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From John Green, the #1 bestselling author of Turtles All the Way Down "The greatest romance story of this decade." —Entertainment Weekly -Millions of copies sold- #1 New York Times Bestseller #1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller #1 USA Today Bestseller #1 International Bestseller TIME Magazine's #1 Fiction Book of 2012 TODAY Book Club pick Now a Major Motion Picture Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten. Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars brilliantly explores the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.
Take the FREE sample quiz below: True or False? Hazel is on a constant search for a greener way of life which is why John planned to make her vegetarian at first but changed his mind later on. True or False? John was planning to be an Episcopalian priest before he began his writing career. True or False? Shailene Woodley didn't want to have her hair cut so she wore a wig instead when playing the role of Hazel in The Fault in Our Stars. Do you know the answers to the questions above? Are you a fan of Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney? Would you like to have hours of entertainment and enjoyment about the book you love? If you've answered yes to any question above, get ready for a hip-new series that bring you FUN and EDUCATION at the same time! Gather around with family and friends and challenge one another with a series of questions ranging from easy to difficult levels! Spice things up by taking the Quiz Game Book simultaneously between players and see the winning results at the end! Submit your Quiz Game scores via Google Forms for a chance to be ranked on 'G whiz Spotlights' and hop on the Wall of Contributors! It's safe and fun for the whole family! "Acts as an incredible reading guide. Helps to know not only about the books but the authors as well." - Marilin A. "Get ready for fun, down-to-earth, and amazing facts that keep you laughing & learning!" Tips & Tricks to Enhance Reading Experience • Enter "G Whiz" after your favorite title to see if publication exists! ie) Harry Potter G Whiz • Enter "G Whiz 101" to search for entire catalogue! • Collect Stars redeemable for books with every correct answer! • Participate in priority events by joining "G Whiz Crew"! • Submit a review for G Whiz trilogy sets and hop on the Wall of Contributors! DISCLAIMER: This work is a derivative work not to be confused with the original title. It is a quiz game book designed to enrich appreciation of the original title through entertainment and education. It is unofficial and unauthorized, and no content shall be deemed authoritative nor used for citation purposes. All questions come with source URLs for further reading and enjoyment. Refined and tested for quality, we provide a 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back.
The Fault in Our Stars is a novel by author John Green. The story follows the main character, Hazel Grace Lancaster, as she battles cancer. Not only is Hazel trying to live the normal life of a 16-year-old girl, but she is also struggling with what it will be like for her parents after she dies. While Hazel attends a church support group for cancer survivors, she meets a boy that is one year older than her, Augustus Waters. While Augustus had a type of cancer that causes him to lose his leg and wear a prosthetic, it also has a survival rate that is much higher than Hazel's death sentence. From the first day that Hazel meets Augustus, the two are practically inseparable. The basis of their relationship ends up being Hazel's favorite book, An Imperial Affliction. She requires Augustus to read it and in turn, he requires her to read the book that is the basis of his favorite video game. Hazel relates to the character in her favorite book, Anna, because Anna has a rare blood cancer. Augustus and Hazel bond over the book because both of them of a burning desire to find out how the story ends because the author stops the book before providing conclusion on what happens to each of the characters. Augustus joins Hazel's pursuit of the book's author, Peter Van Houten, to provide the answers that they need. Augustus even uses a wish foundation to fly him and Hazel to Amsterdam, where the author lives, to talk with him in person. While Hazel is the one that is doomed to die, Augustus ends up telling Hazel that at his recent scan, the doctors discovered that his entire body is filled with cancer. Hazel spends the last months of Augustus's life caring for him and loving him.
A Study Guide for John Green's "The Fault in Our Stars", excerpted from Gale's acclaimed Novels for Students.This concise study guide includes plot summary; character analysis; author biography; study questions; historical context; suggestions for further reading; and much more. For any literature project, trust Novels for Students for all of your research needs.
Few novels have affected readers (especially young people) like John Green's The Fault in Our Stars. With this new guide you will have an even greater understanding of the book. Included in this guide: a biography of author John Green, a look at the book's context, its literary elements, detailed chapter summaries, analysis, and suggestions for essays. This is the definitive guide to The Fault in Our Stars, concise, easy to understand, and guaranteed to add to your enjoyment of this modern classic, now a major motion picture.


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Q: FVG318 used as a Wireless Access Point My apologies in advance: I am a software developer with just enough networking knowledge to get into trouble :)
So I had a cable modem/router setup through my ISP right in my office. They sold me on TV via IP but when they went to install it, "The Router will have to be placed by the TV". This means all my wired ports were lost.
I have an Net Gear FVG318 Wireless Router that I was using as a GuestNetwork. So I had hardwired it into the modem/router and anyone could connect to that more freely. In all those documents it says it has a "wireless access point". To me that means it can connect wirelessly to a wired network. I havent been able to figure out how to do it yet. Isnt that what a "wireless access point" is?
Is there any way to use my existing hardware to wirelessly connect it to my network without physically using a wire across the house. If not what device would you recommend to do this. I always thought thats what a wireless access point was.

A:
So I had a cable modem/router setup through my ISP right in my office. They sold me on TV via IP but when they went to install it, "The Router will have to be placed by the TV". This means all my wired ports were lost...
... Is there any way to use my existing hardware to wirelessly connect it to my network without physically using a wire across the house.

If it was me, I would look at Homeplug AV; for examples of Homeplug AV products and throughput, take a look at this comparison of two Homeplug AV2 options.    Homeplug AV lets you send ethernet packets through your house power wiring, as long as you hook up some Homeplug AV transceivers on both sides.  I still have the original Homeplug AV standard running in my house, and it is great when a physical wire is required.
Practically, this means buying two Homeplug AV2 transceivers.  Plug one into the wall in your office, and plug the other into the wall next to your TV.  Then, take ethernet cables and connect the TV / Office wifi router to your new Homeplug AV2 transceivers.  Be sure to turn on encryption on the link, because the Homeplug AV signals leave you vulnerable to hacking similar to an open wifi would.
Fixing the cabling issue should be relatively painless; please let me know how this works out for you.

A: SO I ended up not going with @MikePennington's suggestion (getting AV2). According to the Networking guys I spoke with I had it reversed and though a AV2 system would work, the reason it wasnt working with my existing devids is that I didnt need a WAP (Wireless Access Point) apparently I needed a Bridge. I got a D-Link DAP-1522. Worked pretty nicely. Instructions were a little sketchy but its working perfectly. I decided against AV2 because you have to be plugged into a physical outlet, not a surge supressor or it will not work according to who I talked to.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Akshay Kumar has bagged many big-budget projects such as Gold, 2.0, Kesari, Houseful 4. And now one more project added to this list.
As per reports, the actor signs yet another historical drama film after Kesari. The untitled project produced by Yash Raj Films. Akshay Kumar and Yash Raj Films have been talking to work together for quite some time. Akshay Kumar will play the role of Prithviraj Chauhan in the film. The film will be directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi.
According to the report, the film likely to go on floors around the mid-next year, after Akshay finishes Hera Pheri 3. Akshay Kumar last worked with Yash Raj films in Tashan, which was released in 2008.
Akshay's next sports drama film Gold is set to release on this independence day. Gold movie trailer release on June 25. Apart from Gold, Akshay is currently shooting for Kesari, which is also a period drama film based on Battle of Saragarhi. After Kesari, Akshay will soon start shooting for Housefull 4.


Davido assurance lyrics show you why Davido songs are one of African best. He expresses the love he feels for girlfriend Chioma Avril Rowland.
Hello, guys, it is your Gee Mr. Classic Money here at Shout Me Celeb. today I will be telling you everything about assurance by davido.
So, you want to stay glued to your screen!
Davido assurance lyrics hit the screen and like every of his badass songs. He totally killed this one.
I will tell you why. It is because it's about his new found love Chioma Avril Rowland.
The name sounds very epic, right? Plus her beauty is something else. and honestly, I can't even begin to imagine if she was born in this world.
Now, that's a joke! She is totally of this world… LoLz.
However hot his songs sound there are many out there. Who wants to spoil his reputation. One of such cases was when he was accused of stealing perfume from a UK chop.
It turns out he was able to clear his name from that one. and today he is waxing strong showing the world he is the real deal.
The song was produced and directed by SperoachBeatz. The producer of one of the biggest songs in 2018 according to pulse ng speaks on how he created the beat.
Davidos Assurance became an instant hit. when it was released in April and the producer, SperoachBeatz says it took him an hour to put the instrumental together.
Assurance davido garnered more than 30 million views on youtube and the number. is still rising and also it got a lot of positive reviews from the fans of the singer.
What Inspired Davido Assurance Lyrics?
The lyrics like I said before was inspired by a woman. Women are just amazing aren't they!
The song displays how affectionate it is to fall head over hills in love with a woman. and in this case, it is Davido that was love struck by an Angel.
The above angel came in the form of Chioma. and it has been rosy for the two love birds ever since.
But, sometimes in 2018, it was a rumor that Nigeria Bon and Clyde were no more together. but as the story turns out, it was an absolute rumor.
Shoutmeceleb covered that story in depth here. and you are free to share your thoughts also.
Davido latest songs is that is currently trending is the Wonder Woman. I know what you are going to say.
Why are his songs about women?
Well, his mom passing away is over a decade now. and what other better way is there to honor women than doing songs that are magical.
Well, let me ask you this question! What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear Chioma and Davido?
Again use the comment session to answer this question. and I will love to speak more on it with you.
You love music right? Listen to Davido assurance lyrics and you will also want to fall in love.
Although many have labeled him rude one guy defended him so well. It is the person of Richard Nnadi who claims lot's of Celebs owe him money.
Davido did well to clear his name from Richard's debt list. and Richard thanked him well too.
So, without further Ado here is!


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text:
Comparison between nasopharyngeal swab and nasal wash, using culture and PCR, in the detection of potential respiratory pathogens
Jenna F Gritzfeld1Email author,
Paul Roberts2,
Lorna Roche3,
Sherouk El Batrawy2 and
Stephen B Gordon1
© Gritzfeld et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2010
Nasopharyngeal carriage of potential pathogens is important as it is both the major source of transmission and the prerequisite of invasive disease. New methods for detecting carriage could improve comfort, accuracy and laboratory utility. The aims of this study were to compare the sensitivities of a nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) and a nasal wash (NW) in detecting potential respiratory pathogens in healthy adults using microbiological culture and PCR.
Healthy volunteers attended for nasal washing and brushing of the posterior nasopharynx. Conventional and real-time PCR were used to detect pneumococcus and meningococcus. Statistical differences between the two nasal sampling methods were determined using a nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test; differences between culture and PCR methods were determined using the McNemar test.
Nasal washing was more comfortable for volunteers than swabbing (n = 24). In detection by culture, the NW was significantly more likely to detect pathogens than the NPS (p < 0.00001). Overall, there was a low carriage rate of pathogens in this sample; no significant difference was seen in the detection of bacteria between culture and PCR methods.
Nasal washing and PCR may provide effective alternatives to nasopharyngeal swabbing and classical microbiology, respectively.
Aureus Staphylococcus
Nasopharyngeal Swab
Nasal Wash
Nasopharyngeal Carriage
Bacterial colonization of the nasopharynx occurs early in life, with Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis causing sinusitis or otitis media in colonized children [1]. Nasopharyngeal carriage of potential pathogens is important as it is both the major source of transmission and the prerequisite of invasive disease. Sampling techniques involved in the detection of nasopharyngeal colonization are quite varied. In adults, nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) cultures have been shown to be positive more often for pneumococci than oropharyngeal swab (OPS) cultures, but culture results were best when both types of specimens were taken [2]. A similar study [3] found that nasopharyngeal methods (either swabs (NPS) or nasal washing (NW)) detected 89% of S. pneumoniae colonization as compared to 30% for OPS. There was no difference between the NPS and NW in detecting S. pneumoniae.
Detection of carriage is of great importance as it can be used in epidemiology studies, as an endpoint in vaccine trials, and in experimental human carriage projects, as has previously been done with S. pneumoniae[4]. Limitations of detection in conventional microbiology have led to the development of PCR-based detection systems. The development of PCR-based serotyping systems could aid in the surveillance of vaccine-targeted serotypes and help overcome difficulties associated with serological testing.
The present study aimed to compare the sensitivity of a nasopharyngeal swab to a nasal wash in healthy adults using microbiological culture and molecular techniques (PCR).
Healthy adults aged 18-60 were recruited to the study, which was given ethical approval by the National Health Service Research Ethics Committee (08/H1001/52) and was sponsored by the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals Trust. Both a NPS and NW were used to determine if a volunteer was carrying a potential pathogen in the nasopharynx. Volunteers positive for carriage of potential pathogens were asked to return for serial sampling.
Two consecutive specimens were taken from each volunteer; the NPS procedure was done first. The volunteer's head was tilted back slightly and a rayon-tipped flexible nichrome wire swab (Medical Wire, UK) was inserted into the naris until it reached the posterior nasopharynx. The rayon-tipped swab has been shown to be superior to calcium alginate and Dacron polyester swabs in the detection of pneumococcus [5]. The swab was rotated gently and then immediately placed into 1 ml of skim milk-tryptone-glucose-glycerine (STGG) medium for transport and processing. This procedure was repeated with the other naris. STGG medium was prepared as described previously [6]. The Naclerio method was used for the NW [7]. The volunteer's head was tilted back 30° from the vertical. A syringe filled with 5 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride was inserted into one of the nasal spaces and the volunteer was instructed to take a deep breath and hold it. The other nasal orifice (i.e., not containing the syringe) was held closed while the 5 ml of sodium chloride was expelled into the nasal space followed by a count of 10. The volunteer then leaned forward and blew the fluid gently through both nares onto a Petri dish (Figure 1). The procedure was repeated with the other naris and the contents were pooled into a universal container. The entire procedure was repeated twice more.
Naclerio method of nasal washing. A) A volunteer's head is tilted back 30° from the vertical and a syringe containing 5 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride is inserted into one of the nasal spaces. The volunteer briefly holds their breath while the 5 ml is expelled into the nasal space. B) Following a count of ten the volunteer leans forward and blows the fluid gently through the nares and into a Petri dish. The procedure is repeated with the other naris and the contents pooled.
The Borg Scale of Discomfort, kindly provided by Dr. Frederick Hargreave, McMaster University, was used to determine the level of discomfort caused by the NPS and NW (0 = no trouble at all, 10 = maximum discomfort, similar to congestion from a 'cold').
Classical microbiology
NPS specimens were vortexed in STGG medium and cultured on 7% horse blood agar and chocolate blood agar (Oxoid). NW specimens were centrifuged at high speed (1500 × g for seven minutes) and the pellet re-suspended in 1 ml STGG for storage; specimens were cultured on horse blood agar and chocolate blood agar. The remainder of the NPS and NW specimens were frozen at -80°C to be used for DNA extraction and PCR. All specimens were incubated for 24 hr at 37°C in 5% CO2.
Identification of Staphylococcus aureus was determined by catalase production and Pastorex Staph Plus latex test (Bio-Rad). S. pneumoniae was identified by colony morphology, alpha-haemolysis, optochin sensitivity, Gram stain, and bile solubility. M. catarrhalis was identified by colony morphology, Gram stain, a positive cytochrome oxidase test and hydrolysis of butyrate. Identification of Neisseria meningitidis was based on colony morphology, Gram stain, a positive cytochrome oxidase test and the API NH test strip (BioMérieux).
Verification of pneumococcal recovery from NW samples
To determine if S. pneumoniae could be recovered from NW specimens containing normal nasopharyngeal flora, five NW samples were spiked with 0 μl, 0.2 μl, 1 μl, 10 μl, and 100 μl of S. pneumoniae 23F stock culture. A viability count was performed on each spiked sample. The CFU of the starting culture was determined by a viability count and this was used to determine what concentration of S. pneumoniae 23F had been added to each vial.
DNA was extracted from the NPS and NW specimens using the QIAsymphony SP system and QIAsymphony Virus/Bacteria Midi Kit (QIAGEN Inc., UK) according to manufacturer's instructions. A total of 1200 μl was used in each reaction with an elution volume of 60 μl.
The conventional PCR assay for pneumococcus was taken from Pai et al.[8] using only the cpsA primer pair. The final reaction volume was 20 μl and the assay was performed using BioMix Red (Bioline Ltd.), according to the manufacturer's instructions.
The real-time PCR assay for meningococcus [9, 10] was carried out in a final 25 μl reaction volume and was performed using TaqMan Universal Master Mix (Applied Biosystems) and 2.5 μl of sample DNA. DNA was amplified with the Corbett Rotor-Gene 6000 (QIAGEN) with the following cycling parameters: 50°C for 2 min, 95°C for 10 min, followed by 50 cycles of 15 s at 95°C and 1 min at 60°C. Amplification data were analyzed by instrument software (Rotor-Gene software series 1.7). Cycle threshold (Ct) values ≤35 were considered positive; Ct values between 36 and 40 were equivocal; and Ct values >40 were called negative. DNA extractions of equivocal specimens were diluted 1:4 and 1:10 and re-tested in duplicate. If the resulting average Ct values fell below 35, the specimen was considered positive. If the Ct values remained >35, the specimen was called negative.
Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel 2007, GraphPad Prism 4, and VassarStats (http://faculty.vassar.edu/lowry/propcorr.html, accessed 12-06-09). A distribution analysis was performed on data sets prior to examining statistical differences. A nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the Borg Scale of Discomfort data. A McNemar test was used for the comparisons between NPS and NW. For all statistical comparisons a p value < 0.05 was defined as significant.
Twenty-four volunteers were recruited to have a NPS and NW. Two volunteers chose not to have the NPS and three volunteers were sampled serially. Of the 22 people that had both the NPS and the NW, 91% preferred the NW while 9% found the NPS and the NW to be of equal discomfort (p < 0.0001) (Figure 2). NW was significantly more likely to detect potential pathogens than NPS (p < 0.00001). Of the bacteria detected in NPS specimens, 65% of isolates were non-S. aureus staphylococci. Of the potentially pathogenic organisms detected, 10% were M. catarrhalis and 26% were S. aureus (Figure 3). In the NW, 60% of isolates were non-S. aureus staphylococci. Of the potentially pathogenic organisms detected, 13% were Neisseria spp., 10% were M. catarrhalis and 38% were S. aureus (Figure 3). The lower limit for detecting S. pneumoniae 23F in spiked NW specimens was 14 CFU/μl.
Differences in the level of discomfort during NPS versus NW. *p < 0.0001. NPS: 2.25 [1.74, 2.76]; NW: 0.89 [0.54, 1.23] (Mean [95% Confidence Interval]).
Comparison of potential pathogens detected by NPS and NW. (NPS, open bars; NW, filled bars).
S. pneumoniae was not detected in any of the NPS or NW specimens but was detected in all four spiked NWs using the cpsA conventional PCR assay. The sodC real-time PCR assay detected N. meningitidis in NW more often than NPS but this result was not statistically significant (p < 0.25).
These results show that nasal washing is more comfortable than nasopharyngeal swabbing and is also more likely to detect potential pathogens. The Naclerio method of nasal washing has not been frequently used in the detection of bacteria; the most common method is a variation of instilling saline into the patient's nose and then suctioning it out through a tube, as was the method used by Lieberman et al.[3]. The Naclerio method would not be recommended in children because of the level of participant cooperation required but in adults it was a far easier method which proved successful in this study in both degree of comfort and pathogen detection. Others have tried several techniques (anterior nares, throat swabs) to reduce sampling discomfort but it is important in pneumococcal work to sample the posterior nasopharynx. Our findings are similar to those by Lieberman et al.[3] where NW was superior to NPS, especially in the detection of H. influenzae (p < 0.04).
The meningococcus real-time PCR is based on the detection of the sodC gene which encodes copper-zinc superoxide dismutase and is found in N. meningitidis, but not other Neisseria spp. [11, 12]. The sodC assay is 99.6% sensitive and 100% specific for detecting N. meningitidis[13]. In this study, the only N. meningitidis culture positive sample was detected by real-time PCR, while Neisseria polysaccharea, Neisseria cinerea and M. catarrhalis were not detected using this assay. These results demonstrate that the sodC real-time PCR assay is sensitive and specific.
The combined NPS and NW results were examined but, due to the small sample size and the small number of volunteers found to be carrying N. meningitidis, the results were not significant. N. meningitidis was detected in only one culture sample and in two sodC PCR reactions. Only N. meningitidis could be analysed since S. pneumoniae was not detected by culture or conventional PCR.
There is currently an increased need for rapid detection of these potential pathogens, especially in relation to the recent H1N1 influenza A pandemic. In a group of U.S. patients with fatal pandemic influenza A, 29% showed evidence for a concurrent bacterial infection [14]. S. pneumoniae was strongly correlated with disease when NPS samples taken from patients with confirmed H1N1 infection were examined with MassTag PCR [15]. There is also an increased need for early recognition of bacterial pneumonia through easy-to-obtain samples and multiplex diagnostic methods. Current pneumococcal vaccine candidates are being designed to not only prevent pneumonia, but also prevent carriage and subsequently, transmission. Serial NW samples are a preferable sampling method to use in vaccine trials because of the increased detection capabilities and ease of administration as compared to NPS.
NW was chosen by 91% of volunteers as being more comfortable than NPS and was more likely to detect pathogens using microbiological culture. Detection of N. meningitidis appeared to be better by real-time PCR on NWs than on NPSs but further testing remains to be done to confirm this trend.
We would like to thank the Wellcome Trust, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the NIHR Liverpool Biomedical Research Centre, Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Dr. Jennifer Dolan Thomas (Division of Bacterial Diseases, NCIRD, CDC) for providing the real-time PCR assay and technical support. Written consent for publication of the clinical photograph was obtained from the volunteer.
JFG undertook the study and data collection and produced the first draft of the article. PR gave laboratory support. LR and SEB collected the samples. SBG conceived the study. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Respiratory Infection Group, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, UK
NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Directorate of Infection and Immunity, Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, Liverpool, UK
Royal Liverpool Hospital, Cheshire and Merseyside Comprehensive Local Research Network, Liverpool, UK
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Dolan J, Satterfield D, Team ABCSA, Mayer E: sodC as a species identifier for real-time PCR detection of. N. meningitidis. 16th International Pathogenic Neisseria Conference: 2008; Rotterdam, The Netherlands. 2008Google Scholar
Dolan J, Hatcher C, Bach M, Satterfield D, Arnold KE, Stephens DS, Harrison LH, Hollick RA, Messonnier NR, Mayer LW, et al: Validation of a sodC-based real-time PCR assay for the detection of N. meningitidis. 10th European Meningococcal Disease Society Meeting: 2009; Manchester, UK. 2009Google Scholar
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Thomas J, Hatcher C, Satterfield D, Theodore M, Bach M, Linscott K, Zhao X, Wang X, Mair R, Schmink S, et al: sodC-based Real-time PCR for Detection of Neisseria meningitidis. PLoS One. 2011,Google Scholar
Louie J, Jean C, Chen TH, Park S, Ueki R, Harper T, Chmara E, Myers J, Stoppacher R, Catanese C, et al: Bacterial coinfections in lung tissue specimens from fatal cases of 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) - United States, May-August 2009. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2009, 58 (38): 1071-1074.Google Scholar
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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MLSU to include courses from International Scholars & Faculty
Eminent scholars from international universities will design special courses that will benefit the students and faculty of MLSU.
By UdaipurTimes Team Fri, 23 Oct 2015
Eminent scholars from international universities will design special courses that will benefit the students and faculty of MLSU. This is the initiative by MHRD under the project GIAN (Global Initiative for Academic Networks) in which MLSU is included. It is aimed to tap the talent pool of scientists and entrepreneurs internationally to encourage their engagement with the institutes of Higher Education in India.
"GIAN is envisaged to catalyze higher education institutions in the country and it will initially include all IITs, IIMs, Central and law universities, selected good state universities where the spinoff is vast" informed Prof Sanjay Lodha, the local coordinator.
This is an evolving scheme which will initially include participation of foreign faculty in Institutes as distinguished, adjunct, visiting faculty, Professors of Practice etc. to participate in delivering short or semester-long courses. Other activities such as research collaborations will be included in due course, Prof Lodha said.
Each participating institution has been asked to submit proposals on courses related to twelve categories like Physical Sciences, Chemical, Bio-Chemical & Material Sciences, Mathematical & Computer Sciences, Life Sciences, Medicine & Healthcare, Electronics, Electrical, Information & Communication Technology, Mechanical Sciences & Infrastructure, Earth & Environment Sciences, Management, Social Sciences and Law, Humanities & Liberal Arts, Architecture, Design, Planning and Heritage and other Interdisciplinary categories.
A lump-sum amount of up to $8000 for 12 to 14 hours of contact and $12000 for 20 to 28 hours of contact would be paid to the foreign experts covering their travel and honorarium. "The host institute has to gain consent from the foreign faculty first before submitting the course proposal to the sectional committee which will in turn seek final approval from the national committee" Lodha said.
The courses may commence from December depending on their approval.


Laune Rangers Seniors opened their season on Sunday afternoon with an overwhelming away defeat by Beaufort. The home side fielded a near full strength team that included a dozen of the Mid Kerry Championship winning team from 2017. Laune Rangers handed a Senior debut to goalkeeper Padraig Ahern, and named a number of players who were returning from long term absenses on the team – Cormac Johnston, Chris Riordan, Kevin O'Sullivan, John O'Shea all starting the game for Rangers – as a host of first team regulars were unavailable or rested.
Beaufort controlled the game from the outset, and had 2-6 on the board before Rangers registered their first score with a John O'Shea pointed free. Another Beaufort point was added but John O'Shea (free) and Cian O'Shea kicked the final points of the opening half. Half Time Score:- Beaufort 2-7, Laune Rangers 0-3.
John O'Shea (2, 1 free) and Shane Mangan managed to get points on the board for Rangers during a long second half, as Beaufort drove home their supremacy, scoring four more goals to add further gloss to the scoreline. Full Time Score:- Beaufort 6-15, Laune Rangers 0-6.


Professor Diana Cooper-Clark of York University, Toronto, Canada presented an academic paper excerpted from her book, Dreams of Re-Creation in Jamaica at the JDC Scholars Workshop on "Refugees, Statelessness, Migration and the Work of the Joint".
Joan spoke about her family's personal experience.
During the "Reunion" of Gibraltar Camp 2 internees and descendants of internees, organized by Prof. Diana Cooper-Clark in November 2016. The group visited the Orange Street Cemetery. This was the first time that a proper Kaddish was said over my sister Yvonne's (ZT"L) grave by a minyan.
Ainsley Henriques (in the checked shirt) and his step-brother David Matalon (not pictured here) are the wonderful persons responsible for arranging for a new stone to be placed on her grave. The original stone had been stolen years before.


Cut from our classic corduroy this understated essential features a discreet embroidered motif of our iconic Byron Bay HQ. With a distinct 'wave' roofline, our surfboard factory is where all our board building magic takes place, right under one roof. Celebrated in a premium cap with strap back closure, this cotton specimen is designed to carry you from Summer into Winter.


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Albright and Ivanov make the case for early US-Russian arms cuts
Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. (Mario Tama / Getty Images / AFP) © AFP
According to two big names in foreign policy circles, Russia and the US could slash their strategic nuclear arsenals by 2014, not by 2018, as the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) states, as well as cooperate on missile defense.
If the early arms reduction initiative is realized, it could cut the number of warheads down to 1,300 on each side, said former Russian and American chief foreign-policy officials Igor Ivanov and Madeleine Albright.On April 8, 2010 Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev met in Prague to sign New START, which entered into force in February. The arms reduction treaty permits each side up to 1,550 deployed strategic warheads, and gives each until 2018 to reach its limits. However, according to the American and Russian foreign-policy officials, the United States and Russia should further reduce their strategic arms.."New START gives each [side] until 2018 to reach its limits," Albright and Ivanov said in a joint article, published by the daily Kommersant and International Herald Tribune on Friday. "They do not need that long. The two sides could accelerate their reductions and in parallel implement the limits by 2014 or 2015."The article was co-authored by Academician Alexander Dynkin, director of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of World Economy and International Relations, and Strobe Talbott, former US Deputy Secretary of State and currently the director of the Brookings Institution."The United States and Russia should initiate early negotiations to further reduce their strategic arms. New START permits each side up to 1,550 deployed strategic warheads. They could negotiate to reduce that level to 1,000 deployed strategic warheads – with corresponding cuts in strategic missiles and bombers – which would leave each with more than enough to assure its security," the foreign policy experts write.One of the reasons forwarded for initiating early reductions in strategic arsenals is Russia's "aging systems" that will "soon fall well below the 1,550 limit." According to Albright and Ivanov, such a scenario, which would force Russia to build new nuclear weapons, "makes no sense for either country.""Aging systems mean that Russia's deployed strategic warheads will soon fall well below the 1,550 limit," the American and Russian experts argue. "Moscow will then have to decide whether to build back up to that limit. That makes no sense for either country. At an appropriate time, Washington could announce that, as a matter of policy, it will limit its deployed strategic warheads to 1,300, provided that Russia does not exceed that number."Although the authors make no mention of it, Washington is confronting serious budgetary problems, as the Democrats and Republicans are presently bickering over how to slash federal spending in the wake of exploding deficits. In fact, if a budget agreement is not reached by Friday, the US government will be forced to shut down. So it makes sense for Washington to also agree to early arms reductions, as well as prevent the Russian side from replacing their "aging" strategic weapons.Meanwhile, a major sticking point to New START, not to mention the entire prospects for a US-Russian reset, continues to be the debate over the US Pentagon's plans to drop a missile defense system smack in Eastern Europe, on Russia's doorstep. If there is a surefire way to scuttle bilateral relations between the two former Cold War rivals, this is it.Albright and Ivanov concede this point, saying that Moscow and Washington need a better understanding on missile defense, "which otherwise could stall further nuclear reductions.The United States, NATO and Russia should vigorously pursue possibilities for cooperation in this area; genuine collaboration could dramatically change how the sides perceive one another."The authors essentially advise doing what Moscow has been requesting since the missile defense initiative was first floated: US, NATO and Russian hands controlling the button simultaneously. "One idea is early establishment of a NATO-Russia center to integrate and assess data from their early warning radars and space sensors," the policy experts write.One of the advantages of permitting US and Russian officers to work "side-by-side" is to increase the level of trust between the two nations."A real center…manned jointly by NATO and Russian military officers, offers advantages," the authors say. "The experience of military personnel working side-by-side will increase transparency about missile defense capabilities and boost trust between Russia and NATO." Albright and Ivanov added that NATO and Russia could consider other ways to further combine their missile defense systems into a single architecture, as well as addressing "non-strategic" nuclear weapons in any future arms reduction negotiations.Finally, the policy experts noted that external factors, such as progress on limiting conventional forces in Europe, can affect nuclear reductions. In closing their article, Albright and Ivanov said that "nuclear arms control cannot forever remain a U.S.-Russia-only enterprise," suggesting that Moscow and Washington "might consult with British, French and Chinese officials and on how to "multilateralize" the strategic arms reduction processEventually, other nuclear states should be brought into the process, they noted. In conclusion, the joint comments by the two leading US and Russian foreign-policy experts are certainly a point in the right direction as far as the reset goes. How all of this will work out in reality, that is, in the fleeting here and now, is a totally different question. But we can risk some predictions based on recent developments.First, the United States and NATO have yet to share any in-depth information on the European missile defense project with Moscow, while opposition to the idea of having Russian personnel involved in the project continues to ring loud in the former Warsaw, presently NATO, states. Unfortunately, this latent fear of Russia proves that too many NATO member states cannot shake their Cold War spell, which prevents them from undertaking cooperation with a modern Russian democracy, as opposed to yesterday's Soviet nemesis. After all, whatever memories some of the Warsaw states may have about the Soviet Union, it should not be forgotten that the communist state contributed heavily to the defeat of fascist forces in World War II. In the event of another global threat, Europe can ill-afford Russia being sidelined from any hypothetical hostilities that threaten the continent.Furthermore, as long as the US and NATO continue to be disingenuous with Russia over the missile defense system, any talk of cuts to the strategic arms arsenal is a complete waste of bureaucratic time. A simple childhood game that everybody has participated in suffices to prove the point. Imagine a snowball battle, which is frozen in a standoff, with each side possessing 1,500 well-packed projectiles a piece. Suddenly, one of the sides, and to the consternation of their rival, begins to build a huge and terribly expensive defense shield that protects them from any incoming lobs. At the same time, however, they forward the brilliant idea of reducing the number of snowballs allowed to each side. Now, unless both sides is granted 100 percent access and control of the newly introduced shield, it would require either a fool, or somebody with complete confidence in the accuracy of their throwing arm, to concede to such an offer.Thus, if further reductions in the number of strategic nuclear arms do not happen, Washington and NATO will have nobody but themselves to blame. As for Europe, they should understand that the "great game" will be played above their territory.New START limits the number of deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), deployed submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) and deployed heavy bombers equipped to carry nuclear armaments to 700. It also draws a line under the number of deployed and non-deployed ICBM launchers, SLBM launchers, and heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments at 800.Madeleine Albright was the US secretary of state from 1997 to 2001, and Igor Ivanov was Russia's foreign minister from 1998 to 2004.Robert Bridge, RT
Trends:Russia-NATO relations news
"Russia and NATO need responsible decisions to increase trust"
It's either common missile defense or new arms race - Medvedev
Despite NATO invitation, Russia still waiting to join Euro missile defense
Russia must prepare for new "Times of Troubles" says military analyst
European Missile Defense: sacrificing the Russian queen for an Iranian pawn


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Q: What exactly is $\mathbb{Q}_p^*/(\mathbb{Q}_p^*)^2$ supposed to be? I need help with understanding the space $\mathbb{Q}_p^*/(\mathbb{Q}_p^*)^2$. I am unable to really comprehend what this is actually supposed to mean.
To begin, I found the following definition. $R/I$ is a set of equivalence classes of elements of $R$, where $a,b\in R$ are in the same equivalence class, say $[a]$, if the following holds: $$a,b\in [a]\in R/I~~~ \Leftrightarrow ~~~ (a-b)\in I.$$
So in this specific case, $$a,b\in [a]\in \mathbb{Q}_p^*/(\mathbb{Q}_p^*)^2~~~ \Leftrightarrow ~~~ (a-b)\in (\mathbb{Q}_p^*)^2.$$
But here I fail to see which property some $a\in\mathbb{Q}_p^*$ has to satisfy, such that $a\in(\mathbb{Q}_p^*)^2$ , specifically, how this is dependent on $p$. I would think that a square in $\mathbb{Q}_2$ is also a square in $\mathbb{Q}_3$ for instance, as I do not understand how the property of being a square can be impacted by some valuation on the set.
I hope my question has become somewhat clear and I would be glad, if someone could offer me a very explicit definition for when $$a=p^\alpha\frac{u}{v}\in(\mathbb{Q}_p^*)^2$$ and by extention when $$a,b\in [a]\in \mathbb{Q}_p^*/(\mathbb{Q}_p^*)^2$$
Thank you very much!

A:
I would think that a square in $\mathbb{Q}_2$ is also a square in $\mathbb{Q}_3$ for instance, as I do not understand how the property of being a square can be impacted by some valuation on the set.

Remember that $\mathbb{Q}_p$ is not just $\mathbb{Q}$ endowed with the $p$-adic norm; rather, it is the completion of $\mathbb{Q}$ with respect to that norm. As we vary $p$ we're not looking at different norms on the same ring, but rather genuinely different rings. So there's no mystery to the definition of $\mathbb{Q}_p^*/(\mathbb{Q}_p^*)^2$, it's exactly what it seems to be - but it is after all dependent on $p$.
An important point here is that even the set of rationals which are squares in $\mathbb{Q}_p$ (that is, $(\mathbb{Q}_p^*)^2\cap\mathbb{Q}$) depends on $p$: if $\alpha\in\mathbb{Q}$ is a square in $\mathbb{Q}_{p_1}$, its square roots in the sense of $\mathbb{Q}_{p_1}$ might not be in $\mathbb{Q}$ and so $\alpha$ might not be a square in the sense of some other $\mathbb{Q}_{p_2}$.
See also Hesel's lemma and various MSE questions (e.g. 1, 2).


For July Fourth weekend, Ken's Brazilian Jazz band played for the Cherry Days festival in Paonia, Colorado. A friend who used to live in Paonia recommended an agritourism B&B—the Fresh and Wyld Farmhouse Inn on the outskirts of this tiny town on the Western slope.
Just-picked cherries, almond-anise biscotti and iced tea are the afternoon snack for July 4th at Fresh & Wyld Farmhouse Inn in Paonia, Colo.
This inn is dedicated to organic, healthy living: the soaps, shampoos, etc. are all-natural and "local" is the buzzword here. We had farm-fresh eggs, pancakes with homemade jam, and local ham for breakfast this morning. And there are other treats lovingly prepared by chef/owner Dava Parr. In the afternoon, she sets out fresh-brewed ice tea, just-picked cherries and crunchy anise biscotti.
From the farmhouse's outdoor settee at 7:30 a.m., I sip mint tea and slowly come to consciousness. The air is cool, the birds are twittering wildly in homage to the morning sun, and the world is in suspended motion. Or rather, I'm in suspended motion as farm life bustles around me—in its timeless, laid-back way. Activity that has gone on every morning since the beginning of farms.
Paco, the old-soul farm dog with bad arthritis in his hips, wastes only a moment to touch his damp nose to the back of my hand and absorb my scent before he limps off to count other guests as they emerge from their rooms. I hear the ducks "wack-wack-wacking" like cartoon characters in a pond I can't see from here.
A farmer goes about his hoeing and watering in the hothouse. Shocks of marigolds stand guard at the ends of each garden row, warding off insects from tender tomatoes, fronds of kale, sweet peas. Mourning doves perch on the telephone pole, casting watchful eyes over the land, here in the foothills of the Roaring Fork valley. A slight breeze rustles the heart-shaped cottonwood leaves, coaxing them into daytime.
Fresh & Wyld Inn is a beautifully restored 1908 farmhouse with colorful gardens, cozy rooms, and fantastic breakfasts.
The smell of strong coffee wafted into our room this morning, and my nose decided it was time to greet July Fourth. Yesterday was hot; today is too. Though the farmhouse doesn't have air conditioning, there's a lovely patio with pots of flowers and benches scattered in the shade around the farm.
Ken and I are staying in the Sunflower Honeycomb room upstairs—it shares a bath with the other upstairs guests. (The main-floor rooms have private baths.) All the rooms are very cute with old-fashioned furniture; colorful, handmade bedspreads; and local artwork for sale on the walls. There's also a boutique filled with beautiful crafts, local honey, handmade cards, quilt art, and soaps.
We're loving this piece of farmland paradise and are spending most of the day here reading, napping, relaxing (I'm still recuperating from bronchitis, so a do-nothing vacation is just what the doctor ordered.) If you're ever in Paonia, this is the place to stay for terrific food, friendly people, and a getaway in the country.


1. Whisk white whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Place 1/4 cup chocolate chips in a small, heatproof bowl; microwave on Medium for 1 minute. Stir, then continue microwaving on Medium, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted. (Or place chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water. Stir until melted.) Let cool slightly.
3. Beat sugar, oil and butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on high until smooth, scraping down the sides. Add eggs, vanilla and the melted chocolate; beat until smooth, scraping down the sides. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Stir in the remaining 3/4 cup chocolate chips.
4. Place half the dough on a large piece of plastic wrap and shape into a 10-inch log (it's OK if it's not perfectly round). Repeat with the remaining dough. Wrap and freeze until just firm, about 45 minutes. Reroll the logs to make them rounder and return to the freezer until very firm, at least 1 hour more.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
6. Remove one roll of dough at a time from the freezer and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Unwrap the dough and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, turning the dough a quarter turn after each slice to help keep the cookies round. Place 1/2 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. If your cookies aren't as round as you want them to be, shape the dough with your fingers.
7. Bake 8 minutes for soft cookies or 10 minutes for crisp cookies. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining roll of dough, if desired.
To Make Ahead: Store wrapped rolls of dough in the freezer for up to 3 months.


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November 22, 2021 November 22, 2021 Keaton Weiss Uncategorized
Defend Socialist City Councilmember Kshama Sawant Against the Right Wing Recall
"I am not right wing, I am very much a Democrat," said Henry Bridger, campaign manager for the recall effort against Seattle's socialist city councilwoman Kshama Sawant in a televised debate earlier this month. Whether Bridger is himself deluded enough to earnestly believe what sounds like a literal punchline to many on the actual 'left wing' is besides the point.
The point is that the recall effort against Sawant is being backed by a coalition of Republicans, big business, and, yes, "right wing" Democrats. Seattle real estate mogul Martin Selig, a donor to Donald Trump's 2020 campaign, backs the recall, as does the city's Democratic mayor Jenny Durkan, a party insider who has openly spoken out against Sawant as well as Tammy Morales, who she warned her network was "another socialist" seeking a seat on the city council.
That Democrats and Republicans would work together to block and/or remove socialists from positions of power is certainly no surprise. They just did so in Buffalo, where incumbent Democrat Byron Brown forged a cross-party alliance for a successful write-in campaign against socialist India Walton who defeated him in the city's Democratic primary earlier this year.
Residents of Seattle's District 3 are receiving their ballots by today (November 22), and must be returned by December 7. Because this special recall election is taking place one month after the national Election Day on November 2, turnout is expected to be significantly lower, which Sawant believes is by design.
Sawant has accused the recall effort of deliberately dragging its feet on collecting signatures specifically to push the recall onto its own ballot, depressing turnout. In order to try and combat this, Sawant actually signed the petition herself, for her own recall, and encouraged her supporters to do the same.
The recall campaign claims that they were trying to get on the November 2 ballot, but that Sawant and her supporters' additional signatures "put [their] small staff under great pressure," and so they were unable to meet the deadline. This is a dubious claim, seeing as Sawant likely would not have signed a petition for her own recall had she not strongly suspected an intentional effort by the recall campaign to soft-pedal their signature gathering in order to delay the vote.
Sawant's team claims that a low turnout election favors the recall campaign seeing as Sawant has been re-elected twice to her seat on the council, after her 2013 victory made her the first socialist to hold a city-wide office in Seattle in almost 100 years. They say that her efforts on wages, renters' rights, and support for the Black Lives Matter movement, have been successful both in the streets and at the ballot box, and that the recall is a cynical attempt at a "do-over."
Bryan Koulouris, Kshama's campaign manager in 2019 and Kshama Solidarity campaign spokesperson, joined our podcast for a discussion on how and why the recall is taking place, how everyone can get involved to help defeat it, and the importance of unapologetically making enemies in high places when fighting for the working class.
Listen to our full conversation by clicking the player below (interview begins at the 5:04 mark), and subscribe to our podcast on Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or any major podcast player. Visit kshamsolidarity.org to get involved with the campaign.
Help us create more independent media by becoming a member at Patreon or Substack, or by making a secure donation via PayPal.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and our audio podcast:
Photo: Seattle City Council (cc 2.0)
Tagged Kshama Sawant
This Isn't a Court of Justice, This is a Court of Law: Unpacking the Rittenhouse Verdict
Netflix's 'Maid' is a Smart and Subtle Indictment of Neoliberalism


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How Does Kim Jong Un Define 'Denuclearization'? Korea expert Jean Lee of the Wilson Center tells Michel Martin Kim Jong Un's understanding of "denuclearization" of the Korean peninsula may be very different from what President Trump expects.
How Does Kim Jong Un Define 'Denuclearization'?
April 22, 20185:10 PM ET
Korea expert Jean Lee of the Wilson Center tells Michel Martin Kim Jong Un's understanding of "denuclearization" of the Korean peninsula may be very different from what President Trump expects.
And now to Korea and our regular segment Words You'll Hear. That's where we dig into a word or phrase that's likely to be in the news. This week's word is denuclearization, and we chose that because the presidents of North Korea and South Korea are scheduled to meet this Friday. The peninsula has been frozen in a cold war since the shooting stopped 65 years ago. But those discussions are also a prelude to a summit in the works between North Korea's Kim Jong Un and President Trump to talk about North Korea's nuclear program. Both sides say they are pushing for denuclearization, but we wondered if they mean the same thing when they say that.
So for some clarity, we called Jean Lee. She reported for years for the AP from Korea, and she opened the first U.S. News bureau in Pyongyang. She's now with the Wilson Center, a think tank here in Washington. Jean Lee, thanks so much for joining us.
JEAN LEE: Great to join you.
MARTIN: Let me start with a tweet from President Trump this morning. He talked about his negotiating posture going into a meeting with Kim Jong Un. He said, quote, "we haven't given up anything, and they have agreed to denuclearization. So great for world. Site closure and no more testing, exclamation mark." So, first of all, has North Korea really agreed to denuclearization? What does that mean? Do the two sides see that the same way?
LEE: I think President Trump is in for a rude surprise if he thinks that he's going to come to this summit with Kim Jong Un and that Kim Jong Un is going to say, sure, I'll hand over my nuclear weapons - because that is certainly not the case. What Kim Jong Un has said is that he supports this concept of a nuclear-free world and that he is willing to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. And so the U.S. may think that that means forcing or requiring North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons without anything from the U.S. side. But North Korea has very consistently said that that, for them, means that the United States also has to give up its nuclear umbrella over the Korean Peninsula and in the Northeast Asian region.
MARTIN: How significant is what Kim Jong Un said? I mean, just to remind people, he said North Korea did say that it will suspend nuclear and missile tests and did promise to shut down a testing site. Is that significant?
LEE: It is significant. So it's a good start and I want to - I would love to be optimistic about where this could take us. But we have to remember that we've been down this path before. And that was only six years ago that North Korea - when Kim Jong Un was in the early stages of his leadership - agreed to do exactly the same thing, and then weeks later, tested a long-range rocket. And so that deal, which we called the Leap Day Deal, fell apart. So we have to keep that history in mind.
MARTIN: Let's talk about the summit on Friday between the presidents of North Korea and South Korea. What's on the agenda of the South Korean president, Moon Jae-in? And does the South Korean agenda dovetail with what the U.S. is seeking?
LEE: This summit will roll out differently, I think, than the anticipated summit between President Trump and Kim Jong Un because the North and South Koreans have been preparing for it very methodically step-by-step. What we will see is a strong show of unity between the two Korean leaders. This is something that will play well in Pyongyang for Kim Jong Un is to show that he's got the South Korean leader on his side. The South Koreans will certainly want to discuss denuclearization and discuss the upcoming summit with Donald Trump and perhaps try to pave the way and lay the groundwork for that summit. They will most likely come up with some agreements at this meeting, perhaps some agreement on reducing the military tensions along the DMZ and also perhaps some agreement on restarting the family reunions of those Koreans on both sides of the DMZ who hadn't seen each other in more than 65, 70 years.
MARTIN: So, before we let you go, I think - I'm sure that this is something that many people in korea remember, but I'm not sure a lot of people in America in the United States remember - that there was never actually a formal end to the Korean War. An armistice was signed in 1953, but a peace treaty was never signed. Would that be significant? Is that a possibility that that might be an outcome of the summit this coming week? And would that matter? Would that be important?
LEE: That is the backdrop of all of this, the Korean War. You know, we call it the forgotten war here in America, but they have not forgotten in North Korea. And it is a core part of North Korean identity. Some people ask me how it is that North Korea has managed to maintain stability through all the famines of the 1990s, the sanctions, the difficulty of life in North Korea.
And one thing I point out to them is, you know, when you tell your people that they are under threat from an outside force or that they are at risk of being attacked, for any country, that brings the people together. And that's what the regime has been - in North Korea has been doing to its people is telling them we are under threat, we are under attack, and so we need to come together. But the big thing that Kim Jong Un wants is to have a resolution of that peace treaty. He wants something big to celebrate this year. And the big goal for him would be to somehow negotiate a peace treaty to bring that Korean War to an end.
MARTIN: That's Jean Lee. She directs the Korea program at the Wilson Center. That's a think tank here in Washington, D.C. Jean Lee, thank you so much for coming in.
LEE: Thanks for having me.


This recipe comes from the Delia Bible, the Complete Illustrated Cookery Course by Delia Smith. Yes she can be a bit annoying and sometimes her portion sizes are a bit mean, but I love Delia anyway. Her recipes always work!
A large nylon sieve and a piece of chemists gauze about 14 inches (35cm) square.
Wash the blackberries and place in a thick based saucepan with the water.
Then stew them very gently with a lid on for about 20-25 minutes.
Now and then give them a good mash to reduce them to a pulp and squeeze as much juice out of them as possible.
After that add the sugar and lemon juice to the pan and allow the sugar to dissolve completely with the heat still low.
There must not be any whole granules of sugar left. This takes about 10-15 minutes.
Now turn the heat right up and boil fairly rapidly for 8 minutes, stirring now and then to prevent sticking.
Meanwhile, warm a large bowl and a 1lb (450g) jam jar* in the oven and get them nice and hot.
Then, using a wooden spoon, get all the liquid through as quickly as possible, squeezing the remaining pulp as much as you can - but do be quick as the jelly sets if you take too long.
Now pour the jelly into the warmed jar, cover with a waxed disc*, cool and tie down.
If it begins to set before you've had a chance to pour it into the jar, just reheat it gently.
I actually used 2 smaller jars when I made this.
Also my sieve was stainless steel not nylon and when I tried to use the gauze I couldn't get the mixture through it so end up just pushing the mixture through the sieve minus the gauze. It worked fine so I won't bother with the gauze at all next time.
Preserve recipes always recommend the use of waxed discs but I always just use the jar's original lid. If you've washed it thoroughly and then the put it to dry out in the oven with the jar it seems to be fine. I've never had a problem with my jam or chutney going mouldy... and I've kept some for a very long time!


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See also: COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
Abenomask Package
Abenomask is a Japanese political word named after Shinzo Abe[1]. It is used in Japan for two meanings[2][3][4][5]:
The Japanese governmental action to give reusable surgical masks for every family (This policy was made in order to respond the COVID-19 outbreak).
The surgical mask given by the policy above.
Similar actions in other regions
Abenomask-like actions are taken in other regions including Spain[6] and the United States[7] etc.
↑ Shinzo Abe is the 90th, 96th, 97th, and 98th prime minister of Japan. He is famous for his economic policies known as Abenomics. Just like Abenomics and Abenomask, the name of Shinzo Abe is frequently used for political words.
↑ (in en) Japan's Coronavirus Mask Handout Tainted by Gripes Over Mould, Stains, Insects. 2020-04-22. https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/04/22/world/asia/22reuters-health-coronavirus-japan-masks.html. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
↑ (in en) Abe faces calls for decisive action after 'Abenomask' blunder. 2020-04-03. https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Abe-faces-calls-for-decisive-action-after-Abenomask-blunder. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
↑ Japan's Abe Taken to Task Over Itsy-Bitsy Masks (The Wall Street Journal, 2020.4.21); Anger as Japanese Prime Minister offers two cloth masks per family while refusing to declare coronavirus emergency (CNN, 2020.4.2); Coronavirus: Japan PM gets social media roasting for offering free cloth masks (South China Morning Post, 2020.4.2); Two masks, no lockdown: Japan PM's latest coronavirus step riles social media (Reuters, 2020.4.2)
↑ From Abenomics to Abenomask: Japan Mask Plan Meets With Derision (Bloomberg, 2020.4.2); You've got mail: 'Abenomask' distribution starts in Japan (France 24, 2020.4.17); Coronavirus measure in Japan of 2 masks per home taken as April Fool's joke, mocked as 'Abenomask' (Fox News, 2020.4.2)
↑ Sawer, Patrick (2020-04-11). "Spain to hand out free face masks for commuters to help return to work" (in en-GB). The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235 . https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/04/11/spain-hand-face-masks-allow-limited-return-work/. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
↑ Sheriff, Hennepin (2020-04-20). "This weekend, the HCSO distributed 100 cloth face masks to the community at the Brian Coyle Center in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. The CDC recommends everyone wear cloth face coverings in public places. We are planning to hold more mask distribution events soon.pic.twitter.com/1mZrPgMgQ6" (in en). https://twitter.com/HennepinSheriff/status/1252326476134920192. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
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Well, Terry Dresbach and team are at it again with all new costumes for Season 2. Just as we did for Season 1, we wanted to do for Season 2.
The Red Coats are back for Season 2. Very richly made uniforms in vibrant colors with Terry's eye for details!
The costumes this season are richly bold and colorful. They are exquisite!
Claire and Jamie are back and looking as debonair as ever!
Frank hasn't gone anywhere yet either!
Our most favorite godfather, Murtagh . . . You clean up well!
The exciting things about Season 2 are the newcomers, some of whom we heard about in Season 1.
What we love about Terry (and her crew) is that they talk with fans every day and share tidbits of material/costumes.
We cannot imagine having to create all of these costumes. However, we so appreciate Terry and crew for their hard work and all the effort that it took to create all of these.


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Boldenone Cyp is an androgenic anabolic steroid that is derived from testosterone. It possesses a cypionate ester which generates a stable release of the substance into the bloodstream for 2 weeks. This makes Raw Boldenone Cypionate powder an easy steroid to use by many athletes because it is not as painful after an injection. What characterises this substance is the length of the cycle which is typically longer in order to obtain a noticeable androgenic effect.
Boldenone is an anabolic androgenic steroid and synthetic derivative of testosterone that was originally developed for veterinary use. It can increase nitrogen retention, protein synthesis, and appetite, and also stimulates the release of erythropoietin in the kidneys. Boldenone Cyp, a derivative of Boldenone, which has the same effects as Boldenone. Raw Boldenone Cypionate powder is an ester of boldenone and is recommended as an aid for the treatment of debilitated horses when an improvement in weight, hair coat or general physical condition is desired.
Boldenone Cyp Application For Bodybuilding and the treatment of debilitated horses.


I am a bit scared to share this one. People judge a lot for this. But I hope it can help someone–maybe you, maybe someone you love–and if so, I want to do what I can.
The truth is, there are days for me when it's hard to get out of bed, hard to pray, hard to breathe. There are days when just being takes all my energy. It isn't because I'm lazy, it isn't because I lack motivation. It isn't even because I'm unfaithful. I struggle with depression and I have some dark days.
I have days when doing anything at all feels exhausting. Some of those days I'll sit and read my Bible and pray and the clouds lift and the weight comes off my chest. But others, I'm praying and exercising and eating healthy and doing everything I know how to do and it doesn't seem to change anything. Or maybe because I'm doing those things it doesn't get worse, but it's like I'm fighting to a standstill.
My father was diagnosed bi-polar. Genetically, that means I'm about four times more likely to develop this condition than someone without a close relative who is bipolar. About 10% of children with a bi-polar parent will exhibit symptoms themselves. So that's fun. I didn't get to choose; those are my cards. God loves me. I'm His. He's given me gifts and He uses me for His Kingdom. And I also have to be vigilant about my mental and emotional health, probably more vigilant than many people, and I walk through some tough days.
God might heal me completely someday. Then again, compared with what I saw my dad suffer, God has mercifully spared me already.
Right this second, a number of people are re-evaluating me, trying to make what I've just said fit with their picture of me. I may have just lost a bit of standing with certain people. Someone else is saying, "Oh, my gosh, me, too!" It may look different on you than me, but the core is the same.
One of the funnest things about depression is the shame, the feeling that something fundamental is wrong with me and if people knew, they would…well, they would think as lowly of me as I sometimes think of myself. And that would be a bummer. So the predictable response to depression is to isolate, because a)you don't feel like doing anything, and b)telling other people you're like this is a huge risk.
That's not an unfounded fear, either. I've certainly encountered people who don't understand depression and who assume that it's just self-pity or a lack of faith or laziness. Part of understanding is knowing what these words we use so freely mean. I need to define things so that we're clear on our terms.
Depression can be seen as a symptom, a disease, or a reaction. As a symptom, depression is part of the body's warning system, calling attention to something that's wrong. It alerts us to the fact that there has been a violation of some sort. Something is missing or lost. It can also be a symptom of something physically wrong. Depression accompanies a wide variety of physical disorders, such as influenza, cancer, and certain disturbances of our endocrine system. But depression is also a disease in itself. In its most severe form, the psychotic depressions, it is an illness category all its own. Known as a major depression, it has two forms: unipolar depression (one just gets severely depressed) and bipolar depression (alternating manic and depressed moods). Finally, depression can be a reaction to what is going on in life or more specifically, to significant losses one experiences. This last form is known as reactive depression. It's the kind most people have to contend with in their daily lives. If we are emotionally healthy, we deal with those losses promptly, and the depression is short-lived. If we're not, the depression lingers and may even get worse or chronic.
I think this is partly why people can get so confused and overwhelmed about depression, and why some people don't understand what others go through. Most of us know what the flu feels like, how your body just seems to drop into low gear. Many of us here have suffered loss or grief, and reactive depression can hit hard and last for a while, and then gradually or suddenly lift again. A smaller number suffer depression as a disease, and this also has a range, from low-level doldrums to a crippling extreme that makes functioning in normal, everyday life impossible.
Jesus experienced depression. He certainly did.
What did Jesus feel in the garden of Gethsemane when he was preparing to face his arrest, torture, and murder?
He went out to be alone with God but asked his three closest disciples to watch with him and they fell asleep. He asked them for help—one time in the Gospels where Jesus specifically asks for help—and they failed him.
"I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here and stay awake with me." They fell asleep. He found them sleeping and rebuked them, then exhorted them not for him, but for their own sake, "Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." He goes off and prays in utter misery, so that "his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground." He came back…and they were asleep again.
This is a perfect description of reactive depression. Of course it's not sin; Jesus is suffering loss, he's in agony, and his body is registering this physically.
Studies show that people who are in the "helping professions" experience reactive depression more often: social workers, community organizers, pastors, missionaries. That makes sense, because it's a physiological response to loss. It's one stage of grief. When someone you love and have been helping makes horrible decisions and/or walks away from God, you feel depressed. You may not exhibit the symptoms I described earlier. You may have different coping mechanisms to deal with it. Or you may be internalizing these losses and pushing on, which almost always leads to problems later.
But everyone experiences depression from external events that impact us strongly. When we're deeply invested in people, we're going to face pain and sorrow with them, and because of them. Would any parents disagree?
I don't claim to speak for all people suffering depression everywhere—I'm not signing up to be Poster Boy for Depressed Folks—and please forgive me if my description does not helpfully address what you experience. But I am going to give you four truths that I know about depression.
Scripture addresses depression. Have you read Psalm 88? What's different about this Psalm? It doesn't resolve. It doesn't end with a rallying cry of hope and a declaration of faith. Most of the Psalms, even the most downer-sounding of them, conclude with God's faithfulness, God's judgment on the wicked (those wicked often being the cause of the downer-ness), and a reaffirmation of hope in God.
This may be a lifelong battle with depression, or this may be how, when you're depressed, everything can seem horrible, including your entire life retroactively. God knows. I think this is validation. Feeling depression, even long term, is just what some people deal with; these are the cards they drew. Or we drew. Depression is hard enough to deal with, without adding self-condemnation on top. It's crucial to believe that God knows, He understands our situation.
#2 God is with us in our struggle.
Believe me, I am not saying this cheaply. It's not a cliché for me. Not everyone considers Luke 22:39-46 a crucial passage for their faith. I do. Jesus is in the garden of Gethsemane and he is miserable. I don't love this passage because Jesus is miserable, I love this passage because God used it when I was most depressed to help me believe that He understands me and is with me, even in my darkest times. When our son died, I was furious with God and could no longer see how he loved me. I was refusing to accept Isaac's death. I felt like if I told God it was okay that it happened, then I would have to accept it and go on. But it wasn't okay. So I stayed angry and figuratively held my breath, demanding that God change it. He didn't. He didn't raise my son from the dead.
What is that? That is Jesus' heart. That is the intimacy between Son and Father, that Jesus prayed exactly what He felt, knowing full well that it was impossible, that God would not answer that prayer in the affirmative. For me, more than any other Scripture, this proves to me that God knows my suffering and is with me in my suffering, no matter how ludicrous my thoughts or how impossible my demands. This passage is bedrock for me. Because in depression, in grief, in our struggles down in the depths, we need to know more than anything else that God is with us. He is.
#3 Healing means coming into the light.
Pain, injuries, depression, and bitterness, many things fester and grow worse in the dark. God's healing is always in the Light. Keeping our secrets, whether because of shame or humilation or pride, does not lead us to life. Why does God choose to work that way?
I know many of us have prayed and prayed for healing and help in private, just us and God, and it sure seems reasonable that God would answer those prayers, for so many reasons. But God prefers to work through community. That is as clear as anything in Scripture. God's Kingdom is communal; our prayer, "Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" is a corporate plea. The "me and Jesus" approach, for the most part, is not Biblical. Sorry, I'd often prefer it, too. But God heals us through our brothers and sisters. We seek God in community.
Our Enemy is much more convincing when we face him alone, when we have no one to remind us of the Truth. I never win arguments with Satan. Never. And sometimes I can just step back and let God defend me, but sometimes I'm not able to grasp the Truth that saves me without a human voice to remind me. That's my weakness, yes, but that's our condition. We are weak. And we're inclined to believe lies.
I'm not saying that depression magically goes away when people speak God's truth to us, but I know that one of the most crucial weapons in the battle against depression is people faithfully speaking what is true about us to confront the negative things we have internalized. You might be shocked by how loud and constant the negative voices in my head are; if you can't relate, God bless you and I'm happy for you. Or you might sing this exact song with me, note for note. I don't have an off switch for those voices, but one of the things that helps most is seeking the truth to confront the lies. I can do that by reading Scripture, by praying, and by hearing my brothers and sisters—and my wife—tell me what's true about me.
I need to make a caveat now. Not everyone can handle hearing what we suffer. Just like some of us suffer from depression and other mental struggles, some of us suffer from lack of compassion or empathy, and some simply have not yet reached the depth and maturity to walk with others through certain kinds of suffering. It takes wisdom and grace to handle hearing about someone else's struggle, and it takes wisdom and discernment to choose the right person or people with whom to share these things. Sharing pain with someone who can't handle it can make things worse for everyone. It's important that we not think, "If I tell someone, I'll automatically get better." That belief can set us up for crushing disappointment.
One aspect of this is that some people struggle with depression at a level that will require more than a willing ear. I was a pastor for about 10 years and I've been in vocational ministry for coming on twenty. I had one, one, pastoral counseling class when I was in seminary. I've learned a lot, I've read a lot, I've receiving counseling and I've offered counseling, but I'm not capable of dealing with every level of depression. I can love people. But I also need to be able to recognize when I am out of my depth. Like I said before, that can be particularly difficult here, where it's such a risk to let someone else see one's struggle.
On the other hand, we have to walk carefully, because "This freaks me out" or "I don't want to deal with your pain" is not the same as "I'm out of my depth." I believe in both God's power to heal and God's use of our minds, education, and understanding. Psychology without the Gospel doesn't have the heart of the Truth, but sometimes we need the Gospel applied with the tools psychology offers. Pray and ask for God's leading before you open up.* Pray and ask for God's leading if someone opens up to you. Keep their confidence, but if you suspect their struggle might be beyond what you can walk through—I don't say "fix" or "heal," but journey beside—then seek counsel.
#4 Final Truth: God is bigger.
God's grace is bigger than however messed up and discouraged you or I might be. This is the bottom line. This is the most important thing I can tell you about depression. This is my choice to believe every day of my life. Depression is not sin, but we can sin in our depression, and it is easier to sin when we are depressed, believe me. But where sin abounds, Grace is Greater. Hear me: God's Grace is always, ALWAYS, ALWAYS greater. I know it doesn't feel that way. I am a very feeling-oriented person. But sometimes our feelings are just wrong. It's not a sin to have wrong feelings, and sometimes those feelings are caused by brain chemistry that is not functioning correctly.
I resented and even hated my father for a long time, especially before I became a Christian. Now I understand a lot better, both intellectually and viscerally. My life looks very different than his did, because he lived a Job life and didn't come to peace with God until the last few of his 68 years. But God's grace was greater than my dad's pain, if only Dad could have availed himself of it decades early, and God's grace is greater than my struggles. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ says that sorrow and depression and death do not have the final word. Even on the days when we feel like we're hanging on by our fingertips—maybe especially on those days—God's Grace has the final word, and that Word is Eternal, while this fight is temporary. I'm not one to tie up messy theological or existential struggles in neat little bows (depression and the death of a child defy those easy answers), but God is doing something in us through this struggle, because he never leaves bad things to rot; He is the Redeemer.
*If you are depressed and have never prayed before, this could be the time to start. If you want to write me, please do.
Mike, thank you for sharing so deeply and profoundly.
I highly esteem and dearly love you.
Big hug, Sonia! You warm my heart.
You have done a great job of recognizing the challenges of depression—your study and research is excellent. It doesn't make it easier to deal with it, as it can sneak up when you aren't on guard for it, and in such different forms.
I do so hope that these explanations will help others, as dealing with it is so difficult.
I really hope so, too. You never know what will be the nudge that helps someone to try, do you?
Thanks for sharing that, Mike. As you know, I also suffer from depression, so bad that I am unable to work and am on Social Security disability. Nobody's ever said it to my face, but I have heard of people saying "You don't look disabled." Well, disabilities aren't always immediately obvious. I know what it's like to be unable to get out of bed, to be unable to focus on anything long enough to work at a job, to be unable to work up the ambition to do anything. I didn't choose to be this way, and if there was something I could do about it, I would most certainly do it. A few years ago, I was right on the brink of committing suicide, had it all planned out how I was going to do it. Medication helps: it's now rare that I feel like killing myself, and I consider that to be a big step forward. Tell you what: you pray for me, and I'll pray for you.
You have a deal. Thanks for sharing your experience, too, Jim. I believe God sees what each of us are up against and I KNOW He agrees that is a big step forward.
I'd like to underscore one aspect of your post that's been especially significant to me and that's the healing power of sharing your journeying with others. In the seasons where my anxiety has flared up and been a daily burden with darkness, I have come to see how sharing the struggle with trusted others has made a huge difference in maintaining hope and enduring the difficult times. The sharing and praying usually didn't change my immediate experience, but at a deeper level, I felt less alone and comforted in my pain. In those days/weeks/months, I desperately wanted to feel better and have the assurance that I was on the upward side of the journey, but I rarely felt that God gave me that guarantee (short of Christ's return). However, having friends and family affirm their commitment to "walk with me no matter what" made a huge difference to me. Those expressions of love and hope were used by God to touch deep places in my soul and bring healing/strength to long covered fears and wounds. My hope is that you (and everyone that has to face depression) will find people to walk with them.
ps I'm also a big fan of medications as part of a treatment plan in dealing with anxiety and depression. They have made a huge difference for me.
Hey, Dave, thanks for your response. Honestly, I don't think that can be stressed enough. When in that cloud, the last thing any of us want to do is share it with others, or let them in, or even make contact. And when we try and it doesn't seem to get better, that reinforces the feeling of futility. I really appreciate your point that, in the longer view, you can see what an impact choosing to walk with other people and not isolate had on you. God IS faithful, but boy, it can take a while to be able to see it.
You're the second one to mention medication. I know people, like my friend Jim, who say they wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for finding a medication that helped. I think that one still has some stigma, so thanks for chiming in.
There is such a thing as "vicarious trauma" experienced by those close to others' suffering– this is one of the reasons therapists have therapists.
You count. I count. We count.


We identified 19 tracking locations (S1-S19) in 2014. The first 10 (S1-S10) were used in this survey. The survey was repeated in March 2019. The first 10 locations were searched and three out of 10 tracking tunnels were found. Seven new tracking tunnels were installed on the 10th of March. On the 16th of March another 9 tunnels were installed and all the tunnels were filled with an inked tracking card with peanut butter in the middle. Some locations were adjusted to make access easier. I noticed when trying to find the tunnels again with the Garmin InReach and App that the positions were often off by up to 16M. Thats a lot in the bush!
Locations of the 2014 tracking locations compared to the actual locations of the tunnels placed in 2019.
WW = Winged weta, I was particularly looking for this species. See my blog post on tracking winged weta here.
I think we should probably ignore the tracking tunnels put out recently (S11-S19) as they may have been avoided due to (at at least some of) the target species being neophobic.
This would give us a result for 2019 of 20% Rat, 0% Mice, 50% Hedgehog. This indicates we have less rats & mice and more hedgehogs than 2019.
I have left the tunnels out there, it might be a good idea to retry in a few weeks. It's interesting that we see more pests near the top of the bush, this has been observed before.