text:
Rapper Jon James Dies After Walking On Plane Wing During Mid-Flight Video Shoot
Tom Williams Oct. 24, 2018
Canadian rapper Jon James McMurray — better known as Jon James — has died after walking along the wing of a small plane during a mid-flight music video shoot.
Filming in British Columbia on the weekend, 34-year-old Jon James — who is known for mixing stunt work into his videos — walked down the wing of the Cessna as a pilot controlled the plane, but walked too far and supposedly caused the aircraft to enter a downward spiral.
In a statement shared with media, the musician's management said, "Jon held onto the wing until it was too late, and by the time he let go, he didn't have time to pull his chute.
"He impacted and died instantly."
The pilot landed safely and no one else was injured, but Canadian authorities are reportedly investigating the incident.
James' management said he had been working on the video shoot for months, and had "trained intensely" for it.
"His passion for making music videos and performing stunts were combined, and Jon pushed music in a new direction that was unchartered [sic] territory," they said.
Tributes to James have since appeared on social media, including from his friend Rory Bushfield. Read his Instagram tribute, below.
The sun is not as bright today as it was yesterday when it was shinning on my homies last moments. Jon james Mcmurray, my very best, dearest and oldest friend passed yesterday evening in a skydive accident. He was living his ultimate dream, free and full. May he Rest In Peace. I'm gonna miss him so much. Thanks for all the lessons over the years fee. You where such a good man, you brought up everyone around you and I promise to try my best to live as free as you did. Take care of my girl Sarah up there homie. I love you. All my love to his family and people.
A post shared by Rory Wayne Bushfield (@bushywayne) on Oct 21, 2018 at 4:43pm PDT
Jon James McMurray's management team sent out a statement saying the stunt rapper died while filming for a music video. pic.twitter.com/sUfiNOrWS6
— Megan Turcato (@meganturcato) October 22, 2018
XXXTentacion Confesses To Domestic Abuse & Stabbings In Newly Released Secret Recording
Pitch Music & Arts Festival's 2019 Lineup Is Here
Jon James


Oh karma chameleon Are you in tune to the voice that makes that noise saying your work here is done?
Unless you find some way to mask them in some sarcastic pun?
What was so wrong with taking your wings off, a day of working done In your dreams of hell, do you have endless chores or are you banished to boredom?
The butter is a lie and the senate is made of meat.


text:
Miami Hurricane, January 27, 1994
"With school and work, I couldn't dedicate myself to SG. I had to get a job this semester to get myself through school and I'm working full-time hours."
GUS ABALO Former SG vice president
By LISA J. HURIASH
Associate News Editor
Gus Abalo resigned as Student Government vice president Wednesday. SG President Adam August said he will officially nominate someone to fill Abalo's position next Wednesday.
August said he has already chosen Abalo's successor, but refused to disclose who that person is. August is responsible for choosing a new vice president, but the SG Senate must ratify his choice.
In a letter to August, Abalo stated that he hopes he isn't creating an undue burden on SG and hopes to leave on the best terms possible.
"With school and work, I couldn't dedicate myself to SG," Abalo said. "I had to get a job this semester to get myself through
school and I'm working full-time hours." Abalo also said he would have more time to "pick up (his) grades.
"It's rough. There's only [a couple] month[s) left," he said. "I haven't heard anything |about my replacement]. It should go to James Dodrill."
But Dodrill, SG assistant vice president, said he plans to retain his position for the remainder of the semester, not moving up to the vice president position.
"I'm president of my fraternity ISigma Alpha Mu] and vice president would be too much," he said.
August said he doesn't want to create the impression that the new calendar year is being "started on a down note."
"We can use this as a catalyst instead of a barrier," he said. "I
want to finish my term on a bang." The job of the vice president, said Victoria Williams, SG Community Affairs and Volunteerism chairperson, is to focus on internal recruitment and organize the Cabinet chairpeople.
"It's unfortunate that Gus had to leave," Williams said. "But he picked good chairs in the fall and we now have enough man and woman power [to do the job.]" Michelle Goldsmith, executive secretary, will run the Cabinet
meetings until a replacement is voted in by the Senate.
Two sources inside Student Government said they suspect August will choose a brother from his fraternity, Sigma Alpha Mu, to be vice president. August said he will choose whomever is best qualified for the job.
Ira Miller, Speaker of the Senate, said 10 to 15 names have come up for discussion, both male and female. He refused to disclose specific students.
"[August] has the entire student body to choose from," Miller said. "The president is looking for a replacement to fill up the rest of the term. Adam chooses and the Senate ratifies it.
"(Having Abalo not run the Cabinet] won't be a problem," Miller said. "There are plenty of qualified people, good people in all aspects [of the Cabinet].
UM senior Mercy Verazain said she is surprised that Abalo resigned.
"I thought (August and Abalo] were a strong ticket and I'm surprised he left," she said. "I thought they were all gungho about SG. I'm surprised he didn't stick it out.
"I think [SG] will still be O.K. because there's other leaders (August] can use," she said.
■ Abalo
Heaters leave swimmers, divers with a chill
By MATT NOWAK
Electric heaters the University purchased for $27,000 one year ago to heat the University Center Pool don't work if the temperature goes down to 56 degrees, said Lyn Doering. assistant director of Facilities and Maintenance at the Whitten University Center.
"It's been so cold at night recently that the water is now down to 78 degrees," Doering said. He said the heaters don't work correctly at lower temperatures. From Jan. 1 through Wednesday, the temperature was 56 degrees or lower six days.
Doering said he and his staff have been using additional smaller heaters to help heat the 650,000 gallon pool but have been unsuccessful in raising the temperatures of the water.
"The University spent all this money for new electric heaters and they're not doing the job," said James Lance, who teaches scuba classes at the pool. "I've been told if it rains, the heaters automatically shut off, so they have to put up plywood. We're all disgusted with it. We're worse off than before they had the heaters."
Because of this, water temperatures in the University Center pool have been uncomfortably low and are expected to remain this way until either the sun comes out or a leak in a steam pipe can be repaired, said Doering.
"Normally the pool is heated by steam traveling from the cafeterias through pipes," Doering said. "One of these pipes has broken in a spot that is very hard to get at." He said the damaged pipe could not be repaired until he received an estimate for the work.
Called Drake Heat Exchangers, the heaters were installed during the pool's renovation a year ago. Doering said the heaters were intended to be an alternative to the steam heat that had been heating the pool.
For the UM swim and dive team and other swimmers who use the pool every day, the lower temperatures have been hard to deal with. Sid Cassidy, the UM swim coach, said the cold temperatures have affected the team's daily practices.
"The new heaters have been a real disappointment over the last several weeks," Cassidy said. "Water temperatures of between 80 and 83 degrees are ideal. I've had to cancel some practices and shorten others because the water was just too cold."
Cassidy explained that though a few degrees difference does not seem like much to most people, spending up to two hours in 75-degree weather is not healthy.
■ ANOTHER DAY AT THE POOL: Louis Vann, 72, towels off after swimming his daily half mile in the UM pool.
Slides, clips bring sixties to students
By MADELINE BARO
Barry Drake wants to tell everyone that the music of the sixties was not fake.
"It was real music made by real musicians," said Drake, the "walking encyclopedia of music."
"The music brought everyone together," Drake said.
Wednesday night the Rathskeller was filled with sounds of the sixties as Drake presented "60's Rock ... When the Music Mattered," a multimedia showcase of music from the 1960s.
Barry Drake, a performer and aongwriter, takes his rock lectures to over 100 colleges every year. The presentation consisted of a ■tide show accompanied by music and Drake's narration.
Drake discussed everything from doo-wop and surf music to soul music and the origins of heavy metal. He included music from groups as diverse as the Supremes and Steppenwolf. He told the audience little-known facts about the different groups and even showed the audience all the words to "Louie, Louie."
CHRIS BERNACCHI/Photo Editor
■ STILL ROCKIN': Bob Dylan and Barry Drake during Drake's 60's rock multi-media presentation at the Rathskeller Wednesday.
Pat Drake, Barry's wife and assistant, said the presentation is to "keep the record straight on the music and on what happened. It's educational and entertaining at the same time."
That's what students who attended the presentation said.
"He did a real good job of showing how it evolved from the blues to the Beatles to the Supremes to Led Zeppelin," said sophomore Bill Freundlich.
"I thought it was great," said freshman Kelly Baines. "He was there. He knows what he's talking about."
The audience of about 50 people seemed to enjoy the presentation.
"[The music of the sixties] brought everyone together.0
BARRY DRAKE A performer and songwriter
Many sang along with the music and the exclamation "Yeah!" was heard several times as musicians like the Doors and Jimi Hendrix made their appearances on the screen.
"I loved it. There were a lot of cool bands and a lot of cool music I listen to," said freshman Jennifer DeCarolis.
Speaker warns students about eating disorders
By USA J. HURIA8H
Associate News Editor More than 80 percent of all females in the United States between the ages of 13 to 60 may have some form of an eating disorder, said Lisa Woltz, founder of the Foundation for Eating Disorder Support.
Woltz told more than 50 students Wednesday that professional care and direct action is the only way to stop the cycle of anorexia nervosa, bulimia and compulsive eating. She said 20 percent of men also suffer from eating disorders.
"Eating disorders steal away the fabric from life," said Woltz, 36. "There are far more important things in the world than what our size is, what our weight is."
She said she speaks from experience. Recovering from years of varieties of disorders, she had been hospitalized and depressed.
"My weight ranged from 62 to 110 pounds," she said. "The role model of the time was Twiggy." She said she now devotes her time to helping people recover from their eating addictions.
Woltz said she is opening the
See page 3/ DISORDERS
Registration changes prove successful
By LUCIA SOBRIN
This year an arena in the Ibis Cafeteria for spring registration was replaced by a partially appointment-based system.
"We've been looking to do away with spring arena registration for two to three years," said Scott Ingold, associate dean of Enrollments. "Over time, there have been fewer and fewer spring registrations, and we have extended the amount of time the [computer] system is open for continuing students."
According to Ingold, only seven percent of total registration was being conducted in the cafeteria. The arena was for new students, transfer students who had not registered previously and continuing students who wished to change their schedule or who had to reregister for classes.
The arena, which primarily handles payments, would have been set up on Jan. 13 and 14. Many students, however, do not even come in until after the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend.
Ingold said he thinks spring arena registration is counterproductive for University of Miami personnel. The offices of Financial Assistance Services, Student Account Services and Registration have to be shut down, computers have to be moved and workers have to be displaced.
"JSpring arena registration] was taking everyone away from real work in the offices to have them sit there and not be as busy as they could be if they were in their offices," said Ingold.
Martin Carney, director of Financial Assistance Services, said he agrees.
"Having to close the office and relocate was a cumbersome process," said Carney.
Students were first notified of the arena's cancellation through a letter sent out before Christmas and a message in their billing.
Then students in the four local counties, Dade, Broward, Monroe and Palm Beach, were sent completion cards notifying them that they could come in any time after Jan. 5 to finalize their accounts. Other students were scheduled for
after the holiday weekend.
The computer registration system was up beginning Jan. 3.
"Any registration, additions or drops could have been done during this time," said Katharine Thompson, manager of the Division of Registration of Enrollment Services.
New students were given a general orientation and an information session within their college on Jan.
13. Then they received appointments to meet with their advisers and register for classes on Jan. 13 or 14.
Student Account Services even extended its hours from Jan. 5 to j 21 to help handle the payment 4 load.
Administrators said they have been pleased with the new system.
"The change hasn't affected registration at all. It has been really delightful," said Thompson.
Lillian Ser, Director of Student Account Services, also reported everything had "run smoothly."
Carney said it went so well that financial assistance services might even reduce the number of hours it is open during future spring registrations.
Students are also praising the way registration was carried through.
"I went to Merrick after seeing my adviser. They processed my classes and gave me a print-out right away. There were no lines at all," said Cristina Manaricua, a freshman transfer student from Tufts University.
Manaricua's mother used Student Account Services' later hours to finalize payments.
Kym McCabe, a junior transfer student from New York University, said the registration process was quick and easy.
"I couldn't believe we were being treated so well. At NYU, no one was around to help, and there were mobs of people everywhere," said McCabe.
Paul Israel, a freshman transfer student from the University of Florida, agreed.
"It was a good process," he said. "Someone personally explained to me what classes I had to take and registered me immediately."
■	ALL-AMERICAN:
Junior Gillian Russell, a four-time All-American, will make the Hurricanes an up-and-coming program. 8m Sports, page 8.
■	Did you watch the State of the Union Address? Someone did.
8m Opinion, pago 4.
■ Hurricane staffer talks to Montel Williams.
8m Accani, paga 8.
■ Want to see what the stars hold for you? Check out the horoscope.
Sm Accani, paga 7.
*!
Title Miami Hurricane, January 27, 1994
Full Text "With school and work, I couldn't dedicate myself to SG. I had to get a job this semester to get myself through school and I'm working full-time hours." GUS ABALO Former SG vice president By LISA J. HURIASH Associate News Editor Gus Abalo resigned as Student Government vice president Wednesday. SG President Adam August said he will officially nominate someone to fill Abalo's position next Wednesday. August said he has already chosen Abalo's successor, but refused to disclose who that person is. August is responsible for choosing a new vice president, but the SG Senate must ratify his choice. In a letter to August, Abalo stated that he hopes he isn't creating an undue burden on SG and hopes to leave on the best terms possible. "With school and work, I couldn't dedicate myself to SG," Abalo said. "I had to get a job this semester to get myself through school and I'm working full-time hours." Abalo also said he would have more time to "pick up (his) grades. "It's rough. There's only [a couple] month[s) left," he said. "I haven't heard anything |about my replacement]. It should go to James Dodrill." But Dodrill, SG assistant vice president, said he plans to retain his position for the remainder of the semester, not moving up to the vice president position. "I'm president of my fraternity ISigma Alpha Mu] and vice president would be too much," he said. August said he doesn't want to create the impression that the new calendar year is being "started on a down note." "We can use this as a catalyst instead of a barrier," he said. "I want to finish my term on a bang." The job of the vice president, said Victoria Williams, SG Community Affairs and Volunteerism chairperson, is to focus on internal recruitment and organize the Cabinet chairpeople. "It's unfortunate that Gus had to leave," Williams said. "But he picked good chairs in the fall and we now have enough man and woman power [to do the job.]" Michelle Goldsmith, executive secretary, will run the Cabinet meetings until a replacement is voted in by the Senate. Two sources inside Student Government said they suspect August will choose a brother from his fraternity, Sigma Alpha Mu, to be vice president. August said he will choose whomever is best qualified for the job. Ira Miller, Speaker of the Senate, said 10 to 15 names have come up for discussion, both male and female. He refused to disclose specific students. "[August] has the entire student body to choose from," Miller said. "The president is looking for a replacement to fill up the rest of the term. Adam chooses and the Senate ratifies it. "(Having Abalo not run the Cabinet] won't be a problem," Miller said. "There are plenty of qualified people, good people in all aspects [of the Cabinet]. UM senior Mercy Verazain said she is surprised that Abalo resigned. "I thought (August and Abalo] were a strong ticket and I'm surprised he left," she said. "I thought they were all gungho about SG. I'm surprised he didn't stick it out. "I think [SG] will still be O.K. because there's other leaders (August] can use," she said. ■ Abalo Heaters leave swimmers, divers with a chill By MATT NOWAK Hurricane Staff Writer Electric heaters the University purchased for $27,000 one year ago to heat the University Center Pool don't work if the temperature goes down to 56 degrees, said Lyn Doering. assistant director of Facilities and Maintenance at the Whitten University Center. "It's been so cold at night recently that the water is now down to 78 degrees," Doering said. He said the heaters don't work correctly at lower temperatures. From Jan. 1 through Wednesday, the temperature was 56 degrees or lower six days. Doering said he and his staff have been using additional smaller heaters to help heat the 650,000 gallon pool but have been unsuccessful in raising the temperatures of the water. "The University spent all this money for new electric heaters and they're not doing the job," said James Lance, who teaches scuba classes at the pool. "I've been told if it rains, the heaters automatically shut off, so they have to put up plywood. We're all disgusted with it. We're worse off than before they had the heaters." Because of this, water temperatures in the University Center pool have been uncomfortably low and are expected to remain this way until either the sun comes out or a leak in a steam pipe can be repaired, said Doering. "Normally the pool is heated by steam traveling from the cafeterias through pipes," Doering said. "One of these pipes has broken in a spot that is very hard to get at." He said the damaged pipe could not be repaired until he received an estimate for the work. Called Drake Heat Exchangers, the heaters were installed during the pool's renovation a year ago. Doering said the heaters were intended to be an alternative to the steam heat that had been heating the pool. For the UM swim and dive team and other swimmers who use the pool every day, the lower temperatures have been hard to deal with. Sid Cassidy, the UM swim coach, said the cold temperatures have affected the team's daily practices. "The new heaters have been a real disappointment over the last several weeks," Cassidy said. "Water temperatures of between 80 and 83 degrees are ideal. I've had to cancel some practices and shorten others because the water was just too cold." Cassidy explained that though a few degrees difference does not seem like much to most people, spending up to two hours in 75-degree weather is not healthy. ■ ANOTHER DAY AT THE POOL: Louis Vann, 72, towels off after swimming his daily half mile in the UM pool. Slides, clips bring sixties to students By MADELINE BARO Hurricane Staff Writer Barry Drake wants to tell everyone that the music of the sixties was not fake. "It was real music made by real musicians," said Drake, the "walking encyclopedia of music." "The music brought everyone together," Drake said. Wednesday night the Rathskeller was filled with sounds of the sixties as Drake presented "60's Rock ... When the Music Mattered," a multimedia showcase of music from the 1960s. Barry Drake, a performer and aongwriter, takes his rock lectures to over 100 colleges every year. The presentation consisted of a ■tide show accompanied by music and Drake's narration. Drake discussed everything from doo-wop and surf music to soul music and the origins of heavy metal. He included music from groups as diverse as the Supremes and Steppenwolf. He told the audience little-known facts about the different groups and even showed the audience all the words to "Louie, Louie." CHRIS BERNACCHI/Photo Editor ■ STILL ROCKIN': Bob Dylan and Barry Drake during Drake's 60's rock multi-media presentation at the Rathskeller Wednesday. Pat Drake, Barry's wife and assistant, said the presentation is to "keep the record straight on the music and on what happened. It's educational and entertaining at the same time." That's what students who attended the presentation said. "He did a real good job of showing how it evolved from the blues to the Beatles to the Supremes to Led Zeppelin," said sophomore Bill Freundlich. "I thought it was great," said freshman Kelly Baines. "He was there. He knows what he's talking about." The audience of about 50 people seemed to enjoy the presentation. "[The music of the sixties] brought everyone together.0 BARRY DRAKE A performer and songwriter Many sang along with the music and the exclamation "Yeah!" was heard several times as musicians like the Doors and Jimi Hendrix made their appearances on the screen. "I loved it. There were a lot of cool bands and a lot of cool music I listen to," said freshman Jennifer DeCarolis. Speaker warns students about eating disorders By USA J. HURIA8H Associate News Editor More than 80 percent of all females in the United States between the ages of 13 to 60 may have some form of an eating disorder, said Lisa Woltz, founder of the Foundation for Eating Disorder Support. Woltz told more than 50 students Wednesday that professional care and direct action is the only way to stop the cycle of anorexia nervosa, bulimia and compulsive eating. She said 20 percent of men also suffer from eating disorders. "Eating disorders steal away the fabric from life," said Woltz, 36. "There are far more important things in the world than what our size is, what our weight is." She said she speaks from experience. Recovering from years of varieties of disorders, she had been hospitalized and depressed. "My weight ranged from 62 to 110 pounds," she said. "The role model of the time was Twiggy." She said she now devotes her time to helping people recover from their eating addictions. Woltz said she is opening the See page 3/ DISORDERS Registration changes prove successful By LUCIA SOBRIN Hurricane Staff Writer This year an arena in the Ibis Cafeteria for spring registration was replaced by a partially appointment-based system. "We've been looking to do away with spring arena registration for two to three years," said Scott Ingold, associate dean of Enrollments. "Over time, there have been fewer and fewer spring registrations, and we have extended the amount of time the [computer] system is open for continuing students." According to Ingold, only seven percent of total registration was being conducted in the cafeteria. The arena was for new students, transfer students who had not registered previously and continuing students who wished to change their schedule or who had to reregister for classes. The arena, which primarily handles payments, would have been set up on Jan. 13 and 14. Many students, however, do not even come in until after the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend. Ingold said he thinks spring arena registration is counterproductive for University of Miami personnel. The offices of Financial Assistance Services, Student Account Services and Registration have to be shut down, computers have to be moved and workers have to be displaced. "JSpring arena registration] was taking everyone away from real work in the offices to have them sit there and not be as busy as they could be if they were in their offices," said Ingold. Martin Carney, director of Financial Assistance Services, said he agrees. "Having to close the office and relocate was a cumbersome process," said Carney. Students were first notified of the arena's cancellation through a letter sent out before Christmas and a message in their billing. Then students in the four local counties, Dade, Broward, Monroe and Palm Beach, were sent completion cards notifying them that they could come in any time after Jan. 5 to finalize their accounts. Other students were scheduled for after the holiday weekend. The computer registration system was up beginning Jan. 3. "Any registration, additions or drops could have been done during this time," said Katharine Thompson, manager of the Division of Registration of Enrollment Services. New students were given a general orientation and an information session within their college on Jan. 13. Then they received appointments to meet with their advisers and register for classes on Jan. 13 or 14. Student Account Services even extended its hours from Jan. 5 to j 21 to help handle the payment 4 load. Administrators said they have been pleased with the new system. "The change hasn't affected registration at all. It has been really delightful," said Thompson. Lillian Ser, Director of Student Account Services, also reported everything had "run smoothly." Carney said it went so well that financial assistance services might even reduce the number of hours it is open during future spring registrations. Students are also praising the way registration was carried through. "I went to Merrick after seeing my adviser. They processed my classes and gave me a print-out right away. There were no lines at all," said Cristina Manaricua, a freshman transfer student from Tufts University. Manaricua's mother used Student Account Services' later hours to finalize payments. Kym McCabe, a junior transfer student from New York University, said the registration process was quick and easy. "I couldn't believe we were being treated so well. At NYU, no one was around to help, and there were mobs of people everywhere," said McCabe. Paul Israel, a freshman transfer student from the University of Florida, agreed. "It was a good process," he said. "Someone personally explained to me what classes I had to take and registered me immediately." This Issue ■	ALL-AMERICAN: Junior Gillian Russell, a four-time All-American, will make the Hurricanes an up-and-coming program. 8m Sports, page 8. ■	Did you watch the State of the Union Address? Someone did. 8m Opinion, pago 4. ■ Hurricane staffer talks to Montel Williams. 8m Accani, paga 8. ■ Want to see what the stars hold for you? Check out the horoscope. Sm Accani, paga 7. *! M 4

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


LOUISLUSO SP1016 Brown | LOUISLUSO | Reading Glasses Etc.
LOUISLUSO SP1016 Brown : The lightest, most durable frames in the world! New from the LOUISLUSO Signature Plus Collection, these are even lighter than the original Signature series!


text:
About expertBiography
Katy Miller
Impact Factory
ExpertiseBusiness CommunicationIndustry and Manufacturing
Assertiveness Course - one day
Assertiveness Course - two day
Conflict Management Course
Katy has been at Impact Factory for seven years and brings a wealth of life experience to her work here.
From performing in the West End and at the National Theatre, to teaching and directing drama students, to running a franchise of a national pre-school music programme, her ability to adapt to any situation and communicate effectively with people on every level has equipped her well for the training room.
She grew up in a family of musicians and studied music at The Royal Academy of Music. After obtaining a BA in French and Drama at Birmingham University she spent two years at The Poor School, London, training to be an actor.
This led to ten years of professional theatre work in repertory and touring theatres all over the UK and opportunities between the acting jobs to work in other fields such as teaching, hospitality and theatre production. In 2000 her daughter was born and soon after she decided to take on the challenge of running her own business, in the form of a Monkey Music franchise in North London.
She joined the Impact Factory team in 2010 and has been delighted and fascinated to have the opportunity to use her wide experience and skills to help people from equally wide and varied backgrounds develop their emotional intelligence, communication skills and business performance.
Insightful, 100% focused on the delegates, reflective, precise and approachable are just a few words that describe Katy in the room.
Her particular areas of interest are Influencing, Presentation Skills, Assertiveness, Line Management and Train The Trainer. She has worked with an extensive group of clients including Coca-Cola, BNP Paribas, UKTV, BP UK, Aviva, the London Fire Brigade, Equifax, EY-Seren, d-fine Ltd, ING Amsterdam, World Wildlife Fund, Virgin Media and Aramco.
Outside the training room, you will find Katy enjoying live music, theatre and comedy, or on a yoga mat, or off to the airport to explore somewhere new and exciting.
Read about executive education
5 Mistakes to Avoid in Choosing Executive Education
Getting Your Employer to Pay for Your Training — in 8 Steps
9 Best Short Leadership Development Courses
Myles Shaver
Myles Shaver Professor, Pond Family Chair in the Teaching and Advancement of Free Enterprise Principles Strategic Management & Entrepreneurship Education PhD 1994 International business University of Michigan BComm 1988 University of Alberta Expertise Corporate Headquarters Strategie...
Hamish Scott
Hamish is a specialist in business strategy. He advises on processes for strategy formulation and implementation and is particularly interested in how strategy gets turned into action. He works with a number of corporate clients on executive development and strategic change initiatives. Clients ...
Bernard Donefer
Biography Bernard Donefer joined New York University Stern School of Business as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Information Systems in 2003 and is a Fellow of the Center for Digital Economy Research. Professor Donefer enjoyed a 35-year career in the international financial services industry,...
Leading People and Teams
European School of Management and Technology
The Manchester Management Development Programme
The Positive Leader - Deep Change and Organizational Transformation
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
Leading Digital Transformations
Cass Business School


British Greetings! - meaning to write a long time..
Already saved/ rescued a cat from the trash within the Houston region, I adopted from you 2012 a lovely cat called then 'Bibi', (going under another name now), so my other cat would not be so alone.
Both girls get on really well.
I was in a dark gloomy relationship then which went bad, and in this time also I adopted two more strays, it happens, they came my way.
enjoying now a balcony and birdie watching with there mum.


text:
Q: Speech Recognition for small vocabulary (about 20 words) I am currently working on a project for my university. The task is to write speech recognition system that is going to run on a phone in background waiting for few commands (like. call 0 123 ...).
It's 2 months project so it does not have to be very accurate. The amount of acceptable noise can be small and words will be separated by moments of silence.
I am currently at point of loading sample word encoded in RAW 16 bit PCM format. Splitting it to chunks (about 50 per second) and running FFT on each chunk in order to get frequency spectrum.
Things to solve are:
1) going through the longer recording and splitting it into words.
2) finding to best match for the word
1) I was thinking about just checking chunk after chunk and if I encounter few chunks that have higher altitudes of human voice frequencies assume that the word has started. Anyway I am looking for resources that may help with this.
2) This one seams a little bit tougher. Is it necessary to use HMM's for system like this or maybe there are simpler methods assuming that the vocabulary is so small ( 20 words )?
Edit:
The point of the project is writing the system on my own so I cannot use ready libraries like Sphinx or HTK.
Regards,
Karol

A: If anybody will have the same question in future. Look for 2 main keywords:
MFCC - Mel-Frequency cepstrum coefficients to calculate series of coefficients for each word template
DTW - To match captured word with templates
Good enough description of DTW can be found on wikipedia
This approach was good enough to have around 80% accuracy on 20 words dictionary and give a good demo during the class.

A: To recognize commands on the phone you can use Pocketsphinx. Tutorial which covers speech recognition applications on Android is available on CMUSphinx website.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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text:
Papillon Club of Iowa, Inc.
On September 9, 2006 an organizational meeting was held in Des Moines, Iowa with nine interested individuals present. Appointment was made for President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. Phyllis Fleming accepted the position as President. It was decided at that time that we would call our club Central Iowa Papillon Club. Our goal was to recruit members which we did. Word was spreading and we attracted more members ranging from a wider area other than just the central part of the state so we renamed the club Papillon Club of Iowa and received AKC approval for the club name.
In September 2007, the first election was held and Danna Robinson-Saathoff was elected as President. Danna resigned her position a short time into her term and Vice-President Lou Ann King stepped up to finish Danna's term and then Lou Ann was elected as President in 2008 and again in 2009.
In August of 2009, we applied to AKC requesting B Status and were approved to hold our first Sanctioned B Match which we held on Saturday,
September 4, 2009. The match was held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. It was judged by Mrs. Carolyn Schaldecker of Imagine Keeshonds.
AKC gave us permission to hold our second Sanctioned B match, which was held in Des Moines on Saturday, February 20, 2010. Greg Larson of Ista Shih Tzus judged.
On October 30, 2010 at the Canine Craze Performance Center in Urbandale, IA we held our third Sanctioned B Match which also included a sanctioned all-breed obedience match. This was the first time PCI was approved to conduct a B/OB match. The judges were Sonia McGrail for obedience and Deborah Thompson for conformation.
On January 7, 2011, we officially became the Papillon Club of Iowa, Inc. when articles of incorporation were filed with the Iowa Secretary of State.
July 20, 2012 AKC approved our first A Match. The judge for this match was Mrs. Carolyn Schaldecker of Imagine Keeshonds. The match secretary was Kim Maret.
On September 18, 2013 AKC approved our club to hold licensed shows.
Our first AKC Licensed Specialty was held August 29, 2014 in Amana, Iowa .
If you are interested in joining the club see the Membership page.
(c) 2019 by Papillon Club of Iowa, Inc.


Today, the European Commission levied a record €2.42 billion fine on Google for breaching EU antitrust rules and abusing its market dominance by giving advantage to one of its own products via Google's search engine.
The following statement can be attributed to Barry Lynn, the director of the Open Markets Program.
"The Open Markets Team congratulates European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager and the European competition authority for this important decision. Google's market power is one of the most critical challenges for competition policymakers in the world today. By requiring that Google give equal treatment to rival services instead of privileging its own, Vestager is protecting the free flow of information and commerce upon which all democracies depend. We call upon U.S. enforcers, including the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice, and states attorneys general, to build upon this important precedent, both in respect to Google and to other dominant platform monopolists including Amazon. U.S. enforcers should apply the traditional American approach to network monopoly, which is to cleanly separate ownership of the network from ownership of the products and services sold on that network, as they did in the original Microsoft case of the late 1990s."
Barry Lynn is available for comment on the subject and can be reached at lynn@newamerica.org or 202-431-6066.


"Bill Poole Products is the oil industries best friend when it comes to needing the right tools for the job. Founded in 1979 by Bill Poole, together with a dedicated team has become a premier provider to the oil & gas industry on a global scale."
What is a Multi-Line Field Sales Company (manufactures' sales agency/rep)?
Manufactures' agents are long-term independent marketing partners who grow with their principals and maintain a steady presence in a territory. More than just sell products, agents provide many extra services that add value to the partnership. Some warehouse, some provide engineering consulting services; others offer installation and maintenance services. The foundation of the agent-manufacture relationship is a written contract which specifies such issues as territory to be covered, commission rate, computation and payment of commissions, representative relationship and conduct of business, term of agreement, termination, etc.


I decided over the weekend that we had enough food in the fridge to skip grocery shopping this week. I like to skip from time to time to save money and use up foods we might otherwise let go to waste. Surely I could come up with some tasty meals for us -- but (MISTAKE!) I didn't do much planning. As a result, we've had some horrible, unsatisfying dinners this week.
Like one night we were going to do breakfast for dinner. We both like our eggs over-easy and only 1 of the 4 eggs didn't break into a hot mess on the stove. And then one night I was grumpy and hadn't eaten well all day, so I made myself a pitiful grilled cheese with a bruised apple on the side. Another night, we got takeout and the takeout place forgot half our order.
Cook your red lentils (or any lentils) in the water until softened. Like 30-45 minutes or so. Do the same with the quinoa, but it only takes around 15 minutes. For both, simply put in the water and boil until water is absorbed. Then combine the two and set aside.
Smash your beans with a fork and set aside with your pot of lentils + quinoa.
Then in a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté your onion, pepper, and mushrooms with some olive oil. Long enough to soften and lightly brown them. The smaller you chop the veggies the better.
Let everything cool a bit until it's warm, but not too hot to handle. Then combine everything together by hand until well mixed.
Divide into 10-12 patties -- I used a 1/2 cup measure to scoop the to-be "burgers" into my palm and then shaped/flattened them.
Place on a plate or cookie sheet and put in your fridge for around an hour to set.
Then in a pan over medium-high heat, cook on each side in a little olive oil until golden brown and warmed the whole way through.
You may also follow the directions in my Freezer Veggie Burgers post to freeze some of this batch for later consumption.
I topped each burger with a slice of cheese and let melt for a few minutes by covering the pan I fried in the burgers in with a lid.
I made my own buns (6 of them in all) in just 40 minutes by adapting this easy bun recipe -- instead of an egg, I used 1 tablespoon golden flax meal + 3 tablespoons hot water. Instead of regular flour, I used mostly whole wheat with a little white mixed in.
I also topped with some homemade pesto, using a variation of our simple Spinach Pesto recipe, as I'll detail below.
Combine the following ingredients in your food processor until smooth.
I plan to freeze some burgers for a future night when we're stuck wondering what to make. I love that this burger doesn't have flour in it to make up the bulk -- you get enough flour with the bun, right? And it's easily adaptable to whatever's on hand.
Like I said, we didn't shop this week, so I dug deep into our cupboard to mix these guys up. I'm sure they'd taste great with black beans, and any color quinoa or lentils under the rainbow. The taste and theme could be considerably changed by exchanging, say, curry for chipotle seasoning, etc.


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Arizona Man Dies After Trying Substance Touted by Trump to Treat COVID-19
Steven Hsieh
| Coronavirus |
Steven Hsieh | March 23, 2020 | 2:29pm
Banner - UMC Tucson
An Arizona man died after he and his wife ingested a chemical in an attempt to prevent a coronavirus infection, Banner Health said in a press release. His wife is in critical care. Both are in their 60s.
The chemical — chloroquine phosphate — is commonly used to clean fish tanks.
During a press conference on Thursday, President Donald Trump touted chloroquine as showing "very, very encouraging early results" in treating COVID-19 and falsely stated that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was working "to be able to make that drug available almost immediately." The drug has been used to treat malaria.
Banner Rolls Out Limited Drive-Thru Coronavirus Testing in Arizona
234 Coronavirus Cases Confirmed in Arizona
Arizona's First Coronavirus Death: A Sky Harbor Employee in His 50s
Minutes after Trump made the false claim, FDA Commissioner Steven Hahn said a "clinical trial, a large, pragmatic clinical trial" would be required before making any determination on the use of chloroquine to treat the coronavirus.
In its press release, Banner Health advised against "the use of inappropriate medications and household products to prevent or treat COVID-19."
"Given the uncertainty around COVID-19, we understand that people are trying to find new ways to prevent or treat this virus, but self-medicating is not the way to do so," said Dr. Daniel Brooks, Banner Poison and Drug Information Center medical director. "The last thing that we want right now is to inundate our emergency departments with patients who believe they found a vague and risky solution that could potentially jeopardize their health."
Steven Hsieh was a staff writer for Phoenix New Times from August 2018 to April 2020.
Twitter: @stevenjhsieh


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The Seven Obsidian Kings
The strange tale of how a terrifying grimoire was unearthed in the swirling sands of the Algerian desert during World War Two…
One of my earliest memories is waking up in my cot and becoming aware of tall, shadowy figures all around me – I must have been around three-years-old – and I was terrified.
I cried out for my mum.
They went away – but they never left completely. During the day I can also remember being aware of "entities" rather like faery people of Celtic folklore. These didn't scare me.
Then, when I was about four we moved to a village called Stewkley in Buckinghamshire. We had a nice bungalow with about an acre of ground so I had plenty of room to explore and play in and recall seeing these faery-like entities again. I also saw silver discs, or UFOs, in the sky.
When I told my parents what I saw my mum said she also saw the UFOs and other apparitions so I could talk to her about them. She was kind of Christian, but she didn't care for the organization of the church – her faith was more personal and spiritual.
She also loved our land, England – the land of Albion – and gained much from the landscape and nature.
She used to take me with her to visit a friend of hers fairly regularly. This was Mrs Crosthwaite.
She read the tea leaves, and my mum would go for a reading – while I was bored to tears!
Anyway, it was more my mum who I could talk to about esoteric stuff as I was growing up.
We had long discussions about many things related to spirituality.
My dad didn't really comment much. He just sort of accepted that the world isn't what it seems on the surface. He liked telling stories about weird stuff he'd come across and his phenomenal luck which got him through a lot of heavy action during World War Two.
Dad used to visit his friend from the war Jack Thacker (he was much more interesting than listening to Mrs Crosthwaite read tea leaves for my mum). They used to talk about the war and all adventures and the lucky escapes they had.
Dad and Jack had met in Algeria in 1942 during North Africa campaign of the second world war. Dad was in the Suffolk Regiment, even though he was from Norfolk – being the contrarian that he was he joined up with a different county (Dad had actually enlisted in 1932 because of the shortage of work during the great depression, so when war broke out he was well-prepared.) He was a tank commander with the 7th Armoured Division and on close terms with the commanding officer General Archibald Wavell who had personally selected him for special operations. Jack was a member of the Long Range Desert Group – a heroic and ingenious British special forces unit.
When I was seven or eight my dad brought home some of Erich Von Daniken's books (Chariots of the Gods being the famous one.) These were all about alien contact with Earth, and argued that the "fiery wheels" in the Bible and so on were actually spacecraft flown by advanced civilizations making contact with Earth.
I was fascinated with this and it fitted my rebellious nature as I could tell the religious education teachers at school that the Bible was all about alien contact.
To be fair, the headmaster at my primary school was a remarkable man. He'd been through a Japanese prisoner of war camp in the second world war, and had a profound interest in folk- lore – it was from him I learned all about Norse, Saxon and Celtic mythology, our heritage.
So I had an early introduction to the old gods of England and Northern Europe, and since then have felt a strong kinship with Odin/Woden, Thor/Thunor, Freya and Frey, et al. And also with the Anglo-Saxon concept of "wyrd" or fate – this is destiny of happening. (The word wyrd is the root of the word weird.) Growing up in Stewkley, for me the very land was alive, teeming with the spirits of yore. As I walked the countryside, Odin was with me, as was Thor and the other gods of our ancestors.
As I got older, I discovered books on the occult and Eastern mysticism and lapped it all up. Then, when I was about 13, we moved a village called Ravensthorpe. I liked the name. It reminded me of the two ravens that belonged to Odin. I didn't like the bungalow. I sensed a presence that reminded me of those shadowy figures from my childhood. I read in books of the occult what these might be and how to protect myself from their influence so I had a reason to buy and read these books beyond just curiosity.
I'd built up such a collection of books on all aspects the occult and mysterious that I was always intrigued when I discovered something new.
On one visit to see Jack Thacker with my dad I remember Jack told a story of how he had found an old magickal book in the desert during the war.
Apparently he discovered this mysterious ancient text after a sandstorm had revealed an ancient city. It had been left on the altar of a temple inside this old ruin. It was written in early Arabic and was made up of spells and incantations designed to unleash archiac forces of nature! It sounded a bit too much to be real to me, but both Jack and my dad believed that the reason they were so lucky was down to this old book.
Even though I didn't fully believe them I never forgot the name of the book – It was called The Grimoire of the Seven Obsidian Kings.
Despite the fact that I was such an avid reader (or, perhaps, because of it, given what I was reading) I left school at the age of 16 with no qualifications whatsoever. When my dad took me to a careers advisor we were told that he could see no hope for me! That was not the news my dad wanted to hear.
But then the advisor said, "Wait a minute. I've got the only job you can do, and you'll fit in nicely."
It was a job at J. S. Billingham's antiquarian bookshop in Northampton. It was perfect.
The Billinghams bookshop had been around since 1878 and was considered a local treasure – the best second-hand bookshop in Northampton. I learned the trade of the book dealer from the owner. Within a year I'd got thousands of books in my personal collection.
Then I discovered British mystic and magician Aleister Crowley (once dubbed the "wickedest man in the world" by the Daily Express). This was actually a result of me being a fan of Led Zeppelin – I learned to play guitar from listening continually to them and learning Jimmy Page's riffs and solos. It turned out that Jimmy was an expert on Crowley and has a big collection of his material.
In fact, Jimmy would appear in Billingham's on the hunt for esoteric books. He ran his own esoteric bookshop and publishing company in Kensington, London called The Equinox in the early 1970s.
When I moved to London at the age of 18 I used to visit the shop regularly. Then at 19 I met Earl Marlowe and began the adventures I've recounted in my Voodoo Spellbook.
It was not long after my dad died in 2007 that I received an unexpected phone call. When an old man's voice asked "Is that Doc?" it sounded like my dad. However, it wasn't a call from the spirit world – it was an old friend of his from the war – Jack Thacker.
I remembered Jack from my childhood visits but my dad was 97 when he died so I was surprised to hear from one of his friends.
"I have something for you," he said.
I figured it was something of Dad's.
"Do you remember the book I told you about that I found in the war?"
"The Grimoire," I said. "Yeah. I kinda thought you and dad were making that up."
"You were too young to really understand how powerful it might be," he said. "How would you like to actually see it?"
After a 32-year wait, even though it was 10 o'clock at night and an 80-mile trip to get to Jack, I didn't hesitate to jump on my motorcycle and head out to his place.
When I finally got down to Jack's cottage he was waiting outside the door. He'd heard my bike, with it's straight-through pipes, as it roared into his drive.
"Come on in," he said. "I knew you wouldn't want to wait till the morning."
After fixing me a coffee with a capful of rum in it, Jack said:
"I know you've always been curious about the Grimoire of the Seven Obsidian Kings. I couldn't blame you after the stories your dad and I told you. But although the book did certainly bring great luck to all who handled it, it's not something you can take lightly. Having greater luck than that alloted to the average person comes at a price. The denizens of the atavistic realm, which the grimoire shows you how to access, are not kind and feel nothing for humanity.
"If an ordinary Joe gained access to the grimoire, they would slowly be drained of their very life energy, and be left an empty shell. In many ways the grimoire gives you access to a force of nature, and nature is not kind.
"The arcane glyphs, symbols and incantations in it could be seen as similar to computer code that allows you to unlock tremendous forces and powers contained at the very heart of creation.
"But the Bible can be seen like that too, although most of it has become corrupted and some- what confused with the array of interpretations. But at its root, the Bible was like a binary code for the forces behind existence itself, and the idea that God 'loves' you is fallacious. 'Love' was merely a description of the positive force emitted from the divine being, while the so-called 'Devil' emitted a negative polarity. Neither had any relation to what we know as good and evil.
"It's the same with the Grimoire of the Seven Obsidian Kings. It provides a blueprint for the powers and forces behind creation itself.
Although certain parts of it made little sense and couldn't be adequately translated, we did grasp the enormity of what the grimoire contains. And it is not something to pass on lightly. But now that your dad's gone, and I am unlikely to be far behind him on the great voyage, I feel that the Grimoire of the Seven Obsidian Kings should be passed on to you for safekeeping.
You should be its custodian."
With that Jack went to his locked bureau, and pulled out the grimoire. Size was foolscap, bound in calf-skin, tatty, inlaid gold-leaf sigils and glyphs on the covers. He handed it to me, and I simply held it and stared at it. For so many years I'd waited for this moment, to actually have the grimoire in my hands.
As I began leafing through the grimoire, I felt a strange headiness, almost as if I was being drawn into another dimension. The arcane symbols and weird pen and ink drawings seemed to come alive. But equally the grimoire held a foreboding, a palpable inhumanness.
"You see those drawings," said Jack. "They were the statues in the temple."
"So it was true then. How you found it."
"We might have made it into a bit more of a story – but yes."
Jack also gave me the accompanying translation, "You're the only person I feel safe passing it on to," he said. "And I guess now you'll want to get going."
With that we said our goodbyes.
As I gunned my custom v-twin motorcycle to life, and headed home to Norwich in Norfolk, my mind was racing.
By the time I got home, the late-night round-trip and revelation had taken its toll. As much as I wanted to start reading the Grimoire I just fell asleep with it in my hand. Over the new few days I did nothing but pour over the original manuscript and the accompanying translation.
The translation was only partial as some of the language just couldn't be decyphered. Strange terms like "Zyphon" and "Xura" clearly held meaning, but this was lost in the mists of time.
Either that, or you were supposed to be disorientated and the idea was for the terminology to seep into your unconscious mind, and the primal elements of your reptilian brain would make its own sense of it and possibly this was what changed you and brought the uncanny luck – a keying into the pre-human primal pit.
Part of me – the conscious rational self – just thought "it's a very old book and that's it, just a load of superstitious ramblings…"
But at the same time I felt a terrible repulsion towards it. The glyphs and strange drawings of spirits and creatures seemed to seep into my subconscious. It was as if the very pen and ink scrawls left the page and edged into my soul.
As I read the manuscript, I'd suddenly get the feeling someone or something was in the room with me. I'd jump round. It was if a shadow was there, but it disappeared. Was it just my imagination? Or was it real? The feeling of strangeness that would come over me was real enough.
When I realized I needed to take a break I rode down to Norwich market to the mushy peas stall for a cup of tea. I needed to get out in the bright sunshine and chat to my biker pals about ordinary things.
As the conversation went on, I looked around and could swear I saw a long-bearded Arabic – looking fellow staring at me with piercing eyes. And the next second he was gone. I'd go and have a look around, but no sign of him.
I started to have odd dreams where I'd meet characters I wouldn't normally come across in waking life. For example, one recurring dream would be of me out on my motorcycle riding around the old Norfolk coast road, and I'd head down a lane through some woods taking me out into the middle of nowhere. And then I'd come to a ironwork gate that led to a large house. At the gate was an old man in tweeds, grey hair and beard, beckoning me. He opened the gates and I rode down to the big house. Taking off my helmet and gloves I would see a patrician woman with blonde hair in her thirties at the door smiling and saying "We've been expecting you…"
I'd go into the house and the woman would usher me into the library. Sitting on a leather-upholstered settee was a stately-looking gentleman in his sixties. Gesturing for me to sit down, he said his name was Raoul Millbrook. He added that, "We've been watching you. And we are guiding you onto a new path in life. Soon you will embark upon a journey into realms few experience on the human plane. But beware, its denizens are not to be trifled with."
With that the dream usually ended. Or else I would find myself back on my motorcycle heading back onto the coast road.
None of this should have bothered me as I'd seen some wild and scary things during my time with Earl Marlowe, but I'd taken most of it with a pinch of salt. I hadn't let it bother me. But this was starting to get scary.
Despite the fact that I had read everything about magic and the occult that I could get my hands on over the years, as well as practicing various magick rituals and all that I had learned from Earl, the Grimoire changed everything I had thought about magick.
The sorcery in the Grimoire is nothing like that found in spellbooks, magic cookbooks, on the internet, in witches' coven, occult orders or even in hardcore sorcery circles.
It read like an extension of the works of Aleister Crowley and medieval grimoires, although the closest connection I could find was apparent in a much deeper reading of the works of Carlos Casteneda.
Take just one section in The Grimoire, a quarter of the way through. It talks about beings that walk in the shadows of our world. Beings that lurk of the periphery of our dreams. Beings that live in the twilight places.
Some of these being take on human-like appearances and are able to enter our world, others keep their primordial reptilian and bestial appearance.
According to the Grimoire of the Seven Obsidian Kings, if we are unfortunate enough to become aware of these primordial reptilian beings, we would dearly pray they did not exist. For these beings can reach out from the darkness – the very abyss – to touch us with icy, lifeless hands, and with malign intent.
The Grimoire of the Seven Obsidian Kings talks of these malevolent beings as predators that look for moments of human weakness…when they see it, they pounce and ensnare the unwary.
Some of these creatures feed on human life energy, others feast on fear – on the primal terror we feel when confronted with something truly alien and not of this world – something ungodly and unwholesome.
These beings watch us. They hunger for what we have. They hunger for our very souls. So, dear reader, beware of the shadows – for there lie terrible inhuman creatures with a demented lust to feast on your soul.
Stay in the sunlight. Don't step into the shadows. Otherwise some terrible thing from the primal slime, the eternal, oppressive darkness may reach out and grab an arm or a leg, and drag you into its stale, stagnant and sulfurous world…to be forever damned in the murky, crepuscular gloom.
Take care, for those lightless, loveless lands are always only a step away… according to the Grimoire of the Seven Obsidian Kings, anyway.
On the upside, many things would fall into place. If I needed some hard-to-find parts for my motorcycle, next thing I know some biker guy I came across on the market would have them. And when I wanted a low cost old bike to "rat" into a chopper, next thing I know someone puts me onto one for next-to-no-money.
The grimoire somehow put me into the very flow of nature. So when you willed something, events seemed to slip into place. Like I was drawn to what I needed to get a thing done. Very much like I was in alignment with the anglo-saxon concept of wyrd.
As custodian of the Grimoire of the Seven Obsidian Kings I have taken it upon myself to experiment with some of the sorcery contained in the book. One of the terrible formulas outlined how to safely travel in spirit form to the realms of eternal darkness where those creatures of the damned reside.
I plucked up my courage, and dispensing warding protective formulas as I went, I stepped from the light into the shadows, and entered the world of eternal gloom where the hellish creatures reside.
While in the lightless realm, I encountered and conversed with one of its baleful denizens.
The creature was semi-human in appearance – or had made itself that way on seeing me coming. It had taken on the guise of a man in his forties with slicked-hair and wearing a kind of Victorian frock coat.
He (or it) called himself Samuel Charteris, and he had a terrible greenish pallor, claw-like hands, and fearsome unblinking eyes, like a reptile. I couldn't help thinking of Jack the Ripper. And began to wonder if that particularly malicious Victorian serial killer may have had its origins in this infernal world and was not of the earth. While in spirit form, I conversed with this terrible creature that had the appearance of a man, calling himself Samuel Charteris. On my return from that inhuman realm I wrote down the gist of what the creature said to me. This is my transcription:
"I am Samuel Charteris. Or rather that is the name I'm using for now, at least. You won't have heard of me, not unless you have a relative with the second sight, or with mental illness, or perhaps an uncle who took far too much LSD in the 1960s and was still having flashbacks into the Reagan years. They might have caught a glimpse of me.
But no, mostly you won't have seen or heard of me. To you, I don't exist. And believe me, if you did know of my existence, you'd wish I didn't exist. You'd implore the particular god you worship to remove me from creation.
You see, I haunt the night in the city. I walk between the shadows, watching, always watching.
Sometimes I see somebody that stands out. Somebody that makes an impression. And I open the gate and lure them into the shadow light. Yes, that's me, waiting and watching in the dark crevices of the city. Watching. Always watching. It's all too easy. I watch the night time revellers go in and out of bars. Laughing and talking, oblivious to my presence and malign intent.
Then there are the city workers, leaving late, weary and keen to return home. They don't see me either. But I see them. I watch their every move from my in-between place in the shadows.
Nobody knows I'm there. But I am. If you stand out from the crowd, I might beckon you saying "Don't be afraid… I can make all your dreams and desires come true…" and will lead you into the shadow light.
Will you come? Maybe. Maybe not.
All I can say is, the wise enlightened souls keep to the neon light of the city. Wary of a particular kind of night shadow, they sense the lurking darkness. They sense the the unnatural shadows – the ones that emanate a deep all-pervasive obsidian gloom, the shadows that the neon light cannot penetrate – and they avoid them. They know not to step into the dark shadows.
Those with closed consciousness, on the other hand, the everyday droogs with little self-awareness, merrily walk into the mirky shadows, oblivious to the terrible, inhuman watchers than await them…and beckon them…offering them the fulfillment of their tiny little dreams… offering them fame and fortune, offering them wealth for the taking, offering them every possible sensual desire they crave…offering them anything they want.
And I have them! My icy claw hand gripping them and drawing them into my hellish lair to satisfy my hunger for their very soul… But before I consume, I welcome them to my crepuscular world…
Oh, it's all too easy…"
That was my transcription of the sinister encounter I had in the lightless realm, described by the Grimoire of the Seven Obsidian Kings.
It took me days to get over that encounter so it's not something I plan on repeating any time soon. Apart from anything else, I'm not sure what there is to be gained…although the Grimoire of the Seven Obsidian Kings does seem to map out a method of safely tapping the power from the realm of never-ending darkness.


I must have seen the trailer somewhere, sometime. I dreamed this thing and woke up the next morning knowing that I had to go rent it, that I wanted to watch it. It was already out on video - back in the day, when VHS was all there was. So I rented it, and I watched it, and I was gobsmacked. I don't know why. The film was beautiful, the acting was seamless, the story.. yes, maybe it was the story. These two, Etienne and Isabeau, always together, forever apart. While I like to believe that I am basically a realest, somewhere in my make-up lurks a romantic. I am happy that they had a happy ending to their story. Sappy Hollywood. This film did one other - nearly unforgivable - thing to me though. It sent me on a search back for Rutger Hauer and all he'd done - and would do. Another Voice. He is the only John Ryder. And I firmly believe that no one else could have come that close to Roy Batty and still make you care. Don't even get me started on medieval blood, desire and sacrifice. And if I was in a tight spot, please the Gods I'd have Nick Randall in my corner. LadyHawke holds a special place in my heart, it's a film I will watch again. And again. Have done. And I have forgiven it for sticking me with Rutger Hauer. Life's water beneath a bridge I'll gladly stand on.


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You are here: Home / History / Roger Casement: Butterflies and Bones review: blood and thunder
Roger Casement: Butterflies and Bones review: blood and thunder
25/10/2016 By ACOMSDave 1 Comment
Secrets Of The Black Diaries…Picture Shows: Image order No HK6737 Irish Patriot and British Consular Official Sir Roger Casement (1864 – 1916) is escorted to the gallows of Pentonville Prison, London.
TX: BBC FOUR Friday, March 15 2002
Getty Images/Hulton Archives
Roger Casement, former British Consul to the Congo, was hanged for treason for his role in Ireland's 1916 Easter Rising. His conviction rested on a set of diaries that suggested he had pursued a highly promiscuous homosexual life. Under the social mores of the day, such a revelation deprived him of all hope of clemency. But were the diaries faked? BBC Four investigates the 85-year-old mystery.
WARNING: This Getty Image copyright image may be used only to publicise 'Secrets Of The Black Diaries'. Any other use whatsoever without specific prior approval from 'Getty Images' may result in legal action.
If you've never heard of Roger Casement, who was executed by the British for treason 100 years ago today, the reason is as simple as it is sad, he was homosexual. For that reason he was ignored when he was not being written out of our revolutionary history.
Jeffrey Dudgeon, MBE has written two wonderful insightful books into Casement,
Roger Casement: The Black Diaries – with a study of his background, sexuality, and Irish political life Paperback – 5 Jan 2016
Roger Casement's German Diary, 1914-1916: Including 'A Last Page' and associated correspondence Paperback – 24 Jun 2016
Aidan Lonergan has written that there are ten things we don't know about Casement:
His Antrim father fought in Afghanistan
His Anglican mother secretly baptised him as a Catholic
He was looked after by the people of Antrim after his parents died
He exposed one of the bloodiest colonial regimes ever
What he saw changed him
He sought German backing for an Irish rebellion during WWI
Some see him as a gay icon
Arthur Conan Doyle campaigned against his sentence
He converted to Catholicism on the day of his execution
A hundred years on from the Easter Rising, it's important to remember Casement
However, as with all history, it is open to interpretation, and I know that different camps will have different feelings towards Casement, his impact on Irish history, and on Gay History.
The musical about him was one such attempt, and I hope that if it comes to a theatre near you, you will make an effort to see it and view it through the eyes of someone who is probably far older than he was, and also who has the benefit of a society that is beginning to be accepting of LGBT people.
Roger Casement is (again) centre stage, but this time it's the dance world that's exploring the many facets of his life
Source: Butterflies and Bones review: blood and thunder
Filed Under: History, Theatre Reviews Tagged With: Belfast, dublin, history, musical, roger casement, The MAC
Seán McGouran says
When was Casement "written out of revolutionary history"?
This is an astonishing piece of counter-factual 'history'.
Antrim's main GAA stadium is Casement Park in the Belfast suburb Andersonstown.


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Ninjabot is a chat bot for DevOps Dojo.

## install

You need to connect ninjabot to your Slack channel or Flowdock flow.

- For Slack: get a Slack bot token at: https://my.slack.com/services/new/bot
- For Flowdock: get a personal API token at: https://www.flowdock.com/account/tokens
- From build server: `cd /var/lib/jenkins/ninjabot`
- `cp .env.template .env`
- Fill in token in `HUBOT_SLACK_TOKEN` or `HUBOT_FLOWDOCK_API_TOKEN` environment variables
- restart hubot: `sudo service hubot restart`

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


DR are working in collaboration with XPO Logistics – are you looking for an extra income?
https://www.directrecruitment-uk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/direct_recruitment_xlg-1.jpg 0 0 DR Admin https://www.directrecruitment-uk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/direct_recruitment_xlg-1.jpg DR Admin2018-08-15 13:25:152018-08-15 13:25:40DR are working in collaboration with XPO Logistics - are you looking for an extra income?
Did you know we're working in partnership with XPO Logistics!!!
Are you looking for an extra income to fit around work or extra studies? Could you do with the extra cash what with Christmas only just around the corner? If so, we have a number of opportunities to suit your individual needs! Direct Recruitment are working in close partnership with XPO Logistics, Stone for the supply of Order Pickers to work within their frozen goods distribution centre.
These demanding yet varying positions offer excellent opportunities for self-motivated individuals who're looking to join a well-established company.
For more information or to arrange an immediate appointment following your interest, contact Chris Byrne on 01785 819880 / 07970 541344.
https://www.directrecruitment-uk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/direct_recruitment_xlg-1.jpg 0 0 DR Admin https://www.directrecruitment-uk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/direct_recruitment_xlg-1.jpg DR Admin2017-10-16 10:31:022017-10-16 10:44:14Did you know we're working in partnership with XPO Logistics!!!
Due to their ever increasing order book Cox Long have asked Direct Recruitment to run a recruitment drive for a high volume of permanent production operatives to join their existing teams on both early and late shifts.
We are going to be holding rounds of interviews at our offices with the opportunity for candidates to start immediately on permanent contracts. If you or anybody you know is interested in this, then either call Sue or Nicola on 01785 819880.


Often you may not have a choice when you are going to film something, just because shoots are often setup far in advance and have many unpredictable factors involved. However if you do have a choice, by far the best hours for cinematic drone imagery are the Golden Hours of the day at Sunrise and Sunset. The long shadows during golden hour will help define terrains features.
It should also be noted that less people typically film at these times, so just by doing this one basic step you are already helping to differentiate your drone footage.
Sunrise is by far the most desired time to shoot aerials. The first, as I mentioned before, most people just don't want to wake up this early to film. The sun will be casting a cinematic golden light that contrasts greatly with the shadows of the terrain. Sunrise also has the benefit of fog and mist that frequently accompany it, which helps provide a ton of atmosphere for your shots. One thing to watch out for is sun flares that may washout your footage if you are facing towards the sun.
Sunset also offers some unique shooting options. You can achieve some great silhouetted terrain at sunset that won't have any fog, so this will increase the image contrast and saturation. You can also get some nice purple tones in the shadows depending on the time of year.
A good resource for shooting at sunrise and sunset are apps for your smartphone which will inform you of the best times during the day to shoot. You can even research data for days that are months away when you are pre-planning for a shoot. A good resourse for Apple users is an app called Lumy. If you are an Android user you can check out the app called Sun Surveyor.


(February 03, 2019) - National Locksmith Near Me is an expert locksmith agency that can deal with all kinds of lock assistance requirements of customers. It is known in Kearny, NJ as a highly reliable Automotive Locksmith agency.
It is easy to lock out of cars or lock in vehicles, leading to panic and desperate attempts such as trying to break the window of cars. Trying to pick locks with sharp objects can also be damaging to cars. Whether it is a broken glass or a damaged vehicle, it can prove to be expensive in the long run. In such cases, lots of insurance agencies never pay any compensation for the damages. With a qualified and experienced agency such as National Locksmith Near Me, all such problems can be avoided.
Whether it is a routine lock and key repair or maintenance, rekeying or key duplication, professionals can offer many types of services to car owners. The servicemen at National Locksmith Kearny NJ can offer Lock Rekey & Change assistance at a discount of 10%. National Locksmith Near Me is a reliable name in all kinds of locksmith requirements, whether emergency or routine.
Backed by the most qualified and experienced locksmiths, the agency is able to handle all types of lock and key situations. Customers can get assistance with malfunctioning door locks, misplaced key, lock installation and more. When it comes to emergency requirements related to automobile lock installation, maintenance, repair, opening or replacement.
National Locksmith Near Me is based in New Jersey, and is best rated as a locksmith service provider in the area. It has trained, skilled and experienced locksmith professionals who offer services with a smile.


Victory for the N°8 Toyota TS050 Hybrid/Michelin at the 6 Hours of Shanghai in the hands of Buemi/Davidson/Nakajima did not prevent Porsche Team from securing a third straight FIA WEC title. The German squad's Timo Bernard, Brendon Hartley and Earl Bamber claimed the 2017 Drivers' crown.
The 6 Hours of Shanghai, penultimate round of the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship, was dominated by Toyota Gazoo Racing which saw its N°7 car qualify on pole position before the two Japanese prototypes topped the order for much of the race itself.
A Toyota one-two appeared to be on the cards until the N°7 car of Conway/Kobayashi/Lopez tangled with the N°91 Porsche GTE, leading to an unscheduled pit stop. The N°8 sister car went on to seal the day's victory, with second spot going instead to the N°2 Porsche 919 Hybrid/Michelin (Bernhard/Hartley/Bamber) which made sure of a third straight Manufacturers' title for Porsche Team. The N°1 Porsche (Jani/Lotterer/Tandy) was third.
Runner-up honours for the N°2 car allowed Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley and Earl Bamber to wrap up the Drivers' championship to add to their Le Mans triumph in June.
There was another splendid stand-off in LM GTE Pro which saw six different cars top the leaderboard. First place was finally pocketed by the N°67 Ford/Michelin after Priaulx/Tincknell finished 11 seconds clear of the N°91 Porsche/Michelin which was delayed by its late collision with the Toyota prototype. The N°51 Ferrari (Calado/Pier Guidi) was a further eight seconds adrift in third place, but that was enough for Ferrari/Michelin to earn the GT Manufacturers' title.
The N°98 Aston Martin (Lauda/Lamy/Dalla Lana) took the LM GTE Am spoils, ahead of the N°86 and N°77 Porsches, and there was a third LMP2 victory in as many races for Vaillante-Rebellion. Its N°31 car (Canal/Prost/Senna) was joined on the podium by the N°36 Alpine and its N°13 sister car. Former actor Jackie Chan officially flagged away the Chinese race but his team's N°38 prototype finished just shy of the class's podium on home soil.
The last round of the 2017 FIA WEC will take teams to Bahrain on November 18.


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Museum of Jewish Art and History (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme)
TheMuseum of Jewish Art and History (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme) opened its doors in 1998. The collection, buoyed by the inheritance of a private collection from rue des Saules, traces the history and culture of Europe's Jewish communities from the Middle Ages to the present, with highlights that include a torah ark from the Italian Renaissance, a Dutch torah scroll from the 1600s, a German menorah crafted from gold and silver, documents from the Dreyfus scandal and an exhibit dedicated to presenting what life was like for a Jewish residents of Paris in 1939.
The museum is housed within the Hotel de Saint-Aignan, a magnificent mansion built between 1644 and 1650 for the Count of Avaux. The building, considered one of the most beautiful private mansions in Paris, served as a government building and commercial space before it was purchased by the city of Paris in 1963.
71 Rue du Temple, Paris, France, 75003
Tours and tickets to Experience Museum of Jewish Art and History (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme)
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Paris Pass Including Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour and Entry to Over 60 Attractions
Gain admission to more than 60 top Paris attractions with the Paris Pass—a flexible sightseeing pass that lets you access the best the French capital has to offer, such as the Palace of Versailles and Arc de Triomphe. Enjoy entrance to Parisian showstoppers like the Louvre Museum, and Centre Pompidou with the 2-, 3-, 4-, or 6-day pass. Make the most of a 1-day hop-on hop-off Big Bus sightseeing tour, Bateaux Parisiens river cruise, and unlimited public transport with the included travelcard. Please note: Enjoy the extra flexibility in case your travel plans need to change: All passes are valid for two year from purchase date and only become activated with your first attraction visit.
Paris City Pass: Free admission & public transport
The Paris City Pass grants you entry to the best Parisian highlights as well as access to the most important activities. Make the most of your time in Paris and let the Pass take care of the practicalities for you. Pick your favorite sights from the huge selection and visit as many as you like. The Paris City Pass is valid for either 2, 3*, 4, 5* or 6 days. * Note for museum visits: The 3-day-pass includes the Paris Museum Pass for the free visit of over 50 museums for 48 h; the 5-day-pass the free visit for 96 h. Please plan your schedule of visits according. Bonus in 4-day-pass: you can use the public transport for free on an additional 5th day. Enjoy free admission to 60 museums and attractions in Paris, including the Louvre, the Palace of Versailles, a boat trip along the Seine, and much more. At some of the attractions you'll be able to spend less time queuing, heading straight for the entrance instead.
Marais District 2-Hour Private Walking Tour in Paris
Discover the many delights of the Marais district on this private 2-hour walking tour in Paris. Stroll through the iconic Place de Vosges as a private guide sheds light on the Marais district's colorful history. Pass sleek art galleries, busy bistros, and chic boutiques, and take in top attractions such as the Museum of Judaism and the Pompidou Center, Explore the Marais' vibrant gay culture and admire fine views over famous sites including Anna Frank's garden, the Carnavalet Museum, and the Hotel de Ville.
Jewish Marais District Private tour
Discover the history and heritage of the Jewish community in Paris in an emblematic district of the capital: Le Marais. Private tour with a guide specialized in the history of religions. You will be able to ask all the questions you want. Tour includes admission to the MAHJ (Museum of Jewish Art and History Paris).
Should I book Museum of Jewish Art and History (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme) tickets in advance?
We recommend booking e-tickets ahead of time to secure your spot since Museum of Jewish Art and History (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme) can get crowded. If you book with Viator, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. See all 4 Museum of Jewish Art and History (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme) tickets and tours on Viator.
How much does it cost to visit Museum of Jewish Art and History (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme) 2021?
Currently, an entrance ticket to Museum of Jewish Art and History (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme) costs USD 58.61. Guided Museum of Jewish Art and History (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme) tours start around USD 58.61 per person. See all 4 Museum of Jewish Art and History (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme) tickets and tours on Viator.
What's the best way to experience Museum of Jewish Art and History (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme)?
The best ways to experience Museum of Jewish Art and History (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme) are:
See all Museum of Jewish Art and History (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme) experiences on Viator.
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Hunter Express optimises NSW operations with Casula facility
Posted on Thursday 30th, May 2019.
Transport company, Hunter Express, is expanding its Sydney footprint to tackle burgeoning e-commerce demand.
A long-term commitment has been secured in AMP Capital's new Crossroads Logistics Centre with Hunter Express joining the likes of Costco, Electrolux and WesTrac.
Working with TM Insight, an integrated supply chain, property and project management firm, Hunter Express was able to procure the new Casula facility.
The distribution centre, comprising a 9,955-square-metre warehouse and 500-square-metre office, is located at 245 Beech Road, Casula, in New South Wales.
The facility is reported to feature advanced sustainability initiatives. The building specifications incorporate solar panels, recycled rainwater, energy efficient LED lighting and an environmentally friendly wash bay for truck cleaning.
"The location of the new facility is key to optimising our operations, as it is five minutes away from the M5 and M7 motorways," said Hunter Express CEO, Mark Hunter.
"This saves each vehicle within our fleet 40 minutes per day, therefore dramatically increasing our productivity and our ability to more efficiently service our customers," he said.
Hunter explained that the facility will be fitted with a sortation system, enabling the business to accelerate growth plans in specialised handling and its delivery services.
The facility is expected to be operational in late July 2019.
Retail trade in Australia trended upwards in March by 0.3 per cent, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. This is reported to follow a rise of 0.3 per cent in February and a rise of 0.2 per cent in January. Following states and territories trends in March, NSW rose the highest at 0.4 per cent.
In related news, US-based e-commerce company, Amazon, announced financial results for the first quarter ended 31 March 2019.
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I feel so honored to have been nominated for the OSA Spotlight Artist of the Month.
My name is Laurel and I live in Georgia with my hubby of 32 years and our furbaby Annabelle. We have 2 sons, ages 28 and 25 (one living with us and one stationed in Hawaii). I am a Registered Nurse and work on an as-needed basis. LOL, mostly when I need money for stamping toys and supplies.
I was trying to remember the exact moment when I found that Oriental Art appealed to me. I've been stamping and paper-crafting since 2003.
I love anything of an Oriental nature. Some of my favorite themes are birds and Geisha. For many people, the first thing that comes to mind when they think of Oriental is black, red, and gold. When I think of Oriental, I think of clean, balanced design. I am inspired by the colors of Washi/Yuzen papers and feel that any color works for Asian art.
I have been inspired and blessed through this OSA group for many years and look forward to many more years of creativity. Thank you for the Spotlight!
Congratulations on being our November SAM, Laurel.
Always a pleasure to see your artwork. Congratulations on being selected November spotlight artist. Very well deserved. Hugs, Debbie V.
Thank you Suz! Didn't get a chance to meet up when we were in Hawaii this time (no car available and every day filled with plans) but we'll be back – he's there for another 2 years.


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Daily Insight: Wake-up call
NHSE review accuses outstanding trust of 'dismissive' attitude to whistleblowers
The buy-out is the existential threat to the NHS
My trusts offer a live case study for hospital chains
By Anthony Marsh2014-06-24T00:01:00+01:00
Being a chief executive of two ambulance trusts – one doing well, the other struggling – gives me a view from both sides when considering organisational change, says Anthony Marsh
Live Q&A with Sir David – 12pm 8 July
Post your questions for our webchat Sir David Dalton about his review
The Dalton review into new options for providers is a hugely ambitious piece of work. It also has the potential to be immensely worthwhile.
'Managing two trusts presents a unique set of demands, but the solutions we come up with can be useful elsewhere in the NHS'
The broad challenges facing the NHS are the same all over the country. Demand is rising because expectations in our NHS are rising; we are also living longer and have more complex needs, at a time of great economic challenges.
Yet when things are going wrong, we require a more sophisticated approach than always retreating to the same default positions of merger or bust, or buddying up with those next door. Likewise, when things are going well, there may be better choices than eyeing neighbouring trusts as routes for expansion.
My experience as chief executive of two ambulance trusts, one performing well, the other struggling, places me in a useful vantage point.
West Midlands Ambulance Service Foundation Trust and East of England Ambulance Service Trust are not next door neighbours. They haven't been joined together because of expansionism, but out of necessity. As such they could be one of only a few of examples of a non-geographical NHS chain in England.
Exclusive: Dalton unveils plans for hospital reform
Putting his ideas into action is Dalton's biggest challenge
Find out more about the Dalton review
Managing two trusts presents a unique set of demands, but it is not so unique that the solutions we come up with can't be useful elsewhere in the NHS. Indeed, we can be something of a live case study.
Here are some of the things that I've learned. First, running two geographically separate trusts means my teams and I have to work in a different way. We can't just do the same thing over more sites; we need to work out how to be separate but united.
Second, being able to make big changes depends on being able to motivate staff and organisations to look forward with a clear vision and a small number of key priorities. I have been using small turnaround teams to review current practice and quickly establish what needs to change.
However, we must recognise what is good in the current way of working as well as bringing in change. When I first went to West Midlands, we took the best of the four previous organisations and rolled out that level of performance and ways of working, so that patients across the region benefited.
'The Dalton review can be a big help simply by outlining all the organisational choices currently available'
The joint working arrangements also provide opportunities to better support talent management and leadership succession planning in each organisation.
The Dalton review can be a big help simply by outlining all the organisational choices currently available, and if there are options that simply aren't possible, by proposing the reform needed to make change happen.
That said, the biggest barrier to change is cultural. Leadership and values are even more important than what is enshrined in black and white. A review that recognises that fact as well as offering practical new steps will be a real winner.
Anthony Marsh is chief executive of West Midlands Ambulance Service Foundation Trust and East of England Ambulance Service Trust
Dalton review
East Of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust
Are hospital chains a sustainable NHS delivery model?
If the NHS is serious about getting behind hospital chains, then obstacles of resource, regulation and commissioning need to be addressed, writes Ian Baxter
University Hospitals Birmingham 'partners' with trust 150 miles away
University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust is to partner with a struggling FT more than 150 miles away in a bid to help the organisation make desperately needed improvements.
Integrated care systems are preparing to transform the way meetings are run. Julian Patterson has been taking minutes
More Commissioning
The Integrator: The discharge debacle
Insider tales and must-read analysis on how integration is reshaping health and care systems, NHS providers, primary care, and commissioning. This week by deputy editor Dave West.
Government hires banker to lead NHS England
The government has selected a senior banker and non-executive director of the Treasury to chair NHS England.
Final ICS confirms chief executive
All 42 integrated care systems have now named their chief executive designate — or declared that they have failed to appoint.


PEEK INTO THE WOMB While still growing in the womb, a fetus's full genome can be tested, but the approach should be limited to special cases, three medical groups say.
Beyond generating adorable 3-D ultrasounds of scrunched-up faces, researchers can now analyze a fetus's full genome from a simple blood draw from mom. But these genome-wide prenatal tests are not ready for prime time, three medical organizations argued in a position paper in the January Prenatal Diagnosis.
The method is undoubtedly powerful. Scanning the entire genome can reveal DNA abnormalities that more limited genetic tests might miss. But scientists don't know enough about the performance of these tests, or their pitfalls, to recommend routine use, wrote representatives from the International Society for Prenatal Diagnosis, the Perinatal Quality Foundation and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
How to interpret the information these tests provide is not always obvious. Many genetic quirks have little or no influence on human health, and sifting through a mountain of genetic data to identify the important signals isn't easy. So far, large studies that could reveal the utility of these tests simply haven't been done.
Ethical and practical issues dog these whole-genome tests, too. Identifying a potentially fatal genetic abnormality can be straightforward. But often, the relationship between genetics and outcomes is less clear. Researchers are still figuring out how specific genetic changes — or more likely, combinations of many genetic changes — relate to genetically influenced disorders such as autism spectrum disorder or to a risk of dementia in the baby's distant future. How doctors or parents should handle this murkier information is an open question.
And then there are the genetic quirks that shape traits irrelevant to health, such as future height or eye color. In a recent survey, the majority of over 1,000 obstetricians/gynecologists expressed concern about ordering genetic tests that could reveal nonmedical traits. These doctors also wondered if genetic information overload would boost parents' anxiety, leading to unnecessary and costly treatments, researchers reported in 2016 in Prenatal Diagnosis.
That's not to say whole-genome tests should never be used. The tests should be considered when doctors suspect a genetic abnormality that hasn't been uncovered by other methods, the position paper notes. When this happens, it's best to also look at the parents' genomes to get a clearer picture of the genetic trouble. These tests ought to always come with lots of discussions between health care providers and parents, before and after testing.
M. Rosen. A Pap smear can scoop up fetal cells for genome testing. Science News. Vol. 190, December 24, 2016, p. 5.
T.H. Saey. A more accurate prenatal test to predict Down syndrome. Science News. Vol. 187, May 2, 2015, p. 18.


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The Assembly of the Republic unanimously approved today the final version of the bills that aims to aggravate the criminal framework for crimes of sports corruption.
The final text, which was based on three bills of law, the PSD, PS and CDS-PP, was approved unanimously on 8th March 2017 in the first Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional, Direct, Guarantees.
The new wording provides for a one to eight year prison sentence for the crime of passive corruption (currently punishable by one to five years imprisonment) and five years for the crime of active corruption, punishable, up to now, with a prison sentence of up to three years or a fine.