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God, Grits and Guns at NRA Prayer Breakfast
Dollar Store Camouflage Jesus approves of this post.
The highlight of the recently concluded NRA national convention was the address by Trump, who said, along with various other rambling and incoherent things, that gun rights were under siege but, thanks to him, they were not under siege. He also said that owning a gun was a divine right bestowed by God.
This is going to be the NRA's fallback position in case the courts decide someday that the Second Amendment does not say that every smoldering lunatic with an ache to go on a killing spree deserves unfettered access to guns. Guns come from God, like cancer and opioids, and if you get killed by one, it's just His way of calling you to judgement for all the porn you've been watching.
That premise was confirmed at the organization's prayer breakfast two days later, which was presided over by new NRA president Ollie North, a man whose commitment to gun ownership is so firm he once was convicted for illegally offering to sell guns to Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini, who, back in the day, needed the weapons in case he wanted to hold another bunch of Americans hostage down the road.
A popular t-shirt being worn at the breakfast read "Jesus Loves Me and My Guns." What this means in terms of theology it is difficult to say. At the breakfast, much was made of the Bible quote, "I bring you not peace, but the sword." Nobody present pointed out that after saying that, Jesus did not actually distribute any swords. The Bible does not record any of His disciples grumbling afterwards, "Bullshit. Where are our swords?" if they did so. The guy was good at loaves and fishes, as the record tells us, but arms manufacturing was apparently beyond his powers.
"Nothing is beyond the powers of God." I can hear you saying that, and I know you believe that if God had chosen to, He could have reached into the future, grabbed off every automatic weapon stuffed under every sofa cushion in the state of South Carolina, and plopped them via a divinely inspired time vortex into the hands of the Apostles at the Last Supper. Instead of being led to his death by the Romans, Jesus would have crowed, "I bring you not peace, but an AR-15 with a 60-round clip and a bump stock. Just try and crucify me now, bitches."
The Bible would have been vastly more entertaining, if not more believable, if that was the way it was written, but it is nonetheless true that God-fearing folks love their guns, and believe the Divine Word means that God especially blesses America, guns and freedom, although three things the Bible never actually mentions are guns, America or freedom.
Which is peculiar, considering that it's written in English.
mistermuse
Ollie North is the new Pres of the NRA? What? Was NRA board member Ted Nugent thought to be too intellectual for the job?
Ted, for all of his bloviating, has never actually killed anyone, Sr. Muse. Apparently the NRA wanted somebody with real blood on his hands.


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Data Interview Series: Marck Vaisman
This weekend, I had the chance to interview Marck Vaisman and talk to him about his background, his preferred data science tools, how he got connected in the data community, the future of data science, contributing to an O'Reilly book, and some of data science's growing pains.
Marck is a lot of things - he is a co-founder of Data Community DC, he runs the R Users DC meetup, he's a Data Scientist at DeepMile, Owner & Principal Data Scientist at DataXtract LLC, and a contributing author to the O'Reilly book The Bad Data Handbook.
Here's what we talked about... Tony: Let's start off by talking a little about Deep Mile. What is Deep Mile and what do you guys do there?
Marck: Deep Mile is a small local consulting firm that historically had been doing a lot of work for government clients - a lot of network analysis with private data. Basically, they took those methodologies that they developed into the commercial space. Now, we're doing work for both government and commercial clients. You can call it a local analytics and data science consultancy.
We're also developing a product that we hope to launch soon, which is basically a new way to measure internet audience and traffic and provide customers with detailed data about different levels of web-related activity.
Tony: Are you working on that project specifically?
Marck: I am, yes. So since we're a small company I get to do all sorts of stuff. A lot of the work I do is data science tasks related to product development or client work. That can be anything from collecting data, mining data, finding insights, building models, etc.
Tony: What tools do you use to do your job on a day to day basis?
Marck: R, Linux shell tools, I use Hadoop when I need to process a lot of data together. I'm not using Hadoop that much right now, but I do use it when I need to. So basically R, command line, SQL, Python, Hadoop and it's associated projects (mostly Pig, I'm not using Hive very much these days) - all of this either on my local laptop or on Amazon's cloud.
Tony: So I know that you've worked at a bunch of different companies throughout your career - everything from startups to larger companies to doing consulting. Can you tell me a little bit about that - the different challenges and what you liked about each?
Marck: Sure. The things that I liked about working for a small company were the fact that you can wear many hats and you have a lot more freedom. I could use the tools that I thought were necessary, and I didn't really have to ask for approval. Just as long as I got the job done, I could use the tools that I needed to without any roadblocks. If I needed to buy a software license for Matlab and spend $2,000, I'd just do it. It was mostly open source stuff though, so cost wasn't much of an issue. Or if I needed to use the cloud, I would just spin up a hundred node Hadoop cluster, spend whatever I needed to spend on it, and get the job done.
Tony: So no structure in place where you would need to run things by IT like there is in bigger organizations?
Marck: No. When I was doing consulting for clients I would get approval. Especially when I would need to run a large job and spend a couple hundred dollars, but they were usually OK with that. But in that sense it's sort of the decentralized aspect of it - being able to just really focus on my job and not have to deal with internal BS.
At the bigger companies, it's a different story. But it's sort of the nature of the beast, at least from a tools perspective. The tool sets were much more limited. For example, I could have R installed on my computer - that wasn't much of a problem - but getting access to the data, being able to work with the systems, and adding additional packages would have to go through an internal approval cycle, which would take some time. So even though you have all these great tools available, you can't get the most out of them. So I had to get creative a lot of times, do what I could do with the systems, and then pull the data out to a local machine and just do the rest there. It was painful, and it added a lot of time to the process.
Tony: Do you think having processes like that in place hinders larger organizations?
Marck: Yeah, and I talk about this in my chapter of The Bad Data Handbook. One of the commandments has to do with giving your data scientist one tool for all jobs. You can't just depend on the one tool you have access to because that's all they're going to give you access to. I understand security and that there are policies and procedures in place in large organizations. And that's fine. But I advocate that in cases like that you have to have a partner on the IT side - the folks that are managing the tool sets and the infrastructure. Find a way to make it work for the organization and not let it be an impediment.
Tony: Out of all the tools and processes that you work with, which do you enjoy working with the most and why?
Marck: Well, it shouldn't be any secret that R is probably my favorite tool, for many reasons. I started using R about 3 or 4 years ago and coming from an environment where the tool set that I was using most was SQL and Excel, learning about R and working with it just created all these possibilities to do things that I wasn't able to do before.
So in terms of the workflow and the process of going through and working with data, working with R is just very natural because of the data structures it has and the way you work with the language. The fact that you have 4,000+ packages gives you the ability to do anything and everything. Granted I probably use R for some things that it's not the best tool for, but it works.
Tony: How did you get involved in the data scene here (DC)?
Marck: That's a funny story actually. This process has been evolving since the Summer of 2009. One day, I stumbled upon Mike Driscoll's post The Three Sexy Skills of Data Geeks and the blog post really resonated with me, because I was doing a lot of these things and it was great to find out that there were other people out there that were doing the same type of work. I started following Mike on Twitter and saw him tweet that he was going to be in DC, so I sent him an email saying "Hey, I saw your blog post. It really resonated with me and I'd just love to meet up with you and chat." So we did.
We met, and I was telling him about the work I was doing and how I wanted to get more involved in doing more applied data analysis. I knew about the basic statistical techniques back then, but I wanted to get more into learning about machine learning and all the computational aspects of working with data. And his advice to me was two things: you have to learn R and get more familiar with the statistical elements of machine learning.
Mike was based out of the west coast, but he spent a lot of time here in DC. He was one of the founders of a company called CustomInk, so he has ties to the area. And he introduced me to Peter Skomoroch, who was also doing a lot of work with Hadoop back then and was still in this area before he went to work for LinkedIn.
So I basically started using Twitter to follow all these folks who were doing interesting work, communicating with them, etc. And then that same year, I went to Hadoop World for the first time and started learning about Hadoop and the tool sets and the technologies. Then a couple months after that, probably in early 2010, I volunteered to run the R Users group here in DC. Someone had created the meetup in 2009, but it had sort of died and the Revolution Analytics folks that were driving that initiative put out a call for someone to step up and volunteer. I just raised my hand and said alright I'll do it.
I did all this without knowing much R. But it was great because I really started small, built the community, started getting the word out there, and started using the tool more. I was learning R through the group as I was using it. And then I knew a lot of the tech people here because I had been involved in the tech sector for a while.
So running the meetup gave me a way to meet other people and start building a community. Harlan moved here from New York in 2011. I had been thinking of doing something like Data Science DC for a while and once Harlan moved - I had known him for some time by then - we kicked around the idea, he talked to Matt, and we decided to start up Data Science DC. And that's when it really took off. By then I was running the R group for about a year, and I knew and had communicated with a lot of the most influential people that were working in this space around the country. So I think that's what really got me in the middle of things and to where I am today in terms of the community.
Tony: What do you find most exciting about data science?
Marck: To me, data science is a way of getting to understand how things work. I've always been a very curious person by nature. I've joked about this, but I think there's some truth to the idea that data science is part of a modern approach to the scientific method - using modern tools and techniques to process data and learn about the world. Granted, a lot of the work we're doing is focused on online metrics - the way we live a digital lifestyle and collect data, and using it to build products, to understand how things work. But to me it's more than that, it's just being able to answer questions about different things, finding patterns in the data about whatever you're curious about. You can find a data set online about pretty much anything these days. And that's a great way to learn how things work and understand the relationships between things. So that's what data science is to me. It's using the statistical and mathematical tools and techniques that we have available today to answer the hard questions that couldn't be answered before.
Tony: Where do you see the future of data science going - say 5 or 10 years out?
Marck: Well, first of all I think there's a lot of development happening in the tool sets, especially making very technical tools more accessible to people. On one side there is the business side of data science and on the other side there is the practitioner side. On the business side, there are a lot of companies that are building tools and software that allow you to, for example, run a Hadoop job with the push of a button - abstracting the layer for less technical people.
So I think there's going to be some consolidation of tools - better tools to do this kind of work and the tools are going to be easier to use. But because every data set has its own idiosyncrasies, I don't think there's ever going to be a one-size-fits-all solution.
As a set of techniques, I think it's going to make its way into pretty much everything. There's hype about the whole data science thing right now, but that hype is probably going to die in the next 2 years. I think there's always going to be work to do in this field, at least for the foreseeable future. And if you're good - if you know how to work with data, if you know how to get insights out of the data (not just taking data and building a chart, but being the intermediary between what are the questions you're trying to answer, how are you going to get there, here are the tools and techniques that you're going to use, etc.) I think there's definitely going to be a need for talent.
Tony: So for people that want to expand their skills and learn more about data science, what kind of advice would you give them? What kind of things would they need to learn and what kinds of things would they need to get into?
Marck: If you want to get into this field, you want to start small. Find a data set online, download it, and then start exploring it. Start learning R because R is just a great tool to work with data. Look at the data, plot it, build a model, ask some questions and see if you can find answers to them. It's very iterative, and if you haven't done data analysis before you're not going to know the tricks and the nuances until you actually start doing it. There's no magic formula. There's no checklist. You take a data set - it doesn't have to be big - download it into R, do some summaries, do some plots, look at the relationships between variables, etc. That's mostly where everything starts.
And even when you're working with big data, you're not working with big data all together. You aggregate and then you compare it. Let's say you're looking at transactions over time. You aggregate per time slice. So a lot of times you take very big data, you make it smaller, and then the actual data you're analyzing ends up being a lot smaller than what you started with.
You want to understand the basic statistical techniques. You want to know some computing and programming. Learn R, learn some Python. Learn to use the shell because a lot of times the amount of work required to clean and organize a data set is far greater than for the analysis itself. A lot of it is learning how to munge - be a great munger. I can't stress this enough.
As for the rest? Read publications, follow people on Twitter, read the blogs, there are some great books out there, know your basic stats, know your basic math. It's really not hard to get into this. But if you have a passion for it, you're going to find that you're always wanting to learn new techniques and doing more and more things with the data.
Tony: You mentioned following people. Who are some of the people that you follow and who are some of the people you look up to in the data community?
Marck: Well, I don't spend that much time on Twitter these days because it takes up too much time. But I have a list that is an amalgamation of folks, and these are some of the folks I draw insights from for various different things. There's John Myles White who wrote the book Machine Learning for Hackers - big R guy, really smart guy. Some neuroscientists. Hans Rosling, who is a big name in the TED circles and he's always talking about using data to solve the worlds problems. Hilary Mason is on the list. JD Long, who is someone I met early in the data circles a long time ago. He was in Chicago - he lives in Bermuda now. He's a really smart guy, really funny. He doesn't always tweet about data but he always has these amazing insights. There's this fellow called @gappy3000 that is very cynical. He's in the New York finance community - really smart guy. He talks about all sorts of things, but he always asks the hard questions that nobody else is asking. Then there's @siah. He was at Berkeley, he comes from the operations research side of things, and he tweets a lot about tools like C and R and Python.
In terms of understanding trends and what's happening in the data science field from within the technology industry I follow what the LinkedIn team is doing. DJ Patil, who's been involved in building the data science teams there. I think DJ has a lot of good insights from a business and organizational standpoint.
There's different people that talk about different levels of the field. Even within the DC community, there's always someone who has something to say that's interesting and you learn something new.
Tony: My final question is about The O'Reilly book The Bad Data Handbook. Can you tell me a little about the book in general and then the chapter wrote?
Marck: The Bad Data Handbook is a collection of articles or short stories about the different challenges that come up when you're dealing with data. It's a combined work among 17 authors. There are definitely some chapters that are very technical that give you tools and tips on doing specific tasks. It covers a lot of the pain points of doing data work. My chapter got started as a collection of horror stories from the organizational side of the equation. You asked me earlier about the differences between working with big and small organizations. A lot of these stemmed from frustrations about working mostly in large organizations. I had been building up this collection of anecdotes of things that had really frustrated me, mostly in trying to do my work and not being able to.
About a year ago at the Strata conference, I had a conversation with Q. Ethan McCallum, who is the main author of the book. He told me he was putting together this project about data horror stories and at the time I told him I didn't know if I had enough material but if I did, I would think about it. So this idea was in the back of my mind and then in the middle of the Summer, I had amassed enough anecdotes so I emailed and said if you're still looking for stories, I want to write about the organizational aspects. And when I told him about the idea, he said yes, absolutely.
I started writing the anecdotes and then I realized that there were common threads among them. So I tried to take a little bit of a tongue-in-cheek or a little humorous approach to this. The chapter is called The Dark Side of Data Science and it focuses on the mostly organizational and technical pitfalls that you want to avoid if you want to be successful in your data science efforts from an organizational perspective. What I did was turn these anecdotes into 5 commandments.
The first commandment is: Know nothing about thy data. And the idea here is that it's sometimes mind-boggling how you come into an organization, they have all this data, and they really know nothing about it. Maybe you don't know the insights and that's why you're working with a data scientist, but you should understand how the data gets generated, understand where it lives, know its nuances, give things descriptive names so that you know what it means, etc.
The second commandment is: Thou shalt provide your data scientist with a single tool for all tasks. There is no one-tool-fits-all approach in this field. A lot of times they give you a hammer and they say go fish. It doesn't work.
The third one is: Thou shalt analyze data for analysis' sake only. Analysis for the sake of analysis is going to get you nowhere. You have to have at least a vague idea of where you want to go or what you want to explore. I've heard stories about people being handed data sets and being told find me a golden nugget. That's not how it works.
Number four is: Thou shalt compartmentalize learnings. In large organizations, there are usually silos. This is not new. Folks are doing similar work and they're not sharing. So it's really frustrating when you've done a lot of work and spent a lot of hours and then you find out someone did this like 6 months ago and it's in a file somewhere.
And the last one (one of my favorites): Thou shalt expect omnipotence from data scientists. Sean, Harlan, and I put together a survey about the skills of data scientists. It's really amazing to see how some folks expect one person to do it all and to do it all overnight. That's not going to happen. This is a field that's still being defined. It's a field that's growing so there's a lot of nomenclature and communication problems, but the idea is that a data science initiative is probably going to be a team effort as opposed to an individual effort. One person can do lots of things, don't get me wrong. But bigger picture, it's going to be a team effort where you have a variety of skills that are complementary.
Tony: And that's different from the job ads you currently see out there?
Marck: The job ads, they list everything. We want the rock star programmer, we want the machine learning expert, we want NLP, we want the person whose written all these algorithms, that's created a distributed back end system, that's built a company, etc. Some of these are just really funny requirements where you look at them and say yeah, that's a stretch.
Tony: Have you talked to any employers a couple months down the road to see if they've ever found someone with all the skills they were looking for?
Marck: Yes and no. A lot of times, I just see that there's a job posting that's been circulating for a really really long time. So that tells me that either they haven't filled it, they haven't found the right person, or they're being too picky. I've actually talked to some people that have been looking for folks that have told me a few months down the line that it's been really tough to find someone. And I know that the people I'm talking to aren't taking an unrealistic approach, they're actually looking for talent. They do say that a lot of people are calling themselves data scientists and they really just don't have a clue.
It's hard to label yourself as a data scientist because then people expect you to be able to do all these sorts of things. Even in my case, I do consider myself to be a data scientist and I do have enough knowledge in the field across all the different parts of it. But I'm not a machine learning guy. I know how to do applied machine learning, I know all the basic algorithms and how they work, I understand how to apply and use them. But if someone says I'm looking for a data scientist and I want someone to build me the next best algorithm, that's beyond my area of expertise. On the other hand, they may want you to build and manage a cluster. I can use Hadoop, I know how to run jobs, but I'm not a sys admin. So that's why I'm saying don't expect omnipotence from your data scientist. Data scientists are smart people, they are curious people, they can do all sorts of stuff, but be reasonable in your expectations.
Tagged: big data, data books, data science, interviews

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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New generation of locusts block out the sun over East Africa and the Horn
East Africa and the Horn are being hit by a new generation of locusts 400 times stronger than the swarms that descended last June
Kenyan farmers are posting pictures of swarms like the Biblical plague, so large that they block out the sun.
ends intro
The desert locusts have hit eight African countries where at least 20 million people are food insecure because of the three deadly 'C.s' : conflict, climate change and COVID 19.
In addition to Kenya they include Somalia, Uganda, South Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sudan,
They have stayed and produced a new generation because of favorable conditions including above-average rainfall.
Pesticide to eradicate or at least thin them has been blocked by the coronavirus lockdown.
The swarms generally number 150 million per square kilometer, devouring every leaf where they land. Driven by the wind they can travel 150 kilometers a day.
PrevPreviousKenyan MPs consulting on whether to help COVID 19 fight by taking a pay cut
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Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda


This entry was posted on October 1, 2018 by Way 2 Flowers.
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The Solent LEP has appointed Ian Millen, chief operating officer for Dryad Maritime Ltd, as chair of its Solent Marine and Maritime Steering Group (SMMSG).
The group was launched by the Solent LEP in April 2014 and works to enable transformational growth of the Marine and Maritime sector in the Solent. Since its establishment, the sector has seen a number of major investments, including the opening of the new Land Rover BAR Headquarters in Portsmouth, three new skills centres, delivering the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills that will support the future of the industry and the recently launched Marine and Maritime SME Growth Fund to support SMEs in partnership with British Marine.
The group advises the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Board on the needs of the sector. With representation from marine and maritime businesses together with representatives of higher and further education, local government, UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), and the Ministry of Defence, the SMMSG provides a voice for the sector.
Ian brings considerable experience in both the public and private sectors, operating at senior levels in operational intelligence, concept and capability development roles. A former Royal Navy Commander, Ian followed his 30 year service with four years with the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), before joining Dryad in 2011. Ian has lived in the Solent area since joining his first Portsmouth based ship, as junior seaman, in 1978.
Ian is also the chairman of the Security in Complex Environments Group (SCEG) Maritime Security Working Group (MSWG), a special interest group that promotes quality and standards in the security sector, and president of the London Chapter of the Propeller Club since 2011, a not for profit organisation that champions the wellbeing of all waterborne trades and those that work within them.
I am delighted to have been selected to chair the SMMSG, a key contributor to the important work of the wider Solent LEP and regional marine and maritime businesses. Since its inception the group has worked hard to deliver a number of objectives in the sector. However, there is plenty left to do, both with ongoing work and doubtless, plenty that we haven't yet discovered.
Operating as a tight-knit team, with the common goal of economic growth, I am confident that we can continue to play our part in the marine and maritime sector and well beyond.
I am proud of what the SMMSG has achieved since its inception. The marine and maritime economy in the Solent is in a much stronger position since the establishment of the SMMSG.
I am looking forward to continuing to work with the SMMSG and Ian in his role of chair, knowing that there is still great scope to build on the group's success with further initiatives to develop the marine and maritime sector and the Solent's economic future.
To find out more about the Marine and Maritime SME Growth Fund please click here.


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Who is Fethullalh Gulen? A modernizer or a wolf in sheep's clothing? - Institut für Fankultur e.V.
Who is Fethullalh Gulen? A modernizer or a wolf in sheep's clothing?
"We can build confidence and peace in this country if we treat each other with tolerance," Mr. Gulen said in a first and since then rare interview at the time with a foreign correspondent. "There's no place for quarreling in this world… By emphasizing our support for education and the media, we can prove that Islam is open to contemporary things," he added sprinkling his slow and deliberate speech with old Ottoman Turkish words regarded as quaint by modern Turks.
Critics charge that Mr. Gulen professed moderation may not be what he really hopes to achieve. "Fethullah's main project is the takeover of the state. That is why he was investing in education. They believe the state will just fall into their lap because they will be ready for it, they will have the people in place. That is their long-term plan," said a prominent liberal Turkish intellectual.


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hollywoodweekly April 21, 2016 Cover
Celebs share their heartbreak over Prince, dead at 57
Celebrities are fans too — and when it comes to Prince, many are super fans.
In the wake of the larger-than-life pop icon's death at 57, celebrities are sharing their heartbreak on social media. Prince, born Prince Rogers Nelson, died at his Paisley Park residence outside Minneapolis this morning, a publicist confirmed to CBS News.
His music helped define the 1980s but he didn't stop there, touching generations of fans over a three-decade career that was still going strong at the time of his death.
"Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal" creator Shonda Rhimes was among the first to express sorrow about his loss on Twitter:
during the Super Bowl XLI Half-Time Press Conference at the Miami Convention Center on February 1, 2007 in Miami, Florida.
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Home > Newest Books > A Dark Sicilian Secret
A Dark Sicilian Secret
Written By: Jane Porter
For the fabulous Megan Crane
You've been an amazing friend.
I can't imagine my life without you!
Jillian Smith drew a deep breath as she walked along the jagged cliff overlooking the stormy Pacific Ocean, relishing the fresh air, stunning scenery and a rare moment of freedom. Things were definitely looking up.
She hadn't seen Vittorio's men in over nine months and she was certain that if she was careful, they'd never find her here, in this small, private coastal town just a few miles outside Carmel, California.
For one, she didn't use her name, Jillian Smith, anymore. She had a new identity, April Holliday, and a new look—blonde, tan, as if she were a California native instead of a striking brunette from Detroit. Not that Vitt knew she was from Detroit.
Nor could he know. It was imperative she keep Vittorio, the father of her baby, as far away from her as possible.
He was so dangerous. Such a threat. To her. To Joe. To everything she held dear. She'd loved him, had come so close to imagining a future with him, only to discover that he wasn't a hero…wasn't a knight in shining armor but a man like her father. A man who'd made his fortune in organized crime.
Jillian drew a short breath, aware of the tension balling in her shoulders. Relax, she told herself. There's no reason to be afraid. The danger's behind you now. Vitt doesn't know where you are. He can't take the baby from you. You're safe. Everything's good.
She paused along the cliff to stare out at the dark blue water crested with foam. The waves were big today and they crashed against the dark rocks below with power and passion. The sea seemed angry, almost inconsolable, and for a moment she felt the same way.
She'd loved Vitt. And maybe they'd been together only two weeks, but in those two weeks she'd imagined a life with him. Imagined so many possibilities for them.
But then the truth emerged. He wasn't a hero—no prince on a white stallion—but a terrifying villain.
The first raindrops began to fall and she pushed back her long blond hair from her face, determined to put the past behind her and focus on the present as well as Joe's future. And Joe would have a great future. She'd make sure he had everything she'd never known—stability, security, a happy home.
Already she'd found a darling rental house just a quarter mile down the road on a quiet cul-de-sac. She'd gotten an amazing job at the Highlands Inn, one of the premier hotels on the Northern California coast, assisting with their marketing and sales. And best of all, she'd found excellent child care so she could work. In fact, lovely Hannah was with Joe now.
The rain pelted down, and the brisk wind whipped at her hair, tugging at her black fisherman's sweater, but she welcomed the fierce weather, and loved its intensity. She couldn't help smiling at the ocean, and the endless horizon, imagining life's possibilities.
"Thinking of jumping, Jill?" A deep male voice spoke behind her.
Her smile vanished as she stiffened in shock, recognizing the smooth, accented voice immediately.
Vittorio.
She hadn't heard his voice in nearly a year, but Vitt's was impossible to forget. Deep and calm, his voice was pitched to dominate life—whether it be man or nature—and it did.
He did.
But then, Vittorio Marcello d'Severano was a force of nature, a human being that inspired awe or fear in virtually everyone.
"There are solutions," he added softly, so softly that Jillian shuddered, and took a nervous step away from him, putting her closer to the cliff's edge. Her unsteady footstep sent loose rocks tumbling from the craggy point to the cove below. The falling rocks sounded like her heart shattering and Jill's throat squeezed closed.
Just when she'd felt secure.
Just when she'd thought they were safe.
Unbelievable. Impossible.
"None that I would find acceptable," she answered flatly, turning slightly but avoiding looking him in the face. She knew better than to look at Vitt closely, much less meet his gaze. Vittorio was a magician, a virtual snake charmer. He could get anyone to do anything just by smiling.
He was that handsome.
He was that powerful.
"Is that all you have to say to me after months of cat-and-mouse games?"
The rain fell harder, drenching Jillian's thick knit sweater so that it ran with rivulets of water. "I believe everything has already been said. I can't think of anything I've forgotten," she retorted, her chin tilted in defiance even though her legs shook beneath her. She was torn between fury and terror. Vittorio was just a man, and yet he could, and would, destroy her world given the chance.
Jane Porter's Books
The Anomaly
The Summer Children (The Collector #3)
The Last Black Unicorn
The Cabin at the End of the World
Craven Manor
The Calculating Stars (Lady Astronaut, #1)
Pulse (Collide, #2)
Barely Breathing
Thief (Love Me With Lies #3)
Ignite Me (Shatter Me, #3)


A petition which accuses the BBC of an orchestrated attempt to Islamise the UK, has reached 6,000 signatures.
Campaign group Voice for Justice UK (VFJUK) says the corporation is deliberately marginalising Christianity despite it being the majority religion in the country.
It's calling for an urgent investigation into the governance and policy of the BBC, and for a review of the licence fee.
The petition was launched after the BBC announced last moth that it had appointed Fatima Salaria, a Muslim, as its new Head of Religious Programming.
She replaced Aaqil Ahmed, also a Muslim, who stepped down from a similar role last year.
VFJUK, which is headed up by Anglican priest Rev Lynda Rose, suggested the BBC is "operating a policy of Islamic prioritization, once again ignoring the pleas of all other religious groups in the UK for proportionate and fair representation".
The petition reads: "Indeed, the BBC appears complicit in an orchestrated attempt to Islamise the UK.
"Such an attitude displays not just contempt, but is a betrayal of the principles and values on which the UK is founded".


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Iranians have right to protest but must avoid violence, President Rouhani says
Two protesters taking part in demonstrations roiling Iran were killed at a rally overnight, authorities said Sunday, the first deaths attributed to the ongoing protests as the government blocked access to a popular messaging app used by activists.
Rouhani also responded to Donald Trump's tweets about Iran, saying U.S. president has 'no right'
The Associated Press · Posted: Dec 31, 2017 8:55 AM ET | Last Updated: January 1, 2018
In this photo released by the Iranian Presidency Office, Hassan Rouhani speaks in a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Sunday, responding to a wave of economic protests in cities across Iran. (Iranian Presidency Office via The Associated Press)
President Hassan Rouhani, giving his first public reaction to four days of anti-government protests, said Sunday that Iranians had the right to protest and criticize the authorities, but their actions should not lead to violence or damage public property.
"People are absolutely free to criticize the government and protest, but their protests should be in such a way as to improve the situation in the country and their life," Rouhani was quoted by the official IRNA news agency as telling the cabinet. "Criticism is different from violence and damaging public properties."
Rouhani also rebuffed U.S. President Donald Trump's comments in support of the protests.
Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!
—@realDonaldTrump
"This man in America who is sympathizing today with our people has forgotten that he called the Iranian nation
terrorists a few months ago. This man who is against the Iranian nation to his core has no right to sympathize with Iranians," Rouhani said.
Anti-government protesters demonstrated on Sunday in defiance of a warning by the authorities of a tough crackdown,
extending for a fourth day one of the most audacious challenges to the clerical leadership since pro-reform unrest in 2009.
Tens of thousands of people have protested across the country since Thursday against Iran's unelected
clerical elite and Iranian foreign policy in the region. They have also chanted slogans in support of political prisoners.
#Iran's foreign ministry calls Canada's statement supporting the rights of demonstrators in #Iran to protest peacefully… "meddlesome." (via @PressTV) https://t.co/TmE0GQkUDk #CBC pic.twitter.com/awv39nVgNw
—@DerekStoffelCBC
The protests were fanned in part by messages sent on the Telegram messaging app, which authorities blocked Sunday, along with Instagram.
In Doroud, a city 325 kilometres southwest of Tehran in Iran's western Lorestan province, protesters gathered for an unauthorized rally that lasted into the night Saturday, said Habibollah Khojastepour, the security deputy of Lorestan's governor. The two protesters were killed in clashes at the rally, he said.
University students attended a protest inside Tehran University, where anti-riot Iranian police met them with smoke grenades. (Associated Press)
"The gathering was to be ended peacefully, but due to the presence of the [agitators], unfortunately, this happened," Khojastepour said.
He did not offer a cause of death for the two protesters, but said "no bullets were shot from police and security forces at the people."
Videos circulating on social media late Saturday appeared to show fallen protesters in Doroud as gunshots sounded in the background. The Associated Press could not immediately verify the footage.
Dozens arrested
Thousands have taken to the streets of cities across Iran, beginning on Thursday in Mashhad, the country's second-largest city and a holy site for Shiite pilgrims.
The protests in the Iranian capital, as well as Trump tweeting about them, raised the stakes. It also apparently forced state television to break its silence on Saturday, acknowledging it hadn't reported on the protests on orders from security officials.
At least 50 protesters have been arrested since Thursday, authorities said Saturday. State TV said some protesters chanted the name of the U.S.-backed shah, who fled into exile just before Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution and later died.
The Iranian government has moved to restrict access to social media in the country in an apparent attempt to limit the organizing power of protesters. (Associated Press)
On Sunday, the semi-official ILNA news agency reported that authorities have arrested some 80 protesters in the city of Arak, some 280 kilometres south of Tehran.
Iran's economy has improved since its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which saw Iran limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the end of some international sanctions. Tehran now sells its oil on the global market and has signed deals to purchase tens of billions of dollars' worth of Western aircraft.
That improvement has not reached the average Iranian, however. Unemployment remains high, and official inflation has crept up to 10 per cent again. A recent increase in egg and poultry prices by as much as 40 per cent, which a government spokesman has blamed on a cull over avian flu fears, appears to have been the spark for the economic protests.
Social media sites blocked
While the protests have sparked clashes, Iran's hard-line paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and its affiliates have not intervened as they have in other unauthorized demonstrations since the 2009 election.
Some analysts outside Iran have suggested that may be because the economic protests initially just put pressure on the administration of Rouhani, a relative moderate whose administration struck the nuclear deal.
Street protests challenge Iran's government
Donald Trump, Iran and the trust gap
Many in Iran are learning about the protests and sharing images of them through Telegram, a mobile phone messaging app popular among the country's 80 million people. On Saturday, Telegram shut down one channel on the service over Iranian allegations it encouraged violence, something its moderator denied.
On Sunday, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov wrote on Twitter that authorities had blocked access to the app.
"Iranian authorities are blocking access to Telegram for the majority of Iranians after our public refusal to shut down ... peacefully protesting channels," he wrote.
Iran protests continue to spread, with demonstrators voicing dissatisfaction with the government and the economy. Mazir Bahari, an Iranian-Canadian journalist and a former political prisoner in Iran, says this is the result of decades of frustration among Iranians 4:27
Iran's state TV news website, iribnews.ir, quoted an anonymous source saying that social media in Iran would be temporarily limited as a safety measure.
"With a decision by the Supreme National Security Council, activities of Telegram and Instagram are temporarily limited," the report said, without elaborating.
Global Affairs Canada weighed in on the street demonstrations. It said in a statement Saturday that Ottawa "is encouraged by the Iranian people who are exercising their basic right to protest peacefully," and called for Iran's authorities "to uphold and respect democratic and human rights."
With files from Reuters
Third day of street protests challenge Iran's government
Iran police arrest protesters demonstrating against president, price hikes
Thinking through the consequences: Donald Trump, Iran and the trust gap


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Statistics Show Darker-Skinned Black Girls Punished More Severely Than White Girls in School
Dark-skinned Black elementary- and middle school-aged girls are three times more likely to be suspended than their light-skinned counterparts
JGI/Jamie Grill
We've known for years that Black boys and men are punished more severely than other races for the same offenses. A recent story from The New York Times confirms the same for Black female students.
The Times report tells the story of 12-year-old Mikia, a Black child who was suspended–along with a White student–for writing on a wall in a bathroom stall at their Georgia school. The White student's parents were ordered to pay $100 in damages to the school, with no further consequences. However, Mikia's family was told that they could not pay the $100. Instead, Mikia had to attend a disciplinary hearing and was charged with a trespassing misdemeanor. In exchange for a clean record, Mikia was put on probation and had to complete 16 hours of community service in her town.
Throughout the country, elementary- and middle school-aged Black girls are suspended at a rate of 12 percent, compared to their White counterparts, who were suspended only 2 percent of the time.
"When a darker-skinned African-American female acts up, there's a certain concern about their boyish aggressiveness," said Villanova sociology professor Dr. Lance Hannon. Additionally, Texas A&M professor Dr. Jamilia Blake says that in society's eyes, Black girls are viewed as "unsophisticated, hypersexualized and defiant."
Georgia Legal Services has filed a complaint to the Justice Department on Mikia's behalf. The school district told the Times that it was unable to offer a comment, but it is examining its disciplinary procedures.
"The message we send when we suspend or expel any student is that that student is not worthy of being in the school," said Catherine E. Lhamon, Department of Education's assistant secretary for civil rights. "That is a pretty ugly message to internalize and very, very difficult to get past as part of an educational career."
Kelly Rowland Is Having A Blast As She Prepares To Deliver B...


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Talk Radio Loves GOP Convention
By Dick Meyer
September 2, 2004 / 1:20 PM / CBS
CBSNews.com David Paul Kuhnreports from the Republican National Convention at Madison Square Garden
Syndicated radio host Mike Gallagher is rated sixth in the world of talk radio. He's leading his 9 to 11 a.m. slot Thursday morning talking about Democratic Senator Zell Miller. Miller's fire-breathing keynote address is the talk of Radio Row at the Republican National Convention.
"A Democratic turncoat is a conservative radio host's dream," Gallagher says just before going on the air.
Conservative talkers like Gallagher own the mornings at Madison Square Garden. It's an echo-chamber of conservative ideology. More than 100 hosts chatter and yell, some with flailing arms, some relaxed. There are maybe a half dozen liberal talkers on Radio Row, most prominently the folks from Al Franken's Air America.
The truth is liberals – and Democrats – covet the great megaphone that is talk radio. But talk radio is like Texas -- there are liberal corners but its Bush country as far as the eye can see (or the ear can hear, in this case).
Local Dallas host Darrell Ankarlo says talk radio's conservative bent is only controversial "when you go through liberal areas."When you go through the Heartland," Ankarlo says, "[it's what] you are going to hear."
"It has sass," Gallagher says of conservative talk, including the Fox News Channel in his analysis. Fox beat all other television networks – the over-the-air networks included -- in convention ratings Tuesday night. The sense from Gallagher is that ratings come from "Right-on" talk. Right-on in political bent and truth, he asserts.
The room overflows with theories on why liberals fail at talk radio. Nationally syndicated Geoff Metcalf says it's because the mainstream media is liberal and "that appears to be the perception and the reality."
Nashville's Steve Gill, who does "conservative activist stuff," says, "Liberals have failed in talk radio because a crucible of ideas is what talk radio is all about." Breaking from his rush hour morning show, he adds, "Liberals have depended on emotion."
"Liberals are simply not wired intellectually and emotionally to be receptive to talk radio," claims Scott Hogenson, the Republican National Committee radio director.
"It doesn't mean they are not smart. It means talk radio is not the sort of medium that is going to trigger their judgment and perception motivator," he explains.
Allowing for the dominance of conservative talk, former Fox's News Channel host and now Fox Radio morning man, Tony Snow, is skeptical of radio's reach.
"I think maybe on the margins," he says, breaking from his show, holding a National Review in his hands. "I don't think people turn on the radio and say I am going to get my views there. It's a big kitchen table."
It all started in 1987. When Federal Communications Commission repealed the "fairness" doctrine – which stated that since airways are public political views must be balanced – the flood gates opened thereafter.
In 1994, the force of conservative talk radio materialized massively. The giant of the medium, Rush Limbaugh, was considered instrumental in helping the Republicans recapture Congress.
After Limbaugh, Sean Hannity is the number two talk jock. When Hannity walks on the convention floor a woman yells, "We love you Hannity." GOP delegates want their picture taken with him.
They stop Mike Gallagher for autographs too. One woman cried to him. Others just want a handshake. In Madison Square Garden these men, mostly men, are celebrities of the highest order.
"It's unbelievable," says Gallagher, exhaling, genuinely bewildered. "Here I've been posing for pictures every night, signing autographs." He says that a talk radio fan is a Fox viewer and so the Fox men have extra cache and Gallagher is also a contributor on Fox television.
Outside the convention, in the city of five Democrats from every Republican, he quips, "I've only been called a Nazi here there times."
"If I have a Fox jacket, I cover it up so nobody sees it," Gallagher goes on. "No, I think it's a hoot. We had protesters outside my apartment building the other night and I thought, oh great, they found me."
A June study by Pew Research Center for the People and the Press showed that 45 percent of listeners to talk shows on radio were conservatives, compared to 18 percent that are liberal.
Talkers magazine has found that over half of the listeners are between 35 and 64; 64 percent are white and 54 percent are male. By their numbers, there are more than three conservatives for every liberal listening, twice as many Republicans than Democrats.
But as Gallagher lauds "turncoat" Georgia Senator Miller and stokes the fire over Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter, he insists that they're not preaching to the choir.
"Inevitably we've had an impact I hear everyday from people who tell me, boy Gallagher I don't even vote, I never voted before I started listening to you," he says proudly. But Gallagher emphasizes "our goal is to be entertaining first and enlighten audiences second."
"Our mission is to do great radio. It just so happens it has evolved over the years with people like Rush who sort of exploded our medium," he continues. He adds that liberals "get a little duped because they forget we are just radio hosts. We are not splitting atoms."
As he explains, one day he may talk about Georgia's Miller but the next day "I might talk to the fat lady that sat next to me on the airplane."
And were they ever talking about Miller Thursday morning, the room overflowing with kudos for the Democratic backer of President Bush.
"I think Zell lit it up," Nashville's Gill says. "There are a lot of southern Democrats who are still voting Democrat not because they agree with gay marriage, or abortion, or higher taxes… but because their great grand daddy was a Democrat."
Gill shoots into his shtick: "If the God-fearing, gun owning, baby loving, men and women marrying, too high tax paying southern conservative vote."
Gill, like Gallagher, can turn it on at a moments notice.
"I'm just passionate about doing this," Gallagher explains. "Not only changing people minds maybe but also saying that was one entertaining radio show."
Entertaining makes good ratings. And as they all chase Limbaugh's 15 to 20 million listeners -- Gallagher has 2.5 million -- the right-radio lot was feeling good about the GOP gathering.
Gallagher says "the one-two punch of the swift boat vets and the convention," will give President Bush "a big spike." Later on the air with another Dallas radio host, Mark Davis, Gallagher blurts, "I think that the ship has sailed [for Democrats]."
"And that ship takes the form of a swift boat," Davis replies as he rattles away. "This convention continues the momentum that those courageous Swift boat veterans started," the conservative Texan continues. "When push comes to shove Nov. 2, you and I know who they are going to vote for."
Gallagher leans back, smiles triumphantly and says, "Oh, it feels good to be a Republican this week."
By David Paul Kuhn
First published on September 2, 2004 / 1:20 PM
© 2004 CBS. All rights reserved.
Suspect arrested for death of beloved Baton Rouge activist


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https://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/editorials/article/Yes-likely-something-to-hide-13998908.php
Yes, likely something to hide
House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., pauses in his seat just after the panel voted 24-15 to hold Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt for failing to turn over subpoenaed documents related to the Trump administration's decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census on Wednesday.
House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., pauses in his seat just after the panel voted 24-15 to hold Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt for
Photo: J. Scott Applewhite /Associated Press
The natural question when faced with stonewalling is, "What are you hiding?"
Though we've got a pretty good idea about the answer, it's still a valid question in the case of the evolving reasons for a citizenship question on the U.S. census. It has been evident as the commerce secretary's congressional testimony unraveled after he was asked about the origins of the question and by the recent discovery of documents that point to the near certainty that the question was crafted to give Republicans an advantage in elections.
So, the question is still pertinent and the public has the right to the information being withheld. The administration told congressional investigators Wednesday that executive privilege allows it to withhold subpoenaed documents and testimony in the matter of how the question on citizenship came to be on the 2020 census.
We are certain executive privilege does not confer this protection when it involves something that is as sacred a trust with the American people as the U.S. census, which is supposed to count every resident as accurately as possible and be above partisan pursuits. And, in particular, this evidence deserves no shielding if the question was inserted with the intention of gaming the system to discriminate. This question on citizenship could skew federal funding and congressional and state legislative representation. The census figures are used to calculate both.
An undercount will shortchange states with large Latino and immigrant communities because immigrants — and families with immigrants — will avoid answering the census. This, it's always been apparent, is the real goal of the question, particularly when it comes to redistricting. But the public deserves to know if there is concrete proof.
Base motivations became more apparent when documents surfaced after the death of Thomas Hoeffler, a Republican redistricting strategist. These documents — provided by his daughter to Common Cause — reportedly show Hoeffler's fingerprints on the Commerce Department's inclusion of the question. Hoeffler argued that using this question would give Republicans an advantage in redistricting — to achieve and hold on to power.
And guess which state with a large immigrant population in particular stands to lose if the citizenship question is allowed? That would be Texas, whose attorney general counterintuitively and nonsensically supports the question's inclusion. The state — one of the fastest growing in the nation — stands to gain congressional seats with an accurate count. And it will get shorted in that and in federal funding if the count isn't accurate.
On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee voted to hold U.S. Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt for refusing to turn over documents related to the census question. The Justice Department earlier threatened to ask the president to invoke executive privilege to protect the documents if the committee did this.
This sets up a court battle. The administration contended that the question is needed to help enforce the Voting Rights Act — obviously suspect since this is a measure GOP politicians have traditionally targeted for weakening. And Ross has said the Justice Department requested the question be on the census. It did, but only after Ross pressured it into asking.
The U.S. Supreme Court is now mulling a ruling on the census question — potentially without seeing the Hoeffler evidence. Without viewing this evidence, a ruling in favor of the question would be a travesty and challenge the legitimacy of the court.
And if it is found that the Trump administration purposely tried to pervert the census for partisan gain, this — not the possible charges in the Mueller report — could prove to be this administration's biggest scandal.
For now, Congress is likely to go to a lower court to compel the federal government to turn over the documents it wants on the census. Whatever that ruling, from available evidence, it does indeed appear that the administration is withholding documents for the most obvious — and worst — of reasons: it has something damaging to hide.


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It's Time for New York to Embrace New Modes of Transportation
January 25, 2019 | by Sarah Blas
(photo: Lime Bike)
Over the last few weeks, the governor's decision to cancel the L train shutdown dominated New York transportation news. People cheered the decision, thankful that thousands of riders along the route won't be stranded during the week as they go back-and-forth to work, run errands, and shuttle around their city.
But for a lot of New Yorkers – myself included – the L train news provided no comfort. Actually, it stung a little. Because while the MTA and our leaders are focused on merely keeping our existing mass transportation system from failing, there are millions of us who do not live within easy walking distance of the subway, and who do not have any reliable, affordable transportation options whatsoever.
So one subway line will remain open. Great. What about the rest of us?
The subway lines concentrate in Manhattan, then scatter into the outer-boroughs, missing huge swaths of middle- and lower-income New Yorkers. In other words, those who need reliable public transportation the most tend to have the worst access.
Take where I live, for example. To get to Manhattan from my apartment in the NYCHA Richmond Terrace complex on Staten Island, I have to walk for nearly a half-hour to the ferry. That's almost an hour of walking, both ways. To his credit, the mayor just announced a new fast ferry plan for Staten Island that will help overall travel time -- but actually getting to the ferry is still a haul.
And my commute is nothing compared to others' across the city. According to the Pratt Center for Community Development, 750,000 New Yorkers travel more than one hour each way to work. Notably, two-thirds of them earn less than $35,000 a year. Most of those New Yorkers are also black or Latino.
New subway lines and stops are not going to fix that because no one is planning to build any. The MTA is a financial mess and new lines are prohibitively expensive. New bus lines would be welcome, but those would also be costly and vulnerable to budget cuts.
But there are other modes of transportation that require little or no infrastructure that could effectively address the problem now – and the City Council held a hearing on them this week.
On Wednesday, Council members debated legislation to legalize electric scooters in New York, and to expand access to dock-free bikes and scooters citywide. The bills – which now have significant support from Council members – cannot be passed soon enough.
There are companies ready and willing to deliver dock-free bike- and scooter-share service right now. Start-ups like Lime and Jump already provide pedal bikes and e-bikes in pilot zones in the Rockaways, part of the Bronx and on the North Shore of Staten Island. My organization successfully partnered with Lime this summer to serve Richmond Terrace's alternative transportation needs.
These new, convenient options are operating successfully in other big cities such as Seattle and Paris at citywide scale, carrying thousands of people a day from point A to point B and connecting them to public transportation, significantly shortening their trips.
Dock-free bikes and scooters are also affordable. The standard fee for dock-free bike rides is a third of CitiBike's price and comparable to a subway or bus fare, allowing people of any income or zip code to move around more easily.
And dock-free bikes and scooters will connect a more diverse population to affordable, reliable transportation. Lime surveyed about 600 riders in its New York City pilot zones and found that about 70 percent of its riders identify as non-white. Sixty-one percent of riders said they were from households that earn $50,000 a year or less.
Governor Cuomo recently endorsed legislation that will authorize cities like New York to allow dock-free electric bikes and scooters. The Legislature should pass those bills as soon as possible, and the city should follow suit.
The city's transportation equity crisis is real. We must deliver new transportation options to New Yorkers -- especially those who are stranded by mass transit. We deserve at least the right to choose a better commute. Let's make it happen.
Sarah Blas is the Executive Director of the Richmond Terrace Therapeutic Gardens.
Tags: Committee on Transportation • e-bikes • e-scooters


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Walking lady (Vitex gaumeri)

Also known as:
Fiddlewood, Yax-nik

Kingdom	Plantae

Phylum	Tracheophyta

Class	Magnoliopsida

Order	Lamiales

Family	Verbenaceae

Genus	Vitex (1)

Classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List (1).

Information on the walking lady is currently being researched and written and will appear here shortly.

This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact:
arkive@wildscreen.org.uk

IUCN Red List (June, 2010)
http://www.iucnredlist.org

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Yangasso is a small town and commune in the Cercle of Bla in the Ségou Region of southern-central Mali. As of 1998 the commune had a population of 14,456.

On 21 December 1915, a column of Senegalese Tirailleurs of the French Army was defeated here in a battle of the Volta-Bani War.

References

Communes of Ségou Region

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Sorry for the late post today everyone! I just wasn't on my A-game this morning.
For week three of my cooking challenge I decided to make a summertime favorite. We've been having a bit of a warm spell in the D.C.-area as of late. Sunday it was up in the 50s! Wheee! And I've been inspired by the warm weather to whip up some warm-weather food.
One of my favorite summertime foods is my mom's three-bean salad. It's one of the quickest and easiest recipes around, takes about five minutes to make and doesn't require any cooking at all.
Open the cans, rinse the beans and dump them all in a bowl.
Then it's time to whip up the dressing.
The dressing is made of oil and red wine vinegar. The original recipe calls for 2 parts oil to one part vinegar, but I sometimes do a one to one mix.
Then you add lots of spices. Pepper is always a necessity and sometimes that's all I use, but last night I dumped in some onion powder too.
Pour the dressing over the beans and pop in the fridge for an hour or so to chill and then eat.
I take this recipe to picnics and potlucks all the time because it's so easy and delicious. It's also perfect for when I'm in a pinch or I'm not feeling the most creative in the kitchen.
I'm a huge lover of beans...this recipe is calling my name...looks great!
I haven't been feeling like salads/cold foods all winter (despite the recent warm spell) but I'll definitely try this at some point. Looks good!
I need to "star" this one. I am always looking for something healthy to snack on between meals!
i wish i could eat beans... this is so simple i could totally pull it off!
wax beans? never heard of them?
I've never heard of doing that before. Interesting!!


Just like the Indian that helped to protect that Ranger dude these gloves will have your back. The heavy side split cowhide and super-strong, heat resistant DuPont Kevlar thread work together to give you the protection you need. The 16010 Sidekick series features select side split leather, heavy white canvas back, and 2.5" rubberized safety cuff.


Bitwise recently submitted a report to the SEC concerning their research on the current state of affairs among crypto exchanges, in relation to their own filing for a Bitcoin ETF. According to the 226 slides that they submitted, 95% of all Bitcoin spot trading that is reported is faked, and only 10 exchanges have any real (>$1 million daily) trading volume.
The report goes onto explain how this isn't really all bad news. They claim that when you remove the "fake" volume, the actual spot volume percentage matches well with what we see in the gold markets, and is only a bit higher than what we see for the crypto futures market. The point Bitwise is trying to make to the SEC is that despite everything, the crypto market is still incredibly healthy.
It is unclear at this time if Bitwise will have a response to this claim.
Ultimately, this is just a few key points, as the full report gets into the methodology for this research and far more detailed results. The tone is very positive and optimistic about the nature of the current crypto markets. Will this help change the SEC's stance towards crypto and usher in the first Bitcoin ETF? Stick with Chepicap to find out.


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Гаджилы — фамилия. Известные носители:
 Гаджилы, Ариф Мустафаевич (род. 1962) — азербайджанский политический деятель, глава партии «Мусават».
 Гаджилы, Раик Али оглы (род. 1940) — азербайджанский химик, доктор химических наук, профессор.


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Denise Gilmore
Manager of the Historic Properties Redevelopment Program
The Tax Credit Toolkit
Fri, June 2
Salon II
Vehicles for Investment: Sponsored by Woodforest National Bank
Denise E. Gilmore is Manager of the Historic Properties Redevelopment Program at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The National Trust is a privately funded nonprofit working to save America's historic places and a leading voice for preservation. In this capacity, she leads the National Trust's efforts to expand the use of redevelopment tools including revolving funds and other financing tools that increase historic property redevelopment. Denise is truly passionate about saving historic properties in a manner that celebrates the people and the place while creating economic activity.
Prior to joining the National Trust, Denise provided cultural heritage and historic preservation consulting services to urban communities to redevelop and revitalize cultural assets while maintaining cultural authenticity. For thirteen years, she championed the commercial redevelopment effort for the historic 18th & Vine Jazz District located in Kansas City, Missouri, a mixed-use urban district. Prior to becoming President and Chief Executive Officer of the Jazz District Redevelopment Corporation, she served as Chief Financial Officer. As President, Denise ensured that the redevelopment preserved the cultural heritage of the historic district. The Apartments at Highland Place, completed under her leadership in 2013, created 20 units of affordable housing using federal and state historic tax credits. Originally built between 1880 and 1920, these structures represented the last extant cluster of residential housing from the turn of the 20th century. The Apartments at Highland Place received four awards of outstanding recognition, local and state-wide, for historic preservation and adaptive reuse.
Denise speaks, presents workshops, and provides technical assistance at conferences and forums throughout the nation on successful community economic redevelopment practices. She is recognized as an authority on redevelopment in urban communities, with a particular focus on equitable development and heritage preservation.
Denise has served on numerous community boards and civic committees; including the Black Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City Board of Directors, which serves to collect and preserve the history of African-Americans in the Midwest. Denise was instrumental in providing financial leadership as Board Treasurer to the $10 million historic rehabilitation tax credit project to renovate the historic building as a permanent home for the Archives.
Denise has a M.B.A. in Finance and Business Administration from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, and a B.S. in Accounting and Business Administration from the University of Kansas. She has a Certificate in Community Economic Development from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Bloch School of Business.
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It's another antioxidant that's been evaluated in high doses to see if it could protect against chronic diseases like cancer. Adaptogens are a special class of medicinal herbs. Our team includes licensed nutritionists and dietitians, certified health education specialists, as well as certified strength and conditioning specialists, personal trainers and corrective exercise specialists. They have the potential to cause negative side effects such as heart palpitations. Despite the name, horny goat weed actually helps improve your erection, not libido.
Tongkat Ali is the root of ashrub that has been used to enhance virility for centuries — and gold standard clinical researchhas found it really works. Kristal, one of the study's authors. Lycopene Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant from the family of red, orange, and yellow fat-soluble pigments called carotenoids. Men live shorter lives in large part because of their increased risk for chronic disease like cardiovascular disease and cancer, and men have to worry about the quality of life decline that comes along with the aging-related decrease in testosterone levels. When you do, you reduce the risk of purchasing a worthless, ineffective product. Recommended daily intake The natural forms of vitamin E are more active and better absorbed. Saw palmetto inhibits the action of the hormone dihydrostestosteron, which contributes to enlarging the prostate.
Please note that any product advertised on this site is not specifically endorsed, recommended, validated or otherwise supported by Live in the Now. B12 can be obtained from eating most animal proteins, especially lamb, beef and salmon. It has the potential to be an extremely powerful product, but the problem is as touched on before , that there is not enough clinical proof for one of the primary ingredients, namely fenugreek. On top of that, protein helps induce a sense of satiety, which will keep you from eating more than you should. Mens health may not seem as complicated as , due to the fact that there are fewer hormones involved, but to achieve optimal health, men should aim to support all aspects of their health in ways that are safe, effective, present few risks and improve quality of life. Vegetarian option Vegetarians can get some anti-inflammatory benefits of essential fatty acids by eating walnuts and flax seed and other sources. After all they made it, so they should know how to use it correctly.
Those are the goals as stated on the bottle, referring to increased muscle production, stimulation of boosted testosterone levels, and improved performance both in the gym and in bed. Guarana also may help reduce your risk of blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes, and was shown to improve energy levels in cancer patients suffering from fatigue. D aspartic acid, vitamin D3 and zinc are probably the most important testosterone ingredients in existence. A German study found that patients taking feverfew for 16 weeks reported the frequency of headaches decreased by 2 migraines per month in the feverfew group compared to 1. So could clubmoss cure forgetfulness and sharpen your mental edge? It can be found in meat, milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.
In terms of cardiovascular disease, a scientific statement by the American Heart Association found that consumption of high amounts of fish oil decreased risk of heart disease by half, and decreased risk of sudden death by heart attack by two-thirds. The researchers who conducted this study found that, even when you control for health status, age is an independent cause of low testosterone. However, you might actually be better off going one step back in the chain reaction and taking an supplement. By spending 15—20 minutes outside most days of the week without sunscreen on, you help vitamin D become synthesized when it comes into contact with your skin, plus you detox your body with the sun. Researchers found that the whey protein group had significantly lower blood levels of the hormone ghrelin, which spurs appetite, meaning the protein may keep you feeling fuller longer. Why you might need it: You might not. Iron amount Another caveat: This vitamin contains 18 milligrams of iron.
Load your muscles by taking either 5 grams a day for 5 days, or 3 grams a day for 28 days. The herb is particularly effective for those whose willy woes are based on other medications: found ginkgo biloba is 76% effective in treating sexual dysfunction caused by antidepressants. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. All of these are hallmarks of low testosterone. Why you might need it: Studies show that taking vitamin C can reduce the duration of a cold by almost two days. Try and chill out more and keep your stress levels down.
Points to consider Formula inconsistencies Although it received a relatively high score from Labdoor , there are a few red flags for label claim variance. Upper limits for any vitamin vary widely: More than twice the recommended amount of Vitamin A is dangerous, but you can have up to 26 times the recommended daily amount of Vitamin C without experiencing any ill effects. Generally speaking, unlike the deadly cocktail effect of pharmaceuticals, all-natural herbal supplements are synergistic. Carotenoids are found in all plant food, and are most plentiful in those that have the brightest colour. Judge your strengths and weaknesses, and pencil in a lineup that will work for you. Milk thistle Milk thistle Silybum marianum is essential in supporting healthy liver function. Why you might need it: To prevent migraines.
Pomegranate Pomegranate is a rich source of antioxidant polyphenols. Although we searched, very few multivitamins contain significant amounts of everything. Because the supplement increases serotonin, it may help level out moods and even treat mild to moderate depression. Korean Red Panax Ginseng What it does: Ginseng color refers not to the original plant, but to how the root is prepared. Antioxidant Vitamins Vitamins A, C and E Eating a diet rich in like fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens like spinach, kale or collard greens, is the best way to get protective antioxidants like vitamin C and A. While it is possible for anybody to buy testosterone online, the risk of side effects might not be worth it. To learn more about what each individual ingredient does and how they work to boost your testosterone levels, be sure to check out the full review.
However, yohimbe also has a handful of side effects, including elevated blood pressure and anxiety, so definitely talk to your doctor before you start on the supp. The great thing about these herbs is that they can be safely combined without worrying about toxic side effects. The value of the U. Only use natural cleaning products around the home I recommend , , and … and natural self-care products for your body I recommend , , , and. In order for a product to do its job, the ingredients must be able to work well together. Of people who took 400 mg of riboflavin, 59 percent cut the number of migraines they suffered in half. As a supplement, it's safe to take up to 500 mg twice daily for up to 12 weeks, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Our guide uses the latest recommended daily values. It also converts inactive folic acid into the active form and plays a role in the formation of hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen in red blood cells. And not just your heart. This means if you are constantly tense or anxious, cortisol levels will rise which blocks testosterone from joining the party. If this is a concern for you, stick with the tried and true supplements for men, and be patient for the cutting-edge stuff like nootropics to become more well-researched. Ginkgo is an herb long used in Chinese medicine to improve blood flow and oxygen to the brain.


Pylon Technologies, Co. Ltd, founded in 2009, is pioneering the LIB (lithium ion battery) ESS (energy storage system) and EV (electrical vehicle) market both in China and overseas market . With self-developed core technologies in the cathode material, battery cell and BMS (battery management system), Pylontech is among the very few companies who had vertically integrated the whole lithium battery industrial chain.
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How much can one hope to earn through trading options on the conservative side, and how long does it take to become an expert, on average? Is it necessary to purchase special software for options trading (technical indicators and such)? Thank you, Jo. Yes. It can be done. You can generate income.
Options trading is an inherently risky financial activity that should only be pursued by those people who have developed effective risk management and asset allocation strategies. However, if you are willing to obtain the education and perform the hard work necessary to make money at it, options trading can be a very rewarding and profitable.
Many people often wonder how much money they can make trading options. It's an extremely difficult question to answer because of the unlimited strategy possibilities one can trade and how much risk is taken in each trade.
7/18/2011 · I have been trading for a number of years. it is only now that I can make some gains. I have made 300% in 1 month, and its not unreasonable to be able to make a few hundred dollars a night easily. and definately 5% per month on large accounts and 50%+ on smaller accounts.
Premium. Deciding how much to pay for options requires some trading experience. However, you must be aware of several items. Was the option price reasonable or was the implied volatility of this option too high? Did buying these options at this price give you a fair chance to make any money - based on your expectation for the price increase?
How Much Should I Expect To Make A Year? Posted by Pete Stolcers on June 17, 2006. Option Trading Question. Today Rich asks such a great question that I will post it all. "This is more trading goal oriented. I would like to setup goals to measure progress. Is this a good idea? What can be reasonably expected as far as a rate of return?
There are a ton of options out there, and if you want to learn more about how to do this, please read the blog post - Instead of focusing on how much you can make per year trading, you need to think of how much you are willing to lose. When Al is not working on Tradingsim, he can be found spending time with family and friends. web.
How Much Money Can I Make Swing Trading Stocks with $20,000 If you risk 1% of $20,000, you can risk up to $200 per trade. Assume you want to buy a $50 stock, place a stop loss at $49 and a target at $53.
Understand that there will be lumps along the way, but there will also be victories, and the lumps make the victories feel so much sweeter. How Beginners Can Make Money. Even with so many ways to mess up, beginners to binary option trading can make money if they work hard and follow a system. The key to binary options trading is to control risk.
© How much can i make trading options Binary Option | How much can i make trading options Best binary options.


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Q: Is there any way to extract text from image though OCR? any one kindly recommend example..thanks I stuck in problem to extract text from image though OCR. could not find any example yet to. What i want to take image from camera and extract all text from image and display.Kindly anyone would recommend me fully example.
thanks.

A: You can use tesseract-ocr. Very effective tool. I haven't used tesseract in android.I guess you can get information in this and this links.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Drew Barrymore House
By Dee Dee on February 8, 2011 in Articles › Celebrity Homes
Where does Drew Barrymore live? Drew Barrymore has a number of homes, including a Hollywood hills ranch style home, an estate in Montecito, and an estate in seaside enclave of Montecito, California. Barrymore's Colonial style mansion has 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, and 2 half baths. The home has hard wood floors, a formal dining room with paned windows, a library, a formal living room with pine colored paneled walls, fireplace, and built-in book cases, and a large guest wing. The master suite has large dressing and bathroom areas that opens to a shaded private garden. The back yard has a guest house, a terrace with wide expanse of green lawn surrounded by established trees.
Drew Barrymore Articles
Drew Barrymore Net Worth
By Brian Warner on Oct 7, 2009
Drew Barrymore net worth and salary: Drew Barrymore is an American actress, director and producer who has a net worth of $125 million. Drew Barrymore was born on February 22
Jaid Barrymore Net Worth
By Alex Chan on Nov 21, 2015
Jaid Barrymore net worth: Jaid Barrymore is a German American actress who has a net worth of $3 million. Jaid Barrymore was born in
Frances Bean Cobain Net Worth
By Brian Warner on Jan 10, 2011
Frances Bean Cobain Net Worth: Frances Bean Cobain is an American artist who has a net worth of $200 million. Frances Bean Cobain was born in Los Angeles
Tom Green Net Worth
Tom Green Net Worth: Tom Green is a Canadian actor, rapper, writer, comedian, talk show host and media personality who has a net worth of


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Met briefadel wordt Duitse adel bedoeld die van burgerlijke (of van buitenlandse) komaf is en door een soeverein met verlening van een adelsbrief en wapen in de adelstand is verheven.

Adel


Ultrasound Technician (UT) are also be referred as an Ultrasonography Technician, or simply as a Sonographer. Their duties are much like that of the x-ray technicians or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technicians because they take pictures to find the source of the problems inside human beings. The difference lies in the way the internal parts of the body are imaged. In ultrasound technology, the reflected sonic sound waves are used to record the images of internal organs and tissues. UTs are required to have a friendly approach and pleasant demeanor with patients and they have to explain the procedure to the patients and make them feel comfortable at the imaging table.
Ultrasound images help diagnose conditions by looking inside the human body to find anything. The most common use of ultrasounds is for pregnancy, but even cancer and cardiac issues can be monitored. Generally, the sonographers are searching for any abnormalities. The clarity of the images is enhanced by the technicians to assist the physician.
UTs also have to conduct some measurements and readings of appropriate areas and angles (as per physician's direction), perform calculations and an evaluation of the fetus based on the images taken by the sonography machines. They are required to prepare a report and deliver it to either the patients or the referring physicians. They are also responsible for the scheduling of patients, recording the patient and collecting data.
There are many different fields of sonography, namely Obstetrics/Gynecology Sonography, Breast Sonography, Echocardiography, Abdominal sonography, Neurosonography and Vascular Technologists.
An ultrasound technician is usually employed in hospitals, physician's clinics and medical diagnostic or laboratories. A UTs will also need to be able to manage patients when lifting, moving or shifting them throughout the day.
In order to become a ultrasound technician, you will need to complete either a two-year associate degree or a four year degree from an accredited college. The bachelor's degree, or 4 year degree, would appear better on the resume in the long run. UTs need not be licensed to work. However, there is a membership with a professional association like the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) that can assist with employment opportunities.
Ultrasound technology is rapidly expanding its horizons and thus it gives rise to new procedures and utilities. So, UTs are required to maintain their knowledge and to build on their skill set. They are often required to be re-certified and complete training courses after a few years.
The average annual income of UTs, calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), is between $53,000 and $58,000 in 2004. The highest paid technicians have an annual income of $72,000. The extent of the salary varies with the location of the position, your experience, specializations or certification and the level of education. Apart from the salary, they are generally entitled to additional benefits including free housing, travel reimbursements, benefits and paid vacations.
The BLS has also predicted the growth of the employment of UTs to grow much faster than the average position. The main reason for the increase is our aging population and additional necessary care that will be required, as a result.


A nice and modern Somerset Condo with 2 Bedrooms and 2 Full Baths. North Ames; close to ISU Campus, Shops, Grocery Store, Restaurants and a Fitness Club. The Kitchen with 42inch Upper Cabinets opens up to the Living Room and Dining Area. Nice Stainless Steel Appliances included. Counter Bar Seating off the Kitchen as well. Large Storage Closet by the entry. Separate Washer/Dryer Closet. The Master Suite is large and spacious with a Closet and an attached Full Bath with a Linen Closet. Bedroom 2 is also spacious with a Full Bath and Linen Closet right next door. Detached Garage Unit with a Window. Somerset Clubhouse with a Swimming Pool, Kitchen, Meeting Room, Entertaining Spaces, Basketball and Sand Volleyball Courts is right behind the Building for easy access and plenty of extra parking.