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New Arena at Walt Disney World Resort Expands National Competition Stage for America's Youth Athletes
Filed in: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, runDisney, Youth Sports
B-ROLL: The Arena at ESPN Wide World of Sports Grand Opening
Grand Opening of The Arena at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL (Jan. 12, 2018) – As part of the 20th anniversary celebration of its ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Walt Disney World Resort officially opened a new multi-purpose sports and entertainment arena Friday, continuing the growth and expansion of the 220-acre Disney sports venue that is widely regarded as the leading facility for youth sports in America.
ESPN Wide World of Sports executives, along with AAU and Varsity executives, marked the grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that featured streamers as cheerleaders performed a high-energy routine involving Minnie Mouse, who sported her new cheerleading outfit.
Starting Friday, The Arena at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will host its inaugural event — the prestigious UCA and UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship — which runs through Sunday.
The 8,000-seat arena will host a variety of major indoor sporting events from basketball to volleyball to gymnastics to wrestling. The venue also will host runDisney Health & Fitness Expos during runDisney race weekends, beginning with the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend presented by Children's Miracle Network Hospitals in February.
The new arena is the third indoor competition venue at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and is one of the largest in the country designed specifically with cheer and dance events in mind. Its launch marks another milestone for the Disney sports facility, which opened in 1997 and pioneered a new type of sports vacation experience where athletes at all levels and ages can pursue their sports dreams.
"We have created one of the most unique sports arenas in the country," said Faron Kelley, Vice President of Disney Sports. "We sat down and really listened to what our partners told us they needed the space to look like and what we ended up with is a fantastic new arena. We look forward to hosting many events in our new building for years to come."
One of the unique features of the arena is its flexibility. It can be converted to host more than six regulation-sized basketball and volleyball courts and can be further expanded to host open-floor exhibitions and other major events, such as the College Cheerleading and Dance Team Championship, which will feature more than 4,700 athletes.
"We are thrilled to have our 35th College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship as the inaugural event in the new arena," said Varsity Brands Founder and Chairman Jeff Webb. "This year, we'll host seven premier events and welcome nearly 70,000 athletes to ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Our athletes and coaches are going to be very excited when they see the space, the warm-up areas and all of the other amenities that truly make this building one of a kind. We're looking forward to a fantastic event, in a great building that's being hosted by a terrific partner in Disney."
Other features of the new arena include two versatile auxiliary venue spaces, an attached box office, plus built-in loges and judges' boxes with seating for approximately 70 people. There are also seven concession stands and 35 concession points of sale, which will include specialty items such as hazelnut churros, chocolate banana empanadas, donut chicken, Greek Dogs, and an Adobo Chicken Rice Bowl.
"We spent countless hours doing research to make sure we designed a building that caters to the needs of existing partners and potential future partners, including developing sports such as e-sports and futsal," Kelley said. "The word we kept coming back to was flexibility and our new arena has something special and unique for all of our partners."
The addition of the arena is another step in Disney's efforts to expand its sports business through a relentless growth strategy centered on enhancing existing events, developing new and more diverse events such as tournaments, competitions and entertainment and creating additional sports experiences for our guests.
Future plans for the sports complex include expanding the portfolio of outdoor sports, continuing to host high-profile events such as the 2018 NFL Pro Bowl Week and further supporting the 100-plus existing events that take place at the sports complex year around.


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The Search & Rescue Dog Association – SARDA Isle of Man, (SARDA IOM) is a Manx Registered Charity and is a full member of the National Search & Rescue Dog Association (NSARDA).Our handlers and navigators are unpaid volunteers and members of the Isle of Man's Emergency Services that make up the IOM Search & Rescue Group, a member of the Mountain Rescue Council of England and Wales. SARDA Isle of Man relies solely on donations from the public and from organisations, both on and off the Isle of Man.Because of the dramatic contrasts in the Isle of Man, from rugged coastline through to hill and mountain, forestry, beaches, cliffs and lowland rural areas, as many of these different types of terrain as possible are planned into the training to give the handlers and dogs as many search experiences as possible.
Team Website: www.sardaiom.im
Team Email: J.MacGregor@snhs.sch.im
Team Contact Number: –
Finalists in the Kent Charity Awards 2018
3 New Air Scenting Search Dogs Qualified
Mick Desmond & Cara (Collie) Qualify to NSARDA Air Scent Standard
Jon Abrahamson & Bonnie (Springer) Qualify to NSARDA Air Scent Standard
Ben Bedding & Sprocket (Springer / Cocker X) Qualify to NSARDA Air Scent Standard
Archives Select Month February 2018 (1) October 2017 (4) March 2015 (6) February 2015 (8) January 2015 (4) November 2014 (1) October 2014 (2) August 2014 (3) June 2014 (3) December 2013 (3) October 2013 (3) September 2013 (5) August 2013 (2) July 2013 (5) June 2013 (7) May 2013 (7) April 2013 (1) March 2013 (2) February 2013 (1) January 2013 (2) October 2012 (1) February 2012 (1)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home » Conservative Culture » Red alert: Trump says he's giving up on stimulus negotiations with Pelosi as Dow tumbles
Red alert: Trump says he's giving up on stimulus negotiations with Pelosi as Dow tumbles
0 Conservative Culture,
I'm being as sympathetic to him as I can be in trying to analyze this. Certainly, in the abstract, it's good that a Republican president is trying to put a brake on blockbuster spending. Especially after an historic spending binge this summer that's sent the national debt north of — deep breath — $27 trillion.
But substantively it's catastrophic considering that the last jobs report was underwhelming and laid-off American workers are desperate for a financial lifeline between now and January.
And politically it's unfathomable that the president is setting himself up to be blamed for the resulting economic misery four weeks out from a national election in which he and his party currently look to fare very, very badly. The double-edged sword of being an incumbent is that you get credit for a booming economy even if you don't really deserve it and you get blame for a crumbling economy even if you don't really deserve it.
Which is why, even if you think this is just a negotiating tactic — gotta walk away from the table sometimes for leverage! — it doesn't add up. Pelosi's under no pressure. She's perfectly fine with Trump balking at a deal. No doubt she believes, probably correctly, that this package is his last chance to rebound with voters before Election Day. A generous deal replete with new stimulus checks might earn him enough goodwill that it puts him back into contention in swing states. If he wants to decline that lifeline and run on his exciting new "you shouldn't worry about the disease that might kill me" message, she's willing to accommodate him.
So what exactly is his "leverage" here, particularly when he's willing to broadcast the fact that he, not she, is the one who gave up on a deal for Americans?
…request, and looking to the future of our Country. I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business. I have asked…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2020
…also coming back in record numbers. We are leading the World in Economic Recovery, and THE BEST IS YET TO COME!
I don't understand his post-election plan here. The one all but certain outcome on November 3 is that the House will stay blue and Pelosi will still be in charge next year. Why does he think the next round of negotiations will be easier than the current round, especially if House Dems increase their majority?
The reaction was predictable:
BREAKING: Dow falls 400+ points to fresh session low after Trump terminates stimulus talks https://t.co/Y95ZRZKSLQ pic.twitter.com/MnNCA95R3T
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) October 6, 2020
As others are noting in reacting to the news, what's inexplicable about this is that Trump won the primaries four years ago partly because he wasn't the sort of Republican who'd try to starve federal programs in the name of fiscal responsibility. President Ted Cruz might slash your Medicare but President Donald Trump didn't even pretend to care about shrinking government. The fact that he's trying to lowball Pelosi on financial aid to voters in dire need of it 28 days from an election, in the middle of a pandemic, is an invasion-of-the-body-snatchers moment — as if Cruz and the Republican establishment had secretly replaced him with an impostor more conducive to Paul Ryan Republicanism. "I cannot believe that he is letting the Kudlow/McConnell establishment that he dispatched in the primary talk him into this," tweeted an amazed Tim Miller. "A massive unforced error. 2016 Trump would've said make it 3 trillion and put my face on the checks."
The weird thing is that those 2016 instincts do still emerge occasionally. The $200 gift cards for prescription drugs that the White House is looking to send to seniors is a naked attempt to bribe them with taxpayer money before Election Day. The negotiations with Pelosi are an opportunity to increase that bribe by several orders of magnitude and expand it to a much larger segment of the electorate. And yet, instead of grabbing Senate Republicans by the throat and telling them to get it done, he's walking away.
Ross Douthat captured the irony of the situation in a tweet last week. The one guy in the administration who still seems to be on a populist track is the uber-rich Treasury Secretary, not the president who appointed him:
The only administration figure who seems to understand what a populist president needs to do in a pandemic is this guy, and Trump is letting him get hamstrung by Congressional Rs who are planning Tea Party II for the Biden era: pic.twitter.com/XE4Pa1TOBG
— Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) October 1, 2020
"So Trump resurrects 'Just the Flu' and kills an economic stimulus package on the very same day," tweeted Saagar Enjeti. "Literally goes all in on his two most unpopular positions with less than a month go to before the election." Exactly. What's the strategy here? Is he going for some big-picture "dominance" theme? He whipped COVID, then he put Pelosi in her place. Trump 2020: Who cares if you can't make rent next month?
🚨🚨🚨Key consequence of stimulus talks falling through:
— Close to 30 million jobless ppl to permanently see an income cut of ~50%
— 40% of restaurants face closure in ~6 months, per surveys
— Tens of thousands of airline workers will be laid off
— No stimulus checks 2.0
— Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) October 6, 2020
I wonder, frankly, if there's any real strategy at all. The irresistible temptation to psychoanalyze Trump leaves us to wonder if maybe there's a "grudge match" element to this for him. He resents Pelosi for impeachment, he resents her for the many cutting remarks she's made about him publicly, and so on principle he refuses to come up to her number even though it's the best option left on the political menu for him to improve his election chances.
"Mindbogglingly insane," says conservative Henry Olsen of Trump's decision to walk away. Olsen isn't a Never Trumper, he just recognizes that this is grossly damaging both to the public interest and to Trump's political interest. It makes no sense.
I'll leave you with this:
In the Times/Siena national poll just a couple of weeks ago, voters overwhelmingly supported a new $2 trillion dollar stimulus package by a 72-23 percent margin. It's just astonishing that a president trailing by 9 points is going to pass on this opportunity
— Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) October 6, 2020


So. I know it's Favorite Things Friday, so I thought I'd combine this with my "do's and don'ts of photo editing." Since all I have left to do is the "do's," I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite things about good ole Photoshop with you, my lovely readers.
1. Free Actions. Guys, you can download some amazing (and free!) actions from DeviantArt. There are so many fun options, and your photos will love you.
2. Blemish Removal. I've put together a quick little tutorial on how to remove blemishes in less than two minutes on photoshop. Check it out!
3. Brushes. Dudes. I have a brush problem. Once again, you can download a bajillion from DeviantArt for free. These puppies are my best friends. If you're planning on using them commercially, though, make sure you read the "readme" files when you download.
4. Smoothing Skin. It is possible to smooth your skin after removing blemishes without making yourself look plastic. Plus side: It takes less than five minutes. I made another tutorial for your viewing pleasure. 5. Lighten shadows quickly. And I don't mean by just upping your exposure. I recently learned a nifty little trick that I'll show you... Sorry, another tutorial!!
There you go! Hope you guys learned something new today! If you have questions, just leave them in the comments section!
Have you entered the group giveaway yet? No? Do it here.
I love that tutorial about removing shadows! I am horrible at that and always end up making my photos look overexposed, so I end up just throwing out the ones with too much shadow! Def gonna try this.
Thanks for the tips! I'm definitely gonna bookmark this.
Such great tutorials! Have you ever used the spot healing tool? That's my favorite blemish remover!


The purpose of this position is to support ASHA's strategic direction and provide expert speech-language pathology practice information and assistance to members, other National Office staff, and external organizations; assist in policy development and dissemination; track national trends; initiate, develop, and disseminate resources, books, and products; assist in professional development program content and delivery; serve as ex officio to Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and committees.
Provide professional consultation in state-of-the-art practice and policy to ASHA members, National Office staff, government agencies, media, and related professional organizations.
Track national trends and critical issues in SLP professional practice and in health care to develop resources and make recommendations for developing Association policy, priorities, and actions to meet the professional practice needs of members.
Recommend the formation of and serve as ex officio of board, council, ad hoc and joint committees and working groups, and coordinate task force activities that influence and shape the education and practice resources for speech-language pathologists.
Serve as ex officio to assigned Special Interest Groups, including managing and facilitating the work of the SIGs (e.g., publications, committees, member advisory groups, meetings, and projects) and integrating them within the Association's and National Office policies and activities.
Solicit and integrate the input of SIGs and other groups and individuals into the activities of the Health Care Services unit.
Serve as liaison with related professional organizations, state and federal agencies, and other national professional and advocacy organizations to ensure that they are aware of current ASHA policy and practice in speech-language pathology and to collaborate with such professional organizations on issues of mutual concern.
Recommend, plan, develop, conduct, and evaluate the content of ASHA-sponsored professional development conferences, programs, and related products pertinent to providing speech-language pathology services.
Assist in developing, preparing, directing, and managing of grants and contracts for federal/private funding.


Having being out of the unemployed circle for a while, one tends to forget the horror and difficulties that young Nigerian graduates go through on a daily basis. I remember with distaste being part of a humongous crowd when I was applying for a job in the civil service some time ago and I thank God everyday that today, I am employed and can at least afford to cater for my basic needs to an extent.
The unemployment rate in Nigeria is perhaps one of the biggest threats to national security. It is a difficult pill to swallow that after more than a decade in a democracy (pseudo-democracy more like) and with our great endowment by nature, nothing has changed despite the fact that the Minister of Finance and co-ordinating minister of the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has continued to reel out meaningless facts and figures of how our economy is growing; statistics that have absolutely no bearing on the life of the common Nigerian. The reality is that things have never gotten better; they have astronomically gotten worse.
More heartbreaking is the fact that the reckless brigandage supervised by the ruling party PDP has continued unabated. On a frequent basis, Nigerians have been stunned to the point of numbness at ridiculous amounts of monies meant for curing the nation of its ills that have found their way into the accounts and pockets of a miniscule percentage of the population without consequence while poverty reigns supreme.
It is no rocket science to understand why there's been an upsurge in crime and violence in recent times. People have lost hope and now have nothing else to lose. In a nation where the government doesn't give a damn about her citizens, people must survive. We have been cast back to the stone ages in terms of quality of life; we now live in a society where a man must hurt another in order to survive. In a lot of ways, we have regressed to the state of nature where life is "nasty, brutish and short" as aptly captured in the Social Contract treatise of Thomas Hobbes.
A friend alerted me to a post on Linda Ikeji's blog yesterday evening about the Immigrations Recruitment exercise that was slated for yesterday. A first glance at the pictures of the mamoth crowd in different states where the exercise held had me wondering if this was actually a recruitment exercise. It felt more like a soccer match, World Cup finals between Nigeria and Brazil which was particularly ironical as some of the venues were in stadiums.
In all states where this sham, this testimonial to the failure of governance held, the story was the same. For less than 5,000 positions, the number of graduates who turned out nationwide was way above half a million mark! If the Goodluck Jonathan administration ever got to see this and did not squirm in their seats or feel an ounce of remorse for the pathetic condition of these people, then by God, they deserve to die horrible deaths!
I write this article with bitterness in my heart because for many years, the Nigerian government has committed the greatest crime against Nigerians. A government that persistently refuses to empower the supposed "leaders of tomorrow" is a million times worse than the frightful menace of terrorism and insurgency.
Boko Haram as a terrorist group is a lot more useful than this administration. Their objective is terror and wanton destruction; a goal to which they have achieved resounding success time and time again. The government on the other hand, that is supposed to be the custodian and the equitable distributor of the nation's wealth has FAILED in their purpose every single time. Even worse is their indifference to the worsening plight of the masses while they luxuriate in the opulence of ill-gotten wealth and wallow in the stupidity of mediocrity.
Tragedy in such inhuman conditions is bound to occur and occur it did. Reports have it that as much as 19 persons lost their lives in their search for a means of livelihood. Even worse are reports that amongst these unfortunate souls was a young woman heavy with child. This, in my opinion, is just as bad as the brutal murder of school children in their sleep.
I have consistently maintained that our elitist government is out to drain her citizens of their essence like vampires. Over half a million applicants, yet the Immigration Service deemed it fit to turn the exercise into a revenue generating one by collecting a registration fee of N1000 from UNEMPLOYED graduates. If this is not cruelty, then I don't know what cruelty is.
This is consistent with the behaviour of government agencies who arbitrarily bring up all sorts of ridiculous exercises at heartless prices in order to bleed the already ailing masses dry. Take the new number plates for example. Apart from the Nigerian map on it, its no different from the previous one. I am yet to be convinced how it would aid crime detection as some claim when in 2014, Nigeria still has no database that stores information on her citizens. Yet, the change has been made mandatory and it is ridiculously pricey.
The thought of such a large army of unemployed graduates extinguishes any flicker of hope in my mind for the future in Nigeria. The fact that the government has consistently failed to function and do her primary duty of delivering basic amenities to her citizens is a recipe for anarchy.
May the souls of those who lost their lives in this latest unfortunate venture rest in peace.


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Kevin Creighton
Hit 'Em Where It Doesn't Hurt
Concealed carry lifestyle, gun business
Open Source Defense has an absolutely fascinating look at what works and doesn't work when it comes to expanding the gun rights of America's citizens, including this gem of a quote from Milton Friedman. People have a great misconception in…
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Blogging, Concealed carry lifestyle
I started to work on a "Here's how you can maintain your skills when you can't afford to buy ammo" post, but I realized that would mean that the reader would have to know that their skill level actually is. …
Hooniguns*
Blogging, gun business
Michael Bane is wrapping up production on Shooting Gallery, his award-winning TV show on Outdoor Channel that ran for 21 seasons. I was fortunate enough to appear on one episode as a "zero" that was trained by Gabe Saurez to…
Losing The Narrative Thread
The photo story is all but gone. "Why is narrative such a difficult concept for young photographers to master? Because it is a concept that they are unaware of. It is something that they take for granted and do not…
You Are Not Your Target Market
Anybody who remembers my old blog remembers my tirades about how gun marketing, especially in-store merchandising, just sucks. Most gun stores group their products inside their showcases by brands. All the Glocks in one glass case, all the Springfields in…
The Well-Armed Man
The center-left is starting to realize that any problems the United States has with firearms and violence isn't because of legal gun owners. Rather, it's because of straw purchases, illegal guns in circulation on the black market, and suicides. Here's…
Rants And Random Thoughts
Everything on this page (and indeed, the rest of the site as well) represents my opinions and perspectives and does not necessarily reflect the views of my employer or that guy on the street corner panhandling for change.
The Latest Content from Ammoman
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IP Rating – A Guide with Protection Charts January 6, 2022
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Concealed carry lifestyle
gun business
Copyright Kevin Creighton 2022


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Q: Need the total of the footer in gridview in a textbox outside the gridview I have a gridview with a footer and I display the total of the price column in the footer. I want to access the value in the footer and display it in the textbox which is outside the gridview.
This is how my gridview looks only the footer template
 <asp:TemplateField HeaderText="Total" >
<ItemTemplate>
<asp:Label ID="lbltotal" runat="server" Text='' ></asp:Label>
</ItemTemplate>
<FooterTemplate>
<asp:Label ID="lbltotalprice" runat="server" Text=''></asp:Label>
</FooterTemplate>
</asp:TemplateField>

Below is how i am displaying the total in the footer
In gridview rowdatabound event
    if (e.Row.RowType == DataControlRowType.Footer)
            {
                Label amounttotal = (Label)e.Row.FindControl("lbltotalprice");
                amounttotal.Text = String.Format("{0:C2}", total);
            }

I tried it in the below way in another method
GridViewRow row = GridView1.FooterRow;
Total.Text= ((Label)row.FindControl("lbltotalprice")).ToString();--- does not help at all

Please help in accessing this value in footer in a texbox outside of gridview.
Thanks in advance.

A: You could try setting this outside of the ItemDataBound event, once your list has been bound and the item amounts have all been populated (so that you can retrieve these values and calculate the total).  An example of how to do this is below:
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    if (!Page.IsPostBack)
    {
        MyGrid.DataSource = GetDataSource();
        MyGrid.DataBind();

        SetTotalInGridFooter();
    }
}

private void SetTotalInGridFooter()
{
    double total = 0;

    foreach (RepeaterItem ri in in MyGrid.Items)
    {
        if (ri.ItemType == ListItemType.Item || ri.ItemType == ListItemType.AlternatingItem)
        {
            double d;

            Label lbltotal = (Label) ri.FindControl("lbltotal");

            if (Double.TryParse(lbltotal.Text, out d))
               total += d;

            continue;
        }

        if (ri.ItemType == ListItemType.Footer)
        {
            Label lbltotalprice = (Label) ri.FindControl("lbltotalprice");
            lbltotalprice.Text = String.Format("{0:C2}", total);

            break;
        }
    }
}

A: What about something like this:
if (e.Row.RowType == DataControlRowType.Footer)
{
     Label amounttotal = (Label)e.Row.FindControl("lbltotalprice");
     amounttotal.Text = String.Format("{0:C2}", total);
     Total.Text = amounttotal.Text;
}

A: Use textbox instead of label try it. Textbox is accessible with same syntax but I have seen issues with label.
string a = ((TextBox)row.FindControl("TextBox1")).Text;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Did Chris Watts Foreshadow Alleged Affair with Co-worker in 2012 Video?
The accused killer spoke about relationship struggles in a video he tagged as "my speech for communication class"
By Jeff Truesdell
Triple-homicide suspect Chris Watts, who authorities say was having an affair with a co-worker when he allegedly killed his wife and two young daughters, addressed infidelity in a speech he posted to YouTube six years ago.
"Sometimes in a relationship, you maybe make promises that could turn into a major betrayal," Watts, 33, says in the video.
The 9-minute video — which Watts posted on April 22, 2012, six months before he married Shanann Watts on Nov. 3, 2012 — appears to be a run-through of a PowerPoint presentation for what he tagged as "my speech for communication class."
Shanann Watts with her daughters
| Credit: Shanann Watts /Facebook
He opens by saying, "I'm doing my speech on relationship deterioration and repair."
Casually swaying side-to-side and standing next to his laptop and a large video screen placed on a kitchen counter, Chris then refers to his first PowerPoint slide to offer a definition of "deterioration."
"The relationship begins to fall apart, crumble or fail," he says. "You have weakening bonds. You get bored of the everyday routine, and you get distractions such as work, hobbies, relationships, no matter how harmless, even at the job."
"You might meet a new person and it could strengthen into something else, and could weaken the bond you have with the partner you have," he says.
Midway through his presentation, he says: "You have to ask yourself three questions when you're in a relationship: Do I have a desire to keep this relationship going? Do I have a moral obligation to stay in this relationship? Or is it a necessity for me to stay in this relationship?"
"Great job Christopher! Good information!," wrote Shanann, then known as Shanann King, in the comments section of his YouTube post.
Chris Watts, at left, with Shanann Watts
Chris was charged Monday with the murders last week of the 15-weeks-pregnant Shanann, 34, and the Colorado couple's daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste, during the time he was allegedly also engaged in the affair with a co-worker, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.
After being reported missing on Aug. 13, the victims' bodies were found Aug. 16 on the property of an oil-and-gas company where Chris formerly worked. In the interim, Chris was arrested after he had pleaded for their safe return in news interviews.
Chris allegedly admitted to investigators that he killed Shanaan, but said he only did so in "a rage," he claimed, after he saw Shanann strangle one of their daughters, according to the affidavit.
RELATED VIDEO: Pregnant Mom & 2 Daughters Likely Killed at Home — Allegedly by Husband — Before Bodies Were Dumped
It is unclear who filmed Chris' presentation about relationships as the camera zooms in and out, at one point panning to four observers watching him from a couch.
"All relationships are held together in part by a form of commitment, either based on desire, obligation or necessity, and when the commitment is strong enough to hold the relationship together, you avoid arguing about minor disagreements and you support one another," he says in the video. "But if a commitment is weak, the relationship is full of doubt and the relationship deteriorates faster."
He describes the "two types of deterioration" as "sudden" and "gradual."
"Sudden would be an example of infidelity," he says. "When somebody is not faithful to their partner, the partners realize that the relationship cannot be sustained."
"Gradual would be if you met somebody at work, or a new friendship has occurred, and as it goes on you see that maybe this relationship has more potential than the relationship I have with my partner, and that would gradually push the old relationship out, and push the new relationship in."
RELATED: Shanann Watts Met Husband Chris Online During Dark Period 8 Years Before Murder: 'He is Amazing'
He credits one of his research sources for observing that, as he quotes, "'When a relationship breaks up, it's generally the more attractive one that leaves,' which I agree with somewhat, and then I disagree with."
He adds: "Sometimes people, when their relationship starts to dissolve, repair is not an option and they want to get away and start anew."
• Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.
Before he was charged in the killings, Chris allegedly changed his story several times, and at one point claimed he told Shanann during her final hours that he wanted a marital separation.
As his retelling of events evolved, he eventually claimed that after speaking with Shanann, he saw, via a baby monitor, that daughter Bella was "sprawled" and "blue" on her bed — apparently already dead — while Shanann was allegedly "actively strangling Celeste," the affidavit states. He told police he flew into a "rage" and killed Shanann, and allegedly admitted to dumping the bodies of the deceased where they were later found.
He has not yet entered a plea, and his attorney has not responded to PEOPLE's calls for comment.


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Small & Medium-Sized Enterprises
Large Companies & Corporations
Public Sector & government bodies
Franchise companies
Partner contact
What is Whistleblowing?
What is a whistleblowing hotline?
Whistleblowing system: definition & FAQ
EU Whistleblowing Directive
ISO 37002: whistleblowing standard
Key considerations for workplace investigations
8 top tips for conducting a workplace investigation with a specific focus on whistleblowing investigations. Guest article by Hannah Netherton & Steven Cochrane (CMS).
EQS Editorial Team
There has been a sharp increase in workplace investigations in UK businesses over recent years. A greater focus on culture and governance, more robust regulatory regimes and an increase in whistleblowing have all been contributing factors.
Now, as we enter a post-lockdown Covid-19 world, we expect to see a further rise in whistleblowing complaints. With so many legal changes taking place in such a short space of time, and so many people affected by an issue that is quite literally a matter of life or death, it is not difficult to see why more complaints are expected. Concerns are likely to range from alleged health and safety breaches (for example in relation to an employer's failure to provide a safe working environment) to those involving fraud or abuse of Government assistance schemes such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Evidence of this has already started to emerge, with ITV reporting on 1 July 2020 that 4,500 complaints of fraud had been made to the HMRC's whistleblowing hotline by furloughed workers who allege they have been made to work despite being furloughed.
In this blog we share our eight top tips for conducting a workplace investigation with a specific focus on whistleblowing investigations, and what makes them different. Careful management is required to ensure that the whistleblower is protected and the integrity of the investigation is maintained during the process. Guest article by Hannah Netherton & Steven Cochrane (CMS).
1 Introduce an investigation framework
Firstly, it is critical for all involved to be clear and aligned on the key objectives of the investigation. The 'end goals' will very much frame the scope of the investigation, the method of investigating including who should investigate, whether legal privilege should apply and the importance of confidentiality and the form of reporting.
Establishing an effective investigation process will also promote confidence amongst staff and other stakeholders, including investors, that any wrongdoing will be taken seriously, and that individuals are held accountable for their actions. The internal investigation process may also root out more systematic issues such as poor risk culture or certain behavioural problems, which might not be obvious to those at a senior level.
In certain sectors, such as financial services, whistleblowing and the need to have a 'speak up, listen up' culture has become a regulatory expectation. Regulators such as the Financial Conduct Authority have made it clear that 'psychological safety', an open environment where people are empowered share ideas, admit their own failings and identify problems without the fear of reprisal, is a regulatory requirement, rather than a 'nice to have.'
Most financial institutions already have relatively sophisticated whistleblowing frameworks, including policies, escalation procedures and multiple internal and external channels for the reporting of wrongdoing. But the recognition of this need and this framework for a healthy workplace culture and sound risk management is not unique to the financial services industry. It is important for all organisations to foster a psychologically safe environment where employees can be open, without fear of retaliation. Research shows that such environments promote employee engagement and innovation. Where employees do not feel that they can easily raise issues informally, it is crucial that organisations have robust and well communicated channels in place for staff to raise concerns more formally and confidentially. Where this is the case employees are more likely to feel that issues can be resolved internally, thereby reducing the risk of external disclosures.
2 Identify the scope of the investigation
A clear scope and terms of reference will help businesses ensure that the investigation remains on track. A considered strategy will help to pre-empt potential unintended consequences. Checking back with the whistleblower to ensure that the scope of the investigation appropriately captures the issues can be useful to avoid any suggestion of a 'cover-up' or 'whitewashing'. However, it is at the same time important for the investigator to retain control of the process and not, for example, allow a whistleblower who perhaps has an agenda to drive the process and expand the scope of the investigation at their discretion.
3 Understand the relevant policies
It is not always clear whether a complaint falls to be dealt with under a company's whistleblowing policy, or other internal procedures such as the grievance policy or a separate policy on bullying and harassment, if there is one. There is also plenty of external guidance that investigators should be live to, including the ACAS Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievances, which sets the minimum standard of fairness in the workplace in the UK, and the ACAS Guide to Investigations. Businesses that operate in regulated sectors may also have separate obligations as to reporting or conduct of investigations. The investigator, and those assisting such as HR, should be familiar with all relevant policies to ensure that no part of the process is missed.
4 Keep it confidential
Confidentiality and anonymity are particularly relevant to whistleblowing investigations, as the cornerstone of any good regime is the protection of whistleblowers against detriment and victimisation. This can only exist where there are high levels of trust within the organisation, which can be fostered by allowing whistleblowers to come forward on an anonymous basis (although this does create its own challenges for investigation) or where high levels of confidentiality exist regarding how complaints are dealt with.
Confidentiality should be maintained so far as possible. Information should generally be shared on a 'need to know' basis. A lack of confidentiality increases the risk of information leaks (as well as loss of legal privilege, if claimed) and erodes internal and external confidence in the process. Protecting the whistleblower is important from both an organisational and legal perspective to help minimise the risk of litigation by the whistleblower down the line.
5 Select the appropriate investigator
This is essential to a smooth-running investigation. An investigator without the requisite investigative skills, technical/subject matter knowledge, and independence can undermine the whole process. The identity of the investigator will be influenced by the nature of the complaint. There may be occasions where an external investigator needs to be appointed to maintain the integrity of the investigation.
6 Stay neutral
It is also crucial for those that investigate whistleblowing to wear a 'purpose blind' lens, focussing on the allegations and the fact finding and avoiding the trap of focusing too much (if at all) on the potential motives of the complainant. Doing so, whilst perfectly natural, can severely undermine the perceived impartiality and neutrality of the investigator and in turn, the integrity of the whole investigation.
7 Act proportionately
Not all investigations demand a 'root and branch' fact finding exercise and analysis. Conversely, a light touch investigation will normally be inappropriate in relation to serious matters and may result in allegations of 'whitewashing' or avoidable intervention by law enforcement agencies and/or regulators.
The investigator should ensure that all decisions as the investigation progresses are based on the evidence collected. Organisations will need to manage the risk of collateral disputes or litigation and adhere to data protection law when collecting and storing evidence. Ensure that the investigation is carried out in a manner, which is consistent with the company's culture, particularly regarding fairness and equality.
8 What is the output?
The investigator should consider at the start of the process what the output of the investigation will be, including whether there will be a written report, or only verbal, and who receives that report. The investigator will need to consider whether the whistleblower will get access to any report. Considerations of proportionality, fairness (to those who raised complaints as well as any alleged wrongdoers) and confidentiality and maintenance of legal privilege (if claimed), will all be relevant to this decision.
If employers take our suggested approach with their whistleblowing investigations, it will encourage workers to come forward internally as well as help minimise risks to the organisation. There is a huge ongoing media appetite for workers to report on unscrupulous bosses during this pandemic. The reputational (as well as legal) consequences of getting this wrong can be costly and significant.
For more information on this subject matter please see our strategic guide here.
Guide to the Introduction of Whistleblowing Systems
How to successfully implement a whistleblowing system in your organisation.
About the guest authors
Hannah Netherton, Partner | CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP
Hannah Netherton is a partner in the Employment Team. She advises on the full range of contentious and non-contentious employment law matters, including Employment Tribunal and High Court litigation, corporate transactions, outsourcings and day-to-day employment issues.
Hannah has particular expertise in handling employee competition and team move issues (enforcement of restrictive covenants and protection of confidential information), board level and senior executive dismissals, HR investigations, whistleblowing, gender pay issues and collective consultation on redundancy and TUPE. She also advises on multi-jurisdictional employment disputes.
Although Hannah advises business across all of CMS' key sectors, her practice particularly focuses on Financial Services, Technology and Life Sciences businesses.
Hannah is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association and regularly contributes to blogs and trade press on topical issues, as well as speaking in webinars and on panels. She regularly provides training for her clients' HR, compliance and in-house legal teams.
Steven Cochrane, Partner | CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP
Steven is strategic employment law advisor, working closely with clients across a number of sectors including financial services, life sciences, technology and manufacturing. Steven has developed a particular focus on supporting financial institutions with their strategic people issues including navigating sensitive grievances and conduct related matters; defending high stakes litigation; the legal, commercial and PR aspects of major staff transfers and reduction in force exercises and supporting board executives and HR with the people aspects of both internal and regulatory investigations and inquiries.
Having spent time working in-house with major financial institutions, Steven understands the need to dovetail employment law compliance and HR best practice with the fast-evolving regulatory landscape. He also understands industry nuance and can bespoke his advice to different clients depending on where they fall on the regulatory spectrum. Most importantly Steven brings pragmatism, creativity and a healthy sense of humour to the table when working with clients on business-critical matters.
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Basics, Communications
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Telephone hotlines for whistleblowers are becoming less popular in the digital era.
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Institute for War and Peace Reporting | Giving Voice, Driving Change
Bos/Hrv/Srp
Law on Flags is Red Rag to Macedonian Opposition
Right-wing parties will urge courts to strike down new law permitting Albanians to fly their flag on state buildings.
By Boris Georgievski
Macedonia's opposition parties have vowed to take a new law that permits ethnic Albanians to fly their own flag from government buildings to the constitutional court.
President Branko Crvenkovski on July 18 signed the law on use of ethnic symbols after parliament adopted it last week.
Legislators only approved the law, one of the last legal reforms deriving from the 2001 Ohrid peace deal, after three weeks of intense debate.
But opposition parties remain furious that the distinctive red flag, featuring a black two-headed eagle, can now be flown from government institutions beside its Macedonian counterpart in areas where Albanians make up at least half of the population.
In practice, this means 16 out of the country's 84 municipalities.
They said it was unacceptable for the Albanian minority to be permitted to use the flag "of another state", meaning neighboring Albania, in such a way.
They said it would compromise Macedonia's sovereignty if the Albanian flag were flown in front of military barracks, courts and police stations.
Opposition deputies left the parliament session in protest before the vote was taken on July 15.
Some deputies from the ruling Social Democratic Party also opposed the law while deputies from its smaller coalition partner, the Liberal Democrats, abstained from the vote.
The government's narrow victory in the vote will not end the controversy, as VMRO-DPMNE and VMRO Narodna, a new nationalist party, led by former prime minister Ljupco Georgievski, both pledged to take the issue to the constitutional court.
They want the country's highest judicial authority to strike down the law, as it did after similar legislation was passed in 1997.
"Allowing the flag of a different country to be flown in front of state institution implies a division of sovereignty," said Silvana Boneva, a VMRO–DPMNE deputy.
She said the new law contradicted the clauses in Macedonia's constitution that referred to the country's sovereignty, "It also violates the Ohrid peace deal's clause about flags, which says [other, local] flags can be displayed in front of municipal buildings but not state institutions.
"Adding an ethnic flag, the flag of a different country, in front of state buildings means we are sharing our sovereignty with that flag and with the country that this flag represents."
Opinion polls suggest the government's move is unpopular. One poll conducted in late June showed that more than 63 per cent of respondents opposed the change.
Experts have also joined the fray, voicing their own concerns about illegality and an implied loss of sovereignty.
"No other country in the world allows the use of another country's flag in this way," said Gordana Siljanovska, a law professor and local government expert.
"You cannot see the flags of other countries flown even in confederal states, such as Switzerland. In Slovenia, the Hungarian and Italian minorities have the right to use their own flags but only on a local level and during holidays."
"The flag is a symbol of statehood and sovereignty," Trajan Bendevski, an international law professor, told the daily Vreme. "If a foreign flag is flown within the borders of that state, it means the country's sovereignty is questionable.
"Imagine having a flag of Puerto Rico or Mexico on display in the US."
There is a history of tension over the use of flags in Macedonia, with the Albanian community, numbering a quarter of the population, reading great significance into whether they can, or cannot, display their own emblems in public.
In 1997, conflict over the unauthorised display of Albanian flags on municipal buildings resulted in clashes with the police in the mainly Albanian towns of Tetovo and Gostivar, in western Macedonia.
The police beat up and arrested dozens while the mayors of the two towns both spent time in prison.
After parliament moved to defuse the issue by passing a law permitting ethnic communities to use their own flags in 1997, the constitutional court declared it unconstitutional in 1998.
The opposition hopes the same scenario will be repeated this time, too.
Even if their wishes are granted, the issue is unlikely to fade away.
The law is an integral part of a wider package of legal changes that formed the western-backed Ohrid peace deal.
Any attempt to dilute or evade the terms of the deal, which ended bitter ethnic strife in 2001, will not only court opposition among Albanians but among the western powers, too, whose support is essential for Macedonia if it is to advance towards its goal of European Union membership.
Siljanovska said she did not want to speculate on the outcome of the court's ruling but made it clear what verdict she expected.
"If it is a constitutional court of integrity and one that respects the ruling of its predecessors, then I expect it to protect the constitution and the laws, not the government," she said.
The government, on the other hand, is confident that the court will not dare challenge the terms of the Ohrid deal head on.
Prime Minister Buckovski says the opposition's attacks were alarmist and based on false premises.
"In every case, the Macedonian flag will be along side those [local] flags," he said. "Macedonia's territorial integrity will not be compromised."
Boris Georgievski is a journalist with the Utrinski Vesnik daily.
Macedonia, Albania
BCR Issue 566
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For over a decade, Web Ad.vantage has provided our clients with highly successful online marketing solutions that drive visibility leading to more qualified traffic, leads, and sales. We do not produce cookie-cutter solutions, instead we bring our extensive online and search marketing experience and knowledge to bear when creating a unique and insightful strategy tailored to your goals, industry, and budget.
Our client approach is hi-touch and collaborative. We're interested in developing long term relationships and clients stay with us because we don't believe in over-promising and under-delivering. Plain and simple, we get great results.
For a leading online education company, one year of Web Ad.vantage Pay Per Click management services increased site visits 128%, conversions by 74%, and doubled or tripled conversions for ALL geo-targeted campaigns!
For a nationally established leader in active adult living, our online media buying campaign delivered 16, 511 qualified leads (our goal was 11,000) with a conversion rate of 14.68%. Web Ad.vantage provided a cost-per-qualified lead (CPL) to the client of under $25/lead. An average purchase for the client is in the 200 – 300k range.
Within the first year of SEO services for plastic surgery company, Cosmetic Surg, Web Ad.vantage achieved a dramatic increase in search engine referrals, from 455 to 5,028, and a lift in website visitors from an average of 455 a month to 10,645 a month.
But don't just take our word for it. Hear what our clients have to say about our work and review our individual case studies to learn more about how working with Web Ad.vantage can work for you.
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CosmeticSurg's website presented technical challenges to search engine optimisation due to the use of Flash and a proprietary content management system. Web Ad.vantage overcame these barriers and produced significant search engine rankings results for CosmeticSurg.
Our large online educational client was self-managing its pay-per-click (PPC) campaign. Their goal was to increase web site leads and enrollment; the in-house campaign struggled to meet the goals. The strategic Web Ad.vantage PPC Team provided analysis and a complete overhaul of their paid search program with significant results.
Check Point's goal for its new acquisition was to increase the online visibility of Pointsec's products beyond the company's current, extremely loyal customer base. Check Point also wanted to retain its approach to customers, which rested on targeting and building relationships with key IT influencers. Web Ad.vantage recommended a social media marketing program, which would meet the goal of raising visibility online, while providing a relationship-building approach to potential customers.


The Atlanta Streetcar connects the Centennial Olympic Park area to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site.
The Atlanta Streetcar consists of a 2.7 mile East-West route that connects the Centennial Olympic Park area to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, with 12 stops along the route.
The Atlanta Streetcar expansion will connect to the Atlanta Beltline, and include additional neighborhoods and other popular destinations around the city.
Passengers must have a Streetcar ticket to ride the Streetcar, and may be requested to verify purchase while riding. Tickets can be purchased at each Streetcar stop with credit/debit cards, Breeze Card (stored cash value), as well as with cash at select stops (King Historic District, Centennial Olympic Park, Woodruff Park, Park Place). Upon purchase a Streetcar ticket is valid for 2 hours. The Atlanta Streetcar does not currently provide a free transfer to other transit agencies.
A mobile fare payment app will launch for the Atlanta Streetcar later in 2016.
Visit streetcar.atlantaga.gov for more information.


This is my favorite hearty soup.
Dice all the veggies and open the cans of beans (and corn if you're using canned corn); be sure not to skin the squash — just scoop out the seeds and dice it up.
Heat up the olive oil in a large pot and saute the onion and garlic.
Throw in all the veggies except the spinach; stir and heat up until veggies start to get a little soft. Season veggies with some salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Throw in the beans, pasta, stewed tomatoes, and enough water so that the pot is nearly full (not all the way!); heat on high until boiling, then turn down to medium heat.


ST. GEORGE — A Utah man is dead after reportedly drowning while trying to swim into a cave located behind a waterfall on the Havasupai Reservation. The man's death was the second reported drowning in the area over the Memorial Day weekend.
At approximately 3 p.m. Monday, the Coconino County Sheriff's Office received a request from the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Havasupai to assist in response to a possible drowning at Beaver Falls, the Sheriff's Office said in a statement Tuesday.
A man reported to tribal officials that 36-year-old Mark Magleby, of Orem, was camping with him and a group of their friends and that Magleby had attempted to enter a cave behind the falls, according to the statement.
A sheriff's deputy was transported by Air West to the falls to coordinate rescue and recovery efforts with tribal officials.
By approximately 7 p.m., Magleby's body resurfaced and was recovered. The body was transported from Havasupai by Department of Public Safety Ranger Helicopter to the rim where transfer was made to the Coconino County Medical Examiner's Office.
Havasupai officials reported that more than 250 individuals were registered for use of the area that day.
Magleby's death marked the second drowning in Coconino County during the Memorial Day weekend.
An 18-year-old man identified as Kevin Anaya, of Mesa, Arizona, drowned at Lake Mary south of Flagstaff, officials reported.
At approximately 3:30 p.m. Saturday, officials near the Lake Mary boat ramp were flagged down by individuals reporting that Anaya had been swimming near buoys located south of the boat ramp before disappearing in the water.
Deputies from the Coconino County Sheriff's Office and US Forest Service Law Enforcement responded to the scene and entered the water in an attempt to locate Anaya. These initial response units were supplemented by response from the Coconino County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue, Flagstaff Fire Department and a Department of Public Safety Helicopter.
"Several citizens who were in the area also assisted with the search efforts by providing the use of their boats," the Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
At approximately 9:30 p.m., members of the Sheriff's Office Dive Team recovered Anaya's body in close proximity to where he had last been seen.


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Q: How to fix the diamond question marks and special characters when users upload emojis I have a JS script that uploads a JSON array to the blockchain / not a database. But when a user uploads an emoji it returns as a diamond question mark or rectangle with X etc.. Is this coming from the HTML page before the data is passed, or after the data is returned to the UI?
Ive tried adding the content type to the HTML page that both uploads the data and displays the data but theres no change. Is there something in the JS I need to change?
Heres the content types i've tried to set but didnt fix it -
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-32" />

I have a cleanser script that the data gets passed thru, maybe this is causing it?
// remove non ascii characters
replace(/\u200B/g,'');

// remove zero width space
replace(/[^\x00-\x7F]/g, '');

Any ideas here why the emojis would not get returned properly from these examples? Or is there a way to preserve the emojis in The JS script?


Wednesday, President Trump argued that "those seeking immigration into our country must be able to support themselves financially and should not use welfare for a period of at least five years." That law is already on the books, but Trump's instincts are correct on this issue. Congress can do a lot more to restrict access to welfare for immigrants, but it should go even further than Trump recommends — by denying access to welfare for all noncitizens.
Immigrants don't come to the United States for welfare, they come to work. It's bad enough that taxpayers have to support bloated, ineffective welfare schemes for U.S. citizens. They should not be forced to do so for recent arrivals.
Lower-income immigrants are less likely to use means-tested welfare programs than lower-income native-born Americans. When lower-income immigrants do use those programs, the dollar value of the benefits they consume is far below their native-born counterparts with similar income.
If natives consumed Medicaid at the same rate and dollar value as lower-income immigrants do, the program would be 42 percent smaller. Relatedly, immigrant labor force participation rates tend to be higher than for natives and they are about twice as likely to start a business.
Immigrant welfare use is a small problem relative to the size of the welfare state. In addition to their relatively lower use rates and the small value of the benefits they consume, immigrants pay about $14 billion a year more into Medicare Part A than they consume in benefits, compared to the roughly $31 billion a year deficit that natives impose. Medicare needs serious reform, but immigrants are helping to keep the system solvent in the meantime.
Regardless of the truth, polls show that immigrant use of welfare is a very real concern to many Americans. Immigrants clearly don't need welfare, but the false perception that they consume it in massive quantities dampens public enthusiasm for liberalizing immigration laws. A Cato Institute policy analysis from a few years back described how Congress could end this perception by simply barring non-citizens' access to large portions of the welfare state, from food stamps to Medicaid.
Ending non-citizen access to welfare can address these concerns. If false public perceptions of immigrant welfare use led to welfare reform that diminished their access then taxpayers, including those who are immigrants, would benefit at a very low cost. Such a proposal would separate those honestly worried about immigrant welfare use from those who use it as an excuse to oppose immigration.
Trump's statements in favor of restricting welfare access did not include many details. However, there is no shortage of means to restrict non-citizen access to welfare.
For instance, there are some minor reforms, such as enforcing documentation requirements for Medicaid applicants, and improving the accuracy and frequency of use for the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program that checks whether welfare applicants are actually eligible for benefits. Some reform suggestions go further, such as preventing all non-citizens from receiving cash benefits through the Temporary Aid to Needy Families program and food stamps, as well as reforming the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit so only citizens have access.
Current law already bars immigrants from receiving many welfare benefits, but states have the authority to spend their own tax revenue on aid for immigrants ineligible under federal rules. As much as this rightly rankles many voters, principles of federalism and the Constitution make it difficult for Congress to ban that practice, except when federal funds are involved.
Preventing non-citizens from accessing welfare will save taxpayers money and calm the concerns of many taxpayers. Congress can and should expand upon Trump's idea to further restrict immigrant welfare use by barring all non-citizens from accessing benefits.
Everyone will win under such a policy, and there will be no doubt that immigrants continue to flock to our shores to achieve the American Dream, rather than receive a welfare check.
Alex Nowrasteh is an immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institute.
Myth v. Fact: Is America becoming a nation of takers?


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Topping embracing veteran role
Kyle Topping
Kelowna Rockets Staff
Marissa Baecker
"It goes by fast," that's what Kyle Topping was told numerous times coming into the Western Hockey League back in 2016. Fast forward three years and the 19-year-old finds himself telling younger players the same thing as he heads into his overage season with the Rockets.
The Salt Spring Island, BC product has come a long way from when the Rockets drafted him. He was the seventh last pick of the 2o14 WHL Bantam Draft, Kelowna selected him 226th overall during the 11th round. Rockets assistant GM, head scout, director of player personnel Lorne Frey says that Topping had shown promise ahead of the draft.
"While we were scouting him we were thinking that he brought an upside and could score," said Frey. "He had a good year following the draft and the next season he cracked our lineup. We've been very happy with his development, he continues to get better and better every year."
Frey says that having an older brother in the WHL most likely helped Topping mature. Jordan played four seasons with the Tri-City Americans, wearing an A for the final three campaigns.
"I think that Jordan had something to do with helping Kyle develop, Jordan is a very good hockey player. He probably helped him prepare for the jump."
Topping admits that Jordan made it a little easier coming into his first camp with the Rockets.
"Having my brother play a couple of seasons before me I was pretty familiar with the league and what it was about," said Topping.
KELOWNA, CANADA – MARCH 4: Brothers Kyle Topping #24 of the Kelowna Rockets and Jordan Topping #12 of the Tri-City Americans kneel at centre ice during warm up on March 4, 2017 at Prospera Place in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Marissa Baecker/Shoot the Breeze) *** Local Caption ***
The younger Topping has suited up in 193 games with the Rockets over the last three seasons. During that time he has scored 163 points (59G, 104A) and has added 163 penalty minutes and a +35 plus/minus rating. The dependable centreman lead Kelowna in scoring last season with 69 points.
He's now the older brother for younger players entering the Rockets system. He tries to provide them with the guidance that he was fortunate to have received.
"I love being the older brother, making guys feel comfortable and showing them what to do and when to do it. It means a lot when I hear that I've helped them."
Everyone it seems wants to talk to him about being an overage player and heading into his final season, but Topping wants to focus on this season.
"Now that I'm going into that final season it's kind of crazy, I was always told it would fly by, but I didn't think it would go by this fast. Having the chance to play in a Memorial Cup will be a pretty great way to end my junior career. Everyone wants to talk to me about how it's the final year, but I'm just excited to get out there and play. "
He will be headed south later this week along with Leif Mattson, both have been invited by the Carolina Hurricanes to play for them at the 2019 NHL Prospects Showcase in Nashville, Tenn from Sept. 7-10.
Carolina will play its first game of the showcase against the Washington Capitals on Sept. 7 at 2 pm ET. There is a chance that the duo will face Nolan Foote and former Rocket Cal Foote when the Hurricanes take on the Tampa Bay Lightning's prospects on Sept. 8 at 5 p.m. ET. The team will complete the event with a 2 p.m. ET showdown against the host Predators on Sept. 10.
Packages for the 2020 Memorial Cup are now available to current and future 2019/2020 Kelowna Rockets Season Ticket Holders by contacting Andrew Deans or Gavin Hamilton at the Kelowna Rockets Office at 250-860-7825. Don't be stuck outside of Prospera Place, become a season ticket holder today and guarantee your seats.
Highlights - Rockets (2) at Winterhawks (3)
Portland Winterhawks Rocket Recap
Rocket Recap: Rockets close out weekend with 3-2 loss
game-notes Portland Winterhawks
Game Notes: Rockets at Winterhawks
Cole Schwebous Cole Tisdale
Rocket Recap: Winterhawks blank Rockets
Cole Schwebius Jake Lee
Highlights: Rockets (2) at Everett (3)


AT&T plans to reinstate their GigaPower pay-for-privacy scheme, as revealed by AT&T VP Robert Quinn in a recent interview with C-SPAN. In 2014, AT&T started offering GigaPower 300 Mbps fiber internet in cities around the United States. Users signing up had the option of paying $29 more per month to guarantee that AT&T doesn't snoop on your internet traffic and serve you advertisements and offers from their MITM position on your internet. Yes, they actually put a price on privacy and it's coming back. GigaOM discovered that $29 a month ($348 per year) isn't even the real price of buying your privacy back from AT&T – the total bill could run up to $800 per year.
concerned about privacy but don't know the difference between MBPS and GBPS?
Apologies for that typo! It has been fixed.


text:
Alison Fincher
reads Japanese literature
The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl by Tomihiko Morimi
Posted on June 4, 2020 by Alison Fincher
"Shiei Flying on a Carp" by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi. In The Night Is Short…, koi only fly by tornado.
"Hooray for God's plot conveniences! Namu-namu!"
The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl is an essentially simple story. Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love with girl. Boy chases girl. Girl is oblivious.
Simple. Until you add in the triple-decker train, a tengu demon, and the God of Used Book Fairs. As in Morimi's other novel published in English, Penguin Highway, the real in The Night Is Short… is fundamentally magical.
The Night Is Short… is a wonderful novel. It has two strengths I'd like to focus on.
First, The Night Is Short… takes up some of the same themes as Japanese novels more widely recognized as "literary." In particular, it shares with Harumi Murakami's Killing Commendatore reflections about the narratives we make of our own lives. As Rebecca Suter writes of Murakami, "the characters are invested with the task of rearranging fragments of reality into narrative form."
Unlike the unnamed narrator of Killing Commendatore, Morimi's unnamed hero isn't tasked with making meaning out of another reality. He must make sense of four separate and interrelated incidents in the course of a college student's academic year.
In the novel's opening words, the hero tells us, "This isn't my story, but hers." It's the story of the black-haired maiden with whom he has fallen in love.
We soon learn that the hero isn't satisfied staying outside of the heroine's story. He wants to become more than "a pebble by the wayside"—a minor, almost invisible prop in someone else's tale. He concocts convoluted scheme after scheme to bring himself closer to the woman of his dreams. To him, the events of the novel, particularly at the beginning, are merely random occurrences that get in his way.
Compare the hero with our heroine. While the hero continually tries to "seize [his] happy ending," the heroine allows events to unfold in front of her. Through her openness to experience, "some wind of fate" has "placed her in a major role.
You could perhaps call The Night Is Short… a lighthearted romp through Buddhist principles of interdependence, impermanence, and interconnectedness. (Japanese-American author and Zen Buddhist priest Ruth Ozeki takes up these same themes in her work, including her extraordinary A Tale for the Time Being.) Each event that takes place, each character our romantic leads encounter brings them together in improbable, fantastical ways.
If the novel has a moral, it is this: life is the chaos that ensues when what's in our control crashes into what isn't. To find meaning in life is to find meaning in this chaos. The task of human life is, in the hero's closing words, "Do all you can and then wait for providence."
(Of course, in a fictional world, there are no real coincidences, only what Morimi playfully calls "plot conveniences." The author himself is the "god" Mr. Higuchi describes who is "orchestrating all these mysteries.")
(And why, we might ask, do all of the novel's magical elements revolve around a mysterious Mr. Rihaku, who shares his name with one of China's most celebrated poets?)
A second strength, at least to a Western reader, is the novel's profuse Japaneseness. I'm hard pressed to think of other Japanese novel so tightly tied to its particular time and place. The Night Is Short… is full of more and less obscure references to facts of life unique to Japan and Japanese culture. It's a novel that demands a certain investment in Japan.
Readers will encounter such features of Japanese life as…
404 Recognized Diseases—A Buddhist idea. The 404 diseases break down into four groups: untreatable diseases resulting from a person's karma, diseases caused by evil spirits, diseases resulting from childhood experiences, and superficial diseases. As our hero notes, lovesickness isn't a recognized disease.
Asada Ame—A popular Japanese cough drop brand.
Benkei Musashibo—A late Heian Era warrior monk who withstood an onslaught of hundreds of arrows before dying on his feet (i.e. falling over dead).
Benzaiten—The Japanese goddess of everything that flows. Examples include water, music, and eloquence. She is also associated with femininity and love.
Christmas Eve—Urban legends of Japan's crucified Santas notwithstanding, Christmas has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus in the minds of most Japanese. Instead, Christmas Eve eclipses even St. Valentine's as the most romantic night of the year. It's even more depressing to be alone on Christmas than it is to have no one to kiss on at midnight on New Year's Day in the US.
Daruma doll—One of the novel's most important recurring images, a daruma doll is modeled after the founder of Zen Buddhism. It is a symbol of perseverance and good luck, both of which the hero needs to enter a relationship with the girl he loves. Note the resemblance between the doll and an apple, another important motif.
Duralumin—An alloy of aluminum and copper.
Glass Mask—A highly popular shojo manga about the metaphorical masks actors wear to express emotions that are not their own.
Goemon Ishikawa—A semi-legendary outlaw hero portrayed in many classic kabuki plays.
Hibonsha World Encyclopedia—Now entirely online, this encyclopedia was first published in 1988. It is supposedly the world's most complete, up-to-date encyclopedia in Japanese.
"I intended to take them with me as a souvenir"—An old samurai saying equivalent to, "If I die, I'm taking you with me." Side note: souvenirs are an important part of Japanese culture. Vacationers are expected to return home with small tokens for family, friends, and co-workers.
Junpairo—I can find no evidence such a medicine has ever existed.
Kabuki—Popular Japanese theater perfected in the late 17th and mid-18th centuries. It has special ties to Kyoto, Japan's former capital and the setting of The Night Is Short…
Kakkonto—A Japanese herbal cold remedy. Studies suggest it's essentially not effective, but you can see for yourself—buy it on Amazon, just $45 for 30 pills as of June 2020.
Kamen Rider V3—A 1974, one-season Japanese TV show about a motorcycle-riding cyborg.
Kami—Not explicitly mentioned in the book, but implicit throughout. A kami is a sort of divine presence that infuses everything. Rivers. Lakes. Forces of nature. Used book fairs…
The King of Demons—I'm guessing the Japanese word here is mao. It's a word Japan's first "Great Unifier" Odo Nobunaga used to describe himself. It is also the word used for Satan in Japanese translations of the Bible.
Koi—Basically big gold fish. Koi are closely associated with Japanese culture as symbols of prosperity and good fortune. They are not normally sucked up by tornados, which do, believe it or not, strike Japan on occasion.
Lucky cats (maneki-neko)—The little cat statues that beckon you into Japanese restaurants. In modern Japanese superstition, these waving cats are talismans of good fortune. Maneki neko are also popular with many Chinese merchants, leading to the misnomer "Chinese lucky cat."
Namahage—Demon-like beings who visit children at the New Year to encourage good behavior. The best cultural equivalent is probably the threat of coal in a Westerner's Christmas stocking. Or the Krampus. Creepy as hell.
Namu-namu—As far as I can tell, a pseudo-religious invocation unique to The Night Is Short… reminiscent of the Nichiren Buddhist prayer "Namu myoho renge kyo" ("devotion to the mystic law of the Lotus Sutra"). Namu-namu also calls to mind Pure Land Buddhism; adherents chant the name (in Japanese) of Amitabha Buddha as a form of meditation. Japanese religious practice is syncretic in the extreme, but Pure Land is considered the most widely practiced tradition by the 70% of Japanese who self-identify as Buddhist.
Netsuke—One of the only "Japanisms" Morimi describes in context: "a small sculpture." The netsuke was invented in the 17th century to serve the same function as a man-purse.
Obon or Bon Festival—One of Japan's most important holidays, a kind of Buddhist-Confucian reunion with family, both living and dead.
Ozaki Yutaka—A Japanese pop sensation active in the 80s He "represented the angst of adolescence" for Japan's young people until his mysterious death in 1992.
Pocari Sweat—A Japanese sports drink never marketed in the US, perhaps because the name sounds nauseating in English.
Rihaku—The Japanese name for the Classical Chinese poet Li Bai, who lived from 701-762. Many of the novel's magical elements revolve around the mysterious, bigger-than-life Rihaku. (Incidentally, Rihaku is also an absolutely delicious Junmai ginjo sake sold in the US as Wandering Poet.)
Shayokan—A museum dedicated to the life of Osamu Dazai, one of Japan's most celebrated modern writers. Like many of Japan's celebrated writers, Dazai committed suicide at a relatively young age.
Shochu—A Japanese distilled beverage less potent than vodka, but more potent than wine or sake. It's typically distilled from rice, barley, sweet potatoes, buckwheat, or brown sugar.
Shunga—Naughty pictures. Proto-porn. Magazines sold behind the counter. Definitely NSFW.
Tatami—Straw mat flooring in Japanese-style rooms. Tatami come in standard sizes, twice as long as they are wide. It's normal to give square-footage of Japanese rooms by the number of tatami a room would fit.
Tengu ("heavenly sentinel")—A yokai, or supernatural monster. In most accounts, the tengu has the power to stir up great winds.
Ukiyo-e—"Pictures from the floating world" or maybe "Japanese-style painting." Subjects include kabuki actors, geisha, landscapes, and shunga (see above).
Yukata—A thin cotton, kimono-like garment worn in the summer. When in Japan, a relatively inexpensive souvenir.
Yuzu Bath—A traditional treat for the Winter Solstice. Yuzu is an Asian citrus fruit resembling a small grapefruit. Bathing with yuzu is supposed to bring good fortune and ward off evil.
Rebecca Sutter. "The Artist as a Medium and the Artwork as Metaphor in Murakami Haruki's Fiction." Japan Forum.
Eleanor Ty. "'A Universe of Many Worlds': An Interview with Ruth Ozeki". Melus.
More by Tomihiko Morimi: Penguin Highway
Posted in UncategorizedTagged books, japan, japanese, japanese literature, japaneseliterature, jlit, magical realism, morimi, novel, romance, thenightisshortwalkongirl
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2 thoughts on "The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl by Tomihiko Morimi"
Eleanor - themonthlybooking says:
I really enjoyed that theme in 'Killing Commendatore' so would be very interested to read this book, which sounds as though it takes a pretty different but very effective approach. I also absolutely love the title!
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text:
Jun 3, 2020 - Politics & Policy
Esper says he had no notice before being led to join Trump photo op
Ursula Perano
President Trump with Esper following behind him. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told NBC on Tuesday he had no notice that he was being led with President Trump on Monday to a photo op at St. John's Episcopal Church, saying: "I thought I was going to do two things: to see some damage and to talk to the troops."
Why it matters: The visit has received backlash from both sides of the political aisle as well as clergy from the church.
The Trump administration used physical force and pepper balls to disperse crowds from outside the White House so the president could snap the photo.
What he's saying: "I didn't know where I was going," Esper told NBC. "I wanted to see how much damage actually happened."
Esper also said he had no awareness of plans to disperse protesters, but that he's very proud of the National Guard" following their nationwide response to civil unrests.
Aug 30, 2020 - Politics & Policy
Trump to visit Kenosha amid anger over Jacob Blake shooting
President Trump visiting an emergency operation center in Orange, Texas, on Saturday. Photo: Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump will visit Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday amid unrest over the Aug. 23 police shooting that left Jacob Blake paralyzed from the waist down, the White House confirmed.
Why it matters: Per AP, Trump's trip is "certain to exacerbate tensions in the city, where a crowd of about 1,000 demonstrators gathered outside a courthouse Saturday to denounce police violence." White House spokesperson Judd Deere told reporters the president would "survey damage from recent riots," AFP reports. Trump is touting his law and order credentials as he seeks re-election.
Go deeper: Trump and Biden ready to refight 1968
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has been widely criticized on for comments he made this week on Black American voters.
Driving the news: When asked by a reporter on Wednesday about concerns among voters of color, McConnell said "the concern is misplaced, because if you look at the statistics, Black American voters are voting in just as high a percentage as Americans."


Published: Apr 08 at 10:52 a.m.
Updated: Apr 08 at 10:56 a.m.
The Run Nova Scotia season series kicks off Saturday April 27, as participants from all over Nova Scotia, head to the start line at Queens Place Emera Centre for the 6th annual Run Our Shore RNS event hosted by Active Living Options Society. This year will feature a 5km, 10 km and a RNS Performance Series Half all certified Athletics Canada routes.
This event has been a community success since entering the Nova Scotia road race scene in 2014, becoming known for its early spring training opportunities, medium to challenging routes and beautiful local scenery. On Friday, April 26, the youth event will be held on the trails at Pine Grove Park, Milton.
Kit pickups for Saturdays run event and onsite registration are held at Queens Place getting underway at 630 p.m. Friday evening and resuming bright and early Saturday morning!
The half marathon leaves 8:35 a.m. Saturday. Heading into Brooklyn and down the shore as far as Eagle Head it sets the stage for the 10km Run and 5km walk/run, these two events out and back courses. Running emcee Mark Stein will provide the crowd and runners with some great tunes to keep everyone excited and cheering.
Upon the return of all the participants the event moves over to the Best Western Plus Hotel & Conference Centre for the reception. Snacks, stories, awards and prizes. The reception will wrap up at noon and leaving you time to stop and shop on Main Street, enjoy a meal or craft brew before safely returning home.
The board of Active Living Options Society is proud to host Run Our Shore and enjoys encouraging the community to participate in healthy and active lifestyle activity.
Register for Run Our Shore by visiting Race Roster or www.runourshore.com and click on the Register 2019 tab. The 5km, 10km and half events do require a registration fee be paid and in return you will receive a medal and tee (available to first 250). Youth up to the age of 12 (youth event) can also register onsite at Pine Grove on Friday, April 26 — a free youth event!
The event is expected to top last years record 255 participants for Saturday, April 27. Check out Run Nova Scotia www.runnovascotia.ca and become part of the movement. Further information, visit www.runourshore.com or email runourshore@gmail.com.


Life comes to a complete stand-still for my young grandsons when one of these earth moving machines rolls into view. I am not sure why the fascination but at least it's free entertainment! It took some "digging" to learn the difference between these different machines. I learned that the backhoe pictured here is different than the excavator as it digs by pulling the earth backwards towards itself, rather than lifting the earth.
Today's verse reminds the believers in the Thessalonian church to continue building up and encouraging each other. They were told to encourage one another with the truth of our hope in Jesus Christ. Regardless of pain and suffering, persecution and even death, they could look forward to living with Him eternally. These were the words that would build up the one going through a hard time. We are to be the "excavator," lifting up that dirt.
I do not want to be that backhoe. It is moving that dirt towards itself. The "backhoe" wants all the attention on him. Rather than being concerned for the other, the self-centered believer takes and takes without reciprocating. My focus is to be on the one who needs lifting up.
A friend asked this morning how I was doing and I shared a few struggles. She grabbed my hand right there and prayed for me. I was so touched. It was only right that I turn the question around and ask her what she was facing. And it seemed the most natural thing in the world to also pray for her! We were both lifted up and encouraged.
Thank you Lord, for the encouragement we can give and receive!
Categories: Service, The Body of Christ | Permalink.


text:
By Texas Tribune, Associated Press
Incoming Texas House speaker discusses priorities amid pandemic as state faces $1B deficit
AUSTIN, Texas -- Presumptive Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan on Monday detailed what legislating during the coronavirus pandemic may look like this year and how lawmakers plan to balance their agendas with the ongoing public health crisis, saying "we're gonna take it a day at a time, a week at a time, a month at a time."
Phelan, a Beaumont Republican, spoke with the Texas Tribune in a virtual interview the day before the Legislature is set to gavel in for its 2021 session. One of the House's first orders of business Tuesday will be to elect Phelan as speaker after he secured enough pledged support from his colleagues this fall to assume the position.
Lawmakers are coming back to the Capitol at a moment when spread of the virus has never been worse in Texas. More than 13,000 patients with Covid-19 are hospitalized and the seven-day rolling average for daily new cases in Texas is more than 23,000.
The economic damage in Texas from the coronavirus pandemic has left a nearly $1 billion deficit in the state budget as the nation's energy capital remains hampered by a slow recovery and a half-million fewer jobs than a year ago.
The forecast Monday by state officials is far brighter than bleaker projections last summer, when Republican Comptroller Glenn Hegar estimated that the shortfall could be four times as worse. Still, the deficit could result in cuts to state services as the GOP-controlled Legislature returns to work Tuesday.
Phelan acknowledged the challenges lawmakers will face this year with writing the state budget. But he declined to say what would be off the table in terms of potential budget cuts, saying lawmakers will "have to look at everything."
"There's no article [in the budget] that you don't go through with a fine-tooth comb," he said. "That's your job."
Phelan also cast doubt on the possibility of creating new revenue sources to help offset the projected budget shortfalls.
"I don't see new taxes or fees being acceptable to the Legislature," Phelan said. He added that avenues such as expanding gambling or legalizing marijuana in the state — two items that have received renewed attention in recent months as the fiscal forecast has continued to come into focus — would not impact the current budget cycle. Setting up systems in the state after those moves would take time, he said, so new revenue created by them would not help the current two-year budget or the next one.
"To think you can plug and play on either of those, it's not factual," he said.
Hegar said the hospitality sector has been hardest-hit during the pandemic. He said a rebound in oil prices and production substantially improved the economic outlook in Texas from just a few months ago.
Many economists say that once coronavirus vaccines are more widely distributed, a broader recovery should take hold in the second half of the year.
Phelan said the pandemic "has also put a highlighter" on other public health issues that were already on lawmakers' radars, such as expanding telemedicine and telehealth and "improving rural health care options for Texans."
Asked about the state-federal health insurance program Medicaid, which Republicans in Texas have long resisted expanding, Phelan said he did not "think the votes are there" for such an action — but suggested lawmakers could "have a robust discussion about improvements behind Medicaid, a Texas solution to Medicaid, one that is revenue-neutral."
News / Politics / Texas / Top Stories
Saturday BusinessMinute
Giuliani uses unfounded 'Antifa' argument to defend Trump
wake up says:
He's going to address economic and health concerns but keep up the status quo. What can he really do about those things? You can't force employers to pay more and he's got an uphill battle on Healthcare with tenet being a huge Texas employer. I expect as much from a corporate republican than I do from a corporate democrat. They're both great on lip service and short on delivery, hopefully he can bring meaningful change


The Falmouth Science & Engineering Fair is an annual science & engineering fair held at Falmouth High School, featuring students from grades K-12.
The 41st annual Falmouth Science & Engineering Fair was held on Saturday, March 23rd, 2019. The fair was free & open to the public from 10 AM to noon in the Falmouth High School Field House.


18.Chun Jiang Zhou, Hong Zhu Song, Jin Hua Li, et al. Evaluation of genetic diversity and germ plasm identification of 44 species, clones, and cultivars from 5 sections of the genus Populus based on amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis. Plant Molecular Biology R, 2005,23: 39-51.


text:
Charles Herbert Lowe, Jr. (April 16, 1920 – September 13, 2002) was an American biologist and herpetologist.

Lowe was born in Los Angeles, California. After college he served during World War II as a U.S. Navy Ensign in the Pacific. In 1946, he enrolled at UCLA, where he received a Ph.D. in 1950. He then went to the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, where he became a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology.

His interests focused on the desert fauna, especially of the Sonoran Desert. He did many extensive studies, and in 1964 published The Vertebrates of Arizona. His research in the 1960s established the parthenogenetic reproduction of many whiptail lizard species, and also discovered that the desert pupfish can tolerate temperatures up to 44 °C (112 °F) and extremely low oxygen levels. He discovered twenty new species and subspecies and published 136 scientific articles and books.

Lowe is commemorated in the scientific names of three reptiles: Lepidophyma lowei, Thamnophis sirtalis lowei, and Uta lowei.

Lowe was married and had two children. He died in 2002 after a long period of declining health.

References

External links

American herpetologists
1920 births
2002 deaths
University of Arizona faculty
University of California, Los Angeles alumni
Scientists from California
20th-century American zoologists
United States Navy personnel of World War II

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


We are please to announce that we have TWO signed England rugby shirts up for auction with all the proceeds going to the Fishermen's Mission.
Official brand new exclusive World Cup Shirt was signed by all the players and coaching staff after the capping ceremony and before the World Cup campaign this year 2015.
Donated by the family of Jack Nowell, England and Exeter RFU winger we are delighted to offer this up for auction. All monies raised from this Shirt go to the deep Sea fishing Charity, the Fishermen's Mission. The monies from the winning bid will further support Fishermen and their families, active and retired in terms of practical welfare, emergency response and support and promoting safety in what is the most dangerous occupation in peacetime.
Listed are the 2015 squad who's signatures are included: Sam Burgess, Danny Care, Owen Farrell, Jack Nowell, Jonny May, Jonathon Joseph, Alex Goode, George Ford, Henry Slade, Anthony Watson, Richard Wigglesworth, Ben Youngs,Kieran Brookes, Dan Cole, Jamie George, James Haskell, George Kruis, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Joe Marler, Ben Morgan, Geoff Parling, Chris Robshaw, Billy Uunipola, Mako Uunipola, Rob Webber, David Wilson, Nick Easter, Tom Youngs, Tom Wood, Mike Brown, Brad Barritt.
If you'd like to bid for the signed England Rugby World Cup Shirt you can do so on our eBay page by clicking here.
This is a signed England Championship Shirt (Second Tier Rugby Players) vs a touring All Blacks from 2012. This has only happened twice, once in the UK and the other in Canada. The shirt was donated and framed in Porthleven by Custom house Gallery.
If you'd like to bid for the signed England Championship shirt you can do so on our eBay page by clicking here.


text:
package org.keycloak.authentication.authenticators.console;

import org.keycloak.Config;
import org.keycloak.authentication.Authenticator;
import org.keycloak.authentication.AuthenticatorFactory;
import org.keycloak.models.AuthenticationExecutionModel;
import org.keycloak.models.KeycloakSession;
import org.keycloak.models.KeycloakSessionFactory;
import org.keycloak.models.credential.PasswordCredentialModel;
import org.keycloak.provider.ProviderConfigProperty;

import java.util.List;

/**
 * @author Bill Burke
 * @version $Revision: 1 $
 */
public class ConsoleUsernamePasswordAuthenticatorFactory implements AuthenticatorFactory {

    public static final String PROVIDER_ID = "console-username-password";

    @Override
    public Authenticator create(KeycloakSession session) {
        return ConsoleUsernamePasswordAuthenticator.SINGLETON;
    }

    @Override
    public void init(Config.Scope config) {

    }

    @Override
    public void postInit(KeycloakSessionFactory factory) {

    }

    @Override
    public void close() {

    }

    @Override
    public String getId() {
        return PROVIDER_ID;
    }

    @Override
    public String getReferenceCategory() {
        return PasswordCredentialModel.TYPE;
    }

    @Override
    public boolean isConfigurable() {
        return false;
    }
    public static final AuthenticationExecutionModel.Requirement[] REQUIREMENT_CHOICES = {
            AuthenticationExecutionModel.Requirement.REQUIRED
    };

    @Override
    public AuthenticationExecutionModel.Requirement[] getRequirementChoices() {
        return REQUIREMENT_CHOICES;
    }

    @Override
    public String getDisplayType() {
        return "Username Password Challenge";
    }

    @Override
    public String getHelpText() {
        return "Proprietary challenge protocol for CLI clients that queries for username password";
    }

    @Override
    public List<ProviderConfigProperty> getConfigProperties() {
        return null;
    }

    @Override
    public boolean isUserSetupAllowed() {
        return false;
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I have been working on a project that requires a web server that can scale to tens of thousands of simultaneous connections. In my research I cam across Tornado an open source version of the scalable, non-blocking web server and tools that power FriendFeed.
One of the easiest ways to get started using Tornado is to use virtualization to install it on one of your favorite Unix like platforms. Let's do a little storm chasing and get Tornado setup.
Will will be grabbing the latest version which at the time of writing is VirtualBox-4.1.8-75467-OSX.dmg. We will also be saving this dmg to the same folder in our home directory and then running the installer.
* Choose the right installer for your platform if you are not using a Mac, but why are you not using a Mac?
Now that we have VirtualBox installed we need to create a new virtual machine.
From the Virtual Box Manager we will select New icon.
This will launch the New Virtual Machine Wizard. Click Continue.
Next we will name our VM, let's use Ubuntu Server 11.10. This will make it easy to identify if we decided to install other Ubuntu versions. Click Continue.
For memory will go with the default 512 MB which will be more than enough for our purposes. Click Continue.
Now it is time to create the hard disk. When we click on Continue it wil launch the virtual disk creation wizard.
Since we will not be using any other virtualization software we will go with the default VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image). Click Continue.
We will keep the default of dynamically allocated virtual disk so our Ubuntu instance will only use disk space as it is needed. Click Continue.
Let's bump up the default disk size from 8 MB to 16 MB for a good initial disk size. Click Continue.
Our virtual disk is ready to be created. Click Create.
Here is the summary of our virtual machine that will created. Click Create.
Now that our Virtual Machine is setup we need to configure one more thing before we install Ubuntu. To be able to access our Virtual Machine from our host OS we need configure the VM VirtualBox Network Adapter to use a Bridged adapter. From the main Virtual Box Manager click on the Network link then select the Network tab.
We are going to change "Attached to" from NAT to Bridged Adapter. Click Ok.
Excellent our Virtual Machine is installed and configured now let's get Ubuntu installed. From the VirtualBox Manager we will click on the Start button.
This will launch the First Run Wizard. Click Continue.
Now we will select the ubuntu-11.10-server-amd64.iso that we downloaded earlier to ~/Projects/storm_chasing_tornado then click Continue.
With the media selected we can now click Start.
The next steps are the same regardless if installing Ubuntu Server on a VM or to bare metal: Installing Ubuntu Server Oneiric Ocelot.
Now that we have Ubuntu Server installed we are going to login directly to our VM within VirtualBox.
To make things simpler we are going to install open ssh on our server which will allow us to SSH from our host OS just like if we were accessing a real remote server.
Now that we have our VM server all setup we can now do everything locally from our host OS terminal. We just need to open a terminal window and SSH to our Ubuntu Server VM.
The authenticity of host '192.168.0.15 (192.168.0.15)' can't be established.
RSA key fingerprint is 78:9f:c8:f2:23:5c:36:d3:9d:2c:2e:c3:c3:63:af:3c.
Warning: Permanently added '192.168.0.15' (RSA) to the list of known hosts.
To ensure that everything is working we are going to create a simple test app.
We will now start up Tornado to serve our application.
Now that we have our basic web server setup with Tornado we can start building more interesting applications..