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Justia Dockets & Filings Ninth Circuit Arizona District Court McNeal v. Florence Correctional Center et al Filing 20
McNeal v. Florence Correctional Center et al
ORDER, Plaintiff's Second Amended Complaint 19 and this action are dismissed for failure to state a claim; the Clerk must enter judgment accordingly; the Clerk must make an entry on the docket stating that the dismissal for failure to state a claim may count as a "strike" under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g); the docket shall reflect that the Court certifies, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3) and Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure 24(a)(3)(A), that any appeal of this decision would not be taken in good faith. Signed by Judge David G Campbell on 5/7/14. (REW)
1 2 MDR WO 3 4 5 6 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 7 FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA 8 9 Troy Terrell McNeal, 10 11 12 No. CV 13-00325-PHX-DGC (JFM) Plaintiff, vs. ORDER Florence Correctional Center, et al., 13 Defendants. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 On February 11, 2013, Plaintiff Troy Terrell McNeal, who is confined in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's Valley State Prison in Chowchilla, California, filed a pro se civil rights Complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. In a February 13, 2013 Order, United States Magistrate Judge Dennis L. Beck transferred the case to this Court because Plaintiff had filed the case in the wrong district. In a June 10, 2013 Order, the Court noted that Plaintiff had not paid the $350.00 civil action filing fee or filed an Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis. The Court gave Plaintiff 30 days to either pay the filing fee or file a complete Application to Proceed. On July 11, 2013, Plaintiff filed a Motion for Extension of Time and a Motion to Amend Civil Complaint. On August 15, 2013, Plaintiff filed an Application to Proceed In Forma Pauperis. In an October 4, 2013 Order, the Court granted the Motion for Extension of Time, the Motion to Amend, and the Application to Proceed, and dismissed 1 the Complaint because Plaintiff had failed to state a claim upon which relief could be 2 granted. The Court gave Plaintiff 30 days to file an amended complaint that cured the 3 deficiencies identified in the Order. 4 On November 12, 2013, Plaintiff filed a Petition for Extension of Time, which the 5 Court granted in a November 20, 2013 Order. On December 9, 2013, Plaintiff filed his 6 First Amended Complaint. In a December 31, 2013 Order, the Court dismissed the First 7 Amended Complaint for failure to comply with Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Civil 8 Procedure. The Court gave Plaintiff 30 days to file a second amended complaint that 9 cured the deficiencies identified in the Order. 10 On January 27, 2014, Plaintiff filed his Second Amended Complaint (Doc. 19). 11 The Court will dismiss the Second Amended Complaint and this action. 12 I. Statutory Screening of Prisoner Complaints 13 The Court is required to screen complaints brought by prisoners seeking relief 14 against a governmental entity or an officer or an employee of a governmental entity. 28 15 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). The Court must dismiss a complaint or portion thereof if a plaintiff 16 has raised claims that are legally frivolous or malicious, that fail to state a claim upon 17 which relief may be granted, or that seek monetary relief from a defendant who is 18 immune from such relief. 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1), (2). 19 A pleading must contain a "short and plain statement of the claim showing that the 20 pleader is entitled to relief." Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2) (emphasis added). While Rule 8 21 does not demand detailed factual allegations, "it demands more than an unadorned, the- 22 defendant-unlawfully-harmed-me accusation." 23 (2009). "Threadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere 24 conclusory statements, do not suffice." Id. Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 25 "[A] complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to 'state a 26 claim to relief that is plausible on its face.'" Id. (quoting Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 27 550 U.S. 544, 570 (2007)). A claim is plausible "when the plaintiff pleads factual 28 content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable -2- 1 for the misconduct alleged." Id. "Determining whether a complaint states a plausible 2 claim for relief [is] . . . a context-specific task that requires the reviewing court to draw 3 on its judicial experience and common sense." Id. at 679. Thus, although a plaintiff's 4 specific factual allegations may be consistent with a constitutional claim, a court must 5 assess whether there are other "more likely explanations" for a defendant's conduct. Id. 6 at 681. 7 But as the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has instructed, 8 courts must "continue to construe pro se filings liberally." Hebbe v. Pliler, 627 F.3d 338, 9 342 (9th Cir. 2010). A "complaint [filed by a pro se prisoner] 'must be held to less 10 stringent standards than formal pleadings drafted by lawyers.'" Id. (quoting Erickson v. 11 Pardus, 551 U.S. 89, 94 (2007) (per curiam)). 12 II. Second Amended Complaint 13 In his three-count Second Amended Complaint, Plaintiff sues the following 14 Defendants: Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), CCA's Florence Correctional 15 Center (CCA-FCC), and Dentist Jane Doe. 16 In Count One, Plaintiff alleges that he was subjected to "[n]egligence under 17 deliberate indifference under Eight[h] Amendment" regarding his dental care. Plaintiff 18 asserts that he is a State of California inmate that was sent to CCA-FCC, received a 19 dental checkup at CCA-FCC, was advised that he needed dental work done, and 20 submitted a dental request because of his pain. Plaintiff claims that Defendant Doe filled 21 his teeth and told Plaintiff that pursuant to a contract with the California Department of 22 Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), she was only permitted to fill, clean, or extract 23 teeth. 24 Plaintiff contends that he continued to have problems with the teeth Defendant 25 Doe had filled. Plaintiff asserts that Defendant Doe told Plaintiff that she would perform 26 three root canals and fit a silver cap on one tooth. Plaintiff states that after Defendant 27 Doe did the root canals, she attempted to fit the silver cap on his tooth, but it would not 28 fit. Therefore, Defendant Doe ground down an adjacent tooth, which allegedly caused -3- 1 that tooth to weaken. 2 Plaintiff states that Defendant Doe told Plaintiff that he needed additional dental 3 work, she was not supposed to do that work under the CDCR contract, but if Plaintiff 4 submitted a request for a cleaning, she would finish the other root canals and caps and 5 bill federal agencies for the dental work. However, Plaintiff was returned to California, 6 where he eventually discovered that Defendant Doe did not do full root canals, leaving 7 part of the roots in Plaintiff's teeth. 8 Plaintiff alleges that, due to Defendant Doe's negligence, he had gum infections, 9 which ate away at his nasal cavity, and that part of his tooth broke off due to the grinding 10 Defendant Doe did. Plaintiff states that due to Defendant Doe's "ind[i]fference," he 11 needs extensive dental work to correct her mistakes, is in constant pain, has infections 12 "every-other week," needs additional dental work, and has "sinus bleeds" and a sinus 13 infection that is eating his nasal cavity. 14 In Count Two, Plaintiff alleges that he was subjected to cruel and unusual 15 punishment, in violation of the Eighth Amendment, regarding his dental care. He states 16 that Defendants Doe, CCA, and CCA-FCC unnecessarily inflicted pain and suffering on 17 him with "great disregard for the excessive risk to [Plaintiff's] health" because 18 Defendants CCA and CCA-FCC allowed Defendant Doe to perform, or should have 19 known that she would perform, procedures that were not part of the contract with the 20 CDCR or federal agencies, including partial root canals and tooth grinding. Plaintiff 21 asserts that Defendants CCA and CCA-FCC should have known about Defendant Doe's 22 fraudulent acts. Plaintiff alleges that Defendant Doe's negligence and fraudulent actions 23 were done for monetary gain and that they have affected Plaintiff's way of life and 24 imposed a future financial burden on him because he will need to pay for future medical 25 and dental work. 26 In Count Three, Plaintiff alleges that he was subjected to "[g]ross negligence/ 27 medical malpractice/deliberate indifference for financial gain," in violation of the Eighth 28 Amendment. He asserts that Defendants Doe, CCA, and CCA-FCC were grossly -4- 1 negligent in treating Plaintiff's needs because they "put profit ahead of [Plaintiff's] 2 medical and dental needs" when Defendant Doe performed three root canals, placed a 3 silver cap on a tooth, and ground down a tooth. Plaintiff claims Defendant Doe had no 4 regard for Plaintiff's medical and dental needs and that, by billing a federal agency for 5 dental work done on a state inmate, Plaintiff acted recklessly and for monetary gain. 6 Plaintiff asserts that Defendant Doe's actions have caused him pain and suffering and 7 future medical bills and that her dental work was "gross[ly] negligen[t], deliberate and 8 indifferen[t] to [Plaintiff's] needs." 9 10 Plaintiff seeks monetary damages. III. Failure to State a Claim 11 Although pro se pleadings are liberally construed, Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 12 520-21 (1972), conclusory and vague allegations will not support a cause of action. Ivey 13 v. Bd. of Regents of the Univ. of Alaska, 673 F.2d 266, 268 (9th Cir. 1982). Further, a 14 liberal interpretation of a civil rights complaint may not supply essential elements of the 15 claim that were not initially pled. Id. 16 To state a valid claim under § 1983, plaintiffs must allege that they suffered a 17 specific injury as a result of specific conduct of a defendant and show an affirmative link 18 between the injury and the conduct of that defendant. See Rizzo v. Goode, 423 U.S. 362, 19 371-72, 377 (1976). 20 therefore, a defendant's position as the supervisor of persons who allegedly violated 21 Plaintiff's constitutional rights does not impose liability. Monell v. New York City Dep't 22 of Soc. Servs., 436 U.S. 658, 691-92 (1978); Hamilton v. Endell, 981 F.2d 1062, 1067 23 (9th Cir. 1992); Taylor v. List, 880 F.2d 1040, 1045 (9th Cir. 1989). "Because vicarious 24 liability is inapplicable to Bivens and § 1983 suits, a plaintiff must plead that each 25 Government-official defendant, through the official's own individual actions, has 26 violated the Constitution." Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 676. "A plaintiff must allege facts, not 27 simply conclusions, that show that an individual was personally involved in the 28 deprivation of his civil rights." Barren v. Harrington, 152 F.3d 1193, 1194 (9th Cir. There is no respondeat superior liability under § 1983, and -5- 1 1998). Conclusory allegations that a Defendant or group of Defendants has violated a 2 constitutional right are insufficient. 3 A. 4 To state a claim under § 1983 against a private entity performing a traditional 5 public function, such as providing medical/dental care to prisoners, a plaintiff must allege 6 facts to support that his constitutional rights were violated as a result of a policy, 7 decision, or custom promulgated or endorsed by the private entity. See Tsao v. Desert 8 Palace, Inc., 698 F.3d 1128, 1138-39 (9th Cir. 2012); Buckner v. Toro, 116 F.3d 450, 452 9 (11th Cir. 1997). Defendant CCA 10 Plaintiff does not allege that Defendant CCA promulgated or endorsed a policy, 11 decision, or custom that resulted in the alleged violation of Plaintiff's rights. Moreover, 12 because there is no respondeat superior liability under § 1983, Defendant CCA is not 13 liable simply because it employed individuals who allegedly violated Plaintiff's 14 constitutional rights. Thus, Plaintiff has failed to state a claim against Defendant CCA, 15 and the Court will dismiss Defendant CCA. 16 B. 17 Section 1983 imposes liability on any "person" who violates an individual's 18 federal rights while acting under color of state law. Defendant CCA-FCC is a building or 19 collection of buildings, not a person or legally created entity capable of being sued. 20 Therefore, the Court will dismiss Defendant CCA-FCC. Defendant CCA-FCC 21 C. 22 Not every claim by a prisoner relating to inadequate medical/dental treatment 23 states a violation of the Eighth or Fourteenth Amendment. To state a § 1983 medical 24 claim, a plaintiff must show that the defendants acted with "deliberate indifference to 25 serious medical needs." Jett v. Penner, 439 F.3d 1091, 1096 (9th Cir. 2006) (quoting 26 Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97, 104 (1976)). 27 medical need" by demonstrating that failure to treat the condition could result in further Defendant Doe 28 -6- A plaintiff must show (1) a "serious 1 significant injury or the unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain and (2) the defendant's 2 response was deliberately indifferent. Jett, 439 F.3d at 1096 (quotations omitted). 3 "Deliberate indifference is a high legal standard." Toguchi v. Chung, 391 F.3d 4 1051, 1060 (9th Cir. 2004). To act with deliberate indifference, a prison official must 5 both know of and disregard an excessive risk to inmate health; "the official must both be 6 aware of facts from which the inference could be drawn that a substantial risk of serious 7 harm exists, and he must also draw the inference." Farmer v. Brennan, 511 U.S. 825, 8 837 (1994). 9 purposeful act or failure to respond to a prisoner's pain or possible medical need and 10 harm caused by the indifference. Jett, 439 F.3d at 1096. Deliberate indifference may 11 also be shown when a prison official intentionally denies, delays, or interferes with 12 medical treatment or by the way prison doctors respond to the prisoner's medical needs. 13 Estelle, 429 U.S. at 104-05; Jett, 439 F.3d at 1096. Deliberate indifference in the medical context may be shown by a 14 Deliberate indifference is a higher standard than negligence or lack of ordinary 15 due care for the prisoner's safety. Farmer, 511 U.S. at 835. "Neither negligence nor 16 gross negligence will constitute deliberate indifference." Clement v. California Dep't of 17 Corrections, 220 F. Supp. 2d 1098, 1105 (N.D. Cal. 2002); see also Broughton v. Cutter 18 Labs., 622 F.2d 458, 460 (9th Cir. 1980) (mere claims of "indifference," "negligence," or 19 "medical malpractice" do not support a claim under § 1983). "A difference of opinion 20 does not amount to deliberate indifference to [a plaintiff's] serious medical needs." 21 Sanchez v. Vild, 891 F.2d 240, 242 (9th Cir. 1989). A mere delay in medical care, 22 without more, is insufficient to state a claim against prison officials for deliberate 23 indifference. See Shapley v. Nevada Bd. of State Prison Comm'rs, 766 F.2d 404, 407 24 (9th Cir. 1985). The indifference must be substantial. The action must rise to a level of 25 "unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain." Estelle, 429 U.S. at 105. 26 At most, Defendant Doe may have provided treatment in excess of her contract 27 with the CDCR and may have acted negligently or committed medical malpractice. None 28 -7- 1 of this, however, rises to the level of deliberate indifference and Plaintiff's allegations do 2 not support a deliberate indifference claim. Thus, the Court will dismiss Defendant Doe. 3 IV. Dismissal without Leave to Amend 4 Because Plaintiff has failed to state a claim in his Second Amended Complaint, the 5 Court will dismiss his Second Amended Complaint. "Leave to amend need not be given 6 if a complaint, as amended, is subject to dismissal." Moore v. Kayport Package Express, 7 Inc., 885 F.2d 531, 538 (9th Cir. 1989). The Court's discretion to deny leave to amend is 8 particularly broad where Plaintiff has previously been permitted to amend his complaint. 9 Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe v. United States, 90 F.3d 351, 355 (9th Cir. 1996). 10 Repeated failure to cure deficiencies is one of the factors to be considered in deciding 11 whether justice requires granting leave to amend. Moore, 885 F.2d at 538. 12 Plaintiff has made three efforts at crafting a viable complaint and appears unable 13 to do so despite specific instructions from the Court. The Court finds that further 14 opportunities to amend would be futile. Therefore, the Court, in its discretion, will 15 dismiss Plaintiff's Second Amended Complaint without leave to amend. 16 IT IS ORDERED: 17 (1) Plaintiff's Second Amended Complaint (Doc. 19) and this action are 18 dismissed for failure to state a claim, and the Clerk of Court must enter judgment 19 accordingly. 20 21 22 (2) The Clerk of Court must make an entry on the docket stating that the dismissal for failure to state a claim may count as a "strike" under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). (3) The docket shall reflect that the Court certifies, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 23 § 1915(a)(3) and Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure 24(a)(3)(A), that any appeal of 24 this decision would not be taken in good faith. 25 Dated this 7th day of May, 2014. 26 27 28 -8-


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Culture Humor Lifestyle Musings Satire Spirituality
Bacon: My Gateway Meat
There's something about bacon that keeps bringing me back to meat. Throughout my life I've had many solid stints of vegetarianism thwarted by the smell and ultimately, the crumbling of my will to the scrumptious virtues of bacon.
I might turn to gnawing off my arm on afternoons when I find myself a little peckish if I were to bathe in this.
I've taken to referring to bacon as my 'gateway meat'. It always seems to happen that, well into a course of vegetarianism, I forget myself and and accept an invitation to dine with friends at a place with a breakfast buffet. There, I am tempted by row upon row of sausages, ham, and bacon. I look despondently at my plate of scrambled eggs, hash browns, and pancakes, as if staring at a photo of orphaned children pining for a family. Then, the seed of my undoing emerges: "a couple of strips of bacon won't hurt, will it?"
The taste of bacon is the catalyst for a precipitous decline into a pork binge in the days that follow. Pork roasts, pork tenderloins, spare ribs, and pork chops for dinner. Ham sandwiches and smokies with sauerkraut for lunch. Pastas with chorizo, pancetta, prosciutto, or italian sausage, hold the peppers and peas. Breakfast with sausage, ham, and all varieties of bacon: back, peameal, side, maple, and hickory smoked.
In the span of a couple weeks, the goodness in all the legumes, nuts, greens and roots I once called a meal regimen is ruthlessly evicted from my body, pushed out by the invading masses of saturated fat I've mindlessly crammed in. With it, my bowels return to a steady-state of semi-constipation, a homeostasis far more at home to me than the constant bloatedness and the endless emptying I experience on a vegetarian diet; that leave me cursing my toilet and nursing my over-worked anus.
You eat veggie patties, I eat pigs. Either way, something's going to die for our meal, why not wash your guilt down with some bacon grease, no?
With vegetarianism on hiatus, the risk of 'sharts' and countless trips to the crapper a day are usually behind me. A moisture, suppleness, and colourful hue return to my hair, skin, and complexion. I don't have to fight the onset of lethargy and burn out during intense workouts or runs longer than five kilometres. The idea of never staring down another plate of quinoa or bulgur wheat and uttering the lie "wow, looks great!" is liberating and keeps me running to the butcher. Soon enough, I'm eating steak, fish, and chicken for nearly every meal.
But the guilt and shame of my ethical failing quickly returns.
I am filled with anxiety when I look my yoga-enthusiast, buddhist, anti-animal cruelty friends in the eyes. Can their ayurvedic noses catch the whiff of pork-fat oozing from my pores? A one-time slip into savagery could be forgiven. I was raised in a family committed to the Tyrannosaurus Rex diet, where vegetables were a colourful but perfunctory accoutrement to the meat. The habit of tearing the flesh of sentient beings with my incisors is well-honed and hard to break.
But the subsequent heaps of unethically slaughtered, animal flesh that I willingly fill my palate after the lapse; that I crave like air? By my tenth 'slip' into eating meat, I've usually traded in my rice cooker for a new set of carving knives. Once I've ambled firmly down the carnivore path, paying good money for a meal of exotic vegetables in lieu of the succulent meat offerings on a restaurant menu seems tantamount to asking my doctor for a colonoscopy when a 'smear-test' will do.
So I avoid meal-time socializing with my vegetarian friends, at least until I get a good fix and get back on track. In the meantime, invites to barbecues are sheepishly accepted. Following a few words of contrition for any past sanctimony on my part, my hosts are delighted as I share in the main course of burgers, ribs, or steak they've prepared.
I don't leave hungry and agitated because I've had to hash together a 'meal' out of potato salad, coleslaw, chips, or other side-dishes. I am spared the leathery, freezer-burnt insult of some veggie-oriented meat substitute liberated from several months of living a sad, anonymous existence buried at the bottom of the freezer beneath a constantly changing roster of roasts, ribs, chicken fingers, and ham. Instead, I leave with a good taste in my mouth, a satiated belly, and the contentment of strained friendships set right.
Broccoli? Yeah, like, not even close to being as awesome as bacon. It's green, like Kermit the Frog and algae, and smells like farts when you cook it. Like farts. 'Nuff said.
I struggle with the repeated turning away from vegetarianism. There are plenty of genuine reasons to disavow meat: e coli, salmonella, bovine spongiform encephalitis, irradiation, the spread of anti-biotic resistant diseases, colon cancer, enivironmental degradation, and so on. As a wealthy society, there are plenty of affordable options that make the elimination of meat from our diet altogether, or at least a dramatic reduction in our consumption of meat, a reasonable and viable option.
Then there is the ethical argument. We are raising domesticated beings for their ultimate slaughter and consumption. The slaughter of animals, whether mass produced or "free" range is horrifying and cruel. It couldn't be otherwise. It would be more fair if we had to hunt our food and kill it with our own hands before we ate it, but we don't. It's bad karma to ignore what is involved in getting that steak to your plate, if you believe in that idea, which I do. I desperately want to be a vegetarian for these reasons.
It's just that, well, meat is so bloody delectable, isn't it? No vegetable will ever come close to delivering the full bodied bliss of a rib-eye steak done to perfection, or of fresh tuna sashimi. The best, most well-prepared vegetable dish will never rival the crappiest grade of bacon, if such a thing could even be said to exist.
Bacon is one of the simplest, cheapest, and most reckless choices in a carnivorous diet. It is laden with salt, saturated fats, cholesterol, and all the other horrendous byproducts of food produced for mass consumption. It takes only a few strips to approach the intake of calories and fat content of an entire meal.
Except, no lover of bacon eats just a few strips at a sitting, do they? That'd be like having just three kernels of buttery popcorn at the movies, or two Doritos from a bag, or four french fries from a carton. Who has that kind of self-restraint? Not me, that's who. Every time I eat bacon it's lots and lots of bacon; so much that I'm forced to eat lettuce and water for the rest of the day, or go for a four-hour workout to avoid racking up three days' worth of fat and calories in a single day.
That's not a complaint, by the way. It's just a fact. The imposition is well worth it.
The irony that bacon is my gateway meat is not lost on me. My vegetarianism has never been thwarted by a tenderloin steak, or a succulent grilled mahi mahi, prime rib, or coq au vin. It's always been bacon that lures me under the bus of moral turpitude.
It's a troubling admission because pigs are filthy, grotesque, vile animals who live in mountains of their own dung and devour anything under the sun when hungry. It's disturbing to think of how enjoyable it is to eat an animal whose bodily waste, if properly harnessed could power a city, but instead is left to poison metric tonnes of groundwater. The idea of eating a majestic horse, or a tropical bird seems more acceptable. Except it isn't. Pork really does rule the culinary roost (forgive the mixing of metaphors).
There are plenty of religious sects whose adherents disavow eating pigs for these reasons. Assuming you subscribe to the nonsense that moral purity were within our grasp, it seems a reasonable edict that consuming a pig seriously undermines the project. Well, for twenty four hours at least, depending on your constitution. There are really no redeeming qualities of a pig – other than its flavour when grilled to warm, delectable perfection.
But I accept that I am a human possessed of endless avenues for moral depravity, a few genetic twists away from my evolutionary ancestors the caveman and the fish. I don't steal gum from 7-11. I don't fill up bags of goodies at the bulk section and eat it all up as I shop at the supermarket. I don't cheat on my taxes and I never yell at my kids. I don't honk my horn or flip the bird, even to really, really bad drivers, and I always let people cut into my lane if they need it. I think I've earned some kudos on the karmic scale. So I say "pass the ribs, please." I never set out to be Jesus.
Because here's the thing: bacon is porn for my palate. My tongue and taste buds moisten at the sight and smell of the stuff. A strip is all it takes to guarantee the 'money shot' in my mouth. It's a difficult analogy for a heterosexual man like me to fathom, but it's the most fitting in the circumstances. I willingly accept it as true for bacon. Well, also for pork roast, kielbasa, german sausage, and schnitzel. And pork sausages swimming in pools of maple syrup. Money shot, all of them.
And that is why I am still on hiatus from vegetarianism – four years after those fateful morsels of bacon put me on my current carnivorous path. My advice for those whose commitment to vegetarianism rests on a wobbly foundation: just say no to bacon. Unless it's a vegetarian establishment, don't even go into a restaurant at breakfast time if you can help it. You will regret it.
Tagsbacon • environmentalism • Health and Wellness • Humour • Male Psychology • Spirituality • vegetarianism
3 comments on "Bacon: My Gateway Meat"
Bacon pairs sumptuously with beef too; as in bacon-wrapped-beef-medalions. Or what about bacon bits in a Caesar salad?
You had me at 'bacon-wrapped.'
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Home›Latin America Tours›South America Tours›Colombia Vacations
Best of Colombia Tour
Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena, Salento...
Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena, Salento, Cocora Valley, Armenia, Filandia
Let the culture of Colombia embrace you, and the contrasts of the country reveal themselves during your custom-tailored exploration of colonial charms and high-rise luxuries, beautiful emerald jungles and white sand beaches. Contemporary murals represent the pulse of today's culture draped across walls that span the centuries. Iridescent hummingbirds enjoy the nectar of tropical fruit and cable cars traverse the skyline above the network of city streets. From the countryside to urban museums,...
Bogota – Arrive in Colombia's Captivating and Bustling Capital City
Bogota bustles in the cobblestone square of the Plaza de Bolivar as a youthful ambiance emanates from the eight different universities spread around the cityscape. The emerald forest that overtakes Cerro de Monserrate rises above the northeast corner of the city to overlook the edge of the La Candelaria, Bogota's oldest neighborhood. A funicular travels between the trees to reach the top of the summit as the mountains surround the edges of the sprawling urban expanse dotted with luxurious high-rises and murals that wash over the old walls. Your flight lands at El Dorado International Airport where your private transfer will meet you at baggage claim. Your hotel offers the best of contemporary luxuries inside the cozy ambiance inspired by colonial colors and artistry.
Exotic flowers endemic to the Colombian countryside radiate down the halls and in the lobby, with abundant pinks, purples, and reds contrasting with the terracotta walls. The surrounding city offers a glimpse into the cultural amalgamation of Bogota, with Colombians gathering from all around the country inside the nation's capital. In the afternoon, women along the cobblestone streets blend fresh fruits to make sweet, refreshing juices for passersby, filling the walkways with the aroma of pineapple and orange. A man pushes his cart near the business district offering arepas, delicious corncakes, beside a woman grilling corn. You settle into the comforts of your hotel with the rhythm of salsa drifting out of the colonial homes of La Candelaria and filling the public plazas around the city.
Bogota – Explore Bogota's Historical Streets and Cultural Museums
In the morning, the restaurants and cafes around the Chapinero district open for the residents of the high-rise luxury apartments that add to Bogota's skyline. Fruit vendors return to the cobbled walkways of the city to stack the fresh produce on ice and present the delicious mangos and jackfruit to passersby. Students fill the street en route to Universidad Santo Tomas, and the aroma of sweet crepes emanates from the popular local restaurants that abound. Your guide will meet you at your hotel after breakfast eager to lead you through the historical streets of La Candelaria and into the Museo de Arte del Banco de la Republica, a museum complex that houses five separate institutions.
The pastel colors that decorate the facades of the colonial homes in the neighborhood trickle onto the Baroque and art-deco inspired architecture built in the later years. Wrought iron balconies overlook avenues and the peak of Monserrate rises above the end of the street. The foundations for the Church of John Bosco were laid in the mid 19th century, and the façade features candy cane striping that leads upwards into the central spire. Frescoes adorn the tripartite doors depicting stoic saints.
When you arrive at the museum complex, you will enter into the Museo del Oro, the famous gold museum of Bogota that exhibits the indigenous people's connection to the precious metal. The history of the country leading up to and past the arrival of the Spanish is told through a collection of more than 55,000 gold artifacts. The galleries glint with intricate sculptures and jewelry, including the Muisca Raft, a gold votive established to recreate the crowning of the chief crafted as early as the 7th century.
Bogota – Enjoy a Full Day Excursion to Lake Guatavita's Mystic Scenery
The sunlight will wash over the exterior of the Museo Iglesia Santa Clara, one of the oldest churches in the city erected in the 17th century. The interior glints with gold paint that drapes over the walls and ceiling to embellish the more than 145 paintings and sculptures that represent various saints. After breakfast, your guide will greet you in the hotel lobby eager to immerse you in more of the regional culture, along with the hidden treasures found in and around Bogota. You will leave the borders of the city behind you, passing the eclectic images of the murals that decorate the city's structural walls.
The art pieces offer insight into local movements and show the pulse of the people, representing topics ranging from pop culture to politics. The city streets fade into the winding roadways of the mountains, bordered by lush rainforest. The scent of wet soil and herbaceous leaves graces the air outside your vehicle. Guatavita Lake is located less than 30 miles outside of Bogota, and mountain summits encircle the sparkling cobalt water that reflects the greenery found along its edges.
Your guide will remind you of the Muisca Raft you saw in the Gold Museum, which encapsulates the rituals performed on the waters of this very lake. During the ceremony, the incoming chief would cover himself in gold powder before plunging into the water to obtain the powers of the deities. The short hike to the top of the lakeside takes you to a lookout at an altitude of 9,800 feet above sea level, and treasure hunters believed the lake was the source of the mystical city of El Dorado.
Armenia – Travel to Armenia, the Capital of the Quindío Coffee Region
In the morning, the shops in the Galeria Artesanal de Colombia open their doors to visitors and locals alike. Craftspeople showcase their goods beneath the pitched rooftop of the arcade and woven panama hats and handcrafted purses decorated with vibrant Colombian colors dangle against the stalls. The aroma of chocolate and coconut overtake the walkways that drift from the candy shop. Your private transfer will meet you at the hotel and escort you to the airport for your short flight to the Quindío Coffee Region, famous for its stunning landscape, colonial towns, and relaxed charms. Look out the plane window for views of the staggering mountaintops that edge the meandering valley.
Your private transfer will meet you at El Eden Airport in Armenia before leading you to your luxurious hacienda located in the lush hills. En route to your accommodation, you will find a countryside that glows emerald against the powder blue sky. Brahman cows graze on the tall grass as ginger and bananas grow rampant near the bamboo forests. The scent of tangerines overtakes the fragrance of blossoming flowers with the dozens of birds that flutter in the treetops. Howl Monkeys fill the air with low groans in the morning and evening ambiance, with voices echoing across the trees for up to three miles. Relax in the comforts of your private balcony that gives you a perfect view of your surroundings and the charms of the countryside.
Armenia – Relish Cocora Valley and Visit Colonial Filandia and Salento
A cool morning breeze will blow over the valley grounds and rustle through the trees outside of your room. The call of the howler monkeys fills the air, drifting from the Otun Quimbaya Natural Park, which blends Amazon wilds with Andean topography. The scent of calentado—a traditional Andean breakfast of beans, rice, egg, and chorizo—fills the dining room, accompanied by the enticing aroma of decadent hot chocolate. Hummingbirds dip their beaks into the blossoming bougainvillea wrapping around the hacienda and will capture your attention as you enjoy your meal.
Today your guide will take you around Quindío in search of the celebrated wax palm of the Cocora Valley and the colonial charms of the nearby towns. After your excursion across the landscape, you will arrive in Salento, a 19th-century settlement with enchanting streets framed by paisa architecture, the traditional colonial style structures defined by the simple doorways and balconies that adorn the two-story structures.
Vibrant colors add dimension to the architecture, framing windows and the walls like wainscoting. Local craft stalls line the main street of Calle Real with locals showcasing their handmade statues, paintings, and woven baskets. At the end of the street, you will ascend the staircase to the top of Alto de la Cruz, a peak adorned with a large cross to bless the township. The views from the summit overtake the Cocora Valley, offering a spectacular image of the trails you forged while traversing the pristine landscape.
Armenia – Delight in a Full Day Coffee Tour and Botanical Garden Excursion
At breakfast, you will savor the tart flavors of freshly squeezed orange juice, and the lingering fragrance of the blossoming flowers found around the hacienda. You will search for more hummingbirds, excited to see their tiny wings fluttering in a blur. After breakfast, you will set out with your guide to visit a coffee plantation known for its remarkable cultivation process spread over the valley and foothills of Quindío. After wandering along the thriving rows of coffee plants, you will continue to the Quindío Botanical Gardens, which features 30 native plant species spread over 37 acres.
Orchids blossom with opulent white and flush pink petals as bamboo sprouts out of the soil allowing you to feel its smooth exterior. The butterfly house encompasses nearly 7,320 square feet located inside a structure designed to resemble the eponymous attraction, housing 50 different species. The Queen Flasher butterfly stands out against the limestone rock it perches on with wings that have thin, dark wavy lines that resemble the shifting hues of a kaleidoscope, ranging from midnight blue to indigo. After wandering along the plants and butterflies of Colombia, you will visit a celebrated café filled with the strong aroma of coffee to meet a coffee connoisseur happy to lead you in a sampling of the region's different flavor profiles.
Medellin – Transfer to the Revitalized and Welcoming City of Medellin
As the sun rises, you can hear the lingering calls of citron-throated toucans as they perch in the trees. The plumage around their throat shines yellow with a hint of green beneath the sheer hues of their arching bill. At breakfast, you will enjoy the flavor of arepa boyacense, a sweet Andean arepa made with corn meal and stuffed with savory cheese. After breakfast, your private transfer will escort you to El Eden Airport for your flight to Medellin, referred to by locals as the "City of Eternal Spring," due to its comfortable climate averaging a consistent 75 degrees Fahrenheit. People enjoy the fresh air and walk along the charming cobblestones of Caradobo Street as the upscale district of El Poblado hugs the lush hills that edge the valley.
Tree-lined streets lead to shady parks and locals linger in cafes to sip coffee beneath the dangling gondolas of the city's unique cable car metro system. Meet your transfer at Jose Maria Cordova International Airport for a private escort to your centrally located hotel situated near the lively atmosphere of Plaza Botero. The interactive square offers more than 75,300 square feet decorated with 23 sculptures crafted by celebrated Colombian artist Fernando Botero. Visitors and locals alike wander along the elegant stone-paved plaza and pose with the likes of the Man on Horseback, set beneath the checkered dome of Palacio de la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe.
Medellin – Traverse the Streets, Art, and Cable Cars During a Guided Tour
The morning light washes over the city and brings a new light to the unique façade of the 1920s structure of Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture. The Gothic revival style creates spires and towering domes in the skyline accentuated by the alternating colors of black and white. After breakfast, you will meet your guide for an immersive exploration of Medellin, accounting for the significant shift in recent years from a place many framed as the image of danger to a renaissance of culture and community.
The downtown district of the city shapes the skyline with high-rises that imitate the surrounding mountain peaks in both grandeur and style. The cable car metro provides an unforgettable view of the expansive city, from the towering buildings of the business center to the baked brick rooftops that shine with rosy hues in the passing sunlight. The metro runs for a length of nearly 6,800 feet over 1,300 feet above the city streets, crisscrossing the sky to reach hillside barrios and connecting communities with the city center.
Paragliders cruise through the air in circles descending from the mountains. Kids play soccer in the smaller public plazas and parks, and you will wander the city like a local as you enjoy the culture and the flavor of the streets. The air fills with the aroma of sweet fruits juiced fresh as the sounds of salsa blend with street performers playing Reggaeton. Local artists shape the discussion of the city's progress along the escalators that climb Comuna 13, a community that embodies the city's cultural shift.
Cartagena – Fly to the East Coast City of Cartagena for an Introductory Tour
The greenery of Cerro Nutibara ascends over the cityscape at more than 260 feet above the city center. The small town of Paisa crowns the hilltop the features the City Museum, full of exhibits that delve into the unique history of Medellin, showcasing old photographs of the streets, structures, and locals to shape the story of the city's evolution. Your private transfer will collect you at your hotel and escort you to Medellin's airport for your flight east to Cartagena. The cultures of Colombia change from city to city, with Cartagena representing an amalgamation of Spanish heritage and Caribbean tradition.
The historical walls that surround Old Town glint against the sapphire Atlantic Ocean that splashes at the edges of the antique fortress. You will meet your driver at Rafael Nunez International Airport for your private escort into the heart of the seasoned city. The scent of the seaside blends with the rich minerals that emanate from the stone. Colonial homes with bright facades border cobblestone walkways as horse-drawn carriages trot down the streets to offer a unique insight into how the aristocrats once viewed the city.
Before settling into your hotel's remarkable blend of colonial architecture and contemporary luxuries, your guide will lead you through the labyrinthine streets of the 16th-century city for an unforgettable introduction to the pearl of Colombia's Caribbean coast. The church frames the edges of San Pedro Claver Square. Avant-garde sculptures crafted by artist Edgardo Carmona decorate the open spaces against the row of colonial structures filled with jewelry stores, artisan shops, and a row of local restaurants. The Church of San Pedro Claver was erected in the 17th century by the local Jesuit community, and the brickwork and unique rose window shimmer in the tropical sunlight as scattered palms cast thin shade over the large square tiles of the plaza.
Once finished with your introduction to Cartagena, you arrive at your accommodation located right by the beach, Castillo Ines Maria. The only castle turned hotel in Cartagena, Castillo Ines Maria seamlessly blends old world charm with new world comfort. This century-old castle was built in 1910 during the height of Colombia's Republican Architectural Period. It was renovated into a boutique hotel in 2009 while preserving the architectural highlights of its storied past, including ornately decorated columns and high ceilings emblematic of the early 20th century.
Cartagena – Stroll along San Felipe Castle and La Popa Convent
In the morning, ake up to a complimentary hot breakfast consisting of a spread of fresh seasonal fruit, scrambled eggs with toast, and regionally sourced rich coffee. Afterwards, consider taking a beachside stroll, as Castillo Ines Maria is located only a couple minutes away from the beautiful beaches of Marbella. Another possibility is to walk to the historic home of Raphael Nunez, the first president of the Republic of Colombia, also located only a few minutes walking distance away.
The aroma of traditional cayeye drifts out of local cafes. The dish is comprised of small green bananas mashed and refried, before mixing with garlic, tomatoes, and achiote spice. You will meet your guide after enjoying your breakfast for an adventure into the iconic sites of the old city, beginning with Castillo San Felipe de Barajas. It is easy to imagine upwards of 40 ships weighing anchor alongside the massive walls of the 17th-century fortress heading for Spain, with priceless amounts of gold, silver, cacao beans, and tobacco. The walls wind up the hillside to reach the 130-foot high summit, creating the greatest Spanish fortress erected in the New World.
Hints of golden bricks glimmer in the sunlight between the old gray stones that support the fortress towers. From the top of the walls, you will have a stunning panorama of Bocagrande's high-rise condos and the spires of Old Town's historical churches. Seemingly endless rows of arched doorways and wrought iron balconies decorated with lush flowers and lattices radiate from the town's streets. Your guide will lead you through the complex maze of the tunnel network that begins beneath the fortress's grand entrance. Your footsteps will echo off of the surrounding stone, which once allowed soldiers to hear if enemy troops had entered the complex. People's whispered words overtake your footsteps, resounding down the halls until reaching the interior doorways.
Cartagena – Enjoy the City and its Surroundings at your Preferred Pace
The bright white sands of Playa Blanca emerge from the crystalline waters of the Caribbean Sea as oyster vendors walk the breadth of the beach offering shellfish caught that morning, shucked to order, and dressed with freshly squeezed lime. Restaurants overlooking the water offer large langoustines and lobsters cooked to order. After breakfast, you will have the entire day to enjoy the Caribbean coast and vibrant culture in and around Cartagena at your preferred pace. Venture to Playa Blanca by speedboat or continue your walking tour of the city by visiting wondrous representations of the region on exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art. For a unique experience of immersing yourself in the flavors of the region, you could meet with a local guide to learn the secrets of the cocoa bean.
Your two-hour tour will tell you the history of cocoa in the region, along with its connection to the indigenous peoples before being exported to Europe. After an overview of the plant's connection to Colombia, you will learn the differences of the grain, along with the importance of harvesting the cocoa bean properly. The large pod resembles a mango in its size a white, pulpy interior. The bean enters a six-stage process before being able to make chocolate, beginning with fermentation and ending with pressing the bean to make cocoa powder. Your instructor will guide you through the process of mixing the cocoa with sugar, while melting the concoction into different batches to create, first and foremost, a frothy and decadent hot chocolate.
Upon your return to the comforts of your accommodation, Castillo Ines Maria, take a moment to unwind and relax at the outdoor pool with a drink from the bar. The hotel is pleasantly situated near the some of Cartagena's rated restaurants, cultural and historical attractions, and vibrant nightlife yet remains still far enough to offer peace and tranquility for your vacation. The sounds of the Caribbean Sea gently lull you to sleep on your final night in Cartagena.
Cartagena – Depart for Home
The light from the dawn slowly illuminates your room at the Castillo Ines Maria through the large windows which provide ample ventilation and comfort. The familiar scent of rich South American coffee and fresh fruit greet you at breakfast.The streets of Cartagena fill with makeshift cafes manned by locals eager to sell a stunning cup of coffee to passersby, whether local or visiting. The rich aroma of roasted beans emanates from the collection of vendors, blending with the sweet scents that drift off of fruit carts that radiate the hues of the rainbow from large amounts of pineapple, mango, oranges, and lychee.
Locals venture to San Alberto Coffee shop in the morning to enjoy the award-winning variety of coffee served by baristas referred to locally as coffee connoisseurs, turning the local flavor into an impassioned art. Hotel Boutique Castillo Ines Maria is conveniently located only 2.4 miles away from Rafael Núñez International Airport. After breakfast, your private transfer will meet you at your hotel and escort you to Rafael Nunez International Airport for your flight home.
Wander through the historical and cacophonous tunnels of Castillo San Felipe de Barajas in Cartagena
Spend three nights at the Castillo Ines Maria Hotel Boutique, the only castle that has been converted into a hotel in Cartagena
Learn to detect the subtle aromas and diverse flavors of Colombia's celebrated coffees cultivated in the Quindío Coffee Region
Traverse the collection of plant life and radiant butterfly wings that decorate the Botanical Gardens in Quindio
Discover the marvelous gilded figures and handcrafted works of precious metal in the Gold Museum for insight into the pre-Spanish Colombia
Stroll along the charming streets of colonial towns surrounded by the stunning countryside near Cocora Valley
Experience the renaissance of community and culture in Medellin while visiting Botero Plaza, decorated with statues donated by the famous artist
Venture to the shores of Lake Guatavita, source of the legend of El Dorado and the home to the chieftain's crowning ceremony
Indulge in the rich combinations of Colombian chocolate during a private class to teach you the history of the bean and proper cooking techniques
Enjoy the panorama of Medellin's vibrant and artistic streets from the cable car metro soaring over the city's rooftops
The youthful atmosphere of contemporary Colombia rises from the streets through the incredible artwork and stories that show an emerging social awareness of the country's diverse cultures and unique traditions. This 12-day Colombia tour will encompass the hidden treasures of Bogota and the community-centric paradigms of Medellin. Traverse the countryside known for its lush landscape and coffee plantations, and then bask in the sunlight of the Caribbean Coast dotted with a mixture of historical structures and luxury high-rises for a true introduction to the contrasting images of Colombia. Your adventure will begin with your arrival in Bogota, the bustling capital of the country. Your private transfer will meet you at El Dorado Airport and escort you to your luxurious hotel located near the cobbled streets of the historical district. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to settle into the charms of the exciting city.
Wake the next day and your guide will take you along the cobblestone streets of La Candelaria and into the museum complex of Museo de Arte del Banco de la Republica before leading you to the top of Monserrate for a view of the city. The next day, you will venture outside of Bogota to enjoy the enticing scenery of Lake Guatavita while being given insight into the majestic legends of El Dorado. Leave Bogota behind the following day and fly into the countryside at El Eden Airport in Armenia. Your luxurious hotel overlooks the forest and valley, with plantations and cattle fields that dot the landscape. Travel deep into the Quindío region to visit the colonial town of Filandia, and then wander through the Cocora Valley on an adventurous excursion before relaxing in the colonial streets of Salento.
The next day, you will have a private tour of a coffee plantation to learn about the cultivation of the well-loved coffee bean. Visit the gorgeous Botanical Gardens of Quindío to see the butterfly house and enjoy a coffee tasting and learn about the subtle differences of the region. Fly the next day from Armenia to Medellin, Colombia's second-largest city. Your private transfer will escort you from Jose Maria Cordova International Airport to your vibrant hotel near the business center of the city. Enjoy an engaging tour of the city to learn about its tumultuous past and the community focused efforts that brought art and culture back to the streets before traversing the cable car metro for a visit to Botero Plaza.
Travel next to Cartagena for a journey through the historical cobblestone streets in Old Town, where the Spanish first settled after arriving on the eastern seaboard. Your accommodation will be the charming Castillo Ines Maria, the only castle that has been renovated into a boutique hotel in Cartagena. Located right by the beaches of Marbella, this stunning hotel has preserved the cultural and historical traditions of Colombia's Republican Architectural Period. The authentic Pompeii flooring gives the establishment a refined sense of splendor.
Next day, your guide will take you through the remarkable complex of Castillo San Felipe, along with the unique convent of La Popa. The next morning and afternoon are yours to relax or discover, taking your time to enjoy the pleasures of Cartagena. Venture to Playa Blanca, located on the Rosario Archipelago, or traverse the numerous museums in Old Town for a deeper understanding of the city's rich history. Conclude as your private transfer will meet you at your hotel and escort you to Rafael Nunez International Airport for your flight home.
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Interest in Online Courses Surges in the MENA
by Faro | Oct 13, 2020 | Application Software, Digitisation, Education & Culture, Information & Communication Technology, MENA
Jeffrey R. Young elaborates on how an Interest in Online Courses Surges in the MENA region. It started as for elsewhere, as a palliative to the lockdown imposed closure of all schools and education facilities.
Online course providers like Coursera and edX have seen a spike in demand for their courses since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic (Image: Pixabay)
Providers of online higher education have seen a spike in interest in their courses and degree programs from the Middle East and North Africa region since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. And some say the sudden exposure to online learning may lead to a shift in attitudes about the value of digital delivery methods.
Edraak, a Jordan-based provider of free online courses delivered in Arabic, served one million new learners in the past six months, a big jump from the 650,000 new learners it served in all of 2019. The platform now serves four million learners total.
And Coursera, a U.S.-based provider of online courses and programs from well-known universities, said that since mid-March, it saw a 500 percent increase in learners from the Middle East compared to the same period last year.
FutureLearn, a British company offering similar online courses, also reports a 500-percent increase in participation from the region. Officials from edX, a nonprofit founded by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to offer free and low-cost online courses, says its enrollments from the region have gone up more than 200 percent since the start of the pandemic.
"There has definitely been a shift in the sense of recognizing they cannot ignore online learning anymore" in the region, said Maha Bali, an associate professor of practice at the Center for Learning and Teaching at the American University in Cairo.
Coursera has 3.4 million users in the Middle East out of approximately 70 million learners worldwide.
Betty Vandenbosch Coursera's chief content officer
Shireen Yacoub, the chief executive of Edraak, called the growth in adult learning via online courses "one of the most inspiring observations we've had during the curfews and lockdowns."
Even so, she worries about what she calls the "equity gap" when it comes to who is able to use the organization's free courses. Most of Edraak's users get to its platform through their smartphones, she added, and low-income families may have three or four kids all needing to share a phone. Computers and home Internet access are too costly for many, she adds. "We need to advocate for more equity in Internet connectivity," she said. "Their lives will often depend on it. It's not a luxury." (See a related article, "The Shift to Online Education in the Arab World Is Intensifying Inequality.")
Coursera has 3.4 million users in the Middle East out of approximately 70 million learners worldwide, according to Betty Vandenbosch, the company's chief content officer. About 400 colleges and organizations in the region have signed up for a free program that lets them offer Coursera online courses to their enrolled students. That means that the colleges—including Al Hussein Technical University in Jordan—are offering at least some online courses based largely on content provided free from Coursera.
And she says that in recent months, Coursera has seen more interest from governments and organizations in the region to form partnerships. Such deals typically mean that governments and organizations pay Coursera a fee to get free access to Coursera's online degree programs for their employees. That was starting to happen even before the pandemic: Last year the company announced a deal with the Abu Dhabi School of Government to train 60,000 government employees in data science, digital transformation and other high-tech skills.
"The governments in the Middle East are recognizing the challenges they have with their economies," Vandenbosch said. "Some of those governments are saying, 'Gosh, we really need to upskill our workforce because oil is not going to be there forever."
New Attitudes Toward Online Learning
Experts in education technology say that the pandemic may end up being a turning point for online education in the region.
John Schwartz, head of Enterprise Global Business Development at edX, said that colleges in the MENA region have recently adopted the platform's online courses as well. "Virtually no university had the time and resources to turn all their classroom content into online courses, so edX was able and continues to fill a large void," he said. "In addition there has been a significantly higher degree of interest from the region's schools to not only use edX content, but to put their own quality content online, as a partner on the edX.org platform."
The most popular edX courses by students in the region are an introductory computer-science course by Harvard University and a course from the University of Queensland that prepares students to take the IELTS test of English-language skills.
"The pandemic really changed the dynamics towards online learning in the Middle East."
Gehan Osman Assistant professor of instructional design and technology at the American University in Cairo
"The pandemic really changed the dynamics towards online learning in the Middle East," said Gehan Osman, an assistant professor of instructional design and technology at the American University in Cairo's Graduate School of Education, in an email interview. "Professors who had never considered even blended or web-based instruction before embraced online learning because it was the only alternative. Many of these professors said that they would never go back to completely face-to-face because they discovered many instructional value of going online."
Curtis J. Bonk is a professor of instructional systems technology at Indiana University at Bloomington and author of The World Is Open: How Web Technology Is Revolutionizing Education, and other books about online learning. He said he is suddenly getting invitations to speak in the region at places that had not done much with online education in the past. One example: He recently spoke at an online forum for teachers at the grade school and university level in the United Arab Emirates run by the Ministry of Education, and more than 600 people attended.
The Biggest Concern: Cheating
However, some reservations about online education remain. The biggest concern: that the format will lead to rampant cheating. "Many insist that exams and major assessment need to be done in person in a proctored environment," said Osman.
Bali agreed that academic integrity remains a key concern. "We know in Egypt many online standardized tests done in exam centers get leaked/cheated, et cetera," she said, noting that people worry the same kind of thing could happen in online courses.
And even those providing online courses stress that they are not meant as a wholesale replacement for classroom instruction.
"Even at Edraak we don't think that online ed and learning is a silver bullet to education in the region," said Yacoub, that group's chief executive. "We really believe in the value of in-person teaching."
For Bali, the question for colleges should be what is the purpose of education, and "how to use the online effectively while preserving the best of what we can do face-to-face."
New efforts are underway to help train professors in the region to teach online. Among them, the Center for Learning in Practice based at the Carey Institute for Global Good is running a series of free online workshops on how to teach with online technologies, with a focus on inclusive teaching.
Jeffrey R. Young is an editor and reporter focused on technology issues and the future of education. He is a senior editor at EdSurge, covering the intersection of technology and education.


Facebook's retreat from the news has painful for publishers—including Slate.
The social giant is retreating from the news business. It's been a painful transition for publications that had come to depend on it—including Slate.
The first months of Donald Trump's presidency were a fraught and chaotic time in American politics. But in an age of shrinking newsrooms, early 2017 was a bright spot for online news publishers, especially those with some Facebook savvy. People were hungry for political news, commentary, and analysis, and Facebook fed them a steady diet of it. It was where conservatives gathered to crow and liberals went to commiserate and organize.
Slate—yes, the publication you're reading right now—got more than 85 million clicks that originated from external sites and apps in January 2017 alone. Almost a third of them—28 million—came from Facebook. That was more than any other single outside traffic source. Other online publications with a political focus, such as Vox and Politico, posted similarly blockbuster numbers.
It was, in retrospect, the zenith of Facebook's influence over the news industry. Starting in about 2013, when the social network began prioritizing actual news in users' news feed rankings—the order in which posts appear when you scroll through its app or site—Facebook had grown increasingly critical to many media outlets' business, for better or worse. Every visitor the social network sent to an outlet's pages translated to much-needed ad views. And it sent so many that newsrooms remolded their editorial strategies to maximize clicks, likes, and shares on Facebook. For less scrupulous publishers, that sometimes meant sensationalizing headlines or framing stories in ways that pandered to people's biases—a trend that Facebook tried to combat algorithmically, with limited success. By August 2016, the New York Times' John Herrman wrote that Facebook had "centralized online news consumption in an unprecedented way," shaping how the public perceived politics by determining which stories they'd see in their feeds. And by 2017, some antitrust thinkers concerned with its centrality to the news business were calling for Facebook to be regulated as a monopoly.
A year and a half later, however, the flood of Facebook traffic to news publishers has receded dramatically. Google surpassed it as the primary driver of readership to news sites in late 2017, according to the analytics firm Parse.ly, which counts Slate as a client. In May, Facebook lost its place as the top traffic source on mobile devices, according to another traffic analytics firm, Chartbeat, with more people visiting news sites directly than via the social network. And at Slate, which agreed to share its internal data for the first time for this story, traffic from Facebook plummeted a staggering 87 percent, from a January 2017 peak of 28 million to less than 4 million in May 2018. It's down more than 55 percent in 2018 alone.
The diminished flow of readers from Facebook to news sites is not an accident. Some of it may be due to readers' fatigue and the gradual normalization of Trump's presidency. But Facebook has also pulled back from the news business intentionally. In June 2016, it announced a shift in philosophy, prioritizing posts from individual friends and family over those from groups, brand pages, and (to a lesser extent) news outlets. The effects appeared relatively subtle at first, but Facebook acknowledges they likely compounded over time. Then, in January 2018—a time when it was under heavy fire for its role in elections and politics around the world—Facebook announced another major change to how its news feed algorithm chooses what you see when you load up the platform, this time de-emphasizing news publishers in particular and skewing the feed further toward posts from individuals.
At the same time, Facebook said that it would focus on boosting higher-quality news publishers in its rankings, using surveys to identify "trusted" sources and prioritize their content ahead of clickbait, propaganda, and fake news. (Facebook also said it would prioritize "local" and "informative" news sources, in different ways.) Facebook hoped these changes would help to stem the abuse, manipulation, and general cacophony that had polluted the platform during and after the 2016 elections.
For every five people that Facebook used to send to Slate about a year ago, it now sends less than one.
News organizations, which had already seen their Facebook traffic dry up over the course of 2017, weren't sure what to expect. Would they be pummeled by the overall algorithm change? Or might Facebook's newfound focus on credible sources help to stabilize their traffic and entrench the social network's importance to their business? On the whole, Facebook predicted that the proportion of news in the average user's feed would dip from about 5 percent to 4 percent. That's a small adjustment for Facebook but potentially a big hit to the publishers relying on it—especially the ones that failed to rank highly in user trust surveys.
Precise numbers are hard to come by, because most publications don't share them, and neither does Facebook. But studies drawn from public data such as likes and shares suggest that the renewed emphasis on posts from friends and family has had a noticeable impact on many news publishers, while the effects of Facebook's attempt to emphasize trusted sources are harder to discern.
Indeed, sources at several major publications told me they're now seeing less than half the referral traffic from Facebook that they were receiving in the first half of 2017. But few would go on record, whether because their employers consider the information private or because they don't want to risk compromising their ongoing relationship with Facebook.
Turner declined to estimate the precise amount of advertising revenue Slate has lost as a result of the nosedive, though she acknowledged that "the drop in traffic does come with a financial hit." A rough, back-of-envelope calculation using prevailing ad rates and ad loads (that is, the number of ads a reader sees when she visits a site) suggests that a loss of 15 million visits per month could mean something on the order of $1 million per year in revenue—which, in a newsroom, might equal a dozen or more journalists' salaries. Slate laid off five editorial staffers in early 2017, but the company told me those were unrelated to Facebook traffic. It has not announced any staff cuts since.
Several other online publishers that have laid off journalists in the past year cited lost Facebook traffic as a factor, though. Those include Vox Media (the parent of Vox.com, the Verge, Eater, SB Nation, and other sites), which laid off 50 employees in February. Vox said at the time that it was pulling back from its strategy of publishing content directly on Facebook, calling the social network "unreliable." Sites that posted lots of video on Facebook, such as Vice, Mic, and Mashable, have been especially hard hit. Some publishers that were especially reliant on Facebook have gone out of business altogether. LittleThings, a purveyor of "feel-good" content targeting a female audience, shut down abruptly in February due to what it called a "catastrophic" 75 percent decline in Facebook referrals following the rankings change.
When I asked Facebook about Slate's decline, a representative told me that its data showed Slate in particular suffered a dip in news feed reach in early 2018 after Facebook made a policy change that prohibited pages from accepting money to share content they didn't create. Slate was one of several publications that had been paying one such company, the Social Edge, to share its stories via a network of popular celebrity Facebook pages, including George Takei's. (Slate and some others discontinued the Takei relationship in November 2017 in the wake of a sexual assault claim against him.) Slate's director of strategy and audience development, Bill Carey, confirmed to me that the site saw a further dip in traffic after Facebook changed its policies, although he said that appeared to account for just a fraction of the overall decline. Lorenzo Thione, CEO of the Social Edge, told me via email that the company has discontinued the service in question, to comply with Facebook's policies.
Facebook offered no other explanation for Slate's numbers. But the fact that it has generally sent less and less traffic to Slate in 2018 would seem to suggest that the site has not benefited from the social network's new emphasis on "trusted" or "informative" sources. Facebook would not comment on whether its algorithms consider Slate, or any other publication, to fit either of those descriptions.
Facebook pitched its focus on trusted sources as a remedy to the problems of false and misleading news, implying the algorithm change would help legitimate publishers of credible information. But the algorithm is based on Facebook user survey results, and different users trust different news sources for very different reasons. Some trust mainstream news outlets such as the New York Times because they do original reporting and write in an objective style. Some trust opinionated TV personalities, such as those on Fox News or MSNBC, because they're relatable and affirm familiar worldviews. Some trust magazines of opinion and analysis such as Slate or National Review, because their writers own up to their political biases, while others mistrust them for the same reason. Most familiar with the workings of the journalism industry would trust any of those outlets over hyperpartisan propaganda sites on the right and left that lack basic editorial standards such as correcting errors of fact. But it's not clear that most Facebook users are tuned in to those distinctions—and they're the ones whose opinions Facebook is relying on to separate credible from fake.
In April, New York Times tech columnist Kevin Roose inadvertently touched off some minor panic in media circles when he tweeted a pair of charts from the social media analytics firm NewsWhip. The charts showed that, between March and April 2018, some publications with checkered reputations—the Daily Wire, the Daily Mail—seemed to be benefiting from the trust rankings and that the notoriously partisan Fox News had claimed the top spot as the site with the most Facebook "engagement." (Engagement, in this context, means the sum of likes, shares, and comments that a given post generates, but does not include clicks.) "New Data Casts Doubt on Facebook's Commitment to Quality News," media columnist Mathew Ingram wrote in the Columbia Journalism Review.
So does this mean that plenty of "trusted" sources are faring just fine? Not necessarily. It's worth noting that there's a difference between NewsWhip's engagement stats, which are public, and referrals—that is, people actually clicking on stories and visiting publishers' sites. The two have generally correlated, historically, and Facebook told me that its own data suggests that continues to be the case. But two social media professionals interviewed for this story, including one who consults for a number of different publications, told me that the engagement on Facebook posts has led to less relative traffic. This means publications could theoretically be seeing less ad revenue from Facebook even if their public engagement stats are holding steady. So, for instance, if Facebook, say, used to boost posts that got lots of clicks but now focuses more on the number of comments they generate, then people might be seeing more content in their feeds that encourages them to comment without actually reading the linked story. From Slate's perspective, a comment on a Slate story you see on Facebook is great, but it does nothing for the site's bottom line.
Data from Crowdtangle shows Facebook engagement—that is, likes, comments, and shares—has declined for midsize national news publishers over the past year.
Ultimately, however, it's impossible to divine the effects of Facebook's trust survey without knowing which publications are benefiting from it—and Facebook isn't telling. In March, I asked Facebook's then–news feed chief Adam Mosseri on Slate's tech podcast, If Then, why the company couldn't be more transparent about the nature of such algorithm changes. Mosseri said that more transparency was a goal but that Facebook wanted to avoid giving ammunition to critics who might seize on small mistakes or insignificant details. The company also is leery of giving out information that could help people game its algorithm.
Facebook's trust rankings in particular are politically sensitive, too. This month, Facebook published responses to questions from members of Congress, including 108 questions just from Sen. Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican. Much of his questioning suggested that he believes Facebook is discriminating in various ways against conservatives, Christians, whites, and other groups dear to his heart. Cruz specifically asked Facebook how its latest algorithm changes had affected the amount of referral traffic it sends to each of 25 publishers—a list that included left-leaning outlets such as Slate and Vox, along with conservative sites such as the Daily Wire and the Washington Free Beacon. Facebook dodged the question, offering instead a vague statement about the many factors that go into its news feed ranking system.
The Daily Wire, for its part, has published multiple stories alleging liberal bias on Facebook's part, and a conservative site called the Western Journal published a study in March headlined, "Confirmed: Facebook's Recent Algorithm Change Is Crushing Conservative Sites, Boosting Liberals." The study based its conclusions on just one month of data, from the analytics site SimilarWeb. Regardless, it has become conventional wisdom among many on the far right that Facebook is suppressing conservative views. None of these pieces have mentioned that Slate, which is widely considered to lean left, is seeing 87 percent less Facebook traffic than it did in January 2017. They did acknowledge that Fox News and the Daily Mail, two of the largest right-leaning outlets, seem to be thriving under the algorithm change but characterized those as exceptions to the trend.
Should Slate, which publishes political viewpoints that frequently lean left, count as a trusted source? Should a respected but explicitly conservative publisher like National Review? How about Fox News, which calls itself "fair and balanced" but counts right-wing conspiracymonger Sean Hannity as its top personality? No doubt different people would have different answers to each of those questions. It's not unreasonable that Facebook should prefer to punt the question to its own users. But the opacity of Facebook's approach might add to the epistemological uncertainty it has fomented since before the 2016 election, because it is still asking us to trust that it can surface what is trustworthy. And if nothing else, its approach adds to the financial uncertainty facing news publishers who had been forced to rely on Facebook traffic as the social network became the dominant distributor of online information.
Facebook's retreat from that central role in online news has certainly been painful for many publishers—especially those that had made the social network a centerpiece of their strategies. Turner told me that Slate was able to weather the blow from Facebook better than some because it had avoided going "all in" on Facebook during the boom years. For instance, to diversify its revenue, the magazine launched a paid membership program called Slate Plus in 2014, which grew dramatically following Trump's election, and its podcasts have grown to account for 25 percent of its revenue. Slate also continued to bring readers in through its front door even as industry watchers declared the homepage "dead." Still, the loss of reliable Facebook traffic has undoubtedly affected Slate's editorial and business strategies.
One silver lining of the Facebook crash is the emergence of other platforms that have been directing more traffic to many sites in the past year, even as Facebook sends far less. Google, Apple News, Twitter, and Flipboard are all sending more readers to Slate than they used to, and the increase has happened over the same time period that Facebook traffic has dried up, Carey said. Other publications told me the same is true for them. Digiday noted in January that Boston.com received more readers from Apple News than from Facebook in December. However, publishers often get less revenue from an Apple News reader than from a Facebook referral, because Apple pockets part of the ad revenue. New York Media, parent of New York magazine, has broken traffic records in 2018 by shifting its focus from Facebook to Google and Apple News.
To complicate the picture, Slate told me it has seen what appears to be a modest uptick in Facebook referrals so far in June. Carey said it's too early to tell for sure whether that's a fluke or a trend.
Facebook's waning influence could help to reverse some of the trends that the social network stoked: pandering headlines, overt partisanship, filter bubbles. It has certainly already forced many publications to prioritize the loyalty of their existing readers over chasing the wider but more fickle audiences available on social platforms. The important questions now are what behaviors, crutches, and opportunities to sustain viable news operations the new terrain will encourage, and whether a single traffic behemoth will replace Facebook or an archipelago of them. The Facebook era is ending. We don't know whose era we'll live in next.
Correction, June 27, 2018: A chart in this article originally referred to Vice and BuzzFeed. In fact, it shows Facebook engagement data for Vice News and BuzzFeed News.


text:
Q: Django not creating a testdatabase when testing I am running tests in my newly created Django project.
Normally I would expect to see a test database created for when tests are running. All tests are running fine, but I am seeing that my local database (for runserver use) is beeing used when running the tests.
A lot of excess data is beeing created in the wrong database. How can I get my test setup to use the normal test_dabasename setup again?
Im not sure what I have changed to make this happen and am totally stumped.
class TestRest(TestCase):
    def setUp(self):
        ...

    def test_allowed_to_get_list_authenticated(self):
        ....

A: Found it. Im such a bad programmer :(.
I imported from from
unittest.case import TestCase

when it should have been
from django.test import TestCase

This lead to no test database beeing created.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


This how to draw a skunk tutorial is hot and easy to duplicate! Rezan Alt?ntop. Hayvan Resimleri Cizim Teknikleri. How to draw a frog. Frog Drawing, Drawing For Kids, Art For Kids, Easy Drawings, Doodle Drawings, Doodle Art, Easy Cartoon Drawings, Frog Sketch, Horse Drawings . Lorraine Saliba. Let's Draw !!.....the easy way ! Colorful Drawings Doodle Drawings Cartoon Drawings Doodle Art... Description: Now that the chibi figures are all drawn out, I will now move onto another �for kids� lesson that is going to be fun, and even cute.
Learn how to draw a skunk with us...a really cute skunk, just for young artists!
Skunk Geography. The most common and recognized skunk species in North America is the striped skunk, whose range extends from the southern half of Canada to the northernmost parts of Mexico, covering most of the continental United States.
Today, we�re learning how to draw a cartoon skunk, a cute skunk! If you loved drawing this skunk, be sure to check out our other skunk lesson.


text:
Q: How to define INT128_MAX and INT128_MIN for __int128? gcc has the __int128 type natively.
However, it's not defined in limits.h. I'm mean there're no such things as INT128_MAX or INT128_MIN…
And gcc is interpreting literal constants as 64 bits integers. This means that if I write #define INT128_MIN −170141183460469231731687303715884105728 it will complain about the type telling it has truncated the value.
This is especially annoying for shifting on arrays. How to overcome this ?

A: static const __uint128_t UINT128_MAX =__uint128_t(__int128_t(-1L));
static const __int128_t INT128_MAX = UINT128_MAX >> 1;
static const __int128_t INT128_MIN = -INT128_MAX - 1;

A: Just don't be ridiculous and use this for the unsigned maximum:
static const __uint128_t UINT128_MAX = ~__uint128_t{};

EDIT: You might want to take a look at these:
template <typename U>
constexpr static auto bit_size_v(CHAR_BIT * sizeof(U));

template <typename U>
constexpr static U min_v(std::is_signed_v<U> ? U(1) << (bit_size_v<U> - 1) : U{});

template <typename U>
constexpr static U max_v(std::is_signed_v<U> ? -(min_v<U> + U(1)) : ~U());

A: Since you have the tag [g++], I assume you are interested in a C++ solution: the usual std::numeric_limits<__int128>::max() just works...

A: As currently gcc doesn't have support for defining int128 integer literals, usually compose int128 by using (high<<64)|low.
However this source has a perfect asnwer:
#define INT128_MAX (__int128)(((unsigned __int128) 1 << ((sizeof(__int128) * __CHAR_BIT__) - 1)) - 1)
#define INT128_MIN (-INT128_MAX - 1)
#define UINT128_MAX ((2 * (unsigned __int128) INT128_MAX) + 1)

INT128_MAX is 2^127 - 1 which is (1 << 127) - 1. Then the rest of constants can be calculated.

A: Not ideal in terms of performance and memory usage but this is the only thing I found. Of course in this won't work at all on architectures where unaligned memory access is not authorized.
const __int128 llong_min=*(__int128*)"\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xfd";
const __int128 llong_max=*(__int128*)"\x7f\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff";


Oceania font is a loose handwriting typeface designed by Andrei Olaru and published by Kreativ Font. Inspired by Balearic weather, Oceania can be used to give you sunny holidays aesthetics to your designs.
A font description published on Monday, February 25th, 2013 in Andrei Olaru, Fonts, Kreativ Font by Andrei that has 5,835 views.


Anybody want to chat about racing for a little while?
its 1.49 am over here n ive axles goin round my head,im in a spin and the season hasnt even started !!! cheers for the help so far zero,slightly worrying name,weve a saying over here "hero or zero" i hope it dont apply in this case!!!!
Nah you don't have to worry about that! The Zero is his number.


text:
Barack Obama Jokes That He's Scared of His Daughter Sasha
Christopher Rosa
Former president Barack Obama is currently on the promotional circuit for his new memoir, A Promised Land, and his latest stop was a virtual interview with Jimmy Kimmel on November 19. You can watch the 25-minute interview in full on YouTube, below. It's chock-full of funny anecdotes, including Obama's confession that he's "scared" of his 19-year-old daughter, Sasha.
"The reason is because Sasha is a mini Michelle, and I'm afraid of Michelle," he told Kimmel, explaining that his youngest daughter has the "the same look and the same attitude" as his wife, Michelle Obama.
Other funny stories revealed: that Obama is frequently poked fun at by his family. "I'm generally the brunt of jokes in my house," he said. Watch this all for yourself, below.
Barack Obama's A Promised Land memoir is now out, and it's a whopping 768 pages. He divulges so much in it, including how the presidency took a toll on his marriage.
"And yet, despite Michelle's success and popularity, I continued to sense an undercurrent of tension in her, subtle but constant, like the faint thrum of a hidden machine," he writes in the book, according to CNN. "It was as if, confined as we were within the walls of the White House, all her previous sources of frustration became more concentrated, more vivid, whether it was my round-the-clock absorption with work, or the way politics exposed our family to scrutiny and attacks, or the tendency of even friends and family members to treat her role as secondary in importance.
"Lying next to Michelle in the dark," he continues. "I'd think about those days when everything between us felt lighter, when her smile was more constant and our love less encumbered, and my heart would suddenly tighten at the thought that those days might not return."
Click here for more info on Obama's book.
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Originally Appeared on Glamour