game in USF history with 186 vs. Houston in 2017.
In his first season at South Florida, was tied for the team lead with five TD receptions as a junior in 2016.
Started his collegiate career at North Carolina State (2013-14), where he played in 23 games with 11 starts and caught 44 passes for 538 yards (12.2 avg.) and a TD.
As a sophomore in 2014, started eight games for the Wolfpack and hauled in 22 passes for 257 yards (11.7 avg.) and a TD.
Was one of just four true freshmen to start a game for the Wolfpack in 2013, finishing the season with 22 receptions for 281 yards (12.8 avg.).
Earned all-state and all-county honors at Lakewood High School (St. Petersburg, Fla.), posting 50 receptions for 800 yards (16.0 avg.) and 14 TDs as a senior.
Earned his degree in communication.
2017: Played in 12 games with 10 starts and set the single-season USF record with 879 yards receiving on a team-high 53 catches (16.6 avg.) with six TDs…His receiving-TD total checked in at No. 4 in school single-season history…Registered three 100-yard receiving games in the final five contests of the season…Added eight carries for 108 yards (13.5 avg.) and a TD with two kickoff returns for 39 yards (19.5 avg.)…At San Jose State (Aug. 26): Paced the team with six catches for a team-high 91 yards (15.2 avg.)…Vs. Illinois (Sept. 15): Led the Bulls with 96 yards and a TD on four receptions (24.0 avg.), hauling in a 17-yard TD pass from QB Quinton Flowers in the third quarter…At East Carolina (Sept. 30): Caught a team-high six passes for a team-best 94 yards (15.7 avg.) and a TD and posted a career-high 80 yards rushing on two carries (40.0 avg.), scoring on a career-long 75-yard run in the second quarter…Vs. Houston (Oct. 28): Recorded a career-high 186 receiving yards on a career-best 10 catches (18.6 avg.), the second-most receiving yards in a game in USF history...At Connecticut (Nov. 4): Became the first player in school history to register back-to-back games with 150-plus receiving yards, finishing with six receptions for 152 yards (25.3 avg.) and a TD. Late in the third quarter, ran an out pattern and made the grab at the USF 15 before racing past several defenders down the right sideline for a 95-yard TD, the longest TD catch in school history…Vs. Texas Tech (Birmingham Bowl, Dec. 23): Hauled in three passes for 133 yards (44.3 avg.) in the 38-34 win, highlighted by his 64-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter that put USF up, 31-27.
2016: Started all 13 games, ranking No. 5 on the team with 22 catches for 415 yards (18.9 avg.)…His average of 18.9 yards per reception ranks No. 3 in school single-season history (min. 20 rec.)…Was tied for the team lead with five TD receptions…Helped the offense set single-season school records with 77 TDs and 6,650 yards of total offense…Vs. Towson (Sept. 3): Caught three passes for 79 yards (26.3 avg.) in his USF debut, including a 51-yard TD grab in the second quarter…Vs. Northern Illinois (Sept. 10): Hauled in five passes for 72 yards (14.4 avg.)…Vs. Connecticut (Oct. 15): Posted a 26-yard TD reception early in the fourth quarter…At Temple (Oct. 21): Scored on a 27-yard catch in the first quarter…Vs. Navy (Oct. 28): Registered a TD for the third straight game, hauling in a 16-yard score from Flowers late in the second quarter…At SMU (Nov. 19): Posted a 77-yard TD catch on the first play from scrimmage, his longest reception of the season, and finished with a season-high 84 yards receiving on two catches (42.0 avg.).
2015: Redshirted after transferring from N.C. State…Won USF's Scout Team Award on offense.
2014: Appeared in 13 games with eight starts for the Wolfpack, posting 22 receptions for 257 yards (11.7 avg.) and a TD…Vs. Old Dominion (Sept. 6): Posted two catches for 51 yards (25.5 avg.), including a season-long 42-yard grab…At South Florida (Sept. 13): Caught three passes for 33 yards (11.0 avg.)…Vs. Presbyterian (Sept. 20): Tied for the team lead with a season-high four receptions for 55 yards (13.8 avg.), posting his first career TD catch on an 18-yard grab from QB Jacoby Brissett in the second quarter.
2013: Played in 10 games with three starts, one of only four true freshmen to start a game for the Wolfpack on the season…Finished with 22 receptions for 281 yards (12.8 avg.)…Missed three games due to injury…Led the team in receiving after the first two games with 12 catches for 176 yards (14.7 avg.)…Vs. Louisiana Tech (Aug. 31): Posted a team-high 87 receiving yards on four catches (21.8 avg.) in his collegiate debut…Vs. Richmond (Sept. 7): Led the team with eight catches for a team-high 87 yards (10.9 avg.).
HIGH SCHOOL: Earned all-state and all-county honors at Lakewood High School (St. Petersburg, Fla.), posting 50 receptions for 800 yards (16.0 avg.) and 14 TDs as a senior…Was a team captain…Posted 28 catches for 600 yards (21.4 avg.) and six TDs as a junior…Was a teammate of former Vikings WR Rodney Adams, Seahawks LB Shaquem Griffin and Seahawks CB Shaquill Griffin…Helped lead the track team to the 2013 Class 2A state championship…Was part of the 2012 Class 2A state championship 4x400 relay team.
PERSONAL: Given name Marquez Reshard Valdes-Scantling…First name is pronounced mar-KWEZ…Born in St. Petersburg, Fla. …For Christmas in 2017, joined his father, Marcellus, and some friends as they distributed duffel bags filled with blankets, clothing, toiletry items and other supplies to homeless people in Tampa and St. Petersburg…Also did volunteer work with Metropolitan Ministries and Habitat for Humanity…Residence: St. Petersburg, Fla.
Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling talks about his progression this season.
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling spoke with the media about how important it was for the Packers to get a win away from Lambeau Field this season.
Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling recaps the team's 20-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
Green Bay Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling rushes for a 21-yard gain against the Arizona Cardinals.
Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling talks about his confidence level since the season began.
Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling talks connection with Seahawks CB Shaquill Griffin.
Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling talks about getting more attention from opposing defenses in the last few weeks.
Wes Hodkiewicz breaks down Marquez Valdes-Scantling's rookie season in this edition of Packers Daily.
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling spoke with Larry McCarren following the Packers' 31-17 loss to the New England Patriots.
Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling is focusing on taking it one play at a time.
WR Marques Valdes-Scantling spoke to the media following Green Bay's 29-27 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling spoke with the media about his 60-yard catch on the Packers' first offensive play of the game.
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers passes to WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a 60-yard gain Monday against the 49ers.
Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling talks depth in the wide receivers room.
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling talked with Larry McCarren about his on-field rapport with Aaron Rodgers.
Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers finds rookie WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a 3-yard touchdown Sunday against the Lions.


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Full Albums features covers of every track off a classic album. Got an idea for a future pick? Leave a note in the comments!
Retrospective saw Buffalo Springfield's record company out to catch a final buck or two, their cash cow having imploded ahead of quite how much of a cash cow it could or should have been. The band had been on the decidedly no-frills ATCO label, an offshoot of Atlantic for acts that failed to fit their then template of blues, jazz, r'n'b and soul, along with other square pegs of the day, like Dr. John. I say no frills, as their cover art was always of the decidedly cheap and shoddy nature: Retrospective has a cover that cannot have taxed too many creative brains, the "rips" in the background paper, to allow inserts and a makeshift collage, are all clearly visible.
Retrospective, which is actually subtitled "The Best of Buffalo Springfield," actually performed as well as their final album, Last Time Around, and surpassed the sales of both Buffalo Springfield and Buffalo Springfield Again. It's an artistic success, too; it contains many songs which have a greater quality, with the hindsight of time, than perhaps was fully appreciated at the time. Stills' "For What It's Worth," their biggest hit, has repaid itself time after time after time, becoming a soundtrack shorthand for setting a time and place during the US civil rights years. That has to appease him a little, surely, against his always apparent second pegging against his Canadian nemesis.
Judy Wexler – For What It's Worth (Buffalo Springfield cover)
I rather like this, with the discordant chimes of piano, this, and the slightly off vocals adding to the sense of paranoia so apparent in Stills' lyric. For a song with so many cover versions, this is one of very few that add much of anything new or different. The retro guitar and organ are also acutely apt, as Wexler's vocal gradually take on more treatment. Judy Wexler is a jazz chantoozie with a back catalog that has usually strayed little from standards of that tradition, and that can become a bit supper club. This, however, comes from a 2021 LP entitled Back To the Garden (yes, that garden), celebrating the songs of the '60s into '70s. True, some are a bit anodyne, but by and large it pays a listen. Hell, she even makes "Big Yellow Taxi" bearable.
Nils Lofgren – Mr. Soul (Buffalo Springfield cover)
Wanting mainly to avoid the progressively corrupted facsimile copies of this proto-metal-punk songs that prevail, who better than Nils to offer this rather more nuanced acoustic take? Lofgren, of course, the teen prodigy who, years ahead of gracing Bruce's E Street Band, was adding his piano to Young's After the Gold Rush, and who is now, again, a member of the mighty Crazy Horse. Perhaps Young's simplest song, it is a righteous snarl on the BS version, offering few clues as to the songwriting the author was capable of, but still remains as one of the more likeable songs within his canon. Lofgren, arguably more a player than a singer, has just the right gruffness required, that not always so successful on the rest of the album from whence it comes, The Loner: Nils Sings Neil. (Whither Nils Sings the Boss?)
Donny Osmond – Sit Down, I Think I Love You (Buffalo Springfield cover)
WTAF!! Donny pejorative Osmond? I know, I know, it's hard to believe but don't go. Popping away any of the punch in this second Stills song, it is actually OK. Sure, it is sappy and mindless, as is much of the power of pop music, and should be. Making the Mojo Men version seem positively hardcore by comparison, it has a beguiling and simple charm, allied to the litest of reggae lite backbeats. I am not sure I could listen to the whole album, if indeed it comes from one, but, if hearing this, unknown, I could appreciate quite what he, or his producers, have done with the source material. (Should you need to know, it comes from the Don's 1971 record, To You With Love, Donny.)
Percy Sledge – Kind Woman (Buffalo Springfield cover)
Unexpected cover number two. I think Sledge absolutely nails this song, the sole Richie Furay song on the album. In the inimitable church organ style of the "When a Man Loves a Woman" hitmaker, with sympathetic brass and a choir in full collusion, it is as far removed from the tasseled buckskin jackets of Buffalo Springfield as I can imagine. Indeed, the idea of Neil, Stephen and Richie, all in tuxes and white silk scarves, sweating in the spotlight, becomes quite appealing, especially if all with appropriately short and brilliantined hair. Percy Sledge may have only ever done one song, but he did it so well that it warrants him doing it all over, even with different words and lyrics.
Sugarcane Jane – Bluebird (Buffalo Springfield cover)
You could say it takes forever for this live version of Stills' second-finest BS song to get going. And that, don't you feel, is part of the appeal. It certainly looks a lot of fun. The band are based around husband and wife Anthony Crawford and Savana Lee, who it is here, pregnant and playing the snare drum. Crawford has actually appeared as a sideman on many of Neil Young's various recordings, as well as for Dwight Yoakam, Eddie Rabbitt, and Steve Winwood. They have a plethora of their own recordings as well, being a top draw in the Gulf Coast circuit. I guess it is maybe unfair to judge them on a live barroom show alone, but even if you did, I bet you'd stay to the end. And, as support for Dwight's forthcoming tour, I'd get in early to catch them.
Rainy Day – On the Way Home (Buffalo Springfield cover)
It takes quite a bit to de-escalate one of Neil Youngs's more wistful downbeat whimsies, but, by Jove, this lot manages it, turning this gentle and somber song into altogether a bit of an anticlimactic snooze fest. All the more so, as you realize who was, or may have been, on board. Rainy Day seems mainly to have been an all-star Paisley Underground collaborative, put together, perhaps, to fill such a rainy day in L.A., making it feel more like a week. However, Discogs tells me that this "On the Way Home" was largely a David Roback solo slot, the late Mazzy Star man, which goes some way to explain the narcoleptic presentation. Makes it better, in fact, but I would like to see how would have fared, had he enrolled other rainy Day alumni, such as Susannah Hoffs and Steve Wynn. Rainy Day's sole product, self-titled, came out in 1984, and included one other Neil Young song, as well as covers by Dylan, the Who, and the Beach Boys.
Scott the Hoople – Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing (Buffalo Springfield cover)
I guess the album art is a give-away, this appearing on an all Shakey tribute album, that could actually manage the loss of the 'e' and still be accurate. Indeed, we covered the parent album here. Put together by Scott McCaughey, sometime multi-instrumental sideman for R.E.M. until a devastating stroke in 2017. This album was part his therapy, the deliberate Youngian shambles is a perfect fit for the songs, rather than, I hope, all his condition allows. Maxing the inherent psychedelia from the melody and infusing the meter with a lope-legged wobble, it perfectly captures how Neil might have tackled it himself, away from the rest of the band, not least the ham-fisted rhythmic cadences in the original. The organ and the phased guitars exude the atmosphere of a perma-stoned Haight to degree that way transcends the New Christy Minstrelisms in its first iteration. One question: who the hell was Clancy?
Kate Rogers – Broken Arrow (Buffalo Springfield cover)
Perhaps Neil Young's most ambitious song ever, this meandering epic of a song is never going to be open much to covering. Possibly not unwisely, Rogers here is covering more the song in its demo version, "Down Down Down," as revealed in the (Young curated) BS boxset of 2001. However, she brings in some slight flavors from the wide ranging original that is enough to remind the eccentricity of the song, her delivery sufficient to recall the inherent beauty. Rogers is a Canadian singer who has paddled in only the shallower waters of fame, rather than gaining any full immersion, perhaps coming up against unfair comparisons with the likes of Dido. In covers land we know her best for her 3rd record, Seconds, which is where this song comes from, along with creditable versions of songs by as varied a cast as the Pixies and the Smiths, throwing in Blink-182 and Radiohead for good measure. Worth a listen.
The Beach Boys – Rock and Roll Woman (Buffalo Springfield cover)
The other, I guess, 2nd best known Stills BS song, I was as excited as you to think Burbank's finest may have done a full-blown vocal cover version of this, wondering quite how it would sound. Sadly that wonder remains untapped, as not a vocal cord is strained in this rendition. Indeed, beyond the guitar motif that introduces the song, lifted verbatim from Stills, that is all you get. Buoyed by the anticipation that Carl and the boys might chime in at any moment, I listened to the end, getting the feel that Carl too had been hoping that, perhaps setting it up as a click track for that very purpose. (I keep saying Carl, as this comes from 2018's Friends sessions boxset, a time when Brian was, although nominally in control, beginning to retreat a little into the sandbox.) I'd still love to hear the harmonies as or if the Boys joined in.
The Meat Puppets – I Am a Child (Buffalo Springfield cover)
Well, that was a bit different, wasn't it?! And, whilst other opinions may be available, or even reflex, it has, um, something. Whether it is sufficient that the something is to totally deconstruct and destroy perhaps the most delightful and childlike of Neil Young's songs is uncertain, but that they certainly achieve. Compared, actually, to the wishy-washy would be copycat performances out there, I prefer it, as I can never see anyone but Neil getting away with the lyrics or the general ambience. Or at least to make it as believable as only he can do. Whether I like it, per se, is another story, which is a shame, as I want to like both the version and the idea of the Meat Puppets. With a name so gross, surely some goodness must arise? The brainchild of the brothers, Curt and Cris Kirkwood, and the initial drummer Derek Bostrom, he now back in the band after a 24 year hiatus, they have had an astonishing 41 year career, nominally still going, and with fans touting for a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction (unsuccessful) last year. This comes from the expanded version of their 1980 eponymous debut. I especially like that Meat Puppets II contains a song called "I Am a Mindless Idiot."
Buddy Woodward – Go and Say Goodbye (Buffalo Springfield cover)
Buddy Woodward · Go And Say Goodbye
Am I surprised or disappointed it has taken so long to get to a bluegrass cover, this and so many of the Springfield songs so open to such interpretation? Be that as it may, this has just the right mix of hokum and sawdust to have feets a'tapping. A Stills song, this, even in his band's own rendition, forewarns of the country leanings he later explored deeper, if better, in Manassas. Buddy Woodward seems to have been operating a largely off-grid career in bluegrass and Americana, operating out of New York City, and has performed with many a performer of higher repute, Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle for two. He has also been a voice artist for the Pokémon series and appeared in the long running TV series of Nashville.
Jakob Dylan feat. Regina Spektor – Expecting To Fly (Buffalo Springfield cover)
Along with "Broken Arrow," this is the other song that has Young demonstrating his inability to fully engage in any concept of being a team player. Whilst the former has some backing vocals from Furay, this is Young and Young alone, the others possibly even unaware of the stuff he was cutting whilst they were away. I think it ideal that is should be Bob's boy, Jakob, offering this tribute, as this operates at a level above that of a mere cover, and Jakob's daddy is perhaps the only artist with a catalog that surpasses even Young's. Regina Spektor adds a glorious second verse vocal, ahead of the pair coming together for the swooping chorus, or parts of it. It comes from a documentary soundtrack curated by Dylan, the documentary, Echo In the Valley, made by Andrew Slater, and being about the Laurel Canyon neighborhood of the 60s, that proved so elemental in the development of folk into rock of that moment in time. Dylan was instructed to produce the accompanying music, reprising and recalibrating the music made there at that time. Featuring a panoply of other guests, Cat Power, Beck, Fiona Apple, the author of this song also pops up, on a cover of the Byrds' David Crosby song "What's Happening."
Feature, Full Albums Tagged with: Buddy Woodward, Buffalo Springfield, Donny Osmond, Jakob Dylan, Judy Wexler, Kate Rogers, Meat Puppets, Nils Lofgren, Percy Sledge, Rainy Day, Regina Spektor, Scott the Hoople, Sugarcane Jane, The Beach Boys
Covering the Hits: "Ben" (Michael Jackson)
Posted by Patrick Robbins at 2:00 pm	1 Response »
"Covering the Hits" looks at covers of a randomly-selected #1 hit from the past sixty years.
It says something about Michael Jackson, and I'm not sure what, that his first solo number-one record being a love song to a rat is one of the less strange things about him. Just fourteen years old, Michael was recording solo work at the behest of Motown Records, who wanted to have Jackson 5-related product to sell without necessarily having all five Jacksons. Meanwhile, a movie was coming out that featured young Lee Montgomery performing a sweet song, but the producers wanted a bigger name to rerecord the song for the movie's theme, and Donny Osmond, the original choice, was on tour with his brothers. That's how "Ben," the title track to the sequel to Willard, found its way into Jackson's hands and onto the airwaves in 1972.
Ben was the tale of an ailing young boy who befriended a rat colony that had been trained to kill in the previous film, led by the dashing young varmint Ben. The critics weren't kind – Roger Ebert called it "a geek movie" back in the day when that couldn't be anything but an insult – but the theme song, a gentle oasis amidst the horror that surrounded it, caught the public's fancy, and they flocked to it like a rat to cheese. "Ben" wound up selling 1.7 million copies in the US alone.
Covering the Hits, Feature, Video Tagged with: Cecil Holmes, Connie Talbot, Crispin Glover, Donny Osmond, Marti Webb, Maureen McCormick, Michael Jackson


In Clarington, residents and visitors may request a temporary parking pass for up to seven days per calendar year, per licence plate. This is to accommodate last minute visitors and overnight guests. On-street parking permits for longer durations, and more permanent parking solutions (weekly or monthly) are available for application and review in our office based on parking availability on the street.
We strive to accommodate and meet the parking needs of our residents. We also need to create a balance so that our roads are passable, safe and shared by both vehicles and pedestrians.
This online registration system will allow you the privilege to park for longer than three hours at a time, and overnight during the hours of 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. While the temporary parking pass grants you permission to park on Municipal streets within the prescribed time frames, you are not exempt from all other portions of our Traffic By-Law. You are required to remove your vehicles from the street during a winter storm to allow snowplows access to clear the snow.
Parking considerations will not be granted for commercial vehicles (any vehicle designed or operated for construction activity, the transportation of property, or a bus, excluding public transit vehicles, where the vehicle or bus exceeds 2.6 metres in width or 7 metres in length), unlicensed vehicles, recreational vehicles, trailers, or derelict vehicles.
During periods of snow clearing, The Municipality of Clarington may suspend the issuance of temporary parking passes. Passes will be null and void while snow clearing operations are taking place.
In the event of a disruption to our online registration service, contact us by phone.
After Hours: Calls made after hours to register for a temporary parking passes will only be accepted when there is an interruption to the online services. Considerations will only be accepted if all required information is left on the voicemail.
Additionally, we will not approve temporary parking pass requests when tickets have been issued prior to the request.
Standard procedures for ticket dispute resolution apply, and appointments can be set up by calling 905-623-3379 ext. 2105, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.


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About Vitra
Project Vitra
The Chair Whisperer
About Being a Good Host
The Vitra Colour & Material Library
How Santa Fe Shaped Alexander Girard's Happy Modernist Designs
Functional, but at What Price?
The Individual Desk Is a Dying Breed
Marianne Panton
Tobias Rehberger's 24-Stop Walk
Architecture for the People
The Gallery Allows Us to Explore New Territory
The Visionary
My Room is my Thinking
Happy Times for Working
Sleeping Friends
Magazine/
by Rolf Fehlbaum
Project Vitra commenced in Basel and Weil am Rhein in the year 1957, when the company's founders, Willi and Erika Fehlbaum, began to produce furniture by Charles and Ray Eames and George Nelson. Today we continue to manufacture these furniture classics, and we are still at home in the metropolitan region of Basel. Yet over the years the Vitra project has come to embrace many more things.
The reason we call it a project is because everyone involved regards it as much more than just a matter of business. Obviously economic success was, and will remain, the foundation of the Vitra company. However, our work is based on the conviction that everyday life holds great potential for inspiration and aesthetic enjoyment, and that design can discover and develop this potential. The Vitra project serves this purpose as an enrichment of everyday life and manifests itself accordingly on different levels: in the company's products and interior concepts, in its architecture, collections, museum, methods of communication and, finally, in its approach to both designers and users.
Charles Eames had the most enduring influence on the Vitra project. He viewed the primary condition of design as the 'recognition of need' and warned against stylistic excesses: the designer should practice self-restraint and devote himself completely to the task of problem solving. Yet design is still, ultimately, a matter of individual authorship – of creative people developing solutions based on their analysis of a problem's criteria and parameters. For this reason, Vitra always works with designers who possess the capability of authorship – that is to say, who not only have creative skills, but who invest their work with a personal world view. Their designs bear a message that goes far beyond the impulse of merely trying to please.
The diversity of Project Vitra can seem almost confusing at times. That has never bothered us. The architectural park on the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein defines us as readily as the chairs, tables, sofas, shopfitting systems and accessories that we produce. With their collections, archives and miniatures, the Vitra Design Museum and the Vitra Schaudepot belong as much to the project as our twentieth-century classics or the collages for home and office interiors that we develop. We are convinced that the design, arrangement and modification of the spaces in which we live and work is best achieved with as few boundaries as possible.
Consequently, we do not regard homes, offices and public venues as strictly separate spaces, but as related environments. Depending on the need, we create products that are as inexpensive as our plastic chairs, or as luxurious as the Eames Lounge Chair. We also move backwards and forwards, simultaneously, on the continuum of time. While we are committed to the heritage of classics in the form of re-editions, exhibitions and publications, we promote contemporary design with equal passion. And Vitra is no less interested in ergonomics, ecology, logistics and quality assurance than in the anthropology of living and working.
In order to gain a better understanding of the realm of the interior environment and its products, I began to collect modern furniture in the early 1980s. The progressive growth of this collection led to the idea of building a museum. However, a vital museum requires exhibitions. To finance their production and presentation, the exhibitions would have to be so attractive that other institutions would want to show them as well. This realisation eventually led to the publication of catalogues, the organisation of workshops, the acquisition of archives and the creation of unique museum products. Exhibitions organised by the Vitra Design Museum now tour the globe. Today the furniture collection belongs to the Vitra Design Museum, and parts of this collection are on display in the Vitra Schaudepot, which opened in June 2016.
In 1981, the opportunity suddenly presented itself to incorporate architecture into the Vitra project. A major fire had destroyed most of the factory site in Weil am Rhein, making it necessary to rebuild our production facilities. Nicholas Grimshaw, architect of the first new building, also designed a unified master plan for the development of the entire premises. A short time later, however, this homogenous concept was replaced by the idea of a collage, due to an encounter with Frank Gehry, and the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein thus took shape.
A present assessment of the Vitra project can only be tentative. It is a work in progress and will continue to be so for a long time to come. Thanks to the legal status of Vitra as a family-owned enterprise – now headed by the third generation in the person of Nora Fehlbaum – there is a good possibility that the singularity of the company can be sustained. New ideas are being pursued, from the introduction of the Vitra Accessories Collection with a growing portfolio of design objects, accessories and textiles, to the expansion of our digital channels and the launch our own e-shop.
Another such experiment is the Vitra Magazine on the company website. Here we want to provide those interested in design, architecture and culture with the chance to share in our thoughts on these topics. This is why we work continuously to publish a wide-ranging collection of articles, reports, pictures, theoretical concepts and commentary.
'Project Vitra – Design, Architecture, Communications (1950 - 2017)' opened on 25 March 2017 in the Vitra Campus Fire Station. The exhibition provides an overview of the diverse cultural and commercial activities of Vitra and offers insights into the company's history.
Publication Date: 23 March 2017, first published in «Projekt Vitra»; Edt. Cornel Windlin and Rolf Fehlbaum; Birkhäuser Verlag; Basel, 2008.
Author: Rolf Fehlbaum, Chairman Emeritus, Vitra
Images: Lorenz Cugini, Tobias Madörin, Bettina Matthiessen, Wolfgang Scheppe, Malte Bruns/Jyrgen Ueberschär/Tobias Wootton
Serious Games: the Vitra Campus
About the architecture of the Vitra Campus
Before the opening of the Vitra Schaudepot
Interview with Susanne Graner
An essay by Rolf Fehlbaum
Products for homes
Designers & Architects
Contact Vitra
Find Vitra
Vitra Companies


text:
<?php

    namespace backend\controllers;

    use Yii;
    use common\models\News;
    use backend\models\NewsSearch;
    use yii\filters\AccessControl;
    use yii\web\Controller;
    use yii\web\NotFoundHttpException;
    use yii\filters\VerbFilter;

    /**
     * NewsController implements the CRUD actions for News model.
     */
    class NewsController extends Controller
    {
        public function behaviors()
        {
            return [
                'access' => [
                    'class' => AccessControl::className(),
                    'rules' => [

                        [
                            'actions' => [ 'index', 'view', 'create', 'update', 'delete', 'find' ],
                            'allow'   => true,
                            'roles'   => [ '@' ],
                        ],
                    ],
                ],
                'verbs'  => [
                    'class'   => VerbFilter::className(),
                    'actions' => [
                        'delete' => [ 'post' ],
                    ],
                ],
            ];
        }

        /**
         * Lists all News models.
         * @return mixed
         */
        public function actionIndex()
        {
            $searchModel  = new NewsSearch();
            $dataProvider = $searchModel->search( Yii::$app->request->queryParams );

            return $this->render( 'index', [
                'searchModel'  => $searchModel,
                'dataProvider' => $dataProvider,
            ] );
        }

        /**
         * Displays a single News model.
         *
         * @param integer $id
         *
         * @return mixed
         */
        public function actionView( $id )
        {
            return $this->render( 'view', [
                'model' => $this->findModel( $id ),
            ] );
        }

        /**
         * Creates a new News model.
         * If creation is successful, the browser will be redirected to the 'view' page.
         * @return mixed
         */
        public function actionCreate()
        {
            $model = new News();

            if ($model->load( Yii::$app->request->post() ) && $model->save()) {
                return $this->redirect( [ 'view', 'id' => $model->id ] );
            } else {
                return $this->render( 'create', [
                    'model' => $model,
                ] );
            }
        }

        /**
         * Updates an existing News model.
         * If update is successful, the browser will be redirected to the 'view' page.
         *
         * @param integer $id
         *
         * @return mixed
         */
        public function actionUpdate( $id )
        {
            $model = $this->findModel( $id );

            if ($model->load( Yii::$app->request->post() ) && $model->save()) {
                return $this->redirect( [ 'view', 'id' => $model->id ] );
            } else {
                return $this->render( 'update', [
                    'model' => $model,
                ] );
            }
        }

        /**
         * Deletes an existing News model.
         * If deletion is successful, the browser will be redirected to the 'index' page.
         *
         * @param integer $id
         *
         * @return mixed
         */
        public function actionDelete( $id )
        {
            $this->findModel( $id )->delete();

            return $this->redirect( [ 'index' ] );
        }

        /**
         * Finds the News model based on its primary key value.
         * If the model is not found, a 404 HTTP exception will be thrown.
         *
         * @param integer $id
         *
         * @return News the loaded model
         * @throws NotFoundHttpException if the model cannot be found
         */
        protected function findModel( $id )
        {
            if (( $model = News::findOne( $id ) ) !== null) {
                return $model;
            } else {
                throw new NotFoundHttpException( 'The requested page does not exist.' );
            }
        }
    }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Label: Warp,
Genre: Electronic, Funk, Indie Pop/Rock, Rock,
Format Limited 2LP 2LP CD
Limited 2LP - £22.99 GBP 2LP - £21.99 GBP CD - £9.99 GBP
In Stock Available to buy Available to buy
The 8th album from New York City's !!! (Chk Chk Chk) recorded over the past year in lead singer Nic Offer's Brooklyn apartment. The band picks up where 2017's "Shake The Shudder" left off, further exploring the fringes of dance music with a focused edge, a care-free spirit, and their signature knack for big hooks, leading to new creative highs in a career filled with them. "Our process was to get loose and get into uncharted territory," says Offer.
01. Let It Change U
02. Couldn't Have Known
03. Off The Grid
04. In The Grid
05. Serbia Drums
06. My Fault
07. Slow Motion
08. Slo Mo
09. $50 Million
10. Domino
11. Rhythm Of The Gravity
12. UR Paranoid
13. This Is The Door
14. This Is The Dub
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAkSBdKDwuc


Penalties for Underage Drivers Facing Virginia DUI Charges Will you have to go to jail if you are arrested for DUI? Virginia's zero tolerance laws carry particularly harsh punishments drunk drivers under 21 years old.
Tyson Daniel - Trial Lawyer - Services - Virginia DUI Overview The Stop. Under what conditions were you stopped? Were you pulled over during the day or at night? Was there an accident? Are there any witnesses.


Brain injuries, whether caused by a traumatic blow to the head, by medical conditions or by oxygen deprivation, can dramatically impact the lives of victims and their families. Many victims are left permanently disabled or in need of extensive rehabilitation and therapy that could last months or years. At The Licatesi Law Group, LLP, we know how catastrophic a brain injury can be to a person's earning capacity and quality of life and how expensive the treatment, care and rehabilitation can be. From our offices in Brooklyn and Garden City, we help victims obtain substantial compensation for brain injuries.
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when the head suddenly and violently is hit by an external force or object. In open-head TBIs, the skull is penetrated or fractured, whereas in closed-head TBIs, there may be few outward signs other than bumps and bruises. But closed-head injuries can be just as dangerous because the brain may swell and bleed, leading to clotting and possible stroke. Nerve damage and memory impairment can also result.
Symptoms of TBI can include headaches, mild or severe vision problems, seizures, poor coordination or balance, trouble focusing or reasoning, altered personality, confusion and difficulty speaking, communicating or swallowing.
A brain injury can occur from almost any type of activity. Sometimes, even a seemingly minor impact can cause a brain injury. Possible causes are motor vehicle accidents, falls, construction accidents, sports, explosions and acts of violence.
The attorneys at The Licatesi Law Group, LLP will fully investigate your accident and work to hold all potentially responsible parties liable for the damages suffered.
An acquired brain injury (ABI) is one that is caused not by trauma but by a medical condition or disease or, very commonly, deprivation of oxygen due to choking or near drowning. Examples of medical causes are strokes, tumors, aneurysms and certain infectious diseases. An ABI is not hereditary, congenital or degenerative.
Acquired brain injuries can be difficult to diagnose. Sometimes, symptoms are mild, go unnoticed or are attributed to personality or age. Treatment may include medication, surgery, physical therapy and cognitive rehabilitation. It is important to retain a personal injury attorney experienced in investigating these types of injuries and evaluating the full extent of the damages suffered.
To learn how The Licatesi Law Group, LLP is a strong advocate for victims of traumatic brain injuries, take advantage of a free consultation and case evaluation with our dedicated attorneys. Call us at 516-227-2662 or contact our Garden City or Brooklyn office online.


text:
Micropensions
Maximise Your Impact
Local Staffing
Rural Outreach
David Bussau & Our History
The Importance Of Relationships
COVID-19 Appeal
Opportunity Greeting Cards
Gifts of Opportunity Charity Gift Catalogue
Start Or Support A Fundraiser
Join the Great Australian Curry
School Fundraising with the Opportunity Challenge
Travel on an Insight Trip
Agency Magazine
Opportunity News
Stay connected and receive updates from Opportunity International Australia.
Sydney South NSW 1235, Level 11, 227 Elizabeth Street Sydney NSW 2000
© 2021 Opportunity International AustraliaABN 83 003 805 043
About Us Governance
Opportunity International Australia believes that good governance is a means of staying accountable and remaining worthy of trust.
Opportunity International Australia believes that good governance is a means of staying accountable and remaining worthy of trust. Ultimate responsibility for the governance of Opportunity rests with the Board. The Board is responsible for overseeing the functions of the organisation, including input into (and approval of) policies and practices, strategy, management and the operation of Opportunity.
The Board has delegated the responsibility of management, operation and administration to the Leadership Team, while Opportunity's Council is purely an advisory group. Learn more about Opportunity's governance structure here.
Opportunity's Board Charter sets out our corporate governance policy and defines the roles, responsibilities, protocols and authorities of the Board. It also includes information on:
The functions and structure of the Board
The role of individual Directors, the Chair, CEO and Company Secretary
Stakeholder interests and communication.
Appointment of directors
All Directors are expected to bring specific skills and experience that add value to the Company. The Appointments and Compensation Committee regularly reviews the composition of the Board and presents recommendations for changes to achieve the required diversity of skills, experience, qualifications, gender, age, geographic representation, relationships and personal attributes to ensure an appropriate balance is maintained to increase the Board's effectiveness.
Directors are elected by the Members of Opportunity at a General Meeting by a simple majority of votes. Between General Meetings the Board may appoint a Director, who meets all the requirements of a Director, who may serve until the following General Meeting when he or she must either resign or stand for election. New Directors undergo a full induction to help them succeed in their role on the Board.
Directors' code of conduct
The Board of Directors takes its duty to act in good faith and fulfil its legal obligations seriously. It also takes into account the best interests of Opportunity's stakeholders, including members, supporters, clients, volunteers, employees and partner organisations. A Directors' Code of Conduct is in place to ensure the Board acts with the highest standards of honesty, integrity, respect and fairness.
The detail of some Board functions is handled through Board committees. However, the Board as a whole is responsible for determining the extent of powers delegated to each committee and is ultimately responsible for accepting, modifying, or rejecting committee recommendations.
The Board has established three standing committees; the Audit and Risk Committee, the Appointments and Compensation Committee and the Revenue Committee. The Board reserves the right to appoint other committees from time to time as deemed necessary. The Charters outlining the purpose, powers as delegated by the Board, composition and reporting requirements can be viewed here: Audit and Risk Committee, Appointments and Compensation Committee and Revenue Committee.
Board Performance
The performance of the Board, its Committees and the Chair is evaluated annually as a critical input into effective governance. In 2020, Opportunity benefited from a $50k grant under the BoardOutlook not-for-profit program and we now use BoardOutlook to conduct the annual performance evaluation.
Like any well-governed organisation, Opportunity places great emphasis on maintaining appropriate policies and procedures to ensure we fulfil our obligations to comply with various state and federal legislation and regulations. Particular areas of focus include the Corporations Act, privacy legislation, workplace health and safety regulations, child protection, various state fundraising and charities legislation and employment law. Learn more about Opportunity's policies here.
As a steward of donated funds, Opportunity strives to be accountable and transparent in everything it does. Opportunity expects the same commitment to transparency and accountability from our partners. We monitor our partners to ensure they communicate important issues and developments, whether they are positive or negative. We also have legal agreements in place with our partners, participate in their governance and are actively involved in risk management and fraud and corruption prevention.
We are also committed to providing stakeholders with opportunities to provide input and feedback, as well as responding to that input and feedback in a timely, respectful and appropriate manner. Learn more about how Opportunity makes information available here.
External bodies
Opportunity is fully accredited by the Australian Government and receives federal government funding through the ANCP Program. A rigorous accreditation process involving a detailed assessment of organisational structure, systems, policies, processes and philosophies is conducted regularly. Opportunity is also subject to ad hoc audits that look at the adequacy and efficiency of our management systems, contract administration, recognised development expenditure, project procurement, asset control and fraud risk management.
Each year, Opportunity submits funding proposals to the Australian Government. These include a plan of development activities which we intend to support with the ANCP subsidy and a snapshot of targets and milestones for a variety of programs over a 12-month period. Each proposal is then assessed by the Australian Government to ensure compliance with the ANCP Guidelines and Guiding Principles.
An annual performance report is prepared by Opportunity and submitted to the Australian Government. This report contains the annual achievements of the projects using specified measures of performance and the annual financial acquittal, as well as progress against development objectives and outputs as identified in the proposals. We are grateful to the Australian Government for its continued support.
Australian Council for International Development (ACFID)
Opportunity is a full member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and is a signatory to the ACFID Code of Conduct. This code outlines minimum standards of management, accountability and governance for international development organisations including communication with the public and how funds raised are to be spent.
In keeping organisations accountable, the Code ensures that public confidence is maintained in the way funds are used overseas and in Australia. At Opportunity, funds and other resources designated for specific purposes will be used only for the purposes that are stated. We oppose, and will not be a knowing party to, wrongdoing, corruption, bribery or other financial impropriety in any of our activities.
In embracing the ACFID Code of Conduct, we aim to build creative and trusting relationships with people in developing countries and meet program standards which:
Give priority to the needs and interests of the people they serve
Encourage self help and self-reliance among beneficiaries and thus avoid creating dependency
Involve beneficiary groups to the maximum extent possible in the design, implementation and evaluation of projects and programs
Respect and foster internationally recognised human rights, both socioeconomic and civil-political
Seek to enhance gender equity
Respect the dignity, values and religion of the people with whom we work
Are based on an understanding of the history and culture of the people served.
Click to find out more about ACFID's Code of Conduct or for information on how to make an enquiry or a complaint about a breach of the Code.
Opportunity also adheres to ACFID's Fundraising Charter and reports to the Board of Directors annually on our compliance with the Charter.
Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA)
Opportunity is a member of the Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA), the national peak body that represents professional fundraising in Australia. The FIA aims to let Australians know they have a right to be reassured their charity is fundraising and managing their funds in a transparent and accountable manner, which is critical to how a fundraising organisation is viewed by donors, government and the community.
Opportunity is committed to ethical, accountable and transparent fundraising and has adopted the FIA Code.
The FIA Code is a voluntary, self-regulatory code of conduct for fundraising in Australia. It aims to raise standards of conduct across the sector by going beyond the requirements of government regulation. Its content is informed by the International Statement of Ethical Principles in Fundraising. Find out more about the FIA Code.
Opportunity has implemented a formal risk identification and management process in order to minimise risk and ensure that key risks are being managed appropriately – read more.
We're so grateful to be able to talk to you over email, but did you know that you could be missing out on receiving important updates from us via post? Let us know a few more contact details below.
© 2021 Opportunity International Australia , ABN 83 003 805 043
PO Box A524, Sydney South NSW 1235, Level 11, 227 Elizabeth Street Sydney NSW 2000
Invest in a Mother
Invest in mothers with life-changing loans, helping them start their own small businesses so they can give their children a future.


text:
Scientists Lead Huge Climate Change March in NYC
By Kelly Dickerson 22 September 2014
Over 300,000 people marched the streets of New York yesterday (Sept. 21) in a demonstration aimed at ending global inaction on climate change.
(Image: © Kelly Dickerson)
This story was updated at 3:15 p.m. EDT on Sept. 23.
NEW YORK — Lab-coat-clad and picket-sign-wielding scientists were on the frontlines of the People's Climate Change march yesterday (Sept. 21) along with hordes of students and others concerned about the planet's changing climate.
The march, organized to bring more public awareness to climate change effects and policies, was planned in anticipation of the UN Climate Summit that will meet at the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan tomorrow (Sept. 23). The march was divided into six different themed sections and scientists marched in the "The Debate Is Over" section. Many carried signs with slogans like "We are the 97 percent consensus," "Science is not a liberal conspiracy" and "Friends don't let friends deny reality."
Mike Greene, a professor of ecology at the University of Colorado Denver, said it's important for science to inform the policy decisions made in the future, and the only way that will happen is if scientists take a more active role. [The Reality of Climate Change: 10 Myths Busted]
"It's time for nerdy scientists to show our knowledge, and stop being so passive," Greene said.
The scientists' main prop was a giant blackboard with the slogan "The 'Debate' Is Over!" that displayed a line graph of how much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased over time and how much global temperatures have increased over time. Today carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is around 400 parts per million, and is projected to surge to a new high this year.
Melissa Tier, a sociology student, said she was proud to see the turnout from the scientific community. "It's really exciting to see the unification of science and activism," Tier said. "That's pretty rare, but we need more of it."
A group of scientists joined the "The Debate Is Over" themed section of the climate change march. (Image credit: Kelly Dickerson)
Katie Holten, a New York-based artist who has worked on many environmental and science-influenced art projects, said climate change is the most important issue of our time. "Change is complicated, and there's not just one issue," Holten said. "But I think the bottom line is that we have to cut emissions now."
Alex Ahn, an undergraduate student studying marine science, said that scientists should speak out, because they have a unique perspective on climate change. "Climate systems are the major driver of marine ecosystems, so I've seen the changes firsthand," Ahn said.
He was impressed with the domestic concern for climate seen in this year's march compared with the march in Warsaw last year that focused more on international issues of climate change.
"It's great to see people here really taking responsibility for their own contribution," Ahn said.
An estimated 300,000 people marched yesterday from Central Park West down to 34th Street and 11th Avenue. The People's Climate March has activities planned for the rest of the week, including a "Flood Wall Street" sit-in scheduled for today (Sept. 22) to protest the role big business plays in contributing to climate change. Organizers expect anywhere from a few hundred to 1,000 protesters to participate.
Editor's Note: This story was updated to correct the "University of Colorado, Denver" to the "University of Colorado Denver."
Follow Kelly Dickerson on Twitter. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.
Why are flies so hard to swat?


Base stations are the heart of the Radio Access Network (RAN) and are critical to delivering the required coverage, quality and performance that customers receive. Approximately 70% of all customer related issues today originate in the RAN. Base stations are constantly subjected to weather related issues that negatively impact their antenna, cabling and amplifier systems. In addition, a constantly changing RF environment brought on by overcrowded spectrum, unwanted or changing signal conditions, adds to the complexities in ensuring proper base station operation.
More and more mobile radio networks implement remote radio equipment (RE) that is connected to the base station main unit via a digital interface using standardized transmission protocols such as CPRI. This application note explains in detail the instrument setup and configuration needed to successfully test your remote radio head.
3GPP Release 9 Technical Specification (TS) 37.141 covers multistandard radio base station conformance testing. This application note introduces the concept of multistandard radio base stations as well as solutions for transmitter and receiver tests based on R&S® signal generators and R&S® signal and spectrum analyzers.


Add an industrial element to your home with this eye-catching iron, silver leaf, sphere chandelier. UL approved for one 60 watt bulb. 3' matching chain included. 18" diameter.
Click the button below to add the Sphere Chandelier to your wish list.