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Bitfury Releases Proposal for Bitcoin Lightning Micropayments Routing
By cineramaJuly 7, 2016Bitcoin Business
Click here to view original web page at www.coindesk.com
Bitfury Group, in collaboration with the open-source Lightning Network community, has released a white paper that explores how the in-development micropayments protocol could more effectively route bitcoin payments between users when launched.
Long an outstanding question facing the Lightning Network, one of the more acclaimed proposals aimed at scaling the bitcoin network to accommodate higher transaction volumes, the 40-page white paper introduces a new routing system it calls Flare, which employs a hybrid of existing strategies for path discovery and selection in decentralized systems.
Overall, the system is perhaps best described as a proposal for how the Lightning Network could manage trade-offs between performance, scalability and centralization while offering a network model that does not assume hostile behavior.
In interview, members of both Bitfury and the Lightning Network community sought to position the paper as a successful collaboration that shows how different stakeholders in the bitcoin community are coming together to forge ahead on difficult technical challenges.
For its part, Bitfury lauded the Lightning Network as an "unparalleled solution" to scaling the bitcoin blockchain, one that it would support as a way to enable financial inclusion, as well as non-financial uses of blockchain technology.
"We decided to collaborate with the Lightning Network team on this project because we believe the Lightning Network will bring scalability to the bitcoin blockchain that is of orders of magnitude beyond what the blockchain can currently support," Bitfury CEO Valery Vavilov told CoinDesk.
The paper, released today, was authored by Bitfury researchers Pavel Prihodko, Slava Zhigulin, Mykola Sahno and Aleksei Ostrovskiy, as well as new Lightning employee Olaoluwa Osuntokun. It presents a new way for how Lightning Networks could map routing paths, as well as execute routing on-demand.
In more simplistic terms, Lightning co-founder Joseph Poon described the paper as one that moves Lightning Network away from the earlier hub-and-spoke routing models that were critiqued by members of the community as likely to lead to a more centralized node network.
"With payment channels, there could be millions or hundreds of thousands of nodes connected with each other. This explores how the network could find a path from sender to recipient in a decentralized way," Poon told CoinDesk, adding:
"It shows that nodes can have a partial view, but find everyone with a high probability."
Node neighborhoods
Perhaps the most important new concept introduced by the Flare proposal is the concept of having Lightning nodes also act as "beacon nodes", which would provide other nodes with visibility in a local radius.
Osuntokun explained that, rather than creating a hierarchy of nodes, Flare would allow nodes to select peers to behave as "landmark nodes" that would help others identify how to manage steps needed to relay a payments.
"As a result, a node's network view is fog of war like, with strong visibility close in a local radius, boosted by random feeler connections farther away. This allows a node to maintain routing state with space complexity logarithmic with respect to total network size, while ensuring reachability to all other nodes with high probability," the white paper reads.
However, Osuntokun sought to emphasize that this is just one possible solution for Lightning Network routing, and that the team behind the proposal is open to feedback.
"We're not promising this is the one true way. This strategy, I think, could work fairly well in terms of where bitcoin is headed and that will allow iterative improvements," Poon said.
Poon further suggested that the work being conducted for Lightning could have broader implications for mesh networks, thereby decentralizing the Internet more broadly.
"If you have a mesh network and you want to pay your neighbors for routing to the Internet, it's the same tech and it's a clear application," he continued.
Simulation stage
While a step forward, all parties acknowledged that this proposal is at the simulation stage, and that work will need to be done to validate the technology.
For the white paper, the Bitfury and Lightning Network estimate that the network could scale to accommodate "millions" of users, a figure that may or may not be enough to accommodate more than bitcoin's existing users.
"Simulations show it is enough to store paths to about the square root of the number of nodes in the network (provided nodes are reasonably well connected). For a network with 100,000 nodes, it is enough to store paths to just 600 nodes," the paper reads.
In addition, the paper states concerns that still linger about how Lightning Network could be successfully deployed, noting for instance, that one of the unsolved issues is how the network will incentivize a large number of global nodes to stay online simultaneously.
Elsewhere, the paper is similarly measured about challenges ahead, discussing how scaling this network of nodes is another challenge.
"Unless the network functions efficiently, there may be little incentive for people to put their bitcoin in LN channels. Ideally, a wide array of industry and community participants would run LN nodes, helping to bootstrap the network," the paper notes.
Bitfury's new direction
The release also represents a significant investment from Bitfury, the bitcoin mining specialist that has been diversifying its interest into blockchain technology more generally.
For example, Vavilov said that Lightning Network is now one of the company's "top priorities", and that it will continue to research and test flare. Vavilov said the company has five full-time employees working on Lightning, as well as forthcoming software offerings.
Going forward, Vavilov said he sees a potential for some of this work to be commercialized, if successful.
"We are in early stages of testing and research. If the Lightning Network is successful, there are many potential uses and opportunities for commercialization," he said, concluding:
"We are heavily invested in improving the scalability of the bitcoin blockchain, and will continue to explore partnerships that bring about this reality."
For more details, read the full white paper below:
Jameson Lopp contributed reporting.
Long an outstanding question facing the Lightning Network , one of the more acclaimed proposals aimed at scaling the bitcoin network to accommodate higher transaction volumes, the 40-page white paper introduces a new routing system it calls Flare, which employs a hybrid of existing strategies for path discovery and selection in decentralized systems.
In more simplistic terms, Lightning co-founder Joseph Poon described the paper as one that moves Lightning Network away from the earlier hub-and-spoke […]
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I will be in the barrel room at the Steven Kent Winery on both days from noon until 4 PM. There is no fee for the event but there is a fee if you choose to taste the wine. All of the wineries in the Livermore valley participate in this, most wineries have vendors with crafts, food products and much more. This is an adult event and it is a great way to complete all of your holiday shopping while tasting some wonderful wines.


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Siobhan Cattigan, née le  à Stirling et morte le , est une joueuse de rugby à XV écossaise. Elle représente l'Écosse au niveau international de 2018 jusqu'à sa mort en 2021.

Carrière en club
Cattigan joue pour les Stirling County Ladies. Elle commence à jouer pour l'équipe en 2014, jouant aussi en parallèle pour l'équipe de l'Université de Stirling . Elle est capitaine de l'équipe qui remporte la BUCS League lors de la saison 2016-2017.

Cattigan joue au poste de centre pour son université et son club, avant de passer en troisième ligne, généralement en position 6 ou 8, que ce soit en club ou en sélection.

Carrière internationale
Cattigan est invitée à rejoindre l'équipe de développement de Rugby Scotland en 2017 et est incluse dans l'équipe qui a battu l'Espagne lors d'un match non officiel en novembre 2017.

Elle fait ses débuts internationaux au Championnat féminin des Six Nations 2018 lors d'un match entre le Pays de Galles et l'Écosse, entrant en jeu au poste de troisième ligne aile. L'équipe s'incline sur le score de 18-17, après avoir été menée 13-0 à la pause. Elle fait partie de l'équipe s'imposant à l'extérieur contre l'Irlande lors du Championnat féminin des Six Nations 2018, une première victoire à l'extérieur pour les Écossaises en 12 ans. Elle participe à la tournée de l'équipe écossaise en Afrique du Sud en 2019, gagnant contre l'équipe sud-africaine au Cap.

Cattigan fait partie de l'équipe écossaise sélectionnée pour le Championnat féminin des Six Nations 2021 et débute lors du premier match contre l'Angleterre en position de n°8, avec Rachel Malcolm et Rachel McLachlan à ses côtés. Elle prend la place de l'habituelle titulaire Jade Kondel. Le sélectionneur Bryan Easson explique sa décision : .

Au total, Cattigan fait 19 apparitions pour l'Écosse. Sa dernière apparition a lieu lors d'un match de qualification pour la Coupe du monde de rugby 2021 contre l'Espagne en septembre 2021. Elle n'a pas joué lors du match de l'Écosse en novembre 2021 contre le Japon.

Vie privée
Cattigan joue pour la première fois au rugby à l'âge de cinq ans pour les McLaren Minis dans sa ville natale de Callander. L'entraîneur de l'équipe est son père, qui était joueur au club. Elle pratique ce sport de cinq ans jusqu'à 12 ans, et son entrée en école secondaire. Elle a ensuite joué une saison pour l'équipe féminine des moins de 15 ans Monklands, basée à Coatbridge, avant d'arrêter pendant ses études en lycée, reprenant à l'âge de 19 ans à l'Université de Stirling.

Elle reçoit le War Memorial Prize de la part de son école secondaire en reconnaissance de son travail caritatif pour la Yorkhill Children's Foundation. Elle étudie la criminologie et la sociologie à l'Université de Stirling, suivant en parallèle avec une maîtrise en psychologie du sport.

Siobhan Cattigan meurt le 26 novembre 2021 à l'âge de 26 ans ; aucune information sur les causes de son décès n'est communiquée. En juillet 2022, sa famille, soutenue par plusieurs de ses coéquipières, invoque de supposés manquements aux mesures de prévention de la santé des joueurs (Siobhan Cattigan aurait été victime de commotions cérébrales à répétition lors de matchs entre février 2020 et avril 2021, sans que les mesures appropriées de mise à l'écart aient été prises. Elle aurait notamment été invitée à retourner sur le terrain après un choc violent lors de la rencontre l'opposant à l'équipe du Pays de Galles lors du tournoi des 6 nations 2021). La famille intente une action en justice contre la fédération écossaise et contre World Rugby. Les dirigeants écossais ne reconnaissent pas ces faits allégués.

Notes et références

Liens externes

  Siobhan Cattigan sur scottishrugby.org (consulté le 7 mai 2021)

Joueuse écossaise de rugby à XV
Troisième ligne aile (rugby à XV)
Naissance en avril 1995
Naissance à Stirling
Décès à 26 ans
Décès en novembre 2021

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


When your jaw is not in the proper position, often it can causes the TMJ disk to be displaced and the joint spaces to be closed. As a result you may experience clicking jaw or popping jaw upon opening or closing your mouth. The clicking in the jaw may happen during daily activities such as eating, yawning, or biting into a sandwich.
In extreme cases the displacement of the disk may cause the jaw to lock after a wide opening of the mouth and the patient may not be able to close his or her mouth. This is a serious condition and if left untreated will continue to deteriorate. Should you experience a locked jaw, you need to contact Dr. Eddie Siman, the TMJ expert ASAP.
TMD may cause mild to severe pain and discomfort in the jaw joint area. This symptom can be temporary or last many years. One or both sides of your face may be affected. Jaw related symptons of TMJ may vary from person to person in type and severity.


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Armin van Buuren & Tom Staar return for second jam 'Let Go' feat Josha Daniel: Listen
By Alexander Costello
ASOT head-honcho Armin van Buuren and Ibiza resident Tom Staar prove they're the perfect match as the pair join forces once again for their brand new single 'Let Go'.
With new music flying around the dance music scene, 'Let Go' certainly tops the picking list for this month so far. The collaboration sees Armin and Tom team up to deliver another club-ready track that will no doubt earn plenty of airtime upon circulation around the globe. Ensuing the new song receives as much success as possible, the pair have enlisted music artist Josha Daniel for the vocals which instantly resonate alongside the melody of 'Let Go'. However, the drop is what truly turns this production into a trance-driven masterpiece as the synths, basslines, and melodic vibes entwine for the perfect listening experience. Arriving via Armada Music, 'Let Go' is available to stream now on most major platforms.
Armin van Buuren can put no foot wrong as he continues to show why he's widely regarded as one of the dance music industry's most influential artists of all time. With his new collaboration ready to leave the trance-faithful wanting more, fans are still enjoying 'Tell Me Why', an atmospherical single that features Sarah Reeves and is filled with signature Arming vibes from start to finish. There's no doubt that the Dutchman continues to move from strength to strength with no slowing down.
Tom Staar is another artist who has long been established as one of the best trance DJs we've had the pleasure to witness. Fresh off the heels from his collaboration with Ferry Corsten, the duo has set the standard for 2021 with their insanely addictive track 'Glow'. Be sure to stay tuned because there is plenty more to come from Armin van Buuren and Tom Staar in the following months. Check out 'Let Go' below. Join us on our socials and be sure to let us know what you think about this collaboration.
Image credit: Rukes.com
Tags: armada music, Armin Van Buuren, Josha Daniel, Let Go, Tom Staar

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Aphios Granted US Patent For Combination HIV Latency Nano...
Aphios Granted US Patent For Combination HIV Latency Nanoparticles Towards an HIV Cure
WOBURN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#AIDS--Aphios Corporation announced today that it has been granted US Patent No. 11,234,932 for treating HIV latency towards an HIV cure.
Since the start of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in 1982, over 36 million people have died from AIDS and there were approximately 38 million people living with HIV in 2018. Antiretroviral (ART) is very effective in controlling replication of the virus in most cells. HIV, however, establishes latent long-term infection in a small pool of memory CD4+ T (immune) and other cells, which contain integrated but transcriptionally silent HIV provirus. These cellular virus reservoirs are a potential source of rapid HIV virus reactivation and progression to AIDS if ART is stopped for any reason. There are no commercially available drugs for treating HIV latency and/or curing HIV.
The Aphios 11,234,932 patent is part of a family of patents for a combination of two Latency Reversal Agents (LRAs) -- a Protein Kinase C (PKC) modulator of the anti-tumor class, 'Bryoids' and a Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor co-encapsulated in long-circulating pegylated nanoparticles to purge latent HIV from cellular reservoirs. These patents are for the nanoparticles, medications, their manufacturing and uses. The two LRAs act synergistically. Bryostatin-1 activates, via a classical PKC pathway, transcription factors such as NF-κB that binds HIV-1 promoters and regulates their transcription, while the HDAC inhibitors increase histone acetylation, relaxing (opening) chromatin and facilitating the transcription of HIV-1 genes.
Dr. Trevor P, Castor, CEO, Aphios and inventor of the issued patent states that "HIV/AIDS is a pandemic/endemic we are still battling on par with the current COVID-19 pandemic, and pandemics of the past such as the 14th century Bubonic Plague and the 20th century Spanish Flu. Our combination therapy is designed to activate latent HIV reservoirs for clearance by antiretrovirals and/or the patient's immune system towards an HIV cure to eliminate the long-term economic burden of ARV drug costs, associated drug-induced side effects and social stigma."
About Aphios Corporation:
Aphios (www.aphios.com) is an emerging growth, green biotechnology company developing enabling technology platforms to improve drug discovery and manufacturing, nanotechnology drug delivery and pathogenic safety. Based on these platforms, Aphios is developing enhanced therapeutics to improve quality-of-life and treat chronic diseases including cancers, infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and central nervous system disorders in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Trevor P. Castor, Ph.D., CEO
tcastor@aphios.com


As Co-Founder & President of Kel & Partners, a leading public relations & social media agency for consumer & emerging technology brands, Ginny's responsibilities are many: chief strategist, client relations manager, new business impresario, human resources administrator, IT savant and enthusiast of all things social.
Whether defining social media strategies or delivering branded websites or applications, she delivers focused, dead-on results for clients like Staples, UNREAL Brands, TrueCar.com, Cumberland Farms, Travoom.com, Flooring America & others.
Beyond this, Ginny is the ideal "employee champion," ensuring Kel & Partners' true rock stars understand that Life-Work-Balance is more than a mere approach to business: It's Kel & Partner's fundamental way of doing business & our fierce battle cry.
Ginny is truly gifted at attentive relationship management; a skill treasured by clients who have worked with her throughout her stellar career - from Bill Hudson & Associates (one of Tennessee's leading public relations & creative agencies) to Fidelity Investments.
With a BA from Syracuse University & an MS from Middle Tennessee State University, Ginny will quickly tell you her most prized accomplishments are her family and menagerie of animals.


The technology of repairing concrete hydraulic structures of the White Sea-Baltic Canal in winter using BASF materials is discussed.
Translated from Gidrotekhnicheskoe Stroitel'svo, No. 7, July 2018, pp. 11 – 15.


The FSB cable series provides higher performance than typical low loss and phase stable cables. It offers extra low loss, light weight, and high phase stability versus mechanical and temperature change.
This cable series features a silver-plated copper center conductor, low density PTFE dielectric, silver-plated copper tape wrapping outer conductor, silver-plated copper braid shield, and grey FEP outer jacket. FSB series cable accepts standard solder-on connectors. Typical applications include military and phased-array radars, electronic warfare (EW), and mechanical equipment. It is available for quick delivery as cable or finished cable assemblies with custom labeling. We can also provide phase matching assemblies up to 67 GHz. There is no minimum order quantity.


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Year in Review: Sex on the Beach - Melissa Schroeder
Year in Review: Sex on the Beach
Posted: December 30, 2010 August 6, 2012 at 12:52 pm · View all 2 comments
YAY, we can have some more fun in the sun with our Hawaiian Holidays. Today, Siren is releasing the second book of my Hawaiian Holidays series, Sex on the Beach. Eddie is one of my favorite kind of heroines. I like them all tough on the outside trying to keep from getting hurt. But when the right guy, or guys in this case, come along, she goes all out with two very ALPHA Marines from her past.
A sidenote: Eddie is Cam Mitchell's sister. Cam also had an appearance in Delilah's Downfall as an old boyfriend and does show up in Sex on the Beach. He and his brothers will have their own story, Morgan's Men, I hope to finish that one up really soon and hopefully, Siren will accept it.
Remember to vote for your favorite heroes~~~~~~>
Siren Menage Amour
Edwina Mitchell, Eddie to her friends, doesn't think she can have a happily ever after. She grew up with multiple fathers and never wanted to do that to a child. The problem is, she's in love with two men from her past. When she runs into them in Hawaii, she thinks it is just another carefree weekend, but the guys have another plan.
Drew Masterson and Sean Childress have served their country and now they're ready to enjoy life. That means opening a dive shop and finding the woman they both love, Eddie Mitchell. When they get a second chance with her, they refuse to fail. With New Year's Eve approaching, they decide to do everything in their power to convince her she is the one for them.
"How about a swim?" she asked.
"Sounds like a great idea," Drew said. He stood easily, his fluid muscles rippling as he stood. Damn, the man had a set of legs on him. Her gaze moved higher to the bulge behind the stretchy fabric of his trunks. Heat flared in her tummy, her body humming with anticipation. He held out his hand and helped her up and then led her out to the water. Sean was following.
She didn't so much see him, but felt him as she walked to the water's edge. When they touched wet sand, Drew dropped her hand and she tossed him a smile. This she could handle. Sand squished between her toes, and she could taste the salt in the air. With a whoop, she ran into the water and dove under the surface. She didn't have to look around to see if they were following her. She knew they were.
Before long, they caught up to her. A hand slipped over her ankle and tugged. Without looking, she knew it was Sean. It was odd, but even after all these years, she knew these men better than any lover before or since their last encounter together.
She allowed Sean to pull her back. They were in deep water, but she could still touch the sandy bottom. Drew slipped behind her as Sean pulled her closer. Her heart hammered against her chest, her body shimmering with the heat only the two of them had been able to cause. Never before or since had she been this taken with a man…or men.
"I have to say, I think this is fate," Sean said as he pulled her against his body. His hard cock pressed against her pussy as Drew settled his hands on her hips from behind.
"Yeah?" she said, her voice heavy with arousal. She cocked her head to one side. "How's that?"
"We never came to this beach, but both of us decided to come today," Sean said.
She slipped her hands up and over his shoulders. "Hmm, true."
Emotions tumbled inside of her as Drew settled his mouth on the back of her neck. Sean was looking at her so seriously…completely un-Sean-like. Drew's mouth moved over her neck, then she heard his intake of breath.
"When did you get this?" he asked, his breath feathering over her flesh. Her nipples tightened, her cunt pulsed.
"W-what?"
She couldn't think. Sean had slipped his hands up her torso, rubbing his thumbs over her nipples. They tightened with just a few strokes.
"This tattoo. When did you get it?"
Shit, she had forgotten about the tattoo. She'd gotten it a few days after arriving back in Baltimore. It was a picture of palm trees. She never told her friends why, but she had a feeling they knew.
"A few years ago," she hedged.
He grunted, which told her that he didn't believe her, but he didn't push. He would, there was no doubt about that. But for now, she had dodged the bullet.
His hands moved over her ass, slipping under her bikini bottom, his finger tracing the line between her cheeks. She shivered and closed her eyes. Heat licked through her blood, danced over her nerve endings. Damn. In just a few minutes these two men had her ready to beg for sex. They were making her so hot that she was amazed the water didn't start to boil around her. They had always been her weakness. No man had been able to do it to her until she met these two.
A splash of water hit her face, breaking the spell they created. She opened her eyes to see a boy just a few yards from them. Holy crap. She glanced around them and realized they were completely surrounded by families. None of them seemed to have noticed, but it was a close call.
What the hell am I doing?
Tags: Year in Review • sex on the beach
Categories: Hawaiian Holidays
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2 Comments on "Year in Review: Sex on the Beach"
Brandy W says:
I need to go download mine. Now where is that cable? hmmmm
Celtie says:
Just finished it !! So good and I love Cam !! Congrats Mel on another fantastic book !!


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The race against homelessness
By Jasmine Kim (Journalism 1 student)
As you wait for the red light to turn green, a man sitting on the curb catches your eye, but you quickly turn away because once you make eye contact, it's game over. You turn back to face the road, but suddenly, you hear a knock on your window. You turn to the man as though you've just noticed him, and slowly begin to take in the unshaven chin, chapped lips, tangled and matted hair, and ragged clothing. He holds a cardboard sign in one hand and shakes his cup in the other, signaling you to roll down the car window to request for some spare change, even if it's just a few coins. As you scan the man's face, it becomes evident that an exhausted expression has nearly replaced the spark in his eye that's still faintly there. Your heart starts to soften a little for the poor man, so you roll down the window and drop a bill or two into his cup.
An estimated 41,290 homeless people live in the city of Los Angeles alone, a substantial 16.1 percent increase from the 2020 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count released by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA).
The number of homeless individuals in Los Angeles continues to rise and with no end in sight. But where does homelessness begin?
A growing problem in this city is housing shortages, which causes the prices of homes to skyrocket. Los Angeles is one of the most expensive cities to live in worldwide, and 92 percent of homes are too costly for an average citizen according to LAist.
The LAHSA found that an Angeleno is required to earn $47.52 per hour in order to bear the burden of paying monthly rent, but they tend to earn $33 on average.
According to a press release for the New York Times with Los Angeles mayor, Eric Garcetti, housing affordability is the greatest factor driving homelessness. Increases in housing prices force many households to spend the majority of their income on rent, ultimately leading to a rise in homelessness. He fights to confront the crisis by increasing funding, expanding the number of houses in Los Angeles, and focusing on legislation that would slow the skyrocketing rent prices. Garcetti's proposal is effective because one family at a time is receiving a home, but this is not enough.
Society tends to have a stereotype of the homeless, but there are some within the homeless population whom the public rarely get to see: the ones who are trying to escape the world of homelessness and move on to fit into society.
One representative of this group is Jazmin Castillo, a 25-year-old mother of three. Castillo lives in one of the family shelters developed by the non-profit foundation Hope of the Valley. This shelter is an actual home that blends in with the neighborhood, holding multiple rooms to shelter multiple families. The purpose of the house is to stay camouflaged because this shelter specializes in taking in mothers escaping abusive relationships.
Although Castillo's life in a shelter is different from the norm, many not suffering from homelessness share similar views, concerns, perspectives, responsibilities, and even dreams.
Castillo's views of family have changed over time. As a teenager, family was not as important in her life because her parents wanted her to become a different version of who she considered herself to be. However, becoming a mother of three boys has drastically changed her priorities.
Every parent worries about their children's education and the skills and habits they learn to succeed, for instance. As a parent, the success of her children is the source of her joy.
"The world doesn't revolve around attending high school, receiving diplomas, and getting good jobs. Kids need to learn how to work and save your money to get what you want," Castillo said.
People of all ages have different responsibilities in their families. Parents do their very best to raise their children into proper adults. However, life does not always deal the easiest cards.
"Paying rent is the hardest thing. Imagine not having to worry about paying rent or bills," Castillo states.
The values Castillo carries in life are no different to the ones society believes in. Castillo also shows extreme gratitude for her children and is proud of her accomplishments as a mother in raising them to become who they are today.
"l want my boys to see that their mom never gave up and pushed through even during hard times, that I had faith," Castillo said.
People tend to mock the homeless, but those actively struggling to climb out of poverty and homelessness exist. Castillo represents the minority of the homeless who are hidden from the public eye. They are so close to the finish line of escaping homelessness, yet even closer to returning to the streets of where they started. The homeless minority, like Castillo, represents the hope of the future for the homeless. The homeless must be seen, heard, and provided opportunities that many take for granted, and we must do our part to help them begin their trek out of poverty.
Posted in FeatureTagged Homelessness, Jasmine Kim
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Speedway Tours
Get up-close and behind the scenes at the World Center of Racing! Tours run daily and leave every thirty minutes beginning at 9:30 AM with the last tour of the day running at 3:00 PM. Tours last about 60 minutes. Tickets for our Speedway Tour are $25 for Adults, $20 for kids age 5 to 12 and free for kids under 4.
*NEW* - All tours now include a digital photo package included with your tour ticket!
Daily Tours are available for purchase online and at the Ticket & Tours Building. Click on the link below to see available tour dates and times.
BUY SPEEDWAY TOUR
*The start/finish line and pit road experiences are dependent on track activity and will not occur if there are events scheduled. Visit the Modified & Unavailable Tour Dates section below for more information.
VIP Tours run every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:00 P.M.
This roughly 2.5 hour tour features an exclusive stop to the NASCAR Archives & Research Center and Press Box in addition to visiting the Axalta Injector and the infield of Daytona International Speedway before ending at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. VIP Tour Tickets are $55 per person and can be purchased online or by calling 1-800-PIT-SHOP (1-800-748-7467).
BUY VIP TOUR
Students can gain firsthand information on how all STEM principles come together in one place – the World Center of Racing!
The 60-minute All Access Field Trip includes*:
A behind-the-scenes look at the World Center of Racing!
Learn from our talented Tourologists about what makes Daytona so special, from our rich history of racing on the beach to the 31 degree high banks you see today!
Learn what it takes to be a NASCAR driver with a visit to the drivers meeting room where you'll watch an educational video about how to conquer Daytona International Speedway!
Visit the historic start/finish line!
Ride down pit road to get a close-up view of the pit stalls!
Celebrate your visit with a photo opportunity in Victory Lane!
Have your picture taken with the Champion DAYTONA 500 Car!
Following the tour, your group can access the new Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, showcasing spectacular displays honoring all forms of motorsports: Stock Cars, Sports Cars, Open-Wheel, Motorcycles, Drag Racing, Land Speed Records, Powerboating and Aviation.
Available Times:
*Schedule subject to change based on track rental, testing and weather conditions. Limited track access based on scheduled track activity.
For more information about booking your next fieldtrip, please call Stephanie Koven at (386) 681-5538 or email skoven@daytonainternationalspeedway.com.
Modified Tour Dates
Dates listed below will have a Modified Tour route due to on-track activity that prevents Tours from accessing the start/finish line and pit road area:
January: 14, 15, 21 - 23, 31
February: 4 - 6, 11 - 13, 21
March: 7, 8
April: 1 - 3, 11, 12, 14 - 16, 18, 19, 25 - 30
May: 1, 6 - 8, 12 - 17, 23 - 25, 30, 31
June: 1 - 4, 9 - 11, 14 - 19, 21 - 30
July: 4 - 10, 12 - 17, 19 - 24, 29 - 31
August: 5 - 7, 11 - 14, 18 - 21, 29
September: 8 - 11, 15 - 18, 20, 21, 23 - 28, 30
October: 4, 5, 7 - 9, 21 - 23, 28 - 30
November: 1 - 6, 10 - 13,
December: 6, 7, 9 - 15, 17, 18
Unavailable Tour Dates
Due to on-track activities, there will be no tours on the following days:
January: 7 - 9, 11, 12, 26 - 30
February: 15 - 20
March: 5, 6, 9 - 12, 25 - 27
April: 6 - 10, 17
May: 18 - 22, 26 - 29
June: n/a
July: 1 - 3
August: 25 - 28
September: n/a
October: 13 - 16
November: 24 - 27
December: 2 - 4, 24, 25
Each tour has a limited capacity and is sold on a first-come, first serve basis. Tours leave promptly at their scheduled time, so please be sure to arrive early.
Advance purchase for Tours dates & times are available by clicking here. Any tickets not sold in advance will be available for purchase at the Ticket Office. All ticket sales will be cut off five minutes prior to each tour time.
If you or someone in your party has special needs, please let your ticket agent know so we may be able to best assist you.
The start/finish line and pit road experiences are dependent on track activity and will not occur if there are events scheduled. Please click on the Modified Tour Dates tab for more information.
This tour is conducted on an open-air tram and will continue to run in the rain. There is a chance you could get wet. Please check our weather radar for the most up to date weather info.
Tours will NOT continue if there is lightning within five miles of the track. Rain checks may be issued but no refunds will be offered.
Coolers are NOT allowed on tours. However, guests can take one beverage on the tour with them if it has a lid or is resealable.
Michael McDowell's No. 34 Love's Travel Stop Ford Mustang DAYTONA 500 CHAMPION
2021 DAYTONA 500 Champion Michael McDowell's winning No.34 Love's Travel Stop Ford Mustang will be on display to all tour visitors through 2021 and into 2022. The champion car will be given back to Front Row Motorsports the morning of February 20, 2022, the day of the DAYTONA 500!
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America moved from its previous longtime home in Novi, Michigan and is now housed in the DIS Ticket and Tours Building, showcasing spectacular displays honoring all forms of motorsports: Stock Cars, Sports Cars, Open-Wheel, Motorcycles, Drag Racing, Land Speed Records, Powerboating and Aviation.
Classic machines from those competitive arenas highlight the hall, along with bronze sculptures of all 230 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductees, including a special shrine to the most recent seven individuals.
Admission to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is included as part of each Daytona International Speedway Tour. Additional admissions options are available to visit the Hall of Fame for guests that arrive after the last Daily Tour departs each day (3:00 PM), or for those that may not be able to take a Tour. Operating hours are 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM daily, with no ticket sales occurring after 4:15 PM. Adults are $12 and Kids (age 5-12) are $7. This admission is also available during event days when no Daily Tours are offered.
Pit Shop Retail Store
The Pit Shop retail store is open daily from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Be sure to check out all the latest merchandise options for Daytona International Speedway and NASCAR. The Pit Shop has a wide vareity of shirts, hats, accessories and novelty items for fans of all ages! Please note the Pit Shop is now cashless - only credit cards are accepted.
You may also shop the entire Pit Shop collection online by clicking here!


Brian Bridges, Darby School District, USA "The pricing was very competitive, the range presented us with options at different price/performance points to select from."
ApplianSys is pleased to announce the opening of a US office in Austin, Texas. This increased presence in the US will allow ApplianSys to better serve US Education, ISP and Enterprise customers, as well as strengthen sales and technical support to its channel partner community throughout the Americas.
ApplianSys CEO Mike Clark explains: "Our first US customer back in 2003 was to Bell County District Health in Temple, Texas, who bought a DNSBOX solution. So it seems only right and proper that our new US base is just down the road in Austin! Since then, we've seen our sales across the Americas grow year on year, and of course around the rest of the world, so that we now have customers in 135 countries.
"But in recent years we have seen particularly sharp growth in Latin America, Canada and the United States. CACHEBOX sales to US school districts have risen steadily for 3 or 4 years. As always, increasing bandwidth has simply created further demand for content, and the need for caching has not gone away, but instead become more critical.
"This trend reached the point where the FCC decided to allocate budget specifically for web caching in the schools E-Rate funding cycle for 2015 – and expects to continue it to at least 2019. Well when we started out nearly 15 years ago, the UK government was doing the same thing for UK schools. In the face of the dot.com crash, that's where we first focused, with dedicated cache appliances designed to meet the specific needs of schools. We gained high share of the UK market, and that got our business properly started.
"In this first E-Rate caching cycle, we were delighted to find that ApplianSys came out as the leading vendor, awarded 25% of bids submitted. With many more schools expected to use funding for caching in the upcoming budget years, and with high growth in other segments in North and South America, it became obvious to us we need to increase support to the sales and support partner network we already have in place across the continent, by putting more boots on the ground.
Austin is the state capital of Texas and the 11th most populous city in US and the nation's fastest growing, having doubled in population in 20 years.
It's location in the South Central region of the country lend it a diverse cultural character with over 30% of the population speaking Spanish as a first language. It's the 'live music capital of the world', home to Austin City Limits, Keep Austin Weird and the US Formula 1 Grand Prix.
The proliferation of technology companies with operations in Austin has led to the region's nickname, "the Silicon Hills". It was recently recognised by Forbes Magazine as having the strongest Technology sector of any US city.


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Battle of New Orleans: Introduction
Stop 1 of 10 in the Battle of New Orleans tour
By Mary Ann Wegmann, Louisiana State Museum & University of New Orleans History Department
Tour navigation: Tour Info | Next
Almost 200 years ago, on January 8, 1815, Major General Andrew Jackson and his outnumbered American defenders overwhelmed veteran British troops at the Battle of New Orleans. The battle took place five miles downriver from New Orleans in Chalmette, Louisiana, where the British hoped to take control of the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Major General Sir Edward Pakenham, the brother-in-law of the Duke of Wellington, commanded more than 10,000 British troops and launched an offensive early in the morning of January 8th. Jackson's forces included soldiers and sailors, as well as state militia from Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi. African Americans, Cherokee Indians and Jean Lafitte's Baratarian pirates also served under Jackson. The Americans defended with deadly artillery and rifles, resulting in British casualties of more than 2,500 (about 700 dead) in contrast to 71 American casualties (about 13 dead).
Andrew Jackson praised his combined troops:
Natives of different states, acting together, for the first time in this camp; differing in habits and language, instead of viewing in these circumstances, the germ of distrust and division, you have made them the source of an honourable emulation, and from the seeds of discord itself, have reaped the fruits of an honourable union . . .
January 8 was the final in a series of four land engagements between General Jackson's forces and British forces, led by Major General Edward Pakenham. Andrew Jackson defended the city against these seasoned troops who had fought the French under the Duke of Wellington.
General Jackson described the battle as fierce and deadly:
Early on the morning of the 8th, the enemy having been actively employed the two preceding days, in making preparations for a storm, advanced in two strong columns on my right and left. They were received however with a firmness which it seems they little expected, and which defeated all their hopes. My men, undisturbed by their approach, which indeed they long anxiously wished for, opened upon them a fire, so deliberate and certain, as rendered their scaling ladders and fascines, as well as their more direct implements of warfare, perfectly useless. For upwards of an hour it was continued with a briskness of which there have been but few instances, perhaps, in any country. In justice to the enemy, it must be said, they withstood it as long as could be expected, from the most determined bravery. At length, however, when all prospect of success became hopeless, they fled in confusion from the field, leaving it covered with their dead and wounded. Their loss was immense.
The decisive battle took place early in the morning of January 8, 1815. Ironically, the battle occurred after the Treaty of Ghent was signed on December 24, 1814, but well before the treaty was ratified by the United States. Article 11 stated that the treaty "shall be binding on both parties" only after both sides ratified the treaty and "the ratifications mutually exchanged." Furthermore, the official news of the peace treaty did not reach New Orleans until March 1815.
Among the British officers killed in the Battle were Major General Pakenham and General Samuel Gibbs. The Battle of New Orleans was a resounding victory for the Americans because the British had intended to capture New Orleans and control the mouth of the Mississippi River.
The National Park Service is entrusted with the care of the Chalmette Battlefield, which is part of Jean Lafitte National Park and Preserve. This mobile tour has been created by the University of New Orleans and the Louisiana State Museum, and it focuses on locations in the French Quarter relating to the battle, either through legend or fact.
To learn more about the Chalmette Battlefield, visit the National Park Service Chalmette Battlefield/The Battle of New Orleans website, which includes a link to the American troop rosters and muster lists for the New Orleans campaign.
http://www.nps.gov/jela/historyculture/places-chalmette-battlefield.htm
Depiction of the death of British General Packenham: Created by Francisco Scacki between 1815 and 1820. Library of Congress
1815 Battle Map: The battle took place downriver from New Orleans on the Chalmette Plantation. Troop alignments are depicted on this map, which dates from circa 1820-40. Library of Congress
Scene After the Battle of New Orleans: William Croome and Henry Bricher, woodcut. Courtesy of the Collections of the Louisiana State Museum
"Protector and Defender of Beauty and Booty": This portrait of Andrew Jackson, engraved by C. G. Childs during the presidential election of 1828, recalls his victory at the Battle of New Orleans. Library of Congress
Sir Edward Michael Pakenham, Goupil & Cie, 1904, Rotogravure: Courtesy of the Collections of the Louisiana State Museum, Gift of Gilbert Fortier III and Alcee J. A. Fortier
"Death of Pakenham," Engraving, circa 1860 : Woodcut engraving depicting the mortal wounding of British General Pakenham on January 8, 1815. Courtesy of the Collections of the Louisiana State Museum
"Place d'Armes," 1803, Future SIte of Jackson Square: Familiar landmarks missing include: 2nd floor of the Presbytere, completed in 1813; the Pontalba Buildings, constructed between 1849 and1851; and the Andrew Jackson monument, dedicated on February 9, 1856. Courtesy of the Collections of the Louisiana State Museum
Jackson Square, 1938: H.S. Williams' depression-era, aerial photograph of Jackson Square shows cars parked in front of St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo, the Presbytere and the Pontalba Apartments. Today the streets on three sides of Jackson Square - Chartres, St. Peter and St. Ann - are open only to pedestrian traffic; Decatur Street alone remains open to automobiles. Courtesy of Louisiana State Museum
1965 Commemorative Stamp, 150th Anniversary : Issued on January 8 for sesquicentennial.
Mary Ann Wegmann, Louisiana State Museum, and University of New Orleans History Department, "Battle of New Orleans: Introduction," New Orleans Historical, accessed January 27, 2023, https://neworleanshistorical.org/items/show/508.
Related Sources
Battle of New Orleans Official Programme. Centennial Celebration. New Orleans, LA: Louisiana Historical Society, 1915.
Brooks, Charles. The Siege of New Orleans. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 1961.
Brown, Wilburt. The Amphibious Campaign for West Florida and Louisiana, 1814-1815. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press, 1969.
Carter III, Samuel. Blaze of Glory: The Fight for New Orleans, 1814-1815. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press, 1971.
Casey, Powell A. Louisiana at the Battle of New Orleans. New Orleans: Battle of New Orleans, 150th Anniversary Committee of Louisiana, 1965.
Chapman, Ron. The Battle of New Orleans: But for a Piece of Wood. United States: Xlibris Corporation, 2013.
Christian, Marcus Bruce. Negro Soldiers in the Battle of New Orleans. New Orleans: Battle of New Orleans, 150th Anniversary Committee of Louisiana, 1965.
Cooke, John. A Narrative of Events in the South of France, and of the Attack on New Orleans, in 1814 and 1815. London: T. W. Boone, 1835. http://books.google.com/books?id=E0r5kY5CDj0C
De Grummond, Jane Lucas. The Baratarians and the Battle of New Orleans. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1961.
Dixon, Richard Remy. The Battle on the West Bank. New Orleans: Battle of New Orleans, 150th Anniversary Committee of Louisiana, 1965.
Drez, Ronald J. The War of 1812, Conflict and Deception: The British Attempt to Seize New Orleans and Nullify the Louisiana Purchase. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2014.
Dufour, Charles L. Battle of New Orleans. Friends of the Cabildo, 1965.
Eller, Ernest McNeill. Sea Power and the Battle of New Orleans. New Orleans, La.: Battle of New Orleans, 150th Anniversary Committee of Louisiana, 1965.
Friends of the Cabildo. Special Tours and Events Calendar. http://www.friendsofthecabildo.org/about-tours/.
Greene, Jerome. "The New Orleans Campaign of 1814-1815 in Relation to the Chalmette Battlefield, Part I." http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/jela/lost_riverfront/Part_1.pdf
Groom, Winston. Patriotic Fire: Andrew Jackson and Jean Laffite at the Battle of New Orleans. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006.
Hanger, Kimberly S. "Chapter 7, Test of Loyalty: Battle of New Orleans," in A Medley of Cultures: Louisiana History at the Cabildo, Louisiana State Museum, 1994. http://www.crt.state.la.us/louisiana-state-museum/publications/a-medley-of-cultures/index.
The Historic New Orleans Collection. Battle of New Orleans Research at The Historic New Orleans Collection. http://www.hnoc.org/BNO/bnopathindex.html.
The Historic New Orleans Collection. The Collins C. Diboll Vieux Carré Digital Survey is an electronic version of the Vieux Carré Survey, housed at The Historic New Orleans Collection since 1966: http://www.hnoc.org/vcs/
Huber, Leonard Victor. New Orleans As It Was in 1814-1815. New Orleans: Battle of New Orleans, 150th Anniversary Committee of Louisiana, 1965.
Jackson, Andrew, Harold D. Moser, David R. Roth, Sharon MacPherson, and John H. Reinbold. The Papers of Andrew Jackson, Vol. III, 1814-1815. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1991.
Jean Lafitte: History and Mystery. National Park Service. http://www.nps.gov/jela/upload/Jean%20Lafitte%20pirate%20site%20bulletin.pdf.
Latour, Arsene Lacarriere. Historical Memoir of the War in West Florida and Louisiana. Philadelphia, 1816.
Louisiana State Museum. Online Exhibits: The Battle of New Orleans. http://www.crt.state.la.us/louisiana-state-museum/online-exhibits/the-cabildo/the-battle-of-new-orleans/.
Louisiana State Museum. Online Exhibits: One Nation Under God: The Battle of New Orleans. http://www.crt.state.la.us/louisiana-state-museum/online-exhibits/one-nation-under-god/the-battle-of-new-orleans/index.
Meuse, William A. The Weapons of the Battle of New Orleans. New Orleans: Battle of New Orleans, 150th Anniversary Committee of Louisiana, 1965.
National Parks Service. Battle of New Orleans Bicentennial. http://www.nps.gov/jela/battle-of-new-orleans-bicentennial.htm. Last updated April 14, 2015.
National Park Service. Chalmette Battlefield. http://www.nps.gov/jela/chalmette-battlefield.htm
National Park Service. Historic Resource Study. Chalmette Unit. http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/jela/hrst.htm.
National Park Service. Jean Lafitte Park. "Treaty of Ghent." http://www.nps.gov/jela/the-treaty-of-ghent.htm.
Ragsdale, Cpt Bobbie. Critical Analysis of British Tactical Failure at the Battle of New Orleans. Maneuver Captains Career Course, Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning, Georgia, July 11, 2012. http://battleofneworleans.org/RAGSDALE.htm
Remini, Robert. The Life of Andrew Jackson. New York: Harper & Row, 1988.
Scott, Valerie McNair. Major-General Sir Edward M. Pakenham. New Orleans: Battle of New Orleans, 150th Anniversary Committee of Louisiana, 1965.
Smith, Gene A. Thomas Ap Catesby Jones: Commodore of Manifest Destiny. Annapolis, Md: Naval Institute Press, 2000.
Stoltz, Joseph. The Battle of New Orleans in American History and Memory. Dissertation: Texas Christian University, 2012.
Surtees, William. Twenty-five Years in the Rifle Brigade. Edinburgh: William Blackwood, 1833. http://books.google.com/books?id=vL_5Gemj3DcC
Taylor, Alan. The Civil War of 1812: American Citizens, British Subjects, Irish Rebels, & Indian Allies. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2010.
Walker, Alexander. Jackson and New Orleans. An Authentic Narrative of the Memorable Achievements of the American Army, under Andrew Jackson, Before New Orleans, in the Winter of 1814, '15. New York: J. C. Derby, 1856.
Warshauer, Matthew. Andrew Jackson and the Politics of Martial Law: Nationalism, Civil Liberties, and Partisanship. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2006.
Watson, Elbert L. Tennessee at the Battle of New Orleans. New Orleans: Battle of New Orleans, 150th Anniversary Committee of Louisiana, 1965.
Wilson, Samuel. Plantation Houses on the Battlefield of New Orleans. New Orleans: Battle of New Orleans, 150th Anniversary Committee of Louisiana, 1965.
Published on Dec 15, 2012. Last updated on Sep 13, 2019.


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Tag: Jay Doherty
8 – Tariffs and Korea Talks
THE TOPICS OF EPISODE EIGHT
NEWS PERTAINING TO THE ACTIVITIES OF THE WHITE HOUSE
Trump announces new steel and aluminum tariffs.
US executives warn that the tariffs could damage the strengthening US economy.
Manufacturers who use aluminum and steel to produce cans, cars, refrigerators, and additional goods warn of shortages, price surges, and trade barriers on US exports levied for retaliatory purposes. Executives complain of a lack of specific detail regarding the plan for the new duties.
Trump imposes a 25% tariff on imported steel and a 10% tariff on imported aluminum.
The president of the German Steel Federation, Hans Jürgen Kerkhoff, said that the EU must act to end the new tariffs or the European steel industry "is going to be left footing the bill for American protectionism.
Trump immensely harmed his own infrastructure plan by instituting the new tariffs.
Tariffs, industry groups say, will diminish prospects of American energy independence as the price of building steel pipelines will rise sharply.
Goldman Sachs economists said that Trump's new tariff plan doesn't rely "on any economic argument and instead imposes trade restrictions on national security concerns." They also added that "This could lead to other trading partners taking similar actions and could ultimately weaken the international trade conventions like the [World Trade Organization] rules."
Economists fear an international trade war.
Trump's chief economic advisor, Gary Cohn, will resign from the White House after 14 months. The announcement marks Cohn's failure to dissuade Trump from the tariffs. Cohn also tried to dissuade Trump from leaving the Paris climate accord, another issue he was on the losing side of.
Trump signed act to levy new tariffs on Thursday.
After intense lobbying and pressure from Congress, Trump moderated his plan. Canada and Mexico are now exempt," and Australia, which Trump called a "great country" and a "long-term partner, will likely also be soon.
Trump plans to meet Kim Jong Un for nuclear talks
Trump breaks with the formalities of negotiation and avoids using lower-ranking officials to contact the government first.
The talks were spurred by a de-escalation between the two halves of Korea following the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyongyang.
NEWS CONCERNING OTHER AMERICAN AFFAIRS
The Justice Department is suing California over three of it statutes that protect sanctuary city systems and undocumented immigrants because they say it violates the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution.
The Supremacy Clause says that "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land."
Climate change lawsuit advances
The Ninth Circuit Appellate Court ruled that the case termed Juliana vs. US can move forward for trial after the White House attempted to prevent the case from beginning, alleging it could not on legal grounds.
The case is filed by teenagers seeking declaratory and injunctive relief. They claim that the government's lack of regulation on climate change is unconstitutional because it denies them a stable climate and will cause flooding and harm to natural resources.
They use the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment and the Ninth Amendment's protection of unenumerated rights to make allege constitutional protections.
NEWS CONCERNING THE POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF EUROPE AND ITS NATIONS
Populism disrupts electoral outcomes and party activities in Europe.
A new pact was announced in Germany this week. It will form a coalition joining the center-left Social Democrats and Chancellor Angela Merkel's own conservative Christian Democrats.
Anti-establishment votes accounted for half of Italy's parliamentary elections. Distrust towards immigrants, fiscal constraints, and politicians in general bolstered support for the 5 Star Movement and other populist Italian policies.
A former English spy and his daughter were found comatose from poisoning on a bench in Salisbury, England this week
Sergei V. Skripal, 66, and his daughter, Yulia Skripal, 33, were targeted with a rare nerve agent.
Skripal spied on Russia.
His death was likely carried out by agents from Russia.
It is unclear how England will respond to the likely Russian aggression.
https://media.blubrry.com/jdrc_politics/p/jdrcpolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/JDRC-Episode-8.mp3
JDRC Politics Podcast	Podcast	Leave a comment March 11, 2018 August 2, 2019 3 Minutes
7 – Trump & SCOTUS
TOPICS DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE
Supreme Court denies Trump's attempt to expedite future Supreme Court ruling on 'Dreamers.'
The Supreme Court will consider a new death penalty case.
The Supreme Court conducted oral arguments for Janus v. AFSCME Council on Monday.
The Supreme Court reverses and remands Jennings v. Rodriguez
Dick's Sporting Goods Stops Selling Assault-Style Weapons, Raises Age for Gun Buyers
The Georgia GOP attacked Delta for ending its program of discounting rates for NRA members.
Trump backs Senate gun regulation proposal
North Korea shipped chemical weapons factory-building supplies to Syria
Trump promotes digital director Brad Parscale
Kushner Security Clearance Downgraded
Hope Hicks intends to resign
Justice Department will investigate warrant distribution
Republicans sue to end the Affordable Care Act
Pro-business tax cuts are largely absent from the new Canadian tax plan
Website: jdrcpolitics.com
Twitter: @jdrcpolitics
JDRC Media Group
JDRC Politics Podcast	Podcast	Leave a comment March 4, 2018 March 3, 2018 1 Minute
6 – Gates, Gun Protests, and France
Thanks for listening. Detailed show notes available below.
NEWS CONCERNING THE FLORIDA MASSACRE
Trump to support expanded background checks for gun ownership following an increased push for gun control after the Florida school shooting last week.
Trump spoke to Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R., Texas) about such legislation, according to White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Trump now supports expanded background checks for gun-ownership, a minimum gun-purchase age of 21, and a ban on bump stocks. He opposes a ban on semi-automatic rifles.
Trump supports arming school teachers.
Trump defends the NRA as a group of 'patriots' who want to 'do the right thing'
He held a press conference where he said this (https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/22/politics/donald-trump-nra/index.html)
Also, it has been made very clear that the president of the NRA (Wayne LaPierre) is ultra-conservative. This statement is reaffirmed when he says "You should be anxious and you should be frightened" about the potential of another Democratic takeover of the House, Senate and White House,"
Republican Governor of a Vermont Phil Scott has reversed his beliefs on gun control. After police thwarted a potential attack by an eighteen year old who said he planned to "shoot up" a school, Scott said "That has a way of rocking your very core, and for that I had to do some reflecting, some soul searching myself to determine what we can do to protect our most precious resource, which is our kids," Scott said. Scott now support restrictions on high capacity ammunition magazines, expanding background checks for private gun sales, and raising the legal gun ownership age to 21.
Surviving teens ignite gun-control movement
Teens that survived the Parkland shooting have created a sophisticated pro-gun-control social media operation.
The number of the retweets of the hashtag #NeverAgain reached 100,000 retweets on Thursday—a 500% increase compared to a week earlier. The hashtag has been retweeted a total of over 500,000 times according to Twitter.
They have raised $2.2 million is an internet fundraiser for a rally they plan to have in March.
NEWS ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE STATES OF AMERICA
Pennsylvania announces new district map.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court found the district map to unfairly benefit Republican candidates for the House of Representatives.
Although Democratic and Republican voters are split equally in the state, Republicans have a 13-5 advantage in the House. They have been the leading party in Pennsylvania by proportion of Representatives since 2010, and the gerrymandered maps have been used since 2011.
Even though this has passed, the issue remains very partisan. Democrats pro, republicans against. "I applaud the court for their decision and I respect their effort to remedy Pennsylvania's unfair and unequal congressional elections," said Pennsylvania's Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf.
The Florida GOP backed raising the gun-ownership minimum age to 21.
French President Emmanuel Macron attempts to boost economy with new legislation.
The legislation reduces job protections and red tape that force companies to have unnecessary staff, and thus encourage job creation.
Macron seeks to end decades of tension and volatility between business owners and labor unions.
In September, Macron gave companies greater power to negotiate worker conditions with employees, among other measures.
All these measures are apart of Macron's plan for a labor-system overhaul aimed reinvigorating the economy and preventing mass-layoffs.
Prime Minister of France Édouard Philippe France announces plan to decelerate Islamic extremism
Private schools accused of cultivating Islamic extremism will be shut down
Teachers will be trained to identify radicalized teens
France will open 1,500 new spots in high security wards for radicals in prisons in a plan to isolate radicals from normal inmates
France will work with the Prime Minister of the UK Theresa May to dampen online Islamic propaganda
The US levied more sanctions than ever this Friday on North Korea.
The new sanctions target dozens of companies and ships and one individual.
The targeted individual was Tsang Yung Yuan, a Taiwanese citizen who has coordinated coal transfers between Russian brokers and North Korea to evade sanctions.
The new sanctions are designed to prevent North Korea circumventing an international ban on its exportation of coal and its importation of certain fuel resources.
Trump said that "If the sanctions don't work, we'll have to go to phase two." He stated that alternative efforts to put pressure on North Korea would be very "rough" and "very, very, unfortunate for the world" during a speech at the Political Action Council in Maryland.
Trump endorses Mitt Romney to be a Utah senator.
Mitt Romney will be the likely successor to Orrin Hatch, who announced his retirement in January.
Despite formerly calling Romney a "stone-cold loser," Trump tweeted "He will make a great Senator and worthy successor to @OrrinHatch, and has my full support for endorsement!"
US officials plan to open a new embassy in Jerusalem on May 14.
The Financial Action Task Force of the US government has placed Pakistan on its terror-financing watchlist
The US government is withholding $2 billion in security assistance
Being on the list makes it more difficult for Pakistan to borrow, facilitate international banking transactions,and export, and it damages Pakistan's prospects of foreign direct investment.
Richard Gates plead guilty.
Richard Gates was a former Trump campaign aide who was indicted by Robert Mueller on October 30.
Gates pleaded guilty on Friday with providing false information and financial misdeeds.
Gates and Manafort laundered $75,000,000 through secret offshore accounts in Cyprus, the Seychelles, Saint Vincent, and other locations, generating Gates $30,000,000 for personal expenses.
Gates was paid millions of dollars to represent a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine from 2008 to 2016.
Gates will serve up to six years in prison.
Robert Mueller continues to maintain his innocence of the October 30 indictment, a position that will be difficult to maintain after Gates confessed.
The indictment does not include meddling of Russia in the election.
5 – Russia Probe, Florida Shooting, and Rob Porter
JDRC Politics Podcast
Topics of Discussion
Rob Porter Scandal
FBI contradicted white house.
Top Trump aides, seeking to explain their decision not to immediately take action against senior White House official who accused of abusing both his ex-wives, have repeatedly tried to obscure facts about what the White House knew about staff secretary Rob Porter and when they knew about the allegations.
As of today, Porter has denied all the allegations against him.
When Kristen Welker of NBC asks White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Sanders defends Porter in this clip.
Colbie Holderness published a piece in the Washington Post on Monday with pictures of injuries she had allegedly received from Porter. She wrote "living in constant fear of Rob's anger and being subjected to his degrading tirades for years chipped away at my independence and sense of self-worth. I walked away from that relationship a shell of the person I was when I went into it, but it took me a long time to realize the toll that his behavior was taking on me." (Source: Rob Porter is my ex-husband. Here's what you should know about abuse.)
Florida Mass Shooting
This is the eighth school shooting that caused deaths or injuries in just the first seven weeks of 2018. (Source: How many US school shootings have there been in 2018 so far?) Congress has refused to tighten restrictions on gun ownership, even after 20 children and six educators were massacred in 2012 in Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut.
Conservative response focuses on mental health, but not gun control.
President Donald Trump addresses nation after Florida school shooting
In this weekend's edition of the Wall Street Journal, a piece about the Florida school shooting by Peggy Noonan was featured in the Opinion section. It is called "The Parkland Massacre and the Air We Breathe: What's gone wrong with our culture that produces such atrocities? It's a very long list." She claimed the legalization of most forms of abortion was among the causes for the rise in mental illness and school shootings.
Hundreds protested the NRA's support for gun ownership. (Play excerpt: ABC News: Hundreds protest outside NRA headquarters following Florida school shooting) The NRA Institute for Legal Action has lobbied the legislature for for pro-gun legislation since 1975. (Source: NRA-ILA: About)
New immigration bill
A much-anticipated bipartisan deal that would have paired a pathway to citizenship for nearly 2 million undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children with $25 billion in border security and some other measures failed to get the 60 votes necessary to advance legislation after furious White House opposition. The vote was 54-45.
Special Counsel Issues Indictment Against 13 Russian Nationals Over 2016 Election
37 page indictment was filed United States District Court. (Read the full indictment at jdrcpolitics.com/indictment
Mr. Robert Mueller said that the 13 individuals have conspired since 2014 to violate laws that prohibit foreigners from spending money to influence federal elections in the United States.
This indictment charges that the foreigners falsely posed as American citizens, stole identities and otherwise engaged in fraud and deceit in an effort to influence the U.S. political process, most notably including the 2016 presidential race.
Important: While the indictment does not directly accuse the Russian government of running the operation, American intelligence agencies including the FBI and CIA have said that Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a what The New York Times is calling a "multipronged campaign to boost" to Trump's political chances and damage to Hillary, especially at the time of the election. In addition, the indictment points out that the two Russian firms involved in financing it hold various Russian government contracts.
According to sources, Russia is using "bots" to interfere with American Elections. These bots are apparently hiding behind multiple social media accounts, particularly Facebook and Twitter. (:
The indictments' main emphasis, however, is on the propaganda efforts of one Russian group in particular: the Internet Research Agency. That group's operations — which included social media posts, online ads, and organization of rallies in the US — were, the indictment alleges, often (but not exclusively) aimed at denigrating Hillary Clinton's presidential candidacy, and at supporting Donald Trump's. (0:42)
According to sources, Russia is using "bots" to interfere with American Elections. These bots are apparently hiding behind multiple social media accounts, particularly Facebook and Twitter. Play video here (Start 0:42)
Trump has hitherto called Russian interference a hoax.
Sources: CNN, CasonVids, The New York Times,
JDRC Politics Episode 5
© 2018 JDRC Media Group
4 – Barcelona and Manufacturing
Thank you for listening to the fourth episode of JDRC Politics. We hope you enjoyed it. Please consider subscribing if you liked the podcast. Show notes below.
Barcelona Attack
The attack: A van plowed into a crowd of people in Barcelona near Las Ramblas, an area popular with tourists.
The victims: At least 13 people were killed, and more than 100 more were injured. At least 15 of the injured were in critical condition.
The arrests: Catalan President Carles Puigdemont said two suspects have been arrested. One suspect was Moroccan, while the other was from the Spanish enclave of Melilla. Police are treating the incident as an act of terrorism.
And ISIS: The terror group claims attackers as "soldiers of the Islamic state" — but it has not explicitly claim responsibility for attack.
Other: There was an explosion in Catalonia which may be connected to the incident. All trains and public events in Barcelona have been cancelled.
Donald Trump's Dissolution of his Councils
After several business leaders announced their resignations from the White House's American Manufacturing Council in recent days, President Donald Trump announced he was ending the panel Wednesday, along with the separate Strategic and Policy Forum.
"Rather than putting pressure on the businesspeople of the Manufacturing Council & Strategy & Policy Forum, I am ending both," wrote Trump on Twitter. "Thank you all!"
Eight members of the American Manufacturing Council dropped from the panel following Trump's response to last weekend's violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. A ninth, Greg Hayes of United Technologies, announced his resignation just minutes after the president's tweet.
".@Merck Pharma is a leader in higher & higher drug prices while at the same time taking jobs out of the U.S. Bring jobs back & LOWER PRICES!" -Tweet from Donald Trump
JDRC Politics Podcast	Podcast	Leave a comment February 14, 2018 February 15, 2018 1 Minute
2 – Trump, McConell, and Kenyatta
Thank you for listening to the second episode of JDRC Politics. We hope you enjoyed it. Please consider subscribing if you liked the podcast.
Analysis of this tweet: "Military solutions are now fully in place,locked and loaded,should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong Un will find another path!"
Donald Trump: The 'locked and loaded' President
Briefly discuss the newfound specificity of the DPRK's and Donald Trump's rhetoric
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has a very different ideas about handling North Korea. He is more similar to past presidents (which some Trump supporters viewed as too soft) in that he advocates for forcing North Korea into disarmament talks.
Trump must decide the path the US takes to handling North Korea
The US could risk a war with North Korea if it decided to destroy their nuclear capabilities
Obama-era investigations found this would lead to possibly millions of deaths in South Korea, Japan, and the surrounding era
The US could accept North Korea as a nuclear power
This could create a form of Cold War tensions
China's response
China wants to deescalate tensions by forcing the US to talk with North Korea
Trump's remarks are being criticised by Chinese-state media
China has implemented more defenses along the North Korea-China border in the case of military conflict
Chinese imports of North Korean resources provide for the majority of its export money
[In other news…]
Trump continues public criticism of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Trump criticizes him for failing to create progress on health care
McConnell has avoided a public conflict with Trump, except for his remarks at a recent event in Kentucky
Donald Trump is messing with the wrong man if he wants a legislative win
Trump's Twitter Fury at McConnell Risks Alienating a Key Ally
Kenya Story
http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/11/africa/kenya-elections/index.html
Despite opposition party claims, Kenyan election is found to be free


"Even now I cannot begin to suggest it with any words at my command. I might call it gigantic—tentacled—proboscidian—octopus-eyed—semi-amorphous—plastic—partly squamous and partly rugose—ugh! But nothing I could say could even adumbrate the loathsome, unholy, non-human, extra-galactic horror and hatefulness and unutterable evil of that forbidden spawn of black chaos and illimitable night."
- H.P. Lovecraft & Hazel Heald, "Out Of the Aeons"


What Are Wheel Lug Nuts?
A wheel lug nut is a type of fastener where one end (the seat) is rounded or tapered, but in different types and sizes. Lug nuts fasten a wheel's hub to threaded wheel studs on the vehicle's axle, securing the wheel in place and centering it properly on the axle. The lug is placed onto the wheel stud atop the wheel, with the lug's seat in contact with the hub.
Usually, wheel lug nuts can be made either by steel forging or aluminum forging. Steel forged lug nuts for car wheel application should be chrome-plated to improve its corrosion resistance. But aluminum forged lug nuts are more popular and widely used for the light weight while good strength.
The particular size and model of lug nuts needed depends on the car model and the axle it uses. The correct lug nut seat depends on the wheel itself. Conical/tapered lug nuts are most common, but ball/radius and flat-seat lugs are also in common use. While aftermarket wheels are often designed to match OEM lugs for a vehicle, some require a new set to make a proper fit. Stripped or damaged lug nuts can make removing a wheel very difficult and should be replaced when needed. Many newer vehicles are equipped with a locking lug nut that requires a wheel lock tool to be used when removing lug nuts. In some cases, there may be one locking lug per wheel. The wheel lock key should be kept in a convenient place in your vehicle such as in the glove box or with other spare tire tools.
For more than 20 years, CFS Forge has specialized in manufacturing of drop forgings at the highest standards for precision, durability and strength. Our forging process can be used for steel, aluminum and copper alloys, so that we can meet various forging demands for our customers.
Equipped with most advanced forging and machining equipments,. CFS' automated forging process enables our company to control production times effectively while maintaining exceptionally high levels of quality and precision. Of course, good quality still replies on the quality control of our engineering team. In CFS Forge, we have an individual quality control department that checking the quality in each production process, which makes us to guarantee the quality for our customers. Our mission is to become the most highly respected and efficient aluminum forging company in China.
Another advantage is that our company is located in Ningbo city, which is the second largest habour city in China. So, if ordering aluminum forged wheel lug nuts from our company in China, our customers can enjoy convenient water transportation with less shipping cost, which is really cost effective especially for high volume lug nuts.
No matter you need forging, machining or anodizing, CFS Company in China can all meet your demands. Would like to purchase aluminum forged wheel lug nuts or other aluminum forgings for automotive application from China? Pls contact us right now!


Communication, it's the first thing we really learn in life. Funny thing is once we grow up, learn our words and really start talking, the harder it gets to know what to say or how to ask what we really need.
At the end of the day, there are some things you just cant help but talk about. Some things we just don't want to hear and some things we say because we cant be silent anymore. Some things are more than what you say. They're what you do. Some things you say because they're no other choices. Some things you keep to yourself and not to often but every now and then, some things simply speak for themselves.


text:
Lake Belle Taine is a lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota, in the United States.

The lake was first named by the settlers of Hubbard county as "Elbow Lake" for its sharply bent outlines. Its name in Ojibwe is Gaa-aachaajigwaatigweyaag zaaga'igan meaning "the lake into which the river pitches and ceases to flow,—dies there" due to it has no visible outlet. The first written record of the name, Belle Taine, is found in the survey notes made by Mahlon Black, deputy surveyor, who surveyed Nevis Township in the fall of 1870.

See also
List of lakes in Minnesota

References

Native American history of Minnesota
Ojibwe in Minnesota
Lakes of Hubbard County, Minnesota
Lakes of Minnesota


I was able to explore Pigeon Forge and bring this post to you thanks to MyPigeonForge.com. Opinions and grammatical errors throughout the post are my own.
Pigeon Forge Attractions and More!
Pigeon Forge is a southern wonderland near the Smoky Mountains that is loaded with places to play, shop, eat, and explore. I recently spent four days and three nights in the Tennessee vacation hub and didn't even begin to scratch the surface for all that there is to do. I am going to share with you what my family and I did to give you an idea of what you can do in Pigeon Forge.
When looking at the pictures, please keep in mind that we were there in Spring at the same time that New England was experiencing its fourth nor'easter. There was a lot of overcast at the time and we even got to experience snow the day we were at Dollywood. Those who live in the South know that our weather is unpredictable!
We arrived late in the afternoon and checked into our hotel, the Margaritaville Island Hotel. It's located at The Island, a shopping and entertainment complex in the heart of Pigeon Forge. The Jimmy Buffett-inspired hotel has a laid-back tropical vibe with modern amenities and is only steps away from good food and fun.
After getting settled, we walked over to the Margaritaville Restaurant which combines the Jimmy Buffett theme with food. Upon entering, there's a HUGE margarita pitcher that fills up, an airplane hanging from the ceiling which has a map of the Carribean, and upbeat, lively music fills the air.
In addition to dishes such as Lava Lava Shrimp and Louisiana Cajun Shrimp and Grits on the menu, landlubber favs such as BBQ Ribs, Sirloin Steak, and Double Cheeseburger in Paradise are available.
My teen ordered the Volcano Nachos, my husband had the coconut shrimp (the dipping sauce was dreamy!), and I opted for the Fish Tacos.
After filling up, we headed over to the Alcatraz East Crime Museum. My first thoughts were that it was a replica of the namesake prison, but I was wrong.
Actually, Alcatraz East is a tasteful museum that educates and informs guests while also paying respect to victims of crime.
Counterfeit Crimes and Pop Culture.
Guests are allowed to take pictures in the museum, as long as there is no flash.
Personally, I found it a pretty sobering experience. My teen really liked it and would like to go back.
Alcatraz East is open 10 am – 9 pm Sunday through Thursday and from 10 am – 10 pm Friday and Saturday.
For those who have never been to an escape room, then let me tell you briefly how they work. You select the type of "escape room." Once there, you are briefed about what to do. Much of what needs to be done will have to be figured out by YOU along the way. You have only 1 hour to complete your mission. At The Escape Game in Pigeon Forge, guests are given 3 clues. You are allowed to request more clues, but each clue adds 3 minutes to your time. The possibility exists that you may have to play with others during your time slot, unless you book the entire room (see their website for more information). You are not allowed to take pictures inside.
I suspect that the attendant felt sorry for my son and me, because we were given a few extra clues. Even with the extra freebies, we weren't able to escape on our own. Throughout the experience, we started figuring out how to work together. It was a lot of fun and I would love to go back.
After the massage was over and we were set free, we met back up and headed to The Island Ropes Course.
My son and I took on the three-story tall Sky Trail Explorer. The staff securely fastened us in our gear and then let us go. There are beams, ropes, and ziplines that take people from one point to another on the course. Initially, I was afraid to cross over using the zipline, then thought about my son there and wanted to show him that even older peeps can do fun things, so I did it! Not only that, I was the first of us to jump off via the Quick Jump.
One thing that we had to do before we left for lunch was to ride The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel. The view of The Island at 200 feet up in the air is pretty amazing.
For lunch, we opted to dine at Local Goat, where food is made from locally sourced ingredients when possible and everything is made from scratch, including the ketchup.
My son ordered the Teriyaki Kebab – marinated tenderloin steak, fried rice, and steamed broccoli.
I was in the mood for some greens and had The Southern – hand-breaded chicken tenders, fresh greens, diced bacon, dried cranberries, cheddar cheese, carrots, grape tomatoes, egg, croutons, with honey mustard dressing served on the side.
My husband went with The Patriot – made with a secret blend of locally sourced beef and served with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles and hand-cut French fries.
After lunch, we made our way to Mountain Valley Winery. Though Mountain Valley focuses on French and German wines, they have won awards for their Rhubarb wine (yes, it's a thing). The winery offers wine tastings and tours.
The dinner show is a light-hearted spin on the folkloric feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys. On the way to the entrance, there are few tombstones describing how a few of the family members died.
The dinner show includes all-you-can-eat soup, rolls, fried chicken, BBQ pork, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and corn on the cobb. Tea, water, and sodas are included, as is delicious dessert (chocolate or banana pudding).
The Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud was a great experience for the entire family.
All good Southerners know that a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains would not be complete without a stop at a pancake house. We started day three by fueling up at the breakfast bar at which was located across from The Island.
After breakfast, we headed to Dollywood, winner of Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Award for Best Theme Park Entertainment for 9 years.
For me, we could not have been there at a better time (weather withholding), because the Festival of Nations was taking place.
While I was noshing away on Pad Thai, my husband dove into good old-fashioned country fried steak, complete with mashed potatoes and white gravy and served with corn and a biscuit.
Unfortunately for us, it started to snow while we were there. On the bright side, we were able to stay warm while watching some incredible performances by the National Dance Company of Siberia and the Los Vivancos, the Flamenco Kings.
Before leaving, my husband and I got a couple of crepes and my son ordered a funnel cake loaded with sweet goodness.
Because of the potential hazards of the snow, the park closed a little early the day we were there. However, our family fun continued on thanks to a few indoor amusement complexes.
After that, we tried our hands at sneaking our way through The Vault. Think security lasers coming from a hundred different angles protecting something valuable. Though I wanted to do my best Catherine Zeta-Jones impression (from the movie Entrapment), I couldn't hack it and ended up running through all of the lasers. My husband finished the course with the best time.
The Odyssey – A Mirror Maze Adventure, was super fun for the three of us. My son entered the maze first and got us all through it quickly, like a boss!
Before entering the maze, you have to put on some thin plastic gloves to protect the mirrors from fingerprints. Changing bright lights and music add to the excitement. Here is a little video clip that was taken on my phone towards the beginning of our journey. Note the smile on my son's face.
For our final dinner, we made our way to Smoky Mountain Adventures.
Dinner was included with the show and consisted of a full, four-course meal, beginning with a creamy vegetable soup and biscuit. It was followed by fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato delight, ham, and served with water, tea, or soda. At the end of the meal, we each received a light and flaky pastry.
Prior to the show, there are a few comedic acts, some which included some audience members. The show, itself, focuses on food, faith, and family.
The amount of talent that the performers have is amazing – aerial fabric dancing, pole dancing, flips on a balance beam – those are just a few of the things that did in their live performance while we enjoyed our meal.
****Update March 2019 – Smoky Mountain Adventures is being replaced with a new show – Pirates Voyage. It's slated to open Spring 2019.
For our final meal in Pigeon Forge, we made our way to The Old Mill.
The Old Mill's history dates back to the 1830s when a water-powered gristmill was built on the banks of the what-was-to-be-called the Pigeon River. Meals and flours were ground at the mill and it became a popular gathering spot. Fast forward almost 200 years, and it is now a popular place for people to grab a bite to eat, buy some freshly milled meal, flour, and mixes, and also buy some locally made unique pottery pieces.
We made our way to The Old Mill Restaurant which has great views of the Pigeon River. Our waitress brought us a basket with freshly made mini banana muffins.
My husband ordered an Old Mill Pancake Breakfast complete with breakfast sausage, my ordered biscuits and sausage, and I had a veggie omelet.
Before leaving, I had to stop at The Old Mill General Store. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it's a favorite shopping destination for a million + visitors every year.
and find out what's happening.
You can also order a free copy of the Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Travel Guide.
Have you been to Pigeon Forge lately?
Wow- this looks like a great trip! I had no idea there were so many things to do in Pigeon Forge! Will have to check out in planning our summer family vacation- thank you for the wonderful tips!
What fun y'all had! I can't wait to go back to the Hatfield and McCoy show. It's so perfect for families.


The Snake Eyes Bonnet is a Raspberry Pi accessory for driving two 128x128 pixel OLED or TFT LCD displays, and also provides four analog inputs for sensors. It's perfect for making cosplay masks, props, spooky sculptures for halloween, animatronics, r..
Hey Mr. DJ! Turn up that Raspberry Pi mix to the max with this cute 3W Stereo Amplifier Bonnet for Raspberry Pi. (It's not big enough to be an official HAT, so we called it a bonnet, you see?) It's the exact same size as a Raspberry Pi Zero but works with any and all Raspberry Pi computers..


text:
Leanna Primiani – Reviews
about Holy Order: Shaker Dances
Left Coast Chamber Players/Rapido! Composition Contest San Francisco Conservatory of Music October 1, 2012
…The theme of the [Rapido! Composition Contest] competition required that all submissions involve dance…Only Leanna Primiani's Holy Order: Shaker Dances seemed to honor the spirit of the rules of the game; and, with its episodic structure, hers was the only piece that seemed to fit comfortably into its allotted extent of clock time. It was no surprise that she was selected to compete against the other regional finalists at the National Finals Concert in Atlanta.
Stephen Smoliar, San Francisco Examiner
Huffington Post Visionaries Concert article by Jack Meyer 8/11/13
Leanna Primiani's "Thursdays, Saturdays, and Twice on the Sabbath," a nod to Shaker prayer sessions, included stomping and shuffling of feet alongside several wind instruments — a composition reminiscent of the work of John Adams. I thoroughly enjoyed [it] from start to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed [the] performance from start to finish. I found the introductions – including the inspirations for the pieces — particularly charming.
San Francisco Examiner, Oct. 2, 2012. Reviewed by Stephen Smollar
…. Only Leanna Primiani's "Shaker Dances" seemed to honor the spirit of the rules of the game; and, with its episodic structure, hers was the only piece that seemed to fit comfortably into its allotted extent of clock time. It was no surprise that she was selected to compete against the other regional finalists at the National Finals Concert in Atlanta.
National Symphony flutist Aaron Goldman, August, 2012
Leanna Primiani has written a wonderfully evocative new piece for the NFA High School Competition. The Black Swan stretches the flute to its extreme registers and dynamics to vividly depict various bird calls. It is reminiscent of Messiaen's "Le Merle Noir" in its artistic use of the flute to sound like birds. This is a wonderful new addition to our repertoire. – Aaron Goldman, flute soloist
Review of SIRENS
REVIEW: Slatkin, Ax and orchestra present embarrassment of riches
By Jonathan Neufeld
For The Tennessean
…It served quite well as a sort of light melodic and tonal palate cleanser after the excellent new work of Leanna Primiani.
Primiani's Sirens opened the night. The piece tells Homer's story of the Sirens (Odyssey Book XII). "Tell" is not quite the right word. Musically, (and mathematically, Primiani utilizes a Fibonacci series to organize elements of the story according to the Golden Mean) the story unfurls like a ribbon.
Slatkin and the orchestra handled the rhythmic complexities of the piece well. Famously, the sirens' song is so beautiful and seductive that it lures sailors to shipwreck. Odysseus wants to listen and so has himself bound to the mast of his ship while all of the other sailors put wax in their ears. As he struggles, Odysseus is only bound more tightly to the mast. After building to a climax, an intensely longing solo piccolo calls after Odysseus who can do nothing but strain against his bonds: trumpets lead the orchestra in a static fanfare — unison rhythm on unchanging notes. Primiani's piece is a model of expressivity within a rigorous form.
http://www.usc.edu/uscnews/stories/12472.html


Paharpur, Baksa: When Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose said those immortal lines 'Give me blood and I shall give you freedom' at Burma in 1944, a young man barely out of his teens was listening with rapt attention. Inspired by the charisma of Netaji and driven by zeal to free his country from the clutch of British, Puran Bahadur Chetry had run away from his hometown of Gorakhpur in Bihar.
It is another story that seven and half decades later, the family of this decorated war hero is languishing in oblivion at a nondescript village bordering Bhutan, trying to get their names in the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Paharpur village in Baksa district, which is less than a km from Bhutan, is backward in every sense. Even seven decades after independence, the village lacks most of the basic amenities -- proper drinking water, healthcare, education. And yet this is the village where, in 1970 along with 13 other families, war hero Puran Bahadur's family found refuge.
At the age of just 17 years, leaving his 12-year-old newlywed wife Maya at home, Puran Bahadur joined Azad Hind Fauj. As he was not 18 at the time he joined, he was initially inducted in the 'Bal Sena'. Later, he served as a sepoy in Azad Hind Fauj and was also promoted as a sergeant.
Insein Jail, located near Yangon, is notorious for its inhumane conditions and rampant human rights abuse. Gopi Chetry, who is the only one alive among the three sons of Puran and Maya, says that when their father was sent to jail, the family was not informed. " As so many people were killed or went missing after 2nd World War, we presumed that our father had also died. He was released from jail after three years. When father came home, my grandfather couldn't recognise him. He looked like a beggar. The vagaries of serving his sentence in Insein had deteriorated his health completely," he says.
After being nursed back to health, Puran Bahadur took the decision of staying in Rangoon (now Yangon). However, in 1967, he decided to return to his homeland with his family after an official working in the Indian Embassy in Rangoon told him that the Indian government will take care of the soldiers serving in Azad Hind Fauj.
The family was accompanied by 13 others who had come from Rangoon. While no one from those families worked in Azad Hind Fauj, they were refugees seeking asylum in India. "At that time, people living in the villages here were mostly Santal. After reaching, we also started clearing the forest with axes. The village was surrounded by jungles from all side and wild animals venturing out at night was a common feature," recalls Gopi.
Gopi is bitter today that despite being promised a good life by the official at Rangoon, his father had to struggle to meet ends in Assam. "We were given only Rs 2,000 while we were sent to Baksa. My father went from pillar to post looking for some official help which never came. Janata Bhawan officials in Dispur told him that they had no office for Azad Hind Fauj in Assam," says Gopi.
To run his family, Puran Bahadur did all sorts of odd jobs -- from selling milk at Khanapara to driving jeep and finally settling down as a farmer. As per Gopi, his father never got the opportunity to get his name enrolled in the voter list or never really bothered to. Whatever might be the reason; this was something which proved costly for the Chetry family.
Life is not easy for the 1,400-odd people living in Paharpur. If someone becomes ill, the nearest health centre is 25 km away at Kumarikata. In the two government schools in the village, there are one and three teachers, respectively. For the lack of any alternative, villagers have to use the black water coming down from the coal mines of Bhutan for both drinking and washing purposes.
And in a corner of this village, a family is languishing quietly. And despite the miserable existence, 90-year-old Maya Chetry's eyes glitter when Netaji's name is mentioned. "Netaji was very young… very dynamic person. He gave the speech at Rangoon wearing full military attire. My husband was highly inspired by Netaji," she gives a toothless grin.


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text:
Guardiola unfazed by threat of transfer ban
Manchester City's squad is good enough to withstand a potential transfer ban from UEFA, according to boss Pep Guardiola.
Pep Guardiola insists it is business as usual for Manchester City amid speculation that alleged Financial Fair Play (FFP) breaches and a subsequent UEFA investigation could result in a transfer ban for the Premier League champions.
UEFA announced last week that its Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) is investigating City following reports from German publication Der Spiegel, which drew upon documents purportedly obtained by whistleblowers Football Leaks.
It was claimed that City topped up multi-million pound sponsorship deals with Abu Dhabi companies in order to circumvent rules around how much money owner Sheikh Mansour could put into the club.
A City statement, in response to the announcement, welcomed the opening of proceedings, hoping to "bring to an end the speculation".
Speaking ahead of City's FA Cup quarter-final with Swansea City on Saturday, Guardiola said there is little he can do about the situation and remains firmly focused on delivering positive results for the club.
"I am not the right guy to talk about what the club says," he said. "They [the owners] don't call me and explain what they are doing.
"I am concerned about what I have to do, I cannot speak every day about this. What is going to happen is going to happen."
When asked if City's squad would be strong enough to withstand a transfer ban, Guardiola responded: "Of course. It is good, it's really good."
We will face @SpursOfficial in the #UCL quarter-finals!
#mancity pic.twitter.com/O8121kZufg
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 15, 2019
City were drawn against Premier League rivals Tottenham in the Champions League quarter-finals on Friday and Guardiola knows his side will have to be at their best to control their potent attacking threat.
"Any team has strong and weak points, the same with us," he explained. "We are strong is some areas and weak in some other ones.
"Never in my life have I said that it would be better [to play Tottenham] in this situation.
"What I want is my players to come back fit after the international break and ready to play.
"I know them [Tottenham] quite well, the different systems they can use, how good they are up front with Son [Heung-min], [Harry] Kane, Dele Alli and [Christian] Eriksen, but if you talk about any other team in the Champions League it would be the same."
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows he must trim his defensive area amid ongoing speculation linking Manchester United to Harry Maguire.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said Manchester United will have to reduce their centre-back options if they prise Harry Maguire from Leicester City. United have been linked with Maguire throughout the off-season, reports claiming the Red Devils are close to agreeing a world-record fee for a defender. Solskjaer...
Laurent Koscielny refused to travel for Arsenal's pre-season tour, but the defender is still an important player for Unai Emery.
Arsenal head coach Unai Emery insisted Laurent Koscielny was still "an important player" despite uncertainty over the club captain's future. Koscielny refused to travel to the United States for Arsenal's pre-season tour amid speculation over his future, with Lyon, Bordeaux and Borussia Dortmund linked...
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