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Home Palestine - Israel
The latest stage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict erupted in Jerusalem. First, on 6 May 2021, protests and clashes started over a decision by Israel's Supreme Court regarding the eviction of Palestinian residents in Sheikh Jarrah, a neighbourhood in East Jerusalem. The ruling was followed by clashes between Palestinians and gangs of Israeli youths in front of the Damascus Gate, and a police assault on Arab protesters who had barricaded themselves inside the Al Aksa mosque, on the esplanade in the heart of the ancient city. And finally, the explosion that surprised even the secret services of Tel Aviv: Hamas, from Gaza, after threatening to intervene militarily if the siege to the holy places of Islam was not "lifted", launched two missiles in the direction of Jerusalem and other rockets against the Israeli communities along the Strip. The extreme response was highly predictable. The war continued until 21 May with an exchange of devastating bombardments on Gaza and rockets and missiles, most of which were intercepted, on Israel. Then, the truce. Among the Palestinians, 256 were killed (including 66 minors). Among the Israelis, 13 civilians (2 children).
The picture that emerged from the operation, which the Israeli military called "Guardians of the walls", is one of great uncertainty on many fronts. At the beginning of the fighting, the war resembled many previous clashes in and around Gaza. However, it soon became clear that something important had happened inside Israel among the Israeli Palestinians. For the first time, they protested in support of their brothers in East Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza and against their status as 'second class citizens'. For many analysts, this was an important generational shift with possible consequences – positive, negative? – on their Jewish peers.
Another element under analysis: the caution showed by part of the American Jewish community and by many members of the American Democratic Party regarding their, usually uncritical, support of Israel. All this reflects on the uncertain Israeli political order and the direction the new US administration will want to take after the failed approach to the Middle East of the Trump presidency, with (above all) its "Abrahamic Accords", which sought to reward Israel and formalise "bantustans" in the occupied territories that many international organisations have described as similar to those that existed when apartheid reigned in racist South Africa.
What is being fought for
Two peoples, fighting for the same land: a tiny strip of the Near East, 26,625.600 km². The origins of the current conflict are rooted in the birth of the Zionist movement as a response to the growing anti-Semitism against Jews in Europe at the end of the 10th century. With the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in the Great War, the spoils – lands and peoples – were divided among the colonial powers and the Sykes-Picot Agreements (named after the representatives from London and Paris) of 1916 established the British Mandate over Palestine, which allowed the United Kingdom to rule over that Territory between 1920 and 1948. On 2 November 1947, the British government issued a brief statement, known as the statement of Foreign Minister Arthur James Balfour, pledging to support the establishment of a 'national homeland' for the Jewish people in Palestine: a European power, in the colonial logic of the time, was deciding the fate of land where a Jewish minority lived. The European justified sense of guilt for its anti-Semitism, for the Holocaust and the death of six million Jews in Nazi camps, led the UN (with 33 nations voting in favour, 13 against, including the Arab states, and 10 nations abstaining) to decide on the partition of Palestine into two states (one Arab and one Jewish), UN control over Jerusalem and the end of the British mandate by 1 August 1948.
When the American administration led by then-President Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital in 2017, it was clear to leaders as well as the Palestinian population that Washington had espoused Israeli expansionist policy. The rest of the world, including the Arab world, remained silent. Old documents that have been declassified in recent years have confirmed that, on the eve of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, Tel Aviv had drawn up plans to retain and manage the territories that would 'surely' be conquered given the superiority of its armed forces. The documents show how the project of a Jewish state from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River (which until recently were part of Likud's platform) was also in the mind of the Israeli Labour leadership.
The West Bank, then, hosted a population of one million Arabs. The few Jews who had settled there before the founding of Israel were forced to flee in 1948 or were driven out, as happened to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the lands conquered by Jewish troops. With the consent of the then Labour government (1968), a group of Messianic Jews established the first colony there. Today, some 430,000 Jews live in 132 officially recognised settlements and 121 unofficial outposts.
For the UN Security Council, the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the European Union, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, the settlements are a violation of international law. According to the Fourth Geneva Convention, "the occupying power shall never deport or transfer any part of its civilian population into the territory it occupies".
In 1987, the Palestinian popular uprising, which started in the Gaza Strip (a then- occupied territory with 10,000 Israeli settlers) and spread to the West Bank, brought the issue to the forefront. A step towards an Israeli acceptance of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza was taken with the Oslo Accords in 1993. Signed on the White House lawn by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and, for the Palestine Liberation Organisation, historic leader Yasser Arafat, the pacts offered a road map for peace. The Palestinian National Authority was created. Arafat and the other leaders returned from exile to a situation that was already explosive, following an attack by a Jewish fanatic on Muslims praying at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron and the start of a Hamas terrorist campaign in Israeli settlements. The Israeli centre-right, with the future Prime Ministers Ariel Sharon and Binjamin Netanyahu in the lead, mobilised against the Labour 'traitors'. On the 4th November, 1995, at the end of a demonstration in favour of the Oslo Agreements, Rabin was assassinated by Yigal Amir, a young extremist Jewish settler.
The second Intifada began in September 2000 after a controversial visit by Sharon to the Esplanade of the Mosques, a holy place for both Muslims and Jews. Considered a hawk, Sharon was elected Prime Minister, said he was ready to resume negotiations and in 2003 surprised everyone by declaring that 'the occupation of the Palestinian territories could not continue without end'. Arafat died a year later and Sharon decided the unilateral Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The new Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), begged him for the operation to be agreed upon with the Palestinian National Authority, but Sharon would not listen to reason, so much so that the end of the military occupation and of the Israeli settlements in the Strip consolidated the image of Hamas.
With a clear split between the Islamic movement and the secularists of the National Authority, Israel, in the hands of the Zionist right wing, was able to reject any new negotiations and increase the settlements. Numerous attacks (mainly rockets and missiles) were launched from besieged Gaza. Israel responded with massive bombardments and armed actions on the ground, but avoided mortally hitting the Hamas structure, which in the meantime had found support (both in funding and weapons) in the Iranian Regime.
In the West Bank, the Palestinian National Authority, supported by the international community, has lost credibility: by many it is considered corrupt and at the service of Israel. Political elections have been postponed several times due to the justified fear of a Hamas victory.
Key figure or organization – Hamas
Ḥamas stands for Ḥaraka al-muqāwama al-islāmiyya ('Islamic Resistance Movement'). For at least ten years, between 1978 and 1987, this rib of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood managed to develop a formidable base of support in the Gaza Strip, thanks also to the Tel Aviv secret services, which saw it as a way to divide the Palestinian world and weaken the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organisation) secularists led by Yasser Arafat. Sceik Yassin, the founder of the movement (whose declared aim is to liberate Palestine, eliminate Israel and establish an Islamic state), was assassinated by Israel in a rocket raid in 2004. Today, the leader of Hamas is Ismail Haniyeh (he has always avoided calling for the destruction of Israel) who has lost much credibility in favour of Mohammed Deif, leader of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the movement's military wing.
FOCUS 1 – International Jerusalem
With the partition plan for Palestine in 1949, the UN General Assembly proclaimed the internationalisation of the holy city to the three monotheistic religions: Jerusalem was to remain under UN control, like Bethlehem. The decision was rejected by all, and the Jewish armed forces conquered the western part of the city while Jordan, with troops of the Arab Legion, took control of the eastern part, including the old city and almost all the holy sites. In 1949, Jerusalem was proclaimed the capital of Israel. In 1967, during the Six-Day War, Israeli troops took over the entire city along with the territories of Palestine up to the Jordan River. The Israeli authorities expanded the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem to include numerous Arab villages. The unilateral move was condemned by the UN and never accepted by the international community, which is opposed to the use of force in resolving disputes.
Only a few mini-states and the US, under President Trump, have moved their embassies out of Tel Aviv. At the end of 2020, Jerusalem had a population of 952,000, of which over 300,000 were Palestinians
FOCUS 2 – The powerful Jewish diaspora
For the first time in history, the Jewish diaspora (especially in the US) is starting to distance itself from the policies of Israeli leaders, especially on the Palestinian issue. It is an important signal that already sees great divisions and new manoeuvres. Some figures: the Jews in Israel are about 6,900,000; in the world, about 14,707,000; the US, according to demographers, host between 5,700,000 and 6,700,000. AIPAC is the largest Jewish lobby in the USA: it promotes the demands of the Israeli government, especially, but not only, regarding economic aid and weapons. "J Street" is its (increasingly growing) counterpart, promoting a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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UN Missions
Full Country Name State of Israel
Main Languages Hebrew and Arabic
Capital Tel Aviv
Population 9.327.000 (2021, Israeli census data)
Area 22.072 km²
Religions Judaism (75,6%), Islam (16,6%), Christianity (1,6%), Druze (1,6%), unclassified (3.9%)
Currency New Shekel
Main Exports Agriculture, pharma, chemicals, software and military technology, diamonds
GDP per capita Us $ 43.689
Full Country Name Autorità Nazionale Palestinese
Main Languages Arabic
Capital Ramallah
Population 4.550.000 people
Area 6.220 km²
Religions Islam, Christianity
Currency Egyptian pound (EGP) Israeli new shekel (ILS) Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Main Exports n.d.
GDP per capita 2.900 $
Attempts for peace
Women for peace
The Israeli movement "Machsom Watch" was born in 2001 from the will of three women to create a growing group of Israeli women coming from all social classes, with the desire to give a voice to those who live in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israeli settlers.
Their purpose is to inform the Israeli population who remain unaware of the events a few kilometers from the main cities, also because of the poor coverage of these events by the media.
In 2021, many testimonies of the group were collected from the occupied territories. The organization also held online meetings, that are recorded and accessible on the site, such as the one about the crisis in the Jordan Valley and in the southern hills of Hebron, or the meeting with the lawyer Sahar Francis, General Director of Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association. In addition, Machsom Watch released the 2020 annual report. During the pandemic, its members supplied food to many villages in need in the Jordan Valley. They also worked, with the help of other associations, in defense of the shepherds, often harassed by Israeli settlers.
Israel's dark night Israeli impunity Eulogy for a brave Journalist: for Shireen Abu Akleh Silencing and violence in Palestine Israeli women documenting Palestine's pain


Mark H. Brown is the owner and operator of The Flying Locksmiths – Saint Louis. Mark has experience in executive/general management, strategic planning, project management, marketing and business development.
Mark grew up in central Illinois on a third-generation family farm where kindness, caring, integrity, hard work, education, and community were an important part of life. Upon graduating from high school, Mark traveled internationally learning and practicing leadership, communication, intercultural and global citizenship skills. After traveling, Mark attended Eureka College in Eureka, IL where he earned bachelor degrees in Political Science and Communications. Mark worked with Volvo in The Netherlands before returning to the US and moving to Saint Louis where Mark took his Masters of Arts in International Affairs at Washington University. In Saint Louis, Mark worked in commercial real estate, wealth advisory and financial services and his experience included creating organizations focused on the delivery of wealth management and trust administration services to high net worth individuals, managing client relationships and creating family offices. Recently Mark chose to explore new opportunities and searched for a company focused on growth and utilizing technology to improve the customer experience. It was during this search that Mark discovered The Flying Locksmiths.
Mark is committed to providing customers with security solutions utilizing cutting edge products and high-quality workmanship.
The region offers an exceptional quality of life, affordability, central location, a skilled workforce and a business-friendly environment.


Hi , After completion of my studies, Due to my interest, passion, love towards CINEMA I tried hard for few years to join film industry as Asst. Director. Finally I got the opportunity to work for a film called "BAANAM" (Nara Rohit -Hero, Vyjayanthi Movies-Producer, Chaitanya Dantuluri-Director) as Asst. Director. After that i worked for few more films. Then i done one short film "DRINK ONE BEER LESS" with very less budget with the support of my frndz.


text:
Sweet Harmonies with Say She She
Photo Credit: Milton Arellano
Modern music is deeply rooted in the girl groups of the '50s and '60s like The Supremes and The Ronettes. Since then we've seen women get in formation and come through in every genre under the sun from classic R&B to hip hop to rock music, but when they can stand in unison and harmonize as one, distinct unit – that's truly a gift. In recent years we've seen a bit of a lack of these groups, but thankfully we have trios like Say She She holding things down. We talked about the minimal amount of girl groups today, what they bring out in one another, their new 45 out this week, and more – like how they came to be…
KENDRA: I'd love to know how and when you three came together and was music the basis for your initial connection?
SABRINA: We all met in New York City. Piya and I came together in the winter of 2017 on Orchard Street in the Lower East Side in Manhattan as we were living in the studio apartments directly above and below each other. We used to hear each other singing through the floorboards and very quickly made friends. We first started writing tongue-in-cheek songs about bad boyfriends, band breakups, and bad politics and soon found ourselves penning more vulnerable and serious numbers like much-needed therapy sessions. A few years after that, we enlisted our close friend and Piya's former collaborator – Nya – to join us as the third lead vocalist. The trio was formed!
NYA: Piya and I met at a party in Fort Greene in Brooklyn. It was a Kickstarter concert for another Brooklyn-based swiss artist Emile Weibel. But we literally started singing on the rooftop together that very night. In fact, we all started singing the instant we each met!
PIYA: Haha like little birds finding each other through New York rafters and rooftops
KENDRA: We've had a lot of wonderful girl groups throughout history, but in recent years it seems like solo artists have been the bread and butter of the industry. Why do you think there's been a decrease in harmony-based groups as of late?
PIYA: Honestly it's baffling to us, especially when singing in harmony feels like the most natural thing. Hopefully, it isn't some market-driven reason because streaming rates have depleted a lot of artists' traditional income and a lot of indie artists we know tell us they can barely sustain their studio costs let alone build enough resilience to focus exclusively on their craft. We think harmonies are the sound of communicating joy and that everyone needs a dose of it haha!
KENDRA: What I've always loved about a group is that each member brings something different to the table. With you three, what do you feel like each of you brings out in one another?
SABRINA: In our case also yes – we are all so different – not only in our singing styles and vocal textures – but in our backgrounds and the types of music we grew up listening to. When we come together for writing sessions, we encourage each other to lean into those unique differences and POVs and then try to build upon each other's ideas and piece them together in new and interesting ways. There've been a few artists I've gotten to talk to recently that have had this '70s throwback style so I was excited to hear "Forget Me Not." It was trippy, funky, and wonderful. Did you all grow up sort of admiring those vintage sounds?
PIYA: Ahhh that makes us happy! We absolutely all grew up listening to different music from RD Burman Bollywood records to Alice and John Coltrane and Nina Simone and essentially we all grew up on tapes. Tapes have that warm sound that I guess feel nostalgic for people. We all still listen to a lot of music from that era – and find ourselves throwing on old records from as early as 1969 Les Fleurs Minnie Ripperton to Turkish psych like Selda and Asha Puthli Space Talk / The Devil Is Loose. I think randomly most of my favorite songs were made in 1976? Maybe that comes across in our music but in a way that is a reflection of what we love rather than some intentional goal.
KENDRA: On the flip side, you went more sultry with "Blow My Mind." Was this tale of going back to rock the boat with a former lover spun from reality or fantasy?
NYA: "Blow My Mind" is based on our true stories. I think all three of us have had a love that has kept us wanting and waiting. One that we couldn't get rid of, but couldn't get enough of. It's like that piece of pie, or thing you know is bad for you, but you crave it anyway, and you don't care what it does to you because it just tastes that good.
KENDRA: These two will be available on a 45 on May 20th, but there's also an album set to drop this summer. I wanna know if you had to compare your upcoming debut record to one of the subway lines in New York City, which would it be and why?
SABRINA: I'd say the B train because it runs through the lower east side which is where we met and takes you all the way out to Coney Island to the roller coaster fun of the seaside. The single off our LP "Prism" feels like a carefree summer jam and I can picture weekend beach-goers listening to the song as they lounge by the ocean with a mermaid beer in hand!
KENDRA: Time for a side note…since April showers bring May flowers, I'd love to know what song makes you bloom with happiness and why?
PIYA: We are so lucky to have morning songs to bring us a daily ritual of happiness…one of the nuggets on recent rotation is Penny Goodwin "Too Soon You're Old" from her 1974 record 'Portrait of a Gemini.'
SABRINA: We all love this song because her voice is like butter and the fluttery flute tones from the Ray tabs trio and orchestra contrast so well with the haunting lyrics.
KENDRA: Again, your 45 will be out on May 20th, but what else can you let us in on? Are you touring this year? Just focusing on finishing up the record? What's going on?
SABRINA: Our debut LP will be out in September this year so in the lead up to that we have a few more music videos that will accompany the singles off the album so stay tuned for those in the coming months!
NYA: We are also opening for Chicano Batman in July and will be heading to Europe this fall.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Ochin Gach A Old Tree At Kurigram
The name of an area carrying the tradition of a tree has become well-known everywhere. This area is a huge Ochin Gach standing tall in the middle of the bush and forest in Joydev Hayat Mouza of Chakir Pashar Union under Rajarhat Upazila of Kurigram. According to the locals, the tree will be at least 500 years old. During the British rule, the tree was named as 'Achin tree'. Earlier, the branches of the tree were quite wide. At one time the sun could not be found for the stalks of that tree in the neighboring house. Neighbors used to dry paddy and jute far and wide. Instead of time, the current branches of the tree have come down automatically. At present, the tree covers about 10 percent of the land area. The people of the area do not know that the branches of the tree were ever broken in a natural disaster.
The tree bears small fruits like the fruit of the pico tree and is eaten by animals and birds. Although millions of fruits fell from that tree to the ground, no tree of that fruit has grown till date. In the past, the tree was home to hundreds of huge, venomous snakes. But no human snakes in the neighboring house have ever done any harm. Every evening, the people of the surrounding and far-flung traditional religions come to the base of the tree with a vow, worship, and pay their respects in the donation box, and it is written in the donation box that no one will tear the leaves of the tree. Traditional religionists say they have taken the initiative to build a temple adjacent to the tree. At present, the forest is full of carelessness, neglect, and lack of maintenance. The funny thing is that the shape of the leaves on each side is also different.
The mystery of this tree remains a mystery to man even today. The name of this unknown tree has been known as 'Achin Gach' in the mouths of people and the name of the area has also been known as 'Achin Gach' for hundreds of years. The tree can be seen in two other places, one on Manik Mia Avenue in front of another Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in Banshtali village of Kaliakair Upazila in Gazipur district.
How To Go At Ochin Gach
You can go directly from Dhaka to Kurigram by bus to Shyamli or from Kalyanpur to SB, Nabil, Hanif, and Shyamoli, good bus. Besides, you can also go to Kurigram by bus of Kurigram (01924-469438, 01914-65626). After reaching the Kurigram district bus terminal from any part of the country, you have to go to Rajar Hat. Then again you can go to Achin tree by rickshaw or auto (easy bike).
There are several hotels to stay in Kurigram. Below are their names, addresses, and phone numbers:
Hotel Akash Messrs. Hotel DK (Residential) Operator / Owner Name: Alhaj Zahurmanl Haque Dulal, Ghoshpara Mobile: 01712123171 Messrs.
Hotel Smriti (Residential) Mobile: 01719-028411 Messrs.
Hotel Mehedi (Residential) Operator / Owner Name: Nilufar Ddaula, Ghoshpara, Kurigram.Mobile: 01711-346910 Messrs.
Hotel RG (Residential) Operator / Owner Name: Md. Khairmnal Aminul Islam, Ghoshpara, Kurigram. Messrs.
Hotel Nivedika (Residential) Operator / Owner Name: Subodh Banik, Adarsh Municipality, Kurigram Mobile: 01716056295 Messrs.
Hotel Arnab Palace (Residential) Kafil Uddin Ahmed (Khokon), Central Bus Terminal, Kurigram. Mobile: 01740561008 Messrs.
Hotel Bashundhara (Residential) Mobile: 0561-61508 Messrs. Mita Rest House (Residential) Operator / Owner Name: Syed Sajjad Ali, Sabujpara, Kurigram.
Visit Also: Sonarong Jora Moth
Muhuri Project


text:
namespace YAMP
{
    using System;

    /// <summary>
    /// The basic and && operator.
    /// </summary>
    class AndOperator : LogicOperator
    {
        #region Mapping

        public static readonly String Symbol = OpDefinitions.AndOperator;
        public static readonly int OpLevel = OpDefinitions.AndOperatorLevel;
        public static readonly BinaryOperatorMappingList Mapping = new BinaryOperatorMappingList(Symbol);

        #endregion

        public AndOperator()
            : base(Symbol, OpLevel)
		{
		}

		public override ScalarValue Compare (ScalarValue left, ScalarValue right)
		{
            return new ScalarValue(left.IsTrue && right.IsTrue);
		}

        public override Operator Create()
        {
            return new AndOperator();
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: SQLAlchemy: How do I avoid this inconsistency between ORM cache and DB Here's a simplified version of my problem. I have a program query.py:
import time
from models import Ball, session

time.sleep(1)
r = session.query(Ball).filter(Ball.color=='red').first()
print(f'Red ball color is {r.color}')
time.sleep(2)
b = session.query(Ball).filter(Ball.color=='blue').first()
print(f'Blue ball color is {b.color}')
print(f'Red ball id is {r.id}, blue ball id is {b.id}')

When I run query.py at the same time as modify.py (included below), I get the following output:
$ python modify.py &! python query.py
Red ball color is red
Blue ball color is red
Red ball id is 1, blue ball id is 1

The problem is that the blue ball is red!
Here is the content of models.py:
import sqlalchemy as sa
import sqlalchemy.orm as sao
import sqlalchemy.ext.declarative as saed

Base = saed.declarative_base()

class Ball(Base):
    __tablename__ = 'ball'
    id = sa.Column(sa.Integer, primary_key=True)
    color = sa.Column(sa.String)

engine = sa.create_engine('sqlite:///test.db')
Base.metadata.create_all(engine)
session = sao.Session(engine)

And here is modify.py:
import time
from models import Ball, session

session.query(Ball).delete()
b = Ball(color='red')
session.add(b)
session.commit()
time.sleep(2)
b.color = 'blue'
session.add(b)
session.commit()

I find it very strange that I get an inconsistency here between my DB query (that sees the latest DB state) and the object returned via the SQLAlchemy identiy map for my DB query (which is stale, reflecting the DB state the first time the row in question was read). I know that restarting my transaction in the query.py process before each query will invalidate the cached objects in the identity map and result in the blue ball being blue here, but that's a non-starter.
I'd be happy if the blue ball were blue -- i.e. if the DB query and object it returned agreed -- or if the blue ball query returned None -- i.e. if the concurrent DB modification was not visible in the query transaction. But I seem to be stuck in the middle.

A: It seems the underlying issue is that SQLite support is buggy by default in Python, and SQLAlchemy knowingly inherits this buggy behavior. I eventually figured out how to get both possible correct behaviors, i.e. either make the blue ball blue, by invalidating the identity map/cache without cancelling the current transaction, or make the query for blue balls return None, by running the query.py in a properly isolated transaction.
Achieving isolation / making the blue ball query return None
I found that setting the isolation level, by passing isolation_level=<level> to create_engine had no effect, i.e. this didn't provide a way to make the query.py run in a transaction that is isolated from the writes by modify.py, where the query for blue balls would return None. After reading about isolation levels in SQLite it seems that setting the isolation level to SERIALIZABLE should accomplish this, but it does not. However, the SQLAlchemy documentation warns that by default SQLite transactions are broken:

In the section Database Locking Behavior / Concurrency, we refer to the pysqlite driver's assortment of issues that prevent several features of SQLite from working correctly. The pysqlite DBAPI driver has several long-standing bugs which impact the correctness of its transactional behavior. In its default mode of operation, SQLite features such as SERIALIZABLE isolation, transactional DDL, and SAVEPOINT support are non-functional, and in order to use these features, workarounds must be taken.

That page goes on to suggest workarounds to get functioning transactions, and those workarounds work for me. Namely, adding the following to the bottom of models.py achieves the isolation behavior where the blue balls query returns None:
@sa.event.listens_for(engine, "connect")
def do_connect(dbapi_connection, connection_record):
    # disable pysqlite's emitting of the BEGIN statement entirely.
    # also stops it from emitting COMMIT before any DDL.
    dbapi_connection.isolation_level = None

@sa.event.listens_for(engine, "begin")
def do_begin(conn):
    # emit our own BEGIN
    conn.exec_driver_sql("BEGIN")

With this change, the output becomes
$ python modify.py &! python query.py
Red ball color is red
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "query.py", line 10, in <module>
    print(f'Blue ball color is {b.color}')
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'color'

I.e. the DB write in modify.py that makes the ball blue is not visible in the (implicit) transaction in query.py.
Making the query and returned object agree / making the blue ball blue
On the other hand, to get the behavior where the the blue ball is blue, it's enough to invalidate the cache/identity map before each query, using session.expire_all(). I.e., changing query.py to the following works:
import time
from models import Ball, session

time.sleep(1)
r = session.query(Ball).filter(Ball.color=='red').first()
print(f'Red ball color is {r.color}')
time.sleep(2)
# Added this line:
session.expire_all()
b = session.query(Ball).filter(Ball.color=='blue').first()
print(f'Blue ball color is {b.color}')
print(f'Red ball id is {r.id}, blue ball id is {b.id}')

With this change, the output becomes
$ python modify.py &! python query.py
Red ball color is red
Blue ball color is blue
Red ball id is 1, blue ball id is 1

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Every May on California's northcoast Rhododendrons begin to bloom within the immense redwood forests that dot the coastal inlands in Redwood National Park. Curiously, this is considered the peak time for photography on in Redwood National Park. Most of the photography workshops that are scheduled for California northcoast arrive in spring, usually in May or early June, around the time the Rhododendrons are most likely to spread their purple petals. To see what all the fuss is about, I decided to go on up and check out the Rhodies blooming in the Redwood forests this year. The biggest clumps of them are in the Lady Bird Johnson Grove off Bald Hills Road (near Orick), and along the Damnation Creek Trail in the Del Norte Redwoods, right off Highway 101.


How Much Water in Perth Dams? What are the Current Water Levels?
How Much Water in Perth Dams?
Perth's dams are widely recognised as being the main water source for the area. But the Water Corporation says this is slated to change as we become less able to rely on them in the future due to declining rainfall and stream flows . As a result, we need to set our sights on the role of dams changing to become more like water storage reservoirs.
As storage reservoirs, dams are the perfect solution to provide a place to keep deep groundwater and water from desalination plants. This allows the water to be kept in one place until it is needed in times of high demand and ensures that our useable water supply isn't weather dependent.
Some Perth and southern dams have already been interconnected with pipelines allowing water to be transported more freely. This provides more areas with the security of having a ready water supply that can be accessed from more than one source. The same strategy is in place with the Goldfields and some agricultural areas being supplied water through the CY O'Connor Pipeline. Vintage Road Haulage is also a licensed water supplier.
Stormwater is essentially water that has runoff from roads, roofs and driveways during a rainstorm. It is not used for drinking, but is considered an important part of the urban water cycle as an alternative supply for non-drinking uses.
Learn about the different kinds of water.
We specialise in supplying and delivering water in bulk. If you need demineralised water, potable water or raw water, ranging from small containers up to 50,000 litre road train lots, please contact us on (08) 9410 1726 or email using the form on the right.


text:
The Biggest Questions Left To Answer As Ohio State's Urban Meyer Investigation Continues
By Dan Hope on August 6, 2018 at 8:35 am @dan_hope
The Zach Smith Investigation
While Urban Meyer released his first statement since being placed on paid administrative leave and Zach Smith gave his first public interviews since being fired on Friday, there are still several questions that remain as Ohio State's investigation enters its first full business week.
Meyer addressed one of the biggest questions in his statement, in which he said that he has "always followed proper reporting protocols and procedures when (he has) learned of an incident involving a student-athlete, coach or member of our staff by elevating the issues to the proper channels," and "did so regarding the Zach Smith incident in 2015." He also apologized for how he handled questions regarding that incident at Big Ten Media Days on July 24, when he said he "was never told about anything" and "never had a conversation about" the domestic abuse allegations made against Smith in 2015.
Ohio State addressed one of the other big remaining questions on Sunday night, when it announced that it expects the investigation to be completed within 14 days, meaning the Buckeyes should know whether Meyer will or will not continue to be their football coach about two weeks before their season opener against Oregon State on Sept. 1.
But while Meyer said in his statement he is "confident that (he) took appropriate action," questions still remain about why he said what he said in Chicago, whether he handled the situation the right way and whether any other members of Ohio State's athletic department will ultimately be implicated in the investigation.
Why did Meyer say he was unaware of what happened in 2015 at Big Ten Media Days?
Now that Meyer says he did report what he learned about the 2015 incident, in a statement that came two days after he was placed on paid administrative leave and after a pair of interviews by Courtney Smith (with Brett McMurphy and with Stadium) that suggested Meyer was aware of the allegations she made against her ex-husband, the question remains of why he claimed to have no knowledge of the 2015 incident during multiple interview sessions at Big Ten Media Days.
Meyer said in his statement that his "intention was not to say anything inaccurate or misleading," but that he "was not adequately prepared to discuss these sensitive personnel issues with the media." That, however, doesn't quite explain why he said entirely unaware of a situation that he now says he was aware of nearly three years ago.
One theory, as Zach Smith himself suggested during his interviews on Friday, is that Meyer might have said he was unaware because it was initially reported that Zach was arrested for felonious domestic assault in 2015, which he was not.
"When I heard that he had said that, my initial response was that he was reacting to the storyline that was put out there that I was arrested on felonious domestic abuse, which never happened," Zach told 105.7 The Zone. "I think to him, it was like, 'What? He got arrested for a felony? I didn't know about that,' because I didn't. That never happened. And so the only thing that I can come up with is that when he heard that, he knew that he knew nothing about me getting arrested for some felony. Plenty of people knew about the allegation that was brought to the Powell Police."
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Until Meyer directly explains why he answered the questions about the 2015 allegations the way he did, however, this question will continue to persist.
He most likely won't do so publicly until after Ohio State's investigation has concluded, but if he is reinstated as the Buckeyes' football coach, it is certainly a question he will have to answer the next time he faces the media.
If Meyer reported what he was required to report, could he lose his job for how he otherwise handled the situation?
Before Friday afternoon, the biggest question surrounding Meyer was whether he knew about the 2015 allegations against Zach Smith and whether he reported them through the required channels – because if he hadn't, Ohio State could have potentially had grounds to terminate his employment with cause.
Per an addendum added to Meyer's contract in April (which has become standard language in all Ohio State coaches' contracts), Meyer is required to "promptly report to Ohio State's Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Athletics any known violations of Ohio State's Sexual Misconduct Policy (including, but not limited to, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, intimate violence and stalking) that involve any student, faculty, or staff that is in connection with a university sponsored activity or event."
Legally and contractually, Meyer fulfilled his responsibilities if he in fact reported any potential Sexual Misconduct Policy violations that he was aware of. But that doesn't guarantee he'll keep his job.
Ohio State could still opt to fire Meyer without cause (though it would still owe him more than $38 million in buyout money in that case), or negotiate a settlement with Meyer in which he agrees to resign, if it determines he erred in his decision to hire Smith in 2012 – as Meyer already said at Big Ten Media Days that he was aware of allegations made against Smith while both were at Florida in 2009 – and/or in keeping him on staff after initially learning of the allegations in 2015. Meyer's reputation of running a far cleaner program at Ohio State than he had at Florida might never be the same after the past two weeks, and that could be enough to compel the university to move on.
If Ohio State reinstates Meyer, it could still opt to discipline him in some way, potentially including a suspension or requiring him to make a formal apology in some form. When Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre was investigated in 2017 for how he handled domestic violence allegations against a former assistant coach, he kept his job but was required to donate $100,000 to domestic violence awareness and received a letter of reprimand (h/t Cleveland.com's Tim Bielik).
Will Gene Smith, or anyone else at Ohio State, be implicated in the investigation?
While Meyer's statement that he reported what he knew about the allegations against Zach Smith, if found to be true, could ultimately keep him from being fired, it also leads to questions of whether the people he would have reported those allegations to did what they were supposed to do.
Zach said in his interview with 105.7 The Zone on Friday that he actually learned about the allegations Courtney made against him in 2015 from Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith, indicating that Gene was also aware of the allegations. Gene has yet to comment publicly since the investigation was announced, so it remains unknown whether he was also aware of the allegations made against Zach in 2009, and unclear how he handled what he knew about the allegations beyond his communication with Zach. He too, though, will now have to answer questions about why Zach remained employed for nearly three years after the 2015 allegations, and whether he should have done more.
Gene will surely be interviewed as part of the investigation into Meyer – regardless of whether his own conduct becomes a subject of the investigation – and others who could also face questions include Ohio State's other football coaches and staff, other members of Ohio State's administration and Meyer's wife, Shelley.
Courtney Smith told McMurphy that "all the (coaches) wives knew" about the domestic abuse allegations she made against Zach, which means that some of Ohio State's other assistant football coaches might have been aware of the allegations, too. As of now, there's no direct evidence that any of them did, and if they did, it's uncertain whether they reported them or whether they even had the same reporting responsibilities as Meyer. Still, it's likely that the investigative team will seek to interview all of the coaches who worked alongside Smith as part of the investigation.
Anyone involved in Ohio State's reporting process for potential Title IX or Sexual Misconduct Policy violations is probably likely to be questioned, too, to determine whether they followed the proper course of action in dealing with the allegations against Zach. Associate athletic director Janine Oman, who serves as Ohio State's Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Athletics, could be interviewed as well as Kellie Brennan, Ohio State's primary Title IX Coordinator.
Shelley Meyer, meanwhile, also faces potential questions about what she knew and whether she reported it because of her position as an instructor at Ohio State's College of Nursing, through which she might have also bore responsibility to report anything she knew about the allegations to comply with Title IX guidelines. Shelley has also not yet commented publicly since the investigation began, so it is unclear what she knew and whether she reported it. Courtney Smith told McMurphy that "she and Shelley often discussed Zach's domestic violence," but Courtney also told Stadium that she believed "Shelley did everything she could" to help her.
In its first three statements regarding the investigation, Ohio State has only named Urban Meyer as a subject of its investigation, so as of now, there's been no indication that anyone else's jobs are on the line. That could certainly change, however, as the investigation progresses if the investigative team finds that any other university employees did not follow required protocol or otherwise did not act as he or she should have in dealing with the allegations made against Zach.