JERUSALEM (JTA) — Azerbaijan officials foiled a plot by Iranian-backed Hezbollah to bomb the Israeli Embassy, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The failed attack in the Azerbaijan capital of Baku was in revenge for the 2008 car-bomb assassination of the head of the Hezbollah security service, Imad Mughniyeh, in Syria. Israel denied being behind the killing.
The attempted attack on the Israeli embassy became public last week, when closed court proceedings began for the two Lebanese and four Azeris charged with, among other things, espionage and terrorism, the Times reported Saturday.
Azerbaijan, a moderate Muslim nation of 8 million, has good relations with Israel and Iran on its southern border.
The Hezbollah cell allegedly, according to the Azerbaijani investigation, intended to set off up to four car bombs simultaneously around the Israeli embassy, a building that also houses the Thai and Japanese embassies. The terrorists had hundreds of pounds of explosives reportedly supplied by Iran, according to the Times.
Police moved in when members of the cell realized in May 2008 that they were under surveillance. Several suspects escaped into Iran, according to the report.


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'Sheer bad luck' to blame for death of mountain rescuer who fell on Snowdonia exercise, says coroner
Kevin Hallahan, a member of the Dublin and Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team, fell on Crib Goch in September
Gareth Wyn-WilliamsLocal Democracy Reporter
Nothing could have been done to prevent the death of a mountain rescuer who fell while on a routine exercise in Snowdonia.
That was the view of the coroner following the inquest into the death of 43-year-old Kevin Hallahan, who died after falling on Crib Goch on September 30.
Mr Hallahan, from Naas in County Kildare, joined the Dublin and Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team in 2011, and was on a team training weekend in North Wales when the accident happened around lunchtime.
Body will be exhumed in bid to solve 23-year-old mystery of missing woman
Kevin Hallahan
Joseph O'Gorman, a fellow member of the crew, said all of those who took part in the exercise were experienced mountaineers and were wearing all the necessary equipment.
He added that they had no idea how he fell, but did not rule out that he slipped or trod on some loose stones on the narrow ridge.
Mr O'Gorman said: "We had pre-planned our route and visited Crib Goch and Snowdonia several times before. We knew the area."
Gruffudd Sion Owen, of the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team, described the conditions on the day as "particularly greasy", following several rain showers in the local area.
Man killed in Afonwen crash was 'devoted husband and father'
He added: "I was not there at the time of the incident, but it's not unknown for rocks to dislodge on the ridge.
"It can be quite challenging, even for experienced mountaineers, and despite it looking solid that may not always be the case.
"It's impossible to tell how he fell for certain, but the likelihood of an accident is always quite high."
Pathologist Dr Mark Lord confirmed that Mr Hallahan would almost certainly have died instantly, suffering a fracture to the back of the head following a fall from a considerable height.
Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones was satisfied that Mr Hallahan's death was an accidental one.
He said: "There's no such thing as a safe mountain.
'We are devastated' - Boss of recycling plant expresses sorrow after worker's death
"Mr Hallahan could easily have slipped as the surface was wet, or a less likely possibility is that a piece of rock may have given way.
"Unfortunately, to fall in that area, the consequences can be disatrous.
"This was an experienced group of mountaineers. I cannot find anything that the group did that day that was wrong.
"Sadly, his death was likely down to sheer bad luck. An unforeseen, unexpected accident."
Following Mr Hallahan's death, his crew described him as "a skilled, experienced and selfless mountaineer".
"Kevin could be relied upon to complete any task efficiently and safely, always looking out for his teammates," they said.
"He was a man who cared for those around him, supporting and mentoring, with a kind word and his friendly smile."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Station Saint-Maurice-de-Beynost is een spoorwegstation in de Franse gemeente Saint-Maurice-de-Beynost.

Saint-Maurice-de-Beynost
Saint-Maurice-de-Beynost

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Been a while since I've had a good afternoon just to hack away on a project. For Record Store Day I whipped up a little Rails app to hold information about my record collection. I don't imagine I'll be open-sourcing it (a bit on that down the page). It's satisfying coming up with something that matches exactly what I want in a program - and I'm seeing that this doesn't always align with what is available in the market nor in open source software.
Create source repo in GitHub (Or BitBucket. Or GitLab).
These things aren't hard individually, but in aggregate it can become a lot of work. Users now have an expectation that things should just work. And if it doesn't, expect the bug tracker (now required) to fill up with "this piece of crap doesn't work." Users don't want to spend a weekend fixing a bug anymore. If the software doesn't work, replace it with the other Big Shiny Project that does (and yes, I'm guilty of this behaviour).
There's not enough incentive to open-source anything unless you're willing to put a lot of additional work in that doesn't really benefit you personally. Leaving around a bunch of code that looks shabby in comparison (but might be better suited to the task than what currently exists) could scare away potential recruiters, leave you stressed out dealing with the negativity, or confuse folks about what you're actively working on in the public sphere.
Does this mean I'm quitting working on open-source software? Of course not. But I'm going to be a lot more choosy about what ends up in GitHub, etc. these days, because I'd rather spend time working on stuff that makes me happy than stuff that brings back minimal (or sometimes negative) value to my life.


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Canada Alberta Jobs Grant - A funding program where employers and government share the cost of training new and existing employees to increase their knowledge and skills to meet the needs of Alberta's changing economy.


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Book Review|Center Stage
https://nyti.ms/18zqFqD
By Anita Gates
The next time you watch "West Side Story," don't believe every word Rita Moreno sings.
In the 1961 film version, Anita (Moreno) begins the number "America" with "Puerto Rico, / My heart's devotion — / Let it sink back in the ocean." That is exactly not what Moreno, who won a best supporting actress Oscar for that performance, feels about her birthplace.
The most poetic, affectionate parts of "Rita Moreno: A Memoir" are the author's descriptions, seen through a haze of childhood romanticism, of "the most sensual place in the world," near the ferns, breadfruit and palms of El Yunque, the Puerto Rican rain forest.
Moreno's mother tore her away from that paradise and a little brother she never saw again when Rita, then Rosita Alverio, was 5. They landed in a dismal shared walk-up in the Bronx, a transition the author compares to "The Wizard of Oz" in reverse (from warm, glorious color to inhospitable black and white), and it was a whole four years before little Rita was performing professionally in a Greenwich Village nightclub, thanks to her dance teacher, who was Rita Hayworth's uncle. Talent agents were always spotting her, and at 16 she was a happy high-school-dropout breadwinner, performing and traveling on her own.
Moreno's book is enjoyable, and not just because of the three chapters about Marlon Brando. The two had a long, emotionally draining (for her) affair that lasted through two of Brando's marriages. It ended after her 1961 suicide attempt and her psychiatrist's insistence that she never see him again. But she doesn't seem to be quite over him, half a century later, describing him as a "sensual, generous, delightfully inventive" lover and "more engaged in the world than anyone else I'd ever known."
Rita MorenoCredit...From "Rita Moreno: A Memoir"
Moreno, now 81, offers few memorable insights into her life's decisions or her craft, but there are plenty of celebrity anecdotes, some quite intimate. Elvis Presley was disappointing sexually ("more like a baby brother who couldn't make interesting conversation"). The British critic Kenneth Tynan, she says, ended up stalking her. The handsome stranger who brazenly flirted with her at a hotel opening, with his wife right there on his arm, turned out to be a young senator, John F. Kennedy. ("I remember thinking Whooo, this guy don't waste no time!") At 33, Moreno married a doctor, and she lived mostly happily until his death in 2010.
Men were always quite friendly. In her first movie, "So Young, So Bad" (1950), Moreno played a suicidal teenager. The '40s matinee idol Paul Henreid, she recalls, "used the scenes of cutting down my dead body as an excuse to run his hands over my breasts."
At times, Moreno's authorial voice is painfully uninspired, and an editor should have slapped her hand, figuratively. Of the pioneering record producer Sam Phillips, she writes, "He released Elvis's first hit, 'That's All Right,' and it was a lot more than 'all right.' " Someone should also have told her that sentiments like "I always appear adorable and immaculate" are a little annoying, even as a description of her childhood self on Sunday promenades.
She has plenty of other things to brag about. When talk-show hosts introduce Moreno, they almost always mention that she is one of the very few performers to have won an Oscar, a Tony (for "The Ritz"), an Emmy (two, actually, for appearances on "The Rockford Files" and "The Muppet Show") and a Grammy (for PBS's "Electric Company" album).
Moreno seems aptly proud but still shakes her head in disgust at the decades of typecasting she suffered — playing Hispanic "spitfires" (she was horrified when Bosley Crowther of The New York Times used that word to describe her in his "West Side Story" review) and smoldering sexpots of other nationalities (Thai in "The King and I," lots of American Indians).
"I was offered degrading roles right through my 60s," she writes. But this memoir is a striking reminder of some of the parts she has played with distinction, among them a prison-counselor nun on "Oz" and a savvy prostitute who sees right through Jack Nicholson's character in "Carnal Knowledge." Way beyond stereotypes.


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Culture, India, Pakistan, Sindh, Sindhi
Sindhi is a very sweet and melodious language – Dr. Annemarie Schimmel
Sindhi is a very sweet and melodious language. Writes Dr. Annemarie Schimmel, Harvard professor of linguist: "Since every word in Sindhi ends in a vowel, the sound is very musical."
Sindhi is a very rich language with a vast vocabulary; this has made it a favourite of many writers and so a lot of literature and poetry has been written in Sindhi. Writes K. R. Malkani in "THE SINDH STORY": 'The Sindhi language and literature reflect the rich variety and quality of Sindhi life and thought. Sindhi has 125 names for as many varieties of fish. From Hyderabad to the sea, a distance of less than one hundred miles, the Sindhu river has half a dozen names — Sahu, Sita, Mograh, Popat, Bano, and Hajamiro — to reflect its many moods. The camel has a score of names, to indicate its age, colour, gait and character.'
It is the language of Saints and Rishis of ancient Sindh. It has been the inspiration for Sindhi art, music, literature, culture and the way of life. Many great poets and literatis have been profoundly inspired by the beauty of Sindhi language.
AnnemariecivilisationDrInduslanguagelinguistliteraturemusicalSchimmelSindhSindhiSindhuvowel
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When it comes to social media marketing, new research suggests that it pays off for marketers to be responsive to millennial buyers.
TELUS International recently published an infographic based on a survey of 2,038 millennials in the U.S. While 24 percent of Americans said they provided feedback to companies they purchased from using company social media channels over the past year, this statistic was higher – 38 percent – among millennials. Furthermore, nearly 72 percent of millennials say they are more likely to be loyal to a company that responds to feedback via social media over a brand that does not. This is compared to just 47 percent of Americans aged 45 and older.
Almost one-in-five millennials prefer to leave positive feedback for a company they have purchased from on the company's social media channels. Additionally, 43 percent of millennials say that if a brand they purchase from does not have a social media page to provide feedback on, they are more likely to consider making a purchase from a company that does.
With regards to social media marketing, buyers not only want to see companies have a presence on these platforms, but see transparency in their use as well.
Sprout Social published the From Risk to Responsibility: Social Media and the Evolution of Transparency" report and found that 86 percent of Americans believe transparency from companies is more important than ever before. With that in mind, 86 percent of buyers say that they are more likely to take their business elsewhere if they see a lack of transparency from a company on social media.
About 53 percent of buyers are likely to consider businesses that are transparent on social media for their next purchase.


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WHO: A total of 27,973,127 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide
The latest data from the WHO website shows that as of 10:23 on the 11th Central European Time (16:23 Beijing time), the number of confirmed cases worldwide increased by 283,836 compared with the previous day, reaching 27,973,127; the number of deaths increased by 6,109, reaching 905,426 .
(Figure 1: Baidu, the latest distribution of the global epidemic)
The 2019-nCov ravages the world, but China is becoming the safest country in the world!
Russian media RT quoted a report from The Wall Street Journal on March 18 that the new crown virus is spreading around the world. Judging from the current spread of the new crown virus, China is becoming one of the safest places in the world for those who want to escape from the new crown virus. Start to travel to China.
(figure 2)
Why can China achieve initial significant results in the COVID-19 battle?
The first is because we experienced the test of SARS in 2003, and the second is the rise in medical standards. Finally, when the new crown comes, the state will prevent it in time, and the whole people will actively cooperate, laying the foundation for controlling the epidemic.
The transmission of COVID-19 is mainly through respiratory droplets and close contact, and masks are undoubtedly the best defense tool to resist this type of transmission of the virus.
(Figure 3, Mario Molina, the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry)
Professor Molina said that interesting changes can be seen on the curve of cases in New York City and Italy over a period of time: the line originally went upward, but it began to bend on the day when the mandatory mask wearing policy took effect. (Figure 4)
This shows that masks are undoubtedly the best choice for covid-19. For the disposable mask of KIEYYUEL brand, it consists of two layers of fiber non-woven fabric that is professionally used in medical and health, and a layer in the middle is added to filter and prevent bacteria by more than 99%. The filter melt blown cloth is ultrasonically welded.
(Picture 5: High-quality melt blown cloth will not burn in fire)
The mask is divided into 3 layers and consists of metal strips on the bridge of the nose and ear straps. The metal strip of the bridge of the nose is made of plastic material, and the mask is easy to wear and take and fit the face.For users to wear in daily work and life, cover the user's mouth, nose and jaw, prevent dust, particles, etc. from directly penetrating, and provide users with a certain physical barrier.


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What Doth a Leader Make?
Click HERE to Download "Narcissistic and Psychopathic Leaders"
"(The leader's) intellectual acts are strong and independent even in isolation and his will need no reinforcement from others ... (He) loves no one but himself, or other people only insofar as they serve his needs."
Freud, Sigmund, "Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego"
How does a leader become a leader?
In this article, we are not interested in the historical process but in the answer to the twin questions: what qualifies one to be a leader and why do people elect someone specific to be a leader.
The immediately evident response would be that the leader addresses or is judged by his voters to be capable of addressing their needs. These could be economic needs, psychological needs, or moral needs. In all these cases, if left unfulfilled, these unrequited needs are judged to be capable of jeopardizing "acceptable (modes of) existence". Except in rare cases (famine, war, plague), survival is rarely at risk. On the contrary, people are mostly willing to sacrifice their genetic and biological survival on the altar of said "acceptable existence".
To be acceptable, life must be honorable. To be honorable, certain conditions (commonly known as "rights") must be fulfilled and upheld. No life is deemed honorable in the absence of food and shelter (property rights), personal autonomy (safeguarded by codified freedoms), personal safety, respect (human rights), and a modicum of influence upon one's future (civil rights). In the absence of even one of these elements, people tend to gradually become convinced that their lives are not worth living. They become mutinous and try to restore the "honorable equilibrium". They seek food and shelter by inventing new technologies and by implementing them in a bid to control nature and other, human, factors. They rebel against any massive breach of their freedoms. People seek safety: they legislate and create law enforcement agencies and form armies.
Above all, people are concerned with maintaining their dignity and an influence over their terms of existence, present and future. The two may be linked : the more a person influences his environment and moulds – the more respected he is by others. Leaders are perceived to be possessed of qualities conducive to the success of such efforts. The leader seems to be emitting a signal that tells his followers: I can increase your chances to win the constant war that you are waging to find food and shelter, to be respected, to enhance your personal autonomy and security, and o have a say about your future.
But WHAT is this signal? What information does it carry? How is it received and deciphered by the led? And how, exactly, does it influence their decision making processes?
The signal is, probably, a resonance. The information emanating from the leader, the air exuded by him, his personal data must resonate with the situation of the people he leads. The leader must not only resonate with the world around him – but also with the world that he promises to usher. Modes, fashions, buzzwords, fads, beliefs, hopes, fears, hates and loves, plans, other information, a vision – all must be neatly incorporated in this resonance table. A leader is a shorthand version of the world in which he operates, a map of his times, the harmony (if not the melody) upon which those led by him can improvise. They must see in him all the principle elements of their mental life: grievances, agreements, disagreements, anger, deceit, conceit, myths and facts, interpretation, compatibility, guilt, paranoia, illusions and delusions – all wrapped (or warped) into one neat parcel. It should not be taken to mean that the leader must be an average person – but he must discernibly contain the average person or faithfully reflect him. His voice must echo the multitude of sounds that formed the popular wave which swept him to power. This ability of his, to be and not to be, to vacate himself, to become the conduit of other people's experiences and existence, in short: to be a gifted actor – is the first element in the leadership signal. It is oriented to the past and to the present.
The second element is what makes the leader distinct. Again, it is resonance. The leader must be perceived to resonate in perfect harmony with a vision of the future, agreeable to the people who elected him. "Agreeable" – read: compatible with the fulfillment of the aforementioned needs in a manner, which renders life acceptable. Each group of people has its own requirements, explicit and implicit, openly expressed and latent.
The members of a nation might feel that they have lost the ability to shape their future and that their security is compromised. They will then select a leader who will – so they believe, judged by what they know about him – restore both. The means of restoration are less important. To become a leader, one must convince the multitude, the masses, the public that one can deliver, not that one knows the best, most optimal and most efficient path to a set goal. The HOW is of no consequences. It pales compared to the WILL HE ? This is because people value the results more than the way. Even in the most individualistic societies, people prefer the welfare of the group to which they belong to their own. The leader promises to optimize utility for the group as a whole. It is clear that not all the members will equally benefit, or even benefit at all. The one who convinces his fellow beings that he can secure the attainment of their goals (and, thus, provide for their needs satisfactorily) – becomes a leader. What matters to the public varies from time to time and from place to place. To one group of people, the personality of the leader is of crucial importance, to others his ancestral roots. At one time, the religious affiliation, and at another, the right education, or a vision of the future. Whatever determines the outcome, it must be strongly correlated with what the group perceives to be its needs and firmly founded upon its definition of an acceptable life. This is the information content of the signal.
Selecting a leader is no trivial pursuit. People take it very seriously. They often believe that the results of this decision also determine whether their needs are fulfilled or not. In other words : the choice of leader determines if they lead an acceptable life. These seriousness and contemplative attitude prevail even when the leader is chosen by a select few (the nobility, the party).
Thus, information about the leader is gathered from open sources, formal and informal, by deduction, induction and inference, through contextual surmises, historical puzzle-work and indirect associations. To which ethnic group does the candidate belong? What is his history and his family's / tribe's / nation's? Where is he coming from , geographically and culturally? What is he aiming at and where is he going to, what is his vision? Who are his friends, associates, partners, collaborators, enemies and rivals? What are the rumors about him, the gossip? These are the cognitive, epistemological and hermeneutic dimensions of the information gathered. It is all subject to a process very similar to scientific theorizing. Hypotheses are constructed to fit the known facts. Predictions are made. Experiments conducted and data gathered. A theory is then developed and applied to the known facts. As more data is added – the theory undergoes revisions or even a paradigmatic shift. As with scientific conservatism, the reigning theory tends to color the interpretation of new data. A cult of "priests' (commentators and pundits) emerges to defend common wisdom and "well known" "facts" against intellectual revisionism and non-conformism. But finally the theory settles down and a consensus emerges: a leader is born.
The emotional aspect is predominant, though. Emotions play the role of gatekeepers and circuit breakers in the decision-making processes involved in the selection of a leader. They are the filters, the membranes through which information seeps into the minds of the members of the group. They determine the inter-relations between the various data. Finally, they assign values and moral and affective weights within a coherent emotional framework to the various bits information . Emotions are rules of procedure. The information is the input processed by these rules within a fuzzy decision theorem. The leader is the outcome (almost the by-product) of this process.
This is a static depiction, which does not provide us with the dynamics of the selection process. How does the information gathered affect it? Which elements interact? How is the outcome determined?
It would seem that people come naturally equipped with a mechanism for the selection of leaders. This mechanism is influenced by experience (a-posteriori). It is in the form of procedural rules, an algorithm which guides the members of the group in the intricacies of the group interaction known as "leadership selection".
This leader-selection mechanism comprises two modules: a module for the evaluation and taxonomy of information and an interactive module. The former is built to deal with constantly added data, to evaluate them and to alter the emerging picture (Weltanschauung) accordingly (to reconstruct or to adjust the theory, even to replace it with another).
The second module responds to signals from the other members of the group and treats these signals as data, which, in turn, affects the performance of the first module. The synthesis of the output produced by these two modules determines the ultimate selection.
Leader selection is an interaction between a "nucleus of individuality", which is comprised of our Self, the way we perceive our Self (introspective element) and the way that we perceive our Selves as reflected by others. Then there is the "group nucleus", which incorporates the group's consciousness and goals. A leader is a person who succeeds in giving expression to both these nuclei amply and successfully. When choosing a leader, we, thus, really are choosing ourselves.
APPENDIX: A Comment on Campaign Finance Reform
The Athenian model of representative participatory democracy was both exclusive and direct. It excluded women and slaves but it allowed the rest to actively, constantly, and consistently contribute to decision making processes on all levels and of all kinds (including juridical). This was (barely) manageable in a town 20,000 strong.
The application of this model to bigger polities is rather more problematic and leads to serious and ominous failures.
The problem of the gathering and processing of information - a logistical constraint - is likely to be completely, satisfactorily, and comprehensively resolved by the application of computer networks to voting. Even with existing technologies, election results (regardless of the size of the electorate), can be announced with great accuracy within hours.
Yet, computer networks are unlikely to overcome the second obstacle - the problem of the large constituency.
Political candidates in a direct participatory democracy need to keep each and every member of their constituency (potential voter) informed about their platform, (if incumbent) their achievements, their person, and what distinguishes them from their rivals. This is a huge amount of information. Its dissemination to large constituencies requires outlandish amounts of money (tens of millions of dollars per campaign).
Politicians end up spending a lot of their time in office (and out of it) raising funds through "contributions" which place them in hock to "contributing" individuals and corporations. This anomaly cannot be solved by tinkering with campaign finance laws. It reflects the real costs of packaging and disseminating information. To restrict these activities would be a disservice to democracy and to voters.
Campaign finance reform in its current (myriad) forms, is, thus, largely anti-democratic: it limits access to information (by reducing the money available to the candidates to spread their message). By doing so, it restricts choice and it tilts the electoral machinery in favor of the haves. Voters with money and education are able to obtain the information they need by themselves and at their own expense. The haves-not, who rely exclusively on information dished out by the candidates, are likely to be severely disadvantaged by any form of campaign finance reform.
The solution is to reduce the size of the constituencies. This can be done only by adopting an indirect, non-participatory form of democracy, perhaps by abolishing the direct election (and campaigning) of most currently elected office holders. Direct elections in manageable constituencies will be confined to multi-tiered, self-dissolving ("sunset") "electoral colleges" composed exclusively of volunteers.
APPENDIX: Strong Men and Political Theatres - The "Being There" Syndrome
"I came here to see a country, but what I find is a theater ... In appearances, everything happens as it does everywhere else. There is no difference except in the very foundation of things."
(de Custine, writing about Russia in the mid-19th century)
Four decades ago, the Polish-American-Jewish author, Jerzy Kosinski, wrote the book "Being There". It describes the election to the presidency of the United States of a simpleton, a gardener, whose vapid and trite pronouncements are taken to be sagacious and penetrating insights into human affairs. The "Being There Syndrome" is now manifest throughout the world: from Russia (Putin) to the United States (Obama).
Given a high enough level of frustration, triggered by recurrent, endemic, and systemic failures in all spheres of policy, even the most resilient democracy develops a predilection to "strong men", leaders whose self-confidence, sangfroid, and apparent omniscience all but "guarantee" a change of course for the better.
These are usually people with a thin resume, having accomplished little prior to their ascendance. They appear to have erupted on the scene from nowhere. They are received as providential messiahs precisely because they are unencumbered with a discernible past and, thus, are ostensibly unburdened by prior affiliations and commitments. Their only duty is to the future. They are a-historical: they have no history and they are above history.
Indeed, it is precisely this apparent lack of a biography that qualifies these leaders to represent and bring about a fantastic and grandiose future. They act as a blank screen upon which the multitudes project their own traits, wishes, personal biographies, needs, and yearnings.
The more these leaders deviate from their initial promises and the more they fail, the dearer they are to the hearts of their constituents: like them, their new-chosen leader is struggling, coping, trying, and failing and, like them, he has his shortcomings and vices. This affinity is endearing and captivating. It helps to form a shared psychosis (follies-a-plusieurs) between ruler and people and fosters the emergence of an hagiography.
The propensity to elevate narcissistic or even psychopathic personalities to power is most pronounced in countries that lack a democratic tradition (such as China, Russia, or the nations that inhabit the territories that once belonged to Byzantium or the Ottoman Empire).
Cultures and civilizations which frown upon individualism and have a collectivist tradition, prefer to install "strong collective leaderships" rather than "strong men". Yet, all these polities maintain a theatre of democracy, or a theatre of "democratically-reached consensus" (Putin calls it: "sovereign democracy"). Such charades are devoid of essence and proper function and are replete and concurrent with a personality cult or the adoration of the party in power.
In most developing countries and nations in transition, "democracy" is an empty word. Granted, the hallmarks of democracy are there: candidate lists, parties, election propaganda, a plurality of media, and voting. But its quiddity is absent. The democratic principles are institutions are being consistently hollowed out and rendered mock by election fraud, exclusionary policies, cronyism, corruption, intimidation, and collusion with Western interests, both commercial and political.
The new "democracies" are thinly-disguised and criminalized plutocracies (recall the Russian oligarchs), authoritarian regimes (Central Asia and the Caucasus), or puppeteered heterarchies (Macedonia, Bosnia, and Iraq, to mention three recent examples).
The new "democracies" suffer from many of the same ills that afflict their veteran role models: murky campaign finances; venal revolving doors between state administration and private enterprise; endemic corruption, nepotism, and cronyism; self-censoring media; socially, economically, and politically excluded minorities; and so on. But while this malaise does not threaten the foundations of the United States and France - it does imperil the stability and future of the likes of Ukraine, Serbia, and Moldova, Indonesia, Mexico, and Bolivia.
Many nations have chosen prosperity over democracy. Yes, the denizens of these realms can't speak their mind or protest or criticize or even joke lest they be arrested or worse - but, in exchange for giving up these trivial freedoms, they have food on the table, they are fully employed, they receive ample health care and proper education, they save and spend to their hearts' content.
In return for all these worldly and intangible goods (popularity of the leadership which yields political stability; prosperity; security; prestige abroad; authority at home; a renewed sense of nationalism, collective and community), the citizens of these countries forgo the right to be able to criticize the regime or change it once every four years. Many insist that they have struck a good bargain - not a Faustian one.
The Agent-Principal Problem in Politics
The agent-principal problem is rife in politics. In the narrative that is the modern state, politicians are supposed to generate higher returns to citizens by increasing the value of the state's assets and, therefore, of the state. In the context of politics, assets are both of the economic and of the geopolitical varieties. Politicians who fail to do so, goes the morality play, are booted out mercilessly.
The misconduct of politicians is one manifestation of the "Principal-Agent Problem". It is defined thus by the Oxford Dictionary of Economics:
"The problem of how a person A can motivate person B to act for A's benefit rather than following (his) self-interest."
The obvious answer is that A can never motivate B not to follow B's self-interest - never mind what the incentives are. That economists pretend otherwise - in "optimal contracting theory" - just serves to demonstrate how divorced economics is from human psychology and, thus, from reality.
The same goes for politics and political science, respectively.
Politicians will always rob blind the state. They will always manipulate electorates, political parties, legislatures, and the judiciary to induce them to collude in their shenanigans. They will always bribe constituents and legislators to bend the rules. In other words, they will always act in their self-interest. In their defense they can say that the damage from such actions to each citizen is minuscule while the benefits to the politician are enormous. In other words: such misbehaviour is the rational, self-interested, thing to do.
But why do citizens cooperate with such political brigandage? In an important Chicago Law Review article titled "Managerial Power and Rent Extraction in the Design of Executive Compensation" the authors demonstrate how the typical stock option granted to managers as part of their remuneration rewards mediocrity rather than encourages excellence.
But everything falls into place if we realize that citizens and politicians are allied against the state - not pitted against each other. The paramount interest of both citizens and politicians is to increase the value of their benefits (stake) regardless of the true value of the state. Both are concerned with the performance of their individual assets rather than with the performance of the state. Both are preoccupied with boosting the "share's price" rather than the "company's business".
Hence the inflationary perks and pay packages enjoyed by politicians, directly (via campaign contributions, personal favours, an enhanced quality of lifestyle) and indirectly (via the revolving door between politics and business). Citizens hire "stock manipulators" - euphemistically known as "politicians" - to generate expectations regarding the future prices of their stakes in the state.
These snake oil salesmen and snake charmers - politicians - are allowed by the citizenry to loot the state providing they generate consistent "capital gains" to their masters. This they do by provoking persistent interest and excitement around the country and the nation and their prospects, both economic and geopolitical. Citizens, in other words, do not behave as owners of a firm - they behave as free-riders.
The Principal-Agent Problem arises in other social interactions and is equally misunderstood there. Consider taxpayers and their government. Contrary to conservative lore, the former want the government to tax them on condition that they share in the spoils. They tolerate corruption in high places, cronyism, nepotism, inaptitude and worse providing that the government and the legislature redistribute the wealth they confiscate. Such redistribution often comes in the form of pork barrel projects and benefits to the middle-class and the affluent.
This is why the tax burden and the government's share of GDP have been soaring inexorably with the consent of the citizenry. People adore government spending precisely because it is inefficient and distorts the proper allocation of economic resources. The vast majority of people are rent-seekers. Witness the mass demonstrations that erupt whenever governments try to slash expenditures, privatize, and eliminate their gaping deficits. This is one reason the IMF with its austerity measures is universally unpopular.
Employers and employees, producers and consumers, voters and elected officials all reify the Principal-Agent Problem. Economists would do well to discard their models and go back to basics. They could start by asking:
Why do shareholders acquiesce with executive malfeasance as long as share prices are rising?
Why do citizens protest against a smaller government even though it means lower taxes?
Could it mean that the interests of shareholders and managers are identical? Does it imply that people prefer tax-and-spend governments and pork barrel politics to the Thatcherite alternative?
Nothing happens by accident or by coercion. Electorates the world over aided and abetted the current crop of venal politicians enthusiastically. They knew well what was happening. They may not have been aware of the exact nature and extent of the rot, but they witnessed approvingly the public relations antics, unnecessary wars, rampant malfeasance, media manipulation, opaque transactions, and outlandish pay packets. People remained mum as they witnessed the mounting corruption of the political-corporate nexus.
Still, there is an even narrower and more worrisome interpretation of the politician's comportment, in which he is answerable not to his constituents, but to party hacks.
It is a common error to assume that the politician's role is to create jobs, encourage economic activity, enhance the welfare and well-being of his subjects, preserve the territorial integrity of his country, and fulfil a host of other functions.
In truth, the politician has a single and exclusive role: to get re-elected. His primary responsibility is to his party and its members. He owes them patronage: jobs, sinecures, guaranteed income or cash flow, access to the public purse, and the intoxicating wielding of power. His relationship is with his real constituency - the party's rank and file - and he is accountable to them the same way a CEO (Chief Executive Officer) answers to the corporation's major shareholders.
To make sure that they get re-elected, politicians are sometimes required to implement reforms and policy measures that contribute to the general welfare of the populace and promote it. At other times, they have to refrain from action to preserve their electoral assets and extend their political life expectancy.
The Active Presidency
An "Active Presidency" is the fourth pillar of a constitutional order which also includes the executive (government), judiciary, and parliament.
The Active President:
1. Initiates public conversations, consultations, and discourses regarding various economic, social, and cultural problems;
2. Proposes policy measures, including analyses and draft legislation submitted to the government for its consideration (functions as a "think tank");
3. Serves as a unifying consensual figure, above politics, and detached from the political Establishment (although NOT ANTI-Establishment);
4. Fosters the creation of permanent and ad-hoc institutions to tackle nation-wide issues;
5. Interacts with the people on a regular, predictable basis ("fireside chats") and solicits interaction and input from all strata of society and all ethnic groups;
6. Facilitates inter-partisan dialog between party leaders and party fora on a regular, structured, and institutionalized basis ("The President's Inter-party Consultation Forum").
To perform the above, the Active President:
1. Forms 3 permanent and prestigious working groups: The Presidential Council of Economic Advisors, the President's Social Task Force, and the President's Cultural Endowment. The sessions and work of these formations are open to public scrutiny and the public is encouraged to participate in the process in a structured way and via modern technology (social media, for instance.)
2. Surrounds himself with a group of technocrats, both young and experienced, who can produce policy papers and recommendations as well as draft laws where required. Sets priorities and identifies targets such as: poverty amelioration and eradication; job creation programs; enhancement of tolerance and diversity; bridging income inequality and fighting corrupt practices; encouraging bipartisanship and the regular and institutionalized exchange of ideas between government and opposition; Inclusionary minority policies; rendering Macedonia an integral part of the cultural-political sphere of Europe and, by extension, the West and so on.
3. Distances himself from daily politics and from all political parties, but expresses strong and clear opinions as to his vision of the country's economic goals, its social and communal cohesion, and cultural heritage and creative future. The Active President is a moral voice and makes repeated and reasoned use of his bully pulpit to promote and further a consensual and functional civil society: liberal-democratic values such as pluralism and rule of law (anti-corruption) and a compassionate and more equitable form of capitalism (capitalism with a human face).
Active Presidents don't deal with slogans, but propose concrete plans and the institutions attendant on them.
Narcissistic Leaders
Narcissists, Terrorists and Group Behaviour
Hitler - The Inverted Saint
Narcissism in the Boardroom
Agent-Principal Conundrum
Resources regarding Leadership Styles
Frequently Asked Questions - Pathological Narcissism
The World in Conflict and Transition


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By Madeline Feig
2012, Festivals, Live
Sasquatch Artist Of The Week: Purity Ring
Eight weeks ago, the Sasquatch Music Festival lineup was released to much fanfare. Like all festivals, some hated the lineup while others loved it. For the more levelheaded, it appears to be a very balanced lineup with a deep undercard. From here on out we will be underscoring the lesser-known Sasquatch artists by highlighting a different artist each week. Beyond delving into each artist's bio, sound, etc., we will attempt to give some insight into what will make their performance at Sasquatch so amazing.
Purity Ring is Megan James and Corey Roddick, two twenty-somethings who have been dabbling in a variety of genres since their early teens. Roddick was previously a member of the experimental electro-pop group Gobble Gobble, and James has been trained as a pianist since age sixteen. Not much is known about the duo, but they make music that is unlike most of the material floating around the Internet these days. Though their repertoire is relatively slim, having only released three songs over their year-plus-long existence, their work is complex, intricate, and clearly effort-driven. In an interview with Pitchfork last summer, when asked to explain the group's few-and-far-between track releases, Roddick explained:
"When you are releasing a constant stream of music, it can cheapen the work– we want each song to linger with people. We also spend an incredibly long time on a track. I have tons of files on my laptop that aren't finished; sometimes I'll start something and come back to it later."
Their style is incredibly unique, and includes rhythmic tributes to Roddick's love for Southern hip-hop, backed by both purely electronic instrumental elements and fantastic lyrical imagery in the muted, mixed-in female vocals. The lyrics are presented in an almost childlike vocal tone, evoking a sense of discovery and exploration within the hazy verses.
Purity Ring's releases began with their single "Ungirthed," back in January of 2011. The track is sticky and many-layered, doused in a brassy bassline and adorned with bits of chime-like treble, all neatly wrapped around Megan James' sweetly electronic vocals.
Their next track, "Lofticries," was the b-side on their Ungirthed 7″. "Lofticries" is a work of slow-paced, catchy genius, carried through by a simple drum track and heavy shades of deep, warped synth and almost-vocal melody. This one will get stuck in your head. The lyrics seem as though they describe a dream sequence:
"You must be hovering over yourself
watching us trip on each other's sides
Dear brother, collect all the liquids off of the floor
Use your oily fingers
Make a paste, let it form
Let it seep through your sockets and earholes
into your precious, fractured skull
Let it seep, let it keep you from us
Patiently heal you, patiently unreel you."
Purity Ring's third release came out in August of 2011, and appears on a split 7″ with Canadian art-rock outfit Braids. Fans of AraabMusik and Clams Casino will enjoy the instrumental hip-hop feel of this one, but the chopped-up vocal track gives this a sound all its own.
Somehow both calm and insanely energetic at the same time, Purity Ring's music is so complex it takes several listens before you feel you've heard all the layers in any one track. But the ear-pleasing intricacy of the group's production style will make you want to listen over and over again. Their Sasquatch performance will take place in the Banana Shack, and will undoubtedly include lots of eardrum-pounding bass and dance-provoking synth and rhythm. Presumably, their set will include more material than the three songs we have heard from them thus far, so you won't want to miss the chance to hear more from the talent within this group.
Purity Ring
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Mihail Kogălniceanu (în trecut Enichioi) este satul de reședință al comunei cu același nume din județul Tulcea, Dobrogea, România.

Mihail Kogălniceanu, Mihail Kogălniceanu


text:
Q: Some CSS attributes not applying some of my CSS does not seem to work with my webpage, I have tried looking up answers, I even tried a CSS validator with no luck.
I don't have a webpage but if you are able to figure out the problem by reading the code it would be greatly appreciated!
Also: look at the picture: http://puu.sh/jIxvw/818d4da42a.png
(to low reputation to post img)
The code that doesn't work for me is the code which is not blue
CSS
@import url(http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Teko:300,700);
body { margin: 0; padding: 0; background-color: #092f6e; color: #fff; }
#WP {
    font-size: 15px;
    font-family: 'Teko', sans-serif;
    width: 500px;
    margin: 25px auto;
    border: 1px solid rgba(256, 256, 256, .2);
    background: #092f6e url(satellite_dish.jpg) no-repeat center bottom;
    min-height: 575px;
}
#WP .Heading {
    background-color: rgba(0,0,0,.5);
    padding: 15px 0px 2px 0px;
    margin: 0px 0px 30px 0px;
}
#WP h1 {
    font-size: 4.2em;
    color:  #FFFFFF;
    text-transform: 300;
    line-height: 70px;
    margin: 0px 0px 0px -5px;
    padding: 0;
    text-align: center;
}
#WP h2 {
    font-size: 1.5em;
    color: #64fb5f8;
    text-transform: uppercase;
    font-weight: 700;
    line-height: 18px;
    margin: 0px;
    padding: 0;
    text-align: center;
    letter-spacing: 9px;
}
#WP .my-countdown .countdow-row {
    display: block;
    text-align: center;
}
#WP .my-countdown .countdow-section {
    display: inline-block;
    width: 95px;
}
#WP .my-countdown .countdow-amount {
    display: block;
    color: #FFFFFF;
    font-size: 5.6em;
    line-height: 55px;
}

If you by any chance need the HTML
<!DOCTYPE HTML>

        <meta id="view" name="viewport" content="width=device-width, maximum-scale=1.0, minimum-scale=1.0, initial-scale=1">
        <title>Creating a Countdown</title>
        <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="my_countdown.css">

Countdown to the

World premiere

NOTE: this is code from the tutorial Creating an Event Countdown with Chris Converse
http://www.lynda.com/JavaScript-tutorials/Styling-injected-HTML-from-plugin/373559/407364-4.html

A: you seem to have forgotten a few N's?
".countdowN-row /-selection /-amount"
#WP .my-countdown .countdown-row {
    display: block;
    text-align: center;
}
#WP .my-countdown .countdown-section {
    display: inline-block;
    width: 95px;
}
#WP .my-countdown .countdown-amount {
    display: block;
    color: #FFFFFF;
    font-size: 5.6em;
    line-height: 55px;
}

A: Basically you have to fix that
.countdow-row try to replace that with .countdown-row same for countdow-section and .countdow-amount so just add a "n" after the "w".

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Santa Monica's 'Art of Recovery' initiative funding artistic works around city
By Chadd ScottPosted on November 6, 2020 October 31, 2020 0 Comments
Artist Molly Ellis paints k-rails for Main Street's al fresco dining experience. Photo provided by artist Molly Ellis.
As part of the City of Santa Monica's Economic Recovery Task Force, Cultural Affairs has launched a new Art of Recovery initiative to harness the power of the arts in the City's economic, community, and health recovery efforts. Inspired by the WPA-era's Federal Art Project, this initiative will fund artistic works and creative projects that will strengthen and connect Santa Monica.
Art of Recovery is launching with a pair of projects at two of the City's most notable locations, Main Street, and the Santa Monica Pier. Local artists will transform the plain k-rail concrete safety dividers that line Main Street's al fresco dining and retail experience into colorful works of art to create a vibrant destination and corridor. In celebration of Dia de Los Muertos, Santa Monica Pier featured larger than life sculptures of La Catrina, the grand dame and iconic holiday figure, by Los Angeles-based artist Ricardo Soltero from October 31, through November 2.
Throughout the coming year, additional projects across the City will be announced and unveiled on a rolling basis.
La Catrina sculptures by artist Ricardo Soltero.Photo provided courtesy of Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.
"The arts have the power to transform our City and communities during these uncertain times," noted Shannon Daut, City of Santa Monica Manager of Cultural Affairs. "Artists and creatives can develop solutions that are inventive, compelling and engaging, and we want to provide them with the space, flexibility and support as we work together as a community to safely reopen and rebuild."
Projects funded through Art of Recovery will focus on three main priorities: economic recovery, community connectedness & restorative justice, and public health & safety, with the goal of creating lasting change in the community's health through vibrant public spaces. The program aims to strengthen the local network of artists, nurture connections between artists and other sectors, and build cohorts of learners focused on integrating the arts and artists into community efforts. Participants will have the opportunity to participate in meetings to learn together and collaborate on the approach to accomplishing the work.
All Los Angeles County-based artist collectives and artists at all stages of their career, as well as businesses and nonprofits with an official address within Santa Monica city limits are eligible to apply. Businesses and artists can apply with a proposal collaboratively or independently, and Cultural Affairs can provide matchmaking to connect artists, business groups, and community groups.
Submissions will be reviewed and implemented on a rolling basis through June 30, 2021.
For more information on Art of Recovery and to submit a Letter of Intent, please visit santamonica.gov/arts/artofrecovery. To receive notices of arts opportunities from Cultural Affairs, such as programs like this, fellowships, residencies, calls for proposals, and more, sign up at bit.ly/ArtSaMoOpportunities, and click on 'Artist Opportunities'.
West Chelsea Contemporary gallery, formerly Russell Collection, now open in Austin, TX
Denver Art Museum Bringing 'Senga Nengudi: Topologies' to U.S. Audiences
'Robert Indiana: A Legacy of Love' on view now at McNay Art Museum in San Antonio
'Kristi Hager: Equal: A Work in Progress' Now on View at Missoula Art Museum
Posted on October 2, 2020 September 28, 2020
Nari Ward Takes Denver, At Museum Of Contemporary Art And Beyond
Parlor NYC presents solo show for artist in residence Indira Cesarine


• Franczek Radelet Attorneys, based in Chicago, received $2.9 million from 29 school districts.
• Hodges, Loizzi, Eisenhammer, Rodick & Kohn, based in Arlington Heights, received $2.2 million from 27 school districts.
• Robbins Schwartz, based in Chicago, received $1.5 million from 21 school districts.
• Scariano, Himes and Petrarca, based in Chicago, received $1.2 million from 26 school districts.


text:
Star CJ to launch mobile app, set-up new warehouse
Sub Editor Jun 27, 2014 / 3 MIN READ
Mumbai: Leading home shopping network Star CJ said it plans to invest USD 1 million to launch a mobile application and a new warehouse with a view to tap the growing demand.
"By October, we will be establishing a mobile application. Secondly, we plan to have a warehouse in North-east by next year. It could be in Kolkata, but it is not fixed yet. We also have plans to have elaborate logistics process," Star CJ Network India chief executive Kenny Shin told PTI.
He said they plan to establish a warehouse managing system and envisage to invest USD 1 million in next one year.
Star CJ operates a 24x7 home shopping channel called 'Star CJ alive' and provides a web-based portal to third-party sellers who list their products for sale.
The company was a 50:50 joint venture with Korea's CJ O Shopping, and media conglomerate Star, formed in 2009.
Star recently exited the business and sold its entire stake to Providence Equity for an undisclosed sum.
Shin said Star exited the JV as home shopping was not their core competency.
The company can use the name Star CJ for a year and he said they are working on a new name.
The home shop network market in India is projected to be between Rs 2,000- 2,500 crore, which is growing at 50 per cent annually in India and Star CJ enjoys 40 per cent share of it.
He did not divulge the revenue details but said TV home shopping dominates its revenue in India with nearly 95 per cent, while the internet business contributes 5 per cent of it.
"Our vision is to become the number 1 company in online shopping market by 2023. Within five years, we want to achieve USD 1 billion revenue here. We also plan to offer an IPO within a year's time," he added.
Star CJ


Previous PostWhy Are my Squash Stems Splitting?
Very well said. Just let it roll off your back. I have lots of experience in that. I never thought that you would find peace in gardening but then again you are your Grandmother's Granddaughter.
I'm soooo proud of you girl! You are my garden hero and when I grow up I wanna be as blessed as you are! Very inspirational. Soon very soon I will start my own garden, just waiting on a few changes and I will do it. I'm so excited, wish you could be here to help me.
Awww… thank you Jazmin! I should take a vacation to PR and help you set things up!


Good location, close to public transport. Excellent location with good bars, restaurants, shopping and beaches nearby. Accessible by car, but parking is costly. Close to business sites.
Great, friendly wait staff and housekeeping. Well-managed with a nice reception and professional service, particularly at the bar. Great concierge service. Room service is perfect. Great valet service. Recreation staff is nice. Booking process is sufficient. Great entertainment and excellent service at the pool. Good shuttle service.
Awesome vibe. Friendly atmosphere. Pleasant entrance area. Stylish hotel. Modern Hotel. Luxurious Hotel. Great water park hotel. Great for a wellness holiday. Luxury hotel.
Modern rooms with excellent beds and great TV's. Spacious, tidy rooms, with nice balconies and views. Bathrooms are large but with substandard cleaning. Furniture is alright, but rooms are poorly maintained, with inadequate A/C. Shower can be a problem.
Nice, affordable dining, with good snacks. Great menu, especially beef dishes. Tasty side dishes, desserts, and fruits. Good sushi. Dining area could have been cleaner. Fish & seafood is acceptable.
Good outdoor sports facilities. Facilities are modern with a lovely conference area. Great hotel grounds with a beautiful entrance area. Beautiful architecture. Handicap accessible facilities are all right.
Nice bar with tasty alcoholic drinks. Good bar service. Beverages could be cheaper.
Expensive but decent WiFi. Wifi quality could be improved.


We are obsessed with this satin bias cut midi skirt of the moment in plum. Truly beautiful and ultimately versatile, this is a luxe piece that can be worn with endless options. 95% Polyester,5% Elastane. Machine washable.


The Western Association of Map Libraries is an independent association of map librarians and other people with an interest in maps and map librarianship. The November issue of the WAML Information Bulletin is a special issue commemorating the organization's 50th Anniversary. Along with articles, book reviews, and new mapping of Western North America, this issue features a special segment dedicated to the late Mary Larsgaard. The issue can be found at the WAML website here.


text:
Port Vale's Neil Aspin rubbishes suggestions of fall out with Tyler Denton
On-loan Leeds player Denton will be back in the squad this weekend
Neil Aspin has rubbished any suggestion he has fallen out with on loan Leeds youngster Tyler Denton.
The left-sided player was substituted at half time of the 3-0 win at Morecambe and then didn't make the bench for the 1-0 win at Exeter last weekend.
Aspin said he has to make selection decisions, but that doesn't mean he has had a row with a player.
He told fans at Thursday night's supporters' club meeting: "There has been absolutely no falling out whatsoever. If I take somebody off, does that mean we've had a falling out?
Port Vale's Rekeil Pyke back at Huddersfield with hamstring injury
"It's rubbish. Myself and the coaching staff had him in the office today (Thursday) and we were just looking at his previous games. He wasn't in the squad last Saturday but he will be in the squad this Saturday. His attitude has been really good since he was left out, there is no problem with him at all.
"He is a good lad. I watched him play when he was at Leeds and knew about him before I got the job here.
Port Vale boss Neil Aspin says he is on short-term contract
"But we have players in the squad. I felt last week somebody else deserved to be in the squad. But he will be back in this week and he is competing for a place in the team.
"If there was a fall out I would tell you, but there isn't."
NortonStoke-on-Trent pub to reopen - and it's got a new nameThe Robin Hood, in Norton, will now be known as The Ford Green
Talks ongoing for volunteers to take over Stoke-on-Trent's last four community centres
Stoke-on-Trent City CouncilStoke-on-Trent City Council is looking to dipose of the community halls in Fenton, Sneyd Green, Smallthorne and Goldenhill to save £60,000
Family hid upstairs as racist machete madman demanded to be let in
CourtsLee Halford, aged 42, will learn his fate next month
Man dies in Stoke-on-Trent 'medical emergency' as well-wishers pay tribute
Staffordshire PoliceFloral tributes have been attached to a lamp-post on City Road, in Fenton
'Drunk' engineer died after accidentally falling in canal
CourtsPhilip Cartwright had been barred from a nearby pub due to his drinking
Recap: Police confirm 81-year-old man died in 'serious collision'
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue ServiceEmergency services are currently at the scene in Cellarhead


Owing to the popularity, WordPress has become the different malicious attacks. There are many security processes that are used to save the WordPress, such as changing the admin URL, while to put a firewall has been related by only a few webmasters owing to either the deficiency of learning about firewall or the security matters of the process.
A firewall is a software program that helps in filtering data traffic. It also monitors all the data to allow the good data to be in and bad data to be blocked. It protects you from hackers, viruses and websites which reaches your computer.
Firewall is a program which is at every point of Internet. It monitors the data is flowing carefully. Firewall is following some rules. These rules are set by the network administrator to allow traffic to the web servers, FTP servers, Telnet servers. The rules will decide who can connect to the Internet, what kind of connections can be made through, which or what kind of files can be transmitted in. All the traffic in and out can be watched and controlled by firewall installer at a high level and security.
Firewalls can shift the data flow for the macthing of keywords to block the unwanted data which is flowing in.
Firewall can be for home use also.
Virus is often one type of malware that comes in mind. A virus can be transmitted to the computer through email or Internet and quickly effect your files in the computer.
A firewall cannot prevent users with modems from dialing in to or out of the internal network.
It cannot protect from inside attacks.
Firewalls are planned to allow unwanted data transmission to and from your network. While this can protect your system from intruction.
Firewall policies can be restrictive and which can limit users from performing several operations.
A firewall cannot apply your password policy or against misuse of passwords. Your password policy is crucial because it draws the acceptable conduct and sets the structure of indifferent.
A firewall cannot protect against any attacks which pass around the firewall. Many association buy cheap firewalls, but neglect the numerous other back from the network.
A firewall does not protect against internal threats from traitors. An attacker in any case be able to break into the network by completely around the firewall.
Firewall can't protect against drilling over the most application protocols.
Firewall cannot protect you from poor decisions.
Firewalls cannot protect you when your security policy is too lacking.
Online website firewalls are similar to any other software. They can have their own problems and security flaws.
When you are using an online web application for WordPress, your web server has to be available over the internet for the WAF to forward the traffic to your WordPress.
A zero-day vulnerability is a deficiency that leaves software, hardware or firmware powerless against an attack that take place the very same day the vulnerability is found. Such an attack is called a zero-day exploit it means that there are zero days between the time the vulnerability is notice and the first attack.
In such cases the replying of the vendor is very critical. The response time is how long it takes the vendor to update the WordPress website firewall signatures to be able to detect the new vulnerability and block it.
WordPress security is not to be taken indifferent. Firewalls are a huge way to add an additional layer of setting to the security tray. Firewall protects from all kinds of unwanted data and allow taking control of the computers. It is a standalone system. It is having a set of rules for your requirements and security of the computers.


Remember when there was that funny Blog post that scared people away from even thinking about buying a Scarlet X camera. How insightful and well researched……Aaaaaah hell I can't do it. Truth is there are a lot of smart cost effective ways to spice up your EPIC or Scarlet cameras and right now we are guaranteed only the cool kids will sport the bad boys. NB to get the certified bad boy image you might want to grab one of these Workshop Free silver or black little numbers from Cinema Oxide. Simply scoop up an Epic Scarlet Battery Plate Adapter and Pin Guard and rub it against your new 4K or 5K camera and hey presto instant bad boy. Double NB (Not sure that is even possible, but hey it's my Blog and I will write what I want) Don't even think of using an Epic Scarlet Battery Plate Adapter and Pin Guard on a cheap 4:2:2 C300.
Get your V-Lock on….. It's cheaper!
Get rid of your rods and free your Epic and Scarlet!
Remember the Scarlet X is the cheapest 4k camera available. Cheap at halve the price, shoots RAW and is rumoured to be workshop free.
See Cinema Oxide for more details.


text:
Mercedes-Benz EQS Celebrates Star Wars Day
Sensitive to the worldwide-known Star Wars enthusiasm, Mercedes-Benz celebrates Star Wars Day by sharing a post with the caption "May the 4th be with you!"
May the 4th is Star Wars Day. How did we get here? The answer is simple. May the 4th sounds just like the Jeddi salute "May the Force be with you!" General Dodonna is the first who said in "Star Wars: A New Hope". It was then often repeated by the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Disney started celebrating the Star Wars Day on May the 4th in 2013. But the first time Star Wars enthusiasts pointed out that "May the Force" sounds similar to "May the 4th" was back in 1979. On May 3rd that year, Margaret Thatcher became the Prime Minister of England. Her party, the Conservatives, promoted an ad in the London Evening News, a paper that is currently under the Evening Standard umbrella. The ad read "May the Fourth Be With You, Maggie."
Now, to celebrate the special day, Mercedes brings the EQS and its Vivid Flux Sound Experience to the stage. In a post on its Facebook page, the premium carmaker claims that "it will take you to new dimensions."
"This is for you, space travelers. May the 4th be with you," they add.
But what is the Vivid Flux Sound? All cars equipped with the Burmester surround sound system benefit from the presence of this soundscape. Mercedes describes it as being "crystalline, synthetic, yet humanly warm." Driver can turn it on or switch it off via the central display of the MBUX. Once it's one, occupants get to hear the sound that they would normally hear in a cinema theater when watching a Star Wars movie. Well then, May the 4th be with you on the highway while driving, too!
Mercedes-Benz EQS Teaser Aims To Be The Ultimate Electric Vehicle
Mercedes-Benz EQS Gets 350-Mile EPA Range Rating
Mercedes-Benz EQS Easily Smashed Through The 350-Mile EPA Range
Mercedes EQS VS Mercedes S 500 Drag Race
Mercedes-Benz EQS UK Version Prices, Specs & Pictures
Mercedes-Benz EQS Recalled Due To Software Problem
Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ Pushes EVs Into The Luxury Segment
Mercedes EQS The World Car Of The Year Finalists
Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 Is A $150,000 Tech Overload
Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan Review By Carbuzz
Mercedes-Benz EQS Review By Jay Leno's Garage
Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan New Teaser Image
Mercedes-Benz EQS Interior Design Teaser
Mercedes-Benz EQS Going On Sale In August
Mercedes-Benz EQS Pictures Off To Reveal Clearly
Mercedes-Benz EQS Have A Front Trunk Or Not?
Mercedes-Benz EQS Reveals Technical Specs
Mercedes-Benz EQS First Drive Test
Mercedes-Benz EQS Specs & Pictures
Mercedes-Benz EQS When You're Asleep Behind The Wheel


Fans have been begging for this Kojima classic to make a comeback either with a sequel or an HD port. It looks like their wishes are being granted as the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has rated the game, unintentionally making its existence known to the public. They rated the game 12+ and say that it will come out in the UK on September 1 of this year.
In Zone of the Enders, you piloted a mech across a stage, fighting enemy robots along the way. My only experience with the game was through a demo for the PS2. Unlike other mech games, you had complete control over how you mech flew around. You could shoot at enemies from afar, or come in close for a devastating sword swipe. Besides its unique controls, the game was also known for coming with a demo of the hotly anticipated Metal Gear Solid 2. While most people probably bought the game for that demo, it did make fans for Zone of the Enders. Here's hoping this HD collection doesn't suffer the same fate of another collection Konami made recently.
This entry was posted in Gaming News and tagged hd collection, Hideo Kojima, kojima productions, konami, Zone of the Enders on May 8, 2012 by Steven T..


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Q: magento customer module add new table and config show error "Fatal error: Call to a member function addFieldToFilter() on a non-object" in admin page I Create a new table with the name of "directory_country_city",then i config the new table in my config.xml its placed in "FederalLawyer/app/code/local/Federallawyer/Customer/config.xml"
The code in config.xml
----------------------
<config>
    <modules>
        <Federallawyer_Customer>
            <version>1.1.5</version>
        </Federallawyer_Customer>
    </modules>
    <global>
        <blocks>
            <adminhtml>
                <rewrite>
                    <customer_edit_tabs>Federallawyer_Customer_Block_Adminhtml_Customer_Edit_Tabs</customer_edit_tabs>
                    <customer_grid>Federallawyer_Customer_Block_Adminhtml_Customer_Grid</customer_grid>
                    <customer_edit_tab_account>Federallawyer_Customer_Block_Adminhtml_Customer_Edit_Tab_Account</customer_edit_tab_account>
                </rewrite>
            </adminhtml>
            <customer>
                <rewrite>
                    <form_register>Federallawyer_Customer_Block_Form_Register</form_register>
                    <account_navigation>Federallawyer_Customer_Block_Customer_Account_Navigation</account_navigation>
                    <address_book>Federallawyer_Customer_Block_Address_Book</address_book>
                    <form_edit>Federallawyer_Customer_Block_Form_Edit</form_edit>
                </rewrite>
            </customer>

            <federallawyer_customer>
                <class>Federallawyer_Customer_Block</class>
            </federallawyer_customer>

        </blocks>
        <helpers>
            <customer>
                <rewrite>
                    <data>Federallawyer_Customer_Helper_Data</data>
                </rewrite>
            </customer>
        </helpers>

        <models>
            <customer>
                <rewrite>
                    <customer>Federallawyer_Customer_Model_Customer</customer>
                </rewrite>
            </customer>
            <customer>
                <class>Federallawyer_Customer_Model</class>
                <resourceModel>customer_resource</resourceModel>
            </customer>
            <customer_resource>
                <class>Federallawyer_Customer_Model_Resource</class>
                <entities>
                    <cities>
directory_country_city
</cities>
                </entities>
            </customer_resource>

        </models>

          <resources>
            <federallawyer_customer_setup>
                <setup>
                    <module>Federallawyer_Customer</module>
                    <class>Mage_Customer_Model_Resource_Setup</class>
                </setup>
            </federallawyer_customer_setup>
        </resources>

    </global>

    <frontend>
        <routers>
            <customer>
                <args>
                    <modules>
                        <federallawyer_customer before="Mage_Customer">Federallawyer_Customer</federallawyer_customer>
                    </modules>
                </args>
            </customer>
        </routers>
    </frontend>
    <admin>
        <routers>
            <adminhtml>
                <args>
                    <modules>
                        <Federallawyer_Customer before="Mage_Adminhtml">Federallawyer_Customer_Adminhtml</Federallawyer_Customer>
                    </modules>
                </args>
            </adminhtml>
        </routers>
    </admin>

    <frontend>
        <layout>
            <updates>
                <customer>
                    <file>federallawyer/customer.xml</file>
                </customer>
            </updates>
        </layout>
    </frontend>

    <adminhtml>
        <layout>
            <updates>
            <customer>
                <file>federallawyer/customer.xml</file>
            </customer>
        </updates>
        </layout>
    </adminhtml>
</config>

But it throw an error in admin end "Fatal error: Call to a member function addFieldToFilter() on a non-object "

A: I cannot understand why you have using
Model,resource model's, prefix identifier as customer.
Also you have using
.....
    <global>
         <models>
.....
            <customer>
                <class>Federallawyer_Customer_Model</class>
                <resourceModel>customer_resource</resourceModel>
            </customer>
            <customer_resource>
                <class>Federallawyer_Customer_Model_Resource</class>
                <entities>
                    <cities>
directory_country_city
</cities>
                </entities>
            </customer_resource>
....................
        </models>
  .......
    </global>

Which is already element of Mage_Customer module
That make issue.You need to change  to all this.
.....
    <global>
         <models>
.....
            <federallawyercustomer>
                <class>Federallawyer_Customer_Model</class>
                <resourceModel>federallawyercustomer_resource</resourceModel>
            </federallawyercustomer>
            <federallawyercustomer_resource>
                <class>Federallawyer_Customer_Model_Resource</class>
                <entities>
                    <cities>
directory_country_city
</cities>
                </entities>
            </federallawyercustomer_resource>
....................
        </models>
  .......
    </global>


background dimensions It is a popular– as well as rather frightening– statistic that everybody in the service world has heard that "90% of the startups fall short". If you have an appearance at these stopped working companies which once began with much vitality and also excitement, they rarely fail since the idea or the idea of business itself was negative.
background dimensionsThere are numerous services with fantastic potential that stop working due to the lack of understanding the owners have about advertising and marketing or in fact making a sale.
background dimensions It is comparable to an auto sale without a salesperson. There will certainly be many site visitors that pertain to see the autos, however without that included push, there will be no sales. A site without a sales channel coincides, which is why you need to purchase Click Funnels so as to get one of the most number of sales feasible.
Click Funnels give you with a pre-designed and well-curated sales funnel which will take your site visitors via a persuading trip that will certainly make them acquire your product at the end. This final objective could be different depending on the item that you market or the service that you provide. Nevertheless, Click Funnels have created a variety of sales funnels that could lead you to accomplish your goals by taking your visitors via a well believed out sales funnels. Following are some of the objectives which can be met by a sales funnels.
A sales channel positively impacts the mind of your site visitors to make the choice to go forward with your objective. This is essentially offering that little push a sales representative would certainly provide in a physical shop to ultimately comprise the attitude to go in advance with an acquisition.
A web site is similar to an online shop, and also the purpose of putting a large investment into designing an internet site is to ultimately aid boost the earnings of your organisation. The majority of people, particularly the start-ups and also the business owners that are brand-new to the online company world emphasis as well much on the looks of the layout to think about whether it works sufficient to really make a sale.
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Drawing in brand-new visitors to the website is the initial and also among the most crucial jobs that a sales funnel does. This is the mouth of the channel.
The background dimensions larger the variety of site visitors drew in to the site, the more energetic consumers there will go to the end. This is done by eye-catching styles and also templates of sites, easy to use interfaces as well as very easy social media sites features that assistance pleased visitors to spread the word. The conversion procedure is when a simple site visitor comes to be a prospective customer, which is a lead. This stage is narrower as well as in the following action of the funnel and should be well kept because they are likely to earn a purchase in the next couple of phases as long as you keep them amazed.
Closing is the last of a funnel where a lead becomes a consumer. They proactively make the order as well as acquire your item, enroll in your e-newsletter or generally do exactly what you meant them to do by producing the channel. Next degree is client retention or maintaining them happy with your product or the acquisition, so they come to be return customers.


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Home » TV/New Media » Mindy Kaling presents: Dorks in Love
Posted inTV/New Media
Mindy Kaling presents: Dorks in Love
by Elizabeth Yoon May 6, 2020 April 20, 2021
"Never Have I Ever," a new Netflix original by Mindy Kaling, makes discordant choices when telling a fun story.
The show follows high school sophomore Demi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), who recently overcame a trauma-induced psychosomatic injury stemming from the very public death of her father. Around school, she's known as the girl who lost the use of her legs after her father died during a school concert. As a sophomore, Devi wants to rehab her public image, to be cool and normal, experiencing what high school has to offer. That includes having a boyfriend and going to a "no-parents" drinking party.
"Never Have I Ever" showcases teenage shortsightedness and surveys the embarrassing litany of situations one fifteen year old dork can find herself in. However, the show has a hard time staying tonally consistent, balancing coming-of-age heart with irreverent meta humor.
In the pilot, Devi steamrolls through the episode, relentlessly switching locations and outfits to hit narrative notes and fulfil punchlines without any consideration for consistency. Internally, the show veers between trying to be true to the teenage experience and trying to incorporate unnecessary superficial quips. Scenes are often disturbed by Kaling's signature irreverence and pop-culture veneration. Hearing Devi liberally refer to other people as "uggos" is out of place and off-putting, more a relic of the titular character Mindy Lahiri from Kaling's previous show "The Mindy Project."
As the show's pilot progresses, you understand that Devi is a fantasy composite of five different characters: the raging academic, rom-com lover, injured dramatic, drug loving adult and "relatable" awkward nerd. Most of these personalities are quickly adopted and discarded for laughs. In the pilot episode, the show's writers insert an unnecessary joke that subtracts from Devi's established character development. In her therapist's office, Devi rapidfire lists drugs, hoping that her therapist would prescribe her some medication. Devi's eagerness to medicate shatters an implicit understanding of Devi as a sheltered dork. Where did Devi learn about those drugs? Does Devi want Paxil to treat anxiety or for recreational use? It does not matter. The show later forgets the punchline of Devi's feverish desire to medicate.
Moreover, after being called ugly and demonstrating genuine insecurity with her body, Devi chooses to cut her skirt shorter. In school the next day, the camera gives a slow pan of Devi's high heels and long legs. Devi is not self conscious, her bodily insecurity has been resolved. But the lackluster resolution of her image issues undermines the substance of her character and emotional journey. Her choices are discordant and misaligned with her previous emotions one scene previous. The writers of "Never Have I Ever" stretch Devi far beyond the justified limits of her facticity to make ill timed jokes and progress the plot. By the end of the first episode, Devi is unrecognizable as an internally consistent character. The desire for quips and jokes undermines the show's efforts to tell a heartfelt story.
However, despite all of "Never Have I Ever"'s failings, the show is fun, making you squeal, cowering gleefully away from the on-screen antics. Later in the season, Devi joins her rival Ben (Jaren Lewison, "Tag") on the Model U.N team. They get up to dorky hijinks and the banter between Ben and Devi is top notch: fast-paced and clever. Rarely do you see such nerds on the silver screen without their interests being mocked or used as a punchline. Kudos to Kaling and "Never Have I Ever" for making an authentic Model U.N. themed episode.
While undermined by off-putting characterizations, "Never Have I Ever" has a fantastic grasp on high school as an inane and absurd period. The show eventually resolves its tonal indecision, abandoning unnecessary punchlines and embracing itself as coming of age narrative. Kaling's idiosyncrasies subside after the first episode, taking a backseat to the stabilization of Devi's character and her later character development.
Never have I ever loved a Netflix show more
A³ Spotlight: Sanjena Sathian is fascinated by inner worlds


Vancouver, BC – Passengers on a second flight from Beijing to Vancouver may be at risk of contracting measles. A person diagnosed with measles over the weekend exposed people on Air China/Air Canada Flight #CA 991/AC 6601 arriving at Vancouver International Airport at 12:15 PM on Saturday, April 4.
Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) is asking anyone who was on this flight and is not up to date with their immunizations, to get a measles vaccination as soon as possible. Measles vaccine is available from family doctors, public health units or walk-in clinics.
The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, or MMR, which most people in B.C. have received, is safe and effective. Some young adults and those born outside Canada may not be completely immunized against measles.
People born before 1957 are considered immune to measles, and do not need a vaccine. Those born between 1957 and 1970 should have one dose of MMR if they have not had measles, and those born after 1970 should have two doses of MMR. These vaccines must be received after their first birthday to be effective.
Passengers who develop these symptoms should see a doctor, and call the doctor's office before going, so precautions can be taken to protect other patients. Passengers with symptoms should also report their illness to VCH Public Health by calling 604-675-3900.
A total of nine people have contracted measles since the first case was identified; all people were either on the original Air China Flight on March 21, or were in contact with someone who had been on that flight.
These recent cases associated with international travel are a reminder that all travellers should ensure they are up-to-date with their measles and other vaccinations before travelling. VCH operates travel clinics in Vancouver and Richmond; call 604-736-9244 for an appointment.
Measles is highly infectious and spread through the air. Measles can be a serious illness with complications such as inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), convulsions, deafness, or brain damage. In Canada one person in every 3,000 with measles dies from their infection. Infants under one year of age and adults tend to have more severe illness than older children.


Trattoria dalla Nonna, praised by the most famous restaurant guides, is based on the rediscovery of Italy's regional repertoire, updated and reinvented with great flashes of fantasy and materials of great level.
The creativity of the chef, skilfully combined with the wealth of local Apulia's products, offers delicious recipes that can win the most demanding palates. La Nonna's pride is by no means "fresh fish" that our guests can choose directly and we will serve it as required. The hospitality, courtesy and care of our staff will make your meetings at La Nonna unique and unforgettable.
Trattoria dalla Nonna, in collaboration with Azienda Agrituristica Monte Sacro, provides a catering service, organizes parties for children and adults, banquets, offering care and elegance in every detail of the service.


Local Negotiated Medical Rates and Extended Stay Room Rates available. For more information, please inquire with the hotel Sales Department at 713-577-1230.
We can provide transportation to other hospitals and medical facilities in the Medical Center upon availability within a 2-mile radius. Please dial "0" to schedule a special trip request 30 minutes before your desired departure time. If pick up from these locations needed, please call the hotel at 713-528-7744.
Wyndham Houston Medical Center offers surface lot parking with in/out privileges.
$11 per day for Self-Parking / $19 per day for Valet plus tax. o Texas Medical Center offers convenient and reliable parking for patients and visitors coming to the TMC campus.
Texas Medical Center offers convenient and reliable parking for patients and visitors coming to the TMC campus.
Wyndham Houston Medical Center offers coin operated laundry facilities located on the 1st floor as well as dry cleaning services.


text:
Pieter Cornelisz van Rijck (né en 1567 et mort en 1637) est un peintre néerlandais de la fin du . Il est notable par ses natures mortes.

Biographie

Pieter Cornelisz van Rijck est à Venise entre 1588 et 1602, rentre à Haarlem puis repart en Italie en 1605, avec notamment un séjour à Naples de 1632 à sa mort en 1637.

Œuvres

Notes et références

Liens externes

Naissance à Delft
Naissance en 1567
Décès en 1637
Peintre néerlandais du XVIe siècle
Peintre néerlandais du XVIIe siècle
Peintre de l'âge d'or néerlandais
Peintre de nature morte


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Tag: regan
January 24, 2023 March 22, 2021 Eliza
The Terrier Group includes these small but full of life terrier breeds that were developed (mainly in Great Britain) to hunt small burrowing animals reminiscent of badgers, foxes, otters, rabbits and rats. There's one other e-book is out there as of late on Trump as properly it is referred to as Trump Anxiety Dysfunction. I agree, Fox, MSNBC and to a much lesser extent, so is CNN. Nonetheless, a distinction has to be drawn. Just because individuals are sitting behind good desks with a lot of excessive tech gadgetry, so not imply it is a news present, not more than Comedy Central is a news show. New York Occasions columnist Tom Friedman urges Joe Biden to not debate Trump except the president agrees to release latest tax returns and actual-time truth checking; Peter Doocy experiences.
If you wish to, that's totally up to you. And for those who level out …


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We're Not "Polarized" Everywhere. In Maine, Democracy and Green Energy Win Big
Originally Published on Common Dreams, October 19, 2019
How often I hear that in "polarized" America rural voters will reject a green agenda out of hand. For them, green means liberal, tree-hugging snobs, unconcerned about the struggles of real working people.
But last week that frame busted for me when I had a chance to speak with Chloe Maxmin, a 27 year-old Maine legislator.
Never heard of Chloe Maxmin?
Well, keep reading, and maybe you'll agree with me that the story she and colleagues are writing bring many surprises and lessons worth spreading.
Maxmin grew up on her parents' farm in Nobleboro, a Maine town of about 1,600. Describing herself as an activist since age 12, in 2015 she earned a degree at Harvard while making time to co-found Divest Harvard, a campaign to push the university's divestment from fossil fuels.
The battle to make Harvard divest is still unresolved, but Maxmin's run for a seat in Maine's House of Representatives in 2018 had a decisive outcome.
First, she won the Democratic primary for District 88 with almost 80 percent of the vote. Then, she took on Republican Michael Lemelin, a local businessman and retired pilot. Though her district had never chosen a Democrat, she received 52.5 percent of the vote.
Given her youth, it's striking that Maxmin now represents a district with one of the oldest populations of any district in the country. Three quarters of her district lies in Lincoln County, where roughly 28 percent of residents are older than 65—a share exceeding the national average by 75 percent.
And how did she win against all odds?
First, Maxmin was helped by Maine's 1996 "Clean Elections" law entitling candidates for the state legislature to receive public financing—if they first collect from voters in their district a certain number of small contributions. For a seat in Maine's House, it's sixty $5.00 contributions. They also agree not to raise or spend any private money. Maine's "Clean Elections" law levels the campaign-playing field, making running for office accessible to anyone regardless of income or background. It helps to hold candidates accountable to the voters, not to their funders.
While 14 states offer some kind public campaign financing for some offices, only two other states offer full public funding for state legislative offices (Connecticut and Arizona), and in Arizona the program has been seriously undermined.
While Clean Elections helped to make Maxmin's campaign possible, her success reflects core messages and a campaigning approach that resonate with voters. "Whenever people ask me how we won, and how we did it, my answer, quite frankly, is just to listen to people, pay attention." She stressed that "once you get through differing opinions on policy issues, below that… we all share an incredibly deep frustration with our government."
She sees the state level as offering "opportunity to really rebuild our humanity and rebuild our faith in each other and politics."
One encounter with a gentleman living in trailer home at the end of a narrow dirt road seemed to capture her point. He was surprised "to see me," as "I was the first political candidate to come to his door and listen." At the end of their talk, he told Maxmin, "You're the first person to listen to me. Everyone judges what my house looks like. They don't bother to knock. I'm grateful that you came. I'm going to vote for you. Thank you."
In all, her campaign team knocked on at least 10,000 doors…and listened.
Once in office, Maxmin quickly moved on her commitment to helping her district by passing Green New Deal legislation.
"From the beginning, I was very clear in our messaging that my [Green New Deal] bill was by and for Maine, by and for my community, that was specific and targeted legislation to lift up the voices of rural and working Maine. I called it the Green New Deal so everyone would pay attention to it and a different way of talking about climate change. Most people got it and also understood that it was different from what's going on in D.C."
Fortunately, five colleagues—including two Republicans—in the state's House and Senate shared Chloe's values enough to introduce their own complementary legislation. "We had to make up for eight years," of Republican governor, and climate-change denier, Paul LePage who had blocked every climate initiative whatsoever.
Despite finding allies, it wasn't always easy. When, after only six months in office, Maxmin stood at the chamber podium to introduce her Green New Deal for Maine Act, Republican colleagues immediately interrupted her, not once but four times in quick succession.
Maxmin remained undeterred, and ultimately her Green New Deal bill passed by a hefty margin: 84 to 55.
In all, seven green bills passed between February and June, including a state "renewable energy portfolio standard" and a goal of 80 percent renewable energy by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050. Maine also set the goal of reducing the state's greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050.
With this success, Maine became the third state after California and New Mexico to pass a Green New Deal and a carbon-reduction goal.
Maxmin is especially proud that her Green New Deal was endorsed by a state AFL-CIO affiliate, the first such bill at the state-level to receive labor's support. Why? Her bill specifically mandates that a share—beginning with 10 percent and rising to 25 percent by 2027—of jobs in major solar installations have to be filled by those in apprentice programs registered with the Department of Labor.
Though leadership clearly focuses on the "big questions," Maxmin is also finding time to attend to her district's immediate needs including passing bills, for example, to improve transportation for seniors, as well as hosting monthly coffees at the local diner to talk with constituents about their concerns.
Maxmin's strong positions on climate and economic justice impress me, but what also makes her a great leader for our time is her commitment to democracy itself. "Everything in our lives depends on our political system, and we need to figure out different ways of running campaigns, figure out how to actually represent the people—with respect and dignity for everybody," she told the Times Record.
Talking with Maxmin it was clear to me that her passion for the environment and democracy were not rooted in abstract principle but in deep connection to her home. "I love Maine. I love my town and I want to protect it," she told us more than once.
So, if this piece reads like an "Ode to Chloe Maxmin," I cop to it.
In my view, Chloe Maxmin and her bold colleagues offer the tonic we most need now. It is called "hope"—not blind optimism but hope grounded in courageous action. Thank you, Maine. It sure tastes good.
LIVING DEMOCRACY


text:
CEP Forensic appoints new Regional Manager for its Ottawa office
February 2, 2021 by CEP
More insPRESS
OTTAWA, ON, FEB. 2, 2021/insPRESS/ – CEP Forensic is happy to announce the appointment of Frédérick Beaucage, P.Eng., as the new Regional Manager in Ottawa, effective February 1st, 2021. Frédérick will follow in the footsteps of Joël Turcotte, P.Eng., IAAI-CFI, who is leaving the company to enjoy a well deserved retirement. ''We will miss his skills and friendship quite a bit'' said Chief Executive Officer Benoit Godin, P.Eng.
Frédérick Beaucage first joined CEP in February 2017 in the Montreal office, before transferring to Ottawa in May 2017. Frédérick has a wealth of experience in building construction as he worked as a carpenter before attending university. The hands-on experience coupled with his background as site supervisor in urban infrastructure, earthworks and in bridge construction and his experience in structural design give Frédérick a good understanding of the dynamics of constructed structures.
In his new function, Frédérick will ensure the technical and administrative management of the Ottawa office. "In addition to having top-level technical skills, Frédérick has always shown a strong customer service approach" said Benoit Godin. "We are convinced that he will do extremely well in his new functions."
Contact us at 866 521-1668 to discuss how we can assist you.
About CEP
CEP Forensic represents over 40 years of experience, more than 115 employees and over 60,000 investigations completed to date. It's also a team devoted to providing our clients with the clearest possible picture of the nebulous circumstances that surround a loss. From one end of Canada to the other, we're determined to help our customers solve their technical challenges with discipline and professionalism, while remaining accessible and flexible.
Get to know us at cep-experts.ca


I am so glad someone else does the whole mad Wikipedia association thing! Great post and useful for someone trying to be more productive with her writing.
Great insight into how the writing process works! Every author has a different way of approaching the task. Some authors find writing an outline to be helpful, and sometimes a synopsis can show that you understand how to build the work that you have in front of you. A synopsis makes clear how the conflict unfolds, what the fine points of the plot are, who the antagonist is and how that antagonist is pushing against that main character.
Reblogged this on Writing Blocks.
Love many of the thoughts expressed here, which echo my own process.