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Song, video spread message that disabled people…
Song, video spread message that disabled people want to be seen and known for their talents
Stories from personal spaces evolve into an anthem for people with disabilities
James Ian, 39, of Glendale, records "Spaces," a song and music video written, directed, and performed by people who have spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a degenerative muscular disorder. (Photo courtesy of Genentech)
By Anissa Rivera |
In the space of a Zoom screen, 11 people with spinal muscular atrophy are brainstorming.
James Ian, 39, a singer-songwriter and actor, is speaking from Glendale. Dominick Evans, 40, a filmmaker, peers into the screen from his home in Detroit. Tara Hahn of Long Beach is there with her unicorn-collecting daughter Neely, who is 5 and cannot walk or stand because of SMA, a progressive muscular disease.
"We chose certain messages," Ian said. "We wanted to avoid what's called inspiration porn (media depictions of the disabled) where the smallest task we do is deemed heroic. We wanted to show we have families, we have great friends. We are artists and intellectuals and we are finding great joy in our lives. Our lives are cool. We have SMA and we're out here rocking."
James Ian, of Glendora, is the principal songwriter and singer of "Spaces," a first-ever song collaboration by the disability community. (Photo courtesy of James Ian)
In less than four months, the group, with support from Genentech biotech company, created "Spaces," the first video written, directed and performed by members of the SMA community.
"I think it's historic because it was created by a group of disabled people and the non-disabled people involved have really allowed us to let our voice dictate this story," Evans said.
For Ian, who was diagnosed with SMA at age 15, the serious health condition was a shock, "I didn't know what the future would be like."
Living with Type 3 SMA, one of four types of the condition, the Maryland-born musician and actor graduated from college, earned a law degree, then moved to California in 2015 to pursue a career in the arts.
He cannot run, and climbing stairs is difficult.
"SMA does what it does, but I'm busy all the time," he said.
Ian came up with the title of what is an anthem for people with disabilities, dealing with under-representation or misrepresentation in media, and wanting to be known for their talents and not defined by their disability.
"Every person on this earth wants to know their existence matters, that they've left some sort of mark," he said. "Acknowledge our presence. We're coloring the world with our own unique flavors. We're in this space, and not just taking up space. We're here. Come what may, we're ready for it."
Ian recorded the song at The Village studios Los Angeles, and the video was made at Avalon Hollywood on Vine Street in L.A.
"The first time I heard the complete song was when we filmed the video, and I could feel it on the floor, on the stage," Ian said. "I remember feeling so charged. It was unreal."
After collaborating with other people who have spinal muscular atrophy, Ian recorded the song at The Village Studios in Los Angeles and shot the music video at Avalon Hollywood. (Photo courtesy of Genentech)
Evans wrote and directed the video from Detroit, while the filming crew was on-set in L.A. Even though he and Ian have the same type of SMA, Evans deals with mobility restraints.
Hahn, who is the lead singer for the ska band Half Past Two, said she collaborated on the song so her daughter can someday listen and be happy about "the space we've helped create for her." Mother and daughter also appear in the video.
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"Music is a unifying language, it's the best way to get this message out there, that disabled people and people with SMA are people, they want to be seen and heard and understood," Hahn said.
Ian, who continues to write songs, act and write, said he's grateful to have expanded his community, and worked with award-winning artists on the video. Shared stories from their personal spaces, about pride, love and being worthy, became lyrics to a song that became a music video.
A photo of his 3-year-old self is featured in the piece. In it, Ian is sprinting toward the camera: a little boy happy in his backyard in Fort Washington, Maryland, dressed for the fall chill beside his Knight Rider Big Wheel car.
"In a way, this video is a love letter to our younger selves," he said. "Growing up, we didn't see anyone like us in mainstream media and we want to tell our younger selves, 'It's going to be even better than you think, looking forward. So I hope this helps people with disabilities get opportunities and a platform to do what they want. To make what we do visible."
Access the video through Spacessong.com. James Ian is @jamesianmusic on Twitter.
Anissa V. Rivera, columnist, "Mom's the Word," Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Whittier Daily News, Azusa Herald, Glendora Press and West Covina Highlander, San Dimas/La Verne Highlander. Southern California News Group, 605 E. Huntington Drive, Suite 100, Monrovia, CA 91016. 626-497-4869.
Anissa Rivera


It's been a decade since Facebook came into our lives or more like, we came to Facebook. The social network is still the top social media platform and we commend Mark Zuckerberg for being a genius. Although we're not fully happy with its security and privacy, the development team has been working hard to make major improvements.
Yesterday, the company announced the latest Privacy Basics so people can see all the tools they need. Such features are important and useful in managing and controlling all the things you want to share on Facebook. You will see the top topics addressed and enhanced functionality based on past feedback and requests of Facebook users concerning security and privacy.
This is basically an improved way to protect your privacy because everything is organized in one place so you can quickly manage what you need to fix. Privacy Basics is available in 44 languages and features several interactive guides you can devour. Read so you won't be at a loss.
With Privacy Basics, you can view the tools, tips, and any other information that will be useful to your everyday Facebook usage. With the new Privacy Basics, know how your profile looks like to others viewing it, who can see your posts, and how to secure your account. This Privacy Basics comes as Facebook's effort for the Data Privacy Day happening on January 28. It's celebrated every year and this is one of Facebook's ways on improving privacy information.
In line with this, take this time to take the Privacy Checkup, turn on login approvals to improve account security, and manage who sees your every post. You can also check Facebook's Security Key as a new step to account protection. This brings login approvals from an SMS so you authenticate from a device other than your computer or from whatever gadget you are using.
Feel free to register a physical security key now and enable login approvals. This may require another physical device but Facebook is assuring the public that it is safe. A small hardware that goes in your USB drive can be private and secure most of the time but honestly, we can't say if it's easier because you have to do more steps.
Facebook enumerated the advantages of using security keys. A two-factor authentication usually offers Phishing protection, interoperability for other supported online account, and faster login.


Home » Community Involvement » Everything Is Coming Up Roses!
RALEIGH, April 2, 2018 — Wake Radiology, the Triangle's leading provider of outpatient medical imaging, announces a six-week "rose pledge" campaign as the practice re-affirms its partnership with the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Starting today, April 2, 2018 and continuing through May 13, 2018, Wake Radiology is using a rose to explain the difference in and benefits of having a 3D screening mammogram. Women who pledge to get a screening mammogram during the next 12 months can also enter to win a year's worth of roses.
Wake Radiology is taking its "rose" message to the Susan G. Komen Triangle Race for the Cure. The practice has partnered with the Komen Triangle race for 11 years and is proud to be the official sponsor of all teams to participate in this year's event. In the team's bags, women will find a postcard inviting them to take the rose pledge and see the difference between the two types of mammogram screenings.
People from across the area are invited to join with Team WakeRad and many other groups as we run and walk together on May 5, 2018 for the Triangle Race for the Cure. The Komen race will be held at The Frontier in Research Triangle Park.While there, participates are invited to stop by the Wake Radiology tent to pick up a surprise gift, learn more about 3D mammography and make the rose pledge entering them for a chance to win a monthly delivery of roses for a year.
Founded in 1953, Wake Radiology is the Triangle's leading provider of outpatient medical imaging. Its physicians have been trained as experts in specific imaging specialties – ranging from breast cancer detection and pediatrics to sports medicine and neuroradiology (brain and spine) – to accurately diagnose healthcare issues. Another hallmark of Wake Radiology is its commitment to low-dose imaging and the elimination of unnecessary or duplicate exams. This approach strives to improve patient outcomes and reduces the overall cost of healthcare. Wake Radiology is the region's largest outpatient imaging practice with nearly 50 radiologists who perform close to 600,000 procedures each year. It has 10 outpatient locations and provides imaging services at several area hospitals, including UNC REX Hospital and Maria Parham Medical Center.


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Home / Essay Samples / Literature / Writers / Harper Lee
Harper Lee's Kill a Mockingbird Theme
Writers, Literary Genres, Books
Harper Lee, Novel, To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird novel it describes the events that took place in a small, Southern town in Alabama through the perspective of a young girl, named Scout Finch. The award-winning novel tackles many issues that still plague society today and has been recognized for its many intertwining topics and themes, one of which being the law versus the popular sense of justice. This Kill a Mockingbird theme is particularly interesting because of the setting of the novel, and the time frame in which the storyline unfolds.
Maycomb is a small town in Alabama during the Great Depression. The townsfolk are primarily white and Christian and they, like most towns at the time, are avid supporters of white supremacy. Racism and racial inequality run rampant through Maycomb and hate crimes are an everyday occurrence. However, the judicial system of the time does not recognize racism as a criminal offense and, more often than not, people of color tend to face the worst consequences for their criminal offenses by authorities or by the court, whose jury is almost always comprised of only white men. Maltreatment of African- Americans or colored folk, as they were called at the time, was extended beyond interpersonal racism and had seeped into the justice system, establishing the harsh reality of institutional racism remnants of which are still in place today.
Unequal treatment from the judicial system can be seen from the very beginning of the novel. In a crime that involved a member of the Radley family, a white family that lived across our main character's house, the treatment from the justice system was much different from what it should have been. The perpetrator, Arthur Radley, had stabbed his father with a pair of scissors causing him a non-fatal injury in his leg, however, his punishment was not served as it should have been. Local authorities as well as the Radley family chose not to send him to prison so that he would not be in jail with "Negroes". At the time this all took place, the prison was a place where most, if not exclusively, held people of color, most of whom were black. Instead, he was kept in the courthouse basement for a short period until his family vouched for him and took him under their protection. Arthur "Boo" Radley was never seen in public again from this time forth and was presumed to be locked in his family's home across the Finch residence.
However, this system of incessant racism and hatred is finally challenged by Atticus Finch is one of the high-profile cases that shook the community of Maycomb and beyond. In an accusation of what appeared to be rape, Mayella Ewell, a white woman, accused a black man, of rape. Allegedly, Tom Robinson, the black man accused, had raped Mayella. Tom pleaded innocent to a court that would not hear his plea and to a community that had already deemed him guilty. Helpless in his struggle and with minimal rights, Tom was practically already doomed. Dumbfounded by the whole situation as well as the reaction that it incited, Atticus Finch decides to represent the otherwise lost man and attempts to build his defense.
The reaction to Atticus' decision was imminent and fierce. The consequences extended beyond himself and his work into his family. However, this invigorated Atticus to win this case that was not just a white woman versus a black man, but rather the continuous oppressive system and the hatred behind it versus the law and justice. However, considering that this case is both legal and social, it does not take a long time for riots to begin. Having already declared Tom a rapist, a group of white men ignore the due process of law and attempt to lynch Tom through their riot. The consensus of the people requires Tom to die for what he is accused of without allowing the case to go to trial. Although the riot is prevented, its effects of it resonate throughout the county.
Finally, the case reaches the court. It is now that the accounts of both the plaintiff and the defendant should be recalled for the court and judged fairly by a jury of peers. However, in a white town deep in the racist American South in the 1930s, the jury that is supposed to decide on a black man's innocence is completely white, biased, and racist. The judge is no different, considering that it is the same man who locked a white man in the courthouse basement so that he would not be with " Negroes" in prison. Although the courthouse is beyond rigged and filled with prejudice, Atticus manages to gather a plethora of evidence that proves Tom's innocence. Following the display of evidence, the witnesses are cross-examined, which only made matters worse since Mayella appeared to have had a mental breakdown and she implored the jury to not be cowards and charge Tom.
Beyond the overwhelming amount of evidence, the defense for Tom has one major fault which requires the people of the jury to completely alter their attitude towards "colored people". The defense claims that it was not Tom who laid his hands on Mayella, but that it was her father. Atticus claims that Robert Ewell, embarrassed at his daughter's actions, struck her across the face. His claim lies in the fact that Mayella has the right side of her face bruised and that Robert was the only one who could have hurt her since he was left-handed. On the hand, Tom's left hand had been rendered useless by a cotton gin accident when he was young. Despite the overwhelming amount of evidence in their defense of Tom, the jury finally provides the court with a verdict, in which it concluded that Tom was guilty of all charges.
As the court's decision makes the rounds of the county, the white people of the town felt that the sentencing was just and righteous since it represented their beliefs and perpetuated their ideology of black people. However, the colored folk of the county seems to disagree, showing their belief in Tom by thanking Atticus with food for his help. Despite these circumstances Atticus files for an appeal, keeping Tom from the electric chair for the time being. Despite the unjust decision for Tom from the justice system, Atticus is hopeful that a larger court will hopefully review the case otherwise. However, his hopes for the new trial are short-lived since Tom is found dead a short while later.
In what was labeled as an attempted escape, Tom had been shot numerous times by police in prison. Atticus believes that what had happened to Tom was completely unfair however most of the townsfolk feel that what had happened was to be expected. Most people believed that his death was not surprising and was expected of a black man one way or another. Beyond that, they are not moved by Tom's pleas, or his attempt to escape and condemn his behavior, along with all other criminal behavior, as typical black person behavior, instilling their ideas of white supremacy even further than before. This repetitive system of racism and hatred toward black individuals created this perpetual system of condemning black people for crimes they had not committed and created a deep bias within white folk in America.
The time frame in which the Kill a Mockingbird theme is placed has long been criticized by many other literary works that follow a similar theme with similar takeaways. One very well-known novel that has a very similar topic is Of Mice and Men. In that novel there is a quote that summarizes the belief as well as the power of white women of the time which is "Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny."(Steinbeck, 120). Books like these have successfully reflected the American beliefs during the 1930s and by doing so, they have helped future generations understand the injustice that existed in the United States. "This, after all, is a book that helped to change the world"(Jordison, The Guardian) is a great quote that displays the great influence of the novel on its readers.
Even though the novel took place in such a different period and under very different circumstances, these life lessons and examples provided in the book are still alive and well today. People of color are still more frequently arrested by a much larger proportion for crimes they did not commit by as much as five times (NAAAP). Profiling and maltreatment by police are still very common and it is only very recently that these minorities have taken a stand against the injustice that is in place right now.
Groups like Black Lives Matter and NAACP have now more than ever focused their efforts to reduce police brutality and the wrongful incarceration of African Americans. Although these efforts and these movements show that society is finally able to tackle such a topic, it is worrisome that it took so long for such matters to be addressed. The parallels between Tom and many black men today are more frequent than one would imagine and the teachings and takeaways of the novel still resonate with people today. Because of these lessons, the novel still maintains its popularity in modern society and has become a necessary read for the modern individual.
In conclusion, To Kill a Mockingbird is such a successful novel and has reached so much critical acclaim for its ability to talk about and deal with problems that society has yet to solve, or even come close to solving for that matter. In addition, the novel's many themes and sub-themes allow the reader to focus on the whole book beyond just its main ideas and gather a more in-depth understanding of the work as a total.
Dr. Diane
Proficient in: Writers, Literary Genres, Books
"She understood my main topic well and follow the instruction accordingly. She finished the paper in a timely manner! I would definitely hire her again! "
Character Analysis of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee's novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird', first published in 1960, depicts the characters' personalities in the small town Maycomb County, Alabama, and how they developed due to the major events. The moment Atticus Finch was ...
To Kill a Mockingbird Characterization: Stephanie Crawford
In To Kill a Mockingbird, the author, Harper Lee, uses her unique characters to create a story based on racism and segregation. The book takes place in a small, southern town known as Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great ...
To Kill a Mockingbird: Coming of Age
"Shoot all the Blue Jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember, it's a sin to kill a mocking bird". A father's advice to his children. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is a coming-of-age novel in which Scout and ...
Analysis of the Selected Quotes from "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
Chapter 1 Jem wanted Dill to know once and for all that he wasn't scared of anything: "It's just that I can't think of a way to make him come out without him gettin' us. Besides, Jem had his little sister to think of". When he ...
Analysis of Some Passages from "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
"Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. Somehow, it was hotter than: a black ...
To Kill a Mockingbird: Maturity of Scout
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The Portrayal of Class Conflict in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird
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Loyal friendships and the interlace of fate in the novel based, Holes and movie are consecutively illustrated throughout the scenes and chapters. The ever so spoken of bond between Stanley and Zero's friendship intertwines and ...
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Relaxonchair Zero Gravity Shiatsu, also known as MK-II Plus, is a massage chair that stacks up really well against similar products from mainstream brands. It is a great investment for anyone dealing with chronic pain.
The chair is big enough to satisfy your needs and ensure comfort yet small enough to fit in a small apartment. Taking into account that this is not a branded product, it is understandable that you might be a skeptic to invest.
After all, such companies tend to have problematic customer support. This stems from the tendency by non branded companies to import products from China and put their label on them before offering them for sale. The good news is that this isn't an issue you'll have to worry about when you purchase from Relaxonchair. Their Customer Support, Is A Notch Above Most Non -Branded Companies.
The main selling point of the Relaxonchair Zero Gravity Shiatsu Massage Chair is that it incorporates true Zero Gravity positioning. It features three Zero Gravity positions, thus helping to take the pressure and strain off your spine.
This feature enhances your experience as the chair can slide forward as the headrest moves downward. This elevates your knees to the level of the heart, which greatly reduces the discomfort on the lower back. It also helps taking the strain of your heart and relieves your body of stress. Not many chairs on the market have this feature.
A few models offer one position and even less offer three Zero Gravity positions. The MK-II plus is in the very small group, making it a worthwhile investment for anyone who purchases it.
Another feature that sets the MK-II Plus apart from the competition is its special decompression button. Available via the control panel, pressing this button prompts the massage chair to do a full body scan and measure the length of your spine.
It pinpoints the locations of your spine where a massage is needed, thus giving you a more accurate massage. By so doing, the decompression button eliminates the need for you to shift occasionally in a bid to hit the right spots.
Otherwise known as the extended roller track, the L-track massage system is an extended version of the S-track system. It extends beyond the lower back and top hamstrings. Unlike older models that only use airbags to massage the user, the incorporation of an L-track massage system in this chair means that you almost get a full body massage experience with the rollers.
Despite the fact that a few customers complained about the usage of this feature, stating that the track doesn't extend very far, the rollers do reach the glutes and the back of the thighs.. However, for an entry-level chair to have the L-track system at all is nothing short of amazing. Relaxonchair refers to this feature in their user's manual as the Buttlock Tracking System.
This chair comes with two heating pads in the lower back region. They are quite large and exceed expectations by providing heat all the way to the mid-back. Not many massage chairs come with heating pads and finding one that does at the lower end of the price range can prove difficult.
As such, this counts as a huge plus for the Zero Gravity Shiatsu. The downside to this feature is that you don't get to control the temperature. It does not have a feature to adjust the heat settings. Even with this disadvantage, the presence of heating pads adds therapeutic value to the product.
The Zero Gravity Shiatsu comes with 20 First Generation airbags that are strategically placed. That is a decent number of airbags for an entry-level massage chair. While not in the class of a branded product, these airbags are adequate and do a good job of giving you a full body massage.
The Zero Gravity Shiatsu offers a modest number of options when it comes to massage techniques and programs. It offers three standard massage techniques including Kneading and Tapping and Kneading and Tapping combined. Also included is Shiatsu and Rolling. The pre-programmed massage routines include relaxation, stretch, deep tissue and rejuvenate.
You can access five additional massages from the remote to target specific parts of the body. This allows you to zero in on areas of the body that hurt if you don't want a full body massage. It is important to note that while it does sound like you have too many options, there are only slight variations among them. At the end of the day, there are just three options and a few targeted massage options. This is pretty good, considering the low price of this chair.
Unlike other chairs from rival brands, the Zero Gravity Shiatsu features a computerized control panel. It sits on a stand on the left side of the armrest and despite looking very technical, it is actually very easy to use.
The control panel is large enough to see clearly even without eyeglasses. It allows you easy access to 4 different massage programs not to mention 3 intensities and manual settings. You can choose how fast or strong your massages should be. Lastly, all of the buttons are backlit for better visibility.
The airbags located in the leg massage ports help render a great calf massage while simple rollers attend to your feet soles. This chair offers an aggressive foot roller massage. The downside to this feature is that the foot massage can be too strong for people with sensitive feet.
However, you can get around this issue by laying a washcloth at the bottom of feet, wearing extra socks or even installing shoe inserts. Other than that, the calf foot massage will give you much needed relief after a long day on your feet.
The body stretch function isn't as strong as most customers would like it to be. However, the fact that it is present in a budget-priced chair is quite unique. The feature provides plenty of therapeutic benefit and provides pain relief by reducing the pressure on the compressed discs in your spine.
Considering that the chair offers deep tissue massage, it is a little surprising that the stretch function isn't more aggressive. It is quite mild and will prove beneficial to someone who suffers from chronic back pain.
There isn't much to say about the ottoman except that it comes with an extendable module. This allows the chair to perform various massage techniques by mimicking the same kind of motion used by professional massage therapists. It also makes it easy for the chair to accommodate people of different heights up to 6'3".
No consumer product is perfect and as such, it is incredibly important to understand the drawbacks of any product before making a purchase. That way, you can decide if you can live with the shortcomings and still make the product a good value for your money. That said, there are a few drawbacks to the Zero Gravity Shiatsu. Here are the negative aspects of this chair you should be aware of.
The rollers, particularly those in the foot area, can be a little intense for people with sensitive feet. Wearing light house slippers, placing shoe inserts in the foot rest or wearing socks can help lessen the intensity.
There have been complaints by customers that the remote control produced loud beeps that cannot be turned off. For some customers, this is not a deal breaker because it doesn't really interrupt the massage.
Unlike the MK-IV, the MK-II Plus only comes with the L-Track system. This means that it doesn't entirely reach around your derriere like the S-track massage system. While this doesn't mean that the Zero Gravity Shiatsu isn't an effective chair, the absence of an S-track is certainly indicative of the lower price.
This product may be backed by a 3-year warranty, but this coverage is not as comprehensive as we'd like. For starters, the parts are only fully covered during the first year. The company offers an extended coverage to the structural framework for the next two years.
The Relaxonchair Zero Gravity Shiatsu isn't without its fair share of drawbacks. But it makes up for what it lacks with great features for a low-budget massage chair. It is a great investment for someone who suffers from chronic back pain.
Also have a look at our awesome list of best massage recliners.


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Tag Archives: activism
Japan whaling ships return home from Antarctic with no catch
The Japan Coast Guard patrols Ayukawa port as a whaling fleet departs from Ishinomaki City on April 26, 2014
France 24:
Japanese whaling ships returned home from the Antarctic on Saturday for the first time in nearly 30 years with no catch onboard, after a UN court ordered an end to their annual hunt, local media reported.
The two ships — the 724-ton Yushinmaru and the 747-ton Daini (No 2) Yushinmaru — arrived at a port in western Shimonoseki city, a major whaling base.
It was the first return by Japanese whalers without catching any whales since 1987 when the country began the annual "research" hunt in the Antarctic, the Asahi Shimbun said.
The two ships did not face any attacks by anti-whaling activists during their three-months voyage, the daily added.
Tokyo had said this season's excursion would not involve any lethal hunting. Harpoons normally used in the capture of the giant mammals were removed from the vessels. Crew members on the two boats carried out "sighting surveys" and took skin samples from the huge marine mammals, news reports said.
The non-lethal research came after the International Court of Justice — the highest court of the United Nations — ruled in March last year that Tokyo was abusing a scientific exemption set out in the 1986 moratorium on whaling.
The UN court concluded Tokyo was carrying out a commercial hunt under a veneer of science.
After the ruling, Japan said it would not hunt during this winter's Antarctic mission, but has since expressed its intention to resume "research whaling" in 2015-16.
In a new plan submitted to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and its Scientific Committee, Tokyo set an annual target of 333 minke whales for future hunts, down from some 900 under the previous programme. It also defined the research period as 12 years from fiscal 2015 in response to the court's criticism of the programme's open-ended nature.
"By collecting scientific data, we aim to resume commercial whaling," agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters in the city as he attended a ceremony for their return.
Japan killed 251 minke whales in the Antarctic in the 2013-14 season and 103 the previous year, far below its target because of direct action by conservationist group Sea Shepherd.
Despite widespread international opprobrium, Japan has continued to hunt whales using the scientific exemption, although it makes no secret of the fact that the meat from the creatures caught by taxpayer-funded ships ends up on dinner tables.
Categories: History, Links, News, Photo, Travel	Tags: activism, activists, anti-whaling, anti-whaling activists, conservation, Japan, Japanese, Japanese whalers, nature, Shimonoseki city, Tokyo, whale, whales, whaling, whaling ships
We stand on their shoulders: Remembering Asian American leaders before us
Audrey Magazine:
In light of Martin Luther King Day, we take the time to reflect on the efforts of not only Martin Luther King Jr., but also the others who stood at the forefront to fight for civil rights in America.
I once stood in front of San Francisco State University's Filipino mural (pictured above). As a freshman still full of curiosity and bewilderment, I took in every detail possible. While questioning who the people in the mural were and why they were there, one detail in particular resonated with me. There was a quote in the corner painted in bold red, "We stand on their shoulders." That brought the piece full circle for me, and suddenly I was filled with gratitude.
The Civil Rights Movement was not just of King's doing, but a coalition of thousands of local movements, including efforts made by Asian American activists. The Civil Rights Movement brought to light the racial disparities in America and demanded equal representation. People of color were ultimately fighting against marginalization and misrepresentation in institutions, the denial of basic human rights, and were standing against a system that consistently silenced their voices.
In honor of their efforts, here are some of the Asian American leaders who were crucial during this pivotal time in America.
Richard Aoki:
By the age of 3, Richard Aoki and his family were victimized by racism during WWII when they were sent to a Japanese internment camp in Utah. That early experience was key to his understanding of mistreatment made by the US government. This, lead him to join and aid the Black Panther Party (despite his conflicting work as a FBI insider).
In Hyphen Magazine's article, Diane Fujino–author of Samurai Among Panthers: Richard Aoki on Race, Resistance, and a Paradoxical Life–stated that he was "one of the most important political leaders bridging the Asian American, Black Power and Third World movements."
Yuri Kochiyama:
Yuri Kochiyama, Japanese American activist, dedicated her life to serving the black, Latino and Asian American communities. According to NPR's article, "Kochiyama couldn't help but stick out. She lived in New York City housing projects among black and Puerto Rican neighbors. Kochiyama began participating in sit-ins and inviting Freedom Riders to speak at weekly open houses in the family's apartment."
She was most noted for her friendship with Malcolm X, and making him see that the Black Power movement wasn't just an African American struggle but a multi-ethnic struggle.
Grace Lee Boggs:
One of Audrey's Women of Influence, Grace Lee Boggs made strides in the Black Power Movement alongside her husband, James Boggs. She was involved in the African American Movement for more than 70 years. A Chinese American woman who pre-dated both the Asian American movement and second-wave Women's Movement concerned with gender inequality, Boggs' first experience with activism came when she got involved with protests in the black communities of Chicago over rat-infested housing.
Larry Itliong:
The Filipino American advocate for agricultural workers' rights, Larry Itliong was a key leader in the Delano Grape Strike together with Caesar Chavez (seen above). However, his efforts for demanding better pay and treatment for laborers are often overlooked.
"In popular culture, it's seen as a Chicano movement, not as the multi-ethnic alliance that it actually was," says Dawn Bohulano Mabalon–a history professor at San Francisco State University and author of Little Manila is in the Heart.
Third World Liberation Front (TWLF):
Intercollegiate Chinese for Social Action (ICSA), Pilipino American Collegiate Endeavor (PACE) and Asian American Political Alliance (AAPA) were the Asian American unions that were part of the collective coalition of student unions called the "Third World Liberation Front." These students fought a year long battle against the marginalization of a Eurocentric education, and were successful when the first College of Ethnic Studies was established at San Francisco State University. This is a battle that continues to inspire the oncoming generations as both Los Angeles and San Francisco are now institutionalizing Ethnic Studies in high schools.
Fall of the International Hotel:
In what was once the "Manilatown" of San Francisco, there stood the International Hotel (I-Hotel), a hub and a home not only for WWII veterans who were legally denied land, but also for low income families who could only afford single room occupancies. During the city's first attempt to demolish the building in order to make a parking structure, many Bay Area student organizations, neighboring Chinatown organizations and community leaders stood in solidarity to create human blockade around the building.
But during the second eviction, authorities were successful at violently removing the elderly residents, which is seen in the documentary Fall of the I-Hotel. It wasn't until decades after that the community's efforts to rebuild the I-Hotel paid off in 2005 when the new I-Hotel was opened.
Categories: Uncategorized	Tags: AAPA, activism, activist, and a Paradoxical Life, Asian, Asian American, Asian American leader, Asian American leaders, Asian American Political Alliance, book, China, Chinatown, Chinese, Chinese American, Diane Fujino, Documentary, Fall of the I-Hotel, Filipino, Filipino American, Film, Grace Lee Boggs, history, Hyphen Magazine, ICSA, Intercollegiate Chinese for Social Action, Japan, Japanese, Japanese American, Japanese internment camp, Little Manila is in the Heart, Malcolm X, Manilatown, PACE, Pilipino American Collegiate Endeavor, Resistance, Richard Aoki, Samurai Among Panthers: Richard Aoki on Race, WWII, Yuri Kochiyama
Yuri Kochiyama's activism 'sustained by people in the movement'
Colorlines:
Pioneering Japanese-American activist Yuri Kochiyama passed away on June 1st. She was 93 years old. For some, she's known as the woman who cradled Malcolm X as he lay dying on stage at the Audubon Ballroom in 1965 ("I just picked up his head and put it in my lap," she recounted in a 2008 interview with Democracy Now! "I said, "Please, Malcolm! Please, Malcolm! Stay alive!"). But even that iconic image of her doesn't do enough to capture the life she spent dedicated to social activism.
Kochiyama's journey began with her family's internment during World War II and wound its way through the Black Power and Black Arts Movements of the 1970s. She was instrumental in helping Japanese-Americans win reparations for their internment, and spent the last years of her life inspiring countless young activists.
"Most people make life; some people make history," her biographer Diane Fujino told the San Francsico Chronicle in 2005 ahead of the release of "Yuri Kochiyama, Heartbeat of Struggle." "Yuri organized her life around making history. I think of her as a very ordinary person, who's done extraordinary things."
She embodied the multiracial spirit of racial justice, and while there are plenty of tributes — like this song from Seattle-based hip-hop group Blue Scholars, or this heartfelt essay from Kochiyama's granddaughter, Maya, or actress Sandra Oh's performance of her speech on her internment — what's most instructive is to listen to what she had to say about her own life.
In 1996, Kochiyama sat down with Angela Davis to talk about activism. They picked the conversation up again 12 years later. The documentary film, "Mountains That Take Wing" by C.A. Griffith & H.L.T. Quan, is long (more than 90 minutes) and not the best quality, but it documents how Kochiyama approached her life's work. When asked by Davis what helped sustain her decades of activism, Kochiyama responded, "People in the movement sustain each other. It's because their spirit is so contagious."
Check out this link:
Categories: Film, History, Interviews, Links, Photo, Style	Tags: activism, activist, Asian, Asian American, Diane Fujino, Heartbeat of Struggle, history, Japan, Japanese, Japanese American, Malcolm X, race relations, racial justice, San Francsico Chronicle, Yuri Kochiyama


For more than a decade, the Greater Louisville Project has provided research and data to catalyze civic action. By highlighting challenges in the three Deep Drivers of Change, Education, 21st Century Jobs and Quality of Place, the GLP engages the community in a shared agenda for long-term progress.
We measure and track Louisville's performance against peer, or benchmark, cities, primarily in educational attainment, jobs and quality of place. We measure our organization by engagement: outreach, digital engagement,inquiries, and by impact: citations in reporting, grantmaking references.


Ophelia is an antagonist in the anime/manga series Claymore. She is designated Claymore No.4 and has a deep hatred for Awakened Beings, due to her family being slaughtered by Priscilla.
She is voiced by Emi Shinohara in the Japanese version of the anime and Luci Christian in the English version.
Ophelia has pale, silvery blond hair, which she wears in a long and tight braid. Her hairline is a strong widow's peak. Like most Claymores, she possesses silver eyes and wears the standard Claymore uniform. Similar to Irene, Queenie, and Cassandra, she has elf-like ears. She is 175 cm tall.
In her awakened form, Ophelia is of a very slender build with light gray skin, green hair, and the typical golden eyes of Yoma . Blades grow from her back and from the end of her hair, and her elongated arms end in sharp claws. Her lower body is a long, turquoise serpentine tail.
Ophelia initially comes across as being light-hearted and whimsical, but this only serves to mask her unstable, sadistic nature. She genuinely enjoys the thrill of battle and delights in mutilating her victims in the form of twisted "games." She has an unsettling fascination with blood and has seemingly developed a taste for it. Her cruelty is indiscriminate; she has no qualms over attacking her own comrades and it is hinted that she also killed humans to sate her bloodlust.
Her temper can be dangerously explosive, as shown when she attacked Irene for interrupting her "playing" with Clare, even though Irene was now a civilian. She also displays arrogance in regards to her combat ability; she refers to Clare as "just back-up" for their Awakened Being mission and claims that she alone would be enough to defeat their quarry, despite the fact that she ended up losing (initially). Vanity was her motivation for creating her "Rippling Sword " technique; she desired a special nickname (though unbenownst to her, she did), and was overjoyed at the idea of recognition from others, evidenced when she saw Clare react upon seeing her symbol and asked from whom Clare heard about her.
Ophelia has an unhealthy obsession with Awakened Beings, due to traumatization after watching Priscilla kill her family. She insists on hunting only Awakened Beings, ignoring normal Yoma, and even goes to the length of forcing other Claymores to awaken just so she could fight them, such as in the cases of Clare, Miria, and Hilda. Her hatred is so deeply rooted that when she herself Awakens, she is distraught from having become one of the "monsters" she sought to destroy, and chooses to allow Clare to take her life.
Ophelia seems to despise people, particularly the weak, who try to sacrifice themselves in order to protect others. This seems to have stemmed from a skewed perception of her own brother's sacrifice to save her, possibly because the truth was too painful for her to accept. This memory was the main contributor to her mental decline and eventually triggers her Awakening.
When she was a child, her village was attacked by Priscilla, and her brother was killed in the attack. Ophelia, however, had survived, and was found shortly afterwards by the organization, and made into a warriorness who, like all other warriornesses, was half a human and half a yoma.
She quickly showed her cruel and sadistic character, and was almost fanatically attached to killing yoma and Awakened Beings. However, she was also very strong because she was the number four in the organization. Other warriornesses have been afraid of her, for she has made some of them struggle to turn into Awakened Beings, so that she can also fight them.
During the plot she meets Clare. Ophelia has been given the order to kill Clare, and suggests that more humans and other warriornesses have been killed more often by her. But Raki attacks her. Ophelia wants to play with the two a sadistic game, but then an Awakened Being attacks. Clare and Raki can escape, but have to separate on the flight. When Ophelia kills the Awakened Being and catches Clare again, she tries to deceive her with a trick. Ophelia recognizes the trick, however, pursues Clare, and slaps her an arm off.
However, a much stronger Claymore was nearby and rescues Clare. She defeats Ophelia, and hurts her hard. Shortly after, Ophelia turns into an Awakened Being, and meets Clare again. She invites Clare again to a sadistic game, but she is defeated by her this time. During the battle, she remembers her brother, who had made her escape from Priscilla, and regrets her evil deeds. And then Clare kills her.
Although Ophelia was a psychopath and sadist, she still had enough good not to be a Complete Monster. It is even ironic that, as an Awakened Being, she has shown more humanity than in her time as a Claymore, since Claymores usually lose their human minds when they are awakened, and are merely evil monsters.
Her namesake is from the character in Hamlet, and she has a very similar death scene.


text:
Hillary Clinton Unveils Plan to Improve Mental Health Treatment As If This Were a Normal Election
Photo via AP
In her continued bid to act like this is a regular election season where we talk about actual policy issues, Hillary Clinton released a proposed plan Monday to improve mental health treatment. The plan includes launching a national suicide prevention initiative and better training police officers to deal with people in the middle of mental health crises.
This is the bizarre place where we find ourselves: Donald Trump is implying that Clinton has a traumatic brain injury and demanding that she release medical records (she already has), in between yelling vague campaign promises about greatness. Clinton has to balance between denouncing Trump and the actual Twitter Neo-Nazis who support him and trying to talk about real policy goals. It's like trying to get people to sign your petition while standing in the middle of an actual three-ring circus, a crazed elephant delicately poised to stomp all over your clipboard.
Nonetheless, Clinton announced a sweeping mental health agenda, which intersects with criminal justice policies in an interesting way. The plan calls for training law enforcement officers in "crisis intervention," as well as "prioritizing treatment over jail for low-level offenders." She's pledging new money to help train police "in responding to conflicts involving persons with mental illness, and increase grant funding to support law enforcement partnerships with mental health professionals." The campaign says it will also increase federal investment in things like drug and veterans' courts, both of which try to divert people into rehab and other forms of treatment and away from jail. In a Clinton administration, the plan says, the Attorney General will tell federal prosecutors to prioritize treatment over incarceration for non-violent offenders.
The plan also calls for better enforcing of the 2008 Mental Health Parity Act, which directed that insurance providers cover mental health and substance abuse treatments the same way they do medical and surgical ones. It's a topic that's really important to mental health advocates, and it shows that the Clinton campaign has been talking to actual experts in the field about what they need. (It's also something Clinton has advocated for since the '90s.)
The full initiative is laid out in a fact sheet. It's very impressive, and would be backed by a White House conference on mental health in Clinton's first year in office, she says.
Meanwhile, Republicans, here's your guy:
Anna Merlan was a Senior Reporter at G/O Media until September 2019. She's the author of Republic of Lies: American Conspiracy Theorists and Their Surprising Rise to Power.
JujyMonkey: unstable genius
Donald Trump on Twitter:


Clément Mouamba, Prime Minister in the Republic of Congo has resigned. He presented his resignation letter on Wednesday days after the country's President Denis Sassou Nguesso announced he would form a new government.
The information was made public on Thursday in a statement issued by the country's Presidency.
Mouamba announced his resignation along with the rest of his cabinet following the president's address to the nation during the country's 57th independence anniversary.
In his speech, he acknowledged the real and worrying economic situation the country is currently facing and called for new leadership.
Denis Sassou Nguesso also promised that the new cabinet would revive the country's economy even as the country concludes a structural adjustment programme with the International Monetary Fund.
No date has however been given for the formation of the new government, which also comes in the wake of the recent parliamentary elections.
Nguesso's Congolese Party of Labour (PCT) won the majority seats.


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Nympsfield Road, Nailsworth, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL6
An exciting opportunity to purchase an unspoilt Grade II Listed farmhouse, positioned on the edge of Nailsworth with breath-taking rural views across its own extensive grounds and to open countryside beyond. Built in the mid 19th century for William Leigh, the builder of well known and historic Woodchester Park, this detached Grade II listed farmhouse has remained in the same family for over 150 years. However it now offers an exciting prospect for any buyer wishing renovate their dream home. The property boasts a wealth of history with the farmhouse itself enjoying an abundance of features to include a heavily moulded Tudor arch doorway, mullion windows, a beautiful quatrefoil vent on the projecting gable and a large stone fireplace to mention a few. Accommodation has remained unchanged for many years and still enjoys features such as a large farmhouse larder with stone slabs and original cheese loft. Whilst comprehensive, the house provides a blank canvass and a great opportunity for further development with a former cheese loft, dairy and boot room/utility (which was historically used as a brewery) offering opportunity to be converted into living space, subject to the relevant permissions. As illustrated by the floorplan these lie to the rear of the farmhouse and thus enjoy the panoramic view. Property Ref: STR170233
The property is elevated just under a mile from the centre of Nailsworth, a sought-after Cotswold town. The town offers a wide selection of shops, services and restaurants, including delicatessen, florist, craft shops and supermarkets. The proximity of the A46 Bath-Cheltenham Road ensures access to a number of major towns and routes including the M4 & M5 motorways. Stroud, the principal urban centre locally, is approx. 4 miles away with Cirencester only 14 miles to the east. Both provide more extensive educational, shopping and leisure facilities. For the long distance traveller, a main line railway station with regular Intercity services to London (Paddington) can be found at Stroud and Kemble. Above Nailsworth, approx. 1 mile away, is Minchinhampton Common, some 600 acres of open common land providing opportunities for walking, horse riding, golf and a vantage point for extensive Cotswold views over the Stroud Valleys and Severn Vale.
The farmhouse sits within extensive grounds measuring 30 acres comprising fenced pasture land, woodland known as Colliers Wood, gardens and an orchard. Tucked away on the edge of Nailsworth on the lane to Nympsfield, the property is approached via a farm gate and farm track which meanders through its grounds to the house, during the spring is lined with daffodils. A gravelled driveway provides plentiful parking and turning and continues on to a detached modern barn, with light and power. The pasture land is a wildflower heaven, with buttercups, cowslips and various types of wild orchids throughout the spring and summer. The land is currently divided into a 4 large fenced fields all of which benefit from water troughs fed by a natural spring. Colliers Wood, which boundaries Woodchester Park (NT) accounts for 9.48 acres lies to the northern boundary and consists of beech, larch, ash and other species of trees. As well a detached modern barn, Wood Farm enjoys a series of outbuildings including a two storey stone stable with hayloft above, suitable for converting into accommodation (subject to permission), workshop, tool store, wood store and two stone privies. A pretty walled garden lies to the front of the house and enjoys a southerly aspect, the area is home to a series of fruit trees which include, Cherry, Apple, Plum & Quince. As with the entrance, the garden is well stocked with spring bulbs. A greenhouse extends to the far boundary, whilst a pedestrian gate opens to the pasture land with a farm gate leading into the farm yard.
Agents Notes: A public right of way leads through two paddocks to the eastern boundary.
Some of the land is subject to an uplift clause, please enquire for further information.
Mains electric
Private drainage
Calor gas for hob
Spring water feed for gardens and field which could be piped to house for washing machine, toilets etc.
Hamptons International - Stroud
52-53 London Road, Stroud, Gloucestershire


https://www.portmeirion.com/portmeirion-sophie-conran-white-large-canister.html?___store=default 3321 Portmeirion Sophie Conran White Large Canister https://media.portmeirion.com/media/catalog/product/4/4/446205.jpg 58.8000 84.0000 USD InStock /Collections /Collections/Sophie Conran for Portmeirion/Sophie Conran White /Collections/Sophie Conran for Portmeirion/Sophie Conran White/Accessories and Storage Sophie Conran for Portmeirion is a multi-award-winning collection of dinnerware, cookware, bakeware, glassware and home accessories. Designed for modern-day living by cook and loving mother of two, Sophie Conran, this beautiful range is perfect for easy entertaining. You can create an elegant table setting for a special occasion or use it every day for relaxed meals with family and friends. Beautifully unique and tactile, the Sophie Conran for Portmeirion is also wonderfully strong and durable as each porcelain piece can go from freezer to oven to table. With everything you need for your table and home, this comprehensive home and dinnerware collection is now considered a modern classic, to be enjoyed and cherished for many years to come.
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so...we officially have our wonderful donor on board!!
have just booked our appointments and she sounds excited to get going! We are meeting her on Monday but we feel so happy and lucky to have found someone that we connect with so much. Fingers crossed that its a straight forward road ahead!
Last edited by Bongley; 01-06-2016 at 14:04.
Great news @tuxcat. All the best for Monday. I hope everything goes smoothly and you will be pregnant before you know it.
Its not too bab @BlondeinBrisvegas once yiu have gas heating when its vold its sooo worth it. Verdict is in i have the flu and tonsilitis no wonder im feeling crap. No i ternet at the house until friday boo hoo.
Sorry to hear you are so unwell.
yay!! i know..i went from lo to gung-ho all in 24 hours!! must have been the champers!
question re financial expenses for the donor, has this got it pretty much covered?
@midnite01 sorry to hear you're so sick!! I hope you are keeping warm, we had the central gas heating when we lived in Melbs and it was brilliant. Just wanted to say too that just the other day I read that reverse cycle air con (electricity) is actually supposed to be more energy efficient and cheaper than gas. It surprised me as I always thought gas was cheaper. It might be worth looking into. Our winter elec bills are a killer, Ive just changed companies and am now getting monthly bills so we don't get stung with the near $700 nasty.
yes I think @Blossom74 is being little miss secretive lately isn't she . she's keeping us all guessing in here Spill ALL the beans at once young lady!!!
@tuxcat Sounds good, plus her medications/prescriptions and also you may need to cover her partners days off. I told my donor to factor in (a minimum) two days off (incl EPU day) for her and her partner but think she only billed me for one.
Last edited by Bongley; 01-06-2016 at 14:33.
Yes good point. So did you put money into her account upfront or did she keep a list of costs and then send you them as they happened?


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Rapid response to e-cigarette findings
Associate Professor Alex Larcombe
Telethon Kids Institute-led research revealing that six out of 10 'nicotine free' e-cigarette liquids contained nicotine and other potentially harmful chemicals received extensive media coverage and produced a rapid response from the Federal Government.
Just a day after the findings were published in a research letter to the Medical Journal of Australia in January, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issued a media release warning consumers about the potential risks of purchasing electronic cigarette liquids.
The release quoted the research's findings that undisclosed and potentially harmful ingredients had been found in e-cigarette liquids being sold in Australia – including nicotine and an acutely toxic chemical typically found in pesticides and disinfectants.
It is illegal in Australia to sell e-liquids containing nicotine, which is classed as a Schedule 7 Dangerous Poison under the Poisons Standard (with specific exemptions such as some nicotine replacement therapies and tobacco for smoking).
A team led by Associate Professor Alexander Larcombe, Head of Respiratory and Environmental Health at Telethon Kids and part of the School of Public Health at Curtin University, bought 10 e-liquids online and over the counter from Australian suppliers and had an independent commercial laboratory test them.
All 10 had been labelled 'nicotine-free'. Six samples were found to have trace levels or low doses of nicotine in them, while all 10 were found to contain 2-chlorophenol – a chemical used in insecticides, herbicides and disinfectants and which is known to irritate human airways and skin.
The analyses also revealed by-products of animal or human bodily functions, suggesting the manufacturing process had been contaminated by mammalian blood, urine or faeces.
Dr Larcombe said the findings suggested consumers were purchasing e-liquids without really knowing what was in them, highlighting the lack of regulation around the labelling and manufacture of e-cigarette products in Australia.
"We went into this not knowing what we would find and many of the findings were a bit surprising," Dr Larcombe said.
"What they did show is that there's no way people can tell what's in these products based on what the label says. We wanted to raise awareness, to get people thinking about it more so they can make more informed decisions about what they're consuming."
"There's a lot of uncertainty out there – people think they know what they're breathing in or that it's completely benign and is just water vapour. Maybe a few of those people now realise that it's not."
Although based on a small sample, the research revealed similar findings to an early NSW-based study, and received national and international media coverage – highlighting the intense interest in a subject which continues to divide consumers, policymakers and health groups.
The TGA response noted that the evidence for e-cigarettes as an option to quit smoking remained mixed, and that there were concerns that significant use of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes by adolescents could be a gateway to longer-term cigarette smoking.
"At this time, no electronic cigarettes have been approved in Australia as a therapeutic good for smoking cessation. Since the TGA does not regulate these products, their quality and safety is not known," the statement said.
In a position echoed in a viewpoint article he was recently invited to write for The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, Dr Larcombe said there was a clear need for more research to establish the true impacts of e-cigarettes – particularly on pregnant women, babies and children who may be exposed to the aerosol produced by the devices. Apart from the impacts of 'vaping', there had also been instances of young children dying from drinking e-liquids.
"There is this perception that e-cigarettes are safe to use during pregnancy, and it's completely unsubstantiated and almost certainly untrue because women and their unborn babies are still getting exposed to nicotine and other potentially harmful chemicals," said Dr Larcombe
"We know that nicotine can cross the placental barrier, and we know that nicotine impacts brain development and affects the behaviour, memory and learning of a child, as well as lung growth and development.
"So, if a pregnant woman is thinking of switching to e-cigarettes instead of smoking, which the literature shows a lot of women are, the outcomes might be just as bad. We just don't know.
"We really don't know the answers to a lot of the questions that people are asking about e-cigarettes. What is needed now is a lot more research."
Dr Larcombe's research has been supported by funding from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Health Department of Western Australia and the National Health and Medical Research Council. The research published in the MJA was a collaboration between Telethon Kids, Curtin University and The University of Western Australia.
Dr Larcombe and his team are analysing the results from further e-cigarette research, including some investigating the relative impact on mouse lung function of e-cigarettes compared to regular cigarette smoking, versus giving up altogether; and other tests investigating the impact of e-cigarette smoking on pregnant mice and their offspring.
Dr Larcombe is part of a Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand working party which is currently working on a position statement on e-cigarettes.
First published Wednesday 10 July 2019.
This research changes the very way scientists think
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Positioning control of single-link flexible arm using frequency-shaped sliding mode control theory
Yasuhiro Kitamura, Kazunori Iwabuchi, Kenzo Nonami, Hidekazu Nishimura, Nobuyuki Kobayashi
This paper is concerned with the positioning control of a single-link flexible arm using frequency-shaped sliding mode control theory. In the control object, a harmonic drive system for a reduction gear has a large friction torque, and thus we applied the sliding mode control theory to this positioning control problem in order to compensate for the nonlinear friction torque. We designed the control system using the output feedback method. The high-gain sliding mode controller, however, often causes instability of the control system due to spillover phenomena in the high-frequency region. Therefore, we also design a switching hyperplane using H∞ control theory which can suppress such spillover phenomena markedly. We found that the frequency-shaped sliding mode control system exhibits good performance. However, the system performance is influenced by uncertainties which do not satisfy matching conditions.
Nippon Kikai Gakkai Ronbunshu, C Hen/Transactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Part C
https://doi.org/10.1299/kikaic.63.431
材料力学
機械工学
産業および生産工学
10.1299/kikaic.63.431
「Positioning control of single-link flexible arm using frequency-shaped sliding mode control theory」の研究トピックを掘り下げます。これらがまとまってユニークなフィンガープリントを構成します。
Control theory Engineering & Materials Science 100%
Sliding mode control Engineering & Materials Science 99%
Control systems Engineering & Materials Science 61%
Torque Engineering & Materials Science 48%
Friction Engineering & Materials Science 46%
Gears Engineering & Materials Science 28%
Feedback Engineering & Materials Science 21%
Uncertainty Engineering & Materials Science 20%
Kitamura, Y., Iwabuchi, K., Nonami, K., Nishimura, H., & Kobayashi, N. (1997). Positioning control of single-link flexible arm using frequency-shaped sliding mode control theory. Nippon Kikai Gakkai Ronbunshu, C Hen/Transactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Part C, 63(606), 431-437. https://doi.org/10.1299/kikaic.63.431
Positioning control of single-link flexible arm using frequency-shaped sliding mode control theory. / Kitamura, Yasuhiro; Iwabuchi, Kazunori; Nonami, Kenzo その他.
In: Nippon Kikai Gakkai Ronbunshu, C Hen/Transactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Part C, Vol. 63, No. 606, 01.01.1997, p. 431-437.
Kitamura, Y, Iwabuchi, K, Nonami, K, Nishimura, H & Kobayashi, N 1997, 'Positioning control of single-link flexible arm using frequency-shaped sliding mode control theory', Nippon Kikai Gakkai Ronbunshu, C Hen/Transactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Part C, vol. 63, no. 606, pp. 431-437. https://doi.org/10.1299/kikaic.63.431
Kitamura Y, Iwabuchi K, Nonami K, Nishimura H, Kobayashi N. Positioning control of single-link flexible arm using frequency-shaped sliding mode control theory. Nippon Kikai Gakkai Ronbunshu, C Hen/Transactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Part C. 1997 1月 1;63(606):431-437. doi: 10.1299/kikaic.63.431
Kitamura, Yasuhiro ; Iwabuchi, Kazunori ; Nonami, Kenzo その他. / Positioning control of single-link flexible arm using frequency-shaped sliding mode control theory. In: Nippon Kikai Gakkai Ronbunshu, C Hen/Transactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Part C. 1997 ; Vol. 63, No. 606. pp. 431-437.
@article{f6892da6e38c4b7aaf3b3a87b1471497,
title = "Positioning control of single-link flexible arm using frequency-shaped sliding mode control theory",
abstract = "This paper is concerned with the positioning control of a single-link flexible arm using frequency-shaped sliding mode control theory. In the control object, a harmonic drive system for a reduction gear has a large friction torque, and thus we applied the sliding mode control theory to this positioning control problem in order to compensate for the nonlinear friction torque. We designed the control system using the output feedback method. The high-gain sliding mode controller, however, often causes instability of the control system due to spillover phenomena in the high-frequency region. Therefore, we also design a switching hyperplane using H∞ control theory which can suppress such spillover phenomena markedly. We found that the frequency-shaped sliding mode control system exhibits good performance. However, the system performance is influenced by uncertainties which do not satisfy matching conditions.",
author = "Yasuhiro Kitamura and Kazunori Iwabuchi and Kenzo Nonami and Hidekazu Nishimura and Nobuyuki Kobayashi",
doi = "10.1299/kikaic.63.431",
journal = "Nihon Kikai Gakkai Ronbunshu, C Hen/Transactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Part C",
publisher = "Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers",
T1 - Positioning control of single-link flexible arm using frequency-shaped sliding mode control theory
AU - Kitamura, Yasuhiro
AU - Iwabuchi, Kazunori
AU - Nonami, Kenzo
AU - Nishimura, Hidekazu
AU - Kobayashi, Nobuyuki
N2 - This paper is concerned with the positioning control of a single-link flexible arm using frequency-shaped sliding mode control theory. In the control object, a harmonic drive system for a reduction gear has a large friction torque, and thus we applied the sliding mode control theory to this positioning control problem in order to compensate for the nonlinear friction torque. We designed the control system using the output feedback method. The high-gain sliding mode controller, however, often causes instability of the control system due to spillover phenomena in the high-frequency region. Therefore, we also design a switching hyperplane using H∞ control theory which can suppress such spillover phenomena markedly. We found that the frequency-shaped sliding mode control system exhibits good performance. However, the system performance is influenced by uncertainties which do not satisfy matching conditions.
AB - This paper is concerned with the positioning control of a single-link flexible arm using frequency-shaped sliding mode control theory. In the control object, a harmonic drive system for a reduction gear has a large friction torque, and thus we applied the sliding mode control theory to this positioning control problem in order to compensate for the nonlinear friction torque. We designed the control system using the output feedback method. The high-gain sliding mode controller, however, often causes instability of the control system due to spillover phenomena in the high-frequency region. Therefore, we also design a switching hyperplane using H∞ control theory which can suppress such spillover phenomena markedly. We found that the frequency-shaped sliding mode control system exhibits good performance. However, the system performance is influenced by uncertainties which do not satisfy matching conditions.
U2 - 10.1299/kikaic.63.431
DO - 10.1299/kikaic.63.431
JO - Nihon Kikai Gakkai Ronbunshu, C Hen/Transactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Part C
JF - Nihon Kikai Gakkai Ronbunshu, C Hen/Transactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Part C
IS - 606


text:
Rebecca Rose Johnson, professionally known as Bekuh Boom (stylized as Bekuh BOOM) is an American singer and songwriter. She featured on two co-written singles: "I Won't Let You Down" by Danish singer Christopher, which charted at #1 on Tracklisten, the official Danish music charts, and "Money" by Norwegian electronic duo Broiler, which peaked at #3 on Norwegian music charts. As of 2016 she has co-written over 10 songs reaching the #1 position on various music charts.

Johnson signed her first publishing deal to Warner Chappell Music at the age of 18.

Early life and career

Early life
Bekuh Boom was born in Orange County, California , on June 21, 1994 with the real name Rebecca Rose Johnson. She stated that she had an interest in music since elementary school. At the age of 11, she started to learn how to write and compose her own melodies for her own songs. In high school, she revealed that she took dance and choreography classes to become a dance instructor and choreographer.

2011-2017: America's Got Talent and Chappell Music contract
In 2011, at the age of 16, Boom participated in American Idol season 10, though she didn't pass the audition. At the age of 18 she signed her first contract with Warner Chappell Music, going on to release her first two collaborations titled 'Money' and 'I Won't Let you Down'.

Later, she landed deals primarily as composer and producer for K-pop artists, where two of the songs that she worked on were picked and released through YG Entertainment, namely "Eyes, Nose, Lips" by Taeyang and "I'm Different" by Hi Suhyun. Prior to becoming a Kpop composer and producer, Boom had composed songs for singers such as R. Kelly, Jordin Sparks and Jessica Mauboy. In 2012 she  was connected with Blackpink via YG Entertainment, where she studied korean with them. In 2016, Boom became the songwriter and producer for two of BlackPink's debut singles, Whistle and Boombayah which occupied the #1 chart on World Digital Song Sales and Circle Digital Chart respectively. Later she published the demo versions on her social media. The next year she worked on Winner's song "Island", which topped the charts.

2018-present: working with Blackpink and solo activities
In 2020 she became the lyricist and composer for the virtual group K/DA, where she provide the voice of Ahri. Later that year she released a solo single called "There's no Place Like Home". In March 2021, she released the single "Designer Love", with an accompanying music video being released for the song on Johnson's YouTube' channel. In August 2022, she released the single "Anime Eyes".

Songwriting credits

Awards and nominations

References

1994 births
Singer-songwriters from California
American women singer-songwriters
K/DA members

Living people
21st-century American women singers

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
© 2016 Flypaper Orchestra
The Flypaper Orchestra is a loose affiliation of musicians, artists, and performers devoted to bending genres and giving new life to songs, both classic and obscure. Its first project, called Boulevard of Broken Dreams: Old Songs for a New Depression, puts together the diverse talents of Canadians Jim Byrnes, Luke Doucet, Colleen Rennison, Jim Cuddy, Adam Cohen and Dalannah Gail Bowen with California blues-guitar legend Robben Ford and U.K.-based singer Nina Miranda to name a few. These tunes of the 1930s, re-imagined for modern audiences by co-producers Ken Eisner and Joe Cruz, are built on the work of top side-men, such as bassist René Worst and percussionist Raphael Geronimo.
The songs on Boulevard of Broken Dreams: Old Songs for a New Depression have been chosen to present a range of colours and emotions relating to the spectrum of life, as it was perceived by various strata's of North Americans of the 1930s. Songs like 'Pennies From Heaven' and the title tune comment directly, or at least ironically, on the evaporation of material security for most. Some compositions, such as 'I Ain't Got No Home in This World Anymore', convey the plight of the poorest blacks and rural whites, while others, notably 'Flamingo' and 'Temptation', reflect a growing, often confused, perception of the 'exotic' outside world, with whiffs of Asia, Africa, and Latin America thrown together in a potpourri of foreign influences—all of which still simmer in the popular music of today.


Three years ago I travelled across Afghanistan to make a film about what conditions for ordinary Afghans were like. We wanted to make it in the winter of 2006-07 because there was talk of a spring offensive from the Taleban — which indeed came, and came, and has kept coming ever since.
The difference between then and now is striking. Five years after the allied invasion in 2001, we could travel in relative security to every corner of the country except Helmand and the south. Kabul felt safe — we went shopping in the old hippy hang-outs along Chicken Street; in Herat, near the border with Iran, we went looking for carpets (having a former Taleban fixer with me helped to persuade the shop to give me a good price).
However, it was clear that ordinary Afghans felt both their Government and the West had failed in the task of reconstructing a country of which the economy had been shot to pieces.
It is not widely known that the Russians systematically smashed many of the ancient irrigation systems during the brutal war against the Mujahidin in the 1980s. Opium poppies are one of the few crops that can be grown without those canals and dams: a huge but vital project if alternative crops are to be developed.
It's an easier calculation to send more troops than to build a factory. The UK's annual military budget for Afghanistan is in the billions; that of aid in the millions. At breakfast in our hotel, not one item had been grown or made in the country. Even chicken has to be flown in from Poland — although it has been shown in Pakistan that poultry and dairy farming can transform rural communities with some seed money.
Infant mortality rates in hospitals — a key index of healthcare — were still worse than almost anywhere in Africa. Money was simply not getting through to the places that needed it. A headmistress in the northern town of Taloqan, far from the Taleban powerbase, told us that, despite numerous appeals, they had not received funding to reopen her girls school properly.
I've just received a letter from the admirable voluntary worker with whom we stayed in Taloqan. His work was in remote small villages building schools and wells. Now he is almost unable to leave Taloqan and can see the villagers only when they come to town. It's a tale repeated by many aid workers. Kabul is attacked by suicide bombers who have penetrated government ministries and the main "foreigners' compound" hotel. Aid workers and journalists have been kidnapped in just about every corner of the land.
What has gone wrong? It is not just military indecision. During the first five years, the Allies failed to provide the financial infrastructure necessary for the reconstruction of the country. This may be partly because the British Government pursued a policy described by David Page, of the charity Afghanaid, as the "militarisation of aid". Rather than give money to more stable parts of the country where there was a real chance of getting the economy restarted, funds were directed to areas of military engagement, such as Helmand, in the hope that "hearts and minds" would be won over.
This sounds fine in theory, but in practice money spent rebuilding a war zone — with the likely prospect that your work will be bombed to smithereens — might have been better targeted at places where full economic regeneration had some chance. No wonder previously peaceful areas are so susceptible to the Taleban advance when they see no gain from that peace. Samangan in the north was desperate for a dam to irrigate wheatfields and orchards. Instead a far more expensive project took shape in Helmand, with frantic military engagements to try to hold it.
Nor is Britain's insistence on directing funds through the Afghan Government, rather than directly to aid organisations or local government, the most efficient way of getting money where it matters. Put bluntly, a great deal gets sliced off. Why do politicians so consistently sideline the need for economic reconstruction? Perhaps it is easier to deal in troop numbers or regional politics than the complex long-term question of civilian aid. In all recent discussion of Afghanistan this has been skated over.
When Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, recently listed in these pages his four requirements for success in Afghanistan — to make the Karzai Government more accountable, to negotiate with neighbouring countries, to shift military strategy and to talk to the Taleban — he signally failed to address the one central objective without which all others are pointless, — as do other politicians.
Without an immediate increase in the civil aid it won't make any difference how many troops are sent — and we risk repeating the same mistake made after the invasion, when, buoyed up by military success, the Allies completely failed at the far more important task of economic reconstruction. The amount we send for reconstruction should be as important as the number of troops; yet the money spent on aid is a tiny fraction of the military budget — less than a tenth, according to the OECD. Let's see a commitment to raise and target it properly — then talk about how many more lives we propose to risk.