text:
Every Time a Bell Rings Brian dropped everything last year when his mother became ill so he could take care of her until the day she died. People he thought were his friends didn't stick with him and he's somehow become kind of a recluse without meaning to be. Only Mike, his best friend, has stuck by him and is now saving him from homelessness after a fire destroys Brian's apartment building days before Christmas. Though Mike has to go down South for the holiday, Brian stays in Mike's apartment with his slightly singed kitten Oreo. Brian's only goal is to set his affairs back in order before everything shuts down for the holidays and then make it through those holidays in one piece. He's lost so much—his only real possession is a photo album of his mom that he risked death to save from the fire—and he's feeling lost and very alone…until Mike's hot neighbor Trent, and even little Oreo, conspire to give Brian the best Christmas possible and a future that looks a lot brighter. An Angel Gets His Wings Mike Sharp is in Little Rock, Arkansas, visiting his family for Christmas while his best friend Brian Bailey's up north walking right into Mike's plans to hook him up with his neighbor Trent. Unfortunately, it seems like someone's conspiring to get Mike panting after his third cousin, twice removed (or something like that) named George Whitlock. George who keeps sneaking up on him, being all shy and cute, and then having the audacity to give Mike great big calf eyes that are just begging Mike to drop to his knees. Mike will not give in because, if he does, he could lose his entire family when they discover he's gay.
Continue ReadingWonderful Life
Wylie Jones is perfectly okay with who he is now that he's transitioning, but he's never had a guy stick around long enough to become a boyfriend. When things at home get even worse than they've been, he's ready and willing for a road trip with Grant, regardless of the reason. Grant Faraday thinks Wylie could be the guy for him. When Grant's mother passes away just before Christmas and leaves him with the mysterious task of accessing the contents of a safety deposit box in a distant town, Wylie's the only one Grant wants with him for the trip. Some secrets are easy for them to accept, but can their brand new relationship survive as past and present collide?
Continue ReadingHave You Seen Me?
Your Biggest Fan
LOCKED IN THE CLOSET... Not long ago, Truman Durant was outed to his parents, disowned, and forced to live in his battered pickup truck. Only knowing he was already accepted to the local university kept Truman from giving up completely. Now he fiercely guards his sexuality from everyone who knows him, wanting only to achieve financial stability through a degree and a job. He refuses to be homeless again, so not even his fraternity brothers know who he really is...or why he has a trunk full of lingerie and dresses. Truman won't risk any kind of exposure, not even for love. Stasi Manolis is only a few steps out of the closet himself, but it's been a good so far. His large Greek family is trying, and he's grateful for every effort they make to modernize their thinking. He's out on campus and living in the gay fraternity, making friends and sharing benefits. The one guy who keeps catching Stas's attention is a gorgeous long-haired blond who plays baseball, wears reading glasses, and seems very lonely. While his tactics aren't the smoothest, Stasi doesn't hold back when he's after something he wants...and he wants Truman. ...SLOWLY COMING OUT Neither guy is truly prepared to deal with the other, but with a little open-mindedness and patience, they're going to try to make a secret relationship work. But secrets have a way of coming out and some people aren't willing to tolerate let alone accept what they don't understand. Will Truman lose everything for a second time, or will he have the strength to stand up for his rights now that Stasi's by his side?
Continue ReadingYour Biggest Fan
Peter Kim has been in love with his five best friends since junior high. Now attending college, they share a house, but none of them know how Pete really feels. Until the five of them come home early to find Pete masturbating while watching a video of them all on vacation near a river last summer. Devastated and embarrassed, Pete is sure they'll kick him out come morning. Accepting him as the only gay one among them is one thing, but knowing he lusts after them? All of them? They couldn't possibly accept that. But when Pete wakes up the next morning, he's shocked to discover his housemates have a proposition for him. He'll choose one of them each day, and they promise to do whatever he wants—including sex—for a full twelve hours. And, yeah, they're serious.
Continue ReadingTake Your Pick
Jenner's Needs
Dominant Viktor can't forget the hate crime that nearly killed his husband and submissive, Jenner. After months of helping Jenner recover from the debilitating injuries, Viktor can't go back to being the master who gives his boy pain. But Jenner has needs. Needs that brought him to first seek out a master like Viktor. Jenner's recovered physically and mentally from a terrible beating and needs to return his relationship with his Dom to where it should be. Tonight, Jenner's act of rebellion to get what he and Viktor need is their last chance to save their relationship. Can they do it?
Continue ReadingJenner's Needs
Hope Is Good
There's a man in the alley below John's fire escape who isn't afraid of a little exhibitionism. He's been there before, smiling up at John, but this time… Well, this time the sexy Latino is showing off the anaconda he's got between his legs while watching John. He's making it pretty clear he'd like to come up and have some fun with John. Though John's still recovering from a bad relationship, a friend on the phone convinces him that a no strings attached afternoon hookup might be just what he needs to regain his confidence. Despite some embarrassment at his own boldness, John hollers his apartment number down to the guy and buzzes him in. A little hope is good, right? Especially when you're not the only one hoping for more.
Continue ReadingHope Is Good
Come Cuddle Me
Eighteen-year-old Tucker naively posted a half-naked photo of himself on Pronblr and requested that someone come cuddle him for the night. He really did mean cuddling, but he didn't mean for his friends to re-blog his request since it also had his address attached. Now his neighbor Bill is angry at him for being so stupid as a stream of strangers show up at Tucker's door to answer his plea...whether he wants their attention or not. Tucker needs someone to save him from himself and Bill might just be that guy. Could the dumbest mistake of Tucker's young life actually end up being the start to a real romance?
Continue ReadingCome Cuddle Me
The Bright In Dark
His memory taken by a near-death experience, "Jack" knows only a few things for certain and one of them is that Luke saved his life. Luke is a kind, gentle, young man—a painter—and he makes Jack feel safe and peaceful in ways he's pretty sure he didn't know in his life before Luke. But Luke deserves a man who knows who he is. And he especially deserves a man who can definitely remember whether or not he's guilty of being a murderer on the run. Jack should go and stop complicating Luke's life, but oh how he wants to stay.
Continue ReadingThe Bright In Dark
The Werepanther's Unexpected Mate
Sam's life changes completely when his boss Jeremy finally reveals the secret he's been keeping from Sam since the day they met: they're mates and not only is Jeremy a werepanther, but so is Sam. With rules to follow so they can be together, Sam has to step up and be the patient lover his formerly straight mate needs him to be while learning about his new self as a werepanther.
Continue ReadingThe Werepanther's Unexpected Mate
Nate is one day away from getting married to a gubernatorial candidate and he just wants to get it over with already. Which, yeah, isn't exactly the most romantic notion. If he could pin his husband-to-be down maybe he could help Nate remember why he'd agreed to all this. But then Nate's ex shows up looking like he's dying and claiming he will without Nate's help. Reeve ran out on Nate a year ago, though, and Nate isn't ready to forgive him. Except now there are agents in tactical gear chasing them down and whisking them off to a nondescript bunker. And then one of them tells Nate everything Reeve said about his absence was true. Which has to be wrong because people can't shift into animals. Right?
Continue ReadingJust Wait


text:
define([
    'jquery',
    'underscore',
    'orotranslation/js/translator',
    'backbone',
    'oroui/js/messenger',
    'oroui/js/app/views/base/view',
    'oroui/js/mediator'
], function($, _, __, Backbone, messenger, BaseView, mediator) {
    'use strict';

    var EmailAttachmentLink;

    /**
     * @export oroemail/js/app/views/email-attachment-link-view
     */
    EmailAttachmentLink = BaseView.extend({
        options: {},
        events: {
            'click': 'linkAttachment'
        },

        /**
        * Constructor
        *
        * @param options {Object}
        */
        initialize: function(options) {
            this.options = _.defaults(options || {}, this.options);
            EmailAttachmentLink.__super__.initialize.apply(this, arguments);
        },

        /**
         * onClick event listener
         */
        linkAttachment: function(e) {
            var self = this;
            e.preventDefault();
            $.getJSON(
                this.options.url,
                {},
                function(response) {
                    if (_.isUndefined(response.error)) {
                        messenger.notificationFlashMessage('success', __('oro.email.attachment.added'));
                        self.$el.parent().addClass('one');
                        self.$el.remove();
                        self.reloadAttachmentGrid();
                    } else {
                        messenger.notificationFlashMessage('error', __(response.error));
                    }
                }
            );
            return false;
        },

        reloadAttachmentGrid: function() {
            mediator.trigger('datagrid:doRefresh:attachment-grid');
        }
    });

    return EmailAttachmentLink;
});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
AndersonVision
January's First Roundup: Weathering with You and more! | AndersonVision on Cohen Media Group brings MY SON to DVD and blu-ray on 9/17
Midway arrives on Digital 2/4 and on 4K, Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand 2/18 | AndersonVision on A Dog's Journey: All Dogs Go to Heaven with Dennis Quaid [Review]
The Grudge (2020) review | AndersonVision on Cats Review: Still Better Than Bombshell
©2020 AndersonVision. All rights reserved.
Theatrical Releases
HUNGER GAMES, THE: MOCKINGJAY – PART II
TroyAnderson
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="Mockingjay put together is a solid movie. Divided into two parts, it's a reminder that Francis Lawrence is a poor director. " font_container="tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%232a2a2a" use_theme_fonts="yes"][vc_separator color="black" align="align_left" border_width="3″][vc_video link="https://youtu.be/SoKIqLEGhI0″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width="stretch_row"…
HONOR THE LEGACY OF THE PILLARS OF PANEM and UNITE!
Three Finger Salute #UNITE Debuts Across the World for Mockingjay Part 2
#UNITE at the following locations: AUSTRALIA – Sydney & Melbourne – Various Buildings around Sydney & Melbourne BRAZIL – Rio de Janeiro – Leblon CANADA – Toronto – Eaton Centre & Montreal – Métro Berri COLUMBIA – Bogota – Wild Postings…
"THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2" SOARS INTO IMAX® 3D THEATERS STARTING NOVEMBER 20
IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a premier next generation global content leader, today announced that The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, the next installment of the…
LORDE RELEASES "YELLOW FLICKER BEAT" MUSIC VIDEO THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1 SOUNDTRACK OUT NOVEMBER 17TH
Lorde has revealed the video for her massive single "Yellow Flicker Beat" – watch HERE! The Grammy Award winning artist not only contributed four tracks to the soundtrack for…
MOCKINGJAY – PART 1 Final Trailer + Get Your Tickets NOW
We're less than a month away from the release of this year's most anticipated film, THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1! To ignite a fire of excitement for the…
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 1 / Soundtrack Tracklisting
The digital pre-order for the soundtrack to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 [Republic Records] has officially gone live on iTunes today. The album will be available in stores…
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 1 / Partnership Announcement
Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a premier next generation global content leader, today announced that DORITOS, MAZDA and Whole Foods Market's WHOLE PLANET FOUNDATION will partner with the studio for the…
LORDE UNVEILS NEW SINGLE "YELLOW FLICKER BEAT" FOR LIONSGATE'S "THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1" IN THEATERS NOVEMBER 21
Today multiplatinum GRAMMY® Award-winning recording artist LORDE unveiled her new single "Yellow Flicker Beat" [LAVA/Republic Records], the lead song from the soundtrack to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 [Republic Records]. The single is available…
MOCKINGJAY – Visit TheHungerGamesExclusive.com now for features on Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Natalie Dormer
Head over to TheHungerGamesExclusive.com NOW to see exclusive FIRST LOOK featuring behind-the-scenes INTERVIEWS, stunning new IMAGES, and never-before-seen GIFS of these fearless rebels here: http://www.thehungergamesexclusive.com/issue2 "Katniss is a dream…
Movie, Pop Culture, Gaming, Blu-Ray, DVD, 4K Reviews and Contests

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Taliban assassinate member of Afghan High Peace Council
by The Long War Journal | May 1, 2013 | Monitor
The Taliban assassinated a member of the Afghan High Peace Council in a complex ambush in Helmand province today. The Taliban have now assassinated three senior members of the peace council since the end of the summer of 2011.
Malim Shah Wali, the head of the Afghan High Peace Council in Helmand, and two bodyguards were killed after the Taliban attacked his convoy as he traveled in the Gereshk district. The Taliban first detonated a roadside bomb, or IED, and then opened fire on Wali's vehicle.
Wali was traveling to a security handover ceremony in Gereshk along with Masoud Bakhtawar, Helmand's deputy provincial governor, when they come under attack. Bakhtawar survived the ambush.
Today's attack took place just one day after the Taliban killed three British soldiers in an IED attack "whilst on a routine patrol in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province," the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defense noted.
The attacks in Afghanistan took place as President Barack Obama said that the US is "winding down the war in Afghanistan, we're having success defeating al Qaeda core, and we've kept the pressure up on all these transnational terrorist networks."
Wali is the third senior member of the Afghan High Peace Council to have been assassinated by the Taliban in the last year and a half. In September 2011, a Taliban suicide bomber killed Burhanuddin Rabbani, the former head of the Afghan High Peace Council and an influential politician. The Taliban suicide bomber, who posed as a peace envoy, hid a bomb in his turban and detonated it as he hugged Rabbani in his home in Kabul.
In May 2012, the Taliban assassinated Arsala Rahmani, a senior member of the Afghan High Peace Council who had served as a deputy education minister during Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
Taliban's Mullah Dadullah Front is the likely culprit
While no group has claimed credit for today's assassination of Wali, the attack was likely executed by the Mullah Dadullah Front, a Taliban subgroup that operates in southern Afghanistan and is close to al Qaeda. The Mullah Dadullah Front claimed credit for the May 2012 assassination of Rahmani.
The Mullah Dadullah Front is a powerful wing of the Taliban in the south that has adopted al Qaeda's tactics and ideology, a US intelligence official told The Long War Journal in December 2010. The Mullah Dadullah Front is led by none other than Mullah Adbul Qayoum Zakir, the former Guantanamo Bay detainee who has since been promoted as the Taliban's top military commander and co-leader of the Taliban's Quetta Shura. In December 2010, Coalition and Afghan special operations troops captured a senior Mullah Dadullah Front financier and weapons facilitator.
Zakir and other Taliban leaders operate from the Pakistani border city of Chaman in Baluchistan, as the location shields them from US and NATO operations. The Taliban maintain a command and control center in Chaman, but the Pakistani military and intelligence services have refused to move against the Taliban there.
The Mullah Dadullah Front operates largely in the southern Afghan provinces of Kandahar, Helmand, and Uruzgan, and is considered the most effective and dangerous Taliban group in the region. The group has been active in attempting to sabotage negotiations between the Afghan government and lower-level Taliban leaders and fighters in the south.
The Taliban subgroup has executed numerous complex attacks, suicide assaults, and assassinations in the region.
Zakir is also responsible for a purge of Taliban leaders who have conducted negotiations with the Afghan government, including Mohammad Ismail, the former Deputy Military Council Chairman for the Taliban's Quetta Shura.
HPC official dead in Helmand explosion, Pajhwok Afghan News
Helmand high peace council chief killed in Taliban attack, Khaama Press
Helmand High Peace Council Chief Killed in Taliban Attack, TOLOnews


If you've ever sat down in my office you know I'm not firmly against dairy. In fact, I'm pretty pro cream, good cheese and full-fat greek yoghurt (notice the trend here?)). The fats found in these diary products are instrumental in feeding our brain and maintaining the integrity of our cell membranes. It's hugely important. But the dairy aisle has a rising star, and that star is kefir. Kefir is a fermented, yoghurt-like beverage that's a powerhouse of good probiotics. It's just guilt-free, gluggable, superfood goodness that also happens to be great for your gut!
When it comes to fermented foods, you've probably heard about the health benefits associated with them. They're great for your skin, can cut down on bloating and you get the best bang for your buck in your GI system. Most fermented foods are known as superfoods and the probiotics (and even some prebiotics) found in these foods help feed the healthy bacteria that are in your digestive tract. This ensures that your digestive tract is primed to break down the food that you put into it.
How is this done? Kefir grains are grown to become an active colony of bacteria and yeast. That colony can then be used to ferment cows milk, coconut milk or even water. Those grains then consume the naturally occurring sugars in coconut milk or cows milk to ferment the product! Milk kefir does tend to have a probiotic value that's significantly higher than many water kefir products (56 strains versus 10-15 strains) so if you don't have a lot of fermented foods in your diet it may be best to start with a water kefir and work your way up to a milk kefir. Why? Because if your digestive tract isn't used to it you won't feel so great if you have a lot of probiotics all at once. This is also the reason you should slowly increase the amount you drink with kombucha as well!
In terms of which products I love, one of my favourites is The Cultured Coconut. Why? Number one is that they're a local business – owned and operated in Halifax, NS. Though for all of you Ontario peeps their Coconut Kefir is available at The Big Carrot in Toronto and the Natural Food Pantry in Ottawa! Number two is that they use a coconut milk as their base (but they use a milk kefir grain to ferment). By the time the fermentation is done there's no milk product left in the kefir – and you get all the healthy fats also associated with coconut milk. It's the best of both worlds and the sisters who run the business are a great nod to Halifax's booming entrepreneurial scene!
So there you have it, diary's new rising star is this powerhouse blend!


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text:
View source for Beauty in Every Body (exhibition)
← Beauty in Every Body (exhibition)
The action you have requested is limited to users in one of the groups: Users, editor.
{{Display censorship incident |ongoing=no |year=2018 |region=North America |artist=Kristin Harsma (exhibition curator), |subject=Nudity |confronting_bodies=Artspace administrators |medium=Painting |date_of_action=February 2018 |location=Artspace Jackson Flats, Minneapolis |description_of_content=''Beauty in Every Body'' is an exhibition organized by Artspace, a non-profit real estate developer for the arts, around the theme of body positivity at the Jackson Flats facility in East Minneapolis. It aimed to encourage positive change in attitudes towards gender, self-image and sexuality. The show was curated by Kristin Harsma, a resident artist in Artspace Jackson Flats and displayed over 30 artworks, many of which depict nudes. |description_of_incident=After a "Somali Muslim" resident complained to the administration, Artspace demanded that Harsma remove the artworks containing nudes from the show. In response, the curator covered the nude portions of the works with pieces of paper bearing the word "censored." Thereafter, Artspace requested that the artworks are moved to a second gallery space where residents would not encounter the nudes. The exhibition closed a week ahead of schedule. NCAC urged Artspace to reconsider its exhibition policies in keeping with its mission of fostering the arts and protecting the rights of its resident artists. The organization wrote a letter to Artspace, underlining its past history of censorship as well as its "stunning lack of basic knowledge of art history" (from NCAC letter, February 22, 2018). |description_of_result=Artspace closed the exhibition in advance and refused to restore the nudes to the exhibition. |image=Screen Shot 2018-08-08 at 1.33.09 PM.png }} [https://ncac.org/news/blog/artspace-censors-nudes-in-exhibition-about-body-positivity Artspace Censors Nudes in Exhibition About Body Positivity], NCAC, February 22, 2018. [http://www.artspace.org/about/mission-history Artspace: Mission and History]. [http://www.artspace.org/our-places/artspace-jackson-flats Artspace: Jackson Flats].
Return to Beauty in Every Body (exhibition).
Retrieved from "https://wiki.ncac.org/Beauty_in_Every_Body_(exhibition)"


text:
set -e

function usage
{
  echo "\nUsage: ${0} -o <Output Directory> [--EE]\n"
}

if ! gem query -i -n jazzy 1>/dev/null;
then
		echo "jazzy is required, please run [sudo] gem install jazzy to install."
    exit 3
fi

while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]
do
  key=${1}
  case $key in
      -o)
      OUTPUT_DIR=${2}
      shift
      ;;
      --EE)
      EE="Y"
      ;;
      *)
      usage
      exit 3
      ;;
  esac
  shift
done

if [ -z "$OUTPUT_DIR" ]
then
  usage
  exit 4
fi

if [ -z "$EE" ]
then
  SCHEME="CBL Swift"
else
  SCHEME="CBL-EE Swift"
fi

jazzy --clean --xcodebuild-arguments "-scheme,$SCHEME,-sdk,iphonesimulator" --module CouchbaseLiteSwift --theme Scripts/Support/Theme --output ${OUTPUT_DIR}/CouchbaseLiteSwift
jazzy --clean --objc --xcodebuild-arguments --objc,Objective-C/CouchbaseLite.h,--,-x,objective-c,-isysroot,$(xcrun --show-sdk-path --sdk iphonesimulator),-I,$(pwd) --module CouchbaseLite --theme Scripts/Support/Theme --output ${OUTPUT_DIR}/CouchbaseLite


text:
Adults, Reading Suggestions
It's the time of year when book reviewers and readers compile lists of the "best books". But one list doesn't fit all, because every reader has different interests and tastes. So here are some lists to peruse to help you search for your new best book.
The first set of lists pop you straight into the library catalog, making it easy to put items on hold so you can check them out. The second group of recommendations are from the American Library Association and popular publications like the New York Times, NPR, and Time magazine.
Lists in the Library Catalog
Click on Award Winners, a comprehensive list of awards from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom for all ages, in all genres, including the Coretta Scott King Award, Gold Dagger Award, Nebula, Lambda Literary Award, and many more.
Click on The New York Times Notable Books 2020 for a PDF of the entire list, with links to the library catalog. You can download this list to save or share.
The fiction list below includes titles from The New York Times and the Goodreads Choice Awards. The mystery list includes titles from Kirkus Reviews, The New York Times, and Goodreads Choice Awards. The nonfiction list is from The New York Times.
More Lists!
American Library Association Notable Books for Adults 2020
Since 1944, the goal of the Notable Books Council has been to make available to the nation's readers a list of 25 very good, very readable, and at times very important fiction, nonfiction, and poetry books for the adult reader.
American Library Association Notable Children's Books 2020
Each year a committee of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) identifies the best of the best in children's books. According to the Notables Criteria, "notable" is defined as: Worthy of note or notice, important, distinguished, outstanding. This list includes titled for children from birth to age 14.
The Atlantic: The 15 Best Books of 2020
The memoirs, novels, and poetry that stood out most, from The Atlantic Cultural Desk.
BBC Best Books of the Year 2020
BBC associate editor in the Culture department shares her best picks of the year.
This list includes a variety of genres: horror, mystery, fantasy, as well as young adult and children's selections.
Chicago Public Library: CPL the Best of the Best Books 2020
"Every year, our librarians evaluate the year's new books and select the very best."
Another British entry into the best book lists: the Guardian lists also provide genre and children's selections.
NPR's Book Concierge: What Would You Like to Read?
NPR provides over 20 subject filters that you can "mix and match" along with eight years of titles to explore providing nearly 2,500 recommendations from NPR staff and trusted critics.
New York Public Library Best Books 2020
This list is created by librarians and includes recommendations for children, teens and adults. There are some sub-lists that include the ten best titles in Spanish for children and titles that are in accessible formats.
New York Times Critics Top Books 2020
The Times's staff critics give their choices of the best fiction and nonfiction works of the year.
New York Time 100 Notable Books of 2020
The year's notable fiction, poetry and nonfiction, selected by the editors of The New York Times Book Review.
O, The Oprah Magazine: Best Books of 2020
These Are the best books of 2020, according to O, The Oprah Magazine
San Francisco Chronicle: Best Cookbooks of 2020
San Francisco Chronicle: 10 books by Bay Area authors that should be on your holiday list
Time Magazine: The 100 Must-Read Books of 2020
"The fiction, non-fiction and poetry that deepened our understanding, ignited our curiosity and helped us escape."
Washington Post: The Best Books of 2020
This list starts with what Post editors consider the 10 most outstanding of many excellent books and scroll down to genre and subject matter lists.
Written by: Linda
Photo Credits: Main photo by Kourosh Qaffari; inset photo by Giancarlo Corti
Shereen is a librarian at the Corte Madera Library.
Beats, Bikes, Bites, Bridges, Birds, and More! Bay Area Documentaries in Kanopy FilmsJanuary 7, 2021
All Things Apple! January 2021 Schedule of ClassesDecember 23, 2020
Food Stories: A Community CollaborationDecember 14, 2020
Adults at Home: Spring GardenApril 17, 2020


text:
Q: Automaticaly update data from API calling API once React JS I'm trying to find a solution to automatically update the API data with one call in React.
What I want is to get the score and the time from the match live without calling api for this to update or refresh the page.
I added the function setInterval, it works properly but will call the API every time and I don't want to call the API every second.
My code is
import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
import './App.css';

function EvenimenteMaine() {

    useEffect(() => {
     // setInterval(() => {
        fetchItems();
    //  }, 1000)

    },[]);

    const OPTIONS = {
        method : 'GET',
        headers : {
            'X-RapidAPI-Host' : 'api-football-v1.p.rapidapi.com',
            'X-RapidAPI-Key' : '###'
        }
    };

    const [fixtures, setFixtures] = useState([]);

    const fetchItems = async () => {
        const data = await fetch(
            'https://api-football-v1.p.rapidapi.com/v2/fixtures/id/232860' , OPTIONS
            );
        const fixtures = await data.json();
        const teamData = fixtures.api && fixtures.api.fixtures.length > 0 ? fixtures.api.fixtures : [];

        console.log(fixtures);
        setFixtures(teamData);
    }

  return (

      {fixtures.slice(0,10).map(fixture => (

{fixture.elapsed}

{fixture.goalsHomeTeam} - {fixture.goalsAwayTeam}

      ))}

  );
}

export default EvenimenteMaine;

Any ideas? Thanks!

A: You can't do this. If you want to fetch updated data from the server-side then you need to make an API call. How will the client or your app know that the score/data has been updated if you won't make the API call? So I believe, if you want to fetch updated data, you have to make API calls.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Without email, members won't get email notifications of private conversations, thread updates, forum updates etc. It can also mean admin won't get emails from members who are trying to get in touch with them using the contact form.
How to Backup and Restore a XenForo Forum Using Shell SSH Access?
How to do a full backup of xenforo files and database using shell ssh commands. Move backups to remote FTP server and restore the backups.
A step by step guide, to show how to properly migrate a XenForo forum to a new host with no loss of data and a minimum downtime.
Config.php file has an option to disable emails. All you have to do is add the following line of code in your config file.


inkle blog - inklewriter goes live!
Yesterday we finally hit the big red Go! button on inklewriter, our web-based tool for writing, play-testing and sharing interactive stories. We've been working on this for a few months now and been through a few iterations, from our earliest sketches on a coffee-shop notepad to the final version, which is now ready for you to try. So what are you waiting for?
For announcement day, we prepared a simple little story for you to try out: "Neighbourhood Predators". This was supposed to be the world's first inklewriter story, but unfortunately we were pipped to the post by a tester on Twitter who released this interactive version of Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up. Rickrolled on a Day One. Thank you, the internet.
The idea behind inklewriter is that writing branching interactive stories is really about writing, and what writers need is a blank piece of paper and no distractions. So while your story can have choices, and split and join back together, when you're writing a story-thread there's nothing on screen but the story you're trying to tell. Want to change to a different thread? Simply rewind the story and play a different way; or use the content index to jump immediately to a different paragraph.
Behind the scenes, the writer is indexing everything, the content is fully searchable, and in jumping from paragraph to paragraph the tool uses AI-pathfinding to get you the best route.
Once you've written your story and signed up for an account, you'll unlock the ability to share your stories by simply sending out a link. Twitter, Facebook, whatever way you want to share.
We hope people find inklewriter fun and easy to use - let us know what you think at our contact address, [email protected], and don't forget to follow us on Twitter @inklestudios for updates.


text:
John DiMaggio Owner/Project Manager
John has a unique skillset that has allowed him to excel at overseeing and managing award show services. With a 20 year background in commercial post-production, John was a pioneer in delivering video on the web. In 2004, he was co-creator (with Scott Treude) of the cutting edge web-based digital asset management system, Nice Spots. The pair first entered the world of advertising award shows in 2007, building a brand new system for AICP.
Spending years in the high pressure business of commercial post-production taught John various skills that he utilizes daily. From a technical standpoint, John became proficient at troubleshooting, became an expert in video encoding and gained the ability to manage several projects simultaneously. From a customer service standpoint, John has become adept at navigating through a world of stressed clients and tempermental egos and gained the ability to convey complicated technical jargon into language anyone can understand.
After the successful launch of the AICP system, John and Scott went on to develop systems for AICE, TED, The ANDYs, AMP and ADC. It became readily apparant that every show was vastly different and necessitated building a custom system for each one. With each client, John and Scott gained more insight into the workflow and challenges of running a successful awards show. They bring this experience to each partner, which helps to streamline their workflow while maintaining the essential elements that make their show unique.
In 2013, John started AwardCore as its own company, coalescing all his technical and customer support experience to concentrate full-time on awards shows. This switch has been a dream come true, allowing John to focus on his passion for awards shows and the organizations and people that run them. John's approach is to partner with each show and become another member of their team. This includes providing support to show administrators and judges, quality control services for uploaded files and talking entrants off the ledge when they've waited until deadline day and don't have their files encoded properly. The software is an essential part of AwardCore's offering, but it's only one part of a greater whole.
Scott Treude Programmer
Scott has a rich and varied background in technology and has been programming since the internet was in its infancy. His quest for knowledge and order in the universe initially attracted him to a career as a physicist. After graduating from the University of Maryland in 1992 with a B.S. in Physics, Scott worked for several years as a physicist for Teledyne Isotopes. During this time he developed simulations of thermoluminescent phosphors and radiation badge algorithms for the nuclear industry. Afterward, Scott shifted away from physics to focus on programming. He spent the next several years developing laboratory information management systems for clients such as Beckman Instrumentation, Teledyne Brown Engineering and American Environmental Network.
In 1999, Scott went to work for the Sci-Fi Channel/USA Networks as a web developer. During this time he created a content management system, developed a membership application and created 3D flash/shockwave games.
In 2004, Scott began working with post-production facility Nice Shoes (and John DiMaggio) to develop an online video library and asset management tool. Thanks to Scott's cutting edge programming skills, Nice Spots, which pre-dated YouTube, was way ahead of its time. It was one of the first online apps to automatically transcode video and allow collaboration via frame by frame annotating.
Scott took on the challenge of advertising awards shows by building a bespoke system for AICP in 2007. He followed that up a year later with a brand new system for AICE. Scott soon started his own consultancy, continuing to work on advertising awards shows with John as well as branching out into various different projects.
Scott was able to take advantage of his experience working with other clients and apply what he had learned to improve the existing award show systems and building new systems for TED, The ANDYs, AMP and ADC. The combination of his expertise in web development, mobile apps and cloud infrastructure has allowed him to meet the unique demands of each new award show system. He always stays on top of the latest innovations and advancements in coding to ensure his clients are getting the best possible product.
© 2021 AwardCore, llc. All rights reserved.


text:
5G deployment: Air India curtails US operations, United warns of devastating effect
Napier Appoints New Chief Revenue Officer
BiologyWorks k(now)™ COVID-19 Clinical Trial Matches 99.1% Accuracy to RT-PCR Tests
LG's NEWEST INNOVATIONS EARN WIDE RANGE OF HONORS AT CES 2022
Dongfeng's 2022 Overseas Dealer Conference Held in Wuhan
Megaport Announces Partnership with TD SYNNEX as Leading Network as a Service (NaaS) Vendor Partner
AFC Raises $400 Million in Syndicated Loan for Critical Infrastructure in Africa
SES Appoints John-Paul Hemingway as Chief Strategy and Product Officer
Companies ready to take on the challenge of becoming Dubai's fastest firm at the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay 2022
Mohammed bin Rashid honours 10 Winners of 2022 Zayed Sustainability Prize
January 14, 2022 auto
Soaring US demand for used cars sends prices soaring
WASHINGTON: The used car market in the United States is seeing an unprecedented phenomenon: Owners selling vehicles for as much or more than they paid for them.
The strange twist comes as a global shortage of computer chips amid the COVID-19 pandemic has stalled auto manufacturing, fueling a price increase for used vehicles, which in turn helped drive record US inflation last year. It "100 percent is a new trend," which is unlikely to end soon, said Aurelien Guillaud, owner of Arlington Auto Group (AAG), a car dealership based in Arlington, Virginia, just outside the nation's capital.
Due to the shortage of new vehicles, there has been an influx of demand for used cars, he said. New government data Wednesday showed US consumer prices surged seven percent last year, the biggest increase in nearly four decades, fueled in large part by the dizzying 37.3 percent jump in prices of used cars and trucks.
Given the struggles to get semiconductors from factories in Asia amid the pandemic that has limited new car inventories, rental companies have been hanging on to their fleets, cutting off the usual steady supply of vehicles for the used car market and pushing up prices. And the strict lockdowns in China to contain the Omicron variant could exacerbate the supply issues.
"Compared to a year ago, now you buy that same car for $20,000 instead of $16,000," and sell it for $24,000, said AAG manager Eddy Malikov. The dealership lot has 40 vehicles ready to sell, fewer than its usual pre-pandemic inventory. Last year was strong for AAG, which sold 300 to 400 cars despite the price increases that turned a number of customers away.
Coming collapse?
Masaki Kondo, a journalist in Washington, bought his Chevrolet for $60,000 in 2017. Four years later, he sold it back to his dealership in Gaithersburg, Maryland, just a half-hour drive outside the US capital, for $62,000. "I kept my car in the garage… so the condition of the car was good. But still, I was shocked when industrial mass production goods were priced at more than that of four years ago," the Japanese expat told AFP.
Kondo's car dealer said they would easily sell the Chevrolet again for $74,000. Americans' reluctance to use public transportation amid the pandemic also is a factor driving high demand for cars.
"There's not much supply, but there's a huge demand," Guillaud said. He notes that in Europe commuters might opt to use a scooter or a motorcycle, but "over here, it's a car because of the distance that you have to drive."
Rising prices have been dramatic. Malikov recalled a customer who bought a car for $21,000 in 2019, "and they ended up trading the car for $21,000 two years later, with 10,000 more miles (16,100 more kilometers) basically, which was kind of ridiculous."
In other cases, owners sell their car for even more than they bought it for. In a recent study, analysts at KPMG warned that the used car boom will not last. "History tells us the current frenzy in the used car market will come to an end," the authors said, noting that chip shortages and supply chain problems eventually will be resolved. Then the "massive auto manufacturing machine will shift back into high gear and the dealer lots will again be full," after which the used car market will "collapse," they said, predicting a 30 percent drop in prices.
The analysts acknowledged however that it is difficult to know when this shift will happen and whether the decline could be "sudden or slow."
But there are signs major manufacturers are banking on the boom continuing for a while longer: General Motors on Tuesday announced plans to launch CarBravo, a new online market for GM brand used vehicles. The venture will compete with successful firms like Carvana and CarMax.
Guillaud said some people are trying to take advantage of the market, and points to online forums where sellers admit to reselling vehicles two weeks after they bought them.
But he warns that Virginia law prohibits individuals from buying and reselling more than five cars a year.
kuwaittimes
Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait makes two management promotions
Zain provides Kuwait Clearing Company with digital transformation solutions
Kuwaitis 7th among foreigners owning Turkish real estate
U.S. manufacturing output unexpectedly f...
Soaring US demand for used cars sends pr...
Toyota dethrones GM as US sales leader a...
© 2020 Kuwait Daily News.


text:
Horizon Pharma shares surge 19% on Q2 profit, revenue beats and upbeat guidance
By Emma Court
EmmaCourt
Horizon Pharma PLC HZNP, -0.39% shares surged 19% in premarket trade Monday after the company reported second-quarter profit and revenue beats and raised its 2017 revenue guidance. The company said it had a loss of $209.5 million, or a loss of $1.29 per share, after earnings of $15 million, or 9 cents per share in the year-earlier period. Adjusted earnings-per-share were 41 cents, above the FactSet consensus of 10 cents. Revenue rose to $289.5 million from $257.4 million, above the FactSet consensus of $237 million. The latest results included strong performance from the company's rare disease medicines, Horizon Pharma said. Horizon Pharma also raised its 2017 revenue guidance to $1.01 billion to $1.045 billion from $985 million to $1.02 billion. Company shares have dropped 18.5% over the last three months, compared with a 3.2% rise in the S&P 500 SPX, -0.27%.
HZNP
Horizon Therapeutics PLC U.S.: Nasdaq: HZNP
P/E Ratio 101.03
S&P 500 Index S&P US: SPX
Volume 2.2B
High 3,330
Low 3,317
P/E Ratio 0
Market Cap N/A


Start your day with our pleasant breakfast, and end your evening at our cozy restaurant.
Why not enjoy lunch and dinner at our special and newly built restaurant Sushi Odod, located wall to wall with the hotel. Odod is popular for its exciting and fresh Asian fusion flavors, mainly inspired by the Japanese and Korean kitchen.


Started this discussion. Last reply by Sarah May 15, 2010.
What's the hardest part of rescue?
Our goal with www.specialhorses.org is to provide fundraising opportunities, marketing assistance, educational opportunities, and community outreach for registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit groups involved with equine rescue, rehabilitation, retirement, therapeutic riding and hippotherapy.
We are a Non-profit corporation and our 501c3 status is pending.
Added by Special Horses, Inc.
my ego making my head circumference mushroom.
Once you submit all your paperwork to the IRS...you wait. And wait. We submitted in late July, and by mid October we received a letter...which said we were assigned to an agent. Our application required more information...which could be resolved by a simple phone call. Or maybe not. While we waited to be contacted further, our groups assured us this was the status quo.
Gail from True Innocents Equine Rescue (www.tierrescue.org) gave us the heads up about the Ralph and Virginia Mullin Foundation. This is an organization that will assist groups devoted to animal welfare wishing to become 501(c)3.
Happy to do it! Thanks for inviting me!
I had no idea! How fabulous is she?!!


Where can I watch La Liga soccer games online for free for a Mac?
where can i find the games schedule for Spanish football(soccer) La Liga Primeradivision for 2007-2008 period?
Watch live Spanish la liga soccer free online?
What soccer teams were demoted from LA LIGA (spanish soccer league) from A to B?


text:
Q: Ruby gem common deployement for all apps I am trying to deploy APM solution provided by scout app. Scout apm documentation says I need to install a gem in all the applications I am running on the server. I have multiple applications running on single server. All my ruby applications are located at /var/www. Is there a way I can deploy that apm gem in one place and then it can be used for all the services. so that I don't need to add it in each application Gemfile and its config file in config folder. I know I can achieve it using a shell script however problem with that approach is all the apps have their own git repo which would be administrative overhead for me.

A: No, you have to add gems that you want to use in an application to the Gemfile. Because if you do not add that gem to an application's Gemfile then the application will simply not load that gem.
Another option might be to install the gem globally ion the server and require that gem in each application manually. But that still means you have to add a require 'gem_name' to all applications and this is error-prone because you lose the magic provided by bundler.
tl;dr: No, you have to add the gem to each application's Gemfile.


Nelson Mandela, who died in 2013 at the age of 95, was many things: warrior, martyr, husband, statesman, and normal leader. Having spent 27 years in prison, he succeeded in liberating a country from a system of violent prejudice and he united oppressor and oppressed in a way that had never been done before. No one has explained this complex man better than Richard Stengel, author of Mandela's autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, former editor of Time magazine, and MSNBC commentator.
Join in the James Farmer Multicultural Center's celebration of these myriad movements, which represent achievements pf African Americans in fields as diverse as science and the arts to politics religion.


There is an art to how to trade penny stocks. It requires hours of discipline to reach mastery of that art, with time spent studying stock trends, charts and spreadsheets. It also requires a significant amount of risk management. That is also where the discipline comes in.
Penny stocks need to be traded in great volume if you want to make a profit. And you need to find the right stocks for big percentage growth. You can spend all your time fumbling around as a newbie in penny stocks, with a small account and no experience. Or you can take the time to learn the ins and outs.
There are programs out there online that allow you to acquire the skills necessary to make a living trading penny stocks. It is not a get rich quick scheme. You actually need to know your stuff. If you really want to know the truth, only about 10% of traders make a profit in penny stocks. The other 90% get fleeced by the professional traders out there in the market. The only way to make consistent money and not lose your shirt is to learn strategies and stick to them.
You can begin by searching for Warrior Trading on Facebook. Warrior Trading is a day trading education community that offers classes, a chat room and simulated trading that can help you get a handle on penny stocks.
Penny stocks are stocks that trade for under $5.00 per share. Years ago, the name penny stocks might have been more accurate, meaning only stocks trading under $1.00, but times have changed. These companies, especially in the biotech or internet industry, tend to be very volatile and prone to big spikes and drops in value. That is why being a penny stock investor is so difficult. Holding penny stocks for long periods of time is not conducive to wealth generation.
Stay away from over-the-counter and pink sheet listed stocks. They have fewer regulations and therefore more risk.
Don't fall for the marketing. You will see certain penny stocks called out with flashy slogans and catchy copywriting. Stay away.
As mentioned before, trade with volume. It is the only way you can get a significant return on penny stocks.
Do you feel ready to try your luck with penny stocks? Seek out Warrior Trading today and start your education. You never know how much profit that learning can get for you.


text:
Quiz on a roll as sales surge at home and abroad
Quiz's trading update on Thursday made pleasing reading with the company saying that the year ended March 31 saw "strong omnichannel growth across UK and international markets."
The fast fashion womenswear brand announced group revenue rising 30% in line with expectations to £116.4 million, and when £4.4 million of non-recurring wholesale revenue from Spain is excluded, revenues managed an even better rise of 36%.
Included in that undeniably impressive figure was an even more impressive leap in online sales. They rose 158% to £30.6 million through both its own websites and third-party ones, but it said that while the latter have been particularly strong, they do incur higher costs due to the payment of commission.
The company said that the rapid growth in online revenues reflects the "continued benefits of the increased and effective marketing spend undertaken during the year and the broadening of our overall product ranges which includes the successful launch of our Curve and Bridal ranges."
Meanwhile international underlying sales rose 32% to £21.2 million with the opening of new standalone stores in Spain and Ireland, as well as new franchise stores across established markets.
But do those good figures for online and international mean that growth was more muted in its UK stores?
Well, yes - but UK growth certainly isn't faltering as it is for some of Quiz's retail peers. In fact, UK store and concession revenues were up 12% to £64.6 million, so it seem that Quiz is weathering the current fashion retail storm better than many in the sector.
Sales growth in the group's UK standalone stores and concessions was achieved from a "strong" comparable performance (but it didn't give a figure) and through new store and concession openings. It opened five new standalone stores and seven new concessions during the year and since the period ended, has also opened a new standalone store in Bluewater.
With a few strategic closures taken into account, it means Quiz now has more than 300 standalone stores, concessions, franchise stores, wholesale partners and international online partners in 20 countries, with 71 stores and 147 concessions in the UK.
The company also said that gross margins were in line with expectations, but the business incurred operating costs "slightly higher than originally planned [due to] the earlier than anticipated investment in a number of central functions including our buying, merchandising and marketing teams."
Quiz will report its full results on June 5 and that will certainly be a milestone announcement for the firm as it will be the first since its IPO last July.
For now, CEO Tarak Ramzan said: "This strong performance reflects the growing strength of the Quiz brand and the continued growth across each of our sales channels and target markets. We look forward to expanding the brand as a global fast fashion destination with initiatives such as the launch of own language international websites and the continued expansion of our product range."
Quiz trading update shows improvement, but challenges remain
Quiz commercial chief gets directorship ban in Spain
Quiz sales plummet in latest year as occasion clothing drops off shopping lists
Preston's St George's mall calls in administrators
Arcadia staff still in dark over jobs, but prospects look bleak
Quiz sales dive again as occasionwear demand drops
Quiz links with HelloDone to boost customer service
Quiz links with Vicky Pattison to launch new festive collection
Quiz has tough year, sales plummet in latest period
Viability of UK pre-pack administration clampdown plans questioned


text:
experts surgeons
PROFESSOR SANDIP HINDOCHA
Consultant surgeon in Plastic Surgery
GMC Number: 6122218
Professor Sandip Hindocha currently holds a post as a Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive, Cosmetic, Laser & Hand Surgeon at Bedford NHS Trust where he is the clinical lead of the plastic surgery & laser centre and Clinical Director of Surgery.
Professor Hindocha qualified from the University of Manchester in 2005 and his training has taken place in Manchester, Liverpool, Dallas (USA) and Toronto (Canada). In addition to his plastic surgery training he has completed a recognised cosmetic fellowship program.
Professor Hindocha is highly academic within the field of plastic, reconstructive, aesthetic, laser and hand surgery. He has published several book chapters, over 100 peer reviewed scientific articles and presented his work at a national and international level. Professor Hindocha has developed and runs an international plastic surgery course at The University of Mauritius which has been acclaimed a success in the national press and television. Mr Hindocha has won several academic prizes for his work in plastic surgery including the prestigious Society of Academic Research Surgeons award in 2009.
MD Plastic Surgery
MBChB
BTEC (laser & light therapies)
PG Cert Medical Leadership
FRCS(plast)
General Medical Council (GMC) - Membership number: 6122218
British Association of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons (BAPRAS) - Membership number: 300466
British Association of Surgery of the Hand (BSSH)
British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS)
British Medical Laser Association (BMLA)
Faculty of Forensic & Legal Medicine (FFLM)
British Medica Council (BMA) - Membership number: 7997638
Medical Defence Union (MDU) - Membership number: 395808G
Royal College of Surgeons of England - Membership number: 1031797
Beyond the operating theatre
Outside the operating theatre he is a trained percussionist having played at numerous local gigs. Professor Hindocha is also a keen sportsman having gained black belt in Kosho Ryu Kenpo, which has provided him with a great deal of self-discipline.
For the past 5 years Professor Hindocha has actively raised money for children coming from deprived backgrounds in Mauritius, something that is close to his heart.
Book FREE consultation Consultations are FREE and you are under no obligation
Choosing a Laser and Skin Treatment Clinic


text:
package org.apache.ignite.cache.jta.jndi;

import java.util.List;
import javax.naming.InitialContext;
import javax.naming.NamingException;
import javax.transaction.TransactionManager;
import org.apache.ignite.IgniteException;
import org.apache.ignite.cache.jta.CacheTmLookup;
import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;

/**
 * Implementation of {@link org.apache.ignite.cache.jta.CacheTmLookup} interface that is using list of JNDI names to find TM.
 */
public class CacheJndiTmLookup implements CacheTmLookup {
    /** */
    private List<String> jndiNames;

    /**
     * Gets a list of JNDI names.
     *
     * @return List of JNDI names that is used to find TM.
     */
    public List<String> getJndiNames() {
        return jndiNames;
    }

    /**
     * Sets a list of JNDI names used by this TM.
     *
     * @param jndiNames List of JNDI names that is used to find TM.
     */
    public void setJndiNames(List<String> jndiNames) {
        this.jndiNames = jndiNames;
    }

    /** {@inheritDoc} */
    @Nullable @Override public TransactionManager getTm() throws IgniteException {
        assert jndiNames != null;
        assert !jndiNames.isEmpty();

        try {
            InitialContext ctx = new InitialContext();

            for (String s : jndiNames) {
                Object obj = ctx.lookup(s);

                if (obj != null && obj instanceof TransactionManager)
                    return (TransactionManager) obj;
            }
        }
        catch (NamingException e) {
            throw new IgniteException("Unable to lookup TM by: " + jndiNames, e);
        }

        return null;
    }
}


text:
Football legend, Maradona is dead
Diego Maradona has died at the age of 60 after suffering a cardiac arrest, according to reports in his native Argentina.
The football legend had a heart attack at his home just two weeks after leaving hospital where he underwent surgery on a blot clot in his brain.
Maradona, regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, helped Argentina win the World Cup in 1986, the pinnacle of an illustrious career.
He played club football for Boca Juniors, Napoli and Barcelona among others and was adored by millions for his brilliant skills.
Maradona was responsible for the infamous 'Hand of God' that eliminated England from the 1986 tournament.


text:
Archive | 4:00 pm
Jodi Jaecks: breast stroke of genius
Jodi Jaecks, superstar survivor. Photo by Kelly O./ The Stranger
It's been a big week for me with regard to breast cancer news. Not my own personal breast cancer news — nothing much has changed there — but stories I've reported on. First, my editors at msnbc/TODAY.com asked me to write about Jodi Jaecks, the Seattle breast cancer survivor who went up against the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department over her right to swim in their pools — sans bathing suit top.
Jodi, who I met up at Cancertown a few months back, had a double mastectomy in March of last year, followed by additional lymph node surgery and a few rounds of chemo. Like many of us, she's now trying to reclaim her life — and her athleticism — while dealing with the nasty side effects of her treatment: namely lymphedema and chest wall neuropathy.
Thanks to the lymphedema, a lot of activities are off the list. But swimming, a suggestion that came up during a post BC treatment support group we both attended, seemed like something that might be both active — and therapeutic. I'm not a swimmer (hate getting wet) but the thought of water splashing against my aching chest sounds incredibly soothing.
Jodi, who doesn't wear prostheses and isn't going in for reconstruction, checked out Medgar Evans Pool in Seattle's Central District then — out of courtesy — told the pool people she would be swimming there without a top. When you don't have boobs or nipples and you don't feel the need to fake it, why bother, right?
Well, the Parks people decided they needed to think about that. Which they did for a couple of months, leaving Jodi twisting in the wind. Finally, a few weeks ago, they told her swimming topless (despite the fact she has no "top") was unacceptable and that she had to wear "gender-appropriate swimwear." I suggested she show up in some early 1900s Victorian swimsuit– complete with parasol — but she wisely decided to go to the Seattle alternative newspaper, The Stranger, instead. They broke the story this last Wednesday. By Thursday, her story had gone viral — hitting both local and national audiences (including my readers at msnbc/TODAY.com). By Thursday, the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department had also decided to change their tune. Now, not only Jodi can swim there topless, but other breast cancer survivors will most likely be able to do the same in days to come.
I know I'm supposed to be the ever-objective journalist but I'm also somebody who has to look at a surgery-ravaged body every day and tell myself that I'm okay, that I have nothing to be ashamed of, that I'm still beautiful and normal and acceptable. It's not easy to do this, especially in a society where breast worship is practically an organized religion. Policies that make cancer survivors — or anyone who's a little different — feel ashamed of their bodies and their determination to heal need to be identified and overhauled. And if necessary, just plain jettisoned. Jodi's willingness to come forward and tell her story helped do just that.
"It started as a personal fitness issue but once they said no to me, it became a far greater overarching political issue," she told me when I interviewed her. "Ultimately, I just want to remove the stigma that women with breast cancer have to endure."
Cheers to that, my friend. Cheers to that. It's hard enough facing the mirror — and the fear — without some bureaucracy making you feel like a freak. Breast cancer awareness isn't about pink power tools and fun runs, people. It's about knowing what a double mastectomy looks like. It's about learning about the side effects of what is still an incredibly barbaric surgery. It's about letting survivors do whatever they need to do to heal. Not off in some dark corner full of well-worn ribbons. But out in the light — where it counts.
One more note: I think it's appropriate to send a shout-out to Christopher Williams, the superintendent of the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department (and a cancer survivor) who only found out about Jodi's treatment this week but quickly took steps to right an egregious wrong.
Have you been discriminated against because of your breast cancer — or any cancer? If so, I'd love to hear about it.
Also, stay tuned for part two of my exciting breast cancer news-filled week, where I talk about my story regarding the new fat grafting method of breast reconstruction.
Categories Awareness, Breast cancer, Exercise, Mastectomy, Surviving
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RT @ianbremmer: Navalny friends and family members arrested by Russian authorities while waiting for his arrival at Moscow airport: 4 hours ago


text:
Helmut Ortner
London + 44 (0)20 7872 1681 [email protected]
Helmut Ortner is a counsel in the firm's Litigation/Controversy Department, and a member of the International Arbitration Practice Group. He joined the firm in 2011.
Mr. Ortner focuses on complex multi-jurisdictional disputes. He is experienced in arbitral practice and procedure in civil as well as common law systems.
Mr. Ortner has acted as counsel as well as arbitrator in ad-hoc arbitrations and before major arbitral institutions (including ICC, DIS, LCIA and VIAC), at multiple seats and governed by a variety of substantive and procedural laws. He regularly counsels clients on conflict of laws issues and international enforcement of arbitration awards and judgments.
Publications and Speaking Engagements
Mr. Ortner is a regular speaker on international arbitration topics, and serves as a lecturer on comparative law, international dispute resolution and advocacy at the Europainstitut (Saarbrücken, Germany) and the University of Innsbruck (Austria). He is also a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Vienna (Austria).
Mr. Ortner has also published extensively on a variety of subjects and legal areas including topical issues of arbitration law.
Mr. Ortner is a member of the Austrian Arbitration Association, the Young Austrian Arbitration Professionals, the Swiss Arbitration Association below 40, the ICC Young Arbitrators Forum, as well as the Austrian, American and New York Bar Associations.
Read More About Helmut
Focusing on international arbitration and dispute resolution, investigations, financial services enforcement, and IP litigation.
Mr. Ortner has been awarded numerous awards, including the Franz Gschnitzer Award for excellence in legal research and writing, the Würdigungspreis of the Austrian Ministry of Education for excellence in academic studies, the conferral of the doctorate by the Federal President of the Austrian Republic, the Awards of the Eduard-Wallnöfer-Foundation as well as the Rudolf-Sallinger-Fund for outstanding legal research and writing and the Erwin Schrödinger Fellowship. In addition, Mr. Ortner has been featured in Who's Who Legal: Arbitration and was named a leading arbitrator in the 2017–2020 editions of Who's Who Legal: Arbitration - Future Leaders, a guide profiling the foremost practitioners in the arbitration community. In the 2020 edition, clients and peers emphasize that he is a "highly experienced" lawyer and "well known in arbitration circles as an impressive practitioner." In the 2019 edition, client and peers say he is "an excellent lawyer as both counsel and arbitrator" and has "excellent strategic skills" with a "strong background in quantum and damages matters." In the 2018 edition, client and peers credit his "deep and cutting-edge international arbitration knowledge," and say that he is "extremely hard-working and a very smart lawyer who stays calm even if under tremendous pressure."
View all of Helmut's insights & news
MLE, Imadec University Vienna, 2011
summa cum laude medal of the university for outstanding achievements
JSD, Yale Law School
participant in the program 2006-2010
ICC Masterclass, 2009
LLM, Imadec University Vienna, 2008
LLM, Yale Law School, 2006
Fulbright Scholarship, Erwin Schrödinger Fellowship
Visiting Scholar, Harvard Law School, 2005
admitted to LLM program
Dr iur, Innsbruck University, 2004
summa cum laude sub auspiciis praesidentis rei publicae
Mag iur, Innsbruck University, 2002
summa cum laude
Rechtsanwalt, Austria


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Some of our latest, completed projects.
Grounded Media is an independent, integrated communications company with expertise in the social development sector. For over 20 years we've been doing it differently We pride ourselves on being flexible, thinking out of the box and providing innovative solutions that are effective.


Recently, a group of very successful partners of law, accounting, investment, and M&A firms met me for lunch and explained why their partnerships worked so well. I was most taken with how their success in partnerships contrasted with the partnership pain suffered by so many small businesses. Why do partnerships work so well with professional services firms and are so challenging for the rest of small business? Whether it is several individuals, a venture capital, private equity firm or an angel investor, small business partnerships just seem to struggle more and certainly make up a smaller proportion of successful entrepreneurships than do lawyers, CPAs or financial money managers.
Lesson I: Partners with the same professional degrees and training form tight, loyal and like-minded groups.
Implication: Small business partnerships are founded by experts with unique and complimentary skills. Don't expect different owners to think or act similarly. It will be harder and take longer to achieve the same esprit d'corps among small business partnerships.
Lesson II: The real definition of any Partner is to be a Rainmaker, who can land and grow clients, regardless of whether they have managerial duties in the firm.
Implication: Small businesses require strong operations, finance and sales/marketing in equal measures, so different Partners proficient in different functions are needed.
Lesson III: Successful partnerships do not pay compensation to equity partners based solely on their shares but on their performance and contributions to their firm's profits.
Implication: Small businesses would be well-served to similarly "date before marrying" instead of rushing into the arms of new partners, VC's or private equity firms.
Lesson V: Professional services firms recruit talented individuals by offering partnerships, especially to those with books of business that can produce immediate revenues for the firm. Partnerships also provide the firms with the ability to institute and enforce non-competes' on Rainmakers, protecting the firm's long-term cash flow and revenue streams.
Implication: Small business partnerships are usually created when partners bring different resources to the table including technology/inventions, operating ability, money and sales/marketing. As a result of these divergent contributions, it is not as easy to protect the firm from the power or departure of any one Partner.
Lesson VI: Partners in professional services firms build long-term client relationships which are leveraged through having less experienced/expensive professionals perform most of the actual "work." Having the right amount of these professionals is critical to the Partnerships' profitability.
Implication: Despite the personal relationships small business Partners build with their customers, much of the actual delivery of their firm's value cannot be done by the partner. Consequently, maintaining the same level of trusting relationships is difficult. So is the actual delivery of consistent "work" in the form of products, especially through distributors or inexperienced professionals.
Lesson VII: The recurring nature of relationship sales allows Partners in professional services firms to wield extraordinary marketplace power by closely managing their clients.
Implication: The transient nature of most buyers and customers makes building relationships much more difficult, especially since sales are usually more transactional than they are relationship-driven. Few Partners in small business know their customers as well as their counterparts in professional services do, despite spending more time and money on formal sales and marketing.
Partnerships in professional services firms have been around for centuries and laws and business practices ensure many of these will continue for decades and centuries to come. The goal of the small business Partnership should be to learn and apply the characteristics that can work in their businesses and not try to imitate what cannot be applied to their businesses.


We are always on the look out for ambitious individuals with bright innovative talents. We will post any vacancies we have here. If you'd like to find out more about working at fissara please fill in the enquiry form and tell us why you'd be great fit for the team!


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What they said: AFLW debutants
SUNS Media chats to the 5 debutants ahead of Round 1.
Top SUNS recruit ready to let her performance do the talking
The SUNS first draft pick in 2020 Annise Bradfield has used the expectation of being a talented junior to land her a gig in the SUNS first clash of the AFLW season.
With six years of experience under her belt, Bradfield used her talent which got her noticed by scouts at the draft to be noticed by those at the selection table.
"(Being the club's top draft pick in 2020) played on my mind a little bit but I tried just to block it out and focus on my performance," she said.
"All the other girls that got drafted and then are playing again in round one, we just really deserved it and have all worked really hard."
But despite her talent and the label of being 2020's number 7 draft pick, Bradfield didn't get ahead of herself, making for a few emotionally charged days leading into the game.
"I found out on Wednesday night and just kept it within the family, everyone's really excited," she said.
"I don't think anything could wipe the smile off my face when I found out."
Bess makes the best of a bad situation
AFLW debutant Bess Keaney will live out a dream once thought to be shot in Round 1, walking out for the SUNS after a tough journey onto their list.
After breaking her leg in the VFLW in 2019, before a disrupted 2020 season, many would have pulled the curtains – but not Bess.
"I broke my leg in July 2019 just in a training accident, a bit of bad luck so I missed out on the second half of that season," she said.
"I was rehabbing well and was ready to come back for round 1 of 2020 but as we know it didn't get underway in Melbourne.
"When I broke my leg there was a good chance that was it for competitive footy for me, but things went my way, surgeries went well and a stroke of good luck and here I am."
But with nothing holding her back, Keaney's grit and determination has seen her make an AFLW list – complete with a fully healed leg – to make her long awaited debut aged 29 on Saturday.
"I'm just so thrilled the SUNS have given me the opportunity to be on the list and then to get named to play in round one at Metricon (Stadium) is a real privilege," she said.
"My whole footy career it's all been about giving it a crack and seeing how far I can get with it so there was never any expectation, even when I was having a chat with the SUNS - it was very much 'let's just take a look and see'."
"I've had longer on the sidelines than I normally would have for the injury but the opportunity came knocking from Gold Coast, so it's awesome my next game will be on Metricon for the SUNS."
Knockbacks lever Levi into a round 1 debut
Maddi Levi shed tears of joy upon learning she'd be playing in Round 1 with the SUNS AFLW team, her debut for the club.
While learning of her debut was a surprise, Levi went one better with her family
"If you asked me two years ago I didn't think I'd be on a list, let alone playing the first game but I've put in the work and tried really hard to try and get myself noticed for this round 1. My instant emotion, I did shed a few tears, just of surrealism," Levi said.
"At first I told (my family) I didn't get in the team just to see their reaction, then they were super stoked when I said I had made the team, they were running and jumping around."
But it hasn't all been fun and games for the former dancer and rugby sevens turned-footballer, who had her fair share of bad news at the selection table.
"I've always been the shadow and kind of in the bleachers, I'd always go to trials but would just get knocked back or get picked as a shadow," Levi said.
"I was always told 'you're so close, just keep going' and always at the back of my mind used that for a drive."
It's made her debut all the more sweet, and her determination to maintain her position much stronger.
"I wouldn't be the athlete I am today if it wasn't for those setbacks and the challenges to get such a strong driven mindset," Levi said.
"If you have a dream and get knocked back, don't just stop there. If you want it you can work for it and you can make it happen."
Single's sporting background propels her into SUNS debut
With a background of a high level of rugby sevens, SUNS AFLW debutant Lucy Single is one to watch breaking the lines and bursting with energy.
While different sports, there are similarities Single can translate from Sevens to Aussie Rules to make her game stand out.
"I'd like to think it'll help me with my agility, breaking through a pack and those aspects of a game," she said.
"There's a lot of the same thing, catching and kicking the ball, running, big bursts of energy, hopefully rugby sevens will help me out there."
One of four 18-year-olds debuting, Single said her captains have made great role models and mentors around the club – both on and off the field.
"I feel like most of the girls have become big sisters to me," she said.
"The two captains Hannah Dunn and Sam Virgo, both have taken to not only the captain role but also the big sister role and have definitely looked after me in my first year."
But just as they will look after her on Saturday, she will do her bit to look after the team.
"There's an element of nervousness and excitement at the same time so I'm pretty excited to see how we go as a team," she said.
Daisy to bloom on Metricon
The smallest of the SUNS five AFLW debutants on Saturday, Daisy D'Arcy will pack a punch as she makes a foray into what could be her favourite sport yet.
Having also played rugby sevens, soccer and cricket, D'Arcy is relatively new to the sport but is keen to get her hands on the ball.
"I've only played footy for three years now, going on four," she said.
"I've played every sport you could imagine … at the moment footy is definitely one of the favourite ones."
D'Arcy has been thankful for the support everyone around the club has given her and hopes her natural nerves settle ahead of the game.
"The whole team has helped, they've been very supportive in the push for making me better and I'm definitely learning new things," she said.
"I'm super excited and keen to play some footy, obviously I'm very nervous but it should be good once we're out there."
Up Next A Season Opener To Remember for 5 Debutants
A Season Opener To Remember for 5 Debutants
A season opener to remember for many of the SUNS players at Metricon Stadium on Saturday afternoon but unfortunately not the result they would have all been hoping for.


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Anatomy of a ransomware attack: How attackers gain access to unstructured data
Ransomware isn't a new phenomenon, but it's effects are starting to be felt more widely, and more deeply than ever before. Behemoths like Sony, Nissan, FedEx, Kraft Foods and Deutsche Bank have all been hit in recent years, and the list is growing. The ongoing saga of the ransomware attack in Baltimore, MD has left…
How past threats and technical developments influence the evolution of malware
If we want to anticipate how malware will evolve in the near future, we have to keep two things in mind: past threats and current technical developments. "The evolution of malware-related threats is like a sine wave movement, re-infused by new technology developments," Christiaan Beek, Lead Scientist and Senior Principal Engineer, McAfee, told Help Net…
Florida City Pays $600,000 Ransom to Save Computer Records
Issued by: Security Week
The Riviera Beach City Council voted unanimously this week to pay the hackers' demands, believing the Palm Beach suburb had no choice if it wanted to retrieve its records, which the hackers encrypted. The council already voted to spend almost $1 million on new computers and hardware after hackers captured the city's system three weeks…
Why phishing education has never been more critical to your business
Our cyber defenses are becoming stronger and stronger every year. Even the smallest companies can now deploy advanced anti-malware and intrusion detections tools that were, until recently, only within the reach of larger enterprises. Today, sandboxed behavior detection and machine-learning/artificial intelligence powered security services make it easy for organizations of any size to crack down…
Cyberattack Hits Aircraft Parts Manufacturer
Issued by: Dark Reading
A cyberattack has shut down international production at Asco, a company in Zaventem, Belgium, that is a significant supplier of parts to airline manufacturers around the world. According to the company, it has shut down all manufacturing operations in Belgium, Germany, Canada, and the US, sending more than 1,000 of their 1,400 global workers home….
Phishing attacks that bypass 2-factor authentication are now easier to execute
Issued by: CSO
Penetration testers and attackers have a new tool in their arsenal that can be used to automate phishing attacks in a way that defeats two-factor authentication (2FA) and is not easy to detect and block. The tool makes such attacks much easier to deploy, so organizations should adapt their anti-phishing training accordingly. The new toolkit…
How a Rapid Response Helped Thwart an Active Ransomware Attack
Issued by: Symantec Blog
Early this year, when an executive at a hospital called our Incident Response (IR) team, he had yet to realize that his organization was confronting an active ransomware attack. Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) and his internal team had flagged as suspicious some data that was marked with a four-letter file name, he explained, and multiple…
Application Security, Malware & Threats
Cybercriminals targeting social media: Facebook and Instagram are becoming phishers' favorites
Social media phishing, primarily Facebook and Instagram, saw the highest quarter- over-quarter growth of any industry with a 74.7 percent increase, according to the Vade Secure Phishers' Favorites report for Q1 2019. While Facebook has been in the top 10 since report's inception, Instagram cracked the top 25 for the first time, taking the #24…
Huge DDoS Attacks Shift Tactics in 2019
On Jan. 10, a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack peaked at 500 million packets per second. Depending on precisely how you measure such things, this was likely one of the largest DDoS attacks ever — until April 30, when it was surpassed by an attack that hit 580 packets per second. According to Imperva, the company…
Malware & Threats, Vulnerabilities
Most adults are concerned about malware and phishing on social media
More than eighty percent of adults believe that they're at risk when it comes to security on social media. Most American adults are using at least one social media platform daily, and three-quarters are interested in protecting themselves and their privacy, according to the 2019 Study on Social Media Privacy and Security Concerns released by…


Two Nigerians on a Qatar Airways flight to Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Son Nhat Airport Tuesday evening have been taken to a city hospital after being found to have flu-like symptoms that could be tied to the recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
Tran Dac Phu, chief of the Heath Ministry's Preventive Medicine Department, said the two passengers departed August 18 from Nigeria, one of the four African countries that have been suffering from an Ebola outbreak, on the QR964 flight. They took the seats 25B and 26D.
The two Nigerians were then transported to the quarantined zone of the Ho Chi Minh City Tropical Diseases Hospital.
The Preventive Health Department, the city's Pasteur Institute have cooperated with the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Office and the US Diseases Control Center in Vietnam to send blood samples taken from the two Nigerians for further testing.
The Health Ministry also asked the passengers sitting near the two Nigerians on that flight to go to the nearest hospitals or call the number 0989 671 115 to get guidance on preventive measures.
In related news, Hanoi health authorities are watching three students from Nigeria for flu-like symptoms after they arrived in Vietnam between July 31 and August 8 to attend a college in the Vietnamese capital.
Health authorities said the students, who are asked to stay indoor under a 21-day fever watch, remained healthy, and underwent medical checkups everyday. They were asked to inform health officers as soon as they have symptoms of fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea and hemorrhage.
The Vietnam's Ministry of Health is planning to buy 10,000 protective outfits for health officers facing high risks of Ebola-virus infection while on duty, said the chief of the Preventive Medicine Department at a conference last Thursday.
The Ebola virus causes a hemorrhagic fever, which can kill up to 90 percent of those it infects, has killed nearly 1,230 people in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia since the outbreak began in March, according to the WHO.
Nigeria said on Monday its number of confirmed Ebola cases had reached 12, up from 10 last week, but five of these had almost fully recovered. Four people have died from the virus in Nigeria, where it was transferred by a U.S. citizen who arrived by plane from Liberia, Reuters reported Tuesday.


Crackberry addict turned Android fanatic, newb!
Discussion in 'Introductions' started by miss6, Aug 12, 2010.
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Last Saturday, about half of this year's 18/30 Holy Land pilgrims gathered at Downside to meet one another, share their faith, and explore the Abbey and Monastic Library with Dom Anselm and Fr. Matt Anscombe of Clifton Diocese.
Thirty-six young people have already signed up to join this exciting pilgrimage, including Bro. John, and two Diocesan Seminarians, Joe Meigh and Stephen Corrigan. You can see from the photographs that it was an amazing day! If anyone else would like to join, click here for further details.


Scholars urged to scour TIMSS, PISA for policy insights.
In 1958, a group of international scholars met in Hamburg, Germany, and hatched an idea for a huge study to measure student learning around the globe.
They saw the world as one big educational laboratory, with each country acting as its own naturally occurring experiment. If tests could gauge the effects of those experiments, the researchers reasoned, the results might yield a bonanza on how best to teach children.
Nearly 50 years later, the project they had in mind is called the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, or TIMSS—one of the biggest and most influential assessment programs in the world. Yet it still hasn't delivered on its early promise, say experts who attended a conference here this month aimed at rekindling the original vision of the program's founders.
Ms. Torney-Purta, who in the 1960s took part in the development of what is now TIMSS, was among the group of international researchers who gathered for the Nov. 9-11 conference at the Brookings Institution. They shared the results of secondary analyses of data from TIMSS and other international studies, and encouraged more researchers to tap into the mounting troves of international achievement data.
An analysis of 4th graders' mathematics scores on the 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study found that changes in test-takers' average ages affected achievement.
At the Amsterdam-based IEA and other international-study centers, the data have indeed piled up since the late 1950s.
Just 12 countries took part in the earliest version of TIMSS, the First International Mathematics Study, or FIMS, which was published in 1967 using math data collected from 1961 to 1965. Since then, the IEA has administered at least four more cross-national studies in mathematics, science, or both, and the number of participating countries has grown with each test administration. TIMSS 2007, already under way, is expected to involve more than 60 countries.
In addition, the assessment organization has conducted cross-national studies in two other subjects, civics education and literacy. Data on student achievement are also accumulating through the Program for International Student Assessment, or PISA, a multinational study run by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
"It's a gold mine, really," Jan-Eric Gustafsson, an education professor at Sweden's University of Gothenburg, said of the TIMSS data.
So far, researchers have plumbed results from the various studies to look at how a wide range of educational factors might affect achievement.
Those factors include students' attitudes and beliefs; variations in the size of schools and classes; students' family backgrounds; classroom technology use; and the extent to which teachers use such approaches as group work and inquiry-driven instruction.
For instance, Elena C. Papanastasiou, a researcher from Intercollege in Nicosia, Cyprus, mined the TIMSS data archives to explore how computers and electronic calculators affect learning.
She focused on 2003 results for 8th graders from four countries —Cyprus, the Russian Federation, South Africa, and the United States—and adjusted for socioeconomic differences among students within each. She found that students who frequently used computers and calculators, both inside and outside of class, tended to score lower on TIMSS. The one exception came in the United States, where calculator use, but not computer use, was linked to slightly higher scores.
But such cross-sectional comparisons can also be limited, other researchers at the Washington conference said, citing marked variations in educational and cultural customs.
In the technology study, for instance, the results might have been skewed by a tendency among U.S. schools to have remedial students practice math on computers. But advanced U.S. math students tend to use calculators in class more often than their less-skilled peers.
Cypriot educators, in comparison, tend to discourage all students from using computers and calculators, according to Ms. Papanastasiou.
"TIMSS, in my opinion, is a lot better for hypothesis generation than for hypothesis testing," said Gerald K. LeTendre, an education professor at Pennsylvania State University in University Park.
One way to overcome the cultural and pedagogical differences across countries that hamper analyses of effective practices, Mr. Gustafsson suggested, might be to focus on the changes that occur within countries from one administration of a test to the next.
"The problem for cross-sectional analyses is that if you have a characteristic you want to measure, it tends to be correlated with a thousand other things," he said. By looking over time within one country, he said, scholars might minimize those "nuisance" factors.
Mr. Gustafsson tested his idea with data for 15 to 22 countries that participated in TIMSS tests in both 1995 and 2003. His aim was to see if changes in students' ages and in average class sizes within a country, from one test to the next, correlated with changes in achievement.
Mr. Gustafsson found some surprisingly large age differences. In Latvia and Lithuania, for instance, 4th graders were eight to nine months older in the 2003 assessments than their counterparts in 1995 were.
The Iranian 4th graders tested, by contrast, were three months younger in 2003.
The analysis showed that age changes were linked to achievement differences, with older students in every country outperforming their younger peers in the same grade. The relationships were strong enough, Mr. Gustafsson said, that TIMSS researchers might want to take them into account in interpreting country-by-country achievement gains—either by narrowing the testing window so that test-takers are closer in age or making statistical adjustments.
Changes in average class sizes from one test to the next, meanwhile, seemed to be important for 4th graders' achievement and less so for 8th graders.
Most researchers, though, have focused on curricula in an effort to discern why students in some countries tend to outshine the rest of the world, including the United States, in international comparisons.
As the principal of a Finnish intermediate-level school that is arguably the highest-scoring school in the world, Maarit Rossi, another conference-goer, has fielded many such queries. Finland ranked first in math in the 2005 PISA, and the 8th graders in Ms. Rossi's school, Kirkkoharjun School in Kirkkonummi, scored highest in that nation.
Now studying in the United States on a sabbatical, Ms. Rossi sees obvious contrasts in U.S. and Finnish textbooks. The U.S. texts, she said, are much thicker and more cluttered than the ones her students use. "It's impossible when you have 1,100 pages of math that you get the message," she said.
William H. Schmidt, an education professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, would agree. He has conducted comparisons of U.S. math curricula and those used by countries that consistently score high on TIMSS. As early as the late 1990s, he characterized U.S. math classes as "a mile wide and an inch deep" compared with those of the high-scoring, mostly Asian, nations.
"It's basically, you cover everything, everywhere, because somehow, somebody will learn something somewhere," Mr. Schmidt told conference-goers.
More recently, his analyses have also shown that the high-performing countries teach math in a sequence that mathematicians see as more coherent, and that may be even more influential in promoting students' understanding.
Another researcher at the Brookings Institution conference, however, said Mr. Schmidt was looking in the wrong direction for explanations of U.S. students' lackluster performance.
"Sociological theories suggest that educational systems are becoming more similar around the world," said David P. Baker, a professor of sociology and education at Penn State. Because most countries now manage and organize schools in much the same way and teach similar content, he argued, other factors, such as students' family background, may explain more of the test-score variations between nations than differences in schooling.
He noted, for instance, that countries that do well on the international assessments tend to be those, such as Finland or Singapore, with less socioeconomic inequality among students. Countries with wide gaps between society's haves and have-nots, on the other hand, tend to have greater variations in their own students' test scores.
"The notion that the world is an education laboratory is a good fantasy to push to get funding," Mr. Baker concluded. As schools become more and more similar around the world, he added, the possibility that researchers can distill best practices in education from international achievement is becoming more remote.
"International Comparison," August 9, 2006.
For more stories on this topic see International news.
The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement oversees the TIMSS and posts related publications, such as the TIMSS Advanced 2008 Assessment Frameworks.