text:
Thousands of Qatar World Cup workers 'subjected to life-threatening heat'
• Human Rights Watch says hundreds of workers dying every year
• Statutory work breaks in summer midday hours not sufficient
Qatar's Supreme Committee opened Khalifa International Stadium, the first completed 2022 World Cup venue, in May 2017. Photograph: Neville Hopwood/Getty Images for Qatar 2022
David Conn
Tue 26 Sep 2017 22.59 EDT
Last modified on Sun 26 Nov 2017 22.35 EST
Many thousands of migrant workers on construction sites in Qatar, including those building stadiums for the 2022 World Cup, are being subjected to potentially life-threatening heat and humidity, according to new research on the extreme summer conditions in the Gulf. Hundreds of workers are dying every year, the campaign group Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said in a strong statement, but they claim that the Qatar authorities have refused to make necessary information public or adequately investigate the deaths, which could be caused by labouring in the region's fierce climate.
HRW argues that millions of workers are in jeopardy, including those in the other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries – Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – because statutory work breaks imposed during summer midday hours do not protect them sufficiently. An analysis of the weather in Doha last summer has also shown that workers on World Cup construction projects were in danger, despite the more advanced system used by the tournament organiser, Humidex, which measures safety levels of heat and humidity.
"Enforcing appropriate restrictions on outdoor work and regularly investigating and publicising information about worker deaths is essential to protect the health and lives of construction workers in Qatar," Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW's Middle East director, said. "Limiting work hours to safe temperatures, not set by a clock or calendar, is well within the capacity of the Qatari government and will help protect hundreds of thousands of workers."
Fifa lets Qatar 2022 sail on, its moral lines in the sand still on the horizon | Marina Hyde
In 2012, the Qatari government revealed 520 people from Bangladesh, India and Nepal – whose citizens travel in their hundreds of thousands to do construction work in the Gulf – had died. Of these, 385, or almost three-quarters, had died "from causes that the authorities neither explained nor investigated", HRW said. Last year the Qatari government told HRW that 35 workers died, "mostly from falls, presumably at construction sites", but this did not take into account hundreds more people who died from heart attacks and other "natural causes", patchily reported by their countries' embassies and unexplained by the authorities.
The "Supreme Committee" organising the 2022 World Cup, which Fifa originally voted in 2010 could be played in the summer but has since been moved to winter, is striving to enact higher welfare standards than those generally applied for the two million migrant workers in Qatar. It has disclosed that 10 workers on World Cup projects died between October 2015 and July this year, classifying eight of these, three of them men in their 20s, as "non-work related" because they resulted from cardiac arrest or respiratory failure. HRW argues that these classifications are meaningless, effectively only a statement that the person has died because their heart and breathing stopped.
HRW said in its statement that such descriptions "obscure the underlying cause of deaths and make it impossible to determine whether [the workers' deaths] may be related to working conditions, such as heat stress."
One World Cup construction worker who died, Jaleshwar Prasad, 48, was stated by the Supreme Committee to have suffered cardiac arrest, with the hospital reporting that "work duties were not a contributory factor". The temperature in Qatar the day before Prasad died, 26 April 2016, peaked at 39C, HRW said.
Migrant workers in Qatar still at risk despite reforms, warns Amnesty
Nicholas McGeehan, who carried out the research for HRW, accused the Qatari government and the Supreme Committee of a "wilful abdication of responsibility" for the health and safety of workers.
"Their heat protection system is inappropriate and data shows that its enforcement is seriously deficient," McGeehan said. "That means they are putting stadium workers' lives at risk."
Outdoor workers generally in Qatar must not be made to work between 11.30am and 3pm from 15 June to 31 August, according to a government decree issued in 2007. HRW describes that measure, which it said is broadly reproduced by the other GCC countries, as "rudimentary" because it does not relate breaks to the actual working conditions outside those hours.
Analysis of the UK Meteorological Office climate record for Doha last year, seen by the Guardian, showed that according to the Humidex measure, it was not safe for an acclimatised person to do even moderately strenuous work outside, for 1,176 hours, including night time. The statutory government break added up to only 273 hours last summer, while the Supreme Committee, using the Humidex system, said that it imposed only an additional 150 hours of breaks to that government total.
HRW has called on the Qatari and other Gulf country authorities, including the Supreme Committee, to use a different heat stress measure, the wet bulb global temperature (WBGT), which also takes sunlight into account, to avoid "potentially fatal heat-related illnesses."
Migrant workers suffer 'appalling treatment' in Qatar World Cup stadiums, says Amnesty
The extreme climate in the Gulf, measured against the WBGT and the Humidex system, makes working at almost any time of day or night in July, August and the first half of September dangerous, McGeehan said.
Approximately two million immigrants do the overwhelming bulk of manual work in Qatar, where the indigenous population, the world's wealthiest on average due to the country's vast reserves of natural gas, numbers only around 300,000. Approximately 800,000 men from the poorer south Asian countries work on the country's huge construction projects, including 12,000, expected to rise to 35,000, building the World Cup stadiums. During the hot months, migrant workers are frequently the only people seen spending any extended time outside the country's air-conditioned buildings and vehicles.
'I feel like I'm in prison': Qatar's abuse of World Cup workers revealed – video Guardian
The HRW statement criticises the Qatari government for failing to implement the recommendations of a 2014 report by the law firm DLA Piper, which the government itself commissioned. The report followed an international outcry over the number of workers dying in Qatar just as the massive new infrastructure programme was being commissioned.
It noted that the number of deaths in Qatar attributed to cardiac arrest was "seemingly high" and called for transparent publication and investigation, including a legal reform to permit postmortem examinations in cases of sudden deaths. That recommendation has also not been implemented and legal constraints continue. HRW argues that this has prevented inquiries being conducted into how workers are dying and adequate measures being put in place to protect their health and safety.
"We need data on deaths, new laws on heat protection and immediate investigations, otherwise the death toll will continue to rise," McGeehan said.
The Supreme Committee sent the Guardian a detailed explanation of how its breaks system works using the Humidex measure, and of the restrictions on postmortems in Qatar, but has not yet responded to the criticisms.
A spokesman for the Qatari government said it is committed to labour reforms, and confirmed that it did make public last year deaths and injuries that were "work-related".
"The government investigates all migrant worker deaths in Qatar and coordinates with the embassies of labour-sending countries to repatriate the deceased," the spokesman said.


My wife, Joyce, and I are organising the next quizwalk. It's on 17th July from the Inn-on-the-Green pub at Ockley in Surrey, with walk-off at the usual time of 2.15pm.
Junior walkers will get their own quiz to do.
AS EVER NEWCOMERS ARE WELCOME. Just turn up outside the pub around 2.05pm and ask for me.


THE FRANK J. FABOZZI SERIES Fixed Income Securities, Second Edition by Frank J. Fabozzi Focus on Value: A Corporate and Investor Guide to Wealth Creation by James L.... provider of valuation of fixed income securities to the mutual fund, insurance and banking industries in the country. We are also the sole We are also the sole provider of debt and hybrid indices to India's mutual fund and life insurance industries.
the general procedure for valuing fixed-income securities (or any security) is to take the present values of all the expected cash flows and add them up to get the value of the security.


text:
You are here: Home / Exemptions / Ontario Ombudsman Complaint Lack of Informed Consent
Ontario Ombudsman Complaint Lack of Informed Consent
November 1, 2012 By Vaccine Choice Canada
Vaccination Risk Awareness Network, Inc.
Hand Delivered
Office of the Ombudsman of Ontario
Bell Trinity Square
483 Bay Street, 10th Floor, South Tower
M5G 2C9
Dear Ombudsman André Marin and staff,
Re: VRAN (Vaccination Risk Awareness Network) complaint that the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care fails to ensure that Ontario citizens are adequately informed of their right to exemption from the vaccination requirements as set out in the Immunization of School Pupils Act (Ontario) and the Day Nurseries Act (Ontario). [1]
Vaccination is an invasive medical procedure that can cause injury and death. [2] Canadian Medical Law stipulates that full information about all possible significant risks of any invasive medical procedure must be granted and that a candidate or legal guardian of a candidate must understand those risks in order for legitimate consent to be given. Ontario's Health Care Consent Act adheres to these principles. See section 11.(1) Elements of consent. [3]
The Public Health Agency of Canada affirms that, "immunization is not mandatory in Canada; it cannot be made mandatory because of the Canadian Constitution." (Reference: Canadian Communicable Diseases Report; Volume: 23S4 – May 1997 – Canadian National Report on Immunization, 1996.)
Ontario is one of three provinces that have legislation governing the vaccination of school children. All three provincial Acts contain legal exemptions for all vaccines required for school entry. There is a widespread problem with mass immunization programs administered throughout the Ontario school system, namely, the belief that immunization is mandatory for school attendance. Immunization campaigns conducted annually in Ontario schools and suspension notices given to students often do not clearly advise students and their families of their legal right to vaccine exemptions for medical, religious or conscientious reasons under the Immunization of School Pupils Act.
STEPS TAKEN TO TRY TO RESOLVE COMPLAINT
In 1999 VRAN enlisted the services of Toronto law firm of Goodman and Carr in an attempt to address our very serious concern that the Ontario Ministry of Health is failing in its duty to adequately inform parents and legal guardians of the availability of exemptions to vaccination for school and daycare entry. You will see by the response from then Chief Medical Officer of Health Colin D'Cunha that not one of our concerns was addressed. Further correspondence with then Minister of Health Elizabeth Witmer also was in vain. [Please see Folder #1 for these documents]
Over a decade has passed since our failed contact with Ontario officials and during that time VRAN has been continually contacted by Ontario parents whose legal rights have been disregarded. [Please see Folder #2 for these documents]
In September 2012 VRAN was contacted by a parent who had received a "Request for Immunization Information" from York Region Community and Health Services via their school. In the 3 pages received by the parent there was no mention of exemptions for the vaccines for the six diseases covered under the Act (Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Tetanus, Polio, Diphtheria). This letter threatens suspension from school if the form is not completed and returned by October 31, 2012. VRAN sent a letter via Priority Mail to York Region Medical Officer of Health and the Chairpersons of the Catholic and Public School boards in York Region outlining the concerns that the information given to parents is lacking necessary information about exemptions – there has been no response. [Please see Folder #3 for these documents]
In 2007 VRAN sent letters to all of the Chairpersons of all Education Boards in Ontario (Catholic and Public) and all trustees of the Toronto District School Board regarding Vaccine Exemptions in Ontario Schools. We were asking for the Boards to insure that school officials in their area were "enlightened as to the availability of legal vaccine exemptions for all students in Ontario and that the misinterpretations of the Immunization of School Pupils Act are corrected in your governing area." [Please see Folder #4 for these documents]
In 2001 VRAN sent a letter to the Chair of the Toronto District School Board in response to a parent's complaint about an 'Essential Guide' distributed by the board that was lacking exemption information. Board Chair Irene Atkinson responded that she would forward out letter to the Manager of Communications and Public Affairs for "her response and to make appropriate changes for future publications." No further response was forthcoming. As of 2012 the TDSB has some publications that mention exemptions, but others are still telling parents their children have to be vaccinated to go to school. The 'Newcomer Brochure' accessed in October of 2012 on their website states that you should bring "Proof of immunization, if available". The 'Frequently Asked Questions about Kindergarten' flyer states that proof of "immunization (the card that shows a list of needles your child has received)" is needed for kindergarten registration. We have also gathered information from other schools across Ontario that fails to mention exemptions and implies that vaccines are mandatory for school attendance. In one Eastern Ontario school board International Students are also being told that there are "Mandatory Vaccines – required for attendance at school". [Please see Folder # 5 for these documents]
HEALTH UNITS
Many Health Units across Ontario leave exemption information out of their publications and websites. Demand forms are sent out threatening suspension for vaccines like Meningitis C which are not covered under the Act and do no not require an exemption. In 2004 VRAN was contacted by a concerned parent from Cornwall. The Eastern Ontario Health Unit had placed a billboard in town and an ad in the local paper stating that Immunization was "Mandatory for school". We have enclosed photographs of the billboard and ad. [Please see Folder #6 for these documents]
There is one Health Unit website that we found to be completely informative and it should serve as a template for other Units for their websites and documents. The Niagara Region Public Health's website explains the exemptions available, links to the exemption forms, and provides clear directions on how to get the form signed before an Ontario Commissioner for Taking Affidavits. [Please see Folder #7 for this document]
We would also like to stress that it seems unfair that parents have to go to such great lengths for their medical choice and many parents must pay for having their exemption forms signed. Notaries can charge $25-$50 plus taxes just to stamp and sign the form, and many municipalities charge a fee as well. We have enclosed a 'Form 2' Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief Affidavit for your review. [Please see Folder #8 for this document]
The Media gets most of their information for their articles regarding vaccination and suspensions from school directly from Health Units. We at VRAN have been gathering Ontario media reports that are void of any mention of vaccine exemptions, or are misleading. We have included copies of 85 articles, as well as a summary sheet of these articles indicating why they are a complete failure in informing the public of their exemption rights. It should be mandatory for Health Units to include clear exemption information in their press releases and when they are speaking to the media. [Please see Folder #9 for these documents]
How can parents or students (there is no age of consent under the Health Care Consent Act) give informed consent to be vaccinated when the information provided is lacking?
A 2011 study 'Ill-Informed Consent? A Content Analysis of Physical Risk Disclosure in School-Based HPV Vaccine Programs'[4] that was published in the journal Public Health Nursing concluded:
"Inaccurate, incomplete, and inconsistent information can threaten the validity of consent/authorization and potentially undermine trust in the vaccine program and the vaccine itself. Efforts are needed to improve the quality, clarity, and standardization of the content of written documents used in school-based HPV vaccine programs across Canada."
That is a stunning admission. The study also states:
"In provincial/territorial school-based vaccine programs, it is common practice to ask students to deliver written documents about the immunizations to their parent(s) or legal guardian(s) and to return completed consent/authorization forms to the school prior to the student receiving the vaccine (Cawley, Hull, & Rousculp, 2010). This practice is thought to be cost-effective and efficient (Cawley et al., 2010). To date, concerns about consent in school-based programs have focused on issues around maximizing return of the consent form, not on ethical issues related to the quality of consents/authorizations obtained (Cawley et al., 2010). There are, however, a number of such issues. For example, in school-based vaccine programs, there may be no direct interpersonal contact between the immunizer and the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) who provide the consent/authorization, and thus limited opportunity to directly ask and receive answers to questions. The written information provided to the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) may differ from the written and verbal information provided to the students at school, at the time when they are asked to deliver the written documents. Additional information about potential harms and benefits may be provided at the time of vaccination, when the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) who have provided consent/authorization likely are not present, which could put the validity of the original consent/authorization into question. These are significant ethical challenges for which there are no easy solutions. An important first step, however, is to ensure that the parents, legal guardians, and students receive accurate, complete, and consistent written information on which they can make an informed choice." [emphasis ours]
AND THIS STUNNING ADMISSION:
"This review found important discrepancies in the accuracy, completeness, and consistency of information disclosed about HPV vaccine-related physical risks, with respect to both the nature and probability of risks. These discrepancies have a significant effect on the legal validity of the consent/authorization process.
First, for there to be a legally valid consent, all material risks must be disclosed in the consent, it must be free and informed and made by a competent individual with decision-making authority. To be properly informed in relation to risks, the person from whom consent is sought must be told of the following:
the nature of the intervention and its gravity
all material risks (including probability and gravity, grave consequences even if they have a low probability, and what the doctor knows or should know the patient deems relevant)
any special or unusual risks
any alternatives (including doing nothing) and their risks
answers to any questions posed by that person (Peppin, 2007)
On the basis of Table 2, one can reasonably ask which, if any, of the ten provinces were getting valid consents given the variation in risks presented compared to those cited in the NACI evidence-based review of HPV vaccine." [Emphasis ours]
The discussion ends with this admission:
"This review of available Canadian provincial school-based HPV vaccine program documents demonstrates the failure of the current regionally idiosyncratic and independent approach to providing audience-appropriate, accurate, complete, and consistent information for all Canadians. This failure is particularly concerning in the context of school-based vaccine programs where the information is primarily provided in written form with very limited opportunity for discussion. Ideally the ten provinces, three territories, and national health authorities could work more closely together to develop written documents that will provide parents, legal guardians, and students with appropriate vaccine risk and benefit information. This will help ensure that valid consents/authorizations are obtained, especially for school-based vaccine programs such as HPV. Furthermore, having accurate, complete, and consistent vaccine-related information would help the general public make a better informed decision regarding immunizations especially when confronted by controversial magazine articles such as that written by Gulli (2007), that may not specifically disclose all the physical risks and benefits associated with the HPV vaccine.
Given that many countries are now considering wider use of influenza vaccine, including school-based programs (Cawley et al., 2010) there is international relevance for the points raised in this review concerning accuracy, completeness, and consistency of information for decision makers who are not present at the time of vaccination. Thus, other countries may also do well to assess the accuracy, completeness, and consistency with respect to physical risks in documents they use to inform the consent/authorization process (particularly in school-based programs) across their countries.
For all vaccine programs in Canada and abroad, clear vaccine risk and benefit disclosure is recommended to avoid confusion, promote the integrity of the consent/authorization process, and build trust in the vaccine program and the vaccine itself. Further research initiatives that help clarify vaccine risk language into best practice guidelines to help ensure that accurate, complete and consistent consent/authorization forms are available for school-based immunization programs are warranted." [Emphasis ours]
We are also enclosing in the Informed Consent folder an article from Durhamregion.com from June of 2012 entitled 'Vaccine a sore spot for Whitby teen'. The article describes the terrifying adverse effects experienced by Kaitlyn Armstrong from the HPV vaccines she received at school. The article states, "…..she's still left with questions, like why she was able to get the vaccine in the first place? 'When it came to allergies, I even told them,' she says of the nurse on the day she received the vaccine, adding her mother had noted her allergy on the consent form." … "School boards must approve the information packages before they go home, and Ms. Armstrong feels they should include more information on possible severe side effects. She has also created a Facebook page called Kaitlyn's Journey to fight back against post Gardasil syndrome." Clearly Kaitlyn and her mother were not given enough information to have given fully informed consent to this vaccine.
Our Informed Consent folder contains the 2-page information sheets provided by the Ontario government for the HPV vaccine – this is titled "Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Program for Grade 8 Females: What you need to know". We would like you to compare those sheets with the manufacturer's package insert for Gardasil, which has 30 pages and covers Contraindications, Warnings and Precautions, and Adverse Reactions.
We have also included York Region's information sheets for Adacel vaccine for you to compare it to the 26 page package insert. Parents should be advised where they can access these package inserts in the material given to them to sign their informed consent.
Also included is an e-mail exchange from 2005 when the Halton Region Health Department falsely stated on their website that the Meningitis C vaccine was required before students can be admitted to "many" colleges and universities. You can see from the e-mail exchange that this statement was false. How many children and parents consented to this vaccine thinking the vaccine was mandatory to get into college or university? Information sessions for Hepatitis B vaccine and Meningitis C vaccine (Grade 7) and HPV vaccine (Grade 8) are given in schools without the parents being invited to attend. Glitzy videos (see http://vimeo.com/12489927 ) are shown to the students to encourage vaccination.
On pages 152-153 of her book, Immunization, History, Ethics, Law and Health, Catherine Diodati, M.A. describes a school based immunization program: "The Assembly-line nature of mass immunizations precludes individual attention: the essential factor underlying informed consent. Furthermore, in this scenario, the family physician, who is most familiar with the particular individual, is excluded. … "Generally speaking, accurate and thorough information is unreasonably difficult to obtain. Due to this incredible general lack of disclosure, truly informed consent is not remotely possible."
Many parents are unaware that their children can be vaccinated without their permission at school. Under the Health Care Consent Act (HCCA) the health professional providing the treatment determines that the person is capable of consenting to a medical treatment. We have included a copy of the 'Consenting to Immunization At School-Based Clinics' flyer from Durham Region that states, "If a student arrives at a school-based immunization clinic without the signature of a parent/legal guardian on his/her consent form, the nurse must determine the student's capacity to provide consent. If the student is capable of providing consent, the nurse will proceed as the student wishes."
In 2010 a Bowmanville boy with autism spectrum disorder was charged with "threatening" because of an outburst after realizing he was going to be getting a hepatitis B vaccine at school. The police were called and the 12 year old boy was taken into police custody and kept in 17 Division in Oshawa overnight. A Toronto Sun article stated that the school principal sent home a letter to parents that included, "While Durham Health Department nurses were here giving students their required immunizations, one of the students became upset." Wait a minute – REQUIRED IMMUNIZATIONS?? The hepatitis B vaccination is not a required immunization! An exemption is not required for the Hepatitis B vaccine as it is not a disease covered under the Act. A clear case of school personnel misinforming parents. What message did this send to the other children waiting in line for their shots? Take the shot or else you'll be taken away by the police and thrown in jail! Also, why couldn't this boy refuse the vaccine under the Health Care Consent Act?
The criminal charge against the boy was withdrawn in August of 2011, when Durhamregion.com reported that "the boy entered into a peace bond."
[Please see Folder #10 for all of the above "informed consent" documents]
WHY DOES INFORMED CONSENT MATTER?
As we stated in the first paragraph of our complaint – as much as health officials and some doctors refuse to admit, vaccines can and do cause severe injury and death. We have included in this folder data from VAERS (US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System), lawsuits from other countries, personal stories, and information regarding Canada's adverse event reporting system for your review. [Please see Folder #11]
Even though it is outside the scope of the Ombudsman's office, we also provide you with evidence that the federal government neglects to tell parents that vaccine exemptions from "required" vaccines are available. See "Is my child required by law to be immunized? In some parts of Canada, children are required to have all of their immunizations up-to-date before starting school. Laws vary in different provinces and territories." (Page 11 A Parents Guide To Immunization, Public Health Agency of Canada (pdf)). [Please see Folder # 12]
REMEDY SOUGHT
From the original 1999 Letter from lawyer L. Stoltz to the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario:
To redress its very serious concern that the Ontario Ministry of Health is failing in its duty to adequately inform parents and legal guardians of the availability by statute of exemptions to otherwise mandatory vaccination requirements, VRAN seeks:
amendment of all publications and other information disseminated by the Ontario Ministry of Health regarding vaccination requirements to provide information about the availability of statutory exemptions to vaccination requirements that is accurate, comprehensive, easily understood, unambiguous and readily noticeable;
issuance of a direction (i.e., by letter or informal guideline) under your name as Chief Medical Officer of Health to all medical officers of health in the Province, requiring that they take immediate steps to ensure that their own publications and information regarding vaccination requirements and those of all school boards and schools within their territory, provide information about the availability of statutory exemptions to vaccination requirements that is accurate, comprehensive, easily understood, unambiguous and readily noticeable;
Design and implementation of an effective strategy to communicate accurate and comprehensive information as to the availability of statutory exemptions to vaccination requirements to all family physicians and paediatricians in Ontario;
inclusion in the Mandatory Health Programs and Services Guidelines issued pursuant to section 7 of Health Protection and Promotion Act of a clear requirement that all publications and other information disseminated by boards of health regarding vaccination requirements provide information that is about the availability of statutory exemptions to vaccination requirements which is accurate, comprehensive, easily understood, unambiguous and readily noticeable; and
amendment of section 38(2) of the Health Protection and Promotion Act to expressly require that physicians (and other persons authorized to administer immunization agents) and school principals advise parents and legal guardians of the availability of statutory exemptions to vaccination requirements and of the process of securing their informed consent as (such an amendment may be analogized to section 22(7) of that Act which provides that an order by the medical of health under section 22 "is not effective unless the reasons for the order are set in the order" and other comparable sections in the Act).
It is essential, of course, that this information be included in all publications directed to parents and legal guardians of newborns and infants, and not just to parents and legal guardians of school-aged children as it is in the first year of life that these difficult decisions are made.
FURTHERMORE (October 2012):
For fully informed consent to be obtained, parents should be advised in writing on the consent forms that there is no vaccine injury compensation in Ontario. If their child has a devastating vaccine injury or death they are on their own.
Parents and students should be directed to where they can obtain a copy of the manufacturer's package insert for the vaccine they are giving consent to. These inserts include Contraindications, Warnings and Precautions, and Adverse Reactions so parents and/or students can be fully informed of all risks and benefits.
All Health Units should have clear and concise information regarding vaccine exemptions on their websites with links to the printable copy of Form 2 Affidavit with instructions on how to complete the form and where they get the form notarized. [See Folder #7 for a good example]
It should be made mandatory for Health Units to include clear exemption information in their press releases, print material, videos and when they are being interviewed by the media.
The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care should, at the very least, have a link to the "Form 2" exemption form on their website 'Immunization: Your Best Protection.' Links to manufacturers package inserts should be available as well. [Please see Folder # 13]
With appreciation for your time and attention to this matter,
Rita Hoffman Edda West
Vice-President VRAN Co-Ordinator VRAN
Enclosures:
Folders # 1 through 13 [Contact info@vaccinechoicecanada.com for further information regarding enclosures]
Immunization of School Pupils Act R.S.O. 1990
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90i01_e.htm
Immunization of School Pupils Act R.R.O. 1990, REGULATION 645
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_900645_e.htm
Day Nurseries Act
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90d02_e.htm
[2] Please see Folder # 11 – Why Does All of This matter?
[3] Health Care Consent Act
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_96h02_e.htm
[4] Ill-Informed Consent? A Content Analysis of Physical Risk Disclosure in School-Based HPV Vaccine Programs" – Public Health Nursing (2011)
Original link full text is no longer available: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1525-1446.2011.00974.x/full Please see: http://resources.cpha.ca/immunize.ca/data/1790e.pdf
Update August 2015 – We have not received anything in writing from our Ombudsman Investigator. VRAN board members did have a teleconference with Ministry of Health Officials on February 24, 2014:
VRAN-MOHLTC Teleconference Notes (pdf)
VRAN-MOHLTC Teleconference Follow-up (pdf)
Vaccine Choice Canada continues to receive complaints from parents regarding lack of exemption information in materials regarding vaccination in Ontario, and media reports continue to leave out exemption information.
Update 2016 – Please see our additional May 2016 complaint to the Ontario Ombudsman
Filed Under: Exemptions, In the News, Informed Consent - Mature Minor - Ethics, Politics of Vaccination, Reports, Threats to Exemptions Tagged With: Immunization of School Pupils Act, informed consent, vaccine exemptions

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Many airports throughout the world have joint commercial-military operations. Runways at these airports often are equipped with arresting gear systems for tactical military aircraft to use for landing. These systems pose a potential damage and safety hazard to commercial airplanes that use the same runways. Airports and airlines can take steps to help ensure safe commercial operations under such circumstances. Measures include writing airport procedures specifically for commercial airplane operations, modifying existing arresting systems, reducing declared landing and takeoff distances, and increasing inspections of airplanes with nosegear spray and gravel deflectors.


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Redboxing: FIRST KILL and THE LAST FACE
by Rob DiCristino
The Alpha and Omega of DTV.
First Kill (2017, dir. Steven C. Miller)
The new Lionsgate Premiere label is quickly becoming one of my favorite sources for goofy nonsense. Though it occasionally sneaks out the honest winner like Imperium or Joshy, its bread and butter is in low-budget schlock like Life on the Line, Inconceivable, and Knock Knock, films whose mix of semi-competent charm and aging stars with nothing to lose speaks to the heart of what Redboxing is all about. It's not that "so bad it's good" ironic hipster bullshit, mind you, but rather a genuine appreciation for what movies can get up to when no one is paying attention. Along those lines, the DVD trailers at the head of First Kill (including Arsenal, a Cusack/Cage thriller I cannot wait to get my hands on) gave me every confidence that the trend would continue. I was not disappointed. First Kill is a bad movie, bad in a fascinating way that almost bears academic study. But by getting nearly everything wrong, it manages to fulfill a larger purpose as a course text in What Not To Do and almost circles back around to quality.
Will Beeman (Hayden Christensen) is a Wall Street executive too busy to spend quality time with his son, Danny (Ty Shelton). This absence of paternal guidance makes Danny the target of middle school bullies, and, after one incident too many, Will finally decides to bring his family (including Megan Leonard as his wife, Laura) to the rural community of his youth and teach his son to defend himself (with a rifle, apparently). During a rainy afternoon hunt, Will and Danny stumble upon two bank robbers in the middle of a deadly shootout. After killing one in self defense, Will brings the other bad hombre, Levi (Gethin Anthony, Renly from Game of Thrones!) back to the cabin so his wife can treat his wounds. Levi, predictably, kidnaps Danny and promises to return him only if Will can get his hands on the missing money. Enter police chief Marvin Howell (a sleepwalking Bruce Willis), who, for reasons that will become clear in an angry screed later, is also interested in recovering the money. Kidnapping, betrayal, revenge. You get it.
But again, everything in First Kill is bad. Nick Gordon's (GirlHouse) screenplay wears its subtext on its text; his characters are space aliens whose stilted dialogue hits pre-designated story beats (this is our "backstory" scene, this is our "unresolved conflict" scene, and so on) without warmth or personality. Christensen — perpetually stuck with bad scripts — suffers the worst of it. With no room to show real vulnerability, his Repentant Dad on a Mission thing never works. Anthony has a bit more latitude as the family man caring for his sick mother-in-law (insurance doesn't cover her illness — social justice is another of the film's Important Themes), but is still overqualified. Bruce Willis couldn't even be bothered to fix his own dialogue this time out. One take. Two days. Paycheck. That's about as much care as anyone gave First Kill, a film that believes a child learns self-defense by watching his father murder a small town and that banks deserve to be robbed. Or police deserve to be paid more. Or something. It's a complicated mystery worthy of further investigation.
The Last Face (2016, dir. Sean Penn)
Film criticism is full of hyperbole. My Twitter feed is lousy with cineastes declaring Such and Such "the ____ ____ of all time," and so is yours. The most. The best. The worst. It's obnoxious. Oh, I do it, too. Don't get me wrong. That doesn't make it right. For one, it assumes a complete mastery of all film history, every film from every country in every language ever made in every year since the Lumiéres. Not a single one of us can boast that level of knowledge. For another, it assumes an objective viewpoint. Film is personal, subjective. It belongs to all of us and none of us. Best, worst, and most to me isn't best, worst, and most to you. It doesn't have to be. It shouldn't be. And so it's with careful consideration and great hesitation that I say this now:
The Last Face might be the worst movie I've ever seen.
There are a lot of reasons for this, and again, I don't say it lightly. Hell, I just tried to sell you on the incompetent goofiness of First Kill, a movie no one cares about and no one will ever watch. The Last Face isn't incompetent or goofy. It's overwrought and self-important, which is far worse. It's the most Sean Penn thing Sean Penn has ever done. It forces two of our finest actors to trade on their considerable talents for the sake of an Issue Movie that doesn't have anything real to say about its issue. Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem are doctors in war-torn Africa who fall in love against the backdrop of unspeakable violence and poverty. Theron's Dr. Wren is the big-picture idealist, while Bardem's Dr. Miguel is the get-your-hands-dirty scoundrel. They bone and then break up when Miguel's womanizing and devotion to life in a war zone conflicts with Wren's belief that the problem can be solved with black-tie fundraisers and NGOs. Though things end badly, they continue to pine for one another over the next ten years.
This makes The Last Face sound like an ambitious, English Patient-y epic. And it's true that there are a few moments that should work. An emergency c-section in the middle of a jungle, for example, or a hostage situation in which the prom queen from The Purge: Anarchy forces a young boy to murder his father. But these scenes (and every other minute of its 2+ hours) are steeped in slow motion refugee porn and cringe-inducing meditations on how hard it is to be hot and talented (during one of their reconciliations, Theron literally says — out loud— "Here I go again" as she falls into Bardem's arms). Penn and cinematographer Barry Ackroyd abuse cross-fades, dissolves, and shaky-cam to such an extent that each one loses any and all dramatic impact. The film's narrative is more than disjointed — it's stillborn. It goes nowhere at a snail's pace. Circles upon circles with no escalation. I had to pause the film at the 30 minute mark and take a walk around the block because I couldn't believe I was only 30 minutes in.
What's more, The Last Face wastes quality character actors like Jean Reno and Jared Harris, relegating them to the background along with all the African people for which it claims to be advocating. I won't get into the white savior debate, but the lip service paid to the issues plaguing refugees is almost laughable. They're merely a by-product of Theron and Bardem's abusive romance, a symbolic gesture meant to prop up the film's Oscar bonafides. They're an inconvenient road block in Theron's journey to introspective revelations. And look, there's no doubting Penn's sincerity (his real-life advocacy is well-documented), but his perspective is seriously flawed. He believes these are real human beings we'd care about. He's wrong. He shouldn't be allowed to waste Theron and Bardem like this. He shouldn't be allowed to exploit a serious issue without having more to say than "This is a serious issue." Maybe he felt that more depth in that area would interfere with the four minute Theron/Bardem tooth-brushing scene, which is a real scene that exists in the movie. We'll never know.
Plus, what the fuck does The Last Face even mean?
Labels: bruce willis, charlize theron, DTV action movies, first kill, hayden christiansen, javier bardem, redboxing, rob dicristino, sean penn, steven c. miller, the last face
Adam Riske September 13, 2017 at 8:15 AM
His name is Will Beeman? Like Miami Sharks QB Willie Beaman? I have to see this movie now.
Paul Calvert September 13, 2017 at 9:11 AM
Has Willis ever had hair? He had that piece in 12 monkeys, but thats it.
Kunider September 13, 2017 at 12:12 PM
he does, a little bit, in Die Hard
Kunider September 13, 2017 at 11:57 AM
the first move is the kind of thing that i like to watch when i wake up on saturday/sunday mornings. the kind of brain dead movie that doestn't require any effort. ideally dubbed in french (i'm french-canadian) just to screw even more with the quality of the movie.
the second one, not that kind of movie. you make it sound like i shouldn't bother with it
Daniel Epler September 13, 2017 at 5:20 PM
2017: 4 minutes of tooth brushing and 10 minutes of pie eating


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Hannibal Buress is on the road, and he's taking you along for the ride. Each episode of Handsome Rambler is packed with Hannibal's latest road stories and thoughts. Tune in for unfiltered observations on sports, sex, wrestling, relationships, philosophy, books, watches, other podcasts, bottled water reviews…anything can happen on Handsome Rambler.
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American Bankruptcy Law Journal
Vol. 93 Nbr. 2, March 2019
Choice of Law in Insolvency Proceedings: How English Courts' Continued Reliance on the Gibbs Principle Threatens Universalism.
Author Sachdev, Varoon
Bankruptcy commentators, policymakers, and scholars generally agree that global insolvency systems should champion the principles of universalism and economic efficiency. The global delegations to the United Rations Commission on International Trade Law [hereinafter "U?[CITRAL"] built those principles into their Model Law of Cross-Border Insolvency [hereinafter in text "Model Law"], which many nations have since adopted. (1) However, some nations have not taken the next step to incorporate these principles into their policies and jurisprudence. In England and Wales, a Victorian-era principle emanating from Antony Gibbs & Sons v. La Societe Industrielle et Commerciale des Metaux, (2) exemplifies how bygone conventional wisdom threatens to derail the world's progress toward efficiency through universalism. The Gibbs Principle states that only an English court may discharge debt arising under English law, even if that debt has first been discharged in a foreign insolvency proceeding. Furthermore, the modern rulings that support Gibbs go further. They hold that the Model Law offers only procedural relief, that judgments entered against parties who do not submit to the foreign jurisdiction are invalid, and that any relief granted under English law to the foreign representatives seeding enforcement under the Model Law must first be correspondingly available under English law. These rulings incentivize holdouts and disincentivize creditors from participating in foreign insolvency proceedings. Also, those with discharged debt arising under English law must, in order to fully discharge their obligations, pursue costly parallel proceedings in England following discharge in a foreign insolvency proceeding. The net effect of these decisions is increased systemic costs and a lack of uniformity contrary to the principles underlying the Model Law. Given these seismic implications, the cross-border insolvency community must pursue Gibbs-related reform.
Discharging debt through bankruptcy is a bedrock principle of many insolvency systems across the globe and has been for some time. In 1918, L.E. Levinthal stated that "the discharge of the honest insolvent has come to be regarded as the all important feature of some bankruptcy statutes." (3) A bankruptcy discharge releases debtors from their obligations to pay certain debts and, in some cases, replaces those debts with obligations that enable the debtor to regain its footing. Indeed, in 1918, the laws of England, the United States, Germany, and Austria allowed discharge much like that historically seen in ancient Islamic and Oceanic cultures. (4) By 1996, the practice had spread to France, Japan, Sweden, and other nations. (5)
Multinational debtors that hope to use discharge as a restructuring mechanism for debt governed by English law, however, must contend with the Gibbs Principle. The rule arises out of Antony Gibbs & Sons v. La Societe Industrielle et Commerciale des Metaux, (6) an 1890 opinion from the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court (now known as the English Court of Appeal) that has stubbornly withstood the advancement of cross-border insolvency law. (7) The Gibbs Principle generally holds that only English courts can discharge debt subject to English law, even if the debtor received a discharge in a foreign bankruptcy proceeding. (8)
The persistence of the Gibbs Principle into the Modern Age, despite significant criticism, is driven by a broader movement within English insolvency jurisprudence that opposes universalism. Recently, English courts have limited the scope and power of UNCITRAL's Model Law, which was codified into English law under the 2006 CrossSorder Insolvency Regulations [hereinafter "OBIR"]. (9) The courts have held that the Model Law is merely procedural in nature, not substantive, and that English courts may only grant relief that would otherwise be available under English law. (10) As a result, after parties endure extensive restructurings in the debtor's home country, they learn that English courts will not recognize or enforce the outcomes of those proceedings including, but not limited to, the discharge of debts.
The universalist foundation of modern cross-border insolvency law is weakened by Gibbs and the English jurisprudential movement to impede recognition of foreign insolvency proceedings. Rather than enabling a more efficient global insolvency system where debtors and creditors collectively negotiate in a unitary proceeding, English rulings require multiple proceedings or the use of English tribunals as the home court. Depending on the circumstances, that choice may be detrimental to the debtor and creditor body. It may also be detrimental to England's standing as a preferred hub for global financial underwriting. Under current English law, debtors may have to manage risk by avoiding issuance of debt under English law. Thus, it is time to thoroughly scrutinize and refresh this dated principle of English insolvency jurisprudence.
This Article proceeds in three parts. In Part II, I outline the legal and economic principles that undergird universalism, with special emphasis upon the Model Law. In Part III, I discuss the Gibbs Principle and additional developments in English cross-border insolvency jurisprudence, including a critique and overview of its current interpretation and effects. In Part IV, I discuss the practical effects of Gibbs, the reaction to it from other sources, and then I propose solutions for practitioners, Parliament, and the courts of England and Wales.
KEY PRINCIPLES GUIDING THE ANALYSIS
The following analysis relies on two well-established pillars of insolvency law: 1) that insolvency systems applying universalist, rather than territorial, principles preserve more value, and 2) that insolvency systems should strive to promote economically efficient outcomes.
While hackneyed, Thomas Friedman's claim that the "world is flat" has never been more relevant, as both large, sophisticated, economic players and small businesses operate globally using nothing but a mobile phone. (11) Companies today are no longer confined to work within a single country or geographic region, and a global reach can be accomplished quickly. The ride sharing giant Uber is a case in point. The company was only an idea in 2009. (12) Ten years later, it operates in over seventy countries. (13)
Moreover, multinational companies control a vast array of infrastructure and capital; they are critical components of daily life in societies around the globe. According to The Economist, multinational companies (defined as those that make at least thirty percent of revenue outside of their home region) control supply chains that are responsible for fifty percent of all world trade and forty percent of the value of Western stock markets. (14) Invariably, some of these companies will face financial distress impacting people and systems across the globe. It thus behooves governments wishing to preserve economic value to enact insolvency laws that accomplish that goal across borders, as global uniformity minimizes insolvency-related damage and disruption.
The United Nations [hereinafter "UN"] has championed the goal of preserving global economic value and has worked to create the infrastructure and tools needed to achieve that objective. In 1966, the UN convened delegations from countries around the world to form UNCITRAL. (15) In 1995, the UN General Assembly tasked UNCITRAL with developing a model international law to help move the global community closer to an insolvency system that enables multinational companies to efficiently restructure. (16)
For the most part, academics and the global delegations to UNCITRAL alike agree that a universalist insolvency system, rather than one built on territorial principles, best preserves value for multinational entities. (17) A universalist system would have a single court convening a proceeding to manage the entire restructuring or liquidation of an entity, assessing the claims and assets from every nation involved and distributing assets collectively among all parties. (18) Conversely, territorial systems require countries to administer the claims and assets held by the debtor in their respective countries and ignore those claims and assets held beyond their borders. (19)
There are several reasons why many experts prefer universalism in cross-border insolvency, including the beneficial results of a single proceeding (1) allowing for efficient, cost-effective administration by reducing the time and resources spent coordinating and navigating multiple proceedings, (20) (2) encouraging collective action that reflects the interests of the entire society impacted by the insolvency, (21) (3) ensuring that certain creditors must compromise their individual rights to preserve the most value for the collective whole, even if enforcing those individual rights would have provided for a superior, individual outcome, (22) (4) diminishing the likelihood of contradictory or defiant orders and holdings from parallel proceedings, (5) creating more certainty by ensuring that resolutions to insolvency proceedings are recognized and enforced globally, thereby reducing expense, and (6) providing a "symmetrical" scope to the problems multinational debtors face, in that the dimension of the proceedings is equivalent to the reach of the debtor's business. (23)
Given these benefits, Professors Wessels, Markell, and Kilborn understandably claim that "universalism in one form or another commands virtually undisputed superiority over territorialism." (24) Professor Westbrook, in support of the principle, logically notes that multinational companies in distress require a unitary, conclusive proceeding for all stakeholders globally, and that any other action would only be "a temporary accommodation" subject to upset at any time. (25) Conversely, Professor Robert K. Rasmussen claims that...


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Salute to Senior Service
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2014 Entry
Don B.
East St. Paul, MB
Nominated by Rhonda Gardner
Volunteered for:
Length of Service:
15 hours per month for 8 years
Manitoba Figure Skating Association
30 hours per month for 38 years
Christmas Cheer Board (November/December)
80+ hours per month for 10 years
Dear Nominating Committee,
I was so pleased to learn of the opportunity to nominate Don Brown for recognition for his years of dedication both professionally and as a volunteer.
Don's career began in the Canadian Armed Forces where for 35 years he dedicated his life to Canada. His first assignment was for the army, he then transferred to the Canadian Air Force where he was a Major in personnel administration. During this time Don, his wife and children were stationed overseas.
I met Don approximately 7 years ago on the Board of Directors of Meals on Wheels Winnipeg. In 2010, Don was part of the selection committee that hired me as the Executive Director for this organization. On a personal level over the years I have held Don in the highest regard. Don is a gentle giant and has mentored me and helped me with the reorganization of Meals on Wheels. When I became ED our organization was facing some monumental challenges, Don's calm demeanor, business knowledge and experience as a volunteer have contributed greatly to our being able to turn things around and assure the success and long term commitment to the citizens of Winnipeg who are in need of our program. In 2013, we proudly delivered approximately 160,000 meals. As well as serving on the Board of Directors as secretary, Don is a volunteer driver, dispatcher and provides training to new volunteer drivers. He genuinely and deeply cares for the well-being of our clients, volunteers and staff. Whenever we are short of a driver, we can count on Don. Often he will drive 2 routes in one day if we are very short of volunteers. Don first heard of our need for volunteers when he heard a radio ad, he had recently retired from working full time and was looking for a way to provide a much need service. We have mutually benefited from Don's involvement and hope that he continues to do so for many years to come.
Skate Canada is dedicated to providing Canadians the opportunity to participate in skating throughout their lifetime for fun, fitness, and achievement.(1) In 1986, Don's children wanted to learn how to skate. Don had concerns about how the club was being run and felt he could help the organization improve to benefit all the skaters. 38 years later Don is still involved and is the Accounting/Data Specialist for Manitoba and sits on the Board of Directors, Don represents Manitoba on the National Board of Skate Canada. He dedicates 30 hours per month from April to November, and from December to March his volunteer hours increase to 100 hours per month. Don enjoys seeing the smiles on the faces of the skaters, their families and supporters when they have completed their program and have done so to the best of their ability. I am confident that Don's many contributions and support to the organization have contributed to the personal success of each of the skaters who go on to compete nationally and internationally.
The Cheer Board provides assistance to families receiving Employment Income Assistance as well many of the working poor. More than half of all the food and toys are donated by individuals and companies, the balance of everything that is required is purchased by the Cheer Board. Volunteers look after all aspects of the Cheer Board and involves almost 5,000 people. Hampers are packed by school children, seniors knit all year to provide little extra gifts, volunteer drivers deliver all the hampers and individuals, community groups and companies help raise the money needed.(2) Don got involved with the Cheer Board 10 years ago after hearing an ad looking for volunteer drivers to deliver hampers. After one year of being a volunteer driver, the organization realized that Don had tremendous organizational skills and was asked to help coordinate the administration of the program. In 2013, 19,000 hampers were delivered to those in need. In the months of November and December, Don volunteers 100 hours per month.
"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve." Albert Schweitzer These words eloquently describe Don. It is my hope that this information will help in the nomination of Don Brown for Manitoba and as the National Recipient of this reward.
Thank you for your kind consideration,
Rhonda Gardner
Meals on Wheels Winnipeg
(1) Skate Canada Website
(2) Christmas Cheer Board Website
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Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced late Friday that the monsoon death toll had dramatically risen to 324. Helicopters have been dropping emergency food and water supplies across Kerala, while special trains carrying drinking water have been sent to the state. Dozens of dam and reservoir gates across the state have had to be opened as water levels reach danger levels, inundating many villages. Prime Minister Modi arrived in Kerala on Friday night and held meetings with state leaders and went on a brief air inspection tour. "I took stock of the situation arising in the wake of the devastating floods across the state," Modi said in a Twitter statement.


The Office of Student Affairs has created the checklist below to assist you in the process of starting a new club/organization.
This form must include what organization you are registering (new or renew a defunct organization), name of the organization, three officers/executive board members and the faculty/staff adviser which your organization has selected.
The sample template can be utilized as a guideline. Information in your constitution does not have to be limited to the items listed on the template. Remember, it is the club/organization's responsibility to submit an updated constitution if revisions are made.
All clubs/organizations seeking registration must have a faculty/staff adviser. This person is important and can play as active of a role as needed by your organization. Keep in mind that your adviser's experience and expertise is an asset to your club/organization when considering his/her level of activeness. It is important to choose your adviser carefully and consult with them regularly for assistance, as well as keep them informed.
Adviser Criteria: The adviser must be a member of the Penn State Brandywine faculty/staff; someone who is available and committed to assisting you, has knowledge of or desires to learn more about your organization and is able to get along with your members. You will find a sample guideline of the adviser's role within an organization here.
It is important that ALL of the necessary information in this Registration Packet is complete before being submitted to the Office of Student Affairs. Those club/organizations who submit incomplete packets will be sent an email from the Associate Director of Student Affairs requesting for the pick-up and resubmission of the packet.
Upon receipt of a complete Registration Packet, your club/organization will be processed. You will be notified by email regarding your registration approval.
This meeting will discuss the risk standards of your proposed Club Sport as outlined by the University and should be arranged prior to the completion of your Registration Packet.
Coaches and Safety Officers play a major role in the functioning of your Club Sport and have special standards to meet as required by the University. The Athletics Office will share the specifics related to what standards one must meet in order to function as your Coach and Safety Officer.
Every member of your Club Sport is required to complete both the Assumption of Risk and Participation Agreement forms in order to participate. These completed forms are to be submitted at the time of application for registration. Members added after registration, must submit his/her forms before officially joining the club.
You will find regulations set by Penn State Brandywine for clubs/organizations including registration, adviser commitment, recognition process, posting policy, requirements for recognition, responsibilities for registered organizations, etc. contained in the Club and Organization Handbook located in the Office of Student Affairs. In addition to the print and online resources provided, the Office of Student Affairs is also available for you to utilize as a resource throughout the process and the year.
When making changes to your constitution, officers, adviser, etc. call Student Affairs at 610-892-1321, email us at bw-stuaffairs@psu.edu or visit us on the 2nd floor of the Commons Building.


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© RallyZone - Edoardo Bauer
Dakar 2019: Aravind KP finishes the rally in 37th place
Ganesh Murthy
First, we congratulate Aravind KP for his achievement of completing the 41st edition of Dakar! His approach was calculated and his focus was finishing the rally and in the process, the Sherco TVS rider has gone down in history as the second Indian to complete the Dakar. He took home his RTR450 rally bike number 48 to 37th place overall in the 2019 edition of Dakar. He finished the final stage in 42nd place. "I am overjoyed and overwhelmed. I don't have words to say. It was the shortest stage but it was the longest one for me", said an ecstatic Aravind after completing the rally.
His teammate Adrien finished the stage in top ten, coming in ninth place. Overall, he is placed 22nd. Michael Metge finished the last stage in 75th place and as of now we do not know what setback he had. He won stage 9 of the rally, giving the team the best result in an individual stage in this year's Dakar. In overall standings, he is placed 25th. We extend our hearty congratulations to team Sherco TVS for its performance in this year's Dakar. This is TVS Racing's fifth Dakar outing.
Like every other team, Sherco TVS had its fair share of difficulties during the course of the rally. The first moment of jubilation came in stage 5, when the team's fastest rider Lorenzo Santolino broke into the top three in stage classification. His performance had been consistent until then. In the first stage he stood at the 25th place overall. The next stage saw him jump to 15th place and in the following stages he climbed up the ladder to be placed in 11th place overall. What happened next was a big blow to the team. The unexpected had happened, as Lorenzo Santolino had suffered a nasty crash in stage 6, that put an end to his debut Dakar outing. Just the previous stage had saw him break into the top three in stage classifications and the next day, he was airlifted to the hospital and his bike too was airlifted. It was a chilling sight to see his RTR 450 dangling on the ropes of chopper. Such is the cruel nature of this rally.
The spirit might have taken a beating in the Sherco TVS camp, but the show must go on and it came to the Metge brothers to rise to the occasion. And they did. Let's recap a bit, shall we? While Michael had a good start with his 12th place finish overall in the first stage, he had a fuel outage in the second stage due to which he dropped down the order to 62nd overall. He made up for lost places and leapfrogged to 28th place in third stage. The next two stages saw him climb up the ladder to 24th place, but in stage 6, his brother had mechanical issues with his bike and Michael stopped to help him. The brothers completed the stage, and the price was a small setback for Michael. This was also the stage where Lorenzo exited the rally due to the unfortunate crash. He bounced back in the seventh stage to finish it in 14th place, jumping to 31st place overall. The final stages saw Michael put a consistent performance and he won the penultimate stage of the rally, this climbing the ladder to 22nd position. Now, after 10 stages, he occupies the 25th place overall.
Adrien Metge posted consistent performance in the first few stages of the rally and he broke into the top 20 in the second stage itself. Till stage 5, he was in the top 20 but a mechanical issue in stage 6 saw him drop down the order to 33rd place overall. The next stage saw him lose pace due to slow riders in front of him, but managed to finish the stage without incidents and was placed 32nd overall. Stage 8 was a good run for him, as he finished the stage in top 15 and took the 26th place overall. The penultimate stage saw him finish in 20th position as he couldn't push the bike and himself too much because he was in physical strain. Nevertheless, he managed to break into the top 20. The final stage saw him take the 13th place and in overall standings, he has finished his Dakar outing in 22nd place.
So, a good run overall for team Sherco TVS at this Dakar, as they managed to post some good results despite the exit of its star rider in the middle of the rally.
This year's edition wasn't short of drama and following the Dakar is never short of watching a thriller flick, as the competitors brave the extreme conditions to emerge victorious. Grit, determination, fitness, ultra fast reflexes and the ability to tame their machines in the unforgiving conditions while keeping it all together if sh** hits the fan and then soldier on no matter how difficult the situation – the men and women who compete the Dakar can be classified as superhumans.
Here are the overall results:
Position Rider Team Time
1 Toby Price KTM Factory Team 33H 57′ 16"
2 Matthias Walkner KTM Factory Team 34H 06′ 29"
3 Sam Sunderland KTM Factory Team 34H 10′ 50"
22 Adrien Metge Sherco Rally Factory + 08H 38′ 55"
25 Michael Metge Sherco Rally Factory + 09H 59′ 10"
37 Aravind Prabhakar Sherco Rally Factory + 15H 51′ 27"
rallyDakar2019PeruAdrienAravindLimaMichaelSantolinoshercotvs
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What would you like to see happen with the arts in Waukegan in the next 3 to 5 years?
What do we need to do as an arts council, an organization, a business, an individual and/or as a community to get there? In other words, how do we get there from here?
Three general observations emerged from the discussion about the current state of the arts in Waukegan.
The arts are important to Waukegan. Through the years, citizens of Waukegan have enjoyed access to quality arts programming and cultural events provided by the schools, the park district, the library and the faith community. In recent years, the city has recognized the value of promoting the arts as a tool of economic development as evidenced by the city's support of the Genesee, the galleries and theaters downtown, the Karcher Artspace Lofts, the monthly ArtWauks and the efforts of the Waukegan Arts Council, Main Street and the city to promote the arts.
There is a renewed excitement about the arts in Waukegan. Words like "blossoming," "innovative," "grassroots," "great potential," "burgeoning," "considerable growth," "on the edge, " and "it's the best it ever was" were used to describe new arts initiatives in Waukegan.
The challenge to sustain the enthusiasm about the arts in Waukegan is daunting.
Many commented that the effort to promote the arts is fragmented, underfunded, and underappreciated. There is a need for more effective marketing, more restaurants, better lighting, greater police presence, more attractions downtown, bigger audiences, more diverse participation, and an outreach to the community beyond the downtown arts district.
The answer is simple. People want Waukegan to thrive as an arts destination with multiple arts venues, broad audiences, good restaurants, shops and hotels. They want a strategic arts plan for the city that builds on strong partnerships, creative marketing, youth involvement, and a unified calendar. They want Waukegan to be branded as the place where artists make a living and where people come to find interesting and creative things to do and see.
Develop a unified citywide plan to support and promote the arts that involves all stakeholders including artists, the city, the schools, the library, the park district, the faith community, Main Street, realtors, businesses, and our diverse population.
Maintain a central calendar of art related events and create an easy system for updating the calendar.
Develop and sustain essential partnerships with all stakeholders through social media and institutional connections.
Lobby the city to improve infrastructure – more parking, better lighting, and more police presence.
Develop a strong branding and marketing plan for the arts in Waukegan.
Create staff positions either through grants or city resources to oversee the implementation of the citywide arts strategies.
Plan events geared to the under 30 crowd.
Make it attractive for entrepreneurs to stage events in Waukegan such as music festivals and art fairs.
Find grants and develop corporate sponsorships for art related activities.
Build an awareness of the value of the arts so that everyone supports the effort, attends events, talks up what is happening art-wise, and brings friends to performances.


Fortunately, updating firmware is a simple process. If you are just updating one Receiver, you can connect to the Web Console and do it there. For multiple Receivers we recommend you use the "Bulk Firmware Update" feature in the Admin Portal. Please refer to the 13. Bulk Update page.


text:
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
    "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">

  <meta name="generator" content=
  "HTML Tidy for Linux/x86 (vers 12 April 2005), see www.w3.org" />

  <title>point_invalidation_guarantee Interface</title>
  <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content=
  "text/html; charset=us-ascii" />

<tt>point_invalidation_guarantee</tt> Interface

Signifies an invalidation guarantee that includes all those
    of its base, and additionally, that any point-type iterator,
    pointer, or reference to a container object's mapped value type
    is valid as long as its corresponding entry has not be erased,
    regardless of modifications to the container object.

Defined in: <tt>tag_and_trait.hpp</tt>

Base Classes

        Class

        Derivation Type

<tt>basic_invalidation_guarantee</tt>

public

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


You remember the warm days, I look forward from the cold. [3o August, 2o11]. - THE WORLD BY KEJMY.
You remember the warm days, I look forward from the cold. [3o August, 2o11].
Trošku neskoro, ale radšej teraz ako nikdy.
Jedného pekného teplého dňa sme si s Ajkou vyšli s Ivankou M. do záhrady umenia. Ivanka nám sľúbila, že nám spraví fotky... Tu je výsledok ♥.
English : A little later, but better now than never.
One nice warm day, me and Ajka went to the Garden of Art with Ivanka M. Ivanka has promised us that she will take photos of us... Here is the result ♥.
On The Photos : Kejmy & Ajka [http://curly-news.blogspot.com/].
Photos by : Ivanka M.
you have such an unique style :) loved your blog, it's very organized!
thanks for your lovely comment on my blog! Glad you appreciate it.
Contact me for any graphic work at valtricomi@gmail.com!
Your sunglasses are amazing!! I'm following you.
:], you've a lovely style!
Hi honey! Thanks for your comment! I absolutely agree with this tittle! I want the real Outum so much! here in Portugal, right now, it's warmer then it was in the Summer!
Loved your blog too! What do you think if we followed eachother?


text:
New FTS Research Reports on the Congo Now Online in French & English
by Terry FitzPatrick | Jul 12, 2013 | Congo, FTS Updates
Two new FTS field investigations are now available on our website in both French and English. The two reports break new ground in understanding the scope and impact of slavery in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Congo's Mining Slaves provides new evidence of...
New FTS Investigative Report Uncovers Widespread Slavery at Congo Mines
by Terry FitzPatrick | Jun 28, 2013 | Congo
Mining is a key source of export income for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC or Congo). Minerals such as tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold are shipped to industrialized nations for use in electronics, jewelry, manufacturing and many other industries. Congo's...


text:
Working at LANXESS
QUALITY WORKS.
Mobility of the future
With high-performance plastics such as Durethan®, Pocan®, and Tepex®, LANXESS is already paving the way today for the cars of tomorrow
As lightweight as possible and environmentally compatible – the demands placed on the cars of the future are increasing worldwide. There are a number of reasons for this, such as a growing scarcity of resources, coupled with a rapid rise in mobilization, especially in emerging markets. Subsequently, the need to reduce environmentally harmful carbon-dioxide emissions (CO2) per vehicle is also increasing. On top of this, the higher demands of consumers must also be considered. Today's consumers want more efficient models that are also safe, provide a high level of comfort, and go easy on the environment.
Sustainable mobility solution: lightweight design
Meeting all these needs creates challenges for car manufacturers and suppliers. One key technology here is lightweight design, because as efficient as a combustion engine these days may be, in the long run, automakers will most likely be able to cut the fuel consumption of gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles further by reducing overall vehicle weight. In this matter, LANXESS offers innovative solutions with its high-performance plastics Durethan®, Pocan® and Tepex®. They can replace many metal applications in cars and, in doing so, help lower fuel consumption while ensuring maximum safety. Such plastics are already used today in the body and the interior of a vehicle, such as in engine mountings and seat components, as well as for fuel doors and door handles.
Automakers under pressure
Given stricter CO2 limits set by the European Commission, there seems to be no way around this shift in the automotive industry. Beginning in 2020, a limit of 95 grams of CO2 per kilometer will apply to all newly registered passenger cars. It was still 130 grams in 2015. "In order to meet this target, vehicle manufacturers are quite simply putting their cars on a diet," says Tim Arping, Head of Marketing at LANXESS in the High Performance Materials business unit. "It is already possible to save up to 0.5 liters of fuel for every 100 kilometers with a weight reduction of 100 kilograms. Depending on the engine and type of fuel, that means between 8.8 and 12.5 fewer grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer."
Greater range for electric cars
Plastics already make up approximately 15 percent of a modern medium-sized vehicle nowadays. However, Tim Arping believes that this percentage will continue to increase – including with a view to electromobility. "Electric cars have a greater range if the vehicles are lighter," he explains. "The motor has to move less mass, which means the battery doesn't have to work as hard." The options that are available to satisfy consumers' desire for the greatest possible range are therefore limited: "Either I install a larger battery – which comes with high costs – or I reduce the vehicle's weight by using plastic components that are extremely stable, but still light."
Plastics in the bodywork
The high-tech plastics Durethan®, Pocan®, and Tepex® from LANXESS provide numerous benefits in this regard. For one, not only are they lighter than steel or aluminum, but they can also withstand aggressive biofuels. On top of this, they can be combined with other materials, such as metal. Thanks to this hybrid technology developed by LANXESS, it is also possible today to manufacture load-bearing, highly durable components that are on a par with their strictly steel competitors when it comes to safety and stability. At the same time, numerous functions can be integrated into the hybrid modules using LANXESS plastics, thereby saving system costs. One example of this is front-end systems. "As a hybrid made from plastics and metal, they are up to 40 percent lighter than strictly metal designs," Tim Arping says. "And in combination with our Tepex® technology, which can be used to include glass or carbon fibers in the plastic material, it is possible to cut down on weight even further."
Lightweight design as a prospect for the future – this is something that car designers realized a long time ago. Electric cars with just one window consisting of a combination between the windshield, roof, and A-pillar, or vehicle parts made out of plastic that change colors when exposed to sunlight, are just some of the ideas long since envisaged. As a result, the environmentally compatible cars of tomorrow will have a thing or two to offer in the way of looks. And it's all thanks to the cutting-edge materials of highly specialized companies like LANXESS that are already paving the way today to make this a reality.
Business Unit High Performance Materials
Durethan® and Pocan® are high-performance plastic materials on the rise, offering outstanding potential for growth and innovation. They also make a strong contribution to our High Performance Materials business unit.
Thanks to efficient production facilities and intensive product and application development, the business unit is one of the most competitive providers in the field. The production of Durethan® and Pocan® is further supported by our manufacture of strategically relevant intermediate products.
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"Quality works" – curtains up for the new LANXESS campaign


text:
Compounding Concerns For Animals Near And Dear
Veterinary Cardiologists Pump Out Progressive Treatments For Common Diseases
Allergies And Resistant Staph Infections Dominate Dermatological Concerns
Which Vet Tech School is Best? Community for Accredited Online Schools ranks each one
Does your school make the list?
Entyce - Canine Appetite Stimulant
Business & Financial, Other Medical Equipment & Supplies, Pharmacy
CUBEX Mini
From CUBEX
ULTRA 12040Hf Portable X-Ray Unit
The Community for Accredited Online Schools has come out with rankings for the best veterinary technician schools in the United States. Looking at online and on-campus programs at two-year and four-year schools, The Community for Accredited Online Schools determined which ones have the best overall value for future vet tech students.
"Job outlook projections show veterinary technician positions growing much faster than the national average through 2024," said Doug Jones, CEO and founder of the community for Accredited Online Schools. "Schools on these lists are not only providing quality veterinary technician programs, but are also making an extra effort to help students land a job after graduation."
According to AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org, the vet tech schools they looked at had to meet certain requirements.
"Schools must meet specific baseline requirements to be considered for a spot on the Best Veterinary Technician Schools ranking. All institutions must hold regional accreditation and be registered as public or private not-for-profit entities. Schools are also required to provide career placement services to their students. Once a school's eligibility is determined, the Community for Accredited Online Schools scores and ranks each based on more than a dozen data points, including graduation rates, student-teacher ratios and financial aid availability, to determine the overall Best Schools in the U.S."
Top 5 Two-Year Vet Tech Schools
San Juan College, Farmington, N.M.
Athens Technical College, Atlanta
Windward Community College, Honolulu
Chattanooga State Community College, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Northshore Technical Community College, Greensburg, La.
Best Four-Year Vet Tech Schools
Colorado Mountain College, Glenwood Springs, Colo.
St. Petersburg College, Largo, Fla.
Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, Tenn.
Becker College, Worcester, Mass.
Medaille College, Rochester, N.Y.
To see the full list of vet tech school rankings, go to The Community for Accredited Online Schools website.
Community for Accredited Online Schools Education Vet techs


text:
Q: Hash protobuf object to a string as the key for redis database I have some sort of complex protobuf object. It's a request sent to my GRPC endpoint. I want to just process it if I didn't before. So I want to hash the object to some string and store it in my Redis database. I used ObjectHash-Proto but with new versions of protobuf-compiler I got this error:
got an unexpected struct of type 'impl.MessageState' for field {Name:state PkgPath:... Type:impl.MessageState Tag: Offset:0 Index:[0] Anonymous:false}

Seems it does not support structs and new version of protobuf-compiler generates a code containing struct.
I can't generate some sort of ID for each request. The ID is actually the hash of the whole of the object.

A: If you have a proto.Message [1], then you get a Marshal function [2] for free.
So after you Marshal the message, you can just pass the bytes to base64, or
md5 or whatever you want:
package main

import (
   "encoding/base64"
   "google.golang.org/protobuf/proto"
   "google.golang.org/protobuf/types/known/structpb"
)

func hash(m proto.Message) (string, error) {
   b, err := proto.Marshal(m)
   if err != nil {
      return "", err
   }
   return base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString(b), nil
}

func main() {
   m, err := structpb.NewStruct(map[string]interface{}{
      "month": 12, "day": 31,
   })
   if err != nil {
      panic(err)
   }
   s, err := hash(m)
   if err != nil {
      panic(err)
   }
   println(s) // ChIKBW1vbnRoEgkRAAAAAAAAKEAKEAoDZGF5EgkRAAAAAAAAP0A=
}

*

*https://godocs.io/google.golang.org/protobuf/proto#Message

*https://godocs.io/google.golang.org/protobuf/proto#Marshal

A: Proto serialization is not stable, thus you can't rely on marshalling and hashing the output to produce the same hash for the same message.
From https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/docs/reference/go/faq#hash

How do I use a protocol buffer message as a hash key?
You need canonical serialization, where the marshaled output of a protocol buffer message is guaranteed to be stable over time. Unfortunately, no specification for canonical serialization exists at this time. You'll need to write your own or find a way to avoid needing one.

The closest solution I could find is deepmind objecthash-proto but there have been no contributions in last 4 years so I assume it might be outdated

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Jun 12, 2020 More on Operations
Projected payer spending for COVID-19 is lower, but report came out before a rise in cases
AHIP releases new data suggesting COVID-19 treatments could cost up to $546.6 billion - less than previous estimates.
Estimated payer spending for COVID-19 may be lower than initially projected, according to a new report released by America's Health Insurance Plans.
The first estimate released on March 30 showed COVID-19 treatment costs at between $56 and $556 billion. The new cost estimate is between $30 and $546.6 billion, according to the study done by Wakely.
For enrollees and beneficiaries, the out-of-pocket expenses could range from $2.8 billion to $48.6 billion of the total cost.
The new report came out on June 3, a week before a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases. On June 11, the Associated Press said numbers are rising in nearly half of the states.
Wakely looked into the potential costs of COVID-19 treatments for U.S. private insurance providers for 2020 and 2021. It is based on data on both COVID-19 costs, utilization and deferred care. Wakely included commercial health insurers, Medicaid managed care organizations and Medicare Advantage organizations in its research.
The updated report includes a lower rate of hospitalizations, higher costs for hospital visits and costs for deferred care.
Analysts developed these numbers based on modeled infection rates. They created a 10% infection rate representing no significant spikes in the next year-and-a-half; a 20% infection rate that indicates a scenario with ongoing infections and a small spike at the end of the year; and a 60% infection rate where there are ongoing infections and a large spike at the end of the year. They did not include a scenario in which a vaccine decreases infections in the next year.
Despite these updates, experts still say that there is uncertainty on the ultimate impact COVID-19, especially for the healthcare industry.
There is even more ambiguity surrounding delayed elective and nonemergency procedures that will have to be scheduled and paid for at a later date.
As many insurers start determining their premiums for 2021, these figures may provide needed context.
Under federal law, insurers must spend at least 80% of their revenue on medical care. The extra money must go back to the purchasers.
With so many procedures being postponed due to COVID-19, many insurers are giving out refunds. Using preliminary data reported by insurers to state regulators and compiled by Market Farrah Associates, Kaiser suggested that insurers will be issuing a total of about $2.7 billion across all markets – nearly doubling the previous record high of $1.4 billion last year.