Genre defying Irish musician ROCSTRONG follows up his latest single 'Ching Ching Ching', which has seen strong support from the likes of Spotify, Official Charts, Nialler9 and Today FM, among others, with his brand new sophomore EP titled All On Black, premiered via Substream Magazine. Released via West One Music Group, the All On Black EP is produced by Rocstrong, Marcin Ciszczon and Keith O'Reilly, and finds its central theme around the power of money and the wealth disparity in today's society.
Backed by heavy guitar riffs, hard-hitting drum arrangements and superb alternative rock sensibilities throughout, the EP begins with the riotous 'Blood Spilling', which sees Rocstrong painfully tracing back his heritage to the Congo DRC, and addressing the ongoing war in the region without fear, while 'Homicide' sees the Irish musician in braggadocios and defiant mood, as he waxes lyrical about his self-belief and bold confidence in his abilities as an artist.
The rest of the EP highlights Rocstrong paying homage to his South Dublin hometown Tallaght in 'Talla Boy', where the Irish Congolese native taps into his inner Johnny Cash, to tell a vivid and hard-hitting story of growing up in Dublin, and he closes out the EP with the experimental bonus track 'Gold Glow', which sees Rocstrong exploring a different theme from the EP's preceding tracks, as he pays homage to all women, calling them to live their best lives and shine brighter.
Speaking about the inspiration behind the All On Black EP, Rocstrong says, "the power of money is the key message of 'All On Black'. We have given it so much power that now things have shifted into money having power over us. How much money you have decides how far you go and how long you can survive in this modern world. This change has caused a huge gap and those that can't keep up are forgotten, cut off and no longer accepted in society.
We put out a message that all should be equal but unfortunately this is not the case. There are people living amongst us that are so cut off from the world, primarily because of the lack of money. They don't get to have regular conversations with other people, they don't get to eat or have necessities that we all have, they are deprived of acceptance and human contact for years, and as a result, they become alone with no options or choices to get them out of that situation. Why?
My parents are from Congo DRC but relocated to Ireland for a better life so that their children could have a better life. It wasn't by choice. This also gets me questioning why Congo DRC, one of the richest countries in the world (natural resources wise) is a place with the poorest people? For my dreams to even come close to coming true, I had to leave my home and chase it elsewhere. Greed has crippled the place that I'm from and the same will happen globally sooner or later".


Welcome to Week 23 of the One Yard Wonders Sew Along!
Special Thanks to all of you who posted such nice comments on our Half Way There Celebration!
Tracy selected three fabrics Erin McMorris Summersault Raindrops Apricot, Erin McMorris Summersault Raindrops Rose and Michael Miller Fabrics Mini Mikes Tiny Gingham Lavender.
Carrie chose two fabrics. Erin McMorris Summersault Pinwheel Blush and Michael Miller Fabrics Mini Mikes Scatter Square Lime.


If it was all up to Obama, I'm sure he would do away with this All-American Holiday.
According to a conservative political activist who participated in a conference call hosted by the White House, other immigration activists on the call called for President Obama to change Thanksgiving Day to a holiday dedicated to illegal immigrants. According to Payne, the White House representative laughed and thanked these activists for the suggestion.
Susan Payne of Maryland told radio talk show host Joe Miller on KOAN Wednesday this would be happening once this "amnesty mill" is complete. Miller was the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in Alaska in 2010.
Share if you want to KEEP Thanksgiving!


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What does it mean to dream of moving to the grave for the dead loved ones? Dreaming of the interiortations.
What do you mean by dreaming of moving the grave for the dead relatives
Dreaming of the dead loved ones, indicating that your life will be happy. Dreaming of moving to the grave for the dead relatives implies that you have a very unsuccessful work recently, and the villain is committed. The recent money will be leaked, and the people behind you will give you a small report.
Dreaming that you can help others to move the grave, which indicates that you have a strong willingness to self -proposition. No matter what outsiders' opinions, you will eventually implement your thoughts faithfully.
Dreaming of relocating to your family is a change in your daily life or ideological consciousness.
Dreaming of moving the ancestral grave indicates that you need to improve the relationship with the people around you. The situation is unfavorable, but the mentality is affected because of trivial matters.
Men dreamed that they moved the grave for the dead relatives, suggesting that you have exceeded people's moral concepts when dealing with something and are accused by everyone.
People in love dreamed that they moved the grave for the dead relatives, indicating that although there were obstacles, misunderstandings were resolved, and they slowly wanted to marry.
People who do business dream of moving to the grave for the dead relatives, representing the initial camp, and then slowly changing the hexagrams and losing money.
People of this year of life dream of moving the grave for the dead relatives, which means that firm confidence can gain money, do not believe in rumors.
Outcomers dreamed of moving to the grave for the dead relatives, and it was recommended that they were trapped and prolapsed for a few days before departing.
Pregnant people dream of moving the grave for the dead relatives, indicating that there are women, Chunzong has a male, and abortion.
The students dreamed that they moved the grave for the dead relatives, and their grades were poor and could not be admitted.
Dreaming of the original version of Zhou Gong interpreted by the dying relative of the dead relative
Blossom on the grave, great. \"Zhou Gong's Dream Interpretation\"
The tree is born on the grave, Ji. \"Zhou Gong Dream Interpretation\"
Dig the grave, the main longevity. \"Zhou Gong Dream Interpretation\"
The grave is bright, there is auspicious. \"Zhou Gong Dream Interpretation\"
What is the meaning of dreaming of moving the grave for the dead loved ones?
What does it mean to dream of others digging grave? Dreaming of others digging the grave interpretations.
What does it mean to dream of moving the grave? Dreaming of the interpretations.
What does it mean to dream of many graves? Dreaming of many grave interpretations.
What does it mean to dream of tombstones and grave? Dreaming of the tombstone and grave interpretations.
What does it mean to dream of the grave? Dreaming of interpretations of the grave.
What does it mean to dream of entering the house? Dreaming of the interpretations.
What does it mean to dream of a lot of graves? Dreaming of many grave interpretations.
What does it mean to dream of moving the grave? Dreaming of interpretations.
Dreaming of moving the grave for the dead loved ones

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Cambridge English: Advanced is an examination at an advanced level, requiring competence in all language skills, set at Level C1 of the Council of Europe's CEFR. This certificate also entitles you to study at a great number of universities.
English Idioms in Use Advanced 2nd Edition presents and practises over 1000 of the most useful and frequent idioms in typical contexts.
This package helps candidates preparing for the CAE exam with focus on Grammar and Vocabulary.
This package helps candidates preparing for the Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) exam with focus on grammar and vocabulary.
This package helps candidates preparing for the Cambridge English exams at C1 – C2 level with focus on Vocabulary.
Cambridge Grammar & Vocabulary for Advanced provides complete coverage of the grammar and vocabulary needed for the Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) exam.
This book highlights typical mistakes that learners make at Advanced Certificate level and shows how to avoid them.
This book focuses on the real mistakes students make in the exam and shows how to avoid them. Now with Testbank!
This Handbook for teachers gives an overview of the Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) exam.


Nancy Leys Stepan started her working life as a science journalist, then qualified as a historian of science and medicine. She is Professor of History Emeritus at Columbia University, and has previously taught at Yale, Oxford, and the Central European University. Besides Eradication, featured on Rorotoko, her books include "The Hour of Eugenics" (co-winner of the Berkshire Prize), Picturing Tropical Nature, The Idea of Race in Science.
On her book Eradication: Ridding the World of Diseases Forever?


Know River Rouge Class of 1975 graduates that are NOT on this List? Help us Update the 1975 Class List by adding missing names.
More 1975 alumni from River Rouge HS have posted profiles on Classmates.com®. Click here to register for free at Classmates.com® and view other 1975 alumni.
The River Rouge High class of '75 alumni are listed below. These are former students from River Rouge HS in River Rouge, MI who graduated in 1975. Alumni listings below have either been searched for or they registered as members of this directory.


Everyone loves products that make life easier. When it comes to cleaning your home, there's little more convenient than a robot vacuum.
A robot vacuum is an automatic device that can take care of keeping your house spotless without you needing to lift a finger.
Whether you have carpets or wood flooring, getting a robot vacuum is the next best thing to hiring a cleaner but without the weekly expenses.
With such a huge array of robotic vacuums on the market, it can be highly confusing when you are deciding which one to buy.
Think carefully about the following pointers before investing in a new robot vacuum. Time spent at this stage can save you money and grief later down the line.
Robot vacuums need batteries to run. These batteries will evidently need recharging.
Pretty much all robot vacuums will give you around 60 minutes before they need a boost.
Many of the current breed of robotic vacuums simply return to the charging base under their own steam when the juice is low.
The least flexible models will just run until they are out of power then they need to be manually placed on the base.
A more advanced model will head home alone but still starts the interrupted cleaning cycle from the beginning.
The cream of the crop will do all of the above and then resume with cleaning where it stopped before charging.
One of the driving reasons behind buying a robot vacuum is as a labor-saving device when cleaning your house. It makes sense to check up before buying just how much effort you will need to put in yourself when it comes to maintenance.
As technology continues to advance, so the human input needed with robotic vacuums decreases. Improved filtration and extraction systems along with the ability of many models to pop back to the charging base unassisted mean that robot vacuums just keep getting better.
Maintenance should be pretty straightforward. You'll need to empty the bin before it's full. Filters on some models will need replacing in time along with the battery pack.
If you set realistic expectations and do your research thoroughly, you can end up with a robotic maid rather than a device that has you constantly working.
It goes without saying that you need to focus on just how well the robot vacuum will cope with your cleaning needs.
In order to come close to matching the performance of a regular vacuum, you should look at the top-tier models. Dyson, iRobot and Botvac are among the best brands for robots.
Mid-range robotic vacuums will do a superb job in general but might struggle with corners or certain surfaces.
The cheaper options are good enough for light cleaning but be prepared to use a regular vacuum afterwards to get a great finish.
Think about what you are getting for your money and spend as much as you can afford without overstretching yourself.
Technology continues to surge forwards. The newer, cutting edge robot vacuums come equipped with a range of auto-scheduling features to make your life even simpler.
With the best versions available, you can just input the times of the cleaning schedule you prefer and leave the machine to do the work even if you are away from home.
Think carefully about how important this extra flexibility is to you and check the products on your shortlist to see how they fare.
One element that needs human input is emptying the dust bin so you should think about how large this is and how often it will need attending to.
In general, you should probably expect to empty your robot after every 3 or 4 cycles.
Not all robot vacuums that fill up quickly are bad. In many cases, they are just highly efficient at picking up dirt and debris.
If you have a larger house, you should probably focus on the newer and more advanced robotic vacuums. They normally have superior battery life, recharge automatically, have more substantial dust bins and navigate better.
Robot vacs come with an array of accessories to mark boundaries and take the fuss out of cleaning bigger areas.
A few contemporary robot vacuums can be controlled easily using a smartphone app. iRobot's Roomba 980 and Neato's Botvac Connected lead the field in this respect.
Being able to control your vacuum from a WiFi network means you can enjoy handy live updates and monitor the whole system from your phone or laptop.
If you are highly tech-savvy and like the idea of using your smartphone to take control, think about one of these two models.
Robot vacuums vary wildly in price from just a few hundred dollars to well into four figures. You usually get what you pay for in life and with these appliances it's no different.
The cheaper models might well be functional but they are not really cut out for a deep clean.
One good tip for getting quality at a slight discount is to target slightly older models from the best manufacturers. That way, you can enjoy a highly efficient robot vacuum without breaking the bank.
As with any purchase, think long and hard about your budget. Use this to simplify your buying decision. Then stick to your budget and make sure you are not tempted to overspend.
The A4 is very easy on the eye. The sleek design and charcoal gray finish looks great and performs just as well.
This robot has a motorized brush with bristles. This is perfect for getting your carpets absolutely spotless. If you have expanses of fragile hardwood floors , this might not be the best choice for you.
Scheduling cleaning is super-simple. Set the clock using the 24-hour method. Punch in when you want your cleaning carried out. Job done.
The A4 comes with a HEPA filter which is ideal for anyone with allergies or sensitivities. Sadly, this is not washable. You will also get 2 additional filter in foam and mesh.
Due to its ultra-low profile, the A4 will quite easily clean under any furniture.
This robot navigates in a zigzag fashion. Although it is capable of cleaning multiple rooms, you are best advised to focus on one at a time. The A4 lacks the intelligence of some more expensive models.
Run time is a couple of hours Charging will call for about 5 hours so plan around this.
For a cheap and no-nonsense robotic vacuum that will still keep your home sparkling without you breaking a sweat, pop the ILIFE A4 on your shortlist.
Another very reasonably-priced robot up next, the RoboVac from Eufy.
This latest model is the RoboVac11 and Eufy continue to make improvements rather than rest on their laurels.
The best option is to program your cleaning to take place when you are out. The cycle is pretty long at 1 hour 40 minutes. The robot is also quite prone to smashing up against furniture. Set it going when you pop out for a couple of hours, though, and you'll return to very clean floors.
The dirt bin holds a reasonable amount of dust. You should still empty it regularly to ensure optimum cleaning results.
The navigation is rather haphazard, almost random. This is to be expected for a lower-end robot vacuum. The infrared sensor helps to some extent but it is not totally reliable.
You'll get a remote control but no app connectivity like you get with some of the competition. This is pretty user-friendly and clear.
The battery lasts anywhere between 90 and 120 minutes. It makes sense to leave the robot on the charger when not in use.
Cleaning is thorough. You'll get a rolling brush, side brushes and powerful suction to see the back of any dirt and debris, however deeply ingrained.
There's a 1-year limited warranty so you can buy this robot with complete peace of mind.
Although it's not as complex as some of its rivals, if you want a dependable and efficient robot vacuum without needing to spend a fortune, check out this latest incarnation of the RoboVac. It will not disappoint.
Neato's popular Botvac series goes from strength to strength.
In this D80 incarnation, you'll get an upgrade on the original without the Internet connectivity of the Connected version.
Unlike most robot vacuums which use lithium-ion batteries, Neato roll out the older style nickel cadmium. Although this is slightly dated technology, you'll still enjoy a full 90 minutes of run time. This should be more than enough to deal with even larger homes fuss-free.
Neato's patented LaserSmart navigation system is intuitive and highly efficient. It works well even in dim light which is something some robots struggle with.
Dirt capacity at 0.7 liters is more generous than with many similar robots. As always, emptying the container regularly is highly recommended.
You'll get a 1-year warranty for the robot itself. The battery is covered for 6 months.
For a super-easy way to clean your house without needing to call on the services of an expensive cleaner, Neato's Botvac is a very wise compromise.
If you prize design and you're looking for a robot vac that looks strikingly different, the bObsweep Rouge is finished in brilliant red and looks slick, mean and ready for action.
This robot is made with pet owners in mind. Whether it's stubborn hair or mucky paw prints, the Rouge will restore order in no time. After cleaning up, the Rouge sanitizes the area with UV light for total hygiene.
HEPA filtration is a nice bonus. This helps to remove any allergens from the air and stops irritation if you suffer from allergies or asthma.
The 1 liter dust bin is the largest on a robot vacuum and enough for even bigger houses.
You can set up a pair of perpendicular barriers to partition off your room for cleaning as you want it.
Programming in your preferred cleaning schedule is very straightforward. When the vacuum senses that it's running out of power, it'll head automatically back to the base.
Run time extends to just over 1 hour. Charging is all done within 3 hours. This is a rapid return for a robot vac.
If the vacuum develops any problems at all, it will shoot you a message on the crisp LED screen. This is a great way of troubleshooting problems without needing to call in the professionals.
When it comes to robot vacuums, personal preference plays a large part. If you want a technologically advanced robot which is also super-simple to use, the Rouge is worth further investigation.
Robot vacuums can be brutally expensive. iRobot's Roomba 650 breaks the mold and comes in at a very affordable price point. If you are skeptical about robotic vacs, this is a superb place to start.
You can program your Roomba to clean whenever it best fits in with your schedule. This is extremely user-friendly and you can set it to clean on a daily basis or less frequently, whatever suits your cleaning routine. The dirt bin should be emptied on a weekly basis.
Whether you have carpets or bare floors, iRobot is designed to cope with any surfaces you throw its way. It works best of all with carpeted floors. The raw power is exceptional. With a pair of rotating brushes, you can watch all the dust and debris plaguing your home sucked up in no time. The 3-Stage Cleaning System means you can watch the robot disturb the debris then brush it before sucking it up.
The small base is self-charging. You can get a full boost of juice in as little as 3 hours.
Getting around is simple for this robot thanks to the patented iAdapt navigation system. This really is an intuitive appliance.
This virtual wall is a superb solution for partitioning off areas you want the robot to avoid. Whether it's the area where your pets are relaxing, food bowls or any other kind of obstruction, let this wall do its work just like the vacuum itself.
For anyone unsure about whether or not a robot vacuum makes sense, take the time to check out this consistently well-reviewed Roomba. For half the price of a Dyson, sit back and let the machine do the work!
We hope you found this bite-sized guide to finding the robotic vacuum useful. Hopefully it will simplify your buying decision. Please let us know if you have any questions or feedback. We are always very happy to hear from our readers and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Now put that robot vacuum to work!


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92Y and Archie Comics Collaborate on New Comic Book Class for Kids
by First Comics News on December 14, 2020 92Y and Archie Comics Collaborate on New Comic Book Class for Kids2020-12-14T11:20:29-08:00 - News
Online class kicks off on Jan. 14, 2021
Art by Dan Parent
92Y and Archie Comics are collaborating on a new, online comic book class for kids, "Create Your Own Comic Book," featuring legendary and award-winning Archie writer/artist, Dan Parent, as the instructor.
In the four-week class, kids ages 9-13 will learn to draw, write, and create their own comic book— and explore Archie Comics' iconic characters, Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica, Josie, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and more. Participants will familiarize themselves with the characters and style via copies of the comic book.
The class, offered at $200, is the latest addition to 92Y's Virtual Afterschool program, which was launched in September; it brings together two organizations with New York roots.
"I can't think of a better way to introduce kids to the world of comic books and illustrating than through the eyes and ears of Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica and the Riverdale gang," said Lauren Wexler, 92Y Afterschool Director. "For many of us growing up, those richly drawn fictional characters and the world they inhabited served as an introduction to teenage life – friendship, romance, and the adventures and challenges that define what it means to be a teenager. We're so excited to collaborate with an iconic comic book brand in this endeavor."
The Archie Comics line of comic books is one of the most successful, longest running brands in the history of the comic industry. Archie Comics have sold 2 billion comics and are published in a dozen different foreign languages and distributed all over the world. Archie Comics has spawned characters whose popularity have spilled over into other media and who have become part of popular culture.
"Archie Comics are, and always will be, for everyone – from age seven to seventy. Partnering with an institution like 92Y and having Dan teach some of the amazing lessons he's mastered over his legendary career is just another example of that," said Archie Comics Co-President, Alex Segura. "We're excited to engage and help foster the next generation of Archie Comics fans and creators while also providing some educational entertainment during these very challenging times."
Dan Parent is an American comic book artist and writer best known for his work for Archie Comics. He has worked on a wide variety of Archie projects in his 33-year career there, including the landmark Love Showdown series from 1994, the reimagining of the Betty & Veronica Spectacular series from the early 2000's, landmark storylines featuring Archie and Valerie from Josie and the Pussycats, Archie Meets Batman '66, and the creation of the series' first openly gay character, Kevin Keller (Keller was given his own solo book in 2011, which won a 2013 GLAAD award for Outstanding Comic Book). Parent is a multiple Harvey Awards nominee.
https://www.firstcomicsnews.com/92y-and-archie-comics-collaborate-on-new-comic-book-class-for-kids/https://www.firstcomicsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Archie-Comics-Logo-600x253.pnghttps://www.firstcomicsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Archie-Comics-Logo-150x63.png 2020-12-14T11:20:29-08:00 First Comics NewsNews
Online class kicks off on Jan. 14, 2021 92Y and Archie Comics are collaborating on a new, online comic book class for kids, "Create Your Own Comic Book," featuring legendary and award-winning Archie writer/artist, Dan Parent, as the instructor. In the four-week class, kids ages 9-13 will learn to draw, write,...


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Ministers were considered transitory figures
Former journalist Marina Valensise, now Director of Italian Institute of Culture, Paris, describes what it was like to work in an Italian government in the tumultuous period of the early 1990s.
Storyteller: Marina Valensise
Date of Story: January, 1993
Location of Story: Milan, Italy
Date: 14 February, 2016
This post is part of a collaboration with author Davide Rubini to collect the stories of Italy in the aftermath of the "Bribesville" (Tangentopoli) scandals of the 1990s. Find out more about Rubini's new novel, il fischio finale (The Final Blow).
A famous journalist was made minister
Former journalist Marina Valensise, now Director of Italian Institute of Culture, Paris, recalls being appointed to a post in the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities when famed journalist Alberto Ronchey was made minister.
Date of Story: 28 June 1992
Location of Story: Rome, Italy
Political "surgery" excluded the Communists
Politician Stefania Craxi explains how the Tangentopoli scandals reshaped Italian politics, largely exempted the Italian Communist Party.
Storyteller: Stefania Craxi
Date of Story: 1993
Location: Rome, Italy
Date: 2 March, 2016


text:
Not A Rose: Trans Day of Visibility
Opening March 31, 2022 | Building Exterior
About our Partners:
Studio 66 is an event production group providing community events for artists and queer community members in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Studio 66 curates events, community arts programming, and performance-based celebrations in collaboration with artistic and queer service groups throughout Tulsa and provides mentorship to emerging artists and queer community leaders. instagram.com/studio.66_
Black Queer Tulsa's mission is to provide a safe and secure space for Black queer individuals to grow! Their efforts include highlighting the important work of members of the trans community. BQT exists to let everyone in the community know that: We see you, we love you, and we support you. instagram.com/blackqueertulsa
Tulsa Artist Fellowship is a cultural initiative of the George Kaiser Family Foundation. www.tulsaartistfellowship.org
Holberton School is a computer science school founded in Silicon Valley to address a gap in the education system for aspiring software engineers. The Tulsa campus is located in downtown Tulsa. www.holbertonschool.com
In collaboration with ahha Tulsa, Tulsa Artist Fellowship, Holberton School and Black Queer Tulsa, Studio 66 presents an installation comprised of a mural in colored chalk and an augmented reality art installation to celebrate and honor International Transgender Day of Visibility, March 31, 2021.
Created by three emerging Tulsa-based trans artists Grace Fallon, Carle Jackson and Lance McMahan, the temporary chalk mural and AR component will be completed and go live on Thursday, March 31 in time for both the International Transgender Day of Visibility and Tulsa's monthly First Friday Art Walk in April. The installation will remain on view through the first few weeks of April. The mural is visible on the south-facing side of the ahha Tulsa Hardesty Center at 101 E. Archer Street in downtown Tulsa.
Artistic Statement:
Not A Rose is an exploration of physical and digital identity, and the contrast of respect for identity between things and people. Traditional understanding of names and identity of objects is that they are arbitrary, albeit descriptive, yet not inherent. But that philosophy cannot be transposed to humanity, who contain the abstract of consciousness and are thus deserving of self-determination. Dead-naming and misgendering of trans people defies this respect, objectifying them and treating them with a dismissal that is tantamount to violence. Violence which is realized, most commonly and lethally against People of Color and trans women.
We aimed to build a piece which would dually memorialize our trans siblings who have been taken from us too soon, and yet hold up the resilient hope of the trans community. Positive, artistic collaboration among trans people in an environment that seeks to deny our truth and end our existence is a radical act. Live with us, love with us. Donate to TransLifeline to support the most vulnerable among our community: translifeline.org.
About the Artists:
Carle Jackson – In their first years sharing their art with the world, Carle Jackson has established themselves as a renowned local queer artist in Tulsa. They have displayed at Tulsa Pride three years running, and launched their own business, "Out of Mind Illustrations" in 2021 to facilitate commissions and public showing. They look forward to graduating Rogers State University with
a BA in Studio Art in the fall.
Lance McMahan graduated from the University of Southern California with a BA in Interactive Entertainment and has recently worked at Studio Hitsuji as a 2D Character Rigger. Currently he is working on a graphic novel, Aster in the Mirror, published on WebToon.
Grace Fallon – A digital native, Grace Fallon's first forays into art were experimental photo editing and sound manipulation installations. After five years working in film and television performance and production, she moved to Tulsa to study Augmented and Virtual Reality development at Holberton School. She graduates in June.
Center for Queer Prairie Studies
December 2, 2022-January 22, 2023
Tour de Quartz
Sticker Book – Julie Alpert
August 5, 2022-November 20, 2022


Hannes Soomer and the WilSport Racedays Honda Team have won the 2017 edition of the FIM European Supersport Cup after a thrilling season finale at 'Circuito de Jerez' in southern Spain last Sunday. The 19-year-old Estonian rider entered the final round of the season with an 8-point advantage over his nearest rival Rob Hartog, and defended his leadership in the 19-lap World Supersport Spanish race by finishing 15th and claiming the title by the slimmest of margins – one point.
Born on the 17th of February 1998 in Estonia's capital city of Tallin, Soomer stepped foot on the international motorcycle racing scene by joining the WorldSBK's former one-make, entry-level series – the European Junior Cup – at the early age of 15 in 2013. On board Honda machinery, Hannes built up a copious amount of experience around the European tracks of the World Superbike calendar, while proving to be one of the most talented and mature young talents in the championship.
His results and performances led to the decision by former EJC Series Director Gerry Bryce to sign Soomer to compete on board a Honda CBR600RR machine in the FIM Europe Supersport Cup with team WilSport Racedays Honda. Soomer, on the Ten Kate Racing Products-prepared machine, made a stellar debut at Aragón last April where he was 9th overall. His consistency throughout the season allowed him to clinch the well-deserved trophy as the final event of 2017 drew to a close.
I'm really delighted to have won the title – it wasn't easy, because in the last race at Jerez we made the wrong tyre choice while Hartog was really competitive, so it went down to the wire with just a one-point difference between us. The team has worked really hard this year and I'm super happy with this 2017 season. I'd like to extend big thanks to the team, to Honda, Ten Kate Racing Products and everybody for their invaluable support!
We are very pleased to have helped Hannes to the FIM European Supersport Cup title this weekend at Jerez, and he has had a remarkable season after graduating from the European Junior Cup. He has been consistently fast in only his first full year racing a 600cc motorcycle, and has worked hard on all the elements needed to be a professional rider. We would like to thank all the people who have made this great season possible. Ten Kate Racing Products for providing a faultless Honda CBR600RR and tremendous support, our Sponsors WIL Sport, Atilla and ENOS for believing in the project. Last but not least, the team members who have worked tirelessly all season and most importantly Hannes for doing his job so well. Now we need to focus on what's ahead of us and hopefully there'll be good news! soon!


Cats love to play. They jump, pounce, swat and stalk constantly in an effort to amuse themselves and practice their survival skills. Outdoor cat fences provide the ideal environment to awaken your cat's playful spirit. Try setting up your outdoor cat fences close to your own house. In this way, you can keep a constant eye on your cat as he plays and interacts with his environment. Of course, not everyone wants their cat to be in enclosures or outdoor cat fences all day long.
Many owners prefer that their cats be both indoor and outdoor pets. If this is your preference, consider installing a cat door from your house to your outdoor cat fences. Many devices allow your pet to freely go inside or outside via a small tunnel that connects to a window. The Freedom Connector is available from Custom Cages. These devices are so sturdy and convenient it will be hard to live without one—especially if you want your cat to have access to your house and his condo in his outdoor cat fences at all times. Your cat can go outside to play, explore or soak up the sun and return indoors whenever he feels like it.
Watching your pet play in his outdoor cat fences can be highly amusing. He may pounce on his toys or try to chase rodents or bugs that dart past. If you have two or more cats, their antics and mock fighting can be quite amusing. However, not every cat is so motivated to maintain an active lifestyle. Some cats will do nothing more than lazily soak up the sun in their outdoor cat fences or watch the neighbors in their yard. While older cats certainly have a right to be lazy and enjoy life, it is critical that they stay active in order to maintain their health and ward off feline obesity.
Soft balls. Roll some balls in your pet's outdoor cat fence or around his outdoor cat house. He'll enjoy the chase!
Stuffed toys: Cats love to sink their teeth into soft, plush cat toys. Throw a few of these in your outdoor cat fences and your pet should be chewing and chasing for quite a while.
Quick Tip: If your pet suddenly loses interest in a long-time favorite toy, try rolling it in catnip to re-stimulate his interest. The most important thing is to keep your outdoor cat fences full of fun toys!


Is the winter chill making you wish that you were away on vacation somewhere warm and relaxing, but time or money doesnt allow? Why not create a little stay-cation day at home just for you to revitalise your spirit!
Snuggle up in a warm bed for an energizing delightful nights sleep…Magic!
This chicken soup recipe is simple, satisfying and rich in glucosamine, gelatine, protein and a variety of glorious nutrients and minerals released from the bones and vegetables during cooking; to support a healthy whole body including your immune system, digestive tract and it dances on our taste buds … delicious.
☆ into a slow cooker layer in order chicken, garlic, onion, vegetables, salt and pepper.
Why? Layering is important so as everything starts to cook the ingredients will all gently weave into and infuse each other developing a devine flavour. Too much water too soon will make it sloppy. You can always add more as it cooks if you wish.
☆ Slow cook on low for about 6 hours or high about 4hrs depending on your cooker power and whether you prefer your soup a little crunchy or smooth.
☆ Ladle into bowls or mugs; removing bones with tongs as you go.
☆ Hold bowl or mug, slowly inhale the delicious aromas whilst warming your hands, then … enjoy slowly!
☆☆ note: if you have excess liquid, please strain it and store in the fridge for future use as a broth to sip on; or add a few spoonfuls to other recipes for a delightful flavour and nutritional boost.
☆ you may choose to add a dash of vinegar to aid extraction of nutrients from bones but it is not essential.


The remediated redirect logic contained a call to a function that consumed the value of the next parameter and the hostname of the current location.
Pretty standard stuff. The interesting bit was in the called function.
I am including several versions of the same code because the first version can be quite confusing to folks that aren't familiar with the Comma operator.
Now let's follow the logic of the first simplified version of the validate function to see how this works. The function first creates a hyperlink tag. Don't type the following into the console. I'll let you know when we're ready to continue with the demonstration.
Hyperlink tags accept an attribute called href that determines the destination of the browser when the hyperlink is clicked. The function then sets the href attribute of the dynamically created hyperlink to the value of the next parameter.
This is where it gets interesting. Like the document object itself, the hyperlink tag object has a hostname property. Once the hyperlink's href attribute has a value, the hostname property will contain a nicely parsed hostname for the assigned href. What the function is essentially doing is using the browser's builtin parser to break apart URLs in a consistent manner. Pretty cool, right?
All that's left for the function to do is compare the hostname of the document (provided to the function) and the hostname derived from the dynamically created hyperlink to determine whether the value of the next parameter is a safe location, in this case local to the application.
return r.hostname === c ? n : "/"
This is a Ternary operator that accepts a conditional expression that evaluates to true or false and returns one of two expressions based on the result. In this case, the function returns the value of the next parameter if the hostnames match, or the root of the web site if they do not, effectively restricting all redirects to locations local to the application.
Let's test the validation function with our values. Enter the following into the console to continue the demonstration.
The function should have returned /, which, when assigned to document.location would redirect the browser to the root of the website. Now change the value of next to something local and test.
The function should have returned the value of next.
Using the browser's builtin parser to break apart URLs is pretty darn cool if you ask me. And you aren't limited to the hostname. Hyperlinks also have the origin property if you want to restrict URLs based on similar restrictions enforced by Same-Origin Policy. In any case, I thought this was worth sharing.


The reputation of the BMW M1 as an archetypal supersportscar was partly built on an event that was staged in 1979 when the very best Formula 1 drivers got together in Belgium, the first time around for a competition against 15 touring car specialists to find the best drivers of all. Due to its popularity the event immortalised the M1. The BMW M1 with 470 hp under the hood guaranteed absolutely thrilling races. The 6-cylinder M88 was used for regular racing and conventionally tuned. Several famous racing drivers such as Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet and Alan Jones were fans of this car.
The BMW M 1 Procar 'Regazzoni No. 28', 1979 impresses with front, rear / brake lights, and faithfully reproduced details. This Carrera car can be individually coded; it's digitally controllable and can be used with analogue (Carrera Exclusiv) infrastructure. Enjoy the authentic racing atmosphere in your own home.


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Q: kCGBlendModeClear doesn't clear, why? I'm writing some lines of code to get acquainted with the basics of Quartz 2d.
I am trying to draw and image an then clear it through the kCGBlendModeClear blend mode. Here's the code of my UIView subclass code, whose background color is set to orange through IB:
- (void)drawRect:(CGRect)rect {

    UIImage *brush = [UIImage imageNamed:@"brush.png"] ;
    CGContextRef ctx = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext();

    CGContextSetBlendMode(ctx,kCGBlendModeNormal );
    CGContextDrawImage(ctx, CGRectMake(100, 100, 26, 25), [brush CGImage]);

    CGContextSetBlendMode(ctx, kCGBlendModeClear);

    CGContextSetFillColorWithColor(ctx, [UIColor clearColor].CGColor);

    CGContextFillEllipseInRect(ctx, CGRectMake(110, 110, 5, 5)); // HERE!
}

Reading the docs and this question I thought that line marked HERE would produce a hole in the image I had previously drawn. Instead it creates a black circle on it (should be orange).
To debug, I tried adding my custom view over an orange uiview. This time my custom view has a black background. The hole  of line HERE is correct, but I wonder why the black color of the view. Even more strangely, if I do myView.backgroundColor I can set a background color (shouldn't this be overridden by my drawRect implementation?).
I am clearly missing some basics of Quartz, can anyone help?
Davide

A: Couple of things.
First, the Porter-Duff blend modes are only guaranteed to work in bitmap-based contexts. (i.e., contexts created by CGBitmapContextCreate)
Second, kCGBlendModeClear is defined as R = 0 — it doesn't even check src or dst pixels. So even though it's not guaranteed to work here, it appears that it is working correctly.
(see CGContext.h for better explanation than the docs give.)

A: For kCGBlendModeClear to work the view must not be opaque and must not have a background color set.
In addition, the following line is unnecessary, because kCGBlendModeClear does not care about the fill color:
CGContextSetFillColorWithColor(ctx, [UIColor clearColor].CGColor);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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American Indian Education Fund
Native American students on remote reservations are facing many challenges: 35% are impoverished, about 50% drop out of high school and only 13% graduate college... but more want to. Please, help us help them with vital scholarships and school supplies.
Web Site www.aiefprogram.org
Email info@nativepartnership.org
Meet Nurse Kassidy! Kassidy grew up in Whippoorwill, Arizona on the Navajo Reservation, 30 miles away from her K-12 schools. When she applied for an AIEF scholarship to finish her senior year in nursing, nothing was impacting tribal communities the way that COVID-19 has — particularly for the Navajo Nation.
Although Kassidy graduated high school in 2012, it took 4 years to complete the pre-requisites for nursing. She stayed focused and her mother (also a nurse) encouraged her. Besides carrying a full course load and a practicum, Kassidy also worked part-time to cover books, scrubs, school fees and living expenses.
It all paid off in Spring 2020 when Kassidy graduated (virtually) with a B.S. in Nursing. She quickly passed the licensing exam, started her nursing career at Tucson Medical Center and joined their nurse residency program. No profession is more honorable, challenging and self-sacrificing than nursing during a pandemic. She hopes to work at the Indian Health Service near her hometown soon, focusing on adult nursing, women's health and public health.
Kassidy thanks AIEF and donors like you for helping her and so many other Native American students get to the home stretch:
"I would like to acknowledge and thank the American Indian Education Fund program and its donors. Your support has helped make it possible for me to continue my education and reach my goals of becoming a nurse. I plan to give back to my community and empower them toward health and wellness. I would also like to dedicate this degree to my family and the many role models that have offered me so much time, advice, encouragement, prayers and kindness." — Kassidy, Class of 2020
14415 Lovers Lane, Suite 400
Show Native American students you care! Pledge your support.
Give the gift of education to Native American students. So many Native students dream of graduating high school and college to help their tribes, but for each one awarded a scholarship, six more are waiting for funding. Pledge your support to help Native students and spread the word to friends and coworkers. #AIEF4NativeStudents www.AIEFprogram.org
Visit www.aiefprogram.org and share what you learned!


Low Interest Rate Title Loans – Head To The Team ASAP To Choose Further Answers..
Posted byDannie	 April 11, 2019 Leave a comment on Low Interest Rate Title Loans – Head To The Team ASAP To Choose Further Answers..
Today, most people are opting to fix their cars as opposed to buying brand new ones, because it's more affordable and just is practical in this economic environment. You will think because you own this car, fixing it is definitely less than buying a replacement, but auto repairs can be quite expensive. And for those who have bad credit, where are you going to get the money to pay for all of the mechanic's bills?
Here's an idea you could have over looked – car title loans. With check cashing title loans, you are able to apply easily and all that you should do is have a clear title on your vehicle. That way you can utilize the equity you might have in your car as collateral to secure the financing. Whenever you can apply online, the lender is not going to determine the automobile is running or otherwise.
Car title loans are often used to help people buy emergency repairs to vehicles. Before you apply for the borrowed funds, receive an estimate on the repairs so you know simply how much you need to cover each of the costs. Then fill in the applying online. It's quick and easy and you shouldn't require much time to find out if you're approved.
The lender will run a credit check, but you can get approved whether you might have good credit or not. The loan amount will be to get a percentage of the price of the vehicle. But remember if you fail to make payments, the lender can repossess the car.
This kind of loan is actually a secured loan so you won't be put through those insanely high rates in the unsecured variety. When your car is fixed, you can keep the car while you pay back the financing. So, you don't have to rely on others for transportation. Because your car is so essential for arriving at jobs or interviews, you've got to make it in good working condition. Simply because you need to drive an old car doesn't mean it needs to look it.
Get enough cash from car title loans not only to fix what's broken, but give it a shiny new paint job also. Modify the color, give it some character. It'll be like having a whole new car without the new car payment. For the way much you borrowed, you may have it paid for in two years or less.
Car title loans are perfect for those emergency situations when you really need fast cash. When you're car goes kaput, don't quit it. Submit an application for car title loans, get it fixed and obtain back on the fast track right away. You can't afford to not. Debt relief may seem like an approach to getting rid of your charge card, medical, or payday loan bills, but by using this selection for an automobile title loan might make your circumstances worse. However, depending on your negotiating skills, bank balance, and willingness to pay, you could have a chance to settle with your auto title loan lender for as little as 25%-$75 of the items you owe.
Debt settlement can work in two different ways: working with a debt relief company or attempting to settle your debt yourself. If you proceed through a debt settlement firm, you may give them information regarding whatever you owe and also to whom. You are going to make payment to the settlement company and in return they will likely put those funds in to a bank account. Once the balance within the account has reached a particular amount, the business will call your creditors to help make a deal on settling your debt. It might be a flat fee or even a portion of whatever you owe. Once determined, your debt settlement company will pay your creditor.
If you choose to attempt debt settlement on your own, you can call creditors and negotiate a settlement price. Keep in mind; you will need to be ready to provide them with a lump sum should they agree with a settlement amount. Generally, the collector you are negotiating with is automatically given permission to lessen the total amount you owe as much as 75%.
Settling a debt with an auto title loan lender directly is going to be somewhat different, though. First of all, the financial institution is not likely to consider negotiating along with you till you have defaulted on your own loan. They will make rizyuo attempt to obtain to pay for before they are prepared to take a lesser amount than you owe. Loan amounts on auto title loans range from $1,000-$5,000 which means the financial institution will would like to get their money back.
Within our current times it is increasingly becoming more and more difficult to acquire credit. This is particularly because of the fact that banks and lenders have tightened up on capital and possess caused it to be increasingly difficult for the average consumer to acquire credit. Customers with revolving accounts are even running in to the problem of obtaining their credit limits lowered along with increased fees. When it comes to car loans especially, you'll rarely find lots of banks out there offering a "fast credit" where you can get cash easily. That's an alternative which was quickly offered in years past however, not in recent times. There are, however, still a few companies that offer a means to expedite the credit process. This is not to be mistaken for the payday cash loans with high rates of interest that end up putting you in a whole you need to climb away from.
Women Boutique Casual Mini Skirt Outfits..
Seo Optimization Services – Visit This Business Now To Look For More Tips..


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No one can deny that more individuals are turning to the Internet to compare pricing and options before choosing an insurance provider. Choose netQuote for your online insurance lead service and you'll be able to tap into a market that's growing every day. Many agents may worry about the quality of leads when using an online lead service, which is why netQuote is dedicated to offering the best insurance leads possible. We continually invest in our proprietary technology and filtering systems so we are able to leverage the industry's largest network. Most importantly, this positions us to generate the most self-sourced leads in the industry, giving us more control over our quality than anyone else.
Are you an agent that specializes in life leads or health leads? Maybe you have a growing customer base in auto insurance leads or are looking to capitalize on that specific market. No matter what type of insurance lead area you are interested in, netQuote has the best leads available on the market. With so many high- quality insurance leads across home, life, final expense, small business, commercial, auto, and health lines of business – and with the ability to target leads by State or Zip code – it's no wonder more agents trust netQuote to help them achieve their sales goals. No matter your agency's size, geographical requirements, budget, or requirements, we can help you find as many high-quality leads as you need.
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Four Chaplains and Black History Month
February 1 - February 28
The Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation would like to celebrate the story of the Four Chaplains and Black History during this Month.
Four Chaplains Virtual Service
On February 3, 2021 we will be celebrating our 70th Anniversary of the Chapel if Four Chaplains and the Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation. Join us at 7:00 PM in watching our virtual Four Chaplains Service. There will be no in-person banquet in February. Look for details for a Spring BBQ currently scheduled for May 15th […]
USO Birthday
Founded in 1941 the USO will celebrate it's 80th Birthday.
President Ronald W. Reagan (B'Day)
CH Vincent Capodanno (B'Day)
CH Vincent Capodanno known as the "Grunt Padre" received the Medal of Honor for his actions in Vietnam.
Chapel of Four Chaplains Volunteer Day #2
Check our Facebook page for upcoming Volunteer opportunities or just bring your talents to the Chapel and we will match you with a project.
CH Charles J Liteky (B'Day)
CH Charles J Liteky received the Medal of Honor for his actions in Vietnam.
Ash Wednesday Service
We will host a socially distance Ash Wednesday Service at the Chapel. If COVID prevents an indoor event we will be offering Ashes on the outdoor front steps of the Chapel.
Coast Guard Reserve Birthday
The Regular Coast Guard was formed in 1790. The Coast Guard Reserve Act in 1939 formed the Coast Guard Reserve. It will celebrate it's 81 year.
Marian Anderson's Birthday
watch for details on our Virtual Ruck March Series. Plus, we will host an in-person Ruck March from Temple U. - The Navy Yard on a limited basis.


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Sergey Nivens - Fotolia
Singapore to speed up its smart nation roll out
The Southeast Asian nation of Singapore will focus on developing a national IoT communications backbone and digital ID framework over the next year
Aaron Tan, TechTarget
Singapore is speeding up its efforts to develop a national internet of things (IoT) communications backbone in the next year, among other goals in its ambitious smart nation vision.
Speaking at the opening of IoT Asia on 29 March 2017, minister-in-charge of Singapore's smart nation programme Vivian Balakrishnan said the acceleration of smart nation initiatives is necessary for the country to stay ahead.
"There's a revolution going on, and if we don't transform our approaches to the way we define problems and put solutions together in new and novel ways, we will be left behind," he said.
Earlier in March 2017, the Singapore government said it will form the Smart Nation and Digital Government Group (SNDG) in May 2017, bringing together government agencies working on various parts of the smart nation initiative under the Prime Minister's Office.
The development of the national IoT communications backbone is part of SNDG's mandate, in a bid to support the government's use of IoT applications to improve the lives of people.
"There is still no consensus on [IoT] technology or standards, but the lack of consensus and current fragmentation of the market is not an excuse for paralysis," Balakrishnan said, noting that the government will take a "pathway with an open mind, avoiding technology or supplier lock-in".
"We need to make decisions where even if the technology doesn't pan out, the platforms and approaches are still relevant," he added.
Balakrishnan said the government is also doubling down on efforts to develop a national digital identity framework, starting with MyInfo, a service that makes personal data available – with consent from individuals – to government agencies and banks such as DBS, OCBC, UOB and Standard Chartered.
The service alleviates the need to fill in the same information in multiple forms, such as when applying for bank accounts, and enables businesses to be certain of their customers' identities. "It will also reduce cost and enhance competitiveness," said Balakrishnan.
There is still no consensus on [IoT] technology or standards, but the lack of consensus and current fragmentation of the market is not an excuse for paralysis
Vivian Balakrishnan, Smart Nation Programme Office
Despite cash and cheques still being accepted in Singapore, Balakrishnan said there is still a need to improve the adoption rates of digital payments.
To that, he said the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has been looking into a central addressing system that enables individuals to transfer funds to each other via their mobile phone numbers.
Balakrishnan said MAS is also driving the implementation of unified point-of-sale terminals to eliminate the need for merchants to use multiple terminals to support different payment cards and technologies.
Future of IoT
Separately, Charles Reed Anderson, founder of an IoT advisory firm of his namesake, pointed out two IoT trends that could emerge in future.
For one, he said there will be more IoT over-the-top (OTT) players that will focus on delivering insights and intelligence on the data collected from IoT devices, in areas such as video analytics, manufacturing and building management.
Anderson also said low-power wide area networks will be more popular, enabling enterprises and city-planners to roll out IoT networks quickly and at a lower cost than deploying 3G or 4G networks. "Smart cities need these low-power networks because they need [to support] thousands of applications to drive value," he said.
IT outlook in 2019
Want to know what will dominate the world of IT in 2019? Look no further!
Read more on Internet of Things (IoT)
Singapore outlines initiatives to tackle OT and IoT security
Microsoft teams up with Singapore government in training push
Singapore government to review data security in public sector
Bosch teams up with Singapore Polytechnic in IoT training push
Singapore government outlines its approach to IoT – ComputerWeekly.com
Singapore smart city chief delivers vision to the ... – ComputerWeekly.com
Singapore faced cyber attacks during Trump-Kim summit – ComputerWeekly.com


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Q: How to get the extend of tick labels, xlabel or ylabel? For an example code, I can get the extend of ax which is indicated by red vertical line. I also illustrated the extend of tick labels and and ylabel using yellow and blue by estimating a value.
Is there a functional way to get the bounding box of ticklels, xlabel or ylabel?
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
fig, ax = plt.subplots(1, 1, figsize=(7.2, 7.2))
ax.set_xlabel('x_label', fontsize=14)
ax.set_ylabel('y_label', fontsize=14)

# method 1 to get the extend of ax
bbox1 = ax.get_position()
print(bbox1)
# method 2 to get the extend of ax
bbox2 = ax.get_window_extent().transformed(fig.transFigure.inverted())
print(bbox2)
ax.text(bbox1.x0, 0.2, '|', transform=fig.transFigure, color='r', fontsize=30)
ax.text(0.07, 0.2, '|', transform=fig.transFigure, color='b', fontsize=30)
ax.text(0.03, 0.2, '|', transform=fig.transFigure, color='y', fontsize=30)

UPDATE:
using code below can get the xaixs tight_box and the figure tight_box
b1 = ax.xaxis.get_tightbbox(fig.canvas.get_renderer()).transformed(fig.transFigure.inverted())
b2 = ax.get_tightbbox(fig.canvas.get_renderer()).transformed(fig.transFigure.inverted())

A: I interprete the question as to ask for how to get the bounding box of the various text elements in the plot. Those bounding boxes are determined at draw time. Hence one would first need to draw the figure. Then
artist.get_window_extent()

returns the bounding box of the artist. The bounding box is in absolute pixel coordinates.
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib.transforms import IdentityTransform

def drawbb(bb, fig, **kwargs):
    r = plt.Rectangle((bb.x0, bb.y0), bb.width, bb.height,
                      transform=IdentityTransform(), fill=False, **kwargs)
    fig.add_artist(r)

fig, ax = plt.subplots(1, 1, figsize=(3, 2))
ax.set_xlabel('x_label', fontsize=14)
ax.set_ylabel('y_label', fontsize=14)
fig.tight_layout()

fig.canvas.draw()

drawbb(ax.xaxis.label.get_window_extent(), fig, edgecolor="crimson")
drawbb(ax.yaxis.label.get_window_extent(), fig, edgecolor="indigo")
drawbb(ax.get_xticklabels()[3].get_window_extent(), fig, edgecolor="limegreen")

plt.show()


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Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection
Finalizada, 90 números publicados
Inglés (Reino Unido), Hachette Partworks
90 cómics
John Wagner, Alan Grant, Carlos Ezquerra, Garth Ennis, Brian Bolland
Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection is a fortnightly partwork collection of hardback books published by Hachette Partworks. The series is made up of 90 volumes which contain thematic collections of stories about 2000 AD's Judge Dredd and related characters,[1] as well as bonus material including previously unpublished art.[2] The spine art on the books combine to display a new image by artist Patrick Goddard. The series was also accompanied by the launch of a series of podcasts called '2000 AD Thrill-Casts' which, after the 6th episode, widened its focus to 2000 AD in general.[3] On 5th July 2017 it was officially announced that the series had been extended from 80 to 90 issues.[4]


The impressive cure rate associated with conventional RPLND is difficult to improve upon. Furthermore, contemporary series document diminished morbidity as compared with that historically associated with the procedure. However, there are clearly patients who do not require such aggressive intervention. Yet with current imaging and other prognostic modalities, a subset of patients will be understaged and consequently managed conservatively when they could have benefited from retroperitoneal dissection.
Hence, LRPLND was introduced to provide a sensitive and specific staging modality without the morbidity of conventional RPLND. With proof that it is technically feasible, several centers have become experts in this technique and morbidity appears to be less than that of open RPLND. As experience builds, operative times diminish, and patients are discharged from hospital earlier. Thus, it is likely that LRPLND will become equally if not more cost-effective than conventional RPLND. However, the oncologic outcomes, while on par with open RPLND series, are difficult to attribute to successful LRPLND alone when nearly all patients with positive nodes received chemotherapy. We must await follow-up of the rare patients who opted not to have adjuvant chemotherapy after LRPLND or look to new studies assessing the efficacy of LRPLND alone. Although uncertainties exist, LRPLND holds much future promise.


text:
Q: Iterate through folder and return full file path I wrote this code:
verz = 'C:\Users\GerdPC\Desktop\mouth'

Dir.foreach(verz) do |f|
 next if f == '.' or f == '..'
 puts f
end

My problem is that I don't know how to return not only the filename f for eg:
sumba.png

But:
C:\Users\GerdPC\Desktop\mouth\sumba.png

So I tried:
 puts File.expand_path(f)

But this only expands the filename with the directory in which my program is running! What should I do?

A: Isn't this enough?
puts "#{verz}\\#{f}"

A: I would do it as below using File::realdirpath:
Dir.pwd # => "/home/kirti/Ruby"

Dir.foreach(Dir.pwd) do |file|
  puts File.realdirpath(file) unless ['.','..'].include? file
end

# >> /home/kirti/Ruby/tut.html
# >> /home/kirti/Ruby/test
#.........
#.........


Profit is an accounting-determined number that requires much more than simply keeping track of cash flows. The differences between using a checkbook to measure profit and using accounting methods to measure profit are explained in the following section. Hardly ever are cash flows during a period the correct amounts for measuring a company's sales revenue and expenses for that period. Summing up, profit cannot be determined from cash flows.
Also, a summary of cash flows reveals virtually nothing about the financial condition of a business. Financial condition refers to the assets of the business matched against its liabilities at the end of the period. For example: How much cash does the company have in its checking account(s) at the end of the year? We can clearly read on a cash flow statement. But we can't tell from a cash flow report the company's ending cash balance. A cash flows summary does not report the amounts of assets and liabilities of the business at the end of the period.
A company may sell its products on credit. In other words, the business offers its customers a short period of time to pay for their purchases. Most of the company's sales are to other businesses, which demand credit. (In contrast, most retailers selling to individuals accept credit cards instead of extending credit to their customers.) For example: a company collected $10,225,000 from its customers during the year. However, some of this money was received from sales made in the previous year. And, some sales made on credit in the year just ended were not collected by the end of the year.
At year-end the company had receivables from sales made to its customers during the latter part of the year. These receivables will be collected early next year. Because some cash was collected from last year's sales and some cash was not collected from sales made in the year just ended, the total cash collected during the year does not equal the amount of sales revenue for the year.
Cash disbursements (payments) during the year are not the correct amounts for measuring expenses. Like sales revenue, the cash flow during the year is not the whole story. Let say a company paid out $7,130,000 for manufacturing costs during the year. At year-end, however, many products were still on hand in inventory. These products had not yet been sold by year-end. Only the cost of products sold and delivered to customers during the year should be deducted as expense from sales revenue to measure profit. Shouldn't it?
Furthermore, some of its manufacturing costs had not yet been paid by the end of the year. The company buys on credit the raw materials used in manufacturing its products and takes several weeks to pay its bills. The company has liabilities at year-end for recent raw material purchases and for other manufacturing costs as well.
There's more. Its cash payments during the year for operating expenses, as well as for interest and income tax expenses, are not the correct amounts to measure profit for the year. The company has liabilities at the end of the year for unpaid expenses. The cash outflow amounts shown in a cash flow statement do not include these additional amounts of unpaid expenses at the end of the year.
In short, cash flows from sales revenue and for expenses are not the correct amounts for measuring profit for a period of time. Cash flows take place too late or too early for correctly measuring profit for a period. Correct timing is needed to record sales revenue and expenses in the right period.
The correct timing of recording sales revenue and expenses is called accrual-basis accounting. Accrual-basis accounting recognizes receivables from making sales on credit and recognizes liabilities for unpaid expenses in order to determine the correct profit measure for the period. Accrual-basis accounting also is necessary to determine the financial condition of a business—to record the assets and liabilities of the business.
The cash flows summary for the year does not reveal the financial condition of a company. Managers certainly need to know which assets the business owns and the amounts of each asset, including cash, receivables, inventory, and all other assets. Also, they need to know which liabilities the company owes and the amounts of each. Business managers have the responsibility for keeping the company in a position to pay its liabilities when they come due to keep the business solvent (able to pay its liabilities on time). Furthermore, managers have to know whether assets are too large (or too small) relative to the sales volume of the business. Its lenders and investors want to know the same things about a business.
In brief, both the managers inside the business and lenders and investors outside the business need a summary of a company's financial condition (its assets and liabilities). Of course, they need a profit performance report as well, which summarizes the company's sales revenue and expenses and its profit for the year.
A cash flow summary is very useful. In fact, in no sense does the cash flows report take the place of the profit performance report and the financial condition report.
A Final Note: Over the past century an entire profession has developed based on the preparation and reporting of business financial statements—the accounting profession. In measuring their profit and in reporting their financial affairs, all businesses have to follow established rules and standards, which are called generally accepted accounting principles or GAAP for short.
Related Topics:cash flowCash Flow Do Not Reveal Financal ConditionCash Flow SummaryProfit can not be measured by cash flowWhat Does Cash Flow Summary Not Tell You?


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Q: Google Analytics Set Up I am brand new to the small business I'm working at and I suggested we implement Google Analytics on our website to help track traffic flow.
Well, I am not exactly computer tech savy and am having a difficult time know how to link the Tracking ID to our web pages. Am I really supposed to edit the code on every web page I'd like to track? If so, how does one even "edit code".
Thanks for the insight,
Dana

A: yes, the code does need to be on every page that you want to track - there should be a code like this which you get from your admin section:
<!-- Google Analytics -->
<script>
(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),
m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)
})(window,document,'script','https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');

ga('create', 'UA-XXXXX-Y', 'auto');
ga('send', 'pageview');
</script>
<!-- End Google Analytics -->

This needs to be on every page. In answer to how to "edit code", it depends on your website. It is probably easiest to just send your code snippet to whoever built the website and ask them to place it in the head of every page - they will have an easy way to do it via a content management system or tag management system.


Motorola Atrix 2 owners can now finally rejoice as AT&T has now officially begun rolling out ICS update to the device. We had previous reports that the update will be out soon and true to their words Motorola delivered it right on time, a bit late maybe. The new update brings your Atrix 2 from the outdated Gingerbread OS to not-so-recent Ice Cream Sandwich OS that's just one step behind the Jelly Bean OS. It brings all the ICS features to your device like tabbed browsing, face unlock, smoother UI and many other minor changes.
Earlier this month Motorola also rolled out updates for their Droid XYBOARD line-up of tablets as well but there are still some devices that need an update or should we say Deserve an update. Motorola has plans to update all devices to the latest suitable OS for each device.
With all these updates now rolling out in a timely fashion it starts to feel like that Google is finally taking some control over the company and pushing out updates quickly. However, Motorola is still no way close to how Google treats their own Nexus branded devices when it comes to software support but at least they've finally got their act together and pushing out updates to as many devices as possible.
Which manufacturer do you think is the best when it comes to software support? Other than Nexus Devices.


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Revindicating the Black Power Movement by Bob Brown and Ana María Arbeláez Trujillo
By	Admin Posted on May 11, 2020 May 16, 2020
Ana María Arbeláez Trujillo in conversation with Bob Brown, organizer of the All-African People's Revolutionary Party (GC)
Since the 1960s, the leaders of the Black Power Movement have fought tirelessly to challenge institutional racism, to reclaim and reinterpret the history of black people and for the right to establish and change the terms to define them and their relationships with society. Committed to this long legacy and revindication of black history, longtime activist and researcher Bob Brown visited the ISS in February 2020 to participate in an event titled "Black Power and the Politics of Liberation, in comparative perspective". He talked about the origins of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense and the larger Black Panther Movement worldwide. We conversed afterward. Here is what he had to say.
Can the current presidential campaign make a difference for black people?
I have not been involved in any political campaign since the 1990s. I see no candidate right now who I can support. I do not think that conventional politics, right or left, is the way forward for the US. American society has, for centuries, deliberately and systematically excluded black people from political participation. We need more than regime change. What we need is a transformation in the values and the ideology upholding the racist political system.
The possibilities for black people to seize power through electoral politics in the US are virtually nonexistent. Obama was a black figurehead in a white racist and sexist system, which structurally limited what he could do. He could be the best guy in the world, but he implemented racist and sexist policies.
When we focus on the colour or the gender of the candidates, we are looking at individuals when we should be looking at the system. It is not only about having black people or women in power; it is about recognizing and addressing the racist and gendered dynamics within the institutions.
So, do you believe that politics have transformative potential?
Yes, everything is political, but I only believe in politics with revolutionary objectives and values. I helped Harold Washington to take the Mayor's office in Chicago. He never controlled it. He fought to control the Democratic Party in Chicago. Unfortunately, he died within four years. We had revolutionary plans; we had the Black Panther clinics and many other ideas.
Politics can be changed, even if it is minimal and incremental. If nothing else, we got Obamacare. Obama did not create it, but it was passed during his time. The program has had a positive effect in our community, especially for older people like me who cannot afford health care and for young people who were previously not insured. That is incremental change. The Black Panther Party started programs for feeding children; these programs were and are also being funded by the government.
Bob Brown and Ana María Arbeláez Trujillo in conversation. Credit: Martin Blok
And what about academia: how do you see the role of academia in social change?
Academia is very problematic right now. The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense is predominantly regarded as an entertainment industry in academia. You don't know how many people write books, articles, and PhD dissertations about it. When I read them, I laugh because they all reproduce the same lies.
First, I go to the index, and I see how many times the word 'race' and 'class' are mentioned. Yes, it is included one or two times, but the authors undermine, or are not aware of, their interconnection and role.
Another example is that academics are saying that Fred Hampton was killed because he was feeding children. That is not true. We did not only fight for black people; we also struggled for a different and true interpretation of history. So, if some people in academia are perpetuating the same old lies, then we must fight against those lies.
Do you think that social media have contributed to making social movements more horizontal? For example, is the Black Lives Matter movement more horizontal than the movement in the 1960s?
I have a problem with this concept of the horizontal versus the vertical. There is nothing leaderless in our culture, historically or currently. That is an illusion and ideological concept with which I don't agree. I have a problem with those academics who are teaching that, because they are telling people something that is not true. How is the Black Lives Matter movement a leaderless organization when the Democratic Party and related forces are funding and controlling it? They were potentially one of the most progressive movements in the country. Where are they now and what are they doing? I have a problem with the sector of the movement that says that they are a leaderless organization. That may be their ideal, but they are not there yet and never will be.
Black Lives Matter is not a monolithic or revolutionary movement. You cannot say that when the Ford or Soros Foundations offer funds to ten to fifteen of these organizations. They own the leadership of most of the movements in our community and around this country. Even if the Black Lives Matter people are not leaders, George Soros is. All we have to do is to follow the money trail. That shows confusion, and that is not a leaderless movement.
What do you think about the current focus of the media on white environmental activists?
The environmental movement is not white. It is a people's movement with 7+ billion members worldwide. The overwhelming majority of the people worldwide are not white. The most funded and public version of it is white, but that is, again, a product of institutional racism.
This perception of the environmental movement being white has passed through generations, but it is wrong to say that. If you look from the invisible to top-down, it looks white. But you have to go through history. There are black people like Ben Chavis, Damu Smith and Connie Tucker. They coined the term "environmental racism" and were leaders of the "environmental justice movement." Al Gore, the so-called leader of the green movement, brought "environmental justice movement" into the White House and coopted it. It is therefore disrespectful and racist to say that the environmental movement is white.
Bob Brown is the co-founder and ex-member of the Chicago Chapter of the Black Panther Party (March 1968 to March 1969) and author of several books, including his most recent Malcolm X and Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael). He is currently a member of the A-APRP (GC).
Ana María Arbeláez Trujillo is a lawyer, specialist in Environmental Law and holds an Erasmus Mundus Master in Public Policy. She works as a researcher for PID Amazonia, a civic society platform to address deforestation in the Colombian Amazon. Her research interests are the political economy of extractivist industries, environmental conflicts, and rural development.
Title Image Credit: Martin Blok
Bliss is the official blog of the International Institute of Social Studies, which is part of the Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Bliss adheres to the ISS privacy regulations. Click here for more information.


A shopping centre Santa Claus has been forced to wear a hard hat after being pelted with mince pies.
Yobs launched the hail of pastry missiles from an upper level of the Paisley Centre in Renfrewshire as he was handing out treats to customers.
Concerned centre bosses have now issued the Santa with a builder's-style hard hat in case there are any further attacks.
Centre manager Andrew MacKinnon said shoppers were shocked after the incident on Saturday.
He said: "We are a multi-level centre, and have taken this somewhat drastic action to protect Santa from possible injury.
"Such an incident does give rise to health and safety concerns, and we take the safety of our staff very seriously."
Mr MacKinnon said the hard hat has been decorated with red reindeer antlers to "Christmas it up a bit".
There was no police involvement after the attack, he added.


* Improvement: Updated GeoIP database.
* Fix: Syncing requests from Wordfence Central no longer appear in Live Traffic.
* Fix: Addressed some display issues with the Wordfence Central panel on the Wordfence Dashboard.


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Q: XAML: How to trigger from a DataRow Style TO a DataGrid Cell Setter?
I am using a DataGrid in XAML.
I have a specific style defined for the mouseover on a row.
This is defined through the content of  <DataGrid.RowStyle> tag.
For a specific column (the last one), I want to insert an icon, which will be only visible on mouseover as well. To hide it on default state, I define a Foreground color to transparent, defined in <DataGridTextColumn.CellStyle> tag content.
Below the global XAML

        <DataGrid.Columns>

            <!-- FIRST COLUMN DECLARATION -->
            <DataGridTextColumn Binding="{Binding Container}" Header="Container" Width="*">
                <DataGridTextColumn.ElementStyle>
                    <Style TargetType="TextBlock">
                        <Setter Property="VerticalAlignment" Value="Center" />
                        <Setter Property="HorizontalAlignment" Value="Left" />
                    </Style>
                </DataGridTextColumn.ElementStyle>
            </DataGridTextColumn>

            <!-- ICON COLUMN DECLARATION -->
            <DataGridTextColumn Binding="{Binding Icon}" Header="" Width="30" CanUserResize="False">
                <DataGridTextColumn.ElementStyle>
                    <Style TargetType="TextBlock">
                        <Setter Property="VerticalAlignment" Value="Center" />
                        <Setter Property="HorizontalAlignment" Value="Left" />
                    </Style>
                </DataGridTextColumn.ElementStyle>

                <!-- DECLARE THE SPECIFIC TRANSPARENT COLOR -->
                <DataGridTextColumn.CellStyle>
                    <Style TargetType="DataGridCell" >
                        <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="Transparent"/>
                    </Style>
                </DataGridTextColumn.CellStyle>
            </DataGridTextColumn>
        </DataGrid.Columns>

        <!-- MOUSEOVER ROW STYLE, which is not taken in account by second column -->
        <DataGrid.RowStyle>
            <Style TargetType="DataGridRow">
                    <Style.Triggers>
                        <Trigger Property="IsMouseOver" Value="True">
                            <Setter Property="Background" Value="#FF27222A"/>
                            <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="#FF31A4CF" />
                            <Setter Property="FontWeight" Value="ExtraBold" />
                            <Setter Property="Cursor" Value="Hand"/>
                        </Trigger>
                    </Style.Triggers>
                </Style>
        </DataGrid.RowStyle>
    </DataGrid>

The problem is that a style defined in a cell overrides the style defined in a row. This is also the case on a mouseover situation, meaning that my trigger is not taken in account for that specific column (in other words, all the cells of the last column).
I tried to declare a Setter with TargetName as below, but did not succeed to make it work, mainly because I don't know where to set the x:Name without triggering error in the project.
 <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="#FF31A4CF" TargetName="IconCol" />

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

A: Ok. Got it worked, but partially failed as I finally introduced C# code to handle the Cell styles.
I inserted some EventSetter for MouseEnter and MouseLeave in <DataGrid.RowStyle> tag
Below is the XAML updated part:
<DataGrid.RowStyle>
      <Style TargetType="DataGridRow" BasedOn="{StaticResource BaseDataGridRowStyle}">

                <EventSetter Event="MouseEnter" Handler="Row_MouseEnter"/>
                <EventSetter Event="MouseLeave" Handler="Row_MouseLeave"/>

                <Style.Triggers>
                        <Trigger Property="IsMouseOver" Value="True">
                                <Setter Property="Background" Value="#FF27222A"/>
                                <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="#FF31A4CF" />
                                <Setter Property="FontWeight" Value="ExtraBold" />
                                <Setter Property="Cursor" Value="Hand"/>
                        </Trigger>

                        <Trigger Property="IsSelected" Value="True">
                                <Setter Property="Background" Value="#FF27222A" />
                                <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="#FF31A4CF" />
                                <Setter Property="FontWeight" Value="ExtraBold" />
                        </Trigger>
                </Style.Triggers>
      </Style>
</DataGrid.RowStyle>

Then, when events are dispatched to C# code, I directly access to the desired cell in order to apply the dedicated style during a MouseOver situation


MONTMORENCY COUNTY — During a special meeting Wednesday, the Montmorency County Board met with county department heads to discuss individual recommendations for certain cuts in operational costs in an effort to prevent department layoffs.
According to Robert Goodall, Montmorency County coordinator, the board entered Wednesday's meeting with a $510,000 deficit for the 2008 budget.
The lack of budget numbers from the state is causing a trickle-down effect on the county — as it is difficult to prepare a budget without knowing what programs may suffer cuts at the state level, Goodall said.
The state budget act requires the county to present a balanced budget in October.
"We haven't got final revenues completed," Goodall said.
Goodall stated the county is lacking budget numbers from the county's external entities, including the District Health Department No. 4, 26th Circuit Court and 88th District Court.
"We're doing what we can to deal with the cuts," said Goodall.
"They did a wonderful job," he added of the department heads efforts to prevent layoffs.
The board has two regular meetings — Wednesday, Oct.10 and Oct. 24. But with the numbers still dribbling in from the state, Goodall reported those numbers could change either side of the ledger.
"We have to come up with a balanced budget," Goodall said. "When we trim to the bone, we get down to the big numbers — people and benefits. If you're down to that and that's the only thing left to cut, the who and what — well, that's up to the board.
"We'll continue to have finance meetings through committees and report to the board," said Goodall.
The next regular meeting is Wednesday at 9 a.m.


Hokitika is a quirky little town with a whole lot to offer, whether you want to sample some local history, plunge headfirst into outdoor adventure, feast on fantastic food or simply relax around town. There's always more to Hoki than meets the eye.
The beauty of Hokitika is that nothing is too far away. You can walk or bike to access beautiful local tracks and trails all year round. If you want to roam more widely, car rental can be organised at Hokitika Airport (five minutes from the CBD). The Hokitika Fire Station Apartments are a great stepping off point for road trips to the Hokitika Gorge and other West Coast attractions. For the more daring, there are scenic flights to Mount Cook and the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers.
If you stay with us over the winter season, the Cheeseman and Porters ski fields in the Craigieburn Range are within a 90 min drive. These ski fields offer a range of beginner, intermediate and advanced runs for skiers of all ages and abilities. You can hire ski and snow-boarding gear on-site and both fields have their own snow school available for child and adult skiers.
An active regional hub, Hokitika also hosts a range of events throughout the year – from the local A&P (Agricultural & Pastoral) show and Driftwood & Sand Beach Sculpture event in January to the Wild Food Festival and Lake Kaniere Scenic Triathlon in March (huhu grub anyone?). Check out local events when you plan your stay with us.
The Maori meaning of Hokitika comes from the words hoki – to return and tika – direct. Officially translated as 'A place to return' but we like to think of it as 'Come straight back' – you'll always get a warm welcome here.


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Court of Appeals Published Opinions - October 2017
Note: Beginning in June 2012, opinions will be posted as Adobe PDFs. You can download a free copy of Adobe Reader here.
The summary following each opinion is prepared to offer lawyers and the public a general overview of what a particular opinion decides. The summary is not necessarily a full description of the issues discussed in an opinion.
10-4-2017 - Opinions
5518 - State v. Collier
Derek Vander Collier appeals his conviction for second-degree burglary, arguing the trial court improperly limited his closing argument, erred in allowing the State to play recordings of two police interviews, and should not have allowed a witness to identify him in front of the jury. We affirm.
10-25-2017 - Opinions
5519 - Robert J. Burke v. Republic Parking System, Inc.
Appellant Republic Parking System, Inc. (Republic) filed this appeal following a jury verdict in favor of Respondent Robert J. Burke. Republic claims the trial court erred by denying its motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict and a new trial based on many arguments including that the trial court erred by excluding its expert witness. We agree the trial court erred by excluding Republic's expert witness and reverse for a new trial; thus, we decline to address Republic's remaining arguments.
5520 - State v. Daise
Earnest Daise appeals his convictions for murder, assault and battery with intent to kill, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and trafficking in cocaine. Daise argues the circuit court erred in (1) allowing a witness to offer hearsay violative of the Confrontation Clause, (2) permitting a witness to comment on the credibility of another witness, (3) admitting testimony that a victim feared Daise, (4) failing to require the State to produce materials that allegedly amount to a "handbook" on circumventing a Batson challenge, (5) admitting a photograph of Daise in a custodial pose, and (6) admitting two photographs in which a child victim's birthday cake is visible. Finally, Daise argues the circuit court's cumulative errors denied him a fair trial. We affirm the convictions.
5521 - Dallas Bessinger v. R-N-M Builders
This is a cross-appeal from a final decision and order of the Appellate Panel of the Workers' Compensation Commission holding the South Carolina Uninsured Employers' Fund (UEF) responsible for Dallas Bessinger's benefits. The Appellate Panel found the workers' compensation policy between J&L Construction, LLC and FirstComp a division of Markel, Inc. (FirstComp) was procured by fraud and void ab initio. This case involves an unusual procedural posture where a Single Commissioner found the policy void ab initio, the Appellate Panel vacated the decision of the Single Commissioner and remanded for a "hearing de novo," a Single Commissioner once again found the policy void ab initio, and the Appellate Panel affirmed that finding in full. UEF argues (1) the Single Commissioner erred by reconsidering evidence submitted in the first hearing without ensuring a proper foundation was laid in the second hearing; (2) the Single Commissioner erred in denying UEF's motion to exclude several depositions during the second hearing; and (3) the Appellate Panel erred in finding a workers' compensation policy can be void ab initio when statute requires a party to cancel a workers' compensation policy in accordance with the statutory framework. FirstComp appeals the Appellate Panel's initial remand arguing it exceeded and failed to comply with its statutory and regulatory authority. We affirm.


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PTC Therapeutics Pauses Phase 2 Study of PCT518 in Huntington Disease
After a successful phase 1 study in which PTC518 reduced huntingtin protein by 30% to 50%, the company is pausing the US enrollment of its phase 2 study until additional data is provided to the FDA.
Stuart W. Peltz
US enrollment for the phase 2 PIVOT-HD trial (NCT05358717) assessing PTC Therapeutics investigational agent PTC518 in patients with Huntington disease (HD) has been paused, according to the company, as the FDA continues to seek more data about the drug. Although stopped in the US, the study of the oral, small molecule splicing modifier is still enrolling participants at sites in several European countries and in Australia.1
The company made it known that there have been no treatment-related adverse events (AEs) reported in the study in the US or outside of the US since its initiation in March 2022. PTC noted that it will continue to work with the FDA in obtaining the data needed to proceed the study, as well as work toward sharing data from the 12-week portion of the study in the first half of 2023.
A 2-part study, PIVOT-HD consists of an initial 12-week placebo-controlled period that focuses on the pharmacological and pharmacodynamic effect of PTC518, followed by a 9-month placebo-controlled period, during which blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and radiographic biomarker data will be collected. The primary outcome of the study is safety, assessed by number of patients with AEs, and change from baseline in total huntingtin protein (tHTT) at day 85.
The study will initially include 2 dose levels—5 mg and 10 mg—with the potential to study a third dose leveraging the titratability of the drug. To date, the approvals for the study have included both the 5-mg and 10-mg dose levels, as well as a potential third dose pending the results of the first 2 dosing cohorts. In addition to safety and changes in tHTT, investigators will assess secondary outcomes such as change in blood HTT messenger RNA (mRNA), mutant HTT and blood mutant HTT.
FDA Extends Review Date for ALS Treatment Tofersen
When it was first initiated, Stuart W. Peltz, chief executive officer, PCT Therapeutics, said in statement, "In the PIVOT-HD trial, we aim to confirm the dose-dependent lowering of huntingtin protein that was demonstrated in our phase 1 clinical study and gain insight to biomarker data that could provide meaningful evidence of treatment effect."2
In the prior phase 1 study of health volunteers, PTC518 demonstrated a dose-dependent lowering of HTT mRNA and protein by 30% to 50%. Additionally, the agent was well-tolerated, had predictable pharmacology, and showed a long half-life with maintenance of splicing up to 72 hours following last dose. Findings also showed that steady state lowering of HTT mRNA abundance was achieved within 1 week, and that steady state lowering of HTT protein abundance should take at least 6 weeks. In both human and monkey plasma CSF, PTC518 demonstrated the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and reach its target nerve cells.3
1. PTC provides update on ongoing global PIVOT-HD trial of PTC518. News release. October 18, 2022. Accessed October 19, 2022. https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/ptc-provides-update-on-ongoing-global-pivot-hd-trial-for-ptc518/
2. PTC Therapeutics announces initiation of PIVOT-HD phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate PTC518 in patients with Huntington disease. News release. PTC Therapeutics. March 30, 2022. Accessed October 19, 2022. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ptc-therapeutics-announces-initiation-of-pivot-hd-phase-2-clinical-trial-to-evaluate-ptc518-in-patients-with-huntingtons-disease-301514222.html
3. PTC518 Huntington's Disease Program Update. News release. PTC Therapeutics. September 23, 2021. Accessed October 19, 2022. https://ir.ptcbio.com/static-files/2162ff85-c7ed-4555-8542-52fa2129f7fa