text:
Digging up a new look of a famous old site
Startling new evidence of one of the most famous ancient sites in the world has been uncovered by a mid-Somerset archaeologist – without setting foot on site.
Wells-based digital archaeologist Henry Rothwell has been working on a reconstruction of the entire site of Stonehenge, to show visitors what it would have looked like at various intervals in its long history.
It was when he turned his attention to recently discovered Bluehenge, sited between Stonehenge and the river Avon, that he made the startling discovery – it would not have been a circle at all but an oval.
If correct, Bluehenge would echo the oval circle already known to be at the centre of the famous Stonehenge.
And it raises an intriguing possibility: did the neolithic builders uproot Bluehenge, drag it a mile up the avenue and reconstruct it within Stonehenge itself?
It is certainly a possibility, according to Henry, who is a very modern-day archaeologist.
Any fan of TV archaeology programmes such as Time Team know that archaeologists are usually found in ditches, using trowels to peel back the layers of time to uncover the secrets of the past.
But not Henry Rothwell.
He might have a degree in archaeology but it is a computer mouse that is his chosen tool of trade as he sets about bringing back to life some of the most famous sites in the world from the comfort of his office chair at his base in Wells.
Thanks to his popular website Digital Digging, his reconstructions of wood and stone henges have helped archaeologists and the general public to visualise how such monuments would have once looked.
Using his extensive knowledge of prehistory, pouring over excavation reports and using CAD technology, he tracks where each stone or wooden post would have been and constructs diagrams showing how each monument would have looked set into the ancient landscape.
The latest breakthrough at Bluehenge came as he worked on a new initiative, to make a digital application for people to view Stonehenge via their mobile telephones.
Henry has joined forces with world-renowned photographer Adam Stanford, who uses a camera attached to a 70ft telescopic mast on the top of a 4×4 to take unique perspectives of famous sites, and well-known archaeologist, writer and broadcaster Julian Richards, from TV's Meet The Ancestors to produce the app.
It was as they were working on The Journey To Stonehenge app – which it is hoped to be ready for iPhones and other smartphones by the mid-winter solstice – that Henry and Adam made the discovery.
"We were using a low-level aerial image taken by Adam that showed the full extent of the Stonehenge Riverside Project excavation of 2009, including the socket holes of Bluehenge, into which the Stonehenge Riverside Project team had placed upturned black buckets," explained Henry.
"We started constructing the model, but then realised we had missed another bucket on the far right. Initially we tried expanding the circumference to make it fit but it would have been put Bluehenge into the river.
"By going back and tracing each of the socket sites again, it made the overall design of Bluehenge an oval – exactly as the one inside Stonehenge would have looked."
The new monument was 10m (33ft) in diameter and surrounded by a henge – a ditch with an external bank.
When the Bluehenge's stones were removed by Neolithic people, it is possible that they were dragged along the route of the Avenue to Stonehenge, to be incorporated within its major rebuilding around 2500 BC.
After posting his findings on archaeological websites last week, Henry's views soon received the backing of influential archaeologists.
One of the first was renowned Stonehenge expert Mike Pitts, who explained that it matters if it is oval because it strengthens links between Bluehenge, Stonehenge and Woodhenge which also has an oval henge.
"The point is, if Bluehenge was an oval, it matters to how we think about it," he wrote.
"Which makes finding out what really does happen to the rest of it under the ground important."
To see the Bluehenge reconstruction and read more see Henry's http://digitaldigging.co.uk/blog/2011/09/13/bluestone-henge-twin website.
Article: http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk
Sponsored by the Stonehenge Tour Company – www.StonehenegTours.com
Merlin at Stonehenge
The Stonehenge Stone Circle Website
Categories : Archaeology, history news, Stonehenge, stonehenge new theories, Stonehenge news, Stonehenge tours
The Autumn Equinox (also known as Mabon) is celebrated when day and night are of equal duration before the descent into increasing darkness and is the final festival of the season of harvest. For many pagans, this is the time to reflect on the past season, and to recognize the balance of the year has changed.
2011 Autumnal Equinox takes place on September 23rd, at 10.04am UK time (3.03 UTC), but when 'open access' to Stonehenge starts is decided by English Heritage and depends on visibility. The sunrise is at 6.48am.
Public access to Stonehenge is denied after dark, so if you want to see the sunset on September 22nd (18.59pm), you'll have to stand on either the Avenue or on the side of the A344
The Autumnal Equinox
In September is the Fall Equinox, which has come to be called Mabon by many contemporary Neo-Pagans. Occuring approximately on September 21st, this is the day when the hours of daylight and nighttime are once again balanced. Calender days from now until the Winter Solstice will slowly get shorter and shorter in their daylight hours.
Agriculturally, this time of year the harvest is now in full swing, with late summer and fall fruits, vegetables and grains being gathered up before winter. This is the time of year a lot of canning or preserving of garden foods takes place. Hunting season also starts around this time, and this was when farmers would slaughter animals and preserve meat for the coming months as well.
This holiday is the last of the harvest holidays which began with the summer solstice and continued with Lammas.
23rd September Harvest time!
The Autumn Equinox or Harvest Home is also called Mabon, pronounced 'MAY-bon', after the Welsh god Mabon ap Modron, which means literally 'son of mother'. Mabon appears in 'The Mabinogion' tale. The Druids call this celebration, Mea'n Fo'mhair, and honour The Green Man, the God of the Forest, by offering libations to the trees. The Welsh know this time as 'Alban Elfed', meaning 'light of autumn'. This is the point of the year when once again day and night are equal – 12 hours, as at Ostara, the Spring Equinox. The Latin word for Equinox means 'time of equal days and nights'. After this celebration the descent into winter brings hours of increasing darkness and chiller temperatures. It is the time of the year when night conquers day. After the Autumn Equinox the days shorten and nights lengthen. To astrologers this is the date on which the sun enters the sign of Libra, the scales, reflecting appropriately the balanced day and night of the equinox. This was also the time when the farmers brought in their harvested goods to be weighed and sold.
Harvest festival This is the second festival of the season of harvest – at the beginning of the harvest, at Lammas, winter retreated to his underworld, now at the Autumn equinox he comes back to earth. For our Celtic ancestors this was time to reflect on the past season and celebrate nature's bounty and accept that summer is now over. Harvest Home marks a time of rest after hard work, and a ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of nature. This is the time to look back on the past year and what you have achieved and learnt, and to plan for the future. The full moon nearest to the Autumn Equinox is called the Harvest Moon and farmers would harvest their crops by then, as part of the second harvest celebration. Mabon was when livestock would be slaughtered and preserved (salted and smoked) to provide enough food for the winter. At the South Pole they will be celebrating the first appearance of the sun in six months. However, at the North Pole they will be preparing for six months of darkness. During Medieval times, the Christian Church replaced Pagan solstices and equinox celebrations with Christianized occasions. The Autumn equinox celebration was Michaelmas, the feast of the Archangel Michael.
The triple Goddess – worshipped by the Ancient Britons, is now in her aspect of the ageing Goddess and now passes from Mother to Crone, until she is reborn as a youthful virgin as the wheel of nature turns. At the Autumn equinox the goddess offers wisdom, healing and rest. Mabon Traditions The Wicker man There was a Celtic ritual of dressing the last sheaf of corn to be harvested in fine clothes, or weaving it into a wicker-like man or woman. It was believed the sun or the corn spirit was trapped in the corn and needed to be set free. This effigy was usually burned in celebration of the harvest and the ashes would be spread on the fields. This annual sacrifice of a large wicker man (representing the corn spirit) is thought by many to have been the origin of the misconception that Druids made human sacrifices. 'The reaping is over and the harvest is in, Summer is finished, another cycle begins' In some areas of the country the last sheaf was kept inside until the following spring, when it would be ploughed back into the land. In Scotland, the last sheaf of harvest is called 'the Maiden', and must be cut by the youngest female in attendance.
To Autumn O Autumn, laden with fruit, and stained With the blood of the grape, pass not, but sit Beneath my shady roof, there thou may'st rest, And tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe; And all the daughters of the year shall dance, Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers. William Blake Mabon is a time to reflect, as we reap the harvest of experience from the past year – the completion of another turn of the Great Wheel. Corn Dollies Corn dollies were also made from the last sheaf and kept in the house to protect the inhabitants from bad spirits during the long winter. Apples To honour the dead, it was also traditional at Mabon to place apples on burial cairns, as symbolism of rebirth and thanks. This also symbolizes the wish for the living to one day be reunited with their loved ones. Mabon is also known as the Feast of Avalon, deriving from the meaning of Avalon being, 'the land of the apples'.
Sponsored by 'The Stonehenge Tour Company' www.StonehengeTours.com
Merlin @ Stonehenge – The Stonehenge Stone Circle Website
Categories : Autumn Equinox 2011, celtic calendar, Druids, stonehenge guide, Stonehenge news, stonehenge open access, wiltshire, world heritage site
3D Stonehenge Model Unveiled
English Heritage have announced that the survey and initial data processing of the recent laser scan of Stonehenge is now complete, and present an update with a short video fly-though of the data.
A detailed survey of every stone that makes up Stonehenge using the latest technology, including a new scanner on loan from Z+F UK that has never before been used on a heritage project in this country, has resulted in the most accurate digital model ever produced of the world famous monument.
With resolution level as high as 0.5mm in many areas, every nook and cranny of the stones' surfaces is revealed with utmost clarity, including the lichens, Bronze Age carvings, erosion patterns and Victorian graffiti.
Most surprisingly, initial assessment of the survey has suggested that the 'grooves' resulting from stone dressing on some sarsen stones (the standing stones) appear to be divided into sections, perhaps with different teams of Neolithic builders working on separate areas.
A first glimpse of the model can now be viewed here
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about/news/3d-stonehenge-model-unveiled/
The model will be a powerful tool for tracking changes in the physical condition of Stonehenge, and for deepening our understanding of its construction and the thinking and working habits of its creators, plus changes to the monument in later history.
In March 2011 English Heritage commissioned 3D laser scanning specialists the Greenhatch Group, together with Atkins Mapping and Archaeo-Environment Ltd, to capture the stones and the landscape surrounding them at a level of precision and definition never before attempted. The survey includes all the visible faces of the standing and fallen stones of Stonehenge, including Station, Heel and Slaughter stones, as well as the top of the horizontal lintels.
The resultant high resolution archival data and 3D meshed models is currently being synthesised and will be officially published and shared with the wider archaeological community in due course. Experts will also further analyse and study the archaeological significance of the data.
A variety of 3D models and datasets which can be manipulated and customised to simulate fly-over views of the monument from different perspectives will be used by English Heritage's interpretation team who is working on the new galleries of the proposed visitor centre.
http://www.stonehengelaserscan.org/
Sponsored by 'The Stonehenge Tour Company' – www.StonehengeTours.com
Categories : 3d laser scan, Archaeology, Blue Stones, megalith, Stonehenge, stonehenge guide, Stonehenge news, wiltshire, world heritage site
Stonehenge Architect Linked With Welsh Burial Cairn?
An impressive tomb discovered in Wales is believed to belong to an important figure involved with the construction of Stonehenge.
The burial chamber is located in the Preseli Hills in Pembrokeshire, Wales, and sits on top of a ceremonial monument.
Nearby, a pair of standing stones embedded in a bank bear a strong resemblance to the pair-arrangement of the stones at Stonehenge, the famous prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, southern England.
Stonehenge features earthworks encompassing a circular arrangement of large standing stones. These are mainly two types of rock—the large sarsen stones (a type of sandstone), and a variety of smaller igneous rocks called bluestones (natural columns of while-spotted dolerite).
The excavation of the tomb in the Carn Menyn region of west Wales was led by Tim Darvill from Bournemouth University, and Geoffrey Wainwright from the Society of Antiquaries.
The archeologists believe the 80 bluestones at Stonehenge originated from the same area as the tomb and were transported around 160 miles (nearly 260 kilometers) to the Wiltshire plains about 4,500 years ago (around 2,300BC).
Uncovering the reason for this epic journey will unlock the mystery behind Stonehenge's existence
Darvill and Wainwright first suggested in 2008 that Stonehenge may have been built as a major healing center, rather like a prehistoric version of Lourdes or Santiago de Compostela. They think the bluestones, not the sarsen, were believed to convey healing powers.
The Preseli area has many springs linked with ritual healing in prehistory, and this could explain why the bluestones were quarried for Stonehenge, despite being so far away.
"We went back to the Preselis and started doing excavations up there," says Wainright, according to The Guardian. "The first site we explored was a big burial cairn in the shadow of Carn Menyn, where the Stonehenge bluestones come from."
The excavation team discovered a stone circle underneath the cairn, built of bluestone, and organic material is being carbon dated.
"Then this stone circle was covered with the huge burial cairn with a chamber in the middle," Wainright added. "The space turned from a public ceremonial space defined by the stone circle into the burial spot of a very important person."
"We have obviously got a very important person who may have been responsible for the impetus for these stones to be transported," Wainwright BBC News.
"It can be compared directly with the first Stonehenge, so for the first time we have a direct link between Carn Menyn—where the bluestones came from—and Stonehenge, in the form of this ceremonial monument."
Sponsored by the Stonehenge Tour Company – www.StonehengeTours.com
Categories : Archaeology, Blue Stones, stonehenge new theories, Stonehenge news
The Stonehenge Landscape
Stonehenge is the best known of all the prehistoric monuments in the British Isles and probably also in Europe. Along with the Neolithic monuments around Avebury situated 28km to the north, it forms a UNESCO recognised World Heritage Site (WHS), the parts of which are separated by the southern edge of the Marlborough Downs, Pewsey Vale and the Salisbury Plain military training area.
Much of the Avebury portion of the WHS, along with the military ranges, has been investigated from an archaeological landscape perspective during recent decades, as has the area to the south and west of the WHS, but ironically the Stonehenge area has not been treated in this way and it lacks the solid base of landscape surveys on which to build interpretations and understanding. The fresh Government-led imperative to ensure that new visitor facilities are in place by 2012 demands the provision of modern archaeological site plans, interpretations and other data which can feed into educational and presentational programmes as well as serving academic, management and conservation needs.
English Heritage are therefore undertaking an analytical landscape investigation of the Stonehenge World Heritage Site. This draws upon the considerable existing work provided by excavation, aerial, metric and geophysical survey but it fills a gap in this suite because there has been no modern detailed survey of the earthworks and other upstanding historicphysical remains within the Site – the barrow cemeteries, field systems and linear ditches, but also the tracks, ponds and military remains of more recent date.
Consequently there are no adequate plans of most of the upstanding archaeological remains within the WHS and no synthesis of the landscape history, especially in regard to its medieval and post-medieval phases. Analytical earthwork survey and analysis,supported by aerial survey and lidar data, is the key to understanding landscape change and will provide the framework in which individual small-scale site specific interventions can rest. Recommendations for other work, eg geophysical survey or coring to explore the extent of buried land surfaces, may arise from this.
The knowledge gained from this project is needed to inform displays in the new Visitor Centre, but also to inform various ongoing management issues, such as visitor pressure, and animal burrowing. The requirements of the new Visitor Centre include the best possible visualisation of the stones and their environs; digital terrain modelling of the surrounding land surface will provide the latter while it is hoped that laser scanning of the former will complete the package
For further detaisl visit: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/
Categories : Archaeology, Stonehenge archaeological digs, stonehenge guide, stonehenge landscape, Stonehenge news, Stonehenge tours, Stonehenge Visitor Centre, wiltshire, world heritage site
Exploding star to be visible in skies above Stonehenge tonight
The most visible exploding star in a generation will be visible in skies above Stonehenge tonight. Dubbed PTF11kly the supernova is still getting brighter and should be visible with a good pair of binoculars today.
Blink and you might miss it, but the canopy of the night sky looks ever so slightly different today. A single bright spark has been added to the millions of brilliant white dots illuminating the inky blackness.
Supernovae occur when giant stars reach the end of their life collapsing in on themselves and triggering an explosion that can briefly outshine an entire galaxy before fading away over a period of weeks or months.
The team, lead by Dr Mark Sullivan, made the discovery using a robotic telescope at the Palomar Observatory.
Sunspot 1283 produced a major M5.3-class solar flare during the early morning hours of September 6th. The coronal mass ejection (CME) associated with this flare was airmed directly at Earth so impact with our magnetosphere is likely within 2-3 days time. The expected time frame of impact will be between September 7th or 8th when geomagnetic storms are likely at high latitudes including the potential for even modest aurora activity at mid northern latitudes also so be on full alert!. Aurora forecast and alert charts below…
The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet on September 6 and most of September 7. Late on September 7 or early on September 8/9th the CME from the major flare early on September could reach Earth and cause active to major storm conditions.
"The most exciting thing," Dr Sullivan says, "is that this is what's known as a type 1a supernova – the kind we use to measure the expansion of the Universe. Seeing one explode so close by allows us to study these events in unprecedented detail."
The last time a supernova of this type occurred so close was 1972. Before that you have to go back to 1937, 1898 and 1572.
"Observing PTF11kly unfold should be a wild ride," says Professor Peter Nugent from the Lawrence Berkeley National laboratory. "It is an instant cosmic classic."
The Stonehenge Stone Circl Website
Categories : astronomy, stonehenge guide, Stonehenge news, Stonehenge tours
Tomb found at Stonehenge quarry site
The tomb for the original builders of Stonehenge could have been unearthed by an excavation at a site in Wales.
The Carn Menyn site in the Preseli Hills is where the bluestones used to
The central site had already been disturbed so archaeologists chose to excavate around the edges
construct the first stone phase of the henge were quarried in 2300BC.
Organic material from the site will be radiocarbon dated, but it is thought any remains have already been taken.
Archaeologists believe this could prove a conclusive link between the site and Stonehenge.
The remains of a ceremonial monument were found with a bank that appears to have a pair of standing stones embedded in it.
The bluestones at the earliest phase of Stonehenge – also set in pairs – give a direct architectural link from the iconic site to this newly discovered henge-like monument in Wales.
The tomb, which is a passage cairn – a style typical of Neolithic burial monument – was placed over this henge.
The link between the Welsh site and Stonehenge was first suggested by the geologist Herbert Thomas in 1923.
This was confirmed in 2008 when permission was granted to excavate inside the stone circle for the first time in about 50 years.
The bluestones had been transported from the hills over 150 miles to the plain in Wiltshire to create Stonehenge, the best known of all Britain's prehistoric monuments.
Two of the leading experts on Stonehenge, Prof Geoff Wainwright and Prof Timothy Darvill, have been leading the project.
They are now excavating at the site of a robbed out Neolithic tomb, built right next to the original quarry.
They knew that the tomb had been disturbed previously, so rather than excavate inside, they placed their small trench along its outer edge.
Prof Darvill said: "It's a little piece of keyhole surgery into an important monument, but it has actually lived up to our expectations perfectly."
There are many springs in the area, which may be have been associated with ritual healing in prehistoric times, and also the reason why these particular stones were quarried for another monument so far away.
Prof Wainwright said: "The important thing is that we have a ceremonial monument here that is earlier than the passage grave.
"We have obviously got a very important person who may have been responsible for the impetus for these stones to be transported.
"It can be compared directly with the first Stonehenge, so for the first time we have a direct link between Carn Menyn – where the bluestones came from – and Stonehenge, in the form of this ceremonial monument."
Categories : Blue Stones, megalith, Stonehenge, Stonehenge archaeological digs, stonehenge new theories, Stonehenge tours, wiltshire, world heritage site


text:
Q: Create a promise here, resolve it there I thought I had the hang of promises in all situations, but I'm stuck here: I'd like an animation to happen on a timer. The only thing I can get from the graphics package is the frame number, so I compute an end frame based on a frame rate estimate.
The graphics package is p5.js, which exposes frameCount, that just runs up at about 60 fps on each draw cycle.  (I named it currentFrame in this question, hoping that would clarify).  As far as I can tell, this is the only visibility I get into the animation frame state in p5.js
doAnimation(duration) {
  // animation stuff
  this.endFrame = currentFrame + (60 * duration); // 60fps seems to be a good guess
}

draw() {
  if (currentFrame < this.endFrame) {
    // compute and draw the state of the animation
  } else if (currentFrame >= this.endFrame) {
    // animation done
  }
}

What I'm puzzled by is how to give the doAnimation caller a promise that resolves in the other method.  I've tried this:
doAnimation(duration) {
  // animation stuff
  this.endFrame = currentFrame + (60 * duration);
  this.animationPromise = new Promise(resolve => {
    // I realize this is wrong, but it illustrates the problem. How do I run this test later?
    if (currentFrame >= this.endFrame) resolve();
  });
  return this.animationPromise;
}

draw() {
  if (currentFrame < this.endFrame) {
    // compute and draw the state of the animation
  } else if (currentFrame >= this.endFrame) {
    this.animationPromise.resolve();  // also wrong, I think
    // since resolve isn't an instance method of a promise
  }
}

Can somebody get me un-mixed up about this?

A: Instead of storing the promise to resolve, you need to store the resolver to call:
doAnimation(duration) {
  // animation stuff
  this.endFrame = currentFrame + (60 * duration);
  return new Promise(resolve => {
    this.onAnimationFinished = resolve;
  });
}

draw() {
  if (currentFrame < this.endFrame) {
    // compute and draw the state of the animation
  } else if (currentFrame >= this.endFrame) {
    this.onAnimationFinished();
  }
}

Of course you need to ensure that there is only one call to doAnimation() at a time, and that draw() is not called before doAnimation() (or more precisely, that onAnimationFinished is set up when an endFrame is set). You also might want to reset them (to undefined) once the end frame is reached.

A: In general, fulfilling or rejecting a promise should be done by the process that was started within the executor function you passed new Promise. It's very rare to need to fulfill or reject the promise from outside it (at least, in a way that the caller realizes it's a promise fulfillment).
I'd use a callback queue:

*

*Maintain a list of pending animations which has the frame they end on and a callback.

*Have draw look through the queue for animation callbacks it should call based on the (new) currentFrame.

*Have the doAnimation code queue a callback
Roughly:
activeAnimations = [];

doAnimation(duration) {
    // animation stuff
    const endFrame = currentFrame + (60 * duration); // 60fps seems to be a good guess
    return new Promise(resolve => {
        this.activeAnimations.push({
            endFrame,
            done: resolve, // Or possibly: `done: () => resolve()`
                           // so this code is in control of whether
                           // there's a fulfillment value
        });
    });
}

draw() {
    for (let index = 0; index < this.activeAnimations; ++index) {
        const animation = this.activeAnimations[index];
        if (currentFrame > animation.endFrame) {
            // Animation done
            animation.done();
            this.activeAnimations.splice(index, 1);
            --index;
        } else {
            // Continue animation
        }
    }
}

The reason for the done: () => resolve() comment is that in general, I try to avoid directly exposing the promise resolve/reject functions to code outside the promise executor, on the basis that code outside it shouldn't typically be directly in control of what happens to the promise. (I make an exception for setTimeout. :-) ) But that may be overkill here.

A: As an alternative, you can also assign to draw within the promise constructor callback:
function basicDraw() {
    // ...
}
var draw = basicDraw; // Default function

doAnimation(duration) {
    // animation stuff
    this.endFrame = currentFrame + (60 * duration);
    return new Promise((resolve) => {
        draw = () => {
            basicDraw();
            if (currentFrame < this.endFrame) {
                // compute and draw the state of the animation
            } else if (currentFrame >= this.endFrame) {
                draw = basicDraw; // back to normal
                resolve();
            }
        };
    });
}

doAnimation(1000).then(() => {
     /* whatever you want to do next */
});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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text:
package com.aviary.android.feather.utils;

import android.app.ProgressDialog;
import android.os.Handler;

import com.aviary.android.feather.library.MonitoredActivity;

/**
 * Some thread related utilities.
 *
 * @author alessandro
 */
public class ThreadUtils {

	/**
	 * Start background job.
	 *
	 * @param activity
	 *            the activity
	 * @param title
	 *            the title
	 * @param message
	 *            the message
	 * @param job
	 *            the job
	 * @param handler
	 *            the handler
	 */
	public static void startBackgroundJob( MonitoredActivity activity, String title, String message, Runnable job, Handler handler ) {
		ProgressDialog dialog = ProgressDialog.show( activity, title, message, true, false );
		new Thread( new BackgroundJob( activity, job, dialog, handler ) ).start();
	}

	/**
	 * The Class BackgroundJob.
	 */
	private static class BackgroundJob extends MonitoredActivity.LifeCycleAdapter implements Runnable {

		private final MonitoredActivity mActivity;

		private final ProgressDialog mDialog;

		private final Runnable mJob;

		private final Handler mHandler;

		private final Runnable mCleanupRunner = new Runnable() {

			@Override
			public void run() {
				mActivity.removeLifeCycleListener( BackgroundJob.this );
				if ( mDialog.getWindow() != null ) mDialog.dismiss();
			}
		};

		/**
		 * Instantiates a new background job.
		 *
		 * @param activity
		 *            the activity
		 * @param job
		 *            the job
		 * @param dialog
		 *            the dialog
		 * @param handler
		 *            the handler
		 */
		public BackgroundJob ( MonitoredActivity activity, Runnable job, ProgressDialog dialog, Handler handler ) {
			mActivity = activity;
			mDialog = dialog;
			mJob = job;
			mActivity.addLifeCycleListener( this );
			mHandler = handler;
		}

		/*
		 * (non-Javadoc)
		 *
		 * @see java.lang.Runnable#run()
		 */
		@Override
		public void run() {
			try {
				mJob.run();
			} finally {
				mHandler.post( mCleanupRunner );
			}
		}

		/*
		 * (non-Javadoc)
		 *
		 * @see
		 * com.aviary.android.feather.MonitoredActivity.LifeCycleAdapter#onActivityDestroyed
		 * (com.aviary.android.feather.MonitoredActivity
		 * )
		 */
		@Override
		public void onActivityDestroyed( MonitoredActivity activity ) {
			mCleanupRunner.run();
			mHandler.removeCallbacks( mCleanupRunner );
		}

		/*
		 * (non-Javadoc)
		 *
		 * @see
		 * com.aviary.android.feather.MonitoredActivity.LifeCycleAdapter#onActivityStopped(
		 * com.aviary.android.feather.MonitoredActivity
		 * )
		 */
		@Override
		public void onActivityStopped( MonitoredActivity activity ) {
			mDialog.hide();
		}

		/*
		 * (non-Javadoc)
		 *
		 * @see
		 * com.aviary.android.feather.MonitoredActivity.LifeCycleAdapter#onActivityStarted(
		 * com.aviary.android.feather.MonitoredActivity
		 * )
		 */
		@Override
		public void onActivityStarted( MonitoredActivity activity ) {
			mDialog.show();
		}
	}

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Home » Television & Web
Raanjhana: Hina Khan REVEALS Beau Rocky Jaiswal's Reaction To Music Video With Priyank Sharma
Hina did a song opposite Priyank Sharma with whom she became a friend in Bigg Boss only.
Hina Khan is one of the most popular names of the television industry. She was the runner up of Bigg Boss season 11 and won the hearts of millions by playing so incredibly on the show. Since then, her career has been on the peak. Recently, she did a song opposite Priyank Sharma with whom she became friend in Bigg Boss only. The song is sung by Arijit Singh and is garnering praises from all around.
Talking about Raanjhana with Pinkvilla, she revealed her beau Rocky Jaiswal's reaction and said, he was so happy about it. She said, "Oh, he was happy. He is on seventh sky. He has been telling me that we need to party tonight. Imagine, after the hectic schedule today, I have to go out and party with him because he wants to party tonight. He is so happy Raanjhana has released as he was very positive about the song. He was sure that it is going to be a hit."
Talking about the song, Hina revealed, "From the camera to the costume, location, song, everything was so beautiful," she said.
EXCLUSIVE! Salman Khan Gave THIS Tip To Himesh Reshammiya's Happy Hardy & Heer Actress Sonia Mann
Sarileru Neekevvaru: Rashmika Mandanna Looks 'Oh So Awwdorable' Grooving To 'He's So Cute' From Mahesh Babu Starrer
On the work front, she is currently shooting for Vikram Bhatt's Hacked and this is going to be Hina's debut film in Bollywood.
Priyank Sharma
Raanjhana
Rocky Jaiswal
Shrenu Parikh Talks About Playing Journalist In 'Damaged 3': "She Is Strong & Ready To Take The Crime World All By Herself"
Shilpa Shinde Once Shared A P*rn Link To Prove It Wasn't Her In The Video & Was Bashed By Hina Khan & Rocky Jaiswal!
Hina Khan On Reuniting With Shaheer Sheikh For Mohabbat Hai: "We Are All Set To Make People Fall In Love Again"
When Divyanka Tripathi Brutally Slammed Diet Sabya For 'Bullying' & Calling...
Did You Know? Raveena Tandon Was Rumoured To Marry Ace Cricketer...
Vaani Kapoor Reveals Wanting Her Filmography To Be As Diverse As...
Pavitra Rishta: Ankita Lokhande Talks About Her Role, Feels That Her...
'Spider-Man' Andrew Garfield Remember Heath Ledger: "He Died In The Middle...
Mustafa Ali Requests WWE To Release Him: "I Will Not Be...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Saint-Maclou is een dorp in de Franse gemeente Le Mesnil-Mauger in het departement Calvados. Saint-Maclou ligt in het zuidelijk deel van de gemeente.

Geschiedenis
De plaats werd reeds in de 13de eeuw vermeld.

Op het eind van het ancien régime werd Saint-Maclou een gemeente. In 1836 werd de kleine gemeente al opgeheven, net als buurgemeente Doux Marais, en met Doux Marais bij de gemeente Sainte-Marie-aux-Anglais gevoegd.

Samen met de rest van Sainte-Marie-aux-Anglais werd Saint-Maclou in 1973 bij Le Mesnil-Mauger gevoegd. Op 1 januari 2017 ging deze gemeente op in de commune nouvelle Mézidon Vallée d'Auge.

Bezienswaardigheden
 De Chapelle Saint-Maclou

Mézidon Vallée d'Auge
Plaats in Calvados
Voormalige gemeente in Calvados

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


English votes on English laws does command mass support. It seems only logical and fair. The McKay Commission recommended English-only votes at the earlier stages of legislation, but subject to override by the whole House at later stages. Objections are that it would create two classes of MP, a parliament within a parliament, and could lead to political instability. If the next election delivers a Labour government for the UK but a Conservative majority within England, Labour would have to govern England as a minority government, requiring cross-party support for its English legislation.
Two partial solutions have been suggested to correct the underlying problem. The first would be to reduce the number of Scottish and Welsh and Northern Irish MPs, to reflect their reduced role. This happened under the Stormont Parliament of 1922-72, when Northern Irish representation was reduced by a third. The second would be proportional representation, which would help reduce Labour's exaggerated representation in Scotland and Wales, and might increase their representation in England.
Most of the solutions to devolve more power within England are feasible, but likely to develop in fragmented fashion, if at all. All parties pay lip service to strengthening local government, but none support it when in government. Elected regional assemblies are dead for the time being. Manchester is a pioneer of city regions, but with few other examples. No major city has chosen an elected mayor outside London, Liverpool and Bristol.
The English Question does not demand a single answer. What seems most likely to happen is gradual experimentation at Westminster with English votes on English laws, coupled with further experiments in decentralisation. These could include encouragement of city regions to promote greater cooperation between local authorities; a further push for elected mayors; reversal of some of the restrictions on local government.
This entry was posted in Devolution and tagged aftermath, England, English Question, No vote, rebalancing the union, robert hazell, Scottish independence referendum. Bookmark the permalink.
← UK constitutional reform: No means Yes?
I have heard much about English votes on English matters there is, however, a flaw in this argument which no one has raised: English votes on English matters only addresses the West Lothian question within the context of the legislature and does not address the issue within the executive. Even with only English MPs voting on English legilsation (assuming that it can be adequately defined) it is feasible that the Executive could include Scottish MPs (indeed could include Welsh and NI MPs too), and even a Scottish Prime Minister and/or Chancellor. The Legislature only gets to vote on business put before it by the Executive. I am not sure that an English only Legilsature would address the unreasonableness of further powers to Scotland in relation to English devolved powers.
Of course, the idea of an English parliament is a non-starter because of the asymetry of power that it would create. Once English MPs have been empowered to champion English issues, it would lead, ultimately, to the break up of the Union as it would soon become clear that the English parliament would cease subsidising the smaller nations.
And as we have heard the idea of regional assemblies, as tried in the North East 10 years ago, seems not to inspire the English populace. Devolved powers to the major cities is possible but would about all the people who do not live in the big cities?
I have a feeling that this subject is a bit like reform of the House of Lords: everybody instinctively feels it is wrong but there are no readily acceptable solutions that would be better.


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Teachers strike: Benue govt to review minimum wage of workers
Home » Teachers strike: Benue govt to review minimum wage of workers
From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
Benue state government has set in place machinery to review salaries of civil servants so as to take care of the minimum wage of primary school teachers.
The state's Head of Service Mr. Terna Ahua and Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. David Salifu, who revealed this to newsmen at Government House, Makurdi yesterday, also intimated that a technical committee, comprising of assistant directors and directors, will be constituted to review the salaries of the state civil servants.
He said the governor has already held meetings with trade unions, adding that another one has been scheduled with other stakeholders, with a view to reaching a compromise in the reduction of the salaries.
He decried the shortfall in federal revenue, stoppage of Excess Crude funds as well as augmentation funds accruing to the state, noting that it has greatly affected the State and as such, its inability to continue with the minimum wage for civil servants.
"We want to appeal to the civil servants as well as political office holders to see reasons with the state government so that our children can return to classes", he said.
There are over 29,000 primary school teachers in the State. It was noted that the teachers are demanding for N1.850 billion for payment minimum wage to them. However, the state is arguing that they have been receiving over 60 % fall in their inflow from federal allocation. This is just as the wage bill of the state civil service is said to be over N2.8 billion while that of local government areas is N2. 7billion.
The teachers' strike has lasted for over 4 months now.
Bauchi spends N425m on scholarship awards
FRSC warns against acquiring fake driver's license


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Thomas Whaley has been producing North Coast Game of the Week for more than 20 years. We appreciate our huge fan base and strive to bring you, the viewer, the best possible coverage. Thank you to the athletes, coaches, family, teachers, and administrators who make high school sports so much a part of living on the North Coast.
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Stone Bell House is located in Prague. Use our Prague travel route builder tool to visit Stone Bell House on your trip to Prague, and learn what else travelers and our writers recommend seeing nearby.
House of stones stands on Prague's old town square. Kinsky Palace now stands next to the building is. Bell stone became the origin of the name of the Stone Bell House and get closer to the building, seen from the square, what is the angle of the wall on the right side of the 1/5 minutes, embedded design.
In the Guidebook, introduced as a "House of the stone Bell". Kinsky Palace seen from the old town square, on the right side. Whether or not! and then I have overlooked, but cute stone bell.
A nice gothic building that is worth visiting but you can do so only within visiting one of the exhibitions that take place there during the year (these can be of high quality - but your personal taste has a role in this, too, of course). At the basement, you can find an expensive-as-hell café/bistro - it is totally overpriced, so pay a visit rather to another place if you want to grab some snack/drink.
Really nice place that hosts Prague gallery!
Just stumbled on this place but what a find. They don't build buildings like this anymore. The stonework is brilliant. Take a photo to remember this.
The temporary exibitions are wonderful!
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Emery blames bad decisions for Arsenal exit as he opens up on failed Zaha transfer
Unai Emery has blamed bad decisions made by the club for his Arsenal exit and confirmed he favoured a move for Wilfried Zaha over Nicolas Pepe in his final season.
The 49-year-old spent 18 months in charge at Emirates Stadium before being sacked in November 2019 and subsequently replaced by Mikel Arteta.
He guided Arsenal to the Europa League final and a fifth-place finish in the Premier League in what proved to be his only full season in charge.
Arsenal spent a club-record £72million to bring in Pepe from Lille ahead of 2019-20, but Emery felt the Gunners should have instead moved for fellow Ivory Coast international Zaha.
"I usually want to sign first the players I know," he told Football.London. "When we played against Crystal Palace, Zaha showed he was a very good player.
"I also think Nicolas Pepe is a very good player. When you make the decision you have to decide how easy the adaption will be of some players.
"I was thinking the adaption was easier for Zaha because he was playing in the Premier League and you didn't know exactly how fast Nicolas Pepe can adapt to the Premier League because I know you can need some time to adapt.
"I was thinking at this time that the adaption of Zaha was probably easier and faster than Pepe."
Pepe has struggled in his year and a half with Arsenal, scoring and assisting a combined 13 goals in 42 Premier League appearances.
That compares to 17 goal involvements for Zaha across the same period in 11 more games, while the Palace winger also completes more dribbles per 90 minutes (3.68 compared to 2.92) and plays more passes into the final third (2.2 to 2).
Pepe's inability to make an impact on games was one of the contributing factors in Emery's exit and the Spaniard rued some of the decisions made during his second season in charge, though he reflects on his time in north London fondly.
"I was in Arsenal for a year and a half and first year I think was a very good season," he said.
"We achieved the Europa League final, we were at the last moment with the possibility to be in the top four and I think last year when I was there we recovered a lot of confidence for the club and the fans and for the players and I think we finished well that season.
"I was very happy, enjoying it and working very well. The club supported me and I was happy with the players, the atmosphere and the supporters – only the second six months of the second year when I finished in November I think we made some decisions not good for the club, but not for me, the decisions of the club.
"When the results were a little bit bad the situation changed but my first year in Arsenal I remember a lot of positive things, on the sidelines the same. I enjoyed being a coach of Arsenal and I'm very grateful for that moment I had in Arsenal.
"For me it's not negative, it was a positive experience and after I left the club the first month was not easy for me because I was running out of things [to do] but now I am very grateful to the owners, the club, the supporters, the players, the workers in Colney.
"I now only remember the very good things there and the first year for me was a very good performance for us.
"I worked well with Mr [Stan] Kroenke, Raul [Sanllehi], [Ivan] Gazidis during the first months there. The results towards the end were the main problem but for me it was a positive experience and I'm grateful to Arsenal for the opportunity.
"This is football. Now I want the best for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, the supporters and everyone at the club."
Another player Emery failed to get the most out of is Mesut Ozil, who has since been completely frozen out of the picture by Arteta and looks set to leave Arsenal this month.
Only Kevin De Bruyne (75), David Silva (63) and Christian Eriksen (62) have provided more Premier League assists than Ozil's 54 since the start of 2013-14, but the German was regularly overlooked for selection.
Emery has defended his treatment of Ozil, however, by insisting he gave the playmaker all the guidance he could.
"I worked for one and a half years with Mesut and tried to help him, support him and achieve the performances for the team with him," said Emery, who was appointed as Villarreal head coach last July.
"Now I don't know what the problems are as I am very concentrated and focused with Villarreal. I follow every Arsenal match but I don't know what the problems are with the team or the players.
"I can only speak about Mesut Ozil when I was with him there and I tried to achieve the best performances with him."
Erling Haaland: Just how brilliant has the Borussia Dortmund's star first year been?
Much has changed in the past 12 months but one thing that has stayed the same is the mind-boggling brilliance of Erling Haaland.
It has been exactly 12 months since the Norway striker made his debut for Borussia Dortmund following a big-money move from Salzburg.
Haaland came off the bench against Augsburg on that occasion after 56 minutes and scored a hat-trick in a 5-3 win, offering a taste of things to come.
Here, we have crunched the Opta numbers to highlight just how brilliant Haaland has been.
Haaland competing with the best
If you're a football fan, the only way you could have not spotted Haaland's meteoric rise over the last year is if you live under the proverbial rock.
Indeed, using data across all competitions for the top-five European leagues since his Dortmund debut, only two players can better his tally of 35 goals.
Prepare to be shocked here (Narrator: there is zero shock value involved), those players were Robert Lewandowski (49) and Cristiano Ronaldo (40).
Ciro Immobile, Romelu Lukaku (each 33) and Lionel Messi (29) all trail Haaland, and when we view the numbers through a different lens his past 12 months become even more impressive.
Both Lewandowski (42) and Ronaldo (40) started more games than Haaland's 29. When looking at goals scored per 90 minutes, the Dortmund's star has 1.18 compared to 1.15 for Lewandowski, and 0.99 for Ronaldo. Surprisingly, Luis Muriel 1.57 heads the way here.
What is even more startling is the fact Haaland had 102 shots (including blocks) during this period, way down on Messi (253), Ronaldo (235) and Lewandowski (180).
Indeed, his goals have come from only 58 shots on target. Messi (115), Lewandowski (90) and Ronaldo (85) again head these metrics.
When looking at shots on target per 90, Haaland (1.96) ranks below Muriel (3.14), Messi (2.53), Kylian Mbappe (2.15), Lewandowski and Ronaldo (each 2.11).
No one can better Haaland's shot-conversion rate of 34.31 (Lewandowski for comparison is fifth on 27.22), and while Lewandowski (40) and Ronaldo (29) beat the 28 'big chances' he has scored, both have a lower 'big-chance' conversion rate (55.56 and 52.73 to Haaland's 60.87).
And when it comes to goals/minutes ratio, Haaland's 76.26 is beaten only by Muriel's 55.33. Lewandowski (78.37) and Ronaldo (90.68) are next on the list.
Bundesliga defences taken to Haal-and back
May we all take a brief moment to show our thoughts for Bundesliga defences, who have been given a torrid time by Lewandowski over the past year.
Okay, that's long enough…
If we crunch similar numbers for goals across all competitions for just Bundesliga strikers, it's not exactly hard to see why Haaland has been such a big star in Germany's top flight.
While Lewandowski's 49 goals remain a high, Haaland's 35 is still comfortably better than Andre Silva (26) and Wout Weghorst (24).
The 1.18 goals per 90 minutes is a best among strikers playing in Germany. Lewandowski is of course close behind, but the next best are Lucas Alario (0.86), Andrej Kramaric (0.8) and Silva (0.76).
Lewandowski (180), Serge Gnabry (112) and Silva (110) have all taken more shots but only Lewandowski's 90 on target beats Haaland's 58. Weghorst (53), Gnabry (52) and Silva (51) are not too far behind.
Silva (22) and Weghorst (21) have each scored fewer of their 'big chances', while only three players have a higher 'big-chance' conversion among Bundesliga players.
In terms of goals/minute ratio – Haaland and Lewandowski are the only players below 100. Alario (105.22), Kramaric (112.25) and Silva (117.88) are way off the pace of the superstar duo.
The main takeaway from all of this is Haaland has been sensational over the past 12 months.


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Home Juul and E-Cigarettes Side Effects EVALI
EVALI
EVALI is an acronym that stands for e-cigarette or vaping product-use associated lung injury. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified and named the condition in 2019 amid a nationwide outbreak of vaping-related injuries. In early research, doctors at the Mayo Clinic described it as resembling a chemical burn to the lungs.
This is an active lawsuit
See if you can file
By Terry Turner
Edited By Sophia Clifton
This page features 13 Cited Research Articles
EVALI is a serious and sometimes fatal lung injury related to vaping. An outbreak of EVALI in 2019 led to hundreds of hospitalizations and dozens of deaths. The CDC has said vitamin E acetate, an ingredient sometimes used in THC-based vape fluids, is "strongly linked" to the condition. THC is the chemical that causes most of marijuana's psychological effects. Symptoms of EVALI can include problems related to breathing or to the digestive system.
The severity of EVALI has led many patients or their survivors to file e-cigarette lawsuits as part of a growing mass litigation in federal court.
Did you suffer from EVALI or another vaping-related injury after e-cigarette use?
A Brief History of EVALI
Health care workers started noticing mysterious vaping-related lung injuries in March 2019 but didn't see a connection at first. Doctors at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin were among the first to notice a pattern after three teens showed up with the same symptoms over the July Fourth weekend.
X-rays showed interstitial pneumonia, a type of pneumonia that crisscrosses the entire lung and is associated with serious underlying diseases. Two other teens had shown up at the hospital with the same symptoms just weeks earlier. All the teens told doctors they had recently used e-cigarettes.
After health care workers in Wisconsin went public with the discovery, state and federal public health agencies launched investigations into the outbreak. Cases were eventually identified in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and two U.S. territories – Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The CDC and state health departments created case definitions to classify confirmed and probable cases in a consistent manner.
The outbreak peaked in September 2019, and began a gradual decline. But the CDC continued to receive reports of new cases into 2020. As of Feb. 18, 2020, EVALI had caused 2,807 hospitalizations and resulted in 68 deaths in the United States and its territories, according to the CDC. There has been no new information from the CDC as of November 2022.
However, the California Department of Public Health reported a total of 249 cases and five deaths in October 2022.
Ages of EVALI Patients, February 2020
Under 18 15%
18 to 24 37%
35 and Older 24%
The agency calculated the median age of those hospitalized as 24 and reported that 76 percent of patients were between 18 and 34 years old. Patients as young as 13 have been diagnosed with EVALI. The youngest to die from it was 15. The information was based on data gathered as of Jan. 14, 2020, according to the CDC.
The cases reported to the CDC included those that had happened prior to the outbreak. But the agency did not say at the time how far back the cases went. In September 2019, Bloomberg reported that it discovered at least 15 vaping-related lung injuries reported in medical literature prior to the outbreak. Those cases went back to 2011.
Virginia doctors in a 2016 case study named an e-cig user's condition "vapor lung," according to the Bloomberg report. Other names used to describe EVALI before the CDC coined the term have included VAPI (vaping associated pulmonary injury), vaping-associated lung injury, vaping-associated lung disease, and vaping-induced lung injury.
Fatal Vaping-Related Lung Illness Underscores Hidden E-Cig Dangers
Terry Turner September 12, 2019
EVALI quickly became the most serious e-cigarette side effect, but it can be difficult to diagnose.
It may be mistaken for the flu because many of the symptoms are similar. EVALI cannot be distinguished from influenza or other respiratory conditions based on signs, symptoms, a doctor's examination or most basic tests by themselves. But it can quickly develop into a potentially deadly lung injury if not treated.
It is important for people who believe they may have EVALI to let their doctor know about their vaping habits. This includes telling the doctor about all THC and nicotine vape fluids the patient has recently used as well as where they were obtained.
EVALI symptoms may include:
Diagnosing EVALI requires doctors to eliminate other possible causes of a patient's symptoms. The doctor begins with an examination and questions about e-cigarette use to determine the patient's risk for EVALI.
The doctor will perform a pulse oximetry test, a painless measurement to determine how well oxygen is being carried to parts of the body farthest from the heart. Patients with low oxygen levels may require a chest x-ray to check for lung damage.
CT scan of what your lungs look like when you have EVALI.
A chest x-ray may also be considered for patients exhibiting respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms. The doctor will attempt to rule out viral or bacterial pneumonia based on those x-rays.
What Causes EVALI?
Vitamin E acetate is "strongly linked" to the EVALI outbreak, according to the CDC. But the agency has not ruled out other vaping chemicals as potential causes. Vitamin E acetate is sometimes used as a thickening agent in vape liquids.
Vitamin E is found in a wide variety of foods and is used in dietary supplements and cosmetics. It's generally safe to eat, swallow or to apply to the skin. But research has shown that it can interfere with lung functions if it's inhaled.
A 2020 study in The New England Journal of Medicine looked at medical samples from 51 EVALI cases and found vitamin E acetate in 48 of the patients.
Other chemicals examined in the study included plant oils, coconut oil and other medium chain triglyceride oils, petroleum products and other thickening agents. The only other chemicals found in any of the patients were coconut oil and limonene. Those turned up in one patient each.
Both THC and Nicotine Vape Liquids Have Been Linked to EVALI
EVALI cases have been identified in people who only vaped nicotine or THC liquids exclusively. But THC users were more likely to be diagnosed with EVALI in a CDC analysis.
Of 2,022 patients hospitalized for EVALI as of Jan. 14, 2020, 33 percent reported vaping only THC liquids according to the CDC. Another 14 percent said they vaped only nicotine products. Overall, 82 percent of the EVALI patients in the analysis reported using THC products, either exclusively or along with nicotine vape products.
Treatment and Prevention
Doctors may first prescribe antibiotics or antiviral drugs to rule out possible infection in suspected EVALI cases. Patients also receive corticosteroids to reduce inflammation in the lungs. But 96 percent of the people who develop EVALI require hospitalization, according to the American Lung Association. Once hospitalized, many patients require a mechanical ventilator to help them breathe.
At least one EVALI patient, a 17-year-old boy, required a double lung transplant due to irreparable vaping-related injuries. Without the new lungs, the teen "would have faced certain death" according to Dr. Hassan Nemeh who led the transplant team at Detroit's Henry Ford Hospital.
Prior to the transplant, the teen spent a month hooked to an ECMO machine, which delivered oxygen directly to his blood and supported his heart and lung functions.
There have been reports of people relapsing or even dying from EVALI shortly after their release from the hospital. It's recommended that patients have a follow-up appointment with their doctors within 48 hours of leaving the hospital.
Preventing EVALI
The best way to prevent EVALI is to avoid vaping products, according to public health organizations.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the CDC recommend that people avoid using any vape products containing THC. The agencies stress that products obtained from informal sources, such as family, friends and online dealers should particularly be avoided.
The agencies also recommend that people should not add any additional substances to vape fluids. The FDA urges people who choose to continue vaping to monitor themselves for EVALI symptoms and seek medical attention if they have health concerns.
People who have stopped smoking tobacco after taking up vaping should not return to tobacco products, according to the CDC. The agency instead recommends seeking medical advice on ways to quit smoking.
E-cigarettes and other vaping products have not been approved as smoking cessation devices. The CDC recommends that anyone considering e-cigarettes should instead talk to their health care professional about FDA-approved smoking cessation options. These include prescription and over-the-counter medications.
The CDC recommends that people who have not started smoking or vaping avoid both. Young people and pregnant women should not vape under any circumstance.
Can Vaping Make COVID-19 Risks Worse?
Terry Turner April 7, 2020
New Vaping Regulations
The 2019 EVALI outbreak focused new attention on vaping's hidden dangers, shining a light on a nearly decade-long delay in aggressively regulating the vaping industry.
"EVALI triggered a great deal of regulatory and legislative attention," Dr. Robert Jackler, co-founder of Stanford Research into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising, told Drugwatch. "EVALI is trivial compared to the long-term mortality and morbidity of smoking. But EVALI did focus the public's attention on the consequences of vaping."
There were few regulations on the vaping industry during its first 10 years. But by the height of the outbreak, the FDA renewed scrutiny on the vaping products while states and cities proposed or enacted e-cigarette and Juul bans.
Voters in San Francisco, where Juul is headquartered, voted in Nov., 2019 to uphold a citywide ban on the sale and distribution of e-cigarettes.
Source: KQED
"I think if there had been better regulation of e-cigarettes, we wouldn't have seen as many cases," Dr. Joshua Mansour, a Los Angeles-based hematologist and oncologist, told Drugwatch. "When something like vaping is regulated, it's harder for people to get, harder for children to get. That definitely plays a role in decreasing the likelihood of patients being hospitalized."
Please seek the advice of a medical professional before making health care decisions.
https://www.drugwatch.com/e-cigarettes/side-effects/evali/
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Written By Terry Turner Writer
Terry Turner has been writing articles and producing news broadcasts for more than 25 years. He covers FDA policy, proton pump inhibitors, and medical devices such as hernia mesh, IVC filters, and hip and knee implants. An Emmy-winning journalist, he has reported on health and medical policy issues before Congress, the FDA and other federal agencies. Some of his qualifications include:
American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) and The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates member
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Health Literacy certificates
Original works published or cited in Washington Examiner, MedPage Today and The New York Times
Appeared as an expert panelist on hernia mesh lawsuits on the BBC
Sophia Clifton Editor
13 Cited Research Articles
California Department of Public Health. (2022, October 1). E-cigarette, or Vaping, Associated Lung Injury (EVALI). Retrieved from https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/Pages/EVALI-Weekly-Public-Report.aspx#
American Lung Association. (n.d.). E-Cigarette or Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI). Retrieved from https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/evali
Blount, B.C. et al. (2020, February 20). Vitamin E Acetate in Bronchoalveolar-Lavage Fluid Associated with EVALI. New England Journal of Medicine. Retrieved from https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1916433
Butt, Y.M. et al. (2019, October 2). Pathology of Vaping-Associated Lung Injury. The New England Journal of Medicine. Retrieved from https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1913069?query=featured_home
Caporale, A. et al. (2019, August 20). Acute Effects of Electronic Cigarette Aerosol Inhalation on Vascular Function Detected at Quantitative MRI. Radiology. Retrieved from https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/radiol.2019190562
Grady, D. (2019, October 2). Lung Damage from Vaping Resembles Chemical Burns, Report Says. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/02/health/vaping-illnesses.html
Joseph, A. (2019, October 2). Vaping-Related Lung Injuries Resemble Chemical Burns, Study Finds. STAT. Retrieved from https://www.statnews.com/2019/10/02/vaping-related-lung-injuries-resemble-chemical-burns-study-finds/
Klivans, L. (2019, November 5). San Francisco Voters Uphold Ban on E-Cigarette Sales, Rejecting Juul-Funded Proposition C. KQED. Retrieved from https://www.kqed.org/news/11784856/san-francisco-voters-uphold-ban-on-e-cigarette-sales-rejecting-juul-funded-proposition-c
Langreth, R. & Etter, L. (2019, September 25). Early Signs of Vaping Health Risks Were Missed or Ignored. Bloomberg. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-25/vaping-illness-signs-were-missed-or-ignored
Stobbe, M. (2019, October 3). U.S. Vaping Illnesses top 1,000; Death Count Is up to 18. Associated Press. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/995d728fb263409ca5f474409bdd164f
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, February 14). For Healthcare Providers. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease/healthcare-providers/index.html
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, October 3). Transcript of CDC Telebriefing: Lung Injury Investigation. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/t1003-lung-injury-investigation.html
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2019, October 4). Statement on Consumer Warning to Stop Using THC Vaping Products Amid Ongoing Investigation Into Lung Illnesses. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/statement-consumer-warning-stop-using-thc-vaping-products-amid-ongoing-investigation-lung-illnesses
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It started as a Palm Sunday experiment. A Minnesota forestry professor tested the idea of offering environmentally friendly palms to churches to protect the forests in Central America and to support the palm laborers' communities. This past week — a dozen years later — nearly 1 million "Eco-Palms" were delivered to churches across the nation.
It's still a small fraction of the estimated 45 million palms that will be waved in U.S. churches this weekend. But Eco-Palm branches will be swaying in nearly 5,000 churches in 49 states.
And it's all orchestrated through a low-budget operation based in a small office on the University of Minnesota campus and the homes of a former St. Paul florist and several temporary staff.
The Minnesota-grown enterprise, tapping the thriving environmental movement among religious groups, may be unique in the nation.
"As far as I know, we're the only ones doing this," said Dean Current, director of the U's Center for Integrated Natural Resource and Agricultural Management, who launched the project. "We've got kind of unique partnerships that makes this work, and that would make it hard to replicate."
The partnerships start with four communities in Guatemala and Mexico where workers tend palm forests using "sustainable" practices.
Anna Sanchez analyzed, organized and displayed the environmentally-friendly palms that were delivered at Central Presbyterian Church in St. Paul.
An environmental group in each country trains workers and coordinates with a U.S. palm importer. A Minnesota businessman oversees sales and distribution.
Meanwhile religious partners such as Lutheran World Service and the Presbyterian Church USA emerged as de facto product marketers, sparking an initial blitz of publicity.
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in St. Paul was one of the first to sign on. When its members march around the block Sunday, they'll be waving pesticide-free palms harvested by workers getting a cut of the profits.
"On Palm Sunday we celebrate a world in which we take care of each other and take care of the earth," said the Rev. Bradley Schmeling, whose church boasts a rain garden, bee-friendly plants, only LED light bulbs and fair trade coffee. "For us, Eco-Palms are a way to bring caring for creation into the worship service."
Few Christians even consider how palms land in their pews. But swiftly transporting nearly 1 million fragile palm branches to 5,000 churches can be a challenge, Current said.
Deliveries must be prompt. Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, is a major Christian holy day marking Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem as supporters waved palm branches before him. There is no Palm Monday for late deliveries.
Unlike fair-trade coffee, with a long shelf life, palm leaves dry out. There's roughly a two-week window to swiftly move fresh branches from Mexico and Guatemala through church doors, Current said.
A key player on the Minnesota end is Don Hermes, a former St. Paul florist who has been coordinating sales and delivery since early on. Last weekend, his crew was sorting through hundreds of boxes of palms at a local warehouse. On Wednesday, he was still rushing to the warehouse for final orders.
"My job is to get everyone their products, on time, and in good condition," said Hermes, who considers his work a labor of love.
Minnesota is an unlikely hub for a product rooted in tropical sunshine. The project came about after Current, an expert in Central American forestry, was contacted in 2000 by the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation. Staff asked if he'd study the feasibility of marketing fair-trade palms.
Five years later, the first batch of branches landed in the Twin Cities. Current — who had taken the churches' orders on his office phone — loaded up his van and personally delivered 5,000 palm branches to North Dakota and Minnesota. It took four days.
"We quickly realized this was not sustainable," he quipped. That's when FedEx came to the rescue.
A typical order today is about 250 to 300 palm fronds, which costs $78 plus $22 shipping, said Current. That's how many were delivered to Central Presbyterian Church in St. Paul this week.
On Friday, the green branches were laid out across the front row pews, drying. Office manager Anna Sanchez created a couple palm arrangements in vases near the altar.
"Social justice is important to people in this church, and the palms are one more way to show it," said church music director Jennifer Anderson, eyeing the blanket of leaves. "And having this be local is a neat connection."
While Protestant congregations have embraced the new palms, Catholics are not signing up in droves. Curious about that, Current discovered that Catholics prefer a palm variety with a longer stem they can braid, not the shorter, multi-leaf branches of the Eco-Palms.
In recent years, about $50,000 from palm sales is sent annually to host communities, Current said.
In Guatemala, the money has paid for student scholarships, teachers and a community kitchen. In Mexico, projects included a retirement fund for palm cutters and a palm cold storage unit, he said.
"The people decide what to do with the money," he said.
But the arrangement has also hit some snags. Some villagers believe they should be getting paid more, since their palms are sold at a much higher price than they are paid in wages, acknowledged Current, who said the costs of processing and distributing drives up the U.S. sale price.
Meanwhile one of the accountants in Guatemala stole some cash, he said. And a change in leadership at the U.S. palm importer has created slower payments to the villages, which have limited financial safety nets.
To give more financial stability down the road, Eco-Palm partners are considering creating an endowment fund for them, said Current.
Eco-Palms also wants to crank up its marketing to religious groups, he said, as it hasn't done any significant outreach in years. The goal is to put the project on solid footing for the future so that the communities in Mexico and Guatemala can independently "pick this up and run with it."
Current said Eco-Palms has been a successful beyond his dreams, adding, "I wish we could repeat this 100 times, in other locations."


Chunhua Shen is an ARC Future Fellow (awarded in 2012) and Professor of Computer Science at University of Adelaide. He is part of the Australian Centre for Visual Technologies (ACVT). His research and teaching focus on Statistical Machine Learning and Computer Vision.
He did the PhD study at Adelaide; then worked at the NICTA (formerly National ICT Australia) computer vision program for about six years. From 2006 to 2011, he held an adjunct position at College of Engineering & Computer Science, Australian National University. He moved back to Adelaide in 2011.


When approached by the author to read the next installment of the Du Lac Chronicles, I squealed with delight and answered with a hearty, YES! I couldn't wait to start the next book! This book, however, doesn't follow the story of Alden and Annis. It is the story of Merton. Merton is a lot more rogue than Alden. Remember Merton in the first book? He was Alden's brother who acted like a drunk lunatic in court. People really didn't filter what they talked about around him because they figured he really wasn't in the right mind to remember or hear what they were saying.
The book opens with Merton and Alden building the castle so that they have something to live in for the winter. The General James comes and gets Merton to take care of a situation amongst the troops. A soldier is using the slaves that they plan on selling for profit as "target practice" so to speak. Merton comes upon the slaves fighting soldiers to the death. Through breaking up the fighting he meets Yrre. Yrre eventually becomes a mercenary who fights with him. The story then flashes forward 5 years. Merton, Yrre and the rest of Merton's men are trapped between two armies. They make a plan. Well, Merton does. They steal uniforms from one of the armies and sneak into his brother's (Budic) kingdom. Once they arrive, Merton discovers that his sister-in-law Anna and her new baby have died of fever and are being buried the next day. While visiting his brother, Merton discovers that he has feelings for his dead brother's (Garren) wife Amandine. He loves her deeply. More than anyone he has ever had feelings for. He doesn't care that she has an old drunkard for a husband. He is willing to kill him and whisk her away. Suddenly, they all find themselves in the middle of a rebellion to usurp Budic as the king. Will they succeed in their actions to cull the rebellion?
I loved the second book in the series. It had all the feels. Love, romance, suspense, rebellion, and sadness. The author does an amazing job of making the characters come alive. She deepens Merton's character and makes him more human. She makes him both a monster, him locking in the villagers into a barn and lighting it on fire, and a hero, showing how caring he is by risking his own life to come back to save his love, Amandine. I don't think I can wait until the next book comes out. The story was left on a huge cliffhanging bombshell that I didn't even see coming.
You can get your own copy of The Du Lac Devil (Book 2) on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Also add it to your To Reads list on Goodreads and make sure to leave feedback for the author when you are done!


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Expectations high for modern varieties, more in June 9-10 Maresch sale
One of only three known lower-left corner margin blocks of four 50-cent 'Ghost Town' varieties is catalogued at $12,500 as Lot 403.
The R. Maresch & Son auction firm will offer more than 1,000 lots, with a focus on Canada and Newfoundland, in its next major sale this June.
In addition to classic Canadian and Newfoundland stamps and postal history, the two-session sale offers several modern varieties, including two lots catalogued at more than $12,000 each. As with the previous Maresch sale in January – when one of only two known imperforate upper-left plate blocks of 1974 telephone stamps (SC #641a) sold for $1,400 – auctioneers' expectations are high for June 9-10.
"Modern varieties have been doing better the last couple of auctions, with many of these going to bidders in the United States," said auctioneer Peter Maresch, the grandson of late founder Richard Maresch, who launched the business in Austria in 1924.
Now based in Aurora, Ont., the long-running auction house is set to offer more than 65 of its clients' consignments in this June's sale.
Leading the way is a lower-left corner margin block of four 50-cent "Ghost Town" varieties (SC #723Ab) – one of three known examples with the brown inscriptions omitted. Offered as Lot 403, the block features "a few minute traces of offset on the upper-left stamps," auctioneers said. Described as being in Very Fine (VF), never-hinged (NH) condition it's accompanied by a 2009 Richard Gratton certificate and carries a catalogue value of $12,500.
A matched set of imperforate imprint blocks of four 45-cent pronghorn stamps is catalogued at $12,000 as Lot 422.
Dozens of other errors and varieties line this section of the catalogue, with the 1917 Confederation issue (SC #135) through modern material running from Lots 334-442.
Within that offering, a matched set of imperforate imprint blocks of four 45-cent pronghorn stamps (SC #1172h) will cross the block as Lot 422. The upper-left block has a small internal crease in its upper-right margin, the lower-left block has "a couple of wrinkles," and the lower-right block has an internal crease in its bottom margin, according to auctioneers. Again described as VF-NH, the set is catalogued at $12,000.
A single imperforate block of four pronghorn stamps – also described as VF-NH – is also offered as Lot 421 with a catalogue value of $2,400.
SESSION ONE: CLASSIC HIGHLIGHTS
Among the classic highlights in session one, which will offer Lots 1-538 on June 9, is the Province of Canada's 1855 Jacques Cartier issue (SC #7).
A mint pair of 1857 half- penny rose stamps is catalogued at $5,600 as Lot 197.
The used 10-pence blue stamp on thin paper will cross the block as Lot 196 with "full to large margins" and a "minute" thin above the "S" in "POSTAGE," auctioneers said. Described as VF and accompanied by a 2020 Greene Foundation certificate, the lot carries a catalogue value of $16,000.
The following lot – 197 – offers a mint pair of 1857 half-penny rose stamps (SC #8) featuring Queen Victoria's left-facing portrait. With original gum and described by auctioneers as "striking," it's accompanied by a 2019 Greene Foundation certificate and carries a catalogue value of $5,600.
A rare piece of postal history will cross the block as Lot 204. A 10-cent Prince Albert (SC #16) and five-cent vermillion stamp (SC #15) – both from 1859 – are tied to the large cover by an Aug. 15, 1859-dated Toronto, Upper Canada, circular datestamp. A Hamilton double split-ring postmark is also on the back. Accompanied by 2003 American Philatelic Expertizing Service and 2008 Greene Foundation certificates, the cover is expected to bring at least $4,000.
A rare 1859 cover mailed from Hamilton to Toronto, then part of Upper Canada, is estimated at $4,000-plus as Lot 204. It's franked with a 10-cent Prince Albert stamp (right) and a five-cent vermillion stamp, both tied by an Aug. 15, 1859-dated Toronto circular datestamp.
Session one also offers several noteworthy blocks, strips and pairs, including:
Lot 297, a right margin block of four 50-cent purple stamps issued in 1908 (SC #95), described as Extremely Fine and catalogued at $6,000;
Lot 298, a top plate strip of three 50-cent purple stamps (SC #95i) with an "OTTAWA – No – 1" imprint in the top margin, described as VF and catalogued at $8,250;
Lot 325, a rare bottom margin block of four 10-cent plum Admirals (SC #116) showing "Type C" lathework, described as Fine and catalogued at $6,000;
Lot 326, a bottom margin pair of 10-cent plum Admirals (SC #116), again with Type C lathework, described as VF and catalogued at $7,500; and
Lot 477, a rare top partial inscription block of four Patricia Airways & Exploration Company 50-cent dark violet and red semi-official airmail stamps on dark blue paper (SC #CL18TCP). With the upper-right stamp featuring the "Small V" variety, the block – in VF-NH condition – is catalogued at $12,000.
A top plate strip of three 50-cent purple stamps with an 'OTTAWA – No – 1' imprint is catalogued at $8,250 as Lot 298.
SESSION TWO: NEWFOUNDLAND HIGHLIGHTS
Several noteworthy Newfoundland lots will also cross the block during session two (Lots 539-1068) on June 10.
A surcharged block of six one-cent-on-three-cent Newfoundland stamps (Scott #75-77) is offered as Lot 593. Three of the block's overprints are Type A while two are Type C and the remaining one is Type B. The top middle and right stamps are both hinged; however, the remaining stamps are described as NH with original gum. Accompanied by a 2021 Greene Foundation certificate, it's catalogued at $3,450.
Lastly, a rare 1930 "Columbia" flight cover will cross the block as Lot 636. A Sept. 25, 1930-dated St. John's, Nfld., machine cancel ties an overprinted 50-cent-on-36-cent Newfoundland caribou airmail stamp (Scott #C5) to the cover. Mailed to London, England, it features a manuscript reading, "per. Air Mail Columbia / Harbor Grace, N.F. to London Eng. / Sept 25th 1930." An Oct. 9, 1930-dated Harbour Grace receiver mark is also on the back alongside a small black ownership mark. Accompanied by a 2009 Philatelic Foundation certificate, it's catalogued at $18,000.
A rare 1930 'Columbia' flight cover is catalogued at $18,000 as Lot 636.
Only 100 covers with the Columbia flight overprinted stamp were flown on the Miss Columbia for the 1930 transatlantic flight from Harbor Grace to England.
Aside from Canada and Newfoundland, other auction highlights include comprehensive British Commonwealth material, the sought-after 1980 People's Republic of China "Year of the Monkey" block of four, and "many other worldwide collections," Maresch said.
"It also contains many large carton lots, and our shelves are again full," he added.
Both live online auction sessions kick off at 10 a.m. (ET); however, because of COVID-19, no in-person floor bidding will be available.
The sale can also be viewed online via Stamp Auction Network – bit.ly/3b0GP4B – or the Maresch website, maresch.com. For printed catalogues, contact R. Maresch & Son, 2 Vata Ct. (Unit 6), Aurora ON, L4G 4B6, or call 1-905-726-2197.
Orapex deadline extended to Jan. 31 Posted 9 hours ago


One of the great pleasures of living in Las Cruces is its proximity to so many wonderfully diverse getaway spots. Lakes, mountains, sand dunes, desert trails, river excursions – the possibilities are endless for those wanting to get out of town for a few hours or even a few days.
A truly enchanting region of southern New Mexico can be found two hours west in the Gila Wilderness of Grant County, tucked away along the winding Mimbres River. Here farmers and ranchers still value the same elements they have for generations: cattle, crops and kin. Rolling hills and grassy savannas give way to rocky outcroppings dotted with juniper and pion pine and eventually to mountain vistas crowned by Ponderosa pine.
In this picturesque corner of the state, the past and present intermingle and every family has a story to tell. History is compressed and the farther off the main roads one wanders the further back in time one finds oneself.
One such place is Georgetown, a once bustling silver mining boomtown of the mid- to late-19th century that has all but disappeared into the annals of history, leaving little but overgrown foundations, crumbling footings and the occasional relic hidden in tall grass. High above the Georgetown site on Parapet Mountain, sits a grouping of cabins owned by an enterprising couple whose mission, it seems, is to keep the memory of Georgetown alive.
Jon and Susie Eickhoff are corporate retirees who settled in these mountains at the beginning of the 21st century, after successful careers as owners of a research and development firm in Michigan that counted as its clients such notable brands as IBM, Xerox and AT&T. Today, they own land all over the Mimbres Valley, including the old McGregor mining claim just above the original site of Georgetown.
History aside, the area the Eickhoffs have chosen for their cabin retreat is a panorama of pleasure given to glorious sunrises that paint the valley in vibrant shades of green, blue, yellow, orange and pink and spectacular sunsets with explosions of color from the deepest red to the brightest orange, punctuated with distinctly banded rainbows during the rainy season. At night, the canopy of stars is overwhelming, with the milky way dividing the darkness – a river of stars unfathomable – and the quiet is so profound it is almost sepulchral in its vastness.
It is very easy to see why generations of pioneers put down roots here. For some, it must be the closest they had ever come to heaven on Earth, despite the hardships of making a life here.
Expertly designed by Susie Eickhoff and built much like efficiency apartments, the cabins each have a combined living room-kitchen area, offset by a bookcase, behind which is the bed. Energy-efficient fireplaces, operated via thermostat, keep the temperature perfectly regulated and make for cozy evenings and mornings. A bath and vanity area take up about a quarter of the 400 square feet. Each cabin is themed after the life of one of the area's more colorful characters, and named accordingly.
Some, like the Brannin cabin, named for Stanton Strother Brannin, a rough and tumble character who owned the first patented mining claim in New Mexico and was the father of 13 children, features walls and ceiling of blonde tongue-and-groove wood with integrated beams.
Another, named for Lottie Deno, a notorious gambler who provided sanctuary for desperados in Georgetown and was the inspiration for Miss Kitty on the "Gunsmoke" television series, has whitewashed stucco walls with decorative wallpaper wainscoting on the bottom half.
The bath and kitchen are generously stocked with toiletries and all the necessaries to prepare light meals, including glassware, dishes, pots, pans and a full-sized coffee maker. A full-sized refrigerator and two-burner stove wrap around to a double bowl sink and a breakfast sitting area.
The furnishings are comfortable, with overstuffed armchairs or couches. The decorations are in keeping with the cabin's namesake, including shotguns, needlepoint, large framed maps of "Pioneer New Mexico" and other treasures. The floors are either wooden or tiled throughout. Ceiling fans move air around in the bedroom area and the living area, over the fireplace. All in all, very nice arrangements and perfect for the weekend traveler.
For those who cannot live without their modern conveniences, a television with satellite access and a full slate of popular movies on dvd are offered. Books and magazines line the bookshelves, including many books on the history of the area.
Outside the cabins are covered patio areas, with tables and chairs, as well as gas firepits with lounge chairs facing out into the valley. The entire area is surrounded on all sides by piion pine, juniper and occasional cottonwood trees. Hiking trails also abound, throughout the area, for the adventurous.
As if that weren't enough, the Eickhoffs have also provided areas of relaxation for their guests on two large communal patios, one with tables, chairs and benches overlooking the Georgetown site, the other a bit farther up the mountain with lounge chairs and a solar soaking tub flavored with Dead Sea Salts to keep skin hydrated. The overall effect is one of comfort and leisure.
If it's a quick daytrip you're looking for, the Mimbres Valley has plenty to offer, but if a weekend retreat or an extended submersion into a simpler way of living are what's needed, the Georgetown site and the Georgetown Cabins overlooking it are hard to beat. History, comfort and wide open spaces that seem to go on forever – that's the real New Mexico.
David Salcido can be reached at 680-1845 or david@lascrucesbulletin.com.


Agency/State entity internet websites must be in compliance with California Government Code Sections 7405 and 11135, and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. The following links will give you the technical assistance you need to start determining if your websites are compliant with California Government Code Section 11546.7 and various tools to modify your site to make it accessible.
The courses offered are targeting specific audiences to meet various aspects of accessibility.
Making Web Documents Accessible (Adobe and MS Office) – Intended for content creators.
Web Accessibility Compliance Training for Developers – Intended for technical developers of websites and applications.
Accessibility Awareness & Overview – Intended for managers and executives (Coming in March 2019).
It's important to effectively plan prior to starting an accessibility assessment. The assessment planning documents will help determine tasks and work needed, how to approach and implement the work practically, what standards you will use, the number or resources required and how to communicate the results.
Usability and accessibility are different lenses to assess user experience. An accessibility assessment supports evaluation of IT systems for compliance with applicable statutes and policies. For a system to truly be accessible, it must be usable for the person employing assistive technology and provide an experience comparable to a person not using assistive technology.