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FINAL GIRL explores the slasher flicks of the '70s and '80s...and all the other horror movies I feel like talking about, too. This is life on the EDGE, so beware yon spoilers!
THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT
Well, now, I reckon that mention of The Blair Witch Project oughta get tongues a-waggin'! Folks seem to love it or hate it- more leaning towards hate, I think, but rarely does the 1999 film not provoke some sort of reaction in people.
In October of 1994, three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland while shooting a documentary. A year later their footage was found.
Those two simple sentences accompanied by a website detailing the case of the three missing students (Heather, Josh, and Mike) became nothing short of an advertising phenomenon. I remember word spreading about the upcoming release of the edited "found footage", and whether you knew it was all a hoax or not, The Blair Witch Project was a highly anticipated film. I scored tickets to a packed opening at the Angelika in New York, and man...what a night. The lobby of the theatre was filled with glass cases, inside which were things (supposedly, of course) found buried beneath the farmhouse in the woods- film reels, DAT tapes, Heather's jornal, bits of clothing...it was like a museum exhibit. The movie I'd been looking forward to seeing so much wasn't a letdown to me whatsoever. I was seriously creeped out, I was in the moment...I was scared and at the film's end I was suddenly not looking forward to my impending camping trip to the woods of Maine whatsoever. The film affected me greatly, despite the fact that I knew it was all a put-on. Imagine how my friend Jim felt, however...on the subway ride home that night, he turned to me and asked "So...was that all the actual footage they found under the house, or did they re-shoot it?" Yeah, the lucky bastard believed it the entire time. Never had there been (nor will there ever be again, I don't think) a film quite like The Blair Witch Project.
For plenty of people, they hype surrounding the film simply doesn't match up to the final product. I can understand that. Ultimately, not much happens in the movie- people get lost in the woods. They find some rocks. They see some sticks. They hear some noises. What they don't find is a witch. The end. What's so scary about that?
Undoubtedly, Blair Witch is a film that requires you to work a little. It's like audience participation, in a way- you get out of Blair Witch exactly what you put into it. If you allow yourself to be sucked in, to give in to that primordial fear of the dark and the unknown, the movie might just work for you. For me, it's quite simple. The woods are scary, infinitely more so at night when it's pitch black. Legend has it there's a monster in the woods. Now you're lost in the woods. Yeah, maybe I'm easy, but that's all it takes for me- the dark, the noises, the totems left behind. Given the proper context, sticks are scary, dammit. And I'm sorry, but if the idea of waking up in a tent in the middle of the woods in the middle of the night to the sounds of children screaming doesn't terrify you, then you have no soul.
All my gushing isn't to say the film is perfect- it's far from it. There are "plot holes", if you will, that you can fly a broomstick through (hi, the map incident, anyone?). But ultimately, I'm a big fat scaredy baby when it comes to things that go bump in the night- and in The Blair Witch Project, they're making noise right outside your door.
And I don't care what you say- you know the last 10 minutes of this movie...the 10 minutes in the fucking house- rock your face off.
LYLAS, Stacie Ponder at 7:41 PM
TODAY'S VOCAB: awesomeness, face rocked off, reviews, SHOCKTOBER
Amanda By Night said...
See the Last Broadcast next time.
I was not impressed with this film although I did think it had a strong ending. But the characters were too idiotic (sp?) and irratating. What vexed me the most was how people would make excuses for the characters!!! When I do that for a beloved Friday the 13ths, I'm laughed out the door. OK, so it's personal, but still, my point is I couldn't really tell what was going on (the teeth scene for example) and it just felt plodding.
Strangely enough, I have enjoyed almost ever rip-off that's come along, including The St. Francisville Experiment, which is universally hated, so what the heck do I know?
Amanda By Night
m13b said...
It's silly and stupid, but I almost feel personally insulted when people say they hate this movie, I like it so much. (As opposed to when someone says they hate the original Chainsaw, where I just immediately start hating them. ;^)
When my friend and I went to go see Blair Witch for the first time, the finale totally freaked us out. We were so glad that we saw a matinee, and couldn't have been any happier to see daylight when we exited the theater.
So yeah. I love it. Haters can point that venom at the sequel. I'll meet you over there, and we can all be friends again.
However, as rather a fun twist of fate, I hated the Last Broadcast. Funny how that works, eh? :^)
10/15/06, 6:05 AM
I was disappointed when i finally saw this movie at the theaters, but, intellectually I was impressed with what they tried to do. Like, the moments of total darkness, etc. Trying to let the moment sink in to the imaginations of the audience, not fancy or clever camerawork, etc.
The ending did get to me, but in general the movie didn't scare me as much as the hype led me to belive it would. In my defense, i went in having adamantly avoided any reviews as possible, worrying about knowing too much. although, i did know it wasn't real.
However, having said that...
If i watched it now, and STILL didn't feel that scared watching it, if i went camping immediately afterwards, I'd be totally freaked out!
This was a totally cool concept that the filmmakers had and they really ran with the ball, through the filmmaking and the internet promotion of it.
So my response to the film is purely subjective, and less a criticism of the film. I could see people going either way on this sucker.
SikeChick said...
Put me in the "love" camp for this flick. I saw it well after all the hype had died down and knew it was all fake. I too found Heather extremely irritating, yet the movie still had me going. I don't remember ever being bored and that ending just...whoa! It had been a really long time since a movie had geniunely creeped me out (I believe it was Linda Blair's spider-crawl in the re-release of The Exorcist and that ending did it.
Coincidentally, I also hated The Last Broadcast. Feh!
Stacie Ponder said...
I do want to see The Last Broadcast. I've heard mixed reviews and I've gotta check it out.
Heather IS really, really irritating, and you know what? I know someone exactly like her. Come to think of it, being a theatre major in college puts you in touch with a lot of people just like her. Overly ambitious, unwilling to stry from the course, egomaniacal "captains" of the ship, determined not necessarily to make good movies or art or what have you, but rather to be a STAR. Nauseating. People who act or direct or make any kind of art for accolades rather than the act of making sicken me. Sicken me, I tells ya!
She's all too real and annoying, but I suppose it's Heather's hubris that adds impact to the infamous snot-dripping confessional, where she completely comes unravelled, breaks down, apologizes for being a bull-headed control freak, and realizes she's fucked.
10/15/06, 1:22 PM
I actually have a funny story about BWP lovers. This movie came out when I was working in retail with lots of film lovers and some of the cooler kids got to see it before the actual wide release date. Needless to say, they loved it and one girl in paticular, who shall remain nameless, totally got into it with me when I finally saw it... That's why the teeth scene really sticks out to me now, because she had to EXPLAIN it. I had no idea what had been unearthed at that point. Anyway, the Sixth Sense was released around that time, and it was another film I found lacking, although I liked it much better than BWP. So this nameless girl (whom I am still friends with) actually pushed me and I fell on the ground! And she's tiny too. She was MAD!
Needless to say, I don't want to go toe to toe with any BWP fan as I know the results could be fatal, but I still don't see, and probably never will, why this film would be regarded by anyone as a good film -- the marketing campaign was brilliant and I commend them, but the film as a whole just bored me.
However, I did like the companion piece that the Sci Fi Channel did about the backstory. Then the movie started to make sense, but if you need a companion piece that was made AFTER the original film, then you're in trouble (as Tootie would say).
As a "film", I don't know- Blair Witch defies conventions and probably isn't a very "good" film. I think it simply taps into a fear of the dark, a fear of the unknown, and the monsters that lurk outside your door.
More than any other flick, I think the movie either allows you to get to that fearful place or it doesn't, one or the other, A or B. If it works for you, you're gonna like it. If it doesn't hit you on that gut level the first time, for whatever reason, even if it's simply due to the narrative style, it never will.
It's almost as if people react instinctually to this one.
I don't think anyone could ever be convinced to dig this movie if they don't from the start. I won't push you down over it, though, I promise.
That's really a funny story. I can't imagine getting that worked up over any movie, whether someone's opinion differs from mine or not. It's funny- but I'll totally push her down for you. Unless it's Heidi. She's 10 feet taller than I am.
I agree that it's an instinctual kind of film. I did a little survey with fans of the film and a good many of them grew up in more rural places and had a good feel for the 'you never know what lurks in the woods' scenerio.
As another sidebar, I recently saw the gorefest, Murder-Set-Pieces, which I really enjoyed. It was shot in Las Vegas, where I grew up, and there's this scene where this little girl is standing near an isolated gas station and the wind is blowing. Boy, how I remembered the hot winds of Vegas, it totally took me back. I wouldn't recommend the film to anyone (lots of rape) but the director captured the Vegas I remembered and it was incredible. I think the people behind BWP may have done the same thing for a lot of people.
That pretty much says it: You either like BWP, or you don't.
Moreover, that's probably also the reason I take it personally when someone I know tells me they don't like it, because unlike some other films, there is no way you can convince someone to like it if they don't right off the bat. ;^) I prefer to think I am more convincing than that!
(But no, I won't push anyone over either.)
Heather Santrous said...
Actually Amanda, I could be wrong about this but I am pretty sure that the companion piece aired the week of the big release for BWP. As I remember it, I watched the companion piece and couldn't wait for the movie to come out so I could watch it.
Like you, I really liked the companion piece and thought it added to the movie when I finaly did go to see it. One of my thoughts after seeing the movie was that I was glad I had watched the companion piece before seeing the movie. I don't think the movie would have made as much sense to me if I hadn't. In truth, they didn't explain the legend all that well in the movie.
Heather is correct. The sci-fi companion piece aired the week leading up to the Friday release. I watched it, Wednesday night I think, and saw it opening night in Raleigh, NC.
I knew the movie and marketing was all fake and hype, but the kid that grew up in PA with woods in his backyard that looked EXACTLY like those woods in NW Maryland where it was shot could totally relate. And the last scene is pure terror.
I think the reason this movie is either loved or hated is b/c so many people felt embarassed for falling for the hype and whether it was real and that the movie required you to pay attention and really act like you were there, which I felt was easy since it was an environment I had grown up in and we all have friends like them, no matter how annoying they can be at times. Just friends lost in the woods, nothing scarier.
If anything we ALL should be so thankful for what they did for the genre, by giving lowly indies a chance at box-office gold and showing that dark and non-gore horror still has a HUGE demand.
I first saw this flick about a year after it came out. I knew about all about it and all the "pros" and "cons." I'd read the companion comic and thought that was pretty good. So, I rented the movie on Halloween and watched by myself late that night, with all the lights off...and I was genuinely affected. I have to (sheepishly) admit it did spook me out quite a bit. It did its job. But like Stacie said, you have to do the work. But, having done the work, I enjoyed it.
Melizer said...
A comment regarding "the teeth scene":
Two people that didn't care much for TBWP mentioned they "couldn't really tell what was going on" during "the teeth scene".
That was one of the stand-out moments of the film, as well as an example of the main device used throughout the whole film. You are made more uneasy by not knowing what is going on. Instead of being two steps ahead of the characters ("Don't go upstairs!"), you are in the moment with them, trying to make heads or tails of things and get your bearings, and it's scary because you feel you may be attacked by no-one-knows-what before you do have your bearings. Everyone in the theater was asking "What the f IS that?!" when the teeth were unwrapped.
And the map scene really is a Doh! moment, but then it just demonstrates how you can be completely at the mercy of one of your companions doing some small inexplicable thing.
Immediately after the ending, I was looking forward to the sequel. I thought they were clever to get away with the entire movie without need for much of a budget, and the success of the first film would allow them to make a sequel focused on the house and what happened there. What a let down the sequel was! (I'm just glad director Joe Berlinger was able to pull his career out of the ditch by going back to docs.)
Zach Murphy said...
I think this is one of the worst films ever made.
Well, all right then! :D
Zak! pshhh....
The scene when the kids were rustling the side of the tent and laughing chilled me to the core. This was a brilliant film. Loved everything about it.
I'm kinda curious as to why everyone is so down on the map scene/sequence.. it made sense to me. The map was doing them no good whatsoever, somehow it got dropped on the ground, and in a moment of anger and frustration, the guy (Mike?) kicks it into the river. I could totally see someone doing that.
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Home» The PSPs» Psoriatic Arthritis» Top 10 priorities» Priority 15 from the Psoriatic Arthritis PSP
Priority 15 from the Psoriatic Arthritis PSP
UNCERTAINTY: What factors affect which body tissues (joints, skin, tendons) and which areas of the body (legs, hands, feet) are affected by psoriatic arthritis and why? (JLA PSP Priority 15)
Explanatory note This question explores how the disease can manifest itself and if that can be predicted from the outset and, if so, can we modify this? For example, which patients will develop foot problems, or back problems or problems with joints rather than entheses.
This question has been partially addressed in the evidence base from the following systematic review:
Pittam 2020. Enthesitis, dactylitis and nail disease are highly prevalent in PsA, but not uveitis and IBD. Extra articular manifestation patterns differ from axial SpA despite their shared disease mechanisms, which may help further understand differences between spondyloarthritides. More studies are needed on the impact of EAMs on disease outcomes such as response to treatment https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32160297/
Health Research Classification System category Inflammatory and immune system
Original uncertainty examples Only one side of my body is affected (left from shoulder all the way down to the toes) why?
Submitted by 29 uncertainties submitted
PSP name Psoriatic Arthritis
Date of priority setting workshop 12 July 2021

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A fresh and heartfelt play about love, time and the infinite directions in which two lives can travel. As a pair of lonely twenty-somethings are about to end a supremely uninteresting first date, the myriad possibilities of their futures and a life shared together come rushing to meet them. From first date to first child, from tragedy to new beginnings, this is a love story filled with humor, warmth, dazzling theatrical magic and a hope that second dates are worth the effort! Contains mature themes.
Directed by Tony Caselli. Featuring Aral Gribble and Jasmine Rivera.
There will be no 3pm performances on either Saturday, October 3 or Saturday, October 10.
Individual tickets will be on sale beginning on Tuesday, September 8, 2009.
Four out of Fordyce! Williamston brings another Hit to its intimate stage.


I read that in an another news as well brought up many questions when read.
'Big family' of what...country music fans? Crisis actors? And why did he have on rubber gloves? Do EMT's just pass them out?
They're just rubbing it directly in our faces now.
Perhaps they're a survivors club, or meetup group or something.
It's like the lady who was a survivor of the Canadian mass shooting, then a few months later was a victim of a mass shooting in Florida.
Was this a meet up for Vegas survivors or support group?
'smallarms, not an automatic weapon'. Does this mean he knew it wasn't an AR type rifle? I'm confused by his statement. It was a Glock semi-auto. I stand corrected about the gloves, he did say he was with EMTs.
Probably 50 or 60 others" who were in the building at the same time as me tonight.
if one of those Vegas Survivors were my friend, I'd be like, dude, nice knowing you, you are too unlucky, we can't be friends anymore.
al Waleed carried out the Las Vegas shooting. All the rest are hired hits. on specific targets.
technology on targeted individual shooters is controlled by sophisticated system in Saudi.
Just to be safe I threw all my Hank Williams Jr albums in the trash.
Should that be the case then you should know that this was not a random shooting event.
We would drive days to see bands when we were young, road trip!
Also, like another person said, could have been a survivors group or something.
Why is he reading a script, very easy to see he reading, his eyes go from one side to the other or is got a mental condition.
I seen eyes like his behind a mask recently.
Laughable but probable. They were setup to be taken down. Getting involved in serious business is scary. People join for the thrill but the only way out is death.
It's like the lady who was an actor in the Canadian mass shooting, then a few months later was an actor in another mass shooting in Florida.


It is important to prepare regular financial projections and cash flow forecasts as these provide useful information as to the expected financial position of your business. In most cases, banks and funding bodies will request financial projections when businesses are applying for finance.
A cash flow projection shows how cash is expected to flow in and out of the business and how much capital investment your business requires. Cash flow projections can also assist in the running of your business as cash flow management is a critical tool. For any business, cash is ALWAYS the most important factor. For a lot of businesses that have failed, they didn't fail because they were not profitable, but because they couldn't manage their cash flow.
As well as being invaluable planning tools, financial projections and cash flow forecasts often prove essential for start-up business to obtain finance – and for existing companies to secure additional finance for growth.
Another key benefit of preparing projections is that these act as your targets for the coming year. You can compare your actual performance to you budgeted performance and measure any variances.
Abac Chartered Accountants can assist you with the preparation of your cash flow projections, budgeting and financials projections as and when required.


text:
Athletes' Rights: Indentured Servitude in Global Elite Sports – Rule 40 as a Textbook Example – Athletenrechte in 2018 (UPDATE)
Statement by the German Athletes' Commission regarding Rule 40
Info in English: An extensive article about rule 4O of the Olympic Charta and the decision of the German Cartel Office that changes need to be made to allow athletes to profit from the Games can be read below. The article is written in English and in parts written in note form. It was first published on http://www.derballluegtnicht.com on the 3rd of January 2018.
UPDATE – final decision by the Bundeskartellamt: "German athletes and their sponsors will have considerably enhanced advertising opportunities during the Olympic Games in future. The German Olympic Sports Confederation (Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund, DOSB) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) committed to the Bundeskartellamt to ease the advertising restrictions pursuant to Rule 40 No. 3 of the Olympic Charta."
Changes made are:
Press release Bundeskartellamt
Why rule 40 also has to change internationally – you can read in the following article.
Short info in German: Ein ausführlicher Artikel zur Regel 40 des IOC und der Auswirkungen auf die Athleten. Was bringt die Entscheidung des Bundeskartellamts für die Athleten und warum die Diskussion nicht abreißen wird. Der Artikel wird auf Englisch veröffentlicht, da das Interesse im Ausland ähnlich hoch ist und http://www.derballluegtnicht.com Anfragen zu diesem Thema aus dem Ausland erhalten hat.
Global elite sports is currently going through the worst crisis of its' history. But the current situation can also be seen as a opportunity for organizations to reform themselves or to renew them from the outside. To restore trust in sports federations and associations, changes are necessary to prevent continued exploitation of athletes, doping, corruption, bribery, fraud, sexual harassment to finally make federations more transparent. How is change possible?
Federations like FIFA, IOC, IAAF, NCAA and other international and national sports players generate millions of dollars for their enterprises. Although there is a huge investment of capital into elite sports and a noticeable professionalization, many of the expected benefits like: wage increases, (health) insurances, unionization, workers' protection and investments into education of athletes (dual careers) are still often missing. To some extend similar situations can be found in Olympic, Non-Olympic, Paralympic movements as well as in US-college sports (NCAA).
In all of these cases still the weakest component is the athlete – the source of each performance. Sports organizations/ federations are powerful entities and are often independent from national regulation and control.
In many cases the gap between the revenue generated by the federations and what athletes receive has only increased. Although elite sports has changed on many levels, the situation of the athletes in many sports federations is grotesquely similar to the days when most athletes started their sports careers. In fact, the biggest differences for athletes nowadays, are that they travel more often and further, participate in more sporting events or games, risk more injuries, and have less possibilities in terms of pursuing a vocational training/ education or dual career (Zirin, 2017). So athletes can be seen as indentured servants of these entities, who signed a contract with the IOC, NOC or the NCAA by which they agreed to work for a certain number of months or years in exchange for transportation to the venues, training facilities and dorms and, once they arrived, food, clothing (in case of the Olympics – the clothes of their NOC's supplier; in case of the NCAA- clothes of the Athletic Department's supplier), and shelter (Olympic village / dorms). Many associations and their officials seem to be profit-grabbing cartels that with the help of rules like IOC's Rule 40 or the NCAA's Restitution Rule keep the athletes in a position of indentured servitude. Athletes have to start to examine the organizational and business side of their respective sports – for example from the revenues they generate through merchandise, audience, social media and TV deals.
Federations like the NCAA or the IOC are the lone governing bodies: They write the rules, decide on the athletes' fate, on their suspensions, financial support and on sponsorship deals. They have a clear monopoly, over the years they have built a monocracy. If we have a look at the money distribution of the IOC for example, it becomes obvious that especially federations and their officials profit.
Especially on a national level the cash flow is hard to track. 206 National Olympic Committees and 35 International Federation get about 520 Million dollars each.
USOC for example pays its CEO 1 million dollars, has 600 employees, with 14 other executives that make 200.000 $ or much each, 121 employees with 100.000 $ or more each (Hobson, 2017). In comparison to that the average track and field athlete in the US receives 17.000 $, in Germany it is even far less. It becomes obvious that the athletes are not at the forefront of the policies. The numbers in the NCAA are even worse. The structures in sports are not athlete centric. There is nothing inherently wrong with the IOC, NOCs or an international federation making a huge amount of money, but there is something troubling about a sport enterprise/ organization, where the athlete is not paid at all. At the bottom of "the Olympic Movement" or Intercollegiate Athletics are the hard working semi-professional athletes, who only receive the last crumbs of the pie.
An athlete has to choose either abiding by the rules of the NOCs, IOC or NCAA, or having their fundamental rights upheld, until today most elite athletes have chosen to except the rules of elite sports, although some of these rules clearly violate their human rights.
Rule 40 is one typical example. It is the most important tool to retain and control the revenue flow. Rule 40 is designed to protect the rights of Olympic exclusive sponsors by limiting what the athletes, and non-Olympic partners, can do and say.
The general principle of Rule 40 is to prevent the impression of a commercial connection between any Non-Olympic partner and the Olympic Enterprise.
Only official sponsors are allowed to use the official trademarks and trademarked Olympic terms, phrases, and images in their advertising. For smaller often regional or national companies that are not official Olympic partners, terms and phrases like "Tokyo 2020", "Olympic Gold medalist," "Tokyo," "Gold," or "Games," will be banned. For the last Olympic Games in Rio more than 200 trademarks can be found on the US trademark Electronic Search (United Patent and Trademark Office, 2017).
If you have a look at the official document, the justification for Rule 40 by the IOC is at least I would call interesting.
pdf Rule_40-Rio_2016-QA_for_Athletes
It is suppose to prevent over-commercialism and wants the focus to remain on the athlete's performance.
Black Out or Frozen Period
During the so-called blackout or frozen period of Rule40 nearly a month long ( starts 9 days before the Opening Ceremony), prohibits Non-Olympic sponsors, some of which support their athletes for years and also at the Games and are most of the times regional sponsors, to communicate with the athletes and wish them luck or congratulate them on social media. Also the athletes cannot thank their sponsors; this includes any kind of digital or print campaign (Bergensen, 2016).
Many German athletes were and are enraged that also the update of Rule 40 restricts business opportunities of athletes. The update "allows" non-Olympic sponsors to create ad campaigns (for review and approval by the IOC and NOC 6 months before the Games), but it also dictates even stricter limitations during the blackout period.
http://ondemand-mp3.dradio.de/file/dradio/2017/10/31/interview_sven_knipphals_leichtathlet_zum_dlf_20171031_1933_68e34ef8.mp3
Radio Interview Sven Knipphals (in German, Deutschlandfunk, 2017)
What are the consequences for the athletes?
The rule is actually not a big deal for superstars like Michael Phelps or Steph Curry and their official sponsor Under Armour, because everybody knows what their commercials are about, even when the Olympics are not mentioned in any way.
Son Rui Yung Protest (https://www.runsohfast.com/)
But for athletes like Son Rui Yung, a marathon runner from Singapore, who is not in the public eye every day, the difference is huge, many spectators are not able to connect the dots in the same way. Mentioning the Olympics or other international events directly would give him more public exposure and equity.
Often local and private sponsors don't see any kind of return for their sponsorships, it will be difficult for athletes to find sponsors. You can get the impression that Rule 40 is a insurmountable barrier that was erected by design to keep athletes indentured.
German Cartel Office decides in favor of German athletes
Germany's national competition regulator (Bundeskartellamt/ German Federal Cartel Office) has conducted "antitrust proceedings" against the IOC, inducing changes over rule 40 of the Olympic Charter. At the end of 2017 the German Cartel Office decided that Rule 40 imposes illegal obligations on German athletes. Andreas Mundt, president of ther German Federal Cartel Office: "According to our assessment the rules of DOSB and IOC are too restrictive. The advertising restrictions on athletes and companies can constitute an abuse of the dominant position of DOSB and IOC. Account has to be taken of the fact that the athletes as the performers in the Olympic Games do not benefit directly from the very high advertising revenues generated by the official Olympic sponsors. In response to our concerns about competition DOSB and IOC have proposed amendments to their rules which offer more scope for action. We will now present these commitments to various companies, associations and also athletes for their comments. Nevertheless, the revised DOSB rules can be provisionally used in the run up to the coming Winter Games in Pyeongchang. " (Bundeskartellamt, 2017).
The German Olympic Committee (DOSB) and the IOC are forced by the German Cartel Office to change Rule 40 in favor of the athletes, but only for German athletes ("DOSB and IOC offered to loosen the previous restrictions on advertising activities exclusively targeted at Germany" (Bundeskartellamt,2017)). The German NOC has promised to make these changes immediately. But how do these changes look like? How far do these changes go? Can they be an example for other NOCs as well? The fight in global elite sports is not over yet.
Changes in Germany will be:
The standard for advertising measures will be the Olympiaschutzgesetz (Olympic Protection Act) and the case law of the German Federal Court of Justice. The IOC Guidelines on Rule 40 will be, insofar, limited in their application;
the rules for the approval of applications will be amended. The deadline will be significantly reduced and will not constitute a cut-off period. Additionally, the rules foresee an assumption of approval;
the notions of "Olympic" and other Olympic related terms will be defined conclusively and in a much narrower way;
generic advertising, as well as greetings or congratulatory messages from the sponsors to athletes will be also permitted during the "frozen period" under certain conditions;
according to the proposed commitments, athletes will be able to share or retweet content from the IOC / OCOG / DOSB / Team Germany and also link it with greetings or acknowledgments to the sponsors" (Bundeskartellamt, 2017).
"The Bundeskartellamt will carry out a market test on the proposed commitments by means of surveys addressed to associations, athletes and sponsors (especially the sporting goods industry). The changes in the new 2016 DOSB Guidelines are subject to the outcome of the market test and are, therefore, provisional. However, as the revised rules are advantageous and less restrictive for athletes and sponsors and the Winter Games in Pyeongchang in February 2018 are approaching, they shall be used instead of the previous ones " (Bundeskartellamt, 2017). It will be interesting to see how these changes will be made in practice. German athletes should stay cautious regarding their individual business rights.
How can athletes rights be achieved?
1. Nearly all of the legal docs impose inconvenient obligations on athletes. None of these documents guarantee their fundamental human rights! The athletes are servants in an international monopoly of sports federations. So on the one hand a declaration of athletes rights would give international sports federations a clear image boost. On the other hand such a declaration would secure human rights standards, and where these are violated, athletes can access legal assistance (for a great infographic check Uni Global, 2017).
2. Athletes are involved at all levels of sports, worldwide. They know the system inside out. They have a large interest in good governance and dialogue. But the athletes' influence on strategic and sports specific decisions or reforms is often remote. In many federations and associations the athletes' voice is non-existent.
Until today most committees and counsils or boards both nationally and internationally have a small number, sometimes only one single athlete (like in Germany), representing the athletes' interests. Athletes struggle to organize themselves, to have their own voice. Additionally in many cases the athletes' voice is not independent and very small. In many countries like Germany they don't have a financially independent athletes' commission. They depend on the financial support of their association – a conflict of interest. Therefore these athletes don't have enough voting power to influence decisions. Silke Kassner described these problems at the Play the Game Conference 2017 in Eindhoven.
As long as national and especially international committee and federations can do what they want, nothing will change. Athletes should have the power to influence elections and removals of members of Committees and Councils.
Therefore only a fair balance between officials and athletes or athlete representatives can change these structures. Such a power rebalancing would restore the athletes' responsibilities and and would make the federation's decision also their own.
3. Federations like The IOC or NCAA shouldn't be the exclusive holders of marketing rights. By allowing athletes to have local sponsors or personal sponsors on a national level, many athletes would be able to prepare for elite sports events professionally, get the much needed financial support as well as medical support and coverage. Thus the IOC and the Olympics wouldn't lose their exclusiveness.
4. Many governing bodies are abusing their dominant position over the athletes by restricting the professional opportunities of athletes by using certain rules or bylaws. The European Commission has struck down the federations power to forbid athletes from taking part in private or commercial events (the ISU case – The EU ruled in favor of the athletes).
Great and historical news! A wise and import decission with regards to respecting Athletes rights. Thanks @vestager and the @EU_Competition team. And big thanks for helping fight this fight: @BenVanRompuy & @EUAthletes #chancetocompete https://t.co/2YxvuhFp91
— Mark Tuitert (@marktuitert) December 8, 2017
And the German Federal Cartel Office has brought changes to Rule 40 because it violates business opportunities of athletes.
5. The most powerful option for athletes is the establishment of unions.
Unions in each individual sports on a national level are not unrealistic anymore. On a national level employees are protected by labour law. They have the right to organize and collectively bargain. Sports organizations on the other hand are cartels or monopolies subject to competition and anti-trust laws, it might give the athletes the much needed power to put a lid on the officials power and control.
Germany's athletes commission has launched a "Verein – Athleten Deutschland" (club) to represent the interests of the German athletes – But most importantly it is hopefully established to take an objective, to have an own view. To this day the Charter of the Athletes' Commission of the German Olympic Committee (DOSB), says that the commission's role is to "advise" the executives of the DOSB.
The move was long overdue and a necessary step into the right direction. The new "Verein" will support athletes reading legal matters, financial support, dual careers, conflicts with federations and much more. Hopefully this is just a start and one day different German sports union(s) will arise.
The antitrust probes in Brussels and Berlin ruled in favor of the athletes, so some change is going to come. Officials have to make concessions regarding the athletes' influence; If they don't, they may lose their unique position via court rulings.
To have a checks and balances, athletes should either get a fair share of the seats in all committees, boards or councils or should be able to name representatives/ spokespersons for these positions. A fixed quota (close to 50%) would revolutionize the system. Athletes would be able to monitor the action of their federations and would have to chance for debate, calling decisions also their own. The future of elite sports and its athletes, even a few years from now, is unclear; the struggle to establish independent athletes' commissions and unions will be in the spotlight.
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Autor: derballluegtnicht
Writes about the politics of sports. For him sports and politics always mix. Zeige alle Beiträge von derballluegtnicht
Autor derballluegtnichtVeröffentlicht am 23. Mai 2018 21. November 2019 Format BildKatgeorien AllgemeinSchlagwörter 2018, Athlet, Athleten, Athleten Deutschland, Athletenkommission, Athletenrechte, Athletensprecher, athletes, Ausbeutung, Bendrich, Benjamin, Berichterstattung, Bisp, Blackout, BMI, Cartel, College, Corruption, Deutscher Olympischer Sport Bund, Deutschlandfunk, Die Athleten, DLF, dlv, Doping, DOSB, dttb, EU, European Commission, Exploitation, Federal, Frozen, Göttingen, German, Gold, Goldmedaillen, Human Rights, Indentured, Indentured Servitude, IOC, ISU, Julian Reus, Leistungssport, Mark, Medaillen, Michael Phelps, Monopoly, NCAA, NOC, Non-Olympic, Office, Olympia, Olympic Charta, Olympic Committee, Olympic Games, Olympics, Paralympic, Period, Pyongyang, Regel 40, Regel40, rights, Rio, rule 40, rule40, servants, Servitude, Silke Kassner, Singapore, Son Rui Yong, Son Rui Yung, Spitzensport, Spitzensportförderung, Spitzensportverbände, Sportdeutschland, sports, Steph Curry, Sven Knipphals, Symposium, Tuitert, Unabhängigkeit, US Track and Field, USOC, USTF, Verbände, Vermarktung
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Vorheriger Beitrag Vorheriger Beitrag: Athleten Deutschland und die Folgen
Weiter Nächster Beitrag: Die FIFA Fußball-WM und die Folgen einer Bewerbung
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Chewin' the Fat: What are BBC bampots in London doing to our favourite comedy? – Aidan Smith
Leader comment: Work for women needs work
The latest job figures give yet another indication that all is not right in the Scottish economy '" they are at best a mixed signal. It is good that unemployment fell by 25,000 over the summer and '" unusually '" recently Scotland outperformed the UK with a fall to 4.6 per cent, below the figure for the UK figure of 4.9 per cent.
Thursday, 20th October 2016, 6:00 am
Updated Tuesday, 25th October 2016, 8:09 pm
Latest figures show there are 34,000 more women economically inactive than this time last year
But over the same period employment rates also decreased slightly, down 0.1 percentage points to 74 per cent. That is not a big fall granted, but coupled with the fall in unemployment it means that people are leaving the job market and are not economically active and that has to be a worry.
And on a broader note there is a more fundamental concern. The Scottish Trades Union Congress said the figures showed that there were 34,000 more women economically inactive than at this time last year.
Nicola Sturgeon, the country's first female First Minister has made equality and improving the lot of women in the workplace one of the main planks of her administration, and she is absolutely right to do so.
She has thrown down a challenge to all public, private and third sector bodies to achieve a 50:50 gender split on their boards by 2020.
The First Minister put a major increase in childcare at the centre of her government's economic plans to help women get on in the workplace, a policy that will see around £880 million a year invested in early learning and childcare by the end of the next parliament
And just in June she announced a pilot of a project to help women re-enter the workplace after a career break. There is no doubt of her commitment, but given the recent figures there must be questions about the effectiveness of the measures currently in place.


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About Estate Diamond Jewelry
Estate Diamond Jewelry has a proven commitment to excellence. For over 40 years we have curated the highest quality rare Art Deco jewelry, Victorian jewelry, and stunning items from the Edwardian era.
Learn more about how we started and what makes us so unique!
Our Mission – What Makes Us Special?
EDJ in the Media
Estate Diamond Jewelry Team
At Estate Diamond Jewelry, we are dedicated to helping our customers find the perfect engagement ring. We strive to collect rings that will be as unique and as beautiful as the people who will wear it.
Whether you love antique cushion-cut diamond rings or an expertly crafted vintage engagement ring, Estate Diamond Jewelry has the extensive inventory and expertise to make your dream ring a reality.
The mission of our company is very different from what you may encounter with other companies. Here is a list of some of the things that set us apart:
The largest collection of high-quality vintage engagement rings in the world
Pressure-free customer service
Family run business with 39 years of experience
A commitment to only selling ethical jewelry
All of the jewelry in our collection has been carefully curated to ensure that they are of the highest quality
GIA certified gemologists on staff
Every Engagement Ring comes with an appraisal
Before doing business with us, we strongly recommend that you Google us and read our reviews. We have hundreds of happy customers. The positive feedback that they've left for us will make you a lot more confident moving forward.
Our Jewelry Collection
The virtuosity of vintage craftsmanship can be seen in the beauty and elegance of our rare antique rings. Our collection is curated by our experienced jewelers and gemologists. With a keen eye for unique and breathtaking pieces, only the finest pieces make it into our collections.
We have invested over 39 years of experience in collecting our collection.
Our fine Art Deco jewelry embraces the progressive spirit that led Art Deco to become synonymous with luxury and glamour. Our diverse collections also include a wide selection of Edwardian jewelry. This selection contains jewelry that exemplifies the intricacies and breathtaking brilliance that defined the era.
In each of our unique pieces, Estate Diamond Jewelry maintains the highest standards of quality and style.
Here are a few examples of some of our jewelry collections:
4-Carat Diamond Rings
Estate Diamond Jewelry in the Media
Today, after over four decades of collecting the finest vintage pieces, we have finally entered the digital age. The totality of our stunning collection can now be found online.
Our distinctive selection has garnered mentions in Time Magazine, Vogue Paris, Refinery29, Gem Gossip, and Buzzfeed. We've also been mentioned in Southern Weddings Magazine, Who What Wear, Huffington Post, Ruffled Blog, Junebug Weddings, Yahoo Finance and many more.
We are thankful to be able to bring our passion for vintage jewelry to a wider audience.
Discover Your Perfect Piece
As is the case with these rare and exquisite pieces, time is of the essence. If you are drawn to a particular item or have any questions about our selection, we invite you to notify us.
You can call us at (212) 265-3868, or email us at using this contact form. Our expert jewelers look forward to helping you find the perfect ring. Explore our vintage jewelry blog to discover our perspectives on the fascinating world of antique jewelry.
Estate Diamond Jewelry (also know as EDJ) has earned a reputation for high-quality not just in our selection, but in our customer service department. We have an accredited A+ rating by the BBB.
Our Showroom Location
Our showroom is located on 5th Ave in New York City.
The suite overlooks the Saks Fifth Avenue Flagship Store on one side and the Rockefeller Center Rink from the other. The windows that run East to West face towards the Rockefeller Gardens Rooftops where a famous scene from the Spider-Man Film was shot.
Our building is named the Swiss Building and was built during the Art Deco Era (circa 1931). The building architecture and the inner facade of the lobby have all been preserved. Even the intricate details inside of the elevators are part of the original 1930's design.
The New York Times called the building, "An extravaganza in marble modernism".
Our jewelry showroom is only available for visits by appointment only.
Click here to book your appointment.
Our Showroom is located at:
Estate Diamond Jewelry
608 5th Ave, Suite 503
The Estate Diamond Jewelry Team
Estate Diamond Jewelry has been operating in New York since 1980. Founded by Michael and Afshin in NYC, it has since flourished into a 5th Avenue showroom together with a thriving online presence.
Michael Khordipour
The co-founder of Estate Diamond Jewelry and the owner of M. Khordipour Inc., Michael founded Estate Diamond Jewelry in 1980. Starting the business traveling in his car from customer to customer, Michael slowly grew his dream into the flourishing business that it is today. Known for his keen eye and his superior taste in fine jewelry, Michael has made it his focus to curate one of the top collections of vintage jewelry in the world.
Although Michael is passionate about all types of rare and fine jewelry, he soon realized that there were many customers who appreciated the vintage rings that he collected on the side. After a lot of convincing, he began to make them available for purchase.
Known for his positive attitude and compelling warmth, Michael is always on the laborious hunt for "the perfect ring". He is extremely particular and carefully curates each ring that joins the collection. His pride in the direction that Estate Diamond Jewelry is heading is one of his most talked about conversations.
Afshin Shaddaie
Afshin moved to New York City in his late teens. A few years later he began his career in the jewelry industry. He teamed up with Michael Khordipour in 1981 and they've been working together ever since.
From the very start of his career, he's been passionate about rare antique jewelry. He enjoys a close friendship with some of the greatest antique collectors in the world. They usually turn to him when they stumble into their most difficult questions. He has since become one of the foremost antique jewelry experts in the world.
Each month, Afshin and Michael peruse through hundreds of vintage rings. They always study and analyze each ring very carefully. Afshin passionately tries to ensure that only the finest jewelry makes its way into the Estate Diamond Jewelry Collection.
Afshin is constantly traveling to international shows and private viewing events in hope to find new rare vintage rings that will be fine enough to make an impression. When he's not traveling, he is available for appointments at our New York showroom. If you ever have a chance to have an appointment with Afshin, you will know right away how kind and patient he is.
He strongly feels that the rings in the collection are the best ambassadors of their own worth. He doesn't believe in pushing or pressuring the visitors who visit the showroom. If someone is discerning enough to recognize the beauty and quality of any ring, then they're the one who truly deserves to own it.
Benjamin Khordipour
Benjamin joined Estate Diamond Jewelry in 2014 and very quickly learned the ropes. He has an advanced Gemological degree from the GIA of New York and an advanced degree from Gübelin of Switzerland. Benjamin uses his knowledge of diamonds and colored stones and applies it to his passion for vintage and antique jewelry. The balance between the old and the new is something that fascinates him.
Like his father Michael Khordipour, Benjamin is a pleasure to talk to and always has a smile. He believes that every customer deserves to make an informed and educated decision when it comes to jewelry. He'll spend so much time and energy bringing as much knowledge and understanding to the customers he interacts with.
As a passionate UMass alumnus, Benjamin usually won't resist an opportunity to mention his alma mater.
Extremely knowledgeable in technology and social media, Benjamin lends his expertise helping bring Estate Diamond Jewelry to our next chapter.
Ratana Bifulco
Ratana Bifulco is the one who makes sure that everything runs smoothly in the office. Never one to resist a smile, Ratana ensures that all the customers are happy with their jewelry and sufficiently "cared-for".
Known for her organizational skills, Ratana is the one ensuring that the showroom is in order. She is also the one who makes sure that everyone is running on schedule.
Passionate about jewelry, Ratana never tires from carefully studying each beautiful ring that joins the collection.
Adira Weisel
Adira is the newest member of the EDJ team, as our Social Media Manager. Originally from Saint Louis, Missouri, she moved to NYC for college in 2018, and fell in love with the city. A recent college graduate with a degree in Marketing/Management, she has a passion for all things creative, such as social media marketing and photography. She also loves the beauty industry, including jewelry, which makes her enthusiastic about her work and the company.
Understanding the importance of sales and customer service, Adira loves working with our customers through social media as well as in appointments in order to help them find their perfect ring and help create an upbeat atmosphere in the office.
Mushkie Chernick
Mushkie is our Data Entry Director. She was born in Sydney, Australia, and moved to New York in 2018.
Her passion for art and photography is infused into every post that she delivers. She loves vintage jewelry, and like the rest of the Estate Diamond Jewlery Team, she's a big believer in spreading jewelry education.
Shmuel Aber
Shmuel is Estate Diamond Jewelry's marketing director and SEO technician. Hailing from Australia, Shmuel mastered coding and programming at a young age and then began exploring art and photoshop. He then moved to the United States and took advanced courses in Computer Sciences and Marketing in New York. In 2013 he joined Estate Diamond Jewelry.
Shmuel designed and built the website. He is always busy directing the social media channels, google optimization, and organizing the marketing operations. When he gets some free time you can also find him coordinating the product photography and artistic photoshoots.
Accreditation and Badges
Some of the Estate Diamond Jewelry accreditation and badges. Here's our LinkedIn Profile.


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Ballet Jörgen's Swan Lake in Vernon | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
Ballet Jörgen's Swan Lake in Vernon
Contributed/Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre
Ballet Jörgen's Swan Lake
December 20, 2016 - 11:03 AM
For the third show in our 2016/2017 Dance Series, the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Society is proud to present Ballet Jörgen's Swan Lake, on Saturday, February 16 starting at 7:30 p.m.
Canada's Ballet Jörgen brings their major full-length production of Swan Lake to the Vernon stage this February, showcasing the extraordinary beauty of traditional ballet in its purest form. As is often the signature of his work, artistic director Bengt Jörgen has re-imagined this most beloved of ballets to add a hint of Canadian heritage, setting this tale in the picturesque fortress of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia.
"We are committed to not only recreate ballet classics in a way that is respectful of tradition, but also in a way that is engaging for our modern audience." - Bengt Jörgen
With a cast of 16 dancers, this gem in the company's repertoire is one of the largest ballet productions to grace Canadian stages from coast to coast. The elaborate sets are designed by Camellia Koo, reflecting the beauty of Canada's national heritage parks and providing a dramatic backdrop to Robert Doyle's 17th century costume designs.
View this classic production through the eyes of a true visionary of history and dance, and re-live this magical, beloved ballet - the story of true love, the union of two souls, and ultimate sacrifice - as it unfolds in this unique and magical presentation by Canada's Ballet Jörgen.
"I am so excited to do this work and be able to do it with the kind of incredible dancers that we have. Swan Lake has an evocative and inspiring quality that makes it a pleasure and beauty to work on, and I'm excited about transferring that feeling to the people watching it." - adds Bengt Jörgen
Canada's Ballet Jörgen is the recipient of the 2011 National Arts Centre Award for Distinguished Contribution to Touring, recognizing the company for its leadership role in Canada. Ballet Jörgen is well known for its commitment to the recreation of classical ballets and have previously brought Sleeping Beauty, Romeo & Juliet and, of course, Swan Lake to the Vernon stage in past years.
The love affair with this company does not only apply to their February 16th performance. Additional activities are being planned for interested participants including a limited master class that allows for one-on-one instruction.
Tickets for Swan Lake are $48 for adults, $45 for seniors, $43 for students and are now on sale through the Ticket Seller Box Office by calling 250-549-SHOW (7469) or online at www.ticketseller.ca/1240
The Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre thanks the following sponsors for their generous support: Village Green Hotel, Telus, Capri Insurance, FairView Family Law, the Vernon Morning Star, the Okanagan Advertiser, the British Columbia Arts Council, the Government of Canada, the North Okanagan Regional District and the CanDance Network.


Good news, race fans! Ticket info has been updated. Things have changed a little from last year!
Tickets will be available at the door the night of the event! 10$ for per individual and 15$ per couple! Food and drink will be available for purchase at the concession stand!
Horse sales and sponsorships will be available VERY soon! Start wracking your brains for horse names!! We can't wait to hear what you come up with!
All are invited to celebrate the Year of Mercy by exploring human dignity through key life issues at "Moved by Mercy," the Archdiocese of Louisville Life Conference, on Saturday, October 22, 2016 at St. Michael Parish. The day will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will include a keynote by Archbishop Joseph Kurtz followed by personal stories from those who have experienced and shared mercy. Lunch and Mass are included, and the day will conclude at 2:30 p.m. The fee is $30 (or $20 for students), and registration is available online www.archlou.org/life.
Pardon our mess! After some time, the parish website has been moved to a new, secure server and is freshly updated.
We will continue to work to evolve the site over time. If there is information that you think would benefit the parish by adding it, let us know.


Yet many people all over the world enjoy napping on a regular basis. For example, siestas are a daily ritual in Mediterranean countries. And experts recommend naps for people who work the night shift, suffer from jet lag, or have a sleep disorder that causes a person to fall asleep suddenly and unexpectedly (narcolepsy).


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08/16/2011 Blu-rays / CDs / Latest News / Media / Meet Me In St. Louis / Movies
Artwork for the upcoming Meet Me In St. Louis Blu-ray
Artwork for the upcoming Blu-ray release of Meet Me In St. Louis has been released.
Check out the previous Press Release post for more details.
Blu-raysMovies
Meet Me In St. Louis scheduled for Blu-ray Release December 13th
Interview with Hugh Fordin (Author, Producer, President of DRG Records)
BJC103 says:
I prefer the 2 disc DVD cover. But, it does look like a wonderful set, though I'm disappointed that there won't be any new bonus features. :/
Tay says:
I also prefer the two-disc cover, though I like this photo of Judy. And I look forward to having the 40-page booklet.
Will it be released on DVD again does anyone know?
Ellis says:
Oh that cover is terrible! Who did that? There are hundreds of gorgeous promotional photos they could have used as well as posters.
They also used the house from St louis Street that was in the Unsinkable Molly Brown across the street instead of the Smith House. Hello research department????


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Whitman, Brown Get Ready For Final Debate
| 2010 election, California, gubernatorial election, jerry brown, meg whitman, The Race for California
Laura Cueva |
October 11, 2010 | 5:28 p.m. PDT
The Race for California
Tuesday night marks the third and final debate between gubernatorial candidates Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman.
Even after a slew of attack ads, controversies, and even name-calling, voters still remain undecided about who they'll vote for come Nov. 2.
Top concerns for undecided voters: jobs and the economy. Experts say Whitman needs to stay away from the topic of Nicky Diaz-Santillan, the woman allegedly hired by Whitman despite being undocumented, since the issue completely dominated Whitman and Brown's last debate. It left voters with a bad taste in their mouths and Whitman should instead go back to focusing on job creation in the state.
Brown seems to be doing better in connecting with the audience than Whitman, so if he wants to go 3-0, he should keep the off-the-cuff style he's known for while focusing more specifically on the environment, creating jobs and education, which he hasn't delved deeply into in the previous two debates.
The debate will be held at Dominican University in San Rafael and will be moderated by former NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw.
To reach reporter Laura Cueva, click here.
Or follow her on Twitter @leccueva.


Expungement is a legal process in court which allows you to have all public records of a prior criminal conviction cleared and your court file sealed. The main purpose of expungement is to remove the criminal record and appear as if it never occurred.
The courts do not automatically expunged criminal records. The first step to remove your record is through the legal action of expungement and sealing of the record.
Even if your criminal charges were dismissed or you were found not guilty, your arrest and the charges filed are still available on record for the public to view.
Records that were once held only in paper form by law enforcement agencies, courts and corrections departments are now digitized and stored. Some private background check providers contain more than 100 million criminal records. These records are not updated as they should be, and your expunged record could easily turn up in criminal background checks.
How Can the National Expungement Database Center Take Your Expungement to the Next Level?
NEDC offers a secure service to those who have had their criminal record sealed, expunged, set aside or otherwise modified by the court. We work to have this information updated and removed from private companies who provide the information for private background checks allowing you to get a fresh start on life.
Your decision to take action to further update or remove this data is the only way to assure your record is clear. Let NEDC make sure that outdated and damaging information is not being distributed to friends, families, potential employers or educational programs.


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Home » Inside Congress » 2 Virginia freshmen U.S. House Democrats say Donald Trump may have committed "impeachable offense" in dealings with Ukraine
2 Virginia freshmen U.S. House Democrats say Donald Trump may have committed "impeachable offense" in dealings with Ukraine
South Carolina's Jaime Harrison picked as new Democratic National Committee chair
President-elect Joe Biden also names Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Texas U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela as vice chairs ♦By Rich Shumate, ChickenFriedPolitics.com WASHINGTON (CFP)…
Republican South Carolina U.S. Rep. Tom Rice votes for impeachment
Rice is only Southern GOP member to support removing President Donald Trump over last week's Capitol riot ♦By Rich Shumate, ChickenFriedPolitics.com editor WASHINGTON (CFP) —…
5 Southern senators, 79 U.S. House members support challenge to electoral vote count
Unsuccessful move to overturn Joe Biden's win interrupted by mob insurrection at U.S. Capitol ♦By Rich Shumate, ChickenFriedPolitics.com editor WASHINGTON (CFP) — Despite an afternoon…
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell makes impassioned plea against Electoral College vote challenge
McConnell says overturning will of voters would put American democracy in a "death spiral" ♦By Rich Shumate, ChickenFriedPolitics.com WASHINGTON (CFP) — Senate Majority Leader Mitch…
Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff defeat Republican U.S. Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue ♦By Rich Shumate, ChickenFriedPolitics.com editor ATLANTA (CFP) — Democrats Raphael…
President Donald Trump, President-elect Joe Biden both rally the Peach State faithful on campaign's closing day ♦By Rich Shumate, ChickenFriedPolitics.com editor ATLANTA (CFP) — With…
Abigail Spanberger and Elaine Luria are part of a group of freshmen denouncing Trump's actions in the Washington Post
♦By Rich Shumate, ChickenFriedPolitics.com
WASHINGTON (CFP) — Seven freshmen U.S. House Democrats with military and national security backgrounds have signed on to an opinion piece in the Washington Post asserting the President Donald Trump committed "an impeachable offense" if he withheld military funding from Ukraine while pressuring that country's new president to launch an investigation into political rival Joe Biden.
Among the seven were U.S. Reps. Abigail Spanberger and Elaine Luria from Virginia, who narrowly won in Republican-leaning districts in 2018 and had not previously supported efforts by some House Democrats to move toward impeachment.
U.S. Reps. Abigail Spanberger and Elaine Luria, D-Virginia
"The president of the United States may have used his position to pressure a foreign country into investigating a political opponent, and he sought to use U.S. taxpayer dollars as leverage to do it," the members wrote, adding that Congress "must determine whether the president was indeed willing to use his power and withhold security assistance funds to persuade a foreign country to assist him in an upcoming election."
"These new allegations are a threat to all we have sworn to protect," the members wrote. "We must preserve the checks and balances envisioned by the Founders and restore the trust of the American people in our government."
The members said Congress should "consider the use of all congressional authorities available to us," including impeachment hearings, to investigate Trump's conversations with the Ukrainian leader.
Spanberger, who represents the 7th District in the suburbs of Richmond, was a CIA agent before being elected to Congress; Luria, who represents the 2nd District in the Hampton Roads area, was an officer in the U.S. Navy.
Both women flipped Republican-held seats in 2018 and are top GOP targets in 2020.
Luria also made an appearance on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show" in which she said the allegations that Trump may have enlisted a foreign government to target a political opponent were a "game changer."
"If this isn't an impeachable offense, what is?" she said. "This is a clear and concise instance that the American people can understand where the president of the United States has tried to enlist foreign influence in our election process."
Luria conceded that she could face political consequences from her decision to move toward impeachment but said "I came to Congress to do what was right. The people in my district sent me to Washington to make hard choices."
The other freshmen who signed on to the Post piece were Gil Cisneros of California, a former Navy officer; Jason Crow of Colorado, a former Army Ranger; Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, a former Air Force officer; Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, a former federal prosecutor who flew helicopters in the Navy; and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, who served in the CIA and as an analyst in the Pentagon.
The controversy over Trump's conversations with Ukraine's new president, Volodymyr Zelensky, began with reports that an intelligence official had filed a whistleblower complaint over dealings between an unnamed administration official and a foreign leader.
News media outlets have subsequently reported that the whistleblower complaint centers around conversations Trump had with Zelensky, urging the Ukrainian leader to investigate corruption allegations involving Biden's son.
The latest wrinkle in the controversy came with reports that Trump decided to withhold security assistance funding from Ukraine — appropriated by Congress — before talking with Zelensky.
Trump has admitted that he raised the corruption allegations with Zelensky but has insisted that nothing improper was done.
The Trump administration has so far refused to turn the whistleblower complaint over to Congress. However, Trump has said he would consider releasing a transcript of his call with Zelensky.
Tags: Abigail Spanberger, Chrissy Houlahan, Donald Trump, Elaine Luria, Elissa Slotkin, Gil Cisneros, Jason Crow, Mikie Sherrill, Rachel Maddow
By shumater in Inside Congress, Virginia on September 24, 2019 .
← Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax sues CBS over interviews with sexual assault accusers	Call it a "Texodus": 6th Lone Star U.S. House Republican bows out of 2020 race →
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text: Q: Retrieving gorilla registry of all currently saved sessions I created my backend using gorilla/sessions to store some informations about active users. Now I want to create some code monitoring the active users, so I need to retrieve all the saved session, thus retrieving their Session.Values map. Is there an easy way to do that without saving redundant data? Thanks.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Gia Darling is stranded in a creepy town, her car broke down near an abandoned gas station... Her cell phone has no signal, the pay phone line has been cut... There is no one to help her... She is all alone... OR IS SHE??


SHRM is currently recruiting volunteers to serve on its 12 Special Expertise Panels for 2011. The Special Expertise Panels serve as a resource to SHRM by identify topics of importance to the HR profession.
SHRM is currently recruiting volunteers to serve on its 12 Special Expertise Panels for 2011. The Special Expertise Panels serve as a resource to SHRM by identify topics of importance to the HR profession. The panels are comprised of SHRM members possessing advanced HR knowledge in one of twelve HR concentrations.
Panel member contributions play an integral role in: reporting emerging trends in specific HR topic areas; providing expert advice on matters of professional significance; and helping provide guidance on matters of public policy.
The 12 Panels are: Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability; Employee Health, Safety & Security; Employee Relations; Ethics; Global; Human Capital Measurement/HR Metrics; Labor Relations; Organizational Development; Staffing Management; Technology & HR Management; Total Rewards/Compensation & Benefits; and Workplace Diversity.
"We generally look for volunteers with 10 or more years of experience in their field," said Robert LaGow, Manager of Volunteer Relations at SHRM. "We are also encouraging people interested in serving on the panels to apply directly to the panel requisition that they are interested in. Those are posted on the Volunteer Opportunities Center."
"Serving on a panel is a great way to give back to the profession," LaGow said. "Panel members are also able to meet and network with like-minded peers. Many of our panel alumni stay in touch with each other long after their term is completed."
Prospective panel members are reviewed and selected by a Panel Selection Committee made up of 5 members and 5 SHRM staffers. Panel terms are for 3 year terms, meaning there is an average of 5 openings per panel per year.
"Our situation is a little unique among other associations and trade groups," LaGow said. "We often have more volunteers than we have slots. It's the helpful, giving nature of HR professionals that makes my job easy."
The deadline for applying for this year's Panel Selection cycle is Friday, July 30. For more information on the panels, go to http://www.shrm.org/Communities/SHRMSpecialExpertisePanels/Pages/default.aspx.
To apply for a panel position, go to http://www.shrm.org/Communities/volunteeropportunities/Pages/default.aspx.


When you are looking to make an investment in an annuity, there are so many options available that sometimes you can feel you're in a financial minefield. The best types of investments are very personal and depend on your circumstances, so there is rarely a one-size-fits-all answer.
One path you could explore is a with-profits annuity. Essentially, an annuity is a type of insurance policy your premiums are converted into an income which is paid to you for an agreed number of years. This is known as a guaranteed annuity. Your money is invested into funds which generate a fixed sum regardless of circumstances.
With-profits annuities will link the level of the income you receive directly to the performance of the funds you have chosen for your investment. This means that if your investment fund performs well, your income is likely to be higher than you would get from a guaranteed annuity and you could be looking at further growth in the future. But if the fund underperforms or does not reach a required level of growth, then your payments will be lower and could decrease further. It is therefore a riskier type of investment.
When you take out your with-profits annuity, you will have to choose the rate of increase each year. This means that your investment fund(s) will have to set their bonuses at a certain level in order for you to receive the increased payments. You also need to establish benefits, such as those for your spouse. It is very important that you choose these levels carefully and take financial advice if necessary, as you won't be able to alter these figures later on under any circumstances.
If you think a with-profits annuity could be right for you, then you should speak to an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA). They will be able to help you assess your circumstances to establish whether your financial position is appropriate for this type of investment. They can also highlight to you the potential risks involved, outline the possible benefits and work with you to establish the rate of increase you would like to set.
When you are looking for the right funds to invest in, it is important to do your homework and an IFA will be able to help you. You need to look at the past performance of annuities to establish which is best for you. These figures can be complex, as bonuses don't always reflect performance, so it is vital that you do your research thoroughly.


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Lew Rockwell on the "Great Fakeroo Recovery"
A year ago this month, the whole country was in agreement that we had been living an illusion for the previous ten years and that the prosperity we thought we were enjoying was not sustainable. There was no dissent on this point. Even Obama admitted it. Today, the illusion is even more egregious than it was, and yet people are once again embracing it as if it will not end.
The policy response to the downturn has been one of the most short-sighted and economically irrational in the entire history of mankind. Why did they do it? It's all about the politics of the short term. The entire economic structure has been phonied up in order to make a success of the Obama cult. This is the driving motivation, alongside the obvious desire on the part of financial and banking bigshots for a bailout.
Comment: As my partner, Bill Laggner, wrote recently, "Everyone sits at the bailout trough in American finance." 90% of the investment industry is still living in the delusional world of 1982-2007 in which every downturn was arrested by Fed intervention, markets quickly recovered to new heights, and second-guessing the financial meddlers meant career suicide. An inflection point has been reached. The rules have changed. Economic gravity has reasserted itself.


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text:
Keeping Costa Mesa Safe for Democracy, One Mai Tai at a Time
Don the Beachcomber at one of his famous luaus.
Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt (1907-1989) legally changed his name several times, first to Don Beach-Comber, then to Donn Beachcomber, and finally to Donn Beach. To most of the world, he was known as Don the Beachcomber.
Gantt left his native Texas in 1926 to explore the Caribbean and South Pacific. He returned to America, where he worked numerous jobs, including bootlegger. He struggled until he came to Hollywood and opened the successful Don's Beachcomber Cafe in 1934 (renamed Don The Beachcomber in 1937). Donn invented what we now know as the tiki bar and the Polynesian restaurant: Movie-set-like decor, full of exotic artifacts and nautical flotsam; pu pu platters, rumaki and thinly disguised Cantonese food; and the sense that every meal was an escape to an exotic locale. Also, he invented dozens of rum-based drinks like the Mai Tai, the Zombie, Tahitian Rum Punch, and Navy Grog.
The original Don the Beachcomber, on McCadden Place in Hollywood.
When World War II broke out, he went into the Army, which sent him overseas. He left his business in the capable hands of his wife, Cora Irene "Sunny" Sund.
Off the coast of North Africa, the ship Donn was on was torpedoed by a U-boat. He was awarded the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. After recovering from his harrowing experience, Donn was, according to most available biographies, "put to work setting up rest camps for combat-weary airman of the 12th and 15th Air Forces in Capri, Nice, Cannes, the French Riviera, Venice, the Lido and Sorrento..."
What those biographies don't tell you is that he also ended up in not-quite-so-romantic-nor-exotic Orange County, California.
Detail of a matchbook cover from the SAAAB Officers' Mess.
An article in the May 30, 1942, Los Angeles Times read,...
"If officers at the Santa Ana Army Air Base, Air Corps replacement center here appear well fed these days, the reason can be explained easily. That reason is Capt. Don Beach-Comber, who until recently was a widely known cafe operator. Col. W.A. Robertson, commanding officer, this week assigned Capt. Beach-Comber to the supervision of the officers' club and mess at the air base. Former owner of a popular Hollywood cafe, Capt. Beach-Comber now is turning his hand to producing his dishes for officers at this post, another instance of a successful businessman leaving an established business actively to do his part."
Col. William Abbott Robertson (left), welcomes Capt. Don Beach-Comber, May 1942.
The Santa Ana Army Air Base (SAAAB) was located in what's now part of Costa Mesa, on land now occupied by the Orange County Fairgrounds, Orange Coast College, Vanguard University, housing tracts and more. Donn was probably a good fit there. He knew most of the big stars in Hollywood, and many of those stars were regulars at SAAAB, entertaining the troops and broadcasting live national radio shows from the base.
Naturally, the Officers' Mess suddenly took on a tropical flair. Bamboo furniture, tropical-print fabrics and fake palm trees supplemented the government issued decor. Times columnist Bill Henry was impressed with the food and the look: "Gosh, maybe Santa Ana is really Shangri-La!"
The tropical Officer's Mess at SAAAB. (National Archives photo)
Don the Beachcomber attained the rank of colonel in the Army. After the war, he returned to Hollywood to find that his wife had turned his popular restaurant into a popular chain of restaurants. Donn had other plans. He and Sunny divorced, and she was awarded the restaurant chain. Donn worked around this by starting a new Don the Beachcomber outside the United States -- In the territory of Hawaii. He would go on to change the image and tourism industry of the islands forever.
But that's a story for another time.
The only Don the Beachcomber restaurant left on the mainland is in Sunset Beach.
Independence Day, 1903
Today's photo shows a parade going through Downtown Anaheim, along Center St. (now Lincoln Ave.), on July 4, 1903. It looks like most of the town marched or rode in the parade.
The L.A. Times reported Anaheim's 1903 "programme for the Fourth of July... as follows: Seven a.m., firing of guns; 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. band concerts; 10 a.m., start of grand parade from Del Campo corner, floats, automobiles, horsemen, bands, military companies, Columbia Marching Club, carriages, etc.; 11 a.m., reading Declaration of Independence, music, songs and children's programme; 11:15 a.m., oration of the day by Senator Caldwell; 12 [noon], military companies go into camp; 12:30 p.m., barbecue for military companies and distinguished guests of the day; 2 to 6 p.m., athletic sports; 3 p.m., ball game; 4 p.m., grand parade of horribles; 7 to 8 p.m., band concerts; 8 p.m., fireworks and grand electrical illumination; 9:30 p.m. grand ball at Operahouse. H. A. Dickel will be grand marshal. Anaheim, Fullerton, Santa Ana, Buena Park and Orange will be represented in the parade by floats and organizations."
The community had to raise over $600 to make it all happen, but a good time was had by the thousands who attended. It seems just about everyone in town was filled with patriotic fervor.
One hundred and ten years later, America faces a strange Independence Day full of contradictions. Even as we celebrate freedom, more and more of our freedoms are being taken away. Public apathy and ignorance allow elected officials on both sides of the aisle to undercut individual liberty and give themselves more power. Putting out flags and bunting and throwing a big party is a great thing to do on the Fourth of July -- But only if you back it up on Election Day and on every other day of the year.
Keeping Costa Mesa Safe for Democracy, One Mai Tai...


A-Level students from less privileged backgrounds are at risk of missing out on places on the new breed of 'earn as you learn' Degree Apprenticeships, according to new research by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
A quarter of parents from the most highly-educated and highest paid social groups are familiar with Degree Apprenticeships compared to just 10% of parents from lower socio-economic bands. Parents are the most common source of careers advice for young people, as was shown by AllAboutSchoolLeavers' research in 2016.
The survey of 1,004 UK parents of 11-18-year old children reveals that overall parental awareness of Degree Apprenticeships has grown from 13% in 2016 to 20% in 2017.
However, the gap in awareness between parents from different social groups adds to concerns raised by recent Department for Education data showing a growing gap between the higher educational attainment of school leavers from affluent and less privileged backgrounds.
Degree Apprenticeships were launched in 2015, enabling students to work in paid roles while studying for a degree in a number of professional fields. Tuition fees are paid for by employers via the new Apprenticeship Levy.
Petra Wilton, CMI's director of strategy and one of the architects of the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship, said: "Degree Apprenticeships are now at risk of becoming the preserve of the privileged. Parents are the biggest influence on their children's career decisions, so a lack of parental knowledge will deprive promising students from all backgrounds of places on degree apprenticeships.
Lady Cobham, director-general of The 5% club, an organisation dedicated to encouraging employers to offer apprenticeships, said: "This excellent research demonstrates how important good careers advice is for young people. Apprenticeships provide a huge range of qualifications and career opportunities.
CMI's survey of parents also revealed that for those in the know, almost 70% believe that Degree Apprenticeships represent better value for money than the traditional university route.
When asked if they would consider taking a Degree Apprenticeships if they were 18 again, four in five agreed they would. Nearly 90% believe a qualification from a professional body would make a student more employable when their child finishes their degree.
If you are a parent and are reading this, do tell your child about the post-16 options we offer as well as the great scemes we work with employers to advertise such as School Leaver Programmes.


Dim Sum is a typical Cantonese dish prepared as small bite-sized portions of food, traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on plates. Dim Sum can be made with either meat, sea food or vegetables. They can be steamed, deep-fried, pan-fried or even roasted and they can be shaped as dumplings, balls, pastries and rolls. Dim Sum is the Chinese version of western « hors d'oeuvres » as they are usually eaten as a festive brunch.


text:
Q: Infinite Loop creates duplicate instances on cloneNode(true) I am trying to create a carousel that has an infinite loop.. where the first item re-appears after the last item.. So basically I have 10 logos that are passing through an view.. so I am trying to move them one by one.. and as they move the one of the left gets deleted by node.removeChild(x) and I am trying to add with cloneNode(true) at the end of the list of items.
So I expected the list to always be 10 items as one gets removed and one gets added.. however there seems to be 2 of the same items getting added each time one gets deleted. I have tried to understand this by console.log process and it seems that when I delete too the console.log happens twice. I can't seem to figure out why. I've spent almost 2 days trying to figure this out on my own. I would appreciate some advice on understanding what I am doing wrong.
Please find below my HTML, CSS, and JS and here's a link to the codepen (https://codepen.io/alimbolar/pen/yLPzERj?editors=1111)
HTML

<picture></picture>

<picture></picture>

<picture></picture>

<picture></picture>

<picture></picture>

<picture></picture>

<picture></picture>

<picture></picture>

<picture></picture>

<picture></picture>

CSS
html{
  box-sizing:border-box;
}

*,*:before,*:after{
  box-sizing:inherit;
  margin:0;
  padding:0;
}

img{
  max-width:100%;
  height:auto;
}
body{
  background:grey;
  display:flex;
  justify-content:center;
  align-items:center;
  width:100%;
  height:100%;
}

main{
  width:80%;
  // height:100px;
  background:white;
  display:flex;
  justify-content:center;
  align-items:center;
  section{

    border:1px solid maroon;
    padding: 1rem;
  }
}
.carousel{
  width: 500px;
  height:80px;
  // overflow:hidden;
  &__list{
    display:flex;
    // gap:1em;
    position:relative;
  }
  &__item{
    position:absolute;
    padding:0.4rem;
    top:0;
    left:0;
    transition: all 1s;
    width:100px;
    border:1px solid gray;

  }
}

JS
const list = document.querySelector('.carousel__list');
let items = list.querySelectorAll('.carousel__item');

function goToSlide(x=0){
  let items = list.querySelectorAll('.carousel__item');
  items.forEach((item,index)=>{
    item.style.transform = `translatex(${(index-x) * 100}%)`
  });
}

function addSlide(){
  let items = list.querySelectorAll('.carousel__item');
  const newItem = items[0].cloneNode(true);
  list.appendChild(newItem);
}

function removeSlide(){
  list.removeChild(list.firstChild)
}

// INIT FOR FIRST POSITION AT POSITION 0 BY DEFAULT

goToSlide();

///// FOR SETTIMEOUT IF IT IS USED
// function play(){
//   goToSlide(1);
//   removeSlide();
//   addSlide();
//   setTimeout(play,2000);
// }

// play();

setInterval(function(){
  addSlide();
  goToSlide(1);
  removeSlide();
},2000)

``


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