Sri Lanka has been again represented prominently at the ITB Berlin, the world's leading travel trade show taking place every year in the German capital.
More than 174,000 visitors, among them 114,000 trade visitors, and 11,000 represented companies including tour operators, booking engines, destinations, airlines, hotels and car rental companies from 189 countries participated in the ITB. The ITB Berlin enjoys worldwide media recognition and offers comprehensive support for all marketing questions of exhibitors.
In addition, the world's largest tourism convention ITB Berlin Convention provides unique opportunities to benefit from the leading think tanks of the global tourism industry.
Jürgen Klimke, Member of the German Parliament for the ruling Party CDU, Member and Spokesperson of the Committee of Economic Cooperation and Development, Member of the Committee of Foreign Affairs, Member of the Parliamentary Friendship Groups for ASEAN, Greece, South-Asia and Maghreb, ceremoniously declared open the Sri Lanka Pavilion at the ITB 2014 along with the Ambassador for Sri Lanka, Sarrath Kongahage. Dr. D.S. Jayaweera, Director General of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, and many other senior members of the travel- and tourism-related organizations of Sri Lanka, members of 60 travel companies and hotels representing Sri Lanka at the ITB 2014 as well as the staff of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Berlin were present at the opening ceremony.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the Sri Lanka Pavilion, Jürgen Klimke recalled his pleasant memories in relation with Sri Lanka. He also told the audience that he is a friend of Sri Lanka and has made several visits to Sri Lanka including the Northern Province. He further expressed his hope that presently Germany was in the second place with regards to the tourist arrivals from Europe to Sri Lanka, but very soon Germany would gain the first place.
Ambassador Mr. Sarrath Kongahage welcomed the exhibitors of Sri Lanka for the ITB 2014 and stated that Sri Lanka had been participating in the ITB exhibition for 48 consecutive years. It therefore had all the qualifications to obtain the ITB partner country status in the future. "I am in discussion with the ITB organizers to become the partner country, which will provide tremendous tourist promotion for Sri Lanka in Europe", the ambassador added.
The Director General of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Dr. D.S. Jayaweera, thanked the travel agents, tour operators and hoteliers for their continued participation in the world`s biggest travel and tourism trade show, which provides a meeting point to promote the tourism industry of Sri Lanka in Europe.
A press conference was held to brief the European press on the recent developments of the tourism industry in Sri Lanka headed by H.E. the Ambassador and the Director General of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. More than 100 Journalists from many European Countries participated at the press conference. Dr. Jayaweera delivered a comprehensive presentation on the potential of tourism industry in Sri Lanka.
Chairpersons of the tourism-related organizations of Sri Lanka were present to answer the questions of the journalists. Parallel to the ITB 2014, a taxi advertising campaign was launched on 07th March by the Ambassador and the Director General of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority in the presence of industry members of Sri Lanka Tourism.


text:
CLASES DE CANTO
 "...Serena Pérez. Completely invested, her powerful, full voice, with dark colours which unfold to express affliction and deep despair. She responds to the wishes of the director, with her voice that is both lyrical and dramatic with a well-asserted vibrato."
ORPHÉE, 2022
"the Pie Jesu was played in an impassioned manner by mezzo-soprano Serena Pérez, accompanied by the moving sounds of the cello …"
DURUFLE'S REQUIEM
"It is a dark fairy tale about Berthe (an excellent Serena Pérez) that keeps a big secret…"
BLOND ECKBERT, 2019
"…the vocal share is strong. The warm mezzo with brilliant core of Serena Pérez (Berthe) deserves a special mention…"
"The Radamisto by mezzo-soprano Serena Perez also turned out very well…"
RADAMISTO, 2019
"and Serena Pérez was able to convince both as an actress and singer in her role of Despina…"
COSÍ FAN TUTTE 2018
"Bianca, represented by Serena Perez, was a typical duenna, or Brangäne, to stay in the news for a while…"
THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA, 2018
© 2022 Serena Pérez García

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
from __future__ import absolute_import
from __future__ import unicode_literals

import collections
import functools
import re

from dumbconf import _primitive
from dumbconf import ast
from dumbconf._parse import parse
from dumbconf._parse import parse_from_tokens
from dumbconf._parse import unparse
from dumbconf._tokenize import BARE_WORD_RE

# TODO: replace with six?
if str is bytes:  # pragma: no cover (PY2)
    text_type = unicode  # noqa
    int_types = (int, long)  # noqa
else:  # pragma: no cover (PY3)
    text_type = str
    int_types = (int,)

class Settings(collections.namedtuple(
        'Settings', ('indent', 'bare_keys', 'inline_small_containers'),
)):
    __slots__ = ()

    @property
    def indented(self):
        assert self.indent >= 0
        return self._replace(indent=self.indent + 1)

Settings.DEFAULT = Settings(-1, True, True)

BARE_WORD_FULL_MATCH_RE = re.compile(BARE_WORD_RE.pattern + '$')

def _python_value(ast_obj):
    if isinstance(ast_obj, ast.PRIMITIVE):
        return ast_obj.val
    elif isinstance(ast_obj, ast.List):
        return [_python_value(item.val) for item in ast_obj.items]
    elif isinstance(ast_obj, ast.Map):
        return collections.OrderedDict(
            (_python_value(item.key), _python_value(item.val))
            for item in ast_obj.items
        )
    else:
        raise AssertionError('Unknown ast: {!r}'.format(ast_obj))

def _to_tokens(val, settings=Settings.DEFAULT, key=False, top_level_map=False):
    top_level_map = top_level_map and settings.indent == 0
    if isinstance(val, text_type):
        if settings.bare_keys and key and BARE_WORD_FULL_MATCH_RE.match(val):
            return [ast.BareWordKey(val=val, src=val)]
        else:
            return [ast.String(val=val, src=_primitive.String.dump(val))]
    elif isinstance(val, bool):
        return [ast.Bool(val=val, src=_primitive.Bool.dump(val))]
    elif val is None:
        return [ast.Null(val=None, src=_primitive.Null.dump(val))]
    elif isinstance(val, int_types):
        return [ast.Int(val=val, src=_primitive.Int.dump(val))]
    elif isinstance(val, float):
        return [ast.Float(val=val, src=_primitive.Float.dump(val))]
    elif isinstance(val, dict) and val and top_level_map:
        return _top_level_map_tokens(val, settings)
    elif isinstance(val, dict):
        return _map_tokens(val, settings)
    elif isinstance(val, (tuple, list)):
        return _list_tokens(val, settings)
    else:
        raise AssertionError('Unexpected value {!r}'.format(val))

def _inline(val, settings, container_settings):
    ret = [container_settings.start]
    if val:
        items = container_settings.to_iter(val)
        ret.extend(container_settings.item_func(items[0], settings))
        for item in items[1:]:
            ret.extend((ast.Comma(','), ast.Space(' ')))
            ret.extend(container_settings.item_func(item, settings))
    ret.append(container_settings.end)
    return ret

def _multiline(val, settings, container_settings):
    ret = [container_settings.start, ast.NL('\n')]
    for item in container_settings.to_iter(val):
        ret.append(ast.Indent('    ' * (settings.indented.indent)))
        ret.extend(container_settings.item_func(item, settings.indented))
        ret.extend((ast.Comma(','), ast.NL('\n')))
    if settings.indent > 0:
        ret.append(ast.Indent('    ' * settings.indent))
    ret.append(container_settings.end)
    return ret

def _container(val, settings, container_settings):
    if (
            settings.indent < 0 or
            not val or (
                settings.inline_small_containers and
                len(container_settings.to_iter(val)) < 2
            )
    ):
        return _inline(val, settings, container_settings)
    else:
        return _multiline(val, settings, container_settings)

def _map_item_tokens(kv, settings):
    k, v = kv
    ret = []
    ret.extend(_to_tokens(k, settings, key=True))
    ret.extend((ast.Colon(':'), ast.Space(' ')))
    ret.extend(_to_tokens(v, settings))
    return ret

ContainerSettings = collections.namedtuple(
    'ContainerSettings', ('start', 'end', 'item_func', 'to_iter'),
)

_map_tokens = functools.partial(
    _container,
    container_settings=ContainerSettings(
        start=ast.MapStart('{'), end=ast.MapEnd('}'),
        item_func=_map_item_tokens, to_iter=lambda m: tuple(m.items()),
    ),
)
_list_tokens = functools.partial(
    _container,
    container_settings=ContainerSettings(
        start=ast.ListStart('['), end=ast.ListEnd(']'),
        item_func=_to_tokens, to_iter=tuple,
    ),
)

def _top_level_map_tokens(dct, settings):
    tokens = []
    for kv in dct.items():
        tokens.extend(_map_item_tokens(kv, settings))
        tokens.append(ast.NL('\n'))
    return tokens

def _to_ast(*args, **kwargs):
    # Run the parser to ensure a correct ast instead of building manually
    tokens = tuple(_to_tokens(*args, **kwargs)) + (ast.EOF(''),)
    return parse_from_tokens(tokens).val

def _key_index(val, key):
    if isinstance(val, ast.Map):
        for i, item in enumerate(val.items):
            if item.key.val == key:
                return i
        else:
            raise AssertionError('TODO: KeyError(key)')
    elif isinstance(val, ast.List):
        return key
    else:
        raise AssertionError('{!r}: not indexable'.format(val))

def _get(obj, chain):
    if not chain:
        return obj
    else:
        key, rest = chain[0], chain[1:]
        i = _key_index(obj.val, key)
        target = obj.val.items[i]
        if not rest:
            return target
        else:
            return _get(target, rest)

def _modify_items(obj, chain, items_cb, *args):
    key, rest = chain[0], chain[1:]
    i = _key_index(obj.val, key)

    if not rest:
        new_items = items_cb(obj, i, *args)
    else:
        new_items = list(obj.val.items)
        new_items[i] = _modify_items(new_items[i], rest, items_cb, *args)
    return obj._replace(val=obj.val._replace(items=tuple(new_items)))

def _replace_val(obj, new_value):
    return obj._replace(val=_to_ast(new_value))

def _set_cb(obj, i, val):
    new_items = list(obj.val.items)
    new_items[i] = _replace_val(new_items[i], val)
    return new_items

def _set(obj, chain, val):
    if not chain:
        return _replace_val(obj, val)
    else:
        return _modify_items(obj, chain, _set_cb, val)

def _delete_cb(obj, i):
    orig_item = obj.val.items[i]
    new_items = list(obj.val.items)
    del new_items[i]

    if obj.val.is_top_level_style and not new_items:
        raise TypeError(
            'Deleting the last element of a top level map is not allowed as '
            'it would result in an invalid document when written out',
        )
    # If we're deleting the last item of an inline container, we need to
    # remove the comma from the new last item
    elif not obj.val.is_multiline and len(obj.val.items) == i + 1:
        new_items[-1] = new_items[-1]._replace(tail=())
    # If we're deleting an element of a non-inline container we may need to
    # adjust the item before (to change ', ' to ',\n')
    elif (
            obj.val.is_multiline and
            i - 1 >= 0 and
            orig_item.head == () and
            orig_item.tail[-1].src.endswith('\n')
    ):
        new_items[i - 1] = new_items[i - 1]._replace(tail=orig_item.tail)
    # If we're deleting an element of a non-inline container we may need to
    # adjust the item after (to change head to an indent)
    elif (
            obj.val.is_multiline and
            i + 1 < len(obj.val.items) and
            orig_item.head != () and
            not orig_item.tail[-1].src.endswith('\n')
    ):
        new_items[i] = new_items[i]._replace(head=orig_item.head)
    return new_items

_delete = functools.partial(_modify_items, items_cb=_delete_cb)

def _set_key_cb(obj, i, new_value):
    if not isinstance(obj.val, ast.Map):
        raise TypeError('Can only replace Map keys, not {}'.format(
            type(obj.val).__name__,
        ))
    key = _to_ast(new_value)
    if not isinstance(key, ast.PRIMITIVE):
        raise TypeError(
            'Keys must be of type ({}) but got {}'.format(
                ', '.join(tp.__name__ for tp in ast.PRIMITIVE),
                type(key).__name__,
            )
        )

    items = list(obj.val.items)
    items[i] = items[i]._replace(key=key)
    return items

def _set_key(obj, chain, new_value):
    return _modify_items(obj, chain, _set_key_cb, new_value)

class AstProxyChain(object):
    def __init__(self, ast_proxy, chain):
        self._ast_proxy = ast_proxy
        self._chain = chain

    def __setitem__(self, key, primitive):
        self.root = _set(self.root, self.chain(key), primitive)

    def __delitem__(self, key):
        self.root = _delete(self.root, self.chain(key))

    def __getitem__(self, key):
        return AstProxyChain(self._ast_proxy, self.chain(key))

    @property
    def root(self):
        return self._ast_proxy._ast_obj

    @root.setter
    def root(self, val):
        self._ast_proxy._ast_obj = val

    def chain(self, *args):
        return self._chain + args

    def replace_key(self, primitive):
        if not self.chain():
            raise TypeError('Index into a map to replace a key.')
        self.root = _set_key(self.root, self.chain(), primitive)

    def replace_value(self, primitive):
        self.root = _set(self.root, self.chain(), primitive)

    def python_value(self):
        return _python_value(_get(self.root, self.chain()).val)

class AstProxy(AstProxyChain):
    """The base case for our ast proxy"""

    def __init__(self, ast_obj):
        super(AstProxy, self).__init__(self, ())
        self._ast_obj = ast_obj

def loads_roundtrip(s):
    return AstProxy(parse(s))

def dumps_roundtrip(ast_proxy):
    return unparse(ast_proxy._ast_obj)

def load_roundtrip(stream):
    return loads_roundtrip(stream.read())

def dump_roundtrip(ast_proxy, stream):
    stream.write(dumps_roundtrip(ast_proxy))

def loads(s):
    return loads_roundtrip(s).python_value()

def dumps(
        v,
        indented=True,
        bare_keys=True,
        top_level_map=True,
        inline_small_containers=True,
):
    settings = Settings(
        indent=0 if indented else -1,
        bare_keys=bare_keys,
        inline_small_containers=inline_small_containers,
    )
    return unparse(_to_ast(v, settings, top_level_map=top_level_map))

def load(stream):
    return loads(stream.read())

def dump(v, stream, **kwargs):
    stream.write(dumps(v, **kwargs))

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
BEYOND THE BRAIN BLOG
Provider Tools
Speakers & Talks
7 Signs Of A Good PROVIDER To Treat Your Depression
SOURCE: Everyday Health
June 30th 2014 | Vanessa Caceres
The right doctor or therapist can treat depression effectively and offer support and encouragement. Here's what to look for in a mental health professional.
Consider your mind like a muscle: When searching for the right doctor or therapist to treat your depression symptoms, find someone who will be like a personal trainer to help you get into better mental shape.
"A doctor or therapist for depression is a lot like a physical trainer, only for the psyche," says Amy Przeworski, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of psychological services at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. "A good doctor or therapist recognizes where a person is now and helps to gently stretch his or her psychological muscles while not pushing too far outside of his or her comfort zone."
How do you find the right mental health professional for your depression treatment? In addition to considering the person's credentials and training, it's important to feel comfortable with that person. Attend a few office visits to see if there's a good fit. You'll likely have to speak with more than one specialist to find the right person for you, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
How to Find the Right Depression Specialist for You
Use this checklist to make sure you find a doctor or therapist who can put you on the right track to manage depression:
1. Select someone who can provide the services you want. For example, psychiatrists can prescribe medication, but many psychiatrists today don't meet with patients every week for talk-therapy sessions, Przeworski says. In contrast, she says, psychologists, social workers, and counselors don't prescribe medication, but they usually provide ongoing therapy services. Many people with depression will see both a psychiatrist and a talk therapist.
2. Make sure you feel a good connection. Przeworski says you should feel comfortable working with the person. "The bond between you and your doctor or therapist is extremely important, so finding someone with whom you click is essential," she says. Your doctor or therapist should guide you to step outside your comfort zone somewhat and help you discover something new about yourself. "If that doesn't feel like the right fit after a handful of sessions, that person may not be right to treat you."
3. Find out about the person's approach to therapy. For example, a therapist using cognitive behavioral therapy will teach you techniques to help you change your behavior. A therapist with an interpersonal approach will help you explore how your relationships might contribute to your depression. A therapist with a psychodynamic focus will analyze how childhood experiences laid a foundation for your depression, Przeworski says.
4. Seek a collaborative approach toward your goals. "This doesn't mean that you and your doctor or therapist can't disagree on certain treatment goals," Przeworski says. "Sometimes one of you may identify a goal early on and that changes as time wears on. Therapy may involve revising therapy goals and tasks periodically."
5. Look for someone who will challenge you. You don't want a doctor or therapist who'll just tell you everything is going to be okay, says Patrick McGrath, PhD, a clinical psychologist and the director of the Center for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorders at Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. "You want to be treated by someone who's going to make you feel uncomfortable sometimes," he says. That's because when you're depressed, your motivation to try new things is lower, so you need a doctor or therapist who'll prompt you to step out of your shell. The right person should be supportive but challenging, McGrath says.
6. Find someone with a clear treatment approach. If you ask how your doctor or therapist plans to treat your depression and they say something like "a mixed approach," that could be a warning sign that they're not sure how to treat you, McGrath says. A good depression doctor or therapist usually has a clear-cut, evidence-based technique for working with depression symptoms.
7. Expect homework. Depression treatment isn't just something that happens during your office visits. "Therapy happens all the time," McGrath says. "If you're not applying it in your life, then why bother?" He says he gives people "homework" for managing depression to do outside of his office and asks if they've done the work when they return. "If they didn't do it, then we don't progress in therapy," he says.
In addition to these signs of a good doctor or therapist for depression, you'll want to check on your insurance coverage before making a decision. See if your insurance covers mental health treatment, and find out if a specific depression specialist works with your health insurance company. If you're paying any fees out of pocket, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America recommends asking if there's an adjustable fee scale based on income.
Beyond the Brain is a not-for-profit website. We appreciate your support to continue providing more content and tools. Donate today!
BLOG | AUTHOR | RESOURCES | FOR PATIENTS | CONTACT | SUPPORT BTB


text:
Hot shooting and lockdown defense propels Morehead State to win over UT Martin
The Eagles have won 15 straight home games dating back to last season
MOREHEAD, Ky. (WTVQ/MSU ATHLETICS) – A lockdown defensive mindset, coupled with 61 percent shooting in the final 20 minutes, propelled Morehead State Men's Basketball to its 15th consecutive home win and fifth straight overall win in 2021-22 with a 76-62 triumph over visiting UT Martin Wednesday night.
The Eagles improved to 11-5 overall and 3-0 in the league, slipping the Skyhawks to 6-10 overall and an even 2-2 in OVC matchups. MSU has now won 13 consecutive games versus the UTM contingent in Johnson Arena since 2005.
MSU, which was held to a season-low four three-pointers at Austin Peay Saturday, lit it up from long range in the second half, hitting 6-of-8 and 10 three-balls overall. MSU also held UTM in check from long distance as the visitors managed just 5-of-24. The Eagles led 31-28 at the half but pulled away and led by as much as 23 in the final half, outscoring UTM 45-34 after the break. Morehead State also helped its defensive cause, blocking 11 shots.
Second-year center Johni Broome posted his 10th double-double of the season and 23rd of his career with game-highs of 20 points and 15 rebounds. He hit eight of 10 from the floor and also blocked five shots. Sophomore point guard Ta'Lon Cooper was another in double-figure scoring, one of four Eagles to score 10+, as he cashed in with a season-high 18 points on four three-pointers and dished out six assists.
Junior Jaylen Sebree and juniors Skyelar Potter also scored 10 apiece, while junior guard Jaylon Hall registered a career-high seven assists. Morehead State totaled 20 assists on 26 made buckets.
MSU managed to hit 53 percent (26-of-49) for the game and are now 5-0 this season when hitting 50 percent or better.
UTM's leading scorer, KJ Simon, burst onto the scene with 10 first-half points, but the Eagles held him in check with just one marker in the second. Darius Simmons finished with a team-best 12 points for UTM.
To view the game's box score, click here.
Morehead State continues OVC action Saturday at Tennessee State. Game time has been moved up to 2 p.m. ET.
Categories: Basketball, Featured, Sports
Tags: Jaylen Sebree, Jaylon Hall, Johni Broome, men's basketball, Morehead State, Skyelar Potter, UT-Martin
EKU men's hoops lose close one to FGCU
Howard scores 2,000th career point but Cats fall at Vandy
EKU women's hoops loses vs. #21 FGCU
With only six available players, Kentucky women fall short at Vanderbilt


Chelsea manager, Maurizio Sarri has already decided on two players he will sign in January.
He wants to bolster his attacking options in the next transfer window and has identified Nabil Fekir and Christian Pulisic as his possible recruits.
This summer, the former Napoli boss completed deals for four players: Jorginho, Rob Green, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Mateo Kovacic.
Goal reports that Sarri has signalled that he wants to sign some attacking players in the coming months and Fekir and Pulisic have emerged as targets.
France international Fekir was on the verge of joining Liverpool earlier in the summer and even had a medical with the Premier League club before the deal collapsed.
Chelsea were also linked with a move for the 25-year-old and Goal reports that contact was made with Lyon before Sarri pulled the plug on the deal for the time being.
Both Chelsea and Liverpool weighed up offers for Pulisic, 19, but he remained at Borussia Dortmund when the English transfer window closed last week.
The post Transfer Latest!! Chelsea Boss Sarri Reveals The 2 Players He Would Like To Sign appeared first on Naijaloaded | Nigeria's Most Visited Music & Entertainment Website.


Opihr is a legendary region famed for its wealth and riches which prospered during the reign of King Solomon. The King regularly received cargoes of gold, silver and spices from Opihr and whilst its exact location remains a mystery, it is thought to have been in the Orient along the ancient Spice Route.
The heritage of Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin is firmly rooted in the ancient Spice Route. Traditionally merchants would travel thousands of miles along the route, trading exotic spices and botanicals from distant lands.
Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin is crafted with a selection of exotic hand-picked botanicals, carefully chosen by Opihr's Master Distiller, including spicy Cubeb berries from Indonesia, Black Pepper from India and Coriander from Morocco.
The botanicals in Opihr Gin make the journey to their final destination, the oldest distillery in England, where quality gin has been traditionally distilled, using the same London Dry Gin method, since 1761. Here the botanicals are married with fine English spirit to produce an exotic oriental spiced gin.
Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin is a unique style of London Dry Gin, created at the world's oldest gin distillery, using exotic botanicals, herbs and spices.
Tasting Notes : A rich oriental spiced gin with a smooth perfume and sharp bursts of citrus. Key notes of cumin and cardamom provide a warm earthy background balanced with the grapefruit peel. Soft camphor, some sweetness and oriental spices create a warm mouth feel that lingers but does not increase in intensity. Long length with soft cracked black pepper and spice.


"I was a student tutor in college, working with a Japanese exchange student in mastering conversational English. It was a very rewarding experience, helping one of my fellow students feel more at ease with the world around him. In my career as a Financial Analyst, I have realized that teaching comes quite naturally to me. I generally train the new hires on our team and am told that my patience and willingness to adapt to my coworker's learning style helps them to feel at ease and learn quick"


text:
FAMILY SCIENCE PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS
PATTERN OF PRE-HYPERTENSION AND ITS ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS IN ADULT OBESE PATIENTS ATTENDING THE GENERAL OUTPATIENT CLINIC OF FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, OWERRI.
ladychampionz January 13, 2022 FAMILY SCIENCE PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS, PROJECT TOPICS No Comments
: Ms Word Format
: 100 Pages
: ₦3000
: 1-5 Chapters
Background: Hypertension (HBP), a sustained elevation in the blood pressure of an individual above that which is considered normal, is an important health issue in the developed and developing nations. It has been referred to as a "silent killer" because it often has no detectable symptoms while causing continuous and progressive damage to vital (target) organs in the body. Most hypertensive patients go through a stage termed pre-hypertension defined as systolic BP (SBP) of 120-139mmHg and/or diastolic (DBP) of 80-89mmHg in adults 18 years and above.
It emphasizes the risk associated with BP in this range and focuses on the need for increased clinical and public health attention since individuals with pre-hypertension are at increased risk of developing clinical hypertension compared with people of lower BP levels. Many disorders such as HBP occur with greater risk in obese people. Data has shown association of obesity with HBP, DM and dyslipidaemia under the umbrella disorder called metabolic syndrome.11 This shows that obesity and HBP frequently co-exist and may point to common lifestyle practices associated with metabolic syndrome.
Aim: This study was designed to assess the pattern of pre-hypertension and its associated risk factors among adult obese patients attending the General Out-patient Clinic (GOPC) of Federal Medical Centre, (FMC) Owerri, with a view to recommending measures for early detection, management and ultimate reduction in the burden of HBP among the study population.
Materials and methods: This was a hospital based cross-sectional study involving 384 obese patients that were consecutively recruited. The study lasted for three months. Relevant data on demographic features and risk factors of pre-hypertension were obtained using 384 pre-tested, interviewer administered questionnaires while the anthropometric indices, blood pressure and plasma lipid profile were done using standard clinical measurements. Data was analyzed using
Statistical Package for Social sciences version 15.
Results: Majority of the subjects were females (68.0%) with a male to female ratio of 1: 2.1, belonged to 50-59 years (25.5%) age group, were civil servants (38.6%), Ibos (94.0%), Christians (92.2%), married (75.8%), of middle socio-economic class (82.3%) and had tertiary level of education (85.7%). The prevalence of pre-hypertension among the study population was 43.0%. Total Cholesterol ( لا 2 = 24.91, p < 0.0001), High Triglyceride level (لا2 = 16.65, p < 0.0001), Low HDL-C (لا2=62.62, p< 0.0001), elevated LDL-C (لا2 = 19.3, p < 0.0001), cigarette smoking (لا2 = 57.13, p < 0.0001) and inadequate physical activity (لا2 = 76.51, p < 0.0001) were associated risk factors of pre-hypertension on bivariate analysis.
Conclusion: This study has demonstrated a more common pattern of combined systolic and diastolic pre-hypertension with a considerable prevalence among adult obese patients in an African community. It also showed a direct relationship between pre-hypertension and obesity. Dyslipidaemia, cigarette smoking and inadequate physical activity were noted to have significant association with pre-hypertension on bivariate analysis.
The study recommended routine screening of the obese patients for pre-hypertension and a comprehensive health education on healthy lifestyle practice such as regular physical activity for its prevention.
Title Page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv Acknowledgement v
Table of contents vi
List of abbreviations and acronyms vii
List of tables ix
List of appendices x
Summary 1
Chapter one: Introduction 3
Chapter two: Literature review 12
Chapter three: Materials and methods 35
Chapter four: Results 49
Chapter five: Discussion 67
Limitations of study 75
Conclusion 75
Recommendation 76
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension (HBP), diabetes mellitus (DM) and obesity have received global attention in the last two decades. These conditions which in the early 80s either attracted minimal attention in sub-Saharan Africa or were termed "Whiteman's sickness" have grown so much in significance that within a span of just about twenty years, the health statistics in Nigeria and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa have been dramatically altered by them. Obesity, which was socially and culturally acceptable among Nigerians, hence not regarded as a medical problem, is now widely recognized as a rapidly growing health risk globally.1 This has been attributed to the change in lifestyle with abandonment of the traditional high fiber diet and active lifestyle for diet rich in excess calories, saturated fat and sedentary lifestyle.2 As a result, NCDs notably hypertension (HBP), diabetes mellitus (DM) and obesity have emerged
global pandemics and major causes of morbidity and mortality in the world.3,4
Whereas a lot of studies, advocacy and funding with free screening and treatment are on-going on a wide scale for communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis among others in Nigeria and Africa, little can be said about this for NCDs. Non-communicable diseases are implicated for rising morbidity and mortality in Africa, and carry great concern for the future. The incidence and prevalence of obesity have increased significantly during the past two decades and this trend is said to be rising, not just in the developed nations but also in the developing world.2 In Nigeria, a prevalence rate of 16.3% and 14% have been reported for obesity in Okirika and Port-Harcourt respectively, both in Rivers state.5
Obesity is an emerging problem in segments of sub-Saharan African society particularly where lifestyles are becoming urbanized and westernized. It is reported to be associated with increased risk of premature death, heart disease, HBP and DM.6-8 Many disorders occur with greater risk in obese people, the most important being HBP, type 2 DM and dyslipidaemia.6,9 Data had shown association of obesity with HBP, DM and dyslipidaemia under the umbrella disorder called metabolic syndrome.10 This showed that obesity and HBP frequently co-exist and may point to common lifestyle practices associated with metabolic syndrome.
Hypertension (HBP), a sustained elevation in the blood pressure of an individual above that which is considered normal, is an important health issue not just in the developed nations but also in the developing countries of the world including those of sub-Saharan Africa11. It is a significant public health challenge today because of its worldwide occurrence coupled with being the most important modifiable
risk factor for cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and renal diseases12,13.It has been referred to as a "silent killer" because it often has no symptoms while causing continuous and progressive damage to vital (target) organs in the body.HBP is the leading global risk for mortality, being responsible for about 7.5 million deaths annually (13% of total), and it is the fifth leading contributor to the global burden of disease accounting for about 57million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)14.
Blood pressure levels are continuously related to the risk of developing cardiovascular disease15,16. The risk of mortality from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events doubles for every 20/10mmHg increase in blood pressure above 115/75mmHg17. This continuous relationship between the level of blood pressure and cardiovascular risk makes any numerical definition and classification of hypertension arbitrary15,16. Previously, the blood pressure threshold for defining hypertension was 160/95mmHg, however, more recently, several guidelines have set the blood pressure threshold for defining hypertension at 140/90mmHg15-17. Hypertension is therefore defined as a systolic blood pressure of140 mmHg or greater and/or a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or greater in subjects who are not taking anti-hypertensive medications15.
Hypertension has a worldwide occurrence and it is estimated that it presently affects as many as one billion persons globally17.The reported prevalence of hypertension varies widely in the various parts of the world, as low as 3.4% in rural Indian men and as high as 72.5% in Polish women12. While the prevalence in the developed nations appears to be stabilizing or even declining in the past decade, the prevalence in the developing world has been on the increase12.The increase in the prevalence of hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa is believed to be due to rapid epidemiologic transitions brought about by economic development, industrialization, urbanization and changing lifestyle factors11.
Several risk factors for essential hypertension have been identified and they include older age, a positive family history of hypertension, diabetes, heavy alcohol intake, obesity, excessive dietary salt intake,
sedentary lifestyle, cigarette smoking as well as hyperlipidaemia18,19.
Data from observational studies involving more than 1 million individuals had shown that death from both ischaemic heart disease and stroke increase progressively and linearly from levels as low as 115mmHg systolic and 75mmHg diastolic blood pressures upwards.20The increase risks are present in individuals ranging from 40 to 89 years age. For every 20mmHg systolic or 10mmHg diastolic increase in blood pressure (BP), there is a doubling of mortality, from both ischaemic heart disease and stroke. In addition, longitudinal data obtained from the Framingham Heart Study have indicated that BP values between 130-139/ 85-89 mmHg are associated with a more than two fold increase in relative risk from CVD as compared with those whose BP levels are below 120/80mmHg.21
In view of the inherent dangers of high BP, the seventh report of the Joint National Committee on prevention, detection, evaluation and treatment of high BP (JNC 7) in 2003, defined a new category, termed Pre-hypertension, as systolic BP (SBP) of 120-139mmHg and/or diastolic (DBP) of 80-89mmHg in adults 18 years and above.17
The purpose of defining this category or stage was to emphasize the excess risk associated with BP in this range and to focus on the increased clinical and public health attention and prevention.17
According to JNC 7, individuals with pre-hypertension are at increased risk of developing clinical hypertension compared with people of lower BP levels17.
Evidence supporting pre-hypertensive state abound22-26 and chief among them is the longitudinal Framingham heart study which showed that BP in the pre-hypertensive range preceded the diagnosis of hypertension in 90% of subjects aged greater or equal to 55 years.26
The increase in the prevalence of DM, HBP and obesity in African communities is attributable to the drastic lifestyle changes accompanying urbanization and modernization as aforementioned. Unfortunately prospective approaches to this burden and possible preventive strategies have been partly hindered by scarcity of data on NCDs in Africa. Studies on NCDs (prevalence, pattern of disease, aetiopathogenesis and complications) in Nigeria and Africa as a whole are limited despite the fact that they are major health problems. Indeed Africa is experiencing one of the most rapid demographic and epidemiological transitions in the world history characterized by the tremendous rise in the burden of NCDs.3
The relationship between HBP and obesity is well established. Obesity is an important modifiable risk factor for the development of HBP.18,19
In sub-Saharan Africa, it is estimated that NCDs deaths were one-third of communicable disease deaths in 1990 and that by 2020 they will be roughly equal.3 Thus, even in the poorest African countries where communicable diseases predominate, NCDs have emerged substantial causes of morbidity and mortality in adults especially in urban areas.
In view of this, the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1988 established an Expert Committee on NCDs with the main objective of identifying risk factors involved in these disease conditions and formulating suitable programmes for early detection and effective control.27
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM AND PROBLEM ANALYSIS
In the last couple of years, there has been an increase in the number of hypertensive patients that present to the General Out-patient Clinic (GOPC) of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri. Many of these patients presented with varied co-morbidities, with multiple complications of hypertension including cerebrovascular accidents, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and end stage renal disease. These complications contributed significantly to deaths due to medical illnesses in the hospital. A sizeable number of these complications are preventable through early detection and adoption of healthy lifestyles which could reduce the BP, decrease the rate of progression of BP to hypertensive levels with age, or prevent hypertension entirely. Moreover, the increased urbanization and incessant adoption of Westernized lifestyles in addition to the dramatic surge in the number of fast food restaurants in Owerri, in the recent past and its possible implications on blood pressure, are critical public health challenges. This trend is worrisome considering the influence of junk food on cardiovascular health.
Pre-hypertension is a recognized risk factor for overt hypertension and has been associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, and cardiovascular death. These are clinical scenarios that are of great concern to the family physician because of their long-term impact on health. The increasing incidence of heart failure and strokes, which are notable complications of hypertension in our locality, have not only reduced the quality of life of the affected individuals but also placed a huge burden on the health care facilities28-33.
Despite the importance of this new BP category and the rising BP levels in many sub-Saharan African countries, limited studies to date have assessed pre-hypertension in Nigeria34,35-40. Recent evidence suggests that BP levels and hypertension rates in Nigeria are among the highest in Africa. The increased prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria is consistent with the higher levels of stroke
and CVD mortality28-33. This ugly trend needs to be checked in order to decrease the incidence and overall cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with increasing levels of blood pressure. The long-term benefits of targeting individuals with pre-hypertension with lifestyle modifications may be greater for low-income countries like Nigeria, where activities aimed at controlling clinical hypertension have to compete with many other pressing health challenges like malaria, `tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. This study was conceptualized and carried out to determine the pattern of pre-hypertension and its associated risk factors among adult obese patients attending the GOPC of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri.
1.3 JUSTIFICATION FOR THE STUDY
It is common knowledge that one of the major obstacles to the control of blood-pressure-related diseases in low and middle income countries is the dearth of appropriate primary healthcare services, which in the Nigerian context is compounded by the lack of political will on the part of policy makers to reasonably implement or fund healthcare programmes. This trend is worrisome and has been worsened by the persisting interaction between poverty, ignorance and disease, which abound in our environment. This again brings to light one of the key challenges facing the delivery of primary healthcare services in our setting and the need for primary prevention of hypertension cannot be overemphasized.
In view of the rising prevalence of hypertension and the great burden it imposes on the healthcare system and families in Nigeria, identification and monitoring of individuals with blood pressures that are within the pre-hypertensive range remains worthwhile. This study will provide the prevalence rate, pattern and associated risk factors of pre-hypertension in adult obese patients attending the General Out-patient Clinic of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri. Such knowledge would help health care providers to address the modifiable behavioural risk factors of prehypertension such as cigarette smoking and inadequate physical activity.
This study will afford the participants the opportunity of knowing their blood pressure reading in numbers, not just in words, as this has been identified as the first step in preventing and/or controlling high blood pressure. Knowing the BP reading in numbers will help to assess what the individual needs to do to lower the risks of developing future health problems. It will also afford the opportunity to alert individual patients and the clinician that early action can prevent serious health consequences later. The study will also provide the opportunity to educate patients and their families concerning healthy lifestyles including the need to change one's lifestyles such as losing weight if overweight, increasing physical activity, avoiding cigarette smoking and reducing salt intake, which have been shown to prevent the progressive rise in blood pressure and even lower it. It will also impact positively on the awareness level of the study participants and the public, a key step to prevention and control of high blood pressure, which is an important public health problem.
Studies have shown that pre-hypertension is common. Progression of pre-hypertension to fullblown hypertension has been commonly documented. The management of hypertension and its complications are common medical problems confronting the family physician. Improving the awareness level of patients on pre-hypertension and motivating patients towards adoption of healthy behavioural lifestyle changes are capable of halting progression from pre-hypertension to hypertension or even preventing it. The implication is that the scarce resources spent on antihypertensive drugs annually and the associated cardiovascular morbidity and mortality would be less. Furthermore, the doctor–patient ratio which is a critical factor related to quality healthcare delivery in sub-Saharan Africa would be positively impacted on as fewer patients with hypertension or its complications will present to the family physician for work-up. This has the potential of optimizing healthcare as the work load of family physicians would reduce and more time given to patients and their families for counselling and education.
1.4 AIM AND OBJECTIVES
To assess the pattern of pre-hypertension and its associated risk factors among adult obese patients attending the General Out Patient Clinic of Federal Medical Centre, Owerri with a view to recommend measures for early detection, management and ultimate reduction in the burden of hypertension.
To determine the socio-demographic characteristics of the study population.
To determine the prevalence of pre-hypertension among the study population.
To determine the association between pre-hypertension and lipid profile pattern of the study population.
To determine the association between pre-hypertension and behavioural activities such as cigarette smoking, physical activity and alcohol consumption in the study population.
APPRAISAL OF SUPPORT ZONE COMMUNITIES' INVOLVEMENT IN ECOTOURISM PLANNING AND CONSERVATION IN OKWANGWO DIVISION OF CROSS RIVER NATIONAL PARK SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA
SITE SELECTION OF ELECTORAL POLLING UNIT USING GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGY FOR ZARIA, KADUNA STATE NIGERIA
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF AN OUTBREAK OF SUSPECTED CHOLERA IN LAGUN
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Based in Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Beach Hotel is Jumeirah's latest five star offering. We were tasked with creating brands for all of the venue's restaurants and bars, including this one – a contemporary, upscale seafood restaurant overlooking the Arabian Gulf.
We wanted to make sure that each of the venues offered a unique experience for the hotel guests. It was also important that the restaurant collection fitted into, and complimented, the greater vision and proposition of the resort.
The word 'Mare' means sea – or ocean – in Latin. Paired with a simple, graphic logo made up out of four fish scales, copper going was then paired with a vibrant, electric blue, an iconography system and a pattern based off the elements found within the logo.
Menus – simple preprinted sheets held together with copper screws between laser cut pieces of wood – were designed to not only reflect and enhance the restaurant experience, but also to allow for quick and easy amendments in the future.


Re-Logic says it's much farther away from the finish line than it thought.
Terraria made quite a splash when it launched in 2011, that its creators ended up releasing it on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Wii U and even on mobile platforms. The 2D sandbox action-adventure title was so warmly received that indie developer Re-Logic announced that it's working on a sequel three years ago. Sadly, you'll have to make do with the original game, because Re-Logic has decided to cancel Terraria: Otherworld's development.
In an announcement post, Re-Logic explained that after a "very thorough status review of the game" with partner developer 505/Pipeworks, they realized that they're much too far from the finish line than they thought. There's still apparently a massive amount of work to be done, and finishing it would take too much time, enough to interfere with Re-Logic's other projects. The developers decided not to even try, explaining that they're not one to "compromise game quality for speed to market."
Re-Logic said that one of the things it learned from the experience is that it shouldn't have outsourced development for such a critical title. But if anything good came out of this is that the developer now has a ton of unreleased designs, artwork and sounds, as well as ideas that didn't make it into a full game, which it plans to use for future titles. Don't worry, though, the original Terraria isn't going away, and version 1.3.6 of the game is still very much in development.


text:
Sir Anderson Montgomery Everton Roberts, KCN (born 29 January 1951) is a former Antiguan first-class cricketer who is considered the father of modern West Indian fast bowling. Roberts played Test cricket for the West Indies, twice taking seven wickets in a Test innings. Arriving in England in 1972, he played first-class cricket for Hampshire County Cricket Club and then later for Leicestershire County Cricket Club.

Roberts was the first Antiguan to play Test cricket for the West Indies, thus leading the way for many of his famous countrymen including Viv Richards, Richie Richardson and Curtly Ambrose. In 2009, Roberts was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

International career
Roberts formed part of the "quartet" of West Indian fast bowlers from the mid-Seventies to the early Eighties (the others being Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft) that had such a devastating effect on opposition batsmen at both Test and One Day International level. He was also part of the West Indies team that won the first two Prudential World Cups in England in 1975 and 1979.

By his own reckoning, the best spell Roberts ever delivered was during the Headingley Test of the West Indies' 1976 tour of England: "I only got three wickets, but in my mind there was a decision given against me. It was a leg-before decision against Peter Willey, where he played right back onto his stumps to a fuller delivery. I would've bowled England out that afternoon if the umpire had given me the decision." Despite an excellent record in Tests his international career was relatively short and ended in 1983. Imran Khan (former captain Pakistan national cricket team) once described a ball bowled to him by Andy Roberts as the fastest and most terrifying he had ever faced.

One of his trademarks was the use of two different bouncers. One was delivered at a slower pace and was often dealt with quite easily by the batsman. However, this was a ploy by Roberts to lull the batsman into a false sense of security. Roberts would then deliver the second bouncer, pitching in a similar spot to the first, but delivered at far greater pace. The batsman would attempt to play this delivery in the same fashion as the first slower bouncer only to be surprised by the extra pace and bounce of the ball. Many batsmen were dismissed, and many more struck painful blows, by Roberts using this ploy.

Roberts was also the part of the West Indies team which ended up as runners-up in the 1983 ICC Cricket World Cup.

John Snow believes that Roberts saw reduced effectiveness after being overbowled during 1974 by Hampshire and West Indies.

After cricket
Roberts' contribution to West Indies cricket has continued since his retirement as a player. As an administrator overseeing the preparation of pitches, he helped prepare the pitches in Antigua on which Brian Lara twice broke the world record for highest Test scores.

Roberts worked with Bangladesh's fast bowlers in 2001 and again in 2005, and also helped coach India's seam bowling all-rounder Irfan Pathan in 2006. He joined the West Indies Cricket Board selection panel in July 2006. In 2008 he was one of 12 former West Indies cricketers who made up the 'Stanford Legends' who promoted the Stanford 20/20.

Roberts was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Nation (KCN) by the Antiguan Barbudan government on 28 February 2014.

Notes

External links

1951 births
Living people
Combined Islands cricketers
Hampshire cricketers
Leeward Islands cricketers
Leicestershire cricketers
New South Wales cricketers
West Indies One Day International cricketers
West Indies Test cricketers
West Indian cricketers of 1970–71 to 1999–2000
World Series Cricket players
Cricketers at the 1975 Cricket World Cup
Recipients of the Order of the Nation (Antigua and Barbuda)
Cricketers at the 1979 Cricket World Cup
Cricketers at the 1983 Cricket World Cup
Wisden Cricketers of the Year
West Indies cricket team selectors
Antigua and Barbuda cricketers
Cricket players and officials awarded knighthoods
Caribbean Premier League coaches
Antigua and Barbuda cricket coaches
People from Saint Mary Parish, Antigua

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Paper-Making
From the book Arts and Handicrafts of VietNam.
Historical sources reveal that paper was invented as early as the 3rd century A.D. The first reference to the existence of a paper-making village occurs in the 13th century – Dich Vong village, in the vicinity of the royal capital.
Van Mieu (the Temple of Literature – Vietnam's first university) was built in 1070, and national examinations to select those for public office were held from 1075 on-wards, giving rise to a widespread desire for learning, and a huge demand for paper.
Yen Thai village (known today as Buio), located on the West Lake near the capital city, rapidly became a centre for paper-making, to the point where Nguyen Trai in the 15th century devoted a substantial part of his Book of Geography to the subject. The 18th century annalist Le Quy Don gives a lengthy description of paper-making, a process which was used up until quite recently, and only ended with the introduction of machines.
Paper was originally made using the bark of a certain creeper (Rhamo neuron balansae) grown in the upland provinces of Yen Bai and Phu Tho. Barge convoys laden with this raw material would float down the Red River, unloading their cargo at paper-making villages. The bark was then soaked for several days in liquid lime then heated in a double boiler made of cast iron set over a brick kiln up to two metres in diameter. The process lasted several days and nights, during which time the whole village was in festive mood, with young boys and girls working and enjoying themselves far in to the night in the bright light given out by the kilns. After boiling, the bark was again immersed in liquid lime, then pounded in a stone mortar. A white paste mixed with a size of glue or gelatine was spread over a sieve made of metal or woven bamboo, then the women would dip the sieves into barrels of water, lifting them up at just the right moment to ensure uniform thickness after dyeing. The substance was then placed in a press operated by means of a simple lever. The paper, still wet, was then dried leaf by leaf over a charcoal fire. The women then laid them out flat and smoothed them over by hand.
On the smooth surface of this absorbent paper, scholar teachers would write or paint Chinese characters with great care as they were impossible to delete. Each character represented a real picture through which the man using the brush expressed his personality, so the result had the same artistic value as a painting. People would journey long distances to request the characters written by renowned scholars to decorate the fronts of the houses, or inscribed panels and parallel scrolls for placing near the ancestral altar. A man who inscribed the title of a book on its cover was honoured equally with the author of the book.
Since learning and research usually centred around moral and philosophical issues drawn form the writings of the saints and sages, an inscribed page was regarded as sacred. No one dared use a sheet of paper inscribed or painted with Chinese characters for more pedestrian purposes. Wood-block printing of books flourished, as every village had its own school and pagoda.
Regrettably, intermittent wars and a tropical climate contributed to large-scale destruction of libraries and book collections. In particular, throughout 20 years of foreign occupation in the early 15th century, armies were ordered by the emperors to burn to the ground all Vietnamese libraries, to the point where not a single book in existence prior to that time has survived.
Imperial decrees or diplomas conferred by emperors or mandarins and village guardian genies were written on special paper bearing a dragon image, symbol of imperial power. There were also higher grades of paper used for the printing of books for the nobility.
A huge volume of paper was used to make votive objects to be burned during ancestral rituals and religious festivals or for lanterns and firecrackers.
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Every United supporter must have wondered whether there was an easier way to get to Old Trafford on match days. Well now there is with the launch of the Dukes 92 barge to Old Trafford.
Start your warm up for the game with a drink in Dukes 92 where you pick up your tickets for the barge, then jump on board the Bohemia Regent which departs for Old Trafford every home game, one hour before kick off.
Discuss tactics on-board, whilst taking advantage of the licensed bar and arrive in style on the doorstep of the Theatre of Dreams with time for a pre-match pint. Then after the game, while everyone else is fighting their way out of the car parks, step back on board and let the barge transport you back to Dukes 92 for post-match refreshments.
To celebrate the launch, Dukes 92 is giving you the chance to win a VIP trip to the Manchester United v Aston Villa game at Old Trafford on Saturday 29 March.
The prize includes a barge trip from Dukes 92 to the game, two tickets in the Executive Lounge to watch the game, return trip and a meal for two with wine at the new Dukes Grill to either commiserate or celebrate the result.
So, if you are a footy fan, enter this competition to be in with the chance of winning a package that will get you to Old Trafford in style. You and a friend could be living the dream at the big match or enter for your fella and treat him to a fun day out. If you don't fancy the footy yourself, let him take his mate and get ultimate girlfriend points- everyone's a winner.
This competition has now closed. Congratulations to our winner Stephen Ryan, have a great time.


This is in essence an advanced GeoGebra manual, focusing on building high quality GG applets, suitable for bigger projects like textbook production etc. The aim is to show a large sampling of useful, tips, tricks and techniques that you can learn in order to level up your GeoGebra skills. It is produced by the Swedish GeoGebra Institute and we welcome contributions. If you wish to contribute to this book, then please send me an email at jonas.hall@norrtalje.se and I will make you a member of the editorial group.
The net of a cuboid.


text:
Daniel Salazar é um personagem fictício da série de televisão Fear the Walking Dead, sendo interpretado por Rubén Blades. O personagem foi criado por Robert Kirkman, Dave Erickson e Marco Ramirez.

Biografia
Daniel é um homem altamente inteligente, cuidadoso, cauteloso e formidável, além de ser um sobrevivente forte e determinado. O passado de Daniel como agente secreto revelou que ele era um matador altamente treinado, tendo matado diretamente 100 pessoas (com muitas mais mortes indiretas). Suas habilidades de treinamento e sobrevivência o transformaram em um formidável combatente. Ele é altamente adepto a armas de fogo e combate corpo a corpo. Daniel também é mostrado como um torturador habilidoso, com amplo conhecimento de técnicas de interrogatório. Daniel, no entanto, não parece estar satisfeito com as atrocidades cometidas no passado, e lamenta ser o monstro que ele foi forçado a se tornar. Apesar de seu passado assassino, Daniel demonstrou que se preocupa com sua família mais do que qualquer outra coisa. É um marido e pai amoroso, que prometeu dar a sua filha a melhor vida possível nos Estados Unidos. Ele escondeu dela a verdade de sua vida passada, e lidou com o trauma em particular com o apoio de sua esposa. Daniel ficou devastado pela perda de sua amada esposa, a âncora que o manteve estável. Ele posteriormente ficou desequilibrado por um tempo e quase se matou. Daniel é extremamente cauteloso em relação àqueles em quem não confia, e parece ser altamente qualificado para identificar uma ameaça potencial da linguagem corporal e de pistas sociais.

1ª temporada

Enquanto um tumulto grassa do lado de fora, uma multidão ateia fogo à loja ao lado da barbearia, forçando os Salazar e os Manawa a fugirem. O grupo chega ao caminhão de Travis e escapa, mas não antes de Griselda ser ferida por um andaime. Incapaz de chegar a um hospital, o grupo dirige-se para a casa de Madison. Travis chega e é atacado pelo Sr. Dawson, que é baleado e morto por Daniel. Todas as três famílias decidem passar a noite e evacuar pela manhã. A enfermeira Liza cuida do pé ferido de Griselda, mas observa que Griselda vai morrer se não for tratada por um médico. Ofelia diz a Daniel que eles deveriam fugir com Travis, mas Daniel insiste que sua família pode sobreviver sozinha e se unirá a sua prima mais tarde. Na manhã seguinte, quando os Clark e os Manawa começam a se afastar, a Guarda Nacional chega e coloca o bloco em quarentena. Dias depois de a Guarda Nacional colocar o bairro em uma Zona Segura, os moradores tentam viver normalmente. As tensões são construídas sob o regime militar. Soldados levam Griselda e Nick para um hospital, mas a família de Nick protesta sua partida. Liza concorda em ajudar a equipe médica, apesar de não querer deixar o filho. Madison descobre que Daniel está prendendo Adams, o soldado com quem sua filha Ofelia está tendo um caso. Travis descobre que Daniel torturou Adams para revelar o que "Cobalto" significa: de manhã, todos os civis serão mortos, e os guardas vão evacuar a cidade. Griselda morre de choque séptico no hospital; Liza atira em seu cérebro para evitar a reanimação. Daniel visita um estádio nas proximidades para verificar se a história que Adams contou de que a arena foi selada com 2.000 civis agora zumbificados dentro dela, provando que é real. O grupo dirige-se à sede da Guarda Nacional para resgatar Liza, Griselda e Nick. O grupo se infiltra na base depois que Daniel distrai os guardas, liderando uma horda de caminhantes da arena. Travis, Madison, Daniel e Ofelia vão para dentro, enquanto Alicia e Chris ficam para trás. Enquanto isso, os caminhantes quebram as defesas do perímetro e enfestam a base. O grupo de Travis chega às celas e liberta os detidos antes de se reunir com Nick, Liza e Strand. Eles tentam escapar pela enfermaria, onde descobrem que o Dr. Exner sacrificou todos os pacientes. Dr. Exner lhes fala de uma rota de fuga antes de presumivelmente cometer suicídio. Antes que eles possam escapar, o grupo encontra Adams, que atira no braço de Ofelia. Enfurecido, Travis espanca Adams e o deixa para morrer. Strand leva o grupo à sua mansão à beira do oceano.

2ª temporada

A cidade de Los Angeles é bombardeada. Madison e seu grupo embarcam no iate de Victor Strand e escapam do bombardeio. O grupo chega até uma pequena ilha onde encontram uma família, e lá acabam sabendo que todas as cidades do litoral foram bombardeadas, e as fronteiras foram fechadas. O grupo após se reabastecer na ilha, segue viagem para o México, o verdadeiro destino para onde Strand está indo. Durante a viagem, o grupo acaba encontrando dois sobreviventes (Alex e Jake), mas Strand não os aceitam em seu barco e os deixam a deriva. Mais tarde, o grupo é atacado por piratas que sequestram Alicia e Travis, Madison decide salvar seus entes queridos mesmo contra a vontade de Strand. Tento o apoio de Daniel, Madison consegue resgatar sua filha e noivo e voltar para o iate. O grupo não demora muito para chegar no México, e todos ficam hospedados na fazenda de Thomas Abigail, o namorado de Strand. Ao descobrir que Celia Flores, a governanta da fazenda, mandava guardar mortos-vivos em uma adaga, Daniel acaba incendiando a fazenda e o grupo fica separado. Travis e Chris vão para o Sul; Madison, Strand, Alicia e Ofelia Salazar vão para o Norte; e Nick também vai para o Norte. O grupo de Madison encontra um hotel na cidade de Rosarito e, lá, Ofelia abalada por perder seu pai vai embora abandonando o grupo.

3ª temporada

Após ter sobrevivido ao incêndio, Daniel foi até Tijuana e fez amizade com Lola Guerrero que lhe deu um emprego na barragem de Dante Esquivel. Madison e Qaletaqa encontram Strand no El Bazar e o homem decide ajudá-los oferecendo um acordo com Lola Guerrero, a nova líder da barragem após a morte de Dante. O trio viaja até a barragem Gonzales e lá Madison reencontra Daniel e lhe conta que Ofelia está viva. A mulher convence Lola a fazer um sistema de troca entre as comunidades, ou seja, água por gado, plantações etc. Conseguindo um caminhão-tanque, Madison retorna para o rancho com a promessa de que iria trazer Ofelia para Daniel. Infelizmente, o rancho foi atacado por milhares de infectados que foram atraídos por Troy. Muitos morrerem incluindo Jake, exceto Nick, Alicia, Ofelia, Lee (amigo de Walker) e infelizmente Troy. Alicia se separa do grupo e decide sobreviver sozinha por um tempo e acaba encontrando Os Proctors, uma gangue de Mexicali que pretende atacar a barragem. Madison e seu grupo vão ao encontro de Daniel e o homem fica arrasado ao descobrir que sua filha foi mordida e logo depois veio a falecer. Daniel decide levar os sobreviventes para barragem, mas ela é atacada pelos Proctors e as consequências desse ataque resultam na morte de Troy, como também em Madison se separar de Alicia e Nick quando a barragem é explodida e todos serem levados pela correnteza. Depois que Daniel foi baleado por Victor Strand e pego na explosão da represa, seu destino era incerto.

5ª temporada

Em um das fitas de vídeo gravadas por Al, Strand se surpreende ao descobrir que a jornalista entrevistou Daniel Salazar. Ao descobrir que Daniel está vivo, Strand também descobre que foi ele quem cedeu um avião ao grupo e vai ao seu encontro. Daniel recebe Strand com desconfiança em seu acampamento. Embora convencido do problema com o grupo, mas com base em experiências próprias, Daniel se nega a emprestar um avião para Strand, pois acredita que ele o usará apenas para seu benefício, abandonando seus amigos, e o expulsa de seu acampamento. Durante a noite, Strand, Charlie, Sarah e Wendell tentam roubar o avião de Daniel, mas ele se antecipa e o desativa. Depois de acidentalmente pegar carona com Daniel, Charlie descobre que ele está desarmando as armadilhas nas estradas deixadas pelo homem cujo armazém ele herdou. O gato de Daniel, Rajado, acidentalmente libera uma horda de mortos de um estabelecimento, obrigando Daniel a abandonar Charlie para atraí-los de volta. Em uma conversa por rádio com Strand, Daniel revela que não está com raiva dele pelos acontecimentos na represa e sim por suas mentiras referentes à Ofelia, o que o impediu de ver sua filha viva novamente. Charlie convence o grupo a ajudar Daniel, e Strand, usando as hélices do avião, consegue eliminar toda a horda, mas não sem danificar seus motores. Daniel parece perdoar Strand e cede seu armazém para a estadia do grupo enquanto continua sua missão. Dias depois, Daniel escuta o pedido de ajuda no rádio e leva coisas luminosas de seu armazém para ajudar no pouso do avião. Após o pouso, Daniel conhece Morgan e sorri quando Alicia corre para abraçá-lo. Ele pede desculpas pelo que aconteceu e ela promete melhorar as coisas. Ela o apresenta a Dwight, e Daniel diz que ele precisa cortar o cabelo. Charlie então o abraça e Daniel explica que ele finalmente conseguiu fazer as pazes com a perda de Ofelia. Quando Strand se aproxima, Daniel diz a Strand que ele estava errado e os dois homens fazem as pazes um com o outro. De repente, uma mulher entra em contato com Morgan no rádio, mas a comunicação é interrompida quando Logan interrompe o sinal e diz que eles precisam conversar. Ele estaciona um caminhão velho enquanto todos concentram suas armas nele. Logan diz a Daniel e ao grupo que a gasolina está ficando ruim e que Clayton anotou a localização de uma plataforma de petróleo. Ele diz que se entregarem o diário dele, ele os ajudará a encontrá-lo. Eles negam, e Logan diz para que eles se apressem para encontrar.

Algum tempo depois, Daniel e o grupo formaram um comboio para viajar pelo Texas para ajudar outras pessoas e convidá-los a participar de sua comunidade, estabelecendo postos avançados adicionais para recrutar os sobreviventes que os alcançavam pelo rádio. Em uma entrevista para Al, Daniel admite que está feliz por ter se juntado ao grupo em tempo integral. Ele agora é o vigia da caravana ao lado de Dwight, com quem formou um vínculo estreito e passa o tempo jogando xadrez. Daniel então diz a Dwight que ele quer cortar seu cabelo, alegando que o fará parecer mais apresentável. À noite, Daniel e o resto do grupo se reúnem em seu acampamento para jantar juntos. Al então pergunta ao grupo o que cada um quer, e Daniel diz que espera se tornar um pai que Ofelia teria orgulho. Dias depois, Daniel lidera a caravana de sobreviventes para encontrar Logan. Eles acham novas balas perto de um posto de gasolina. No dia seguinte, Daniel chega com a caravana no shopping. Dwight atualiza-os em seu confronto e sugere que eles sejam mais cuidadosos. Tess então menciona que eles poderiam se instalar em uma fazenda pela qual passaram na estrada. Eles concordam e o grupo começa a carregar os suprimentos do shopping em seus caminhões. Daniel também finalmente corta os cabelos e a barba de Dwight, dando-lhe um novo visual. Dias depois, Daniel conversa com Grace e fica feliz depois que ela confessa a ele que está pensando no futuro e quer armazenar painéis para uso em qualquer comunidade futura que eles possam estabelecer. De repente, ela recebe uma ligação do comboio pelo rádio sobre a perda dos campos de petróleo e atualiza Daniel. À noite, Daniel e Grace têm problemas com o peso do caminhão e Grace sugere que eles se instalem temporariamente em algum lugar. Na estrada, Daniel diz a Grace que, por um tempo, Rajado era tudo o que tinha. De repente, os caminhantes aparecem e arruínam sua coleção de vinil. Eles então conseguem encontrar abrigo dentro de um restaurante abandonado. Daniel diz a Grace que conseguiu os vinis para Charlie, e pede que ela cuide de Charlie se alguma coisa acontecer com ele, e ela concorda. Grace então revela que deseja poder ajudar mais Morgan, mas Daniel garante que ela já o tem. Ela então vê um violão e sugere que eles ensinem Charlie. Juntos, eles cantam "End of the Line". Na manhã seguinte, Daniel percebe que Grace está sucumbindo à algo. Morgan diz ao rádio para Grace que eles precisam conversar, mas Daniel atende e diz que ela ficou terrivelmente doente. Grace diz a Morgan que espera vê-lo sorrir novamente, mas não acha que resta muito tempo. Daniel dá a localização dele e começa a confortar Grace. Grace é socorrida, e Daniel e o restante da caravana continuam viajando em busca de um lar permanente. À noite, Daniel e Grace ensinam Charlie a tocar violão. O grupo decide averiguar um Gulch próximo e conferir se serve como assentamento. De repente, Charlie chama June para ajudar Grace, que desmaiou. Morgan decide que o grupo deve sair de manhã. No dia seguinte, o comboio para o caminhões porque percebem que é muito pesado para atravessar a ponte. Os fios começam a se romper, então Morgan instrui todos a atravessar a ponte sem os carros. De repente, Virginia se aproxima e se oferece para ajudar, explicando que ela está os seguindo. No entanto, ninguém ouve Virgina e ela ordena que seus homens atirem para o ar para que uma horda próxima os encontrem. Ela em seguida vai embora. Daniel e o grupo levam rapidamente os suprimentos para o outro lado da ponte, enquanto Morgan, Strand e Al cuidam dos caminhantes. Quando mais chegam, Morgan é forçado a mover todo mundo. Tom tropeça enquanto grava e o caminhão desmorona a ponte. Ele ri de sua sorte até a ponte embaixo dele desmoronar também. Mais tarde, Daniel e os outros descansam no acostamento antes de Morgan dizer ao grupo que eles devem continuar e Janis diz que é o que Tom gostaria. Eles abandonam seus caminhões e fazem a jornada a pé. No caminho, Daniel incentiva Morgan a falar o que ele tem vontade, porque ninguém sabe quanto tempo resta neste mundo, implicando que ele confesse seus sentimentos a Grace. Algum tempo depois, o grupo encontra um outdoor para o Gulch. Mais tarde, eles chegam à ravina, mas veem que está completamente invadida por caminhantes. O grupo debate seu próximo passo e decidem pedir ajuda a Virginia. Daniel e o resto dos sobreviventes da caravana descansam nos arredores do Gulch, enquanto Morgan entra em contato com Virginia para obter ajuda. Depois de um tempo, Dwight chega com alguns cavalos e explica que se eles estão vivos, deve haver água por perto. Eles decidem ficar e direcionar os caminhantes até Virginia. Daniel e um grupo abrem a cerca e usam os cavalos para liderar a horda para emboscar Virginia e levar seus suprimentos enquanto o resto levam suas coisas para a ravina. Na estrada, Daniel e Strand partem para encontrar água, enquanto o restante continua a levar os caminhantes pela estrada. Na floresta, Strand diz a Daniel que eles deveriam considerar se juntar à Virginia, mas Daniel lembra que ela não está dando a eles uma escolha e isso é tudo que eles precisam saber. De repente, eles veem Luciana com Virgínia, então Daniel manda uma mensagem de rádio para o grupo abortar o plano enquanto Strand vai falar com Virginia. Um tempo depois, o resto do grupo retorna e Althea mostra os corpos das pessoas que Virginia matou. Ela insiste que eles vão morrer lutando contra Virginia, mas Alicia quer revidar. Morgan só quer garantir que todos sobrevivam e os lembre, apesar de seus fracassos, eles ainda fizeram a diferença no mundo e devem continuar vivendo suas vidas. Mais tarde, Daniel participa do casamento de John e June na capela. Ele canta junto com Grace no final da cerimônia. De repente, Virginia e seus pioneiros chegam  para levar o grupo a diferentes assentamentos. De noite, o grupo é separado e levado embora. Daniel garante a Charlie que tudo ficará bem e é separado de Rajado.

6ª temporada

Depois de ter sido separado à força de seu amado Rajado, Daniel parece ter desenvolvido demência e trabalha como barbeiro para os Pioneiros. No entanto, é rapidamente revelado que Daniel está apenas fingindo sua demência para manter Virginia e seus Pioneiros desprevenidos e ele secretamente começa a trabalhar como espião para Morgan dentro da organização. Depois que Morgan captura a filha de Virginia, Dakota, Daniel e Grace são usados contra ele como reféns até que Morgan e Virginia consigam chegar a um acordo. Os dois são então liberados e Daniel se junta à nova comunidade de Morgan.

Após a criação da comunidade de Morgan, Daniel assume o papel de chefe da segurança e se reúne com Rajado por Victor Strand, que conseguiu localizar o amado gato de Daniel e devolvê-lo a Daniel como uma oferta de paz entre os dois homens. Depois de uma explosão e das armas da comunidade, que Daniel havia trancado, desaparecendo, Daniel fica paranóico com a possibilidade de haver um espião na comunidade para o culto do juízo final que está ameaçando a segurança de todos e ele considera Strand como o suspeito mais provável, revelando os efeitos persistentes de Strand atirando em seu rosto para o outro homem. Daniel chega a permitir que um rebanho de zumbis ameace os portões da comunidade para tentar forçar o ladrão a entregar as armas, mas Morgan retorna e elimina o rebanho com as armas na van da SWAT de Al. No final das contas, acontece que todas as ocorrências estranhas sobre as quais Daniel tem estado paranóico foram causadas pelo próprio Daniel. June realiza testes em Daniel e determina que seus problemas não são neurológicos, mas psicológicos, provavelmente causados por seu problema em se estabelecer em uma vida mais normal enquanto ainda está sob a ameaça do culto. Não querendo continuar a colocar seus amigos em perigo, Daniel decide partir com Rajado e retornar ao seu armazém, mas Strand se oferece para levar Daniel de volta para sua base em Lawton, Oklahoma onde ele pode cuidar dele por causa de Ofelia. Daniel aceita a oferta de Strand e sai com ele.

No sonho futuro de Grace, Daniel vive na comunidade de Morgan, onde trabalha como barbeiro e é amigo de Strand.

Depois que Alicia revela os planos do culto do Juízo Final para lançar o USS Pensilvânia de mísseis nucleares, Daniel se junta ao resto do grupo de Morgan para viajar para o submarino encalhado perto de Galveston, Texas para detê-los. Daniel permanece do lado de fora com muitos dos amigos de Morgan e assiste com horror enquanto o culto consegue lançar um míssil nuclear com dez ogivas antes que Morgan e Strand possam detê-los.

Enquanto tenta encontrar cobertura da destruição nuclear que se aproxima, Daniel ouve uma transmissão distorcida revelando as coordenadas para um local seguro, mas o segundo em comando do culto, Riley, se oferece para levar o grupo para o bunker escondido do culto. Com Daniel inseguro sobre a mensagem e dado sua história recente, o grupo decide ir para o bunker, mas Daniel permanece desconfiado dos motivos de Riley e o interroga enquanto eles são parados para reparos. Daniel percebe que Rollie é na verdade um espião do culto e o mata, levando Riley a tentar atacar Daniel apenas para ser baleado por Charlie. Riley confirma que Daniel estava certo sobre Rollie, explicando que o incidente com Daniel na comunidade de Morgan quebrou a fé de Rollie neles. Como Daniel foi inocentado, Luciana o apóia na viagem até as coordenadas que lhe foram dadas, onde um helicóptero do CRM enviado por Al resgata o grupo. Luciana garante a Daniel que tudo que ele precisa é de uma ajudinha e que ficarão bem se ficarem juntos.

Desenvolvimento e recepção

Daniel fez sua estreia em "So Close, Yet So Far". Daniel retorna no episódio da terceira temporada "TEOTWAWKI" depois de ser dado como morto. Matt Fowler da IGN declarou: "O retorno de Daniel nessa batida final foi um toque legal e estou feliz em ver Rubén Blades de volta no show".

O quarto episódio da terceira temporada, "100", centrado em torno de Daniel, foi aclamado pela crítica. Matt Fowler, da IGN, deu ao episódio uma nota de 9/10, afirmandoː "'100' pareceu fresco e imediato e, pela primeira vez, embora se concentrasse apenas em um personagem principal, Fear the Walking Dead parecia inteiramente com seu próprio esforço. O mesmo universo da série original, com certeza, mas com vitalidade, diferentes perspectivas, ângulos e objetivos - meio que respondeu a essa pergunta recorrente "Por que ter outro show de Walking Dead?", como Daniel foi constantemente salvo enquanto também constantemente colocado em situações em que ele foi chamado de mau por fazer mal a pessoas inocentes. Era impressionante e Rubén Blades era hipnotizante."

Em dezembro de 2018, foi relatado que Rubén Blades retornaria na temporada 5 como Daniel Salazar. No episódio de estreia da temporada, Daniel faz um segundo retorno ao show depois de ser considerado morto no final da terceira temporada.

Personagens criados por Robert Kirkman
Personagens de Fear the Walking Dead
Personagens fictícios da Califórnia
Personagens de televisão introduzidos em 2015


Least Known Artifacts in Marvel Universe Part 1.
Almost everyone here would be knowing about Marvel.It is too much amazing to watch all that stuff in comics and movies.But have you ever thought what makes it amazing? NO!! Let me tell you then,It's some what because of it's artifacts,most of us would be familiar with Hofund(Heimdall's Sword),Mjolnir,Captain America's Shield,Cosmic Cube and whole lot more…..But all this are from movies,so what about artifacts with powers and uniquesness are all hidden in the comics.I'll be mentioning 16 of them which are most powerful but are not well know by many of us,simply because they are hidden in the comics.
Most of people who watch Marvel Cinematic Universe don't know about this rings,but the ones who read comics know what are this.Because of them not being in MCU,it's placed at the 16th position on this list.
these 10 cylinders were Makluan pieces of technology.Each contained the soul of a long-dead legendary cosmic warrior,trapped in a phantasmal state limited by their respective device.They found their way to earth abroad the starship of Makluan explorer Axonn-Karr. having found by Mandarin,he beame a powerful villian of Iron Man.
The rings power includes gravity creation,matter arrangement,concussive blasts,vortex creation,disintegration beams,mind control,and the creation of absolute darkness.It has recently been revealed that each ring has it's own sentience.
When it was first introduced in the 1960s in Fantastic Four comic series,it was referred as "the universe's most devastating weapon".It's powers are so immense that the planet-eater Galactus fled upon seeing the device.Once whem Galactus was about to destroy our homeplanet,Uatu The Watcher intervened and showed the Human Torched the one weapon capable of defeating the Eater of Planets.It is one of the most powerful items in the entire Marvel Universe.
The Ultimate Nullifier has the ability to wipe anything out of existence.Nothing is safe from this device ,including people,cities,planets,niverses and even timelines when it comes to it.
Octessence have you ever heard this ever before? No!! Who are Octessence?They are eight mystical being who argued over a stupid thing and that was that who was more powerful among all of them.many millennia ago.They quickly made a wager to settle their quarrel.So,each would put part of the essence into an object that would hold mostly a fraction of their emmense powers and abilities.
The avatar which proved to be strongest would win the bet.Cyttorak being one of them,forged a gem that was found by Cain Marko,stepbrother of Charles Xavier.Touching the magical item Marko was turned into the Juggernaut-a being unstoppable once on getting some momentum.
It's origins can be tracked back the biblical time,found over 5000 years ago by Anath-Na-Mut.
Mut was the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II's chief wizard an history's very first mutant including Apocalypse.Mut stumbled upon the KA stone.Upon touching the stone ,he was turned into Sphinx,an immortal being with vast superhuman abilities.
The Gem gave Mut several powers,which mostly including flight,telepathy and energy manipulation.He became bored of his unending existence after five millenia.
Most of you must be thinking that why is this included in this list even when it has been in the movies.It's because of the one after this one.
11. The Gems of Infinite Suns.
This gem can be used to cancel out the powers of Casket of Ancient Winters.It contains power and heat of the sunlight or multitude of suns.Thor has used this artifact to cancel out the Caslet's powers against Malekith.
Also known as the nexus of all realities,The M'Kraan crystal have a variety of uses.The object is powerful because of it being so fragile.
But inside the crystal lies what is believed to be inhabitant from the very first planet in the universe.(It contains an entire city of a lost alien race as well as neuron galaxy).If the crystal shatters,the entire universe would go with it. The alien race known as the Shi'ar Vigilantly stands guard,protecting the crystal and all of it's existence.
Being a member of the Octessence ,Watoomb decided to put his powers into a wand.Doctor Strange after besting Cyrus Black(not Sirius Black from Harry Potter)won the right to carry the baton.
The Wand is used like a lightning rod(Just like Mjolnir but not at that level),focusing and enhancing the wielder's magical abilities.With the Sorcerer Supreme,it's a very dangerous weapon.
The wand can absorb just anything thrown at it.So,one doesn't need to have powers or superpowers if said.It's mostly used for forming shields,opening interdimensional gateway and other realities,controlling minds and creating monstrous armies.
This one exists in MCU but is still unknown so this one is also on the list.
Pepper Potts was rumored to appear as Rescue in Avengers 4. But noe it's confirmed by this image.
Rescue is the Iron Woman Version. Her powers are Energy Emanation, Electric Field Generation, Magnetic Force Field,Enhanced Senses, Enhanced Strength, and Regenerative Durability.
I think Marvel will replace her with Iron Man in Phase 4 as it has promised that Marvel Cinematic Universe in phase 4 will be more of female lead.
Everyone remembers DC's Greatest failure JUSTICE LEAGUE.
Warner Bros had removed more than 30 important scenes and Joss Whedon also deleted and remade some scenes. Black Suit for Superman, Barry Saving Iris, Green Lantern Cameos and many more.
But this scene would have the made this movie great. Darkseid DC's most powerful villain was in JL but Warner Bros just cut that. The concept art for Darkseid was released recently. Here's how it was.
Gal Gadot just posted this on her Social Media and announced the Release Date for Wonder Woman 1984.
20 JUNE, 2020 This is too late but we can hope they can plan it after looking at the success of Aquaman.
Stephen Amell as Flash and Grant Gustin as Green Arrow.
This Crossover is going to be super awesome. Don't know if this costume exchange is just a plan or their powers are exchanged. We have seen such kind of power exchange in Flash Before.


For version 3.4.1, the database version (db_version in wp_options) changed to 21115.
In WordPress, the database version is a number that increases every time changes are made to the way WordPress organizes the data in its database.
So the answer to my particular question, is that yes there are some database changes from 3.4 to 3.4.1.


text:
National Tour of "Girls Night The Musical" Features Somerset Native
The power of a shared laugh. The compelling bonds of music. The camaraderie of old friends. For those of you who are fans of "Sex and the City," "Desperate Housewives" or "Mamma Mia!" you have a guaranteed good time awaiting you when "Girls Night: The Musical" comes to the Zeiterion Theatre …
Suspect in New Bedford Homicide Ordered Held
Bristol County District Attorney Tom Quinn announced that Syrelle Grace, 18, of 120 Ingell Street in Taunton, was ordered held without bail during his arraignment today in New Bedford District Court. Grace is charged with murder connected to the June 11 homicide in New Bedford of 19-year-old Marcel Francois of …
New Bedford High School's Top Ten Students to Attend Top Colleges and Universities
New Bedford High School's Top Ten students will attend some of the nation's top colleges and universities and among them have the distinction of being accepted into some of the most selective schools in the country: 1. Emma York Emma will attend Williams College in the fall after being accepted …
Root canal performed on Ursula the black bear at Buttonwood Park Zoo
The American black bear is the smallest of the three bears species found in North America, and are found only in North America. Three black bears call the Buttonwood Park Zoo home – Ursula, Amy and Toby. Black bears are omnivorous eating plants, fruits, nuts, insects, honey, salmon and small …
Faces Of New Bedford – #03: Marcus Cusick
Meet Marcus Cusick, a recent graduate from the Fine Arts program at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Here he is pictured preparing for the Seaport Artwalk, where he had several sculptures installed and a large mural of a lobster claw. When asked what it was about New Bedford that inspired …
Gomes Elementary School Awarded Expanded Learning Time Grant
Alfred J. Gomes Elementary School has been awarded the first Expanded Learning Time (ELT) grant for a public school in New Bedford. Gomes teachers ratified the proposal to apply for the $267,500 per year grant in April. ELT will provide more time on teaching and learning for the students at …
GLCPS Makes US News & World Report Best High School List for 2nd Straight Year
Global Learning Charter Public School (GLCPS) has received recognition from two prestigious publications as being among the best and the most challenging high schools in the country. For the 2nd consecutive year, US News & World Report ranks GLCPS as among the best of the best. For 2015, GLCPS is …
Music Performance by the Afro-Semitic Experience
The City of New Bedford Department of Community Services is pleased to announce an upcoming musical performance by The Afro-Semitic Experience, on Thursday, July 9th at 6 p.m. at the Greater New Bedford Vocational-Technical High School Auditorium. With their unique instrumentation, solid grooves, and their ability to get an audience …
HDC Plans For Port Director Transition
At a meeting of the New Bedford Harbor Development Commission (HDC) on Thursday, June 11, Port Director Jeffrey Stieb announced his decision to step down from the post, and the seven-member board voted to appoint Deputy Port Director Edward Anthes-Washburn as Acting Port Director on a transition date to be …
Paskamansett Concert Series in Dartmouth set to launch this July
The new Paskamansett Concert Series is set to launch on Saturday, July 11th, with a 7:30 pm performance by the Spindle Rock River Rats at the historic Dartmouth Grange Hall in the Russells Mills Village Historic District of South Dartmouth, MA. The monthly concerts are being organized by Russ Smith, …


Driving a race car through turns at speeds above 200 m.p.h. is not only hazardous, it is physically demanding.
The forces of gravity involved approach those that test pilots and astronauts must endure.
And driving a race car at high speed in traffic for 500 miles takes extraordinary concentration and stamina.
Still, few people think of race drivers as athletes.
One dictionary defines athlete as: "One trained to physical exercises, feats or contests of strength."
A good case can be made for drivers on each of those points.
To wrestle an ill-handling race car, whether it is a 1,550-pound Indy car or a 3,700-pound stock car, around a race track definitely is physical exercise, and it certainly takes above average strength. And piloting a race car at the speeds they reach today on race tracks built before World War I must be considered a feat.
"Driving keeps you in shape," said Bobby Rahal, who has had a seat in virtually every major driving series in the world. "But you have to have tremendous stamina. It's like a marathon runner. You have to be physically strong.
"The other thing is mental ability--the ability to concentrate. That's very difficult to train for.
"What's the definition of an athlete? Is a jockey an athlete? We don't go running up and down like a football or basketball player, but in terms of the physical demands of our sport, it takes every bit as much athletic ability, in my opinion."
Rahal, 32, rides a stationary bike for about half an hour a day and also works out with Nautilus weight equipment--a favorite of many of the drivers.
Danny Sullivan, a slim, handsome 35, has taken a further step to stay in proper condition for driving a race car. He has hired a personal fitness consultant and trainer, Dan Isaacson, who is a partner in John Travolta Dance and Workout in Los Angeles, trained Travolta for his demanding role in the movie "Staying Alive" and works with dozens of show business people.
"Danny works out at least an hour a day six days a week," said Isaacson, who spent the first week of practice for the May 26 Indianapolis 500 at Sullivan's side. "I don't usually do this (travel with his clients), but this is so unique and such a major event, I wanted to see what it is we had to deal with.
"What we're trying to do for Danny is make him more conscious of his whole body. His workouts and diet are designed to give him an improved cardiovascular system--get more oxygen to his system when he needs it--and make him more flexible."
Isaacson, a compact, muscular man of 35, said now that he has seen race drivers up close, he certainly considers them athletes.
"I do. Danny was a track star in high school and an athlete is very proficient at whatever sport he does. And they (drivers) are involved in what they do psychologically, mentally, physically and spiritually. The one difference is that, with race drivers, a lot of their activity is internal--stamina, concentration, being ready psychologically.
"But they need to be in the proper physical and mental condition to prevent fatigue and create a great amount of energy when they need it."
Sullivan said, "Of course, I feel better being physically fit, but there are definite demands for it in Indy-car racing. A 500-mile or 500-kilometer or 300-mile race is very, very tough. The cars generate more downforce than ever before and the 'G' forces in the corners are up.
"I didn't drive a race car 20 years ago, so I don't know if they're easier or harder now. I only know that if you're physically drained, you're not going to be at your peak."
It's rare to see a race driver who doesn't appear to be in shape.
"The older guys know they have to keep in shape to keep racing and the younger ones know they must stay in shape to handle the pressures," Sullivan said.
"Look at a guy like Mario," he added, referring to 45-year-old Mario Andretti, the 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner and 1978 Formula One world champion. "He keeps in shape mainly by driving, which is the best way to do it. He's constantly testing or racing and that alone can help you maintain your conditioning because it's very hard. But, when he's not driving, Mario is playing tennis or water skiing or doing something active. That's just the way he is, and that's the way most drivers are."
There also is the theory that conditioning has saved the lives of many drivers in crashes over the years.
"There's no question that someone in shape is more likely to get through a severe impact in better condition than someone who isn't," said Johnny Rutherford, 47, a three-time Indy winner. Rutherford, who still pilots jet planes as a hobby and has remained trim.
"I worked a little harder over the winter and took off some weight," said Rutherford, who has a full-time ride for the first time in two years. "You have to be ready for whatever happens when you're in a race car, and one way to get yourself ready is to be physically fit."