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Tomas A. Kuehn (JD '99) recognized by Los Angeles Business Journal
October 16, 2015 -- Tomas A. Kuehn (JD '99) was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as the 2015 top Corporate Counsel for a private company with over $500 million in revenues. Tomas is Vice President and Senior Associate General Counsel for ValleyCrest Companies located in Calabasas, California. There were 31 finalists for the top four in-house counsel awards in the categories of Private Company, Public Company, Nonprofit Company, and Government/Municipal/Public Sector.
The Los Angeles Business Journal presents the Corporate Counsel Awards annually to recognize candidates in each category for "exceptional legal skill and achievement across the full spectrum of in-house responsibility, exemplary leadership as evidenced by the highest professional and ethical standards, and for contributions to the Los Angeles community at large."
Daniel J. Sullivan (JD '15) featured in Miami Law news
Pepperdine Law alumni represented in "Top 10 Litigation Boutiques"
Alumnus Mark Sayre (JD '83) joins Foley & Mansfield
Emily T. White (JD '16) receives highest score on Maine Bar Exam


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Q: Let $\,f \colon \Bbb R \to \Bbb R$ be a continuous function such that $|f(x)-f(y)|\ge \frac12 |x-y|$ I am stuck on the following problem that says:

Let $\,f \colon \Bbb R \to \Bbb R$ be a continuous function such that $\,|f(x)-f(y)|\ge \frac12 |x-y|, \forall x,y \in \Bbb R$ . Then which of the following options is correct?

*

*$f$ is both one-to-one  and onto

*$f$ is one-to-one  but may not be onto

*$f$ is onto but may not be one-to-one

*$f$ is neither one-to-one nor onto

I do not know how to approach this particular problem even though I know about one-to-one and onto functions. Can someone explain? Thanks and regards to all.

A: Another idea for the onto part. You can see immediately that $f$ is one to one (injective). You know that a continuous function which is injective is monotone. Suppose that the function is not onto. Then one of the limits $\lim_{x \to \pm\infty} f(x)$ exists and is finite.
Suppose that $L=\lim_{x \to \infty}f(x)$ is finite (the same argument works if the other limit is finite). Then take $y$ arbitrary and $x \to \infty$ in the initial inequality and you'll get $|L-f(y)| \geq \infty$, contradiction.

Or you could work directly in the initial inequality. Fix $x_0 \in \Bbb{R}$ and let $y$ go to $\pm\infty$. Then $|f(y)-f(x_0)|$ goes to $+\infty$. This implies that both the limits in $\pm \infty$ are infinite, and the monotonicity implies that their sign is different. By the intermediate value theorem we conclude that the image of $f$ is $\Bbb{R}$ so $f$ is onto.

A: Suppose on the contrary, that $f$ is not one-to-one. Then there are two distinct $x$ and $y$ for which $f(x) = f(y)$, which is impossible given that $f(x) - f(y) \neq 0$.
Suppose $f$ is not onto. By continuity, it is either bounded above or below, and by the previous result it's either strictly increasing or strictly decreasing. Suppose it's increasing and bounded above, take a $x_0$ such that $f(x_0) > \sup_x f(x) - \delta$, then $f(x_0 + 2\delta) > \sup_x f(x)$ which is absurd.

A: $f$ is $\DeclareMathOperator{\Ima}{Im}$ injective. Suppose $f(x) = f(y).$
$$0 = |f(x) - f(y)| \ge \frac12 |x - y| \implies x = y$$
We shall show that $f$ is also surjective.
Since $f$ is a continuous injection, it follows that $f$ is strictly monotonic. WLOG suppose that $f$ is strictly increasing.
Let $c = f(0)$ and let $y \in \mathbb{R}$. Let's show that $y \in \Ima f$.
If $y > c$, then $x_0 = 2(y - c) > 0$ so $f(0) \le f(x_0)$. We have:
$$f(x_0) - f(0) = |f(x_0) - f(0)| \ge \frac12 |x_0 - 0| = y - c$$
Hence $f(x_0) \ge y$ so $y \in \langle f(0), f(x_0)]$. Since $f$ is continuous, there exists a value $x_1 \in \langle 0, x_0]$ such that $f(x_1) = y$.
If $y < c$, then $x_0 = 2(y-c) < 0$ so $f(0) \ge f(x_0)$. We have:
$$f(0) - f(x_0) = |f(0) - f(x_0)| \ge \frac12 |0 -x_0| = c - y$$
Hence $f(x_0) \le y$ so $y \in [f(x_0), f(0)\rangle$. Since $f$ is continuous, there exists a value $x_2 \in \langle x_0, 0]$ such that $f(x_2) = y$.
If $y = c$, then $y = f(0)$.
In either case, $y \in \Ima f$.
We conclude that $f$ is surjective.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Doh! The Simpsons Movie fails to deliver
As a film critic, it's hard to separate myself personally from The Simpsons; I grew up with the show and watched it from its first season to its current 18th. So in a way, watching The Simpsons finally make it to the big screen is like watching a beloved child graduate from high school.
But in this case, The Simpsons Movie is being held back in summer school and has no future.
Or, perhaps a more appropriate analogy would be: If The Simpsons is my Star Wars, then The Simpsons Movie is Episode One: The Phantom Menace. In other words, I can always go back and watch the old ones.
The movie is like a 90-minute episode of the TV show, except bigger, bolder and louder. What begins as a normal episode in the lives of the Simpsons soon turns into an epic tale in which Homer inadvertently causes what promises to be the ultimate destruction of Springfield. Forced to wear the hat of an action hero, the overweight every man journeys to save his family and his town. It's part sitcom, part road trip and part action movie – and altogether unfunny.
This movie is not for the Simpsons fan. Those looking for a last gleam of life in the eyes of this zombie-like franchise should look elsewhere. The greater your degree of Simpsons fanaticism, the more you will hate The Simpsons Movie. It's the culmination of all the recent seasons' flaws that we comic book guys like to point out: lazy writing, pandering and a supreme feeling of "Eh, it's good enough."
And to makes things worse, The Simpsons Movie takes these flaws and adds a whole lot of dumb humor. Homer getting hurt can be funny, but not when it happens every 30 seconds over the course of an hour and a half.
Put yourself in the shoes of a Simpsons writer. You're in control of one of the world's cultural touchstones, full of characters and events loved by millions. How could you lose? All you need to do is play it safe, rotate in some of Springfield's many citizens to give their stock reactions, and call it a day. And if anyone criticizes you, just play the "legacy card." Throughout The Simpsons Movie, there's a sense that the writers thought their jokes were so funny they never considered that the audience might not agree.
But, as I said before, this movie is not for me. And if you're a Simpsons fan, it's not for you, either. Sure, there are a few old references thrown in for people who keep their noses buried in Simpsons episode guides and TV newsgroups, but they were nothing but safeguards so people like me wouldn't give up on the film and just go home.
In the end, there's just one thing to say about The Simpsons Movie: Boo-Urns.
And if you understand what that means, then God bless you.
Contact features correspondent Bob Mackey at [email protected].
The Simpsons Movie
Starring Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Yeardly Smith, Nancy Cartwright
Directed by David Silverman
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Rated PG For irreverent humor throughout
Stater rating: *

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


These allegations of corruption are substantially proved on the pages this web site and on the pages of many more social media sites set up to chronicle the abuse that a corrupt, unaccountable, judiciary and legal profession has inflicted on the population of British Columbia.
At the top of the corrupt justice system is former British Columbia judge, Beverley McLachlin, shown in photo on right, who is now the Chief Justice of Canada where she regularly covers up allegations of corruption by the crooked members of the judiciary in British Columbia, a province infested by street gangs and organized legal and judicial crime.
Vancouver lawyer, Geoffery Cowper, shown in above photo on left, has been selected by the beautiful Premier to carry a complete review of the British Columbia justice system and, in the opinion of the editors, it is expected he will underestimate the problems and deliberately ignore the multiple allegations of judicial and legal corruption coming from all areas of the province.
Mr. Cowper is a former law partner of former British Columbia Attorney General, Geoff Plant, shown in above photo on right. While he was Attorney General, Plant consistently refused to review the well documented allegations of corruption by lawyers employed by the Ministry of the Attorney General and by judges appointed by his Ministry.
In addition, Cowper is the former law partner of the former Deputy Attorney General for British Columbia Alan Seckel, shown in the above photo on the left, and the former Chief Justice of British Columbia, Alan McEachern, shown in the above photo on right.
While he was Attorney General Plant refused to investigate the allegations of corruption by lawyers employed by the Ministry of the Attorney General, who were deliberately covering up the Water War Crimes.
While he was Chief Justice, Alan McEachern, was directly involved in the judicial manipulations that sabotaged the Sun Belt Water lawsuit in Canada's courts and that financially destroyed Mr. Carten and Mr. Gibbs so they could no longer assist Sun Belt Water advance a case that threatened to expose serious criminality by Canada's political legal and judicial elites.
Do you honestly think that Geoffery Cowper will deliver a fair report when three of his former law partners were responsible for the continuing corruption in the legal and judicial system of British Columbia?
No Mr Cowper will not deliver a fair report. What is more if he attempts to say anything against the people involved in the corruption they will do him as they have done Mr Carten and probably worse.


I'm trying to compile Document Server for Debian 8.*.
I have 0 error during the process, but at the end, some files are missing.
Script can't find AllFontsGen, AllFonts.js and font_selection.bin.
But I can't find font_selection.bin.
I've compiled community server on a windows server 2012 R2, using the ONLYOFFICE_CommunityServer_Win-src.v9.6.572.zip file in the following URL.
The onlyoffice community server installed with no problems or errors.
But, the only thing I get is "Sorry, portal is on maintenance. It may take some time."
I solved the issue. It was about database connection. Thank you very much, Max, for your support.


Philippine Airlines flight 126 covers a distance of 8,520mi. It comes after Qantas's Dallas to Sydney flight which is 8,577mi and followed by United Airlines and Singapore Airlines's San Francisco to Singapore direct flight which is 8,446mi.
The cabin crew of PAL's Inaugural Manila to New York direct flight with PAL President Jaime J. Bautista. Photo from Philippine Airlines.
To make this flight even more special, Wolfgang Steakhouse prepared sumptuous dishes like Fillet Mignon and Grilled Salmon for it's business class passengers. The flight also featured it's Dine at your Leisure service where business class passengers may order any meal they want on the menu at anytime during the flight. The flight was commanded by A350 Chief Pilot Captain Emmanuel "Butch" Generoso.
The record for the world's longest flight this year is held by Singapore Airlines from Neward, New Jersey to Singapore, utilizing an Airbus A350-900ULR which covers a distance of 9,534mi. Philippine Airlines's Manila to Toronto flight is ranked 15th world's longest covering a distance of 8,221mi utilizing a Boeing 777-300ER.


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Wear your literature on your tees while supporting and promoting literacy. Each purchase funds literacy programs and supports artists. For each article of clothing purchased, one book is donated to communities in need. It is estimated that about 72 million adults are illiterate. Unfortunately, the number of illiterate adults changes little per year. You can help change the statistics.
Out of Print Clothing prints clothing for women, men, unisex persons and household items like mugs! A Wrinkle in Time, a classic read among young adults is strung across a tee. Where The Wild Things Are prints across the front side of a tote. Another, To Kill a Mockingbird, shows the wholesome and childish items collected by Scout and Jem in t-shirt form. Banned books from across the nation are delicately redacted on mugs, shirts and scarves. Or, make a collection of mismatched library socks that resemble library check-out cards.
Whatever book intrigues you, Out of Print Clothing has it. Give the gift of education by purchasing an out-of-print style.


Emtriva is a prescription drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat HIV-1 infection in combination with other antiretroviral medications. Emtriva is also referred to by its drug name, Emtricitabine, and by the abbreviation FTC. Emtricitabine is a component in the combination drugs Atripla[LINK], Genvoya[LINK], Stribild[LINK], Complera[LINK], and Truvada[LINK].
Emtriva is an antiviral medication of the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) class. Emtriva is believed to work by preventing HIV from replicating in cells.
Prescribing information states that Emtriva is taken once daily.
The FDA-approved label for Emtriva lists common side effects including headache, nausea, diarrhea, insomnia, and skin color changes on the palms of hands and soles of feet.
Rare but serious side effects listed for Emtriva include lactic acidosis (a metabolic disorder), hepatomegaly (enlarged liver) with steatosis (fatty degeneration), and severe exacerbations of Hepatitis B.


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December, 03 2022, 12:30am EDT
Email: pressdesk.int@greenpeace.org
Fire Drill Fridays: Jane Fonda Is Back in DC Fighting for Climate Action!
Climate activists from DC and beyond, including Emmy, SAG, and Golden Globe-nominated actress Taylor Schilling, joined Jane Fonda at Freedom Plaza
Today, climate activists from around the country joined Jane Fonda's Fire Drill Fridays rally live and in person for the first time in almost three years. Climate activists filled Freedom Plaza to "sound the alarm" on the climate emergency, calling for President Joe Biden to take urgent action. The program, which opened with a performance by a New Orleans brass band, featured a moving moment of silence for frontline communities who are already impacted by the mounting climate crisis, followed by a symbolic "alarm" of ringing bells.
Photos and videos of the rally will be available here. Credit: c Greenpeace USA
Actor and activist Jane Fonda said: "Our time is running out. Scientists are telling us we are in our "last decade of action." What we do or fail to do in the next decade to cut our greenhouse gas pollution in half will determine much about the future livability of this planet. So this is the time for bold action - before it is too late. That is exactly why we are here once again demanding change."
Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) said: "This is Code Red. Climate chaos is the greatest threat that humankind has ever faced, and we need to respond quickly and boldly. President Biden should start by declaring a climate emergency. All of us, especially our elected leaders, have a duty to all those suffering from climate chaos today, and all the generations to come. We must do everything we possibly can to transition rapidly from fossil fuel energy to renewable energy. This moment demands our action - let's stand together and deliver!"
Speakers - including Jerome Foster II, the youngest member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, Roishetta Ozane, Organizing Director of Southwest Louisiana/Southeast TX for Healthy Gulf, Maria Lopez-Nunez, Deputy Director of Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC), and Emmy, SAG, and Golden Globe nominated actress Taylor Schilling, as well as elected officials Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) - joined Jane in demanding that Congress reject Senator Joe Manchin's "Dirty Deal." The deal, which could expand oil and gas projects in the U.S. and open up communities to further destruction from fossil fuels, is set to be attached to must-pass legislation.
Maria Lopez-Nunez, Deputy Director of Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC), said: "This dirty deal further consolidates the power of the fossil fuel industry through a handout that deeply harms the very communities hit first and worst by the climate crisis and legacy pollution. Our communities deserve a Just Transition to a healthy and non-toxic, community led transition, not one that uses renewables as decoration for fossil fuel expansion. This newest attempt to pass the dirty side deal is just another attempt to further erode our communities' rights; we deserve more."
Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ Third District) said: "Dirty industries have been padding their profit margins by offloading their worst messes on poor communities, communities of color, and Indigenous communities for decades. It comes as no surprise that they want to shove the Dirty Deal through Congress to make it even easier for them to do. As we move toward a clean energy future, we need policy solutions, like the Environmental Justice For All Act, that hold dirty industry to a higher standard for acting responsibly and being accountable to communities, not a lower one. It's time to finally put people and our planet over polluters. Many thanks to Jane Fonda and Fire Drill Fridays for being leaders in this fight for our climate future."
In 2023, Fire Drill Fridays plans to host rallies in the Gulf Coast and California, areas of the United States already seeing the visceral changes brought on by climate destruction. To learn more about upcoming programming, please visit https://firedrillfridays.com/.
About the guests:
Jerome Foster II is a 20-year-old White House Climate Advisor, environmental justice activist, and emerging technology developer. He advises on President Biden's White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council as the youngest ever White House Advisor in history. He served as intern for the late Honorable John Lewis at 16-years old and served as Board Member for the DC State Board of Education at 15. He is Co-Founder at Waic Up which is an international communication to community impact charity which is an expansion of OneMillionOfUs, which mobilized 1 million young people to vote in the 2020 Elections.
Raul Grijalva began his career in public service as a community organizer in Tucson. Four decades later, he continues to be an advocate for those in need and underrepresented voices. He has served as US House Representative for Arizona's Seventh Congressional District for twenty years, and in 2018, became Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee. He also serves on the Committee on Education and the Workforce and is the Chairman Emeritus of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, as well as a long-standing member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. He authored a letter championing the opposition to Manchin's permitting reform deal, and introduced the landmark Environmental Justice for All Act to fund environmental justice priorities.
Maria Lopez-Nunez (she/her) grew up in Bushwick and remembers being displaced multiple times by racism and violence, which sparked her commitment to fight extractive industries and end sacrifice zones once and for all. The Ironbound district of Newark, New Jersey where she resides, is predominantly Black and Latinx, and is one of the most toxic neighborhoods in the country. In her role as Deputy Director of Advocacy and Organizing of Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC); she challenges the current political system, and holds power brokers and polluters accountable while fighting for environmental, housing, immigrant, and racial justice. She currently serves on the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council, on the board for Climate Justice Alliance, and is the Co-Chair of the Grassroots Caucus for Building Equity and Alignment for Environmental Justice. You can catch Maria and her team in action in the 2019 film, The Sacrifice Zone.
Jeff Merkley has been one of the Senate's foremost champions for protecting our environment and taking on climate change since 2009. He's won bipartisan support to boost the Green Climate Fund, has used his seat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to promote American climate leadership on the global stage, and has led the fight in the Senate against Arctic drilling. Senator Merkley introduced the Keep It in the Ground Act to completely end new fossil fuel leases on our federal lands and waters. Senator Merkley also recently championed Senate letters urging President Biden to declare a National Climate Emergency, and opposing Manchin's permitting reform bill.
Roishetta Ozane is the Organizing Director of Southwest Louisiana/Southeast TX for Healthy Gulf, and is currently organizing against the oil and gas buildout in Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas. She also founded and directs The Vessel Project of Louisiana, a mutual aid and disaster relief organization in Louisiana. Roishetta is a single mom of six and her children are the reason she is fighting so hard to save this planet.
Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.
www.greenpeace.org/international
Biden Restores Vital Protections for Alaska's Tongass National Forest Gutted by Trump
"This is great news for the forest, the salmon, the wildlife, and the people who depend on intact ecosystems to support their ways of life and livelihoods," said one advocate.
Indigenous and green groups on Wednesday applauded the Biden administration for reinstating protections for millions of acres of wilderness in Alaska's Tongass National Forest that were lifted during a Trump-era regulatory rollback spree.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Wednesday that it has finalized protections for the Tongass National Forest by restoring "longstanding roadless protections to 9.37 million acres of roadless areas that support the ecological, economic, and cultural values of Southeastern Alaska."
The Roadless Rule was established in 2001 to protect wilderness areas in U.S. national forests from roads and logging. The administration of former President Donald Trump rescinded the rule in 2020 amid a flurry of regulatory rollbacks, prompting a lawsuit from a coalition of Indigenous, conservation, and business organizations. The Biden administration subsequently committed to reviving the Roadless Rule in 2021.
"As our nation's largest national forest and the largest intact temperate rainforest in the world, the Tongass National Forest is key to conserving biodiversity and addressing the climate crisis," U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement Wednesday. "Restoring roadless protections listens to the voices of tribal nations and the people of Southeast Alaska while recognizing the importance of fishing and tourism to the region's economy."
\u201cThe moment we\u2019ve been waiting for! \ud83c\udf32\ud83c\udf89 Roadless Rule protections have OFFICIALLY been reinstated in Tongass National Forest! This will restore federal protection to just over 9 million undeveloped acres in America\u2019s largest national forest.\u201d
— The Wilderness Society \ud83c\udf33 (@The Wilderness Society \ud83c\udf33) 1674680022
According to the advocacy group Defenders of Wildlife:
The Tongass contains rare expanses of pristine old-growth forest and as many as 17,000 miles of creeks, rivers, and lakes. These waters abound with all five species of Pacific salmon, which anchor the economy of Southeast Alaska. Approximately 1 million visitors come from all over the U.S. and internationally each year to see its glaciers, old-growth forests, and abundant wildlife.
The Tongass supports an incredible array of biodiversity and is home to the Alexander Archipelago wolf, brown bears, bald eagles, northern goshawks, and Pacific marten, among others. The Tongass is also one of the world's largest carbon reservoirs, storing the equivalent of about 8% of the carbon stored in all the U.S. forests combined. In addition, a broad coalition of tribal leaders, outdoor recreation businesses, and conservationists in Southeast Alaska have fought to preserve the region's remaining cedar, hemlock, and Sitka spruce trees.
"The restoration of National Roadless Rule protections for the Tongass National Forest is a great first step in honoring the voices of the many tribal governments and tribal citizens who spoke out in favor of Roadless Rule protections for the Tongass," said Naawéiyaa Tagaban, the environmental justice strategy lead at Native Movement. "We are grateful to the Biden administration for taking this first step toward long-term protections for the Tongass. We hope that going forward true long-term protections will be established that do not rely on a rule which can be changed at the whim of a presidential administration."
"The administration must look to tribal sovereignty and Indigenous stewardship as the true long-term solution for protections in the Tongass," Tagaban added. "Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people have lived in and managed the Tongass national forest for generations; true protections will look like the restoration of lands into Indigenous ownership."
\u201cBREAKING: The Biden administration has finalized the Roadless Rule on the Tongass! This is thanks to years of hard work by Tribes, small businesses, conservation groups, and Tongass supporters like yourself! \n\nFor more information, see https://t.co/pORem4DCcM \n\n#ProtectTheTongass\u201d
— SEACC (@SEACC) 1674679664
Kate Glover, senior attorney at EarthJustice, said her group applauds the Forest Service "for making good on its commitment to tribes and to the climate by restoring the Roadless Rule across the Tongass. This is great news for the forest, the salmon, the wildlife, and the people who depend on intact ecosystems to support their ways of life and livelihoods."
Teague Whalen, who owns Tongass Teague, asserted that "there are two uncompromising realities for the survival of life on this planet: clean air and clean water."
"My hiking tours into the Tongass begin at the literal end of our road, where the Roadless Rule reinstatement will ensure that the Tongass can continue to be a lasting carbon sink," Whalen added.
Students Vow to Sue DeSantis Over Rejection of AP African-American Studies Course
"DeSantis decided to deny the potentially life-changing class and effectively censor the freedom of our education and shield us from the truths of our ancestors," said prospective plaintiff Elijah Edwards.
Three high school students represented by attorney Benjamin Crump are planning to sue Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for rejecting a new high school Advanced Placement African-American studies course, the prominent civil rights lawyer said Wednesday.
As Common Dreamsreported last week, DeSantis rejected the pilot course in AP African-American studies being tested by the College Board—the organization behind the SAT exam—as he believes it "lacks educational value" and violates the state's Stop WOKE Act by promoting critical race theory (CRT). There is little to no evidence that CRT—a graduate-level academic discipline examining systemic racism—is being taught in any K-12 school in Florida, or anywhere in the United States.
"Are we really okay with Ron DeSantis deciding what's acceptable for America's students across the country about Black history?"
"We are here to give notice to Gov. DeSantis that if he does not negotiate with the College Board to allow AP African-American studies to be taught in the classrooms across the state of Florida, that these three young people will be the lead plaintiffs in a historic lawsuit," Crump said during a Wednesday press conference at the state Capitol in Tallahassee, referring to students Elijah Edwards, Victoria McQueen, and Juliette Heckman.
Victoria McQueen, a junior at Leon High School in Tallahassee, said that "there are many gaps in American history regarding the African-American population. The implementation of an AP African-American history class will fill in those gaps."
"Stealing the right for students to gather knowledge on a history that many want to know about because it's a political agenda goes to show that some don't want... the horrors this country has done to African-Americans to finally come to light," she added.
\u201cLIVE NOW: A \u2018Stop the Black Attack\u2019 rally is being held in response to FL Gov. Ron DeSantis' decision to block an Advanced Placement course on African American studies https://t.co/wDRhWv433m\u201d
— NowThis (@NowThis) 1674668042
In Florida, those "horrors" include the centuries-long experiences of slavery and Jim Crow, including 20th-century atrocities like the Ocoee and Rosewood massacres and lynchings like the Newberry Six —events that shaped the state's modern history.
Another one of the students, high school sophomore Elijah Edwards, said that "Gov. DeSantis decided to deny the potentially life-changing class and effectively censor the freedom of our education and shield us from the truths of our ancestors."
"I thought here in this country, we believe in the free exchange of ideas, not the suppression of it," he added.
Also present at the press conference were Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell (D-63), Florida Legislative Black Caucus Chairwoman Dianne Hart (D-61), state Sen. Shevrin Jones (D-35), American Federation of Teachers secretary-treasurer Fedrick Ingram, and National Black Justice Coalition executive director David Johns.
"By rejecting the African-American history pilot program, Ron DeSantis clearly demonstrated he wants to dictate whose story does and doesn't belong," said Driskell.
He wants to control what our kids can learn based on politics, not on sound policy. He repeatedly attacks the First Amendment rights of Floridians with books being banned from libraries and classrooms and now throwing his weight against this AP African-American history course. He is undermining the rights of parents and students to make the best decisions for themselves. He wants to say that I don't belong. He wants to say you don't belong... But we are here to tell him, we are America. Governor, Black history is American history and you are on the wrong side of history.
Acknowledging that the course "will be altered and resubmitted and most likely they'll be able to make enough changes for the governor to approve it," Driskell asked, "but at what cost? Are we really okay with Ron DeSantis deciding what's acceptable for America's students across the country about Black history?"
\u201cWhen DeSantis taught school, according to some of his students, he told them that the Confederacy had a point because they "lost property" and that abortion "was wrong". Hypocrite. Was that HIS WOKE agenda? \nVisit https://t.co/LNnmmhjyvZ.\u201d
— Dr. Marvin Dunn (@Dr. Marvin Dunn) 1674575816
"Accurately teaching our history is not political until others make it so," Driskell asserted. "How is political to talk about the struggles we've endured? How is political to talk about and to remember our history?"
"The truth is the truth; you can't change it, it simply is," she added. "But if you try to sugarcoat it, if you refuse to teach it accurately, then the truth can be suppressed, it can be diminished, and if we're not vigilant, it can even be erased."
DeSantis, a potential 2024 presidential candidate, has backed dozens of right-wing school board candidates while purging education officials who promote or enforce Covid-19 mandates. Last year, he outraged LGBTQ+ advocates by signing into law the so-called "Don't Say Gay or Trans" bill, falsely claiming that schools were promoting "pornographic" material while perpetuating homophobic and transphobic tropes.
The governor also signed a law requiring "media experts" to ensure that all books in Florida classrooms are "free of pornography," are "appropriate for the age level and group," and contain no "unsolicited theories that may lead to student indoctrination." Violators face felony charges, leading some teachers to cover or remove books from their classroom libraries for fear of running afoul of the law.
\u201cMy latest. \n\nBlack journalists knew from the jump that the end game of the CRT panic was to justify legalizing anti-Black efforts.\n\nFlorida and DeSantis are showing us what was under their *ahem* hoods this entire time. \n\nhttps://t.co/3dtnSB0lXu\u201d
— Karen Attiah IS ON INSTAGRAM @karenattiah (@Karen Attiah IS ON INSTAGRAM @karenattiah) 1674666471
DeSantis stridently touts himself as a champion of "freedom."
"Together we have made Florida the freest state in these United States," he said during his 2022 State of the State address. "While so many around the country have consigned the people's rights to the graveyard, Florida has stood as freedom's vanguard."
ap african-american studies
Big Oil Asks US Supreme Court to Reinstate Offshore Fracking in California
"The decision to halt fracking was exceedingly well-reasoned, and I hope the court rejects the oil industry's reckless attempt to overturn the 9th Circuit's ruling," said one campaigner.
The American Petroleum Institute and a pair of oil companies filed a petition for certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday in a bid to overturn a lower federal court ruling that blocked fracking in public waters off California's coast.
"The decision to halt fracking was exceedingly well-reasoned, and I hope the court rejects the oil industry's reckless attempt to overturn the 9th Circuit's ruling," Kristen Monsell, oceans legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), said in a statement. "Fracking is dangerous to whales, sea otters, and other marine wildlife, and this dirty, harmful technique has no place in our ocean."
CBD and the Wishtoyo Foundation sued the Trump administration to stop offshore fracking in 2016. Then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris filed a similar case.
In 2018, U.S. District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez ordered a prohibition on permits for offshore fracking in federal waters off California, ruling that the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) had failed to adhere to multiple federal laws.
A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Gutierrez's decision last June, arguing that the DOI violated the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Coastal Zone Management Act when it allowed fracking in offshore oil and gas wells in all leased public waters off California.
In late August, the Biden administration, of which Harris is the vice president, asked the 9th Circuit for an en banc review to overturn the panel's ruling.
The Biden administration's request, which drew the ire of environmentalists because it would have enabled offshore fracking to resume, was denied in September.
"Fracking is dangerous to whales, sea otters, and other marine wildlife, and this dirty, harmful technique has no place in our ocean."
In its June ruling, the 9th Circuit stated that the DOI "should have prepared a full [environmental impact statement] in light of the unknown risks posed by the well stimulation treatments and the significant data gaps that the agencies acknowledged."
Instead, the agency "disregarded necessary caution when dealing with the unknown effects of well stimulation treatments and the data gaps associated with a program of regular fracking offshore California in order to increase production and extend well life," the 9th Circuit wrote.
The panel's decision prevents the DOI from issuing fracking permits until it completes Endangered Species Act consultations and published an environmental impact statement that "fully and fairly evaluate[s] all reasonable alternatives."
In addition to the fact that offshore fracking increases planet-wrecking greenhouse gas emissions, tens of millions of gallons of toxic fracking wastewater have been dumped into the ocean since 2010.
According to CBD scientists, "At least 10 chemicals routinely used in offshore fracking could kill or harm a broad variety of marine species, including sea otters, fish, leatherback turtles, and whales."
Iowa Republicans Push 'Profoundly Cruel and Petty' Food Benefit Restrictions
'Open Admission of Fraud': United CEO Says Airlines Are Scheduling Flights They Can't Fulfill
Independent Probe Demanded After Police Kill Forest Defender "Tortuguita" in Georgia


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Issue 36: Bottoms Up
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The Intellectual Situation
Disrupt the Citizen
Mattathias Schwartz
Ecuador After Correa
Thea Riofrancos
Triumph of the Shill
Corey Robin
Fairouz in Exile
Matthew McNaught
Fiction and Drama
Paranoir
Kylie Wears Balmain
Sarah Resnick
Renee Gladman
Kaitlin Phillips
Heads Without Bodies
A. S. Hamrah
Thinking Like a Mountain
Jedediah Purdy
Tokens of Ruined Method
Marco Roth
Liberals, Torture, Contrast Ratios
I believe you, I totally believe you
Published in Issue 29: Bottoms Up
Publication date Fall 2017
Lee Lozano. 1970, Ballpoint on paper. 9 × 11". Photo by Barbora Gerny. Courtesy of Hauser & Wirth. © The Estate of Lee Lozano.
I go to a dinner for an Upper East Side gallery. "I'm not clever, I'm creative," says a woman in a red felt pantsuit. She squints, and I wonder if she's squinting at me like, This woman is in polyester mix. She has orange lipstick all over her teeth and a very rich and famous father, which I like, because it's very artistic.
"Don't get me wrong, I like to fuck," she says, when I ask her about her love life. "I believe you," I say. "I totally believe you." I keep repeating it in my head, even after we stop talking, sending positive, cross-generational vibes to her. I believe you. I believe you. I imagine her aura swallowing my good wishes like a water-soluble vitamin that converts food into energy. Like biotin for the soul. I imagine her aura growing healthy little nails, like a 12-week-old fetus. Like all uninsured people in the gig economy, I have a really good imagination.
In line for champagne, an artist tells me to shut up about astrology, her patron is coming over. She thanks the patron for her patronage. "It was life-changing," the artist says. Red blotches begin creeping higher and higher up her neck. "It was absolutely a talent-based decision," says the patron, patting the artist on the shoulder. Everyone was being honest, I wasn't judging them at all.
I ask what sort of feathers are in the patron's headband. "That's such a good question," she says. "I hear you're talented for a 26-year-old." I ask from whom she's heard but everyone looks up, like they're looking for the bird that just shit on them.
"This word gossip comes up a lot lately," says the patron, after a long pause. "Gossip," the artist says, nodding, "I've heard that word." A blotch crests her chin. It's all very brave. That's what my friend Sam says whenever anything happens at a party. "Well, everyone is acting very brave tonight."
I started saying "This is all very American" whenever I went to a house party, but people kept disagreeing with me, so I had to stop.
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Issue 29 Bottoms Up
The promise of ride-sharing is that it complements public transit. In practice, it eliminates it.
One of the names on the No Fly List belongs to a 7-month-old baby.
Moreno is not a charismatic figure, and there is no commodity boom on the horizon.
Trump embodies a tension between two visions on the right: what we might call the political and the economic.
Humankind cannot bear very much reality, but it can bear a lot of reality TV.
We are too insurmountably human to know how cultural, how intentional, how meaningful, the nonhuman world might be.
Gone is the task of providing "equipment for living," in the words of Kenneth Burke.
What happens within the precincts of the bourgeois academy stays there.
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UU will participate in the National Student Survey in 2019 anyway
NSE affiche
Utrecht University has decided to withdraw their previous threat of not participating in the National Student Survey (NSE) next year. Studiekeuze123 has made promises to the UU about the way questions are asked and the amount of answers that the University receives. Minister Ingrid van Engelshoven takes the lead in constructing a new structure that is acceptable for both the students and institutions.
By Ries Agterberg Translation Minthe Woudstra on 12/19/2018 - 09:44
The past few weeks, there has been a lot of discussion behind the scenes. Utrecht University and, in its wake, the University of Amsterdam had said they wished to withdraw from the National Student Survey. The consequences would be enormous. The UU and UvA would then no longer be included in the annual overviews such as Elsevier's educational guide and the Higher Education Guide, as these overviews are based on the large-scale student research.
The reason the UU threatened to stop with the NSE was that the University had been dissatisfied with the questionnaire for years. The questions would be far too general, which would allow students to interpret them differently. As a result, the University did not have much use for the answers.
However, enough was enough for the UU when the NSE announced last spring that students were given the choice to fill in the questions anonymously. As a result, information given by these students is only passed on to the institutions to a limited extent. The answers of all these anonymous students are no longer divided into characteristics such as faculty, type of study program and academic year. According to the NSE, this measure was a logical consequence of the new AVG privacy law.
For Utrecht University, this meant that they received far less information. As a result, institutions could do less with the feedback to improve its programmes, especially because the anonymous participants generally belong to the most critical group.
A lot of protest
There was a lot of protest against the UU threat. For example, the chairmen of the student unions found that the UU would make it more difficult for prospective students. According to them, that is the main purpose of the NSE. The editor-in-chief of the Keuzegids was not happy with the threat either, although he said he did see opportunities to resolve the objections. The student members of the University Council did support the decision of the Executive Board to stop with the NSE. They found the quality of the questions below par, causing for a good comparison of study programmes would not be possible.
At first, Studiekeuze123 did not intend to give in to the requirements of UU. The NSE is not intended for quality research if it is at the expense of study choice information and the foundation was bound by privacy legislation, according to Pauline Thoolen, head of information management at Studiekeuze123.
Now, Studiekeuze123 has given in and made some promises, says the UU in an internal memo. Because of this, the UU will be given the opportunity to see for each NSE participant which (master) program she / he is following, at which faculty and within which graduate school. The condition is that groups of at least five students are involved, because otherwise the student would be recognizable. In addition, the UU will formulate the questions it adds in such a way that identification of the student is excluded. As a result, Studiekeuze123 no longer needs to sort through the answers in order to comply with the privacy law. The UU is also allowed to add some lines of text to the invitation itself to explain that anonymous participation has consequences for the possibility of improving the study.
Furthermore, it has been agreed that further discussions will be held for a fundamental adjustment of the NSE questionnaire after 2020. That process will be led by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. With this, the University hopes for a better questionnaire. Around April 2019, there should be more clarity about this and the University will decide whether it will still cooperate with the NSE after 2020.
In a letter to the House of Representatives, Minister Ingrid van Engelshoven writes that her ministry will take the lead in looking at how the NSE should be designed in the future. In doing so, it wants to meet universities and universities of applied sciences on the one hand so that they can use the outcomes of the survey to improve the quality of the programs. On the other hand, students must also agree with this design and the survey may not be in violation of the privacy legislation. Discussions about this already begin in January. In April there must be an agreement in principle already.
Tags: nationale studenten enquête


text:
DeeDee Stiepan
What women should know about their heart health
Heart disease and stroke continue to be the most dangerous threats to a woman's health. In the U.S., 1 in 4 women die from cardiovascular disease. During February, which is American Heart Month, there continues to be an emphasis on raising awareness about the risks to help save lives.
Dr. Sharonne N. Hayes, a cardiologist and founder of the Mayo Clinic Women's Heart Clinic, says that, while women's heart care has significantly improved in the past 20 years, there is still much to learn about heart disease in women.
Watch: Dr. Hayes and Dr. Mankad discuss what women should know about heart health.
Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites are available in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Sharonne N. Hayes, M.D./Cardiovascular Disease/Mayo Clinic" and "Rekha Mankad, M.D./Cardiovascular Disease/Mayo Clinic."
"There are conditions that affect women that either don't affect men, like pregnancy-related heart disease, or that affect women differently, such as heart failure," says Dr. Hayes.
"We've just scratched the surface of what we need to know about heart disease. Each time we peel back a layer, we realize we need to know more."
Dr. Rekha Mankad, a cardiologist and director of the Mayo Clinic Women's Heart Clinic, says there are certain factors that put someone at a higher risk of heart disease, such as high blood pressure, hypertension, diabetes, smoking and high cholesterol. However, when it comes to these risks, she says there are differences between men and women.
"Hypertension is very common as we all get older, but it's important to recognize that women have more hypertension as we age. It becomes a more prevalent risk factor. It doesn't necessarily act differently in the setting of how it makes you at elevated risk for heart disease, although there is an increased risk of stroke, and that does play a big role in women as we age because of that very prevalent high blood pressure," Dr. Mankad says. "Diabetes has a much bigger difference between men and women. A diabetic woman has a greater risk of heart disease compared to a diabetic man. So, with everything else being equal, if you have diabetes and you're female, that risk is higher than if you have diabetes and you're a male."
Dr. Mankad says that's similar to smoking because a female smoker has a higher risk than a male smoker. In addition to the traditional risk factors for heart disease, women have nontraditional risk factors, such as pregnancy-related risks.
Both men and women have a wide range of symptoms of heart attack. Knowing what they are and when to call 911 is something Dr. Hayes continues to stress to her patients.
"(Symptoms may include) anytime there's chest pressure, pain or discomfort in the chest — it may be in the jaw or radiate to the back, or go up to the neck — shortness of breath, as well as cold sweats. For women in particular, nausea and vomiting, or shortness of breath, all of those should signal a need to get emergency help."
"Mayo Clinic Minute: What is heart disease?"
"5 tips to love your heart"
"Consumer Health: Do you know your 'heart age?'"
For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a nonpatient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.
Mayo Clinic Minute: Heart health and dangers of shoveling snow
Shoveling and digging out after a heavy snowfall can be a good workout for most people; but for those with heart disease, shoveling is best ...
Despite memory concerns, hiker reaches new heights on the Arizona Trail
Consumer Health: What is encephalitis?


If you haven't already heard, Google created a new company called Alphabet, and it's BIG time! The new company will encompass the already existing Google that we know and love, as well as a myriad of other Google Products. So what is Alphabet? Alphabet is the top tier of a collection of companies, Google being the largest of the bunch. Google's main goal is to keep on innovating and creating, while making sure each facet of their company gets the love and attention it deserves.
Facebook Carousel Ads is the future of Facebook Advertising! You may have even seen some yourself and not realized what they were. Carousel Ads are a series of images that scroll from side to side that showcase up to 3-5 images, and can link and direct people to specific parts of your website. Each image will contain it's own headline, link, and description.
The common misconception that just because everyone has Social Media, means everyone does it right! NOT! There are a lot of small details that go into cranking out good Social Media content, and one simple mistake could cause your world to come crashing down. Having the right person for your Social Media presence is key. And having a good online presence can sky rocket you into success.


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<?php
namespace Cache;
class APC {
	private $expire;
	private $active = false;

	public function __construct($expire) {
		$this->expire = $expire;
		$this->active = function_exists('apc_cache_info') && ini_get('apc.enabled');
	}

	public function get($key) {
		return $this->active ? apc_fetch(CACHE_PREFIX . $key) : false;
	}

	public function set($key, $value) {
		return $this->active ? apc_store(CACHE_PREFIX . $key, $value, $this->expire) : false;
	}

	public function delete($key) {
		if (!$this->active) {
			return false;
		}

		$cache_info = apc_cache_info('user');
		$cache_list = $cache_info['cache_list'];
		foreach ($cache_list as $entry) {
			if (strpos($entry['info'], CACHE_PREFIX . $key) === 0) {
				apcu_delete($entry['info']);
			}
		}
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


mobile crushing machine in india 6 Leadership is at the beginning We expect managers to believe in what they say, and behave accordingly Lip service is immediately detected by employees!
mobile crushing machine in india 6. Raw material mill. This takes places in vertical steel mill, which grinds the material through the pressure exerted by three conical rollers.
Functional Competencies. 1.Overall responsible for operation and trouble shooting of RMHS,RAW MILL, COAL MILL, PYRO PROCESSING,& QUALITY section & D.
mobile crushing machine in india Alternative Raw Materials and Fuels Process. Lafarge is a leader in the use of alternative raw materials and fuels for fueling manufacturing operations.


Blowhard Esq. advocates here that students consider college on a do it yourself basis. That idea has a lot of appeal. Here is a book on DIY University. And the recent film on higher education, The Ivory Tower, has several interesting segments on do it yourself approaches, AKA hacking higher education.
We will see a lot more of this in the future I am sure but how much and how far in the future are questions that are yet up in the air. Higher education has vast inertia and has mostly been successful to date in holding off the kinds of changes that have been breathlessly prophesized. But while the future tends to come later than true believers initially predict, with the result that prophecies get discounted, come it will eventually, often catching people off-guard when it does. Sometimes it comes in disguise, too, since inertia may spawn unexpected workarounds and mutations.
The largest factor holding back DIY approaches is the dominant theme in higher education today of credentialism. If higher education were all about self-improvement–the old myth–then DIY would work just fine. But nowadays it is mostly about presenting an employable package to the market, one that employers can understand in simple ways. A Harvard degree means a very smart person, even if little education was imparted while residing in Cambridge. Stanford Computer Science sends a different signal; Rhode Island School of Design another.
It doesn't have to be this way. I wrote here in 2012 (wow, ancient UR history) about what has been called alternative credentialing–essentially hacking the system by assembling merit badges. The merit badges you assemble may or may not constitute a recognized degree from an accredited institution but if employers understand what the badges add up to, and if they value that package, you are employable.
Work continues apace on this. But, per the above caution about the future never appearing as quickly as proselytizers confidently assert, here we are almost three and a half years after my post and things have not changed all that greatly. People still rely on the simpler coding available from the US News rankings and from accreditation bodies (bodies which are, no surprise, constituted by the industry they regulate).
So if DIY will be delayed a bit more, what might be the vector of a more imminent change? What mutation might develop that will be the new cutting edge?
Perhaps it will be an old-fashioned college, made new in certain key respects.
And I mean that term "old-fashioned" literally–i.e., the kind of college that used to exist that no longer does. Mostly teaching. Not that much of an emphasis on faculty research. Little by way of general administration or student affairs.
A place like this can have facilities. It can have a faculty. It can be accredited. So we would not be asking employers to take on the job of decoding a series of possibly unconnected merit badges that may or may not lead to something resembling a baccalaureate education. But, like colleges of old, it would consciously strive to devote most of its resources to . . . . (drumroll) . . . teaching!
Teaching and instruction are the smaller part of the expenditure picture in higher education. The Delta Cost Project does the most systematic job of analyzing what money is spent on in higher education. Here is its most recent report, just out, that looks at higher education spending from 2010-2013.
Educating students is the common thread that weaves across all colleges and universities, but it takes more than just faculty to run institutions. Student services (such as admissions, registrar services, and student counseling) are often key to a successful college experience. And other support functions (including academic and institutional support and operations and maintenance) contribute indirectly by providing an infrastructure that supports learning. Institutions may also engage in sponsored research and public service activities or in hosted auxiliary operations, such as food service, book stores, and sometimes even hospitals.
Note that while this language recognizes that of course it takes more than instruction to run a college, it is silent on whether all of those expenditures are needed or wise. Perhaps there is an arms race for facilities. Perhaps faculty aren't spending enough time teaching. Perhaps near universal education has spawned the felt need for large bureaucracies to handle new student needs and problems. The Delta Cost Project mostly reports what it finds.
And what does it find?
Public and private four-year colleges and universities boosted spending on student services per FTE student by 2 to 4 percent in 2013, outpacing the instructional spending in terms of average growth (1 to 2 percent), but not the dollar amount invested . . .
The rise in student services spending is an ongoing trend. On many college campuses, the growth may reflect a greater emphasis on career counseling and academic advising by professional staff, as well as students' expectations about access to campus mental health services. Student services was among the fastest growing spending categories during the prior decade—particularly at private institutions and selective public institutions, where spending per student increased by more than 20 percent between 2003 and 2013.
Spending on administrative and maintenance functions increased faster than instructional spending at many four-year institutions in 2013. In particular, academic support expenditures per student (e.g., libraries, information technology, deans' offices) rose by an average of 3 percent or more . . .
Take the category of private bachelor's colleges (please!) While this category includes a wide variety of places with different costs and tuition levels, you probably have some feel for the high sticker price of private higher education. But in this category, the Delta Cost Project reports that instruction costs per student are only about $9,000. That is a fraction of tuition.
Where are the rest of the costs? Take student services. There the costs per student were fully half the amount of instruction, around $4,500. But of course that's not all. Institutional support (non-academic overhead) costs were higher yet than student services, around $5,000. And academic support (more overhead, but the running of the academic enterprise such as dean's offices) came to over $2,000. Ditto Operations and Maintenance. All of these together come to over $25,000, of which the $9,000 on instruction in just a fraction.
Oh, and this does not include spending on things like public service, sponsored research and auxiliary enterprises like food service and dorms. Those are other categories in the Delta scheme.
It's all a more complicated picture than this small snapshot suggests, but the snapshot is suggestive nonetheless.
What this means is that in theory there is an opportunity out there for someone to actually build a new institution that sheds many of these costs. Yes, consumers want the new rock climbing walls and fine dining and extra counseling services and so forth. But they have never been given the option of the budget model! A friend of mine is hard at work on the development of one of these colleges, and is pretty far down the road with the business model, the funding and the regulators.
That model suggests that a stripped down for action college is feasible at a tuition level of $8,000. A new library is not needed if the college has sufficient journal privileges and an inexpensive contract to use the first-rate library of a nearby college. Faculty will not be encouraged to vacate their classrooms to develop publications but the reverse: faculty will have beefed up teaching loads and will be evaluated mostly on teaching rather than research, which is the obsessive preoccupation of academics elsewhere. Student affairs will be handled, but not with as much hand-holding, without excessive programming, and by relying on outsourcing things like counseling services.
If you build it, will they come? Hard to say. But there are a lot of parents out there who will think twice about a $40,000 price tag when there's a model out there for under $10,000 that is as good, or even just nearly as good.
4 Responses to Wither Colleges?
I'm very much in tune with your thinking. My undergrad alma mater was Northwestern University, which has gone over to the dark side of international corporations. My grad school alma mater was U of Chicago which has sunk into research. But this morning I was looking at Blackfeet Community College which has done what you suggest: built from the ground up as needed with merit badges, kept close track of student costs, and also student results. I wonder whether Tribal Colleges might be a pattern for the future — a real surprise workaround. No one expects anything at all about Indians.
Like the military, modern universities are pretty much jobs programs. That is their raison d'etre. They keep young adults from being "unemployed" while they can be classed as "student", too.
Education is only a secondary or tertiary goal. The metastasis of modern university education is a testament to this. Where will all the liberal arts professors, administrators, counselors, etc. go when the budget colleges out-compete them? I'm being kind of flip, but it is a serious problem.
We don't really have any need for the majority of our armed forces ever since the advent of nuclear weapons (meaning conventional total war was to become very unlikely), and yet the behemoth carries on due to the sustenance it provides those involved in it.


Idaho teacher certification is required for those who wish to lead classrooms in the state's K-12 public education system. The certification requirements and process are overseen by the Idaho State Department of Education. Below, we outline how to become a teacher in Idaho for those interested in learning more about the process.
As with all US states, Idaho teachers are required to hold a bachelor's degree. In order to be eligible to teach in Idaho, applicants must also complete a teacher preparation program that is accredited by both the regional accrediting agency for its state and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
New teachers who have completed a bachelor's degree and an educator preparation program at an accredited school will be eligible for the Initial Certificate, which is a renewable certificate valid for five years. Candidates who have completed a bachelor's degree but did not complete a teacher preparation program may be eligible for alternative teacher certification in Idaho.
The most important step towards certification is completing a bachelor's degree and teacher preparation program that holds regional accreditation as well as accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). This step is imperative for anyone wanting to work as a teacher in Idaho teacher because without credentials from an accredited school, Idaho won't issue a license to teach in the state.
There are six regional accreditation agencies overseen by the US Department of Education. Idaho also requires accreditation for teacher preparation programs from the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), which is recognized as a standard of teaching excellence in the educational field.
See our list of CAEP accredited schools in Idaho.
The Idaho Department of Labor projects 104 average annual job openings due to growth and 148 average annual job openings due to replacements for elementary school teachers, 39 average annual openings due to growth and 56 average annual openings due to replacements for middle school teachers, and 65 average annual job openings due to growth and 99 average annual job openings due to replacements for secondary school teachers through 2024.3 The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that exclusive of special education teachers there are 14,170 elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers in Idaho.4 The average annual salary for elementary school teachers in the state is $47,260, for middle school teachers $49,380, and for secondary school teachers $44,550.4 The Idaho Education Association, the largest active teachers union in Idaho, provides more information on teaching careers and news in the state.
All Idaho teachers are required to complete a bachelor's degree and a teacher preparation program from an institution that holds both regional and CAEP accreditation. For traditional-route educators, the teacher preparation program is typically completed as part of the bachelor's degree. For more information on alternative routes to Idaho teacher certification, see our guide to alternative teacher certification in Idaho.
Before applying for a teaching license in Idaho, candidates must pass the state's Comprehensive Literacy Assessment as well as the state's Technology Assessment. These assessments are delivered as part of the teacher preparation program completed. Candidates must also pass the applicable Praxis Subject Assessments for the subject(s) to be taught.
All Idaho public education employees are required to submit a background check before employment consideration. The fingerprint-based background check must be completed on cards provided by the Idaho State Department of Education.
Proof of completed bachelor's degree and teacher preparation program that meets the Idaho State Board of Education standards for accreditation.
Recommendation for licensure from the teacher preparation program completed (Institutional Recommendation).
Completed fingerprint card (along with the required fees) for a background check.
Verification of successful completion of the state's required educator assessments.
Complete application and payment of non-refundable application fee.
Visit the Idaho State Department of Education for further details on Idaho teacher certification.
Question: How do I become an elementary teacher in Idaho?
Answer: To be an elementary teacher in Idaho, you must earn an elementary teaching certificate from the state. You must have a bachelor's degree and 24 credit hours in elementary education courses from an accredited institution. You must also complete a teacher preparation program and pass the state's exams for educators, as well as a background check.


The world has been noticing a quickening advancement over the last decades in terms of irrigated agriculture, social, industrial, and economical perspectives; followed by a huge increment in the water demand. Therefore, desalination is used all over the world to reduce worldwide water shortage; however, the traditional techniques lead to fossil fuel depletion and global warming. Therefore, scientists are investigating new green and environment-friendly methods to be used by the desalination plants to reduce CO2 emissions and save the natural resources. In this study, the feasibility of using ionic liquids (ILs) as potential means for pre-treatment of seawater desalination was examined. The main aim of this work was to examine the ability of ILs in extracting salts from saline water. As a first step, the solubility of NaCl, MgCl2, and CaCl2 in different ILs at different temperatures were analyzed. The solubility of the salts in ILs increased in most cases with temperature increments; however, the presence of emulsion was seen in a few cases. The highest measured concentration of NaCl was 6,639 ppm at 60 °C in 1,3-Dimethylimidazolium dimethyl phosphate.


text:
Disney looking to add other studios to their digital movie service
By Stephen Porter - Project Manager
www.wdwinfo.com
According to bloomberg.com, the Walt Disney Company is working on including other "major Hollywood studios to join its Disney Movies Anywhere service." The Disney Movies Anywhere service is a digital film locker that allows customers to "watch and store" films online from a single site. After purchasing a movie on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Video, etc. consumers can then store their purchase on the Disney Movies Anywhere service. Currently Disney Movies Anywhere allows consumers to store films under the Disney umbrella like Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, but Disney is looking to expand their service to include films from other studios.
Adding content from other movies studios has proven to be difficult for Disney. Other digital film lockers like UltraViolet support a service that is comparable to Disney Movies Anywhere. Currently UltraViolet hosts films from studios like Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Sony, Paramount, 20th Century Fox, and many more. So, Disney has been challenged to bring other major studios over to their site when there are alternatives, like UltraViolet.
In the article by Bloomberg, Warner Bros. Chief Executive Officer Kevin Tsujihara said back in 2015 that "he hoped to connect the UltraViolet platform with that of Disney so consumers weren't confused. You can do so while having separate platforms, but as long as it's seamless to the consumer and the interoperability that we talked about is there."
Credit: Bloomberg
Photo: Labeled for reuse
Tags: disney, Disney Movies Anywhere
*The information contained in this article represents the opinion of the author, and not necessarily the opinion of the DIS.
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"I Love the Used Furniture Gallery!"
"The constant turnover of inventory and variety allows us to shop weekly for our movie sets. "


With the new iPad Pro finally available and the first reviews pouring in on several tech blogs, let digitalEPIGRAPHY give you a quick roundup of their initial impressions and especially what creative professionals think of Apple's new tablets. Naturally, Apple – as always – claims that with its powerful new internals and versatile form factor, the iPad Pro could be a true laptop replacement. Not surprisingly, most of the sites reviewed the device with that claim in mind. Well, to not over-hype every new Apple device and to be fair with some of the negative attitude, the new iPad Pro still uses the same operating system as the last iPad Pro and the one before it, giving a slightly bitter edge for these reviews. What seemed two years ago a step into the right direction on software front, is just not enough to justify Apple's claims in 2018. However, most of the tech blogs, especially Engadget and 9to5 Mac, elaborate on the hardware improvements, the new design and smaller footprint (especially regarding the 12.9 Inch iPad Pro).
According to CNET it is shockingly fast, has USB-C, and a far better Pencil design, easy login with Face ID and there's more screen real estate crammed into a more compact design. From a pure hardware perspective, it's a knockout — and drop-dead gorgeous, to boot. But the iPad Pro just isn't flexible enough, yet. The browser is not the same as a desktop-level experience, which can make it hard to work with web tools. No trackpad on the optional keyboard and no support for mice makes text editing cumbersome. Furthermore, iOS hasn't changed enough. It's way too much like an evolution of the iPhone, instead of a fully evolved computer desktop. And the current crop of available apps doesn't yet exploit the new hardware. A true version of Photoshop is on deck from Adobe, for instance, but it won't be available until 2019.
The Verge was even more focused on the laptop-replacement aspect of the iPad Pro, which aspect determined their negative comments even compared to last year's iPad Pro. If you're the sort of person who might spend over $2,000 on a maxed-out iPad Pro, you probably know exactly why you need one, what you'll use it for, and whether it's worth it to you. You'll undoubtedly find the switch to USB-C convenient, the new Pencil to be much nicer, and the A12X to be a significant performance boost over previous iPads. You will get what you're paying for. There isn't a single other tablet on the market that can compete with the raw hardware of the iPad Pro, and there aren't many laptops that can either. But Apple's approach to iOS is holding that hardware back in serious and meaningful ways, and while USB-C makes life with this new iPad Pro slightly easier, it still has the same basic capabilities and limitations of last year's iPad Pro.
However, dear reader, if you're seriously considering buying an iPad Pro for your professional field and/or studio drawing needs, please, keep on reading, because with the laptop-replacement issues set aside, creative professionals had a whole different attitude towards the tablet. TechCrunch spent a bit more time talking about the Apple Pencil and they ended up with an overall more positive impression especially with digital creative's needs in mind. One minute you're popping a radial menu that lets you manipulate whole layers, another you're drawing and swapping to an eraser, and it still feels pretty easy to follow because it's grounded in the kind of tool that you're using at the moment. Especially in vertical mode, it's easy to see why touch with fingers is not great for laptops or hybrids. The Pencil provides a much needed precision and delicacy of touch that feels a lot different than pawing at the screen with your fingers trying to tap a small button. Reach, too, can be a problem here and the Pencil solves a lot of the problems in hitting targets that are 10" away from the keyboard or more. The Pencil is really moving upwards in the hierarchy from a drawing accessory to a mandatory pointing and manipulation tool for iPad users. It's not quite there yet, but there's big potential, as the super flexible options in Procreate display.
We'd like to highlight Digital Arts' largely positive review of the 12.9 Inch iPad Pro that envisions a bright future for the platform. They were blown away by the Apple Pencil and considered the sleek new design and the power-boost as welcome changes over last year's model. Keeping in mind that Photoshop CC for iPad is coming in 2019, Digital Arts put their emphasis on the new Apple Pencil and how it's new features might improve the workflow for digital artists. There are two schools of thought when it comes to what's the best digital stylus. Some prefer the chunky, traditional Wacom shape, others prefer the sleeker Apple Pencil introduced in 2015 - both being more solid and better balanced for drawing than biro-like stylii such as the Microsoft Surface Pen. The second-generation Apple Pencil isn't going to change anyone's mind about this - but it does have advantages over the previous Pencil, even if it isn't quite as pure in its design. The fully round thread has been sliced longways to give a short flat edge along one side. This has the immediate benefit of stopping your Pencil rolling off your table, but also allows you to clip it to the 'top edge' of your iPad Pro using magnets, where it also automatically pairs with the iPad and charges wirelessly from it.You can also double tap on the flat edge under where your finger sits naturally to switch tools - for example, from a brush to an eraser - or perform other functions, though app developers need to add support for this.
The new Apple Pencil is also slightly shorter than the older stylus - though this makes no difference to how it sits in your hand. It still has the same really natural-feeling heft and balance as before, and the drawing experience is just as excellent as before. If you buy a '2018' iPad Pro then you'll need to buy a second-gen Apple Pencil. Your old one won't work, and apparently that's not just because the Lightning connector on the bottom edge of the iPad Pro has been replaced by a USB-C connector. Even if you got a USB-C to Lightning lead - something you might use to charge an iPhone from the iPad - then the older Pencil won't pair.
Digital Arts concludes their review saying that for the time being (aka before Photoshop arrives) the real reason to buy the new iPad Pro is the new Pencil, although we'll have to wait and see how quickly app developers support it. It will also be interesting to see how digitalEPIGRAPHY's most used iPad apps, such as Procreate, Affinity Designer or the forthcoming Adobe suite, will take advantage of the souped-up processing power of the new hardware. We'll have a thorough review of the new iPad Pro and Apple Pencil sometime in the near future, so stay tuned for more news considering Apple's new tablets and their accessories.
The all new iPad Pro is available from Apple's online store in two flavors starting from $799 (11 Inch wi-fi only) and $999 (12.9 Inch wi fi only) respectively. The 2nd generation Apple Pencil costs $129.


This will start the download of emails for each session. You will only need to do this once per login session as it will then set the timer to get emails ever 5 minutes.
If you mouse over the number (eg 1 in this case) it will show you the email subject and if you click on the number it will open the email in a popup window.
Finally, the emails while they will be coming in automatically the page will still need to be refreshed to see them, so you'll need to click on the INBOX tab or if you prefer you can click on the GET EMAIL link again.


Google's long, long delayed "Chromebook" is out.
A price of $150 would be interesting. $100 without batteries would be exciting. $350 and up is just sad. My prognostication rep just took a big hit.
... we're also announcing Chromebooks for Business and Education. This service from Google includes Chromebooks and a cloud management console to remotely administer and manage users, devices, applications and policies. Also included is enterprise-level support, device warranties and replacements as well as regular hardware refreshes. Monthly subscriptions will start at $28/user for businesses and $20/user for schools.
Completely outsourcing all IT services, including hardware support, isn't pathetic -- especially for public schools. So there's a glimmer of hope for the ChromeOS, but I bet the Parental Controls will be a disaster.


The temperatures have started cooling down and there is a crisp nip in the air. Fall is upon us. With the changing season, many could find themselves dreading this time of year because of fall allergies. According to the-the Center for Disease Control (CDC), allergies are an overreaction of the immune system to substances that generally do not affect other individuals. Knowing your fall allergy symptoms and how to alleviate allergies can allow you to enjoy the fall weather. So grab a hot cup of apple cider and wrap yourself in your most comfortable fleece blanket and let's go over the basics of fall allergies.
If you are unsure if your symptoms are allergy related, please click here to find one of our many urgent care facilities and we will be able to answer any questions you have.
Allergy symptoms can be treated using several different methods.
Over the counter medications such as nasal sprays, oral medication, etc.
Staying indoors when allergens are high. Websites such as The Weather Channel, can help you determine if the allergen level in your area is acceptable.
Be sure to clean all air ducts in your home and change the filters.
As always, if your symptoms persist or worsen, please click here to find one of our urgent care locations for medical attention.


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Arcadi Ragozin (în ) (n. 28 noiembrie 1918, Akmolinsk, regiunea cu același nume, Kazahstan – d. 2001, Moscova) a fost un general sovietic de securitate, care a îndeplinit funcția de președinte al Comitetului Securității de Stat (KGB) din RSS Moldovenească (1975-1979). Membru PCUS din anul 1946.

Biografie

Arcadi Ragozin s-a născut în anul 1918 în Kazahstan. A absolvit Institutul de ingineri din transporturile feroviare din Novosibirsk și școala superioară KGB în anul 1952.   A fost jurnalist la cotidianul "Gudok" și apoi activist de partid. Este angajat apoi în cadrul KGB-ului ajungând până la gradul de general-locotenent. A avut o reputație de bibliofil și savant, datorită activității jurnalistice și a modului de a lucra prin elaborarea de rapoarte.

Anterior numirii la KGB-ul din Moldova a fost șeful unei direcții regionale KGB din Rusia. În anul 1975, Arcadi Ragozin a fost numit în funcția de președinte al Comitetului Securității de Stat (KGB) din RSS Moldovenească. La Congresul XIY al PCM (1975) a fost ales membru CC PCM, iar la plenara din iulie - membru al Biroului CC PCM.

În anul 1979, Ragozin a fost transferat la Moscova, unde a fost numit comandant al Școlii de ofițeri KGB. A încetat din viață în anul 1998, la vârsta de 83 ani.

Caracteristică
Ragozin era un interlocutor atent, știa să asculte, dar avea pretenția, ca lumea să vină la el numai cu chestiuni concrete. În calitate de conducător, Ragozin era o persoană întreprinzătoare, dar și exigentă, avea calități de conducător înzestrat.
A beneficiat de o autoritate indubitabilă în rândul subordonaților, fiind totodată iubit și temut. El s-a orientat pe extinderea supravegherii contactelor moldo-române ca "activitate preventivă"(de profilaxie). Fără să cunoască limba română, el s-a axat pe activitatea jurnaliștilor, translatorilor și corespondenților de presă.
Un caz cunoscut din epoca Ragozin de la KGB-ul moldovenesc îl constitutie cel al lui Volodarski, conferențiar la Universitatea de Stat din Moldova, care protesa împotriva intervenției sovietice în Cehoslovacia și a libertății de opinii din URSS, trimițând scrisori anonime din diferite localități ale URSS cu caracter antisovietic. KGB-ul l-a depistat, Consiliul științific al USM i-a retras gradul științific și cel de conferențair. Ulterior a fost forțat să emigreze în Israel.

Distincții și decorații
 Ordinul "Revoluția din Octombrie"
 Ordinul "Steaua Roșie"
 Ordinul "Drapelul Roșu de muncă"

Note

Bibliografie
 Enciclopedia sovietică Moldovenească. Chișinău, Red. Enciclopediei.
 Tudor Botnaru, A. Ganenco - Istoria Serviciilor Secrete. [Breviar] (Ed. Museum, Chișinău, 2004)

Nașteri în 1918
Decese în 1998
Generali ruși
Directori ai serviciilor secrete moldovene
Comisari ai poporului și miniștri ai RSS Moldovenești
Decese în Moscova

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Celebrate the Navy Birthday
Navy resident students and staff celebrate the Navy's 245 birthday.
On October 13, 1775, the United States Navy was established. It was known as the Continental Navy at that time and was consisted of a small fleet of ships patrolling to intercept ships sent to resupply British Army troops at or near the colonies.
Originating over 240 years ago when the Continental Congress authorized two armed vessels to search for ships supplying the British army with weapons and ammunition during the American Revolutionary War.
After the war, the Continental Navy was dismantled. However, pirate ships continued to threaten American merchant shipping, the Naval Act of 1794 created a permanent standing US Navy.
It wasn't until 1972 when Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Elmo Zumwalt declared an official recognition of the holiday, intended to honor all who served in a Navy uniform, past and present.
Important first for the U.S. Navy
1. First use of submarines: While the Navy's first commissioned designs for a submarine were handed over in 1875, it wasn't until 1898 that the first Holland submarine launched successfully.
2. First use of modern battleships: While America had battleships before, the 1908 South Carolina class dreadnought, which started with the USS Michigan and was based on British ships, was the first in the new era of battleships.
3. First use of naval aircraft: In 1911, the U.S. Navy bought its first airplane, the Curtiss A-1 Triad.
4. First use of aircraft carrier: The first flight from the deck of a U.S. Navy cruiser in 1910 led to the 1927 Lexington-class aircraft carriers, the first operational aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy.
5. First use of Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat: Introduced in 1992, these rubber boats were originally meant for life boats in the 1960s, but the Navy now uses them for SEALs due to their lightweight, high speed, all-weather specifications.
The United States Navy has more than 300,000 personnel on active duty and around 100,000 personnel in the Navy Reserve.


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Two more beaches could be added to summer dog ban list - but campaigners say they were 'added by mistake'
Holcombe and the Ness beach in Shaldon currently have no restrictions
A family with their dog pictured on the beach this afternoon
Controversial plans to add two Teignbridge beaches to the list that dogs are banned from during summer months will be re-examined by councillors.
At the end of October, Teignbridge District Council's executive backed a proposal for a Public Spaces Protection Order covering the whole of the district, with new controls over dogs, with on-the-spot £100 fines for anyone breaking the rules.
Huskies will be at Exeter Airport tomorrow - and you can meet them
Included in the order would be starting the beach dog ban start on April 1, rather than May 1, bringing all beaches into line with Dawlish Warren.
The beaches set to be covered by the April 1 ban next year are Dawlish Warren, Dawlish Town, Dawlish Coryton Cove, Holcombe, Teignmouth Town, Shaldon and The Ness.
Cullompton couple die in tragic A358 crash which killed one other person
But Holcombe and the Ness beach in Shaldon currently have no restrictions and no ban on dogs on the beach in the summer, and councillors have called-in the decision of the executive for further debate at Monday's Overview and Scrutiny committee meeting as they believe the two beaches were included in the ban by mistake.
Cllr David Cox, supported by Cllrs Alan Connett, Alistair Dewhirst, Alison Eden, John Nutley and Martin Wrigley, want the decision to extend the dog ban on Ness Beach and Holcombe Beach clarified 'as it now seems they were included in error'.
A dog on a lead walking on a beach
The call-in will also re-examine the new rule on that means an individual cannot walk more than four dogs at any one time, given that East Devon District Council set their limit as no more than six dogs, while comments from the Kennel Club, the Dogs Trust and the Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals did not specify any number.
Watch a video on vandalised dog ban signs at Instow below
A report to the overview and scrutiny committee by David Eaton, environmental protection manager, seems to suggest that the Ness Beach and Holcombe Beach will not be included in the PSPO when it is eventually implemented.
Do you want to see dogs banned from Ness and Holcombe beaches in the summer?
His report says: "The consultation with the public covered maintaining the existing seasonal dog exclusion areas. The Ness Beach and Holcombe Beach are not covered by the existing seasonal dog ban. It was not the intention that the PSPO restricted access to these beaches."
A controversial decision to ban dogs along a stretch of Instow beach for four months of the year will begin this week
It adds: "Since the executive meeting on October 30, there has been a large public response to the decision. Members in considering the call-in should note the number of responses to the decision, balanced with the number of people who responded to the consultation.
Police update after woman's body found on beach
"An update will be provided by the officer at the meeting of the number of correspondence received and a summary of the key points."
Six other rules on dog ownership were agreed by the executive and are not being re-examined by overview and scrutiny on Monday.
Fouling - not picking up its faeces straight away;
Means to pick up - not carrying a bag or other means of clearing up at all times;
Dog exclusion areas (except beaches) - letting a dog enter a dog ban area, such as a children's play park;
Dogs on lead areas - not keeping a dog on a lead in designated areas;
Dogs on leads on the highway - not keeping a dog on a lead on a road or footpath alongside a road, or cycle and walking routes away from roads;
Dogs on leads by direction - not complying when told by an authorised council officer or police officer to put a dog on a lead;
Anyone breaking the rules can be given a £100 fixed penalty.
The proposal for the orders were brought forward after public consultation.
50-year-old crisp packet discovered at Devon beach clean
The overview and scrutiny committee on Monday, November 19, will reconsider the proposals and provide a report back to the executive at a later date with any further recommendations.
Beachgoer Tuesday Toghill walks her dog in Torquay on Thursday (Image: Ian Williams/Apex)
The executive can then re-examine the matter along with any recommendations from overview and scrutiny and decide whether or not to change the original decision.
Best and worst beaches in Devon
Best beach bars
Cleanest
Surfer's favourites
Wild swims
Tragic beach
Best and worst ranked
Teignbridge's executive is set to meet on Wednesday, November 21, but it is expected that the call-in and re-referall of the PSPO will instead go back before the executive at their following meeting on Tuesday, December 4.


Snyder (who directed 300 and 2004's Dawn of the Dead) has given little reason to suspect his film will approach the grim majesty of Nolan's. But we'll find out when it hits theaters next March--about the time you'll be able to get tickets to a non-midnight showing of The Dark Knight.
Update: Those looking for more details on Watchmen (and a clear sense of the high esteem in which Zack Snyder holds himself) can read the Entertainment Weekly cover story here, or Vulture's excerpts here.


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Film review: Star Wars – The Force Awakens
Published on Wednesday, 16 December 2015 08:05
When Disney confirmed my seat at the press screening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I jumped for joy. I was 7 when the first Star Wars film came out in 1977 so I can say that the Star Wars saga has accompanied me throughout the best years of my life. It is an emotional return for many. The adventures of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Anakin / Darth Vader, Obi Wan Kenobi, Yoda and even the droids R2D2 and C3PO have been present in our lives for almost 40 years. It's been a decade waiting for Star Wars: The Force Awakens and it's finally here. Episode VII in the Star Wars Saga opens in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on Thursday 17 December, 2015.
Most cinemas are already sold out for the first few weeks, despite some like Odeon adding £2 surcharge on tickets. I recommend to check prices online before booking your tickets if you have more than one cinema to choose from.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens sees Lucasfilm and visionary director J.J. Abrams join forces to take audiences back to a galaxy far, far away. The film brings back the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker. They are joined by new promising actors and actresses including Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Max Von Sydow.
The screenplay is by J.J. Abrams & Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt.
John Williams returns as the composer. His original soundtrack for the entire saga is pretty memorable and iconic piece of music. George Lucas is one of the most innovative directors of all times and famous not just for the incredible Star Wars storytelling that came out of his own imagination but also for introducing classical music in sci-fi movies.
If you are already a fan of Star Wars, I don't need to explain why the saga is so appealing above and beyond sci-fi fans. But if you are a Star Wars newbie, well, let me tell you that the success of Star Wars is about the universal appeal of the stories of people finding their way in the world in a galaxy far far away. Star Wars stories are some of the best fairytales ever written. George Lucas always wanted to make movies about his own childhood fantasies and he managed to fulfill his dream while taking millions of people along in his journey.
The stories of the Skywalker family and their friends are universally appealing and have nothing to do with our reality as traditional fairytales should be. Lucas once said that he was influenced by the Wizard of Oz and Flash Gordon when he wrote and produced A New Hope.
Star Wars – The Force Awakens is going back to the stories that the people feel intensely about, it explores what happens to those characters we all fell in love with while also introducing new compelling tales and personalities. The passion behind this film is palpable. It's probably because every single person working on the new movie has been a huge fan of the Star Wars films.
I won't be giving too much away – spoilers would ruin it for you so keep reading this article with no fear as I won't reveal crucial details or the ending. As always with Star Wars movies, you won't be disappointed because the stories are still very gripping and written in the true spirit of the original tales.
Premiere Of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" – Red Carpet HOLLYWOOD, CA – DECEMBER 14: R2-D2 (L) and C-3PO attend the World Premiere of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" at the Dolby, El Capitan, and TCL Theatres on December 14, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
Let's just say that this 7th installment has all the ingredients Star Wars fans would want to include: the beloved characters from previous episodes, new characters who have too much Vader's blood running in their veins, and others who clearly have the Jedi powers without knowing it, the typical Star Wars humour that makes you forget the violence, the warm-natured droids fixing things and people's lives at times.
Premiere Of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" – Red Carpet HOLLYWOOD, CA – DECEMBER 14: Actor John Boyega at the Dolby, El Capitan, and TCL Theatres on December 14, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Disney)
The whole story revolves this time around the quest to find the last Jedi standing Luke Skywalker who has been hiding for a long time for failing to create new Jedi recruits who would restore piece in the galaxy against the First Order led by Kylo Ren, the new villain who wears a mask like his hero Darth Vader. The new main characters include a Stormtrooper who leaves the First Order and abandons his uniform in a desert to escape a life imprisoned in a soldier suit, and of course Rey, a girl who lives from the profits she makes from selling spare parts hidden in the relics of old spaceships (including the Millennium Falcon). Rey becomes the leading new female heroine who plays a crucial part in the new quest along with a new droid called BB-8.
There's only one bitter piece of storyline that fans of the saga will be sad about, indeed a death, but that makes sense to ensure continuity in the Star Wars franchise and the Skywalkers' family saga.
The Trailers
Here is my vlog filmed at the UK media premiere in London with my first reactions to the movie.
The Empire Leicester Square, where the UK media pre-premiere was held yesterday, was filled with journalists who clearly had passion for Star Wars and wooed and laughed almost in chorus when the old characters appeared on screen for the first time.
The special effects on this sequel are more respectful of George Lucas' tradition hence more promising for old-school Star Wars fans. One of the biggest complaints with the Star Wars prequels from the late Nineties and early 2000s was that George Lucas' production team overused computer animation. Instead of puppets and droids, most of the characters and scenery were designed in a computer including the iconic Yoda puppet which was replaced with a CGI character. But as confirmed by many actors on the new set, much of what is used to create the monsterish characters and spaceships in episode VII was real. It's physical and apparently there wasn't a lot of green screen. Even the storm troopers are all real people in real costumes while in the prequels, the clone troopers were all CGI. This clearly shows that JJ Abrams has gone back to the roots of what made the original Star Wars movies so brilliant. And as the story definitely stands up to the original films too, this film will become iconic in film making history.
Episode VII was given 12A certificate for including violence and quite rightly so. The first films had a U (universal) rating as the violence wasn't as bad and visual. However my 9 year old son is a huge fan of the saga and has seen all six movies which is why I have decided to let him see the new film despite the 12A certificate.
London Mums' rating 10/10
Episode VII gets my full rating because it ticks all the boxes for the perfect Star Wars comeback movie – exactly what fans have been waiting a decade for!
Spectacular, emotional, humorous and gripping! Most certainly the best sci-fi adventure movie of the year and probably of the next few years!
You will leave the cinema fully satisfied and hungry for more. Let's hope we won't have to wait another decade to see episode VIII.
All Star Wars super fans will hang out over Christmas at these social media:
YouTube videos and more Star Wars – The Force Awakens clips: https://www.youtube.com/StarWarsUK
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarWars.UK
Twitter: @StarWarsUK
Instagram: http://instagram.com/starwars
Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego's birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 16th, 2015 at 8:05 am and is filed under Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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