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Michael Tillery
The Black Athlete
From the moment an athlete steps into the professional realm, there becomes a dream for youth to follow. A dream representative of grand celebration - championship cameras flashing - but empty of a sense of self. Champions pass through time glorified for who they are but also for who they are not. Far too often, this is the imagination of a winner searching for soul stressing compliance. For the Black athlete, the question "What have you done for the black community lately?" is ubiquitous. Social responsibility and cultural awareness walk in lockstep with cumbersome pressures of reaching superstar status. While white athletes search for internships in preparation for corporate opportunities away from sports, the majority of elite black athletes are contemplating the necessities of ascending to the professional ranks as soon as possible. A life in sports has not been about athleticism for the Black athlete but about navigating an easy path to gain...and sustaining the solitude of the American dream beyond the simplistic measure of fanatical yet tolerant adulation.
Juwan Howard Miami Heat forward and last member of the Fab Five still in the NBA: "During the 60's athletes sacrificed during the era. They made a lot of sacrifices for my colleagues and I but more importantly, a lot of the black youth that are growing up in the community today...including my kids. I want to continue to be a positive role model and to be a good example for not only black youth but all youth." Media glare strangles comfort from lives once imagined to be innately prosperous under the guise of a true Utopian hue. LeBron James having regular season and playoff success is never enough even when he's apologetic (albeit months late) for a poorly-handled "decision" to leave Cleveland. Rashard Mendenhall and Chris Douglas Roberts are excoriated for commenting on Twitter after news broke navy seals killed Bin Laden. One hundred forty characters of misinterpretation became two more stained names in the guilty first court of public opinion. Why do we allow ourselves to be upset when athletes have a say in the human experience? This phenomena has been expedited by editors and publishers pandering to fans of sport envious of making millions to play a game. The sentiment is exacerbated by the small percentage of athletes (of any color) getting in trouble or feeling above the law entitlement. With black athletes it seems the few define the lot and in a society searching for superheroes, how does this help us all? Do we want athletes to speak or simply shut up and play? The narrative must be changed or children will miss the real point of an athlete's ascension from talented tot to Hall of Fame icon. Therein lies the story, but the dominant perspective is not of the hard work needed for an athlete to turn pro. Donovan McNabb is a quarterback who could have played for one team his entire career with his success in Philadelphia. To this day he receives unjust criticism even from his own race. An eloquent and intense Fab Five documentary is stripped of nuance and substance to become Grant Hill vs. Jalen Rose. Cam Newton's tarnished Heisman trophy winning name is twisting in a let's wait and see if he fails wind. Purchased laptops becomes his crime as if his hands stole the hardware.
Newton in one year became of the best college football players the sport has ever seen, and despite yet unproven allegations, won like the best of them ... two championships on two levels. The stigma following Black quarterbacks made no exception to Newton leading up to the NFL draft. "Can't read defenses". "Can he stay in the pocket?", "Is he a leader?" Newton was careful speaking in public pre-draft because he knew anything deviating from the usual script would follow him to his grave. And yet more athletes on the contrary are trying to speak their piece... "Athletes have a big responsibility," Deron Williams explains to me after an '08 Utah - Sixers game in Philly. "They (athletes) have a big audience. If they have an opinion and want it heard there's no better way to do it. We have the media outlets available to get your voice heard so you go ahead and speak on it." The election of Barack Obama was a proud moment for black athletes, evident in locker rooms across the land: "We have a situation where we have an African-American President and we feel like we can do more for our country." Carlos Boozer tells me with the aforementioned Williams at his side. He continues: "We feel like we can speak up. The truth is a lot of young people look up to us. Whether we want to be in those shoes or not...we're in them. We aren't talking about anything negative in this conversation. It's all positive and that is the way we can help our youth out. We are part of that youth ourselves." Have we truly progressed (outside of the racial slur obvious) past the opinion written here? The Black Athlete—a Shameful Story by Jack Olsen, published July 1, 1968: "To be sure, there are a few fair-minded men who are willing to suggest that perhaps the Negro has done something for sports in return. Says George McCarty, athletic director of the University of Texas at El Paso, "In general, the nigger athlete is a little hungrier, and we have been blessed with having some real outstanding ones. We think they've done a lot for us, and we think we've done a lot for them." Who resides on the athletic pantheon? In a NFL sense, why is this space reserved simply for Montana, Marino and Elway? Shouldn't kids of all races know the names of Moon, Cunningham and Steve McNair merely for the position to truly evolve? Also, more Black historical baseball players than Barry Bonds exist. The legacies of Oscar Charleston, Buck Leonard, Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson paved the way for Jackie Robinson to integrate Major League Baseball. Moving forward, for the Black athlete to truly add to the human experience of American fabric, a narrative can no longer be about the obstruction of racism, but more about millionaire activism. Charles Barkley, eloquent in my recorder after a Philly Urban Youth Racing School event explains: "A lot of these young Black kids have never experienced racism. They are just using it as a crutch. At some point you have to draw a line in the sand and say I'm going to be a good person. I'm going to get a job, get my education, live my life, be a good husband and father. We owe a great deal of gratitude to older black people...and white people. They did some lifting also...they did some marching and things like that. For the older people who went through the Civil Rights Movement...we're not respecting them." What about kids of misfortune? "You can only use that excuse for so long. I didn't grow up with a father so at some point you have to grow up and be a man. If you go through your whole life looking for an excuse why you're not successful, at some point you look in the mirror and say I'm not successful because of me." What are the responsibilities of Black athletes and how have those responsibilities changed over the years? Bill Rhoden, New York Times columnist and author of the best selling 40 Million Dollar Slaves explains to me in'08 during a Game 4 of Miami vs. Philadelphia 1st round playoff series: "The responsibility has changed but I still think it's what you make as any citizen...not just the Black athlete...being Black journalists, Black lawyers. I think if you understand the situations in our communities...young Black people who need jobs, education...who need a break...it's your job to use your position to make that happen. Athletes tend to be very visible so we expect more from them because they are so far out there in the public. The general responsibility is the same but the dates have changed. We have to use whatever influence we have as adults to get the kids a break…" You don't hear the question asked of Peyton Manning - what have you done for the white community? "There's a gap between wealth. There's a gap between opportunity. There's a gap between African-Americans economically and everyone else economically. It's gonna take a long time before any of us can pass down our buckets and say that consciousness is no longer needed. Not just racial consciousness but how can we make the country better as well." What is it going to take for athletes to no longer be stuck on the "entry level"? To become the owners of franchises, the publishers of media outlets, the ones on the top floor who make the decisions for younger generations? "That is what has changed. It's no longer about being a head coach or a quarterback. Now it's about ownership. That's the new thing. We're not making enough money yet to own or be in a position of power. That's the next step." Why is Cam Newton receiving so much scrutiny despite leading two different teams to championships on different levels, and also having a direct NFL lineage? "Because of racism not giving credit where credit is due. Making you [blacks] work three times as hard and holding us to a higher standard. That has not changed. He's gonna have to just be great." Grant Hill chimes in during an April phone interview: "I think from where we are now to when my dad first entered the whole realm of professional sports, obviously we were better suited. We have more control of our careers. We have more of a voice. Whether it's in social media or what have you, the African-American athlete has more wealth and more power. In terms of social consciousness, times are a little different than what Jim Brown, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Muhammad Ali had to go through. Because of those athletes, things are a little different. The main difference is power. The ability to move from team to team and also speak your mind." Again, it's not simply about athleticism. Athletes should be able to exercise freedom of speech regardless of who they are playing for. We should want to know what makes them tick; what was behind their rise to the pros so the next era learns the right way. Instead, Black athletes have essentially become reasons papers are sold, writers feed their families, and hatred festering. As the generation of Kobe Bryant and Donovan McNabb move into the last stage of their superb careers, who will become the next Black athlete whipping boy?
#Sports #MichaelTillery
Burcham Hills to offer free Festival of Lights Dec. 21-22
There is No Time Like the Present-The Poor People's Campaign


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Abouts83design2018-08-03T09:10:57+00:00
Make/Shift/Space is a portable artist structure which hosts a programme of live art-making through residencies, workshops and events within temporary public locations. The project was devised in 2016 by artist-duo Hickey+Warner who live and work between Birmingham and London (UK). The roving platform connects the mechanics of everyday space with the process of artistic production, giving visibility to the work that artists do.
Phase One of the project was supported by Arts Council England and mac Birmingham, and explored social practice across outdoor sites in Digbeth, Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath (Birmingham). Commissioned artists Claire Hickey, Emily Warner, Laura Burns and Sarah Taylor Silverwood carried out a series of public realm residencies and community engagement opportunities during May-June 2016. Following this period of activity, the structure has been commissioned for use by organisations such as Longbridge Public Art Project and Gallery37, and events including the Big Draw at Leamington Spa Museum and Art Gallery. 2017 saw Hickey+Warner develop new Make/Shift/Space components as part of Re:Connections in Lee Bank, Birmingham.
Make/Shift/Space provides an interface for exchange between artist, audience and the built environment; brokering conversations about social interaction, public landscapes and artistic activity. It continues to evolve as a platform for artists at work, and a proposition for the alternative use of space.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Everyone who wants to buy Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge waiting for it in his respective country. Pakistani customers of this flagship model are also waiting eagerly for this device. Samsung has today officially announced the launch date and price of both the models for Pakistani market.
Samsung has revealed the price of both the variants of its latest flagship for Pakistani market. Samsung Galaxy S6 will have started price tag of 79,000 Rupees whereas the starting price of Galaxy S6 Edge will be 93,000 Rupees in Pakistani markets.
Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6Edge will be available in Pakistan and all other markets globally from 10th of April .
One thing must be kept in mind that the only official Samsung warranty providers in Pakistan are GreenTech & M&P and Samsung phones come with accidental insurance coverage that covers all kinds of accidental physical and liquid damage. Always ask for official Samsung phones with insurance coverage that the company provides without any cost with its phones.


KT FROM ALL AGENCIES...SO THE INITIAL INTENSITY WILL REMAIN 85 KT.
ALLOW A NORTHWARD TURN AND EVENTUAL RECURVATURE INTO THE WESTERLIES.
AS IS OFTEN THE CASE...THE QUESTION IS WHERE WILL THE TURN OCCUR.
ALONG THE LINE OF THE MODEL CONSENSUS BUT A LITTLE SLOWER.
INTENSITY FORECAST WILL SHOW 95 KT IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS.
INCREASING SHEAR SHOULD PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT WEAKENING.


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Boeing Tasked for Next Phase of AWACS Upgrade
The Air Force awarded Boeing a $368 million contract for the engineering, manufacturing, and development phase of modernizing the flight decks and avionics of US and NATO E-3 AWACS aircraft, announced the company May 23. "This move from analog systems to a digital flight deck will enable the US and NATO AWACS fleets to meet current and identified future air traffic management requirements for flying in worldwide airspace," said Jon Hunsberger, Boeing's AWACS program manager. During EMD, Boeing will upgrade one US and one NATO AWACS and then conduct flight tests with them. The updated flight deck will feature five main glass displays. Boeing said it will begin installations on the NATO aircraft in 2013 and on the US aircraft in 2014. Both aircraft are slated to be complete by the end of 2015. EMD is the second phase of this AWACS upgrade initiative; the initial phase included subsystem requirements reviews completed in March, according to Boeing.


Replay "EWTN News Nightly" of 8th february 2019 about sexual abuse in the Family of Saint John.
The 34th World Youth Day has just begun in Panama.
The chapter for the Southern Europe vicariate took place in a snowy Bucharest from 7-12th January.
The brothers who are lectors for each vicariat meet every year to take stock of heir brotherly service and discuss together.
From the 17th-21st December, the brothers gathered around the crib at Troussures.
The brothers of the Vicariat of Central France gathered in Pellevoisin.


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Home > News and events > Press releases 2015 > August 2015 > Consultant Eye Surgeons Partnership fined for breaching competition law
Consultant Eye Surgeons Partnership fined for breaching competition law
Competition body levies substantial fine on eye surgeon organisation
Consultant Eye Surgeons Partnership (CESP) has been fined in excess of £380k after it admitted to several breaches of competition law between 2008 and 2015 following an investigation carried out by regulator the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA).
With over 200 members and 37 partnerships across the country the national organisation, based in Wiltshire, claims to be the largest group of consultant eye surgeons practicing privately in the UK.
According to the CMA the infringements, which took place between September 2008 and May of this year, included making recommendations to members to refuse to accept lower fees offered by an insurer, and to charge insured patients higher self pay fees; as well as facilitating the sharing of consultants' future pricing and business intentions.
In addition, detailed price lists for ophthalmic procedures such as cataract surgery to be used with insurers were circulated. The CMA said these collectively set prices did not pass on lower local costs, and made it harder for insurers and patients to obtain lower prices.
The fine, which was originally issued at £500k, was reduced to £382k in light of CESP's efforts to adopt a 'comprehensive compliance programme'.
Today, corporate accountability campaigners welcomed the move to fine the organisation, with leading consumer rights' lawyers at Leigh Day saying that any measure to punish a lack of fair practice was a 'step in the right direction'.
Chris Haan from the firm's consumer rights' team said: "This fine and the sanctions imposed to ensure that the CESP is compliant with competition law moving forward is a significant step in the right direction, and must serve as a reminder to other organisations – especially those operating in a regulated and specialist sectors – that no one is exempt."
Following the announcement of the fine the CESP issued a statement saying that it had cooperated with the CMA throughout its investigation and is 'taking steps to ensure that its members and staff are fully aware of the requirements of competition law'.
Later this month the CMA will publish a non-confidential version of the investigation that is expected to give further details of the effects of CESP's breaches on patients, including the number of people affected.
Chris Haan continued: "If a substantial number of patients paid too much for ophthalmic procedures performed by CSEP members it may be possible for affected patients to bring a class action against CSEP to recover their losses by utilising the new competition law class action scheme that will come in to force on the 1st of October."
Speaking to press the CMA's Senior Director of Antitrust Enforcement, Ann Pope, said that the decision demonstrates the regulator's willingness to pursue anti-competitive activity across a wide range of markets, including regulated and specialist sectors.
She said: "Over the next few months we will work with businesses in this sector to help ensure they understand what they need to do to comply with competition law."


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Q: Resizing Foundation Zurb Icons I have foundation icons installed on my rails app I and am getting the icons but they are showing really small.  Does anyone know how to resize the icons?

A: As the Foundation Icons are fonts you can resize them by setting the font-size of the element that you have applied the icon class to.
For example:
HTML
<i class="fi-heart"></i>

CSS
i {
  font-size: 68px;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Vang Vieng, Laos: Crazy Tubing Party Time
So I had originally had grand plans to take off directly from Luang Prabang to Vietnam...but through my travels, over and over again, I had people tell me "You have to go to Vang Vieng in Laos." So many times.
I was hesitant because (nerd alert) I saw this show awhile ago about Vang Vieng - it basically looked like pure hedonism - tons of drunk partiers in swimsuits tubing while riverside bars poured buckets of alcohol and opiates down their throats - like Spring Break on the heaviest dose of steroids imaginable. Not that I'm against Spring Break funzies, of course - but it didn't seem to be a must-see on my list.
However, everyone I talked to raved about Vang Vieng - apparently it's also fantastically gorgeous as well. So being as though I have a completely flexible schedule, I threw my plans out the window and decided to foray to Vang Vieng last-minute.
Vang Vieng and its insane sunsets
Vang Vieng is a tiny (pop: 30k) town that borders the Nam Song River; bordered by the most gorgeous mountains of all time.
Vang Vieng and its mountains
Vang Vieng was previously a tiny town in Central Laos that was fairly off-the-radar - a place where tourists would come to tube down the river in old tires and mellow out - until word spread around 2009 in backpacker-land that it was the next party hotspot.
Apparently the party scene in this town rapidly got out of hand. The drugs got heavier, rave bars popped up all along the river, and cheap guesthouses were erected all throughout town. By 2011 (the peak of the city's craziness) - more than 20 tourists were dying a year (from cracked skulls on the river rocks, drowning, drugs, etc.). #charming
The Laotian government stepped in in 2012 and shut down all the river bars. Today, only a handful remain and the atmosphere is a lot more manageable - though the city does still have a party-ish vibe, it's nowhere near as crazy as it used to be. And yes, it is gorgeous. There's a ton of stuff to do - the obvious tubing; but also great trekking, caving, jeep tours, and other outdoor adventurous things.
A couple of the friends I met in the hostel in Luang Prabang happened to be heading down to Vang Vieng the exact day I was, so four of us (Ellen, Jeffrey, Connie - yes, there is another Connie!, and me) took a morning 5+ hour minivan down together.
The views looked like this the entire way down
None of us had accommodations booked, so we headed towards one of the town's two guesthouses when we arrived and checked in (called Pan's Place)
Annnnd karma is punishing me for complaining about the previous guesthouse in Luang Prabang, because not only was this guesthouse even tinier (that is 6 beds crammed into the smallest room possible, folks), but it was basically an outdoor bungalow with no A/C (aka OVEN, + I had to hose myself down with mosquito spray every night), no locks on the doors (ours didn't even close), even more questionable hygiene, and grime. So much grime. I am formally apologizing to you, karma. I will never complain again.
Wandered the city for dinner and drinks - everyone was right. This city is absolutely beautiful - someone had said to me earlier that it was like Jurassic Park without the dinosaurs, and it's totally true. Like thick jungle-covered mountains and rivers, and insane skies.
Our view from dinner - mountains everywhere
Jeffrey (Netherlands) and the view
Then we walked to a tiny beach island to find a bar someone had recommended to me
And then I took a million sunset pics. Just in case my phone doesn't have enough photos.
THAT. SUNSET. THO.
The next day, we officially went tubing! By this time, we'd met a lot of other backpackers (most were at the same hostel in Luang Prabang; sometimes the backpacking world is very small and incestuous) - so we amassed a group and all headed down together.
Tubing crew. L to R: Jeffrey (Netherlands), a girl whose name I forgot (but Germany!), Jeff (US), Ellen (Netherlands), Connie #2 (Austria), Connie #1, Felix (Switzerland), Ava (England), Viktor (Germany), and Leon (Netherlands)
So the new, improved, less-hedonistic tubing basically is a toned-down pub crawl/tubing combo. There are 4-5 bars along the river, and you can tube at your own pace. The crazy thing is the river is pretty fast-moving, there are no real explanations from any staff, and each bar is kind of insane. Also, as you're floating down in these tubes through crazy fast water, each bar has kids (AND I MEAN KIDS) who throw out ropes weighted with filled water bottles - it's your job to grab hold so they can reel you in to every bar. With the combo of alcohol, water, and potential for so many things to go wrong (lose your group, lose your shoes, get caught on a rock, miss the water bottle, not finish tubing before sunset so you're in pitch-darkness, etc.), I can definitely see how tourists died so frequently back in the day. Even with 4 bars, it was already pretty boozy - I can't imagine with 20, 30+ bars. Before we arrived, we had all already heard bad-ending stories from other travelers' experiences - one guy we met in Luang Prabang who'd come from Vang Vieng had gotten too drunk, it had gotten dark so he'd missed the tubing pull-out point, and he'd tubed so far that he had to walk 2 hours back barefoot and in the dark - he ended up infecting his foot pretty badly from the sharp rocks and had to keep it wrapped up without touching water.
And tubing begins! I just now noticed that this bar is called "Bucket Bar." Stay classy, Vang Vieng
At the first bar they dropped us off at with our tubes, they had beer pong set up - and it was basically staffed with a whole bunch of hard-partying Europeans (they claimed they were volunteers, which basically means they work there for no pay and free booze). There were maybe 40-50 or so people that we ended up tubing with. Even if you go out and tube with your small group to the next bar, you'd always see the same larger group at the next bar - so it became kind of like a small tubing community.
I have to say, the views were SO picturesque along the way. This was the view from the 2nd bar
The 2nd bar was awesome - there was mud wrestling, a dance floor, ping-pong, basketball, and a swampy volleyball court
2nd bar messiness
Yes that man is wearing a dress. He's one of the "employee/volunteers", if that gives any kind of sense as to the kind of people they were
And it was great amounts of fun. Credit for any/all of these photos goes to Felix and his amazing waterproof camera
Tubing our way to the 3rd bar. It was like herding cats trying to keep everyone together so we didn't all float away
It was hilarious because we started tubing around 1:30pm - the tubing place had big signs with all these warnings: basically, don't kill yourself and get the tube back before dark. They have big fines if you return your tube after 6pm, and even more if you lose the tube entirely (which apparently happens more often than you think). We all scoffed, being like, "What drunken idiots would get back after 6pm?? It's almost dark by then." But then, you're having so much fun and not checking what time it is or allocating how long you need at every bar - I was standing at the 4th and last bar when Ellen ran up to me and was like, "It's 5:30pm already! We need to leave now." I have to say, tubing is set up all wrong - the first 4 bars are all within like, 30 seconds of each other - and then you have an additional 45 minutes + of tubing AFTER the bars before you get to the drop-off point. Cue to the fastest tubing we've ever done.
Setting off from the last bar
And then before you know it, there is a rando man standing there with a sign that says "TUBING STOP." And the water is moving so fast and the river is so fat and wide - you basically have to haul yourself over to the side with full force. We all let go of each other; kicking my tube over to the side was seriously the most intense workout of all time.
And we made it out alive! A.) How gorgeous is the scenery, B.) It was well past 6pm at this point
Overall, all things considered, I loved tubing. It's such an adventure (one that is more fun because you struggle through it with other people), the bars are all outdoor and gorgeous, and the scenery is seriously unparalleled. It's like being on a tube, and someone's dropped you into a movie. If you can get past the reputation it has for just being a drunken idiotic time (which it absolutely can be if that's your thing!), I can see the original appeal of it. Not to mention, since the government clamped down on Vang Vieng's hard-partying ways, you see a lot more families and older travelers now in the city - people who are there to appreciate its beauty for what it is. Because it truly is so, so beautiful.
Barefoot and wet, we all dragged ourselves to dinner - see another amazing sunset in the background
Later that evening, we stopped by Sakura Bar (where we'd been the night before as well). It's probably the #1 hotspot for backpackers in all of SE Asia - the gimmick being that if you buy two vodka drinks, you get a free tank. It's not a good deal. It's not even a nice tank. It's a totally crappy tank that says "Sakura Bar" on the front and "Drink triple, see double, act single" on the back. However, no matter what country you're in, you will see someone with this tank. It's literally everywhere; almost like a rite of passage for backpackers. So of course, we had to go and get our tanks. And as gimmicky and stupid as it is, I LOVE MINE. Except I spilled superglue (don't ask)all down the front on night 1. Oops.
The always-classy Sakura Bar.
Dance party in the front
Beer pong in the back. Fun fact: Europeans are terrible at beer pong.
Laos' government, while constantly trying to convince others they're a democracy, is pretty much a communist, military-controlled dictatorship. I'm not sure why exactly (maybe to keep the profits for themselves?), but they have a ban on private group transport, a.k.a. any and all buses/vans between cities. Which made the minivan from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng technically illegal - not that I knew this beforehand! But I quickly found out.
At the hostel the morning of departure, there was a group of 12 of us booked for the minivan. It was weird because when the minivan showed up, only some people were allowed to get on - the rest of us got shuttled into separate tuk-tuks. We had no idea what was going on, but the tuk-tuks drove us out of town - then abruptly pulled off the road and turned into a private home. At the home, the minivan was waiting for us. They split us into two groups, made us all get into two tuk-tuks, shoved all our bags into the minivan, then the empty minivan (with our bags) drove away. Basically, they were hiding from the police that the van was being used as a private transport vehicle out of town - which is easier when there's no tourists aboard. None of us had any idea what was happening; the entire thing was incredibly shady-feeling, and some people were beginning to worry because all our bags were gone.
The tuk-tuk (with 8 of us crammed in - which is a miracle given how tiny it is) drove this crazy route out of town - one none of us had ever seen - through winding mountains, etc. for about half an hour. It was clearly trying to avoid driving through the city itself. 30 minutes in, the driver stopped the car at the side of the road and walked back to us with one phrase: "If police asks, you are all going trekking." Then he got back in the car and drove on as we all nervously practiced our story. (I mean seriously, if the police had asked me where I was going, I'm not sure I could have convincingly said "trekking" given that I was carrying a purse, wearing flip-flops, and looking entirely unsuitable for a trek.)
8 of us crammed in the back of a tuk-tuk at some random home
We passed the police checkpoint (didn't get pulled over), then awhile later, pulled into another totally rando neighborhood where the minivan and our bags were waiting. Then we were allowed to get on and continue on our way.
The same thing happened right before we got to Vang Vieng - we had to pull over to some small shady town where two tuk-tuks were already waiting for us so we could get in and pretend we hadn't just been on a private transport vehicle with all our huge backpacks in tow. We all joked that the drive from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng is probably only 2 hours - the entire journey takes 5 hours because of all the shady "hiding from the government" activities they have to do.
It's strange being in a country you're not familiar with - the drivers acted like it was all so normal and planned out - while we were all panicking that something super shady was going down and nobody knew what was happening. It does speak to the power of putting your trust in other people - I mean, some random man with limited English skills basically took all our bags and drove off with them in a minivan with no explanation except "10 minutes." Such a travel moment.
Laos is officially called "Lao PDR", which stands for People's Democratic Republic. However, the saying here is that "PDR" secretly stands for "Please Don't Rush" - because no one here is ever in a hurry. Laotian people are so laid-back and chill about everything - they truly do run on their own time. My Lonely Planet says that Laotian people are dedicated to fun and if something is no fun, it is quickly abandoned for something that is. Flattering, LP.
Laos is seriously fantastically beautiful. It's straight up "The Jungle Book" - so many commanding mountains, jungle-y trees, rivers, and lush green fields.
There are tons (>270 million TONS) of bombs that were dropped during the Vietnam War by the U.S. - it is the most heavily bombed country per capita in the world and throughout all of history. About 1/3 are still unexploded, and <1% have been detonated to this day, 40 years later. Lao citizens are still dying every day from these bombs (40% of them children) - and the U.S. is spending a ridiculously small amount in the cleanup effort - not even a fraction of what they spent to actually drop the bombs back in the day. It's probably more complex than that, but just saying.
I loved Laos! If you are a nature/outdoor/scenery lover - or you love doing rugged things - you have to make sure to add Laos to your list. The things I did are only a fraction of what you're able to do in this country. Believe it.
For now though, onto Vietnam!
Labels: Asia, Laos, tubing, Vang Vieng, Vang Vieng tubing
Halong Bay, Vietnam: Leafy Dragon Islands
Hanoi, Vietnam: Self-Guided City Tour
Luang Prabang, Laos, Part 3: Waterfalls, Bears, Yo...
Luang Prabang, Laos, Part 2: A Day With The Elephants
Luang Prabang, Part 1: I'm In Laos!
Bangkok, Thailand: Shopper's Paradise
Yangon, Myanmar: Capital City Chaos
Mingun, Myanmar: Cow taxis!!!!
Mandalay, Myanmar: BBQ & Dollar Liquor
Bagan, Myanmar: THOUSANDS OF PAGODAS AND TEMPLES. ...
Inle Lake, Myanmar, Part 2: Biking to Tofu Village
Inle Lake, Myanmar, Part 1: Wooden Boat Lake Touring
Kengtung to Inle Lake, Myanmar: The Sketchiest Air...
Kengtung, Myanmar: Visiting the Hill Tribes
Chiang Mai, Thailand: Like A Giant Dollar Store
Back On The Road: Next Up, Myanmar!


A fit and well-proportioned body is often considered a symbol of vitality and health. However, despite a reasonably good level of health and fitness, some people may still have disproportionate body contours due to localized fat deposits. These areas may be due to genetic heredity or familial traits rather than lack of weight control or fitness. Still others may have excess skin after weight loss or illness. If you would like to improve the shape of your body, body countouring surgery in Indianapolis at Wagner and Associates may be a good choice. Dr. Wagner can remove localized fatty deposits that do not respond to diet or exercise. He can restore body contours by removing excess skin to improve your proportions and, ultimately, enhance your self-image.
Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Wagner and the entire team at Wagner and Associates Plastic Surgery are committed to helping you achieve your ideal look through cosmetic procedures. Request your complimentary consultation online at our office on Clearvista Parkway in Indianapolis. Or, call 317-621-2520 today to schedule an appointment. Feel like a new person and look like your best self at Wagner and Associates Plastic Surgery.


I build dioramas that are inspired by pictures I have seen on books, magazines and the internet. The Ferrari pit stop took three attempts to get it right. Most of the sixteen mechanics are figures I modified from the basic Tamiya kits we all know. Three of these were used, plus one of the older "Racing Pit Team" (Item #20011) was used for things such as the standing photographer. The garage in the background was built from scratch using sheet styrene and balsa wood. The Monaco Pit Lane was built along the same lines as the Pit Stop diorama, using the same Tamiya kits. It was built to be entered in the MASSCAR MODEL CLUB exhibition of 2001, where one of the themes was "Best Formula 1 Monaco Car".


Young Nigerians have been asked to go beyond social media when it comes to holding people in positions of authority accountable.
The call was made by Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), when he spoke on the 'Holding Government Accountable' panel at the Social Media Week which held at the Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
He urged the youth to drop their devices and get more involved in national affairs.
Sowore, who is also the founder of the Citizen Journalism platform, Sahara Reporters, said: "I can tell you that nothing has worked as much as social media in Nigeria in terms of holding government accountable, because it is beyond their reach; it is accountability beyond borders. However, I have to say that it has its own downside to the extent that if you think social media has all the power and you don't do what is necessary next, government starts to adjust to social media.
Sowore called on young people to work hard by ensuring that they get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), vote and monitor the electoral process to ensure that there is an "Equitorial Spring" in Nigeria that will usher in a new era of politics in Sub-Saharan Africa.
He encouraged "a new generation of Nigerians who are children of democracy".
"They are the secret to defeating the old brigade. The thing that happened with voters is a planned thing; they know there are 22 million students who are voters, and they had to keep you out of your schools, because they know that you are the angriest Nigerians and you are about to punish them with your votes. Regardless of what they have done to you, please find your way to your polling unit and vote these guys out," he added.


text:
<?php

/** notification manager*/
require_once BASE_PATH . '/modules/api/library/APIEnabledNotification.php';

class Batchmake_Notification extends ApiEnabled_Notification
  {
  public $moduleName = 'batchmake';
  public $_moduleComponents=array('KWBatchmake','Api');
  public $_components = array('Utility', 'Internationalization');

  /** init notification process*/
  public function init()
    {
    $this->enableWebAPI();
    $this->addCallBack('CALLBACK_CORE_GET_DASHBOARD', 'getDashboard');
    $this->addCallBack('CALLBACK_CORE_GET_LEFT_LINKS', 'getLeftLink');
    }//end init

  /**
   *@method getDashboard
   * will generate information about this module to display on the Dashboard
   *@return array with key being a string describing if the configuration of
   * the module is correct or not, and value being a 1/0 for the same info.
   */
  public function getDashboard()
    {
    $return = array();
    if($this->ModuleComponent->KWBatchmake->isConfigCorrect())
      {
      $return[$this->Component->Internationalization->translate(MIDAS_BATCHMAKE_CONFIG_CORRECT)] = 1;
      }
    else
      {
      $return[$this->Component->Internationalization->translate(MIDAS_BATCHMAKE_CONFIG_ERROR)] = 0;
      }
    return $return;
    }

  /**
   *@method getLeftLink
   * will generate a link for this module to be displayed in the main view.
   *@return ['batchmake' => [ link to batchmake module, module icon image path]]
   */
  public function getLeftLink()
    {
    $fc = Zend_Controller_Front::getInstance();
    $moduleWebroot = $fc->getBaseUrl() . MIDAS_BATCHMAKE_MODULE;
    return array(ucfirst(MIDAS_BATCHMAKE_MODULE) => array($moduleWebroot,  $moduleWebRoot . '/public/images/cmake.png'));
    }

  } //end class

?>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Der Eisenbahnunfall vom Zaoqiao vom 15. November 1991 im Bereich des Bahnhofs von Zaoqiao im Landkreis Miaoli, Republik China (Taiwan), war die Flankenfahrt eines Personenzugs in einen anderen. 30 Menschen starben.

Ausgangslage

An dem Unfall beteiligt waren der Zug Tze-Chiang (T.C) 1006 und der Zug Chu-Kuang (C.K) 1, der aus sechs Wagen bestand. Der T.C. 1006 wurde mit einem elektrischen Triebwagen der Baureihe 100 gefahren.

Die Züge waren auf der Bahnstrecke Zhunan–Changhua unterwegs. Diese war mit einem Zugbeeinflussungssystem ausgestattet, das eine Zwangsbremsung auslöste, wenn ein "Halt" zeigendes Signal überfahren wurde.

Unfallhergang
Der Zug C.K. 1 fuhr in das Streckengleis ein, dabei war er durch ein "Halt" zeigendes Signal auf dem Streckengleis gedeckt. Der Zug T.C. 1006 war auf dem Streckengleis unterwegs, als – unbemerkt vom Lokomotivführer – die automatische Zugbeeinflussung ausfiel. Der Lokomotivführer des T.C. 1006 übersah und überfuhr das "Halt" zeigende Signal. Als er den Zug C.K. 1 vor sich sah, war es zu spät, den eigenen Zug noch vor einer Kollision zum Stehen zu bringen. Der Zusammenstoß erfolgte gegen 16:00 Uhr Ortszeit (UTC+8). Dabei traf der T.C. 1006 den vorletzten Wagen des C.K. 1, dessen sämtliche Wagen entgleisten und aus dem Gleis kippten.

Folgen
30 Menschen starben, 112 wurden darüber hinaus verletzt. Unter den Opfern waren zahlreiche Japaner, darunter auch der Abgeordnete Hideaki Oshiro (大城秀昭).

Sowohl der Lokomotivführer des T.C. 1006 als auch der Chef der Eisenbahn wurden wegen fahrlässiger Tötung angeklagt. Der Lokomotivführer erhielt vier Jahre Freiheitsstrafe, der Chef der Eisenbahn wurde freigesprochen.

Weblinks
 The Straits Times: A look back at Taiwan's worst train accidents; abgerufen am 6. April 2021.

Einzelnachweise

Zaoqiao
Zaoqiao
Landkreis Miaoli

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Mindtree Limited is a multinational IT and Outsourcing Company. Mindtree has their headquarter in Bengaluru, India and New Jersey, USA. The company was founded in 1999 and they have around 19900 employees working with company. They deals in e-commerce, mobile applications, cloud computing, digital transformation, data analytics, enterprise application integration and enterprise resource planning and more services. They have over 300 active clients, with 43 offices in 17 countries and annual revenues of $846 million as on July 2018. L&T to takeover Mindtree and that is one of the reason Mindtree is going to buyback shares to meet the stake sale with L&T. They indents to do open market purchases as the Mindtree board to meet on 26 March to consider buyback.
Mindtree buyback of - equity shares which is around % of all the existing number of equity shares at a price of Rs. per equity share. The buyback offer not exceeding of Rs. crore of total buyback offer size.
The investors are eligible of the buyback scheme who have Mindtree shares in their Demat account as record date 2019. Investors can participate in the Mindtree Buyback 2019 scheme as per the opening form by selling your shares. The payment will be given as per the accepted shares by the company under the Mindtree buyback scheme.
Note: If anything you want to know about the buyback offer you can refer the Mindtree buyback offer documents.


A fun email from episode 45 guest Megan Lyons on our Running Rants (episode #76).
Endorphin Book Club, Book #1.
Recaps and commentary on six Prefontaine Classic races.
Then, we turn to our main topic at 30:25 into the episode covering training paces and goal times. How should you determine your training paces? Then, how do you translate those training paces into a goal time for your upcoming race? Thanks to listener Tracey Smith for your email and questions to tee up this topic!


text:
Changing the Face of Policing
Nov 10, 2020 | Art
A New Memoir Chronicles the Heroic Actions of Sergeant Fanchon Blake, Whose Sex Discrimination Lawsuit Against her Beloved Police Department Would Allow Women to Bust Through the Brass Ceiling.
BEND, OR, November 10, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ — For decades, studies have concluded that the best way to combat police brutality is to feminize the force. While we still have a ways to go on that restructuring front, not that long ago, U.S. police departments were almost entirely made up of white males. In Busting the Brass Ceiling: How a Heroic Cop Changed the Face of Policing (Incubation Press, 2020), former cop Fanchon Blake chronicles the sex discrimination that led her to finally sue the Los Angeles Police Department, thereby initiating one of the country's landmark Title VII cases with little to no help from anyone.
November 20th marks the fortieth anniversary of that historic class-action lawsuit's consent decree, which officially mandated the hiring of women and minorities in the LAPD, thereby setting a precedent that would change the face of policing around the country.
Blake's betrayal of the LAPD's codes of silence and loyalty would not go unpunished. Despite the ensuing verbal abuse, silent treatment, and intimidation, she pushed on. Seven years later, her heroic efforts would finally make it possible for women to bust through the brass ceiling.
Busting the Brass Ceiling not only delineates that seven-year legal battle, but the memoir also offers insights into the police status quo—including the propensity to violence. Blake's prescient words about that could have been written today and provide answers to many current questions about policing. Even more importantly, her case reminds us that while legal recourse can often seem unbearably slow, changing laws changes society.
"Fanchon Blake has been a hero of mine for many years," writes Joseph Wambaugh, the bestselling author of police and crime books who penned Busting the Brass Ceiling's foreword. "The class action [she] spearheaded helped end institutionalized sexual and racial discrimination practices not just in the LAPD, but law enforcement in general. Because of the precedent it set in civil rights law, Fanchon's crusade for women's rights has impacted—and improved—workplaces across the country. We owe her our respect and our gratitude."
Busting the Brass Ceiling: How a Heroic Cop Changed the Face of Policing by Fanchon Blake and Linden Gross (Incubation Press, 2020) is available online and in stores. To learn more about the book or to connect with Linden Gross, please visit https://lindengross.com/writer/book-titles/busting.
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text:
Home / Press / Tech & Science / App & Game / INFRAWARE Launches Revamped POLARIS Office 5 for iOS
INFRAWARE Launches Revamped POLARIS Office 5 for iOS
Posted on March 3, 2014 by Korea Bizwire in App & Game, Internet & Software, Mobile & Wireless, Press, Tech & Science with 0 Comments
INFRAWARE introduced its flagship mobile officeware POLARIS Office 5 for iOS with improved Microsoft Office compatibility. (image credit: INFRAWARE)
SEOUL, Korea, Mar. 3 (Korea Bizwire) – INFRAWARE introduced today its flagship mobile officeware POLARIS Office 5 for iOS with improved Microsoft Office compatibility. The app is available in iTunes App Store for US$12.99 while current users can upgrade for free.
The newly introduced POLARIS Office 5 for iOS boasts high documentation capacity, providing fast and secure document loading regardless of the file size and instant response speed. In addition, it allows users view and edit documents anytime and anywhere by giving access to some of the major cloud service providers, such as Google Drive, Dropbox and Web DAV.
Compared to other mobile office applications, Polaris Office 5 for iOS provides up to 500 more editing tools. Its major features include:
inserting/editing MS Office's 160 shapes (Word, Slide, Sheet)
25 table styles for shape/image editing (Word)
movie insert and 37 screen transition effect (Slide) and
exclusive keypad (Sheet)
Also, POLARIS Office 5 for iOS takes user convenience into account by including thumbnail view, bluetooth keyboard shortcut and 15 basic templates among many other features.
"We are very excited to introduce the new POLARIS Office 5 for iOS with enhanced user experience," said Min-Chul Kwak, CEO of INFRAWARE. "With the launch of POLARIS Office 5 for iOS, iPhone and iPad users can experience a truly smart mobile work environment."
INFRAWARE will offer iTunes gift cards via online events as launch promotion. Winners will be selected from their comments and product reviews left either on INFRAWARE's POLARIS Office Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/POLARISOffice; https://www.facebook.com/InfrawareGlobal), Twitter (https://twitter.com/POLARISOffice) or at iTunes App Store.
Used by more than 600 million people around the world, POLARIS Office holds the largest global market share in this field. It is one of the top-ranked business apps in iTunes App Store and is also included in over 65% of Android-based smart devices made by Samsung, LG, HTC and ASUS. The app is also available in Amazon Appstore for Kindle Fire users.
For more information, please visit http://www.POLARISOffice.com/en/ and https://www.facebook.com/POLARISOffice.
About INFRAWARE (www.INFRAWARE.co.kr/eng)
INFRAWARE is a software company that specializes in developing office solutions that enhances IT service, platform, Human Computer Interface (HCI) solutions and mobile games using its office engine technology. Over 80% of INFRAWARE's employees are focused on R&D. INFRAWARE develops software technology professionally and holds over 100 registered patents and approximately 430 patent applications that are currently under review.
Source: INFRAWARE (via PR Newswire)
officeware
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