text:
Even Samantha Power, one of the world's most powerful women, deals with sexism at work
By Amanda Taub Dec 16, 2014, 11:20am EST
Share All sharing options for: Even Samantha Power, one of the world's most powerful women, deals with sexism at work
Samantha Power speaks at a UN Security Council Meeting
(Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
Samantha Power is many things: Current U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Former Harvard professor. Pulitzer prize winner. And, as a particularly galling incident involving a French ambassador makes clear, reported in this week's profile by The New Yorker's Evan Osnos, she is also someone who, despite all of those impressive accomplishments, is still expected to take time out of her busy schedule to bow to outdated gender norms.
Here is what happened, according to Osnos' story: Gérard Araud, the current French Ambassador to the US and at the time French ambassador to the UN, sent Power a text one day while they were on the Security Council that read, "On behalf of the French delegation, I want to tell you, you are very beautiful." The source for this story is Araud himself.
That's right: Araud, in his capacity as diplomatic representative of France, not only sent an obnoxious text to the US Ambassador to the United Nations, while they were in the Security Council, but later bragged about it to the New Yorker, saying that "As a Frenchman, I'm not condemned to be politically correct."
Araud also told Osnos that he'd expected Power to be an "NGO girl" before he met her, but was pleasantly surprised by her ability when they worked together — a remark that's a contender for the back-handed compliment hall of fame.
That incident is telling about the degree to which international diplomacy remains a boys club, even if some women reach its highest levels.
But Power's response to Araud is more telling still: she played the role that he demanded, sending a reply text that said "This is one of the nicest SMSs I have ever received." Her strategy, apparently, was effective: Osnos reports that Araud became "one of Power's closest collaborators."
I'm not criticizing Power's decision to send that response — it worked, and she had a job to do. But it is frustrating to consider that the US ambassador to the UN — the representative of the world's most powerful country to the world's most important institution — was put in a position of having to simper about compliments to her appearance in order to not jeopardize a working relationship with a US ally.
Compliments can be lovely, but receiving that sort of remark from a professional colleague who isn't a friend places women in a deeply annoying position: either respond positively and risk being seen as unprofessional and flirtatious, or respond negatively and risk being seen as rude. I'd wager that that's a tradeoff that every working woman in America has had to make — albeit probably not in response to the French Ambassador.
Likewise, Power seemed to be careful not to appear too ambitious when speaking to Osnos. She took pains to paint her career as the result of impulse and emotion, rather than ambition and dedication. "My career is not well thought out," she told him. "Every choice has been instinctive and, quite literally, impulsive in many ways."
That description is totally at odds with the actual facts of Power's career: this is a woman who, after writing a paper about genocide in her second year of law school, sent it to Marty Peretz, then the editor of the New Republic, and to Anthony Lewis, then a columnist for the New York Times. And who then parlayed that very paper into a book, the book into a Pulitzer Prize, the Pulitzer into a Harvard professorship, and then her role at Harvard into positions in Barack Obama's first presidential campaign and then his administration. (Some instincts! Some impulses!)
But unfortunately it's not at odds with the truth that ambitious women are often seen as demanding, unpleasant, or unreasonable. That is a tightrope that our society expects all successful women to walk, but it's still frustrating to be reminded that there is no position senior enough to escape the contradictions of being a successful woman in America. Be high-achieving, but not ambitious. Be attractive, but don't appear to prioritize your appearance over other things. Sit at the table with powerful men, and if they don't know how to handle that, gracefully overlook their misbehavior.
We have progressed far enough to appoint a woman as ambassador to the UN, but not so far that she won't have to navigate those oppressive gender expectations once she gets there.
I have met Samantha Power, and am familiar with her work. I can say firsthand that her looks are the least remarkable thing about her. And I don't always agree with her, but her ambition is inspiring, and her accomplishments are impressive. I wish we lived in a society that let her own that without judgment. Apparently we don't.
Next Up In The Latest


Modularm Corporation is a temperature and refrigeration monitoring systems manufacturer with innovative products designed to protect perishables, save energy and increase operator safety. Our product line includes single and multipoint freezer temperature alarms and freezer monitoring systems as well as freezer door monitors, panic (entrapment) alarms, web enabled data logging systems and remote annunciation solutions. We also provide numerous peripheral devices to support and enhance our product line.


The Fairfield Prep students and faculty raised their arms in prayer to ask for God's blessings on these servers during the All Saints Day Mass today.
The Fairfield Prep community celebrated the All Saints Day Mass on Thursday with an installation of the liturgical ministers for the 2018-19 academic year.
The liturgical ministers assist in Prep Masses throughout the year as lectors, alter servers, ushers, musicians, and Eucharistic ministers (see the names below). The installation was led by Prep President Rev. Tom Simisky, S.J., and visiting Jesuit priest Rev. Rodolfo Casals, S.J., the assistant director of vocations for the Maryland and USA Northeast Provinces.
The Prep students and faculty raised their arms in asking for God's blessing on these students as them embark on their year of serving at Mass. They also received a round of applause at the end of Mass.
The All Saints Day Mass kicks off a month of remembrance for Prep as well recall loved ones and friends who have passed away. We ask anyone who wishes to have a person remembered at our weekly Friday Masses to fill out our remembrance form here.


text:
Are We There Yet? #Equal Pay
Equal Pay Day fell on the 20th November 2022. Equal Pay Day is a national campaign led by the Fawcett Society in the UK. It marks the day in the year where women effectively, on average, stop earning relative to men because of the gender pay gap.
The Fawcett Society is a membership charity based in the UK campaigning for gender equality and women's rights at work, at home and in public life.
Explaining exactly what the pay gap is, The Fawcett Society say "The gender pay gap is the difference between the average pay of men and women within a particular group or population. Fawcett uses the mean, full-time, hourly gender pay gap for the UK to calculate the gender pay gap for Equal Pay Day which this year is 11.3%, a tiny decrease from 11.9% last year."
Jemima Olchawski, CEO of the Fawcett Society, said "It is deeply disappointing that the gender pay gap has barely shifted in the past few years, especially given the cost-of-living crisis is hitting women the hardest and forcing them to make impossible choices. Other data indicates that the pay gap may be even worse for women of colour - though we still don't know the full picture."
AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) has also published its latest gender pay gap report and its second ethnicity pay gap report, ahead of Equal Pay Day on 20 November.
AAT report they "been publishing its gender pay gap data since 2017. In 2021, the organisation began publishing ethnicity pay gap data for the first time, despite no legal requirement to do so, highlighting its commitment to Diversity and Inclusion (D&I)."
One of their key findings show that the mean gender pay gap has decreased from 3.5% in 2021 to –0.2% in 2022, due to an increase in the proportion of women in senior roles within the organisation while the mean ethnicity pay gap declined slightly, from 24.9% in 2021 to 24% in 2022.
Read AAT's Report Here
While it's great news that AAT have worked hard to reduce the gap, its clear there is still a lot of work to do across the UK, and Europe, until pay is truly equal. Do you share complete a gender pay gap report? If so, please so share it with us and we'll make it available here too.
What Happened to COP27?
Posted November 22, 2022 by Kimberley Moreno
Log in to join the discussion, just hit reply to add your thoughts...
Not viewing the right article? Click here
Are We There Yet? #EqualPay
Have a Story to Share?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Baseball Card Proof that Steve Carlton Was Once the Strikeout King
Posted by Adam Hughes | Players, Topps Baseball Cards | 0 |
(Check out our other player card posts here.)
Did you know that Steve Carlton was the all-time leader in strikeouts?
Well, it's the truth, and I have baseball card proof.
Here, look Lefty's 1984 Topps Highlight card:
(OK, so you can't tell much about the "highlight from that card, but trust me here … and read on for more proof.)
See … Carlton ended the 1983 season as the all-time K leader after taking down the record that Walter Johnson had held for nearly 56years.
And that wasn't the only big thing about 1983 for the man whom many considered, at one time, to be the greatest left-handed power arm ever.
No, entering the 1983 season at age 38, Carlton had a few things to prove.
Sure, he had won the Cy Young award in 1982, but many in the game thought his age was about to catch up with him. The end — or at least an earnest decline — couldn't be far away, the pundits said.
And then there was the little matter of that strikeout record. Although Carlton had been on a bead to catch Johnson ever since his breakout 1972 season, when he fanned 310, he had spent most of his career lagging behind oldster Gaylord Perry in total Ks.
Worse, fireballer Nolan Ryan had jumped ahead of Carlton in 1977, and Lefty was having a hard time regaining the strikeout lead. Carlton could take some solace in the knowledge that most observers considered him a far superior pitcher, but the fact remained that Thrower Ryan stood ahead of him on the all-time list.
It was a thorn in Lefty's side, and he was determined to grab that strikeout title first and hold onto it for good.
But beyond individual goals and shoulder chips, Carlton wanted something else — another title.
After all, he had spent those putrid years of the early-to-mid-1970s pitching like a modern-day Johnson while the Phillies stunk up Veterans Stadium all around him. Carlton's 27 wins for a team that won only 62 in 1972 is a feat that will be hard to match.
Thanks partly to Lefty's brilliance, though, and thanks partly to young talents like Mike Schmidt and Greg Luzinski, the Phillies started to pull out of their funk as the 70s passed their midpoint. When Pete Rose, Tug McGraw, Garry Maddox, and others found their way to Philly late in the decade, the Phillies were legitimate championship contenders.
The breakthrough came in 1980, when they put it all together to win the World Series over the Kansas City Royals in six games.
Things didn't go quite so well in 1981 or 1982, though, and the Phils missed the playoffs both years.
That second offseason, desperate for a return to glory, the front office brought in Joe Morgan and Tony Perez to complement former Big Red Machine teammate Rose, and the Wheeze Kids were born.
Although derided for their collective ages — five players on the roster were older than 40 by season's end — Philadelphia won the National League East title and downed the Los Angeles Dodgers in four games in the NLCS.
Only a young and hungry Baltimore Orioles team, led by Cal Ripken, Jr., and Eddie Murray were able to stop the Phils from capturing their second title in four years.
Along the way, Steve Carlton had to learn to deal with disappointment.
First, Ryan came out of the gates with his (right-arm) gun a-blazing and sailed past Johnson's strikeout mark on April 27 It would take Carlton until May 20 to move into second place.
Then, new(ish) acquisition John Denny emerged as the ace of the Phillies' staff and eventually copped the Cy Young award with his 19-6 record.
Folks hardly gave any thought to Steve Carlton.
But Mr. All-Timer wasn't done with glorious moments — not by a long shot.
On September 23, Carlton recorded his 300th Major League victory, becoming just the 16th pitcher to reach that level.
And, as Denny and the rest of his Phils' teammates pulled the headlines, and as Ryan ran out of steam through the summer, Carlton quietly put together one of his biggest strikeout years, eventually notching 275 knockouts.
By the time Gaylord Perry also moved past Johnson on the K list on August 13, Carlton had claimed the Number 1 spot, and people started to take notice of him again.
Honestly, many — if not most — thought he would ride out the rest of his career in first place and would probably last longer than Ryan.
Of course, things didn't quite play out that way.
While Perry retired after that record-breaking season, Carlton and Ryan soldiered on.
There was at least some chatter that Carlton was really ready to retire but that he didn't want to let Ryan have a shot at regaining the strikeout crown.
The events that unfolded through the middle and late Eighties lend some credence to that idea, too.
The main problem was that Nolan Ryan just refused to age. In fact, he only got better as the decade progressed, even while Carlton was scrapping to be even effective.
After two mediocre campaigns, the Phils released Carlton in June of 1986, and the San Francisco Giants signed him on July 4.
Just over a month later, San Fran released him, too, and the Chicago White Sox picked him up for the stretch run.
The Sox let Carlton walk after the season, and the Cleveland Indians signed him for 1987, then traded him to the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline.
Minnesota released him in December, re-signed him in January of 1988, and then released him for good on April 28 after he picked up five final strikeouts in four appearances.
After 24 seasons in the Big Leagues, Carlton was finished, and not exactly on his own terms.
In the meantime, Ryan had blown by Lefty and would pitch for another five seasons, finishing with 5714 strikeouts, enarly 1600 better than Carlton's final mark.
But for one glorious offseason, Steve Carlton was the all-time strikeout leader … and his baseball cards prove it.
LARRY BIITTNER 1978 TOPPS #346 - PSA 9 MINT - CHICAGO CUBS - *6638
PSA 9 MINT 1975 TOPPS MINI LARRY BIITTNER #543 EXPOS 88787 B187
1975 Topps #543 Larry Biittner Expos PSA 9 - MINT
1983 Fleer Larry Biittner #586 PSA 10 Cincinnati Reds POP 9
PreviousStep Into Wade Boggs' Office with this Classic Baseball Card
Next1968 Topps Mickey Mantle Baseball Card: Sylin' in Burlap
Behold … the Last Topps Baseball Cards of the 1980s
Collectors' Vote: Which Players Would You Include on Your 2018 Hall of Fame Ballot?


Homepage Blog UWP – Microsoft's Giant Step to Compete with Android!
UWP – Universal Windows Platform arrived in both desktop and mobile development areas. To hire windows developers for various devices is now an old idea. A certified UWP developer can write an application which caters the requirement of different devices.
Here, in this article, we will see the special features provided by UWP. Then we will see the role of .Net Native in UWP development. We will have a glance at Microsoft and Visual studio's support features for it. Lastly, we will see the challenge area and future of UWP in detail. Now, let's get started with the UWP.
The concept of UWP, one app for all windows 10 devices, has inspired windows based IT companies to shift the direction of windows 10 app development.
Windows 10 has launched an app platform for windows devices like PC, Xbox, Surface Hub, Phone, HoloLens etc. This app platform is called Universal Windows Platform (UWP). So it's one unique app which is responsive to all devices. A developer is provided with a UWP kit – API set, one app package, and a store to implement the app. Now let's check the characteristic of UWP.
One API for a responsive application. UWP core API serves the purpose of all device responsiveness. Now, whether you run your application on windows desktop or a mobile or a laptop, one core API suffices the requirement.
Special add-on APIs for a special device. Device special APIs make UWP more unique. Extension SDK provides such feature. If UWP's main target is Xbox, then Xbox related personalized APIs can be added to core APIs. Now because of this, extensive features can be added to the windows 10 app development and this would give the user a wow factor.
AppX packaging format makes it distributed to the store. UWP comes with AppX packaging format. This is a trusted installation technique for deploying and updating the app with an ease.
One store manager for all devices. After an application is made in UWP, you can deploy and manage it in windows store. One can deploy device specific app also. For example, if I have developed an app which is specifically targeted for HoloLens, then I can deploy it HoloLens area of the windows app store.
Support for adaptive controls and input devices makes it unique. Effective pixel techniques are added in UI elements. It can respond to layout depending on screen pixels on the screen. Input devices like mouse, keyboard, pen, Xbox are handled very well.
The money aspect is also very well covered. Windows app store provides options to monetize your application. Choose the best model for your app. Paid download at a specific prize is one simple solution. Then 'free trials, pay later on if you like' is the second one. The third one is that use of sale price for extensions. Advertisers and purchase inside an app are again an option.
Want to know more about UWP benefits?
.Net Native and Visual Studio let the developer build UWP application seamlessly.
There are some interesting facts regarding the speed of .net impact for UWP development. Cold startup time improves 60% and warm startup time improves by 40%. Windows users get benefited by.Net Native. Apps managed by windows store tend to run faster and also start faster when it is made with.Net Native. The customer also notices the boost in performance.
.Net Native supports to make your app faster because whenever it is compiled natively, it consumes less memory. It doesn't depend on the .NET runtime desktop. Native compilation results in performance of native code. C# and VB's tools can also opt in the.Net native approach here. Exception handling and separate business logic handling is comprehensively included with.Net native.
.NET Natively comes at a cost of complex compilation. Compilation issues need to be discussed to hire windows developers. Every run of the app takes a compilation process and this compilation takes more time waiting for a build to complete. Anyways, visual studio tooling is there to support and it is designed specially to make the compilation process smooth.
Microsoft announced some robust integration to support UWP development and to compete with Android.
In its 2016 keynote release, Microsoft announces some high profile incorporation with the essential technologies. The key idea was to empower windows 10 ecosystem such a way that it can reach to one billion devices with few years of span. The support system established to stand against top mobile development technologies, iOS, and Android.
Bash shell incorporation with windows 10 hosted web apps is the attractive factor here. Profile partners like American Express, Yahoo Mail, and BBC report use windows 10 hosted apps. But their developers wanted some extra benefits feature as well. The developers demanded UNIX – Bash shell in windows. The knowledge of UNIX system helps to hire windows developers, especially when working with bash shell on windows 10 app development.
Desktop app converter is for Centennial project. It is a wrapping Win32/.net desktop application. It is based on App-v technology in a sandboxed container manner. To facilitate the Centennial project with UWP development, Microsoft announced a new desktop app converter.
Xamarin integration in Visual Studio is again a hot pick. Xamarin facilitates developers to create c# based developments and to port for Android and iOS them also. .Net developers asked for integration of Xamarin with Codex platform into Visual studio.
Microsoft started creating hardware and software partners and developers all over the world. UWP provides openness to the modern application with solid installation and uninstallation as well as easy updates.
Microsoft windows tools provide a whole lot of the features for robust UWP development.
Visual Studio enables the UWP development to write responsive code for all the devices whether it is a tablet in your bag, a laptop or PC on a desk, the Surface Hub, Xbox console or any device. For all these to work, Microsoft windows tool has given a bunch of specialties in the Visual studio which caters the need.
Visual Studio provides ease in debugging, diagnosing and testing. It comes with preview functionality for UX adopting in the UI designer. There are powerful diagnostic tools and emulators in visual studio for runtime testing.
Because of native code compilation and memory usage optimization, the apps built in visual studio tend to be 60% faster. App insight feature lets you have a real time feedback from real users in the real world. Data related to app's performance at user's point of view is surely always a company's interest and requirement.
Challenges lying ahead in the way of UWP development has to be kept in mind to succeed across the platform.
UWP development enrolled many aspects of successful application development but there are some dark areas which need to be handled in a positive and competitive manner.
In UWP, a menu provided is hamburger style menu. It doesn't enroll some good and useful classic menus. Huber sent a request regarding this and submitted it to UserVoice. The controls like classic toolbar or ribbon style control are not included in the library. This gives a missing something feeling or incomplete to UI developers.
Tree view development is under development. They are in the phase of developing hierarchical data template for classical tree view feature. Direct access to the database is not permissible. So the detailed DB technicalities can be achieved through some wrappers only provided they are there. Similar server explorer based application building is a trivial task in WBP development. These challenges have to be very well tackled at the design phase of windows development.
There is a task guide for storing business processes. This task guide involves recording a process, sent in XML format, apply security and store it in the library so that in future it can be retrieved. This is a good feature but it doesn't come automated one. Manual intervention is required.
The idea of UWP is new in the enterprise market. The immediate future is evolving around tablets and consumer desktops and windows phones. It is not a replacement for hi-fi graphics, strong CPU based games, and AI related apps. It is also not related to small scale at home programs like running a home bakery enterprise.
Window future in next 10 years? Can't say too much. UWP's position is not so strong because it is new. Microsoft's awareness regarding the failure in mobile apps makes it stay and experiment in the market. PCs are not as lively as mobiles nowadays. Yes, the collaboration with Xbox is growing at a good speed. With other devices also, new updates and support system are in the development phase.
Microsoft believes in thinking for future rather than sustaining current trends. Like Apple's iPad, UWP is slow but remaining steady will make it win the race.
Hi, what do you feel about the article, please let us know. We would be Happy to hear something from you.


Retailers! Check out this week's FOC. We've got EXCELLENCE #1 and MURDER FALCON #8 on the list this week. Both issues have variant covers as well so make sure to order up on them. Log in to your retailer account to get all the details.


text:
Why I Believe Obama is a Natural-Born Citizen
Buried in the comments section of a Jay Bookman blog post at ajc.com, I've had a conversation with one fellow who asked me why I believe Barack Obama is a natural-born citizen. When he didn't like my first answer enough, here's what I wrote:
I'm going to do it kinda bullet-point style, to keep things relatively short. So here goes. These first several assume birth in Hawaii, and all take into account the 'two-citizen-parent' theory of natural-born citizenship; I will deal with the Kenyan birth allegations further down.
- I have a copy of Black's Law Dictionary in front of me. It defines "natural born citizen" as "A person born within the jurisdiction of a national government." It then defines "naturalized citizen" as being "A foreign-born person who attains citizenship by law." It does not list any other kinds of citizen, only by birth or naturalization. It does not require two citizen parents. This points to the conclusion that Obama is a natural-born citizen.
- I have an undergraduate degree in Political Science and a law degree. Everything I learned in school, both undergraduate and graduate, points to the conclusion that Obama is a natural-born citizen, and nothing I learned suggests otherwise.
- Two hundred plus years of electoral precedent and the public understanding of what constitutes a natural-born citizen (for instance, see WWI draft cards), and the lack of any prior eligibility challenges akin to the one made against Obama (and there have been other Presidential candidates who were not born to two citizen parents) supports the conclusion that Obama is a natural-born citizen.
- The consensus opinion of the legal scholarly community as to the meaning of "natural-born citizen" supports the conclusion that Obama is a natural-born citizen. Whereas there are essentially zero legal scholars who have given support to the 'two-citizen-parent' theory, which suggests that it is a fringe and wholly Constitutionally unsupported theory.
- Obama faced seven opponents in the Democratic primary, in addition to Republican opponent John McCain. All of them had election lawyers. Out of those eight, precisely zero of them ever so much as accused him of being ineligible for not being a natural-born citizen. Even Hillary, who refused to concede until the eleventh hour and who would have been the automatic Democratic nominee if he had been declared ineligible, never even suggested that he was ineligible. This supports the conclusion that he is a natural-born citizen.
So assuming a birth in Hawaii, my belief that Obama is a natural-born citizen is supported by the preeminent legal dictionary, my own legal and political education, two centuries of precedent, the legal scholarly community, and everyone who had a personal stake in Obama's eligibility status.
As for why I believe he was born in Hawaii:
- The Certification of Live Birth says Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. The newspaper birth announcements say he was born in Hawaii. The director of the Hawaii State Department of Health has said "Barack Hussein Obama was born in Hawaii." Obama has consistently said, for 48 years, that he was born in Hawaii.
- There was never *any* doubt that Obama was born in Hawaii until spring 2008, four years after his name started getting mentioned as a Presidential contender, and over a year after he started his campaign. And the claims that he was born outside Hawaii were started and spread by anonymous and pseudonymous folks online, without any sources to back up their claims that 'I heard that his mother had gone to Kenya…' And in the year and a half since those initial rumors started being written online, not a single bit of evidence has turned up that the rumor-authors could have been relying on.
- Evidence 'supporting' a Kenyan birth has consistently proven to be falsified, manipulated, grossly exaggerated, or non-existent. Meanwhile, the 'experts' who claimed that the Hawaii evidence was faked or forged consistently turned out to be liars and frauds themselves.
- And as obvious as this seems, I feel I should say it anyway: the notion that Ann Dunham traveled from Hawaii to Kenya to give birth is really, really stupid. I could mince words here, but I'm not. It's just absurd on its face, and it's barely even internally coherent. It's a 10,000 mile plane trip from a first-world nation to a third-world nation, with no direct flights in-between. (By contrast, Joe Biden was born just a 200-mile car trip from Toronto, but no one claims he could've been born in Canada, even though it's 1/50 the distance and could be driven in a few hours.) Until spring 2008, there had never been so much as the suggestion that Ann Dunham had ever set foot in Kenya during her lifetime, much less while she was pregnant. There is still no actual evidence that she ever traveled to Kenya. She knew no one there, and didn't speak the language. And for her to obtain a birth registration by August 8, which said that her son was born in Honolulu, would have required a considerable amount of deception and fraud (which of course raises the internal consistency problem of: why go to Kenya in the first place to give birth if you want your child's vital records to say he was born in Hawaii, and want it so hard that you're willing to commit fraud?)
So there's a lot of credible evidence to support a Hawaiian birth, as opposed to a lot of speculation and non-credible evidence to dispute a Hawaiian birth or support a birth anywhere else. There is no more credible reason to doubt that Obama was born in Hawaii than there is to doubt that Joe Biden was born in Pennsylvania, or that Bill Clinton was born in Arkansas, or that Ronald Reagan was born in Illinois. There is simply no reason to demand extraordinary birthplace evidence from Obama that was not demanded of previous candidates or Presidents.
Finally, to preempt any questions as to where my political loyalties lie, I am not a Democrat. I regularly vote Libertarian, and I have rarely voted Democratic for a federal office. I have never voted for a Democrat for President, and I did not vote for Obama last November. Rather, I voted for, and strongly supported, Libertarian candidate Bob Barr. And I fully stand by my choice, because I continue to oppose much of what Obama has done in office. But despite that, I can't abide denialism, so I find myself forced to defend his eligibility against unsourced, unsubstantiated, and unsupported allegations. It's something of a Golden Rule thing, really.
Lucas Smith is Back
Back in July, I helped expose Lucas Smith, the BS artist who was auctioning on eBay a supposed Kenyan birth certificate for Obama. Smith disappeared for a while, but reemerged in mid-August in a series of WorldNetDaily articles. Amusingly, WND has simultaneously run headlining articles publicizing Smith's claims alongside separate articles declaring that his claims are bogus. Thus, they position themselves to help spread lies and falsehoods while positioning themselves to be able to deny any responsibility for spreading those same lies and falsehoods.
Anyhow, after releasing a couple of incredibly poorly shot videos, Smith has submitted an unsworn declaration in Orly's latest case of Barnett v. Obama. It's not an affidavit, because it is neither sworn nor notarized, but it's a form of federal declaration that is given equal consideration to an affidavit.
So let's consider some of the things Smith as to say in this declaration:
1. My name is Lucas Daniel Smith. I am over 18 years old, am of sound mind and free of any mental disease or psychological impairment of any kind or condition.
2. I am a citizen of the United States of America, I am 29 years old and I was born and raised in the state of Iowa.
Given that Orly is involved with this declaration, it's not terribly surprising that its content is already odd. Including "born and raised" information in a declaration is terribly irrelevant to the subject at hand. On the other hand, not including any information about where Mr. Smith can presently be found is an atypical omission for a declaration of this type. The court, after all, has no clue who "Lucas Daniel Smith" is, or how to locate him.
4. On February 19, 2009 I visited the Coast General hospital in Mombasa, Kenya.
In contrast to this claim in the declaration, back in late June/early July, Smith said "This spring I traveled through Kenya and it's capital Nairobi." Now instead of "this spring," he says he was in Kenya in February.
5. I visited the hospital accompanied by one more person, a natural born citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly known as "Zaire" and before independence as the "Belgian Congo").
I see two things in this item worth noting, one questionable, and one just odd. The odd one is the inclusion of the political history of the Congo. Why that belongs in the declaration is beyond me; it's as relevant as the state of Smith's birth.
The other is the mention of Smith's associate, a "natural born citizen" (funny how that phrase makes it in) of the Congo. Based on previous postings by Smith, that person is "Andylenny." Here is a photo of Smith (left) and Andylenny (right):
I don't know the man, and I've never seen him in person, but "Andylenny," to me, looks hardly more like a Congolese citizen than I do. And I have five bucks that says the airport in that photo isn't even on the same continent as Kenya.
6. I traveled to Kenya and Mombasa in particular with the intent to obtain the original birth certificate of Barack Hussein Obama, as I was told previously that it was on file in the hospital and under seal, due to the fact that the prime minister of Kenya Raela Odinga is Barack Hussein Obama's cousin.
A lot to unpack here:
First, there's the matter of Smith's intent. Here he claims he went to Kenya intending to get the birth certificate, having been told previously it was at a Mombasa hospital. Back in June, Smith said that he was in Kenya simply on travel, and that he first started hearing talk about a Kenyan birth certificate when he was already in Kenya.
Second, Smith says he was "told previously" that there was a birth certificate on file with the hospital. Back in June all he said that was he "delved and found" that a birth certificate was on file at the hospital. No substantive difference, but Smith's source both times remains unstated. If he learned it by calling the hospital or contacting the state, you think he'd say so. But given his subsequent claim that he had to pay off a military official to get at the physical document, why would the hospital or the state be so open on the phone? On the other hand, who else in Nairobi would even be able to tell him decisively that he should make a 200+ mile trip to Mombasa? And why is that information not relevant to share while the history of Congo's name-changes is?
Third, Smith repeats the outright lie that Obama and Odinga are cousins. Putting a proven false statement in a court declaration isn't very smart, and it certainly doesn't encourage the reader to trust all of his less-verifiable claims.
7. I had to pay a cash "consideration" to a Kenyan military officer on duty to look the other way, while I obtained the copy of the birth certificate of Barack Hussein Obama.
8. The copy was signed by the hospital administrator.
9. The copy contain the embossed seal.
Kenya had a military officer in the hospital? In the records office? One that he simply slipped a few bucks, which not only allowed him to look at the records, or photograph them, but to walk away with a sealed document that was stamped and signed by the hospital administrator? Seriously?
Then there's the document itself:
There are some aspects of the document I find odd and curious (e.g., the lack of a birthday for Barack Sr.; the complete lack of a residence line for the father; ), but nothing that I can firmly state is hard evidence that it's a fake. But one feature stands out to me as the strongest evidence of fakery: the seal. Not only is it not a government seal for either Kenya or Mombasa, but it's terribly generic. It just says "SEAL" in the center, as though it was a bottom-level embossed sealmaker, bought from an office supplies dealer for about $25.
All in all, nothing totally concrete, but we have a combination of questionable and unsupported assertions along with some statements that are rather inconsistent with claims that Smith himself has previously made. Above I said that I'd put five bucks on the line that the photo of Smith and Andylenny wasn't taken in Kenya. I'd put another five bucks on the line to say that Smith hasn't so much as stepped foot in Kenya in 2009.
Posted by Loren at 5:27 PM 16 comments:
Labels: eBay, WND


Murphy's Point is sufficiently north to frequently boast excellent conditions when less than ideal locally. There is a variety of groomed trails for classic and skate skiing, plus a scenic back country route, together with warm-up huts.
When it's good, we often take advantage to make more than one trip, and when it's bad we take a hike!
There is a park fee per car. Email Robert at retolley@hotmail.com or call 613-542-9626 for details.


Government-Specified Nylon U.S. Flag (4' 6" W x 2' 4 7/16" H) is rated 3.0 out of 5 by 1.
Proudly display the Valley Forge Government-Specified Nylon U.S. Flag outside your school or business. This lightweight flag features 13 alternating red and white stripes and 50 embroidered stars. Reinforced lock-stitched seams with color-matched thread ensure your flag stands up to daily wear and tear, and the tough weather-resistant nylon fabric dries fast and easily wipes clean. Attach the heavy canvas heading to your flag pole rope using the solid brass rolled-rim toothed grommets. Available in three sizes.


Control your brand story and inspire your audience to take the next steps to live, work, and explore. Find out how Madden connects your places's story to people.
We create data-driven content. That means our team of digital experts audits your website using industry-leading SEO analysis tools to identify search demand and keyword competition. This means your content is engineered for success from the very beginning.
Put your brand in the hands of visitors and meeting planners. Print materials are in demand and are a part of a well-balanced marketing plan. Discover more about our printed inserts and guides.
Captivating narratives allow readers to imagine themselves in an experience only available in your destination. Elicit emotion through first-person storytelling, paint a picture with immersive, sensory description, get your story in front of targeted audiences, and turn readers into travelers with strategic, data-driven inspiration.
Influencer Marketing adds another layer of strength to your content strategy, using trusted bloggers and cultural mouthpieces to expand your brand. Each potential influencer has a minimum reach of 10,000 followers.
Give your story dimension with Video & Audio Scripting. Work with our award-winning video production team from the get-go, or bring your existing assets that we can enhance to show off your brand in new and exciting ways.
Have you got what it takes to be a Content Master?
How do we persuade people to travel?


text:
"Gulf Breeze" redirects here. For the Amtrak train, see Gulf Breeze (train). For other uses, see Gulf breeze.
Gulf Breeze is a city in Santa Rosa County, Florida. It is a suburb of Pensacola, and is in the Pensacola Metropolitan Area. The population estimate was 6,716 in 2018. Gulf Breeze is located just north of Pensacola Beach, and south of Pensacola. Gulf Breeze is on the Fairpoint Peninsula, and is bordered by Navarre to the east. It is an affluent bedroom community, and has the highest household income in metropolitan Pensacola.
Entrance sign and median in Gulf Breeze, FL heading East on Hwy 98, July 2013
Location in Santa Rosa County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 30°21′25.7184″N 87°9′49.8846″W / 30.357144000°N 87.163856833°W / 30.357144000; -87.163856833Coordinates: 30°21′25.7184″N 87°9′49.8846″W / 30.357144000°N 87.163856833°W / 30.357144000; -87.163856833
Founded (as Gulf Breeze)
1935 Originally named Casablanca as only house visible from mainland Pensacola was white.
Incorporated (city)
The Duncan Family
Cherry Fitch
Samantha Abell
• City
22.14 sq mi (57.34 km2)
4.68 sq mi (12.12 km2)
16 ft (5 m)
• Estimate
1,474.04/sq mi (569.17/km2)
• Metro
461,227 (Pensacola metropolitan area)
http://www.cityofgulfbreeze.com
1 Geography and climate
2 Points of interest
3 Demographics
4 Public transportation
6 Notable people
Geography and climateEdit
Gulf Breeze is located at 30°21′36″N 87°10′41″W / 30.36000°N 87.17806°W / 30.36000; -87.17806 (30.359933, -87.178190).[5]
The city has a total area of 23.56 square miles (61.0 km2), of which 4.68 square miles (12.1 km2) is land and 18.88 square miles (48.9 km2) is water.[6]
Growth of the city itself is geographically restricted, surrounded by major water bodies on three sides; the eastern portion of Gulf Breeze is occupied by the Naval Live Oaks Reservation. As a result, new growth takes place east of the city limits along U.S. Highway 98.
Source: weather.com/NOAA.gov
Points of interestEdit
In 1828 the U.S. government purchased the land encompassing the Naval Live Oaks Reservation for experimenting with acorns for the cultivation of live oaks to produce wooden ships. Before the Civil War, the wood of the live oak was the primary material of choice for shipbuilders, thus the protection and cultivation of the trees for the United States Navy was considered vital for defense in those turbulent times.
Currently, the land comprises over 1,300 acres (530 ha) in Gulf Islands National Seashore and is supervised by the National Park Service. To the south of Highway 98 is a visitor's center for the Gulf Islands National Seashore and several public beach areas.
Gulf Islands National Seashore offers recreation opportunities and preserves natural and historic resources along the Gulf of Mexico barrier islands of Florida and Mississippi. The protected regions include mainland areas and parts of seven islands.
The seashore's Florida district features offshore barrier islands with sparkling white quartz sand beaches (along miles of undeveloped land), historic fortifications, and nature trails.
The Gulf Breeze Zoo is a 50-acre (20 ha) site that includes hundreds of animals, a boardwalk overlooking a free range preserve, CP Huntington style train, as well as other amenities. The zoo features various events throughout the year including Boo at the Zoo and Zoo Lights.[7]
DemographicsEdit
2019 (est.) 6,900 [2] 19.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
As of the 2010 Census, there were 5,763 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 95.7% white, 0.3% black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska native, 1.4% Asian, 0.5% some other race, 1.3% two or more races, and 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, of any race.
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 5,665 people, 2,377 households, and 1,678 families living in the city. The population density was 1,192.0 people per square mile (460.5/km2). There were 2,553 housing units at an average density of 537.2 per square mile (207.5/km2).
There were 2,377 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.3% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.6 males.
Public transportationEdit
Gulf Breeze is served by route 61 of Escambia County Area Transit.[9][10]
SchoolsEdit
Gulf Breeze High School
Gulf Breeze (lower center) is north of Pensacola Beach, Florida, south of Pensacola, and surrounded by Pensacola Bay.
Gulf Breeze High School (website)
Gulf Breeze Middle School
Gulf Breeze Elementary School (website)
Oriole Beach Elementary School
Woodlawn Beach Middle School (website)
Notable peopleEdit
Bob Armstrong, professional wrestler (originally from Marietta, Georgia; longtime resident).
Doug Baldwin, American football player.
Ben Lively, baseball player, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Jason McKie, American football player.
Frank Spellman (1922–2017), Olympic champion weightlifter
Abigail Spencer, actress; born and raised in Gulf Breeze.[11]
Adrian Street, professional wrestler (longtime resident).
Gulf Breeze UFO incident
Navarre, Florida
^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
^ a b "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
^ "2018 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Jul 19, 2019.
^ "Gulf Breeze Zoo". Retrieved 2011-11-22.
^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
^ "Route Map". www.goecat.com. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
^ "Abigail Spencer Biography". www.buddytv.com. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
The Gulf Breeze Zoo — the regional zoo.
Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce — the area's chamber of commerce
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gulf_Breeze,_Florida&oldid=994104340"


text:
Convenient Airbus Travel to or from
Detroit, Toronto or London Airports
Bus Tracker
Fares & Schedules
Luggage Policy
Animal Information
airbus@robertq.com
About Robert Q
Book Your Robert Q
Traveller Details
Adults (12 to 54)
Students (12+ with card)
Children (0 to 11)
Different Trip on Return?
Different Travellers on Return?
Excess Baggage Policy
Robert Q's luggage policy is as follows:
Each ADULT, SENIOR, and STUDENT is allowed 1 carry on (9"x16"x22") 25 lb (11 kg) maximum and 2 suitcases. Each suitcase is not to exceed 66 in (168 cm) in overall length, width, and height and must not weigh more than 50 lb (23 kg).
Each CHILD is allowed 1 carry on (9"x16"x22") 25 lb (11 kg) maximum and 1 suitcase. This suitcase is not to exceed 66 in (168 cm) in overall length, width, and height and must not weigh more than 50 lb (23 kg).
Each piece of luggage/baggage over the allowed limit will be assessed a fee of $20.00 (50 lb/23 kg or under).
Each piece of luggage/baggage will be charged $20.00 for weights between 51 lb/23 kg and 70 lb/32 kg.
All luggage/baggage weighing more than 70 lb/32 kg will NOT be permitted to travel on the airbus.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact our reservation department - airbus@robertq.com .
There may be additional charges for trunks, skis, bikes, golf clubs, containers, snow boards, etc.
Robert Q Airbus reserves the right to refuse to carry excess baggage that is not prearranged.
Luggage Liability Limits:
The maximum liability to Robert Q's Airbus Inc. is $250.00 for all luggage per adult passenger and $125.00 per child passenger.
To file a claim for loss or damaged items, passengers must contact Customer Service at Robert Q's Airbus Inc. by one of the following means:
Phone: 519-673-6804 (1-800-265-4948)
Email: airbus@robertq.com
Mail: 105 Wharncliffe Rd. S, London, ON N6J 2K2
In Person: at above address
Robert Q's Airbus Inc. is not responsible for the loss of or damage to baggage in excess of the value allowances.
Passengers are responsible to ensure proper identification is attached to each piece of luggage including: Full name, complete home address, telephone number and e-mail address.
Passengers must identify their luggage to the driver during the loading and unloading process.
Robert Q recommends discussing Baggage Insurance options with your Travel Agent.
Private Service
Freight Courier
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Policy | Feedback | Employee Login © 2023 - Robert Q Airbus


Thank you for your passion and amazing skills. The process was absolutely fabulous. You went above and beyond and all of us at Unilever appreciate it. Feel free to use me as reference for future clients. I would be honored.
River + Wolf are great listeners and delivered a name that meets all requirements. Their responsiveness and flawless project management contributed to the positive experience. The internal team and the leadership are very impressed with the results.
I trusted River + Wolf to deliver perfectly. And they did. We've gotten a lot of praise from colleagues for the logo and brand name. River + Wolf was helpful throughout the entire process, which was very detailed. In addition to the naming suggestions, they were able to offer ways for us to develop our overall branding.
Linda Yin, Marketing Director, Foxx Development, Inc.
Their level of creativity and passion for what they do set them apart from similar vendors. Their collaborative approach yielded outstanding results. Executive-level involvement ensures an enjoyable process. They consistently create exceptional deliverables.
We are fully satisfied with the name, and we are excited for our company to launch. We believe the name is creative and different without being too elusive. River + Wolf was efficient, creative, dedicated, and thoughtful. The moniker is representative of company goals and stands decidedly apart from others in the industry.
The project started slowly for us because we were going in different directions, but Margaret Wolfson is phenomenal and made it a really smooth, effortless process. The professionalism, psychological viewpoints, and knowledge of the business made River + Wolf an excellent partner for us.
River + Wolf made a tremendous effort to ensure they met expectations and developed not only a fitting new name, but also rationale behind the name for effortless messaging. They go above and beyond to make sure they conform to our expectations. They worked so hard--even over the holidays--to ensure they found the perfect name for our company.
Marlea Clark, EVP, Marketing and Insights at Women's Marketing Inc.
I really enjoyed working with Margaret and her team. Margaret was very thorough, thoughtful, and she put a comprehensively creative touch on their process. River + Wolf's name ideas dominated the top-20 list that was later generated by focus groups and consumer research. River + Wolf was easy to reach, thoughtful, and very helpful.
Internal and external feedback to the name has been overwhelmingly positive. Expertise, creativity, and responsiveness are hallmarks of River + Wolf's work. Too, they very supportive. Margaret has been a real champion for my company. Compared to River + Wolf, the communication I had with other agencies felt really impersonal.
Thank you for helping us achieve some great names that will drive the overall success of our color cosmetic line. It's been a pleasure working with you!
Thanks for all the great names and for such a clear and well-defined process. I will definitely keep River + Wolf in mind for future naming projects!
Margaret is wonderfully creative, using the deep insights, knowledge and inspiration of a long and entrepreneurial career in the arts to deliver compelling branding solutions.
Margaret [Wolfson, Chief Creative at River + Wolf] was all around a pleasure to work with. She is a true wordsmith and a genius at her profession. She did an amazing deep dive and came up with excellent company name options that my partner and I both loved.
River + Wolf's Margaret Wolfson intuitively understood the message I was trying to convey. Her suggestions were so creative and fresh, and yet so true to my brand's character and story. And her commitment to my business was absolutely stalwart. I feel completely confident saying: River & Wolf is the best of the best.
There are very few sure things in life. River + Wolf is one of them. They bring calm, order, and laser-like focus to the complicated process of branding. This results in unparalleled excellence, delivered on time and on budget.
Margaret is a wonderfully creative wordsmith, editor and naming expert. She adds value and insight into every project and consistently over-delivers. She has an easy, collaborative approach to her work that makes her a joy to work with.
The team at River + Wolf don't just deliver—they exceed all expectations. They are unbelievably creative, enjoyable to work with, and thoroughly professional. We cannot recommend them highly enough.
Through the use of masterful language and crystal-clear strategic thinking, River + Wolf helped us better organize and more clearly articulate the brand, mission, and vision of our PARTNERS® program. We could not have been happier with the results.
All the names were such high-quality it was difficult to just pick one. We've only been using the new name for about three months, but there's already a noticeable difference in how people perceive us.
River + Wolf developed an amazing presentation of widely varying names. The name we ended up selecting is a perfect fit with our interest in buying and selling quality homes, and the all-important concept of location.They exceeded expectations in both project management and creative development.
River + Wolf's responsiveness was phenomenal, and I liked that the company principal was involved at all touch points. They were completely attentiveness to our specific goals. They did everything they promised and more.
Our breadth of service, combined with our consistently high customer feedback, media coverage, and international reach, led Clutch—the leading provider of unbiased ratings and reviews for marketing agencies—to rank River + Wolf ranked #3 (despite being the new kid on the block) out of 159 global naming service providers.
We also offer a complement of creative and legal disciplines, from trademarking and design to global linguistic checks.
River + Wolf is a top rated brand naming and writing agency that creates product names, company names, and service names, along with brand stories and messaging. We work in all industries and with all sizes of companies, from solopreneurs to Fortune 500s. Given our consistently high customer feedback, media coverage, and international reach, Clutch—the leading provider of unbiased ratings and reviews for marketing agencies—has ranked River + Wolf #3 (despite being the new kid on the block) out of 159 global naming-service providers. Additionally, UpCity, an independent marketing review platform, recognized River + Wolf as a top New York City brand naming consultancy. For more information on our naming process and naming in general, please download our naming guide.
Our brand naming specialists create original, legally defensible, and easy to say and spell names for businesses, products, and services. Whether you need a name for an artificial intelligence platform or lipstick shade, a financial firm or line of fitness wear, a new city district or medical robot, nothing is beyond our creative reach.
Arro is a ride-hailing, free app for iPhone and Android that connects people directly to NYC yellow taxis. With quick pickups and no-surge pricing Arro is fast becoming a success story. After traveling several naming routes, we landed on Arrow, a name that speaks to speed and efficiency. The client, Creative Mobile Technologies, loved the name and once we lopped off the final consonant, it reached its destination.
Foxx Development had designed a new budget phone which featured a larger than usual display screen for its price point. In addition to suggesting this larger display, the name needed to be short, simple, and resonate with Spanish speaking customers. Miro, meaning "to look" in Spanish, played to the display while simultaneously calling up the great 20th century Spanish artist Juan Miro.
After completing one naming venture with entrepreneur Jimmy Ezzell, we were excited to be on board for another—a members-only, discounted travel booking platform. Jimmy and team liked a wide range of naming styles, from the metaphoric (Duffel) to the coined (Afari). Given the company's global market, however, a suggestive name like TripValet proved the ticket. Sweetening the name? An exact match dot com was available.
As a leader in brand naming, the media frequently search out River + Wolf to weigh in on or write about a topics relevant to brand naming, from naming a business to mistakes to avoid when naming an app. For other helpful articles on brand naming and writing, have a look at our blog.


text:
<?php
namespace Duktig\Core\Event\CoreEvents;

use Duktig\Core\Event\EventAbstract;
use Psr\Http\Message\ResponseInterface;

class EventAfterAppMiddlewareFullStackDispatching extends EventAbstract
{
    protected $response;

    public function __construct(ResponseInterface $response)
    {
        parent::__construct();
        $this->response = $response;
    }

    public function getResponse() : ResponseInterface
    {
        return $this->response;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Green and Cool Roofs Provide Relief for Hot Cities
The roofs should be sited carefully, because unintended effects on wind patterns may offset some of their benefits
By Ashish Sharma
Vegetated and reflective roof coverings can reduce the urban "heat island" effect, but new research suggests their impact is not uniform within a city.
Image Credit: Graham Hill / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Flickr
More than half of the world's population lives in cities, and the United Nations projects that this share will rise to 70% by 2050. During the daytime, these expanding urban areas absorb more solar energy than the surrounding countryside. At night they radiate the heat back to the atmosphere. Higher temperatures in cities compared to the areas around them create what are known as urban heat islands (UHIs).
Urban heat islands threaten urban sustainability and public health in cities. The heat island effect raises death rates, increases energy demand for cooling, and makes life uncomfortable even for healthy residents. It affects various communities differently: poor and elderly residents and small children are most vulnerable, followed by people who live in highly industrialized areas.
In a recent study conducted by the University of Notre Dame's Environmental Change Initiative, we examined whether green roofs, which are covered with plants, and cool roofs, which are surfaced with reflective materials, could reduce UHI effects in Chicago. These roofing strategies are widely used across Europe and have recently been adopted in multiple U.S. cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland, Oregon. Developing cities in Asia, such as Indore in India are also implementing cool roofs to mitigate UHIs.
Do Green Roofs Temper Urban Heat?
Vegetated Roofs
Design a Green or Living Roof System
Defining Habitable Temperatures
Can Rural Living Be As Green As Urban Living?
We found that these roofing strategies did reduce the urban heat island effect, but their impacts were not uniform within the city. They also reduced breezes from Lake Michigan and altered regional air circulation in ways that could offset some of their cooling and air quality benefits. While the roofs still had a net cooling impact, urban planners will need to understand impacts on energy consumption and air quality to maximize benefits from installing green and cool roofs.
Why cities are getting hotter
The world's urban areas are rapidly expanding, and the density of city populations is increasing as they grow. In 1950, 746 million people lived in cities; in 2014, that number had risen to 3.9 billion. By 2045 more than 6 billion people may live in urban areas.
Urban heating is caused by many factors. They include the properties of building materials, such as thermal conductivity, thermal mass, and thermal resistance; air emissions produced by building heating and cooling systems and motor vehicles; urban designs that trap heat in street canyons, preventing it from radiating back to the atmosphere at night; and body heat produced by residents themselves.
How green and cool roofs can help
Our research showed that green and cool roofs helped to reduce UHI effects in Chicago. But we also observed important regional- and local-scale effects that affected how well these systems performed.
First, the impacts of green and cool roofs on UHIs varied at different locations. We found that green and cool roofing strategies reduced daytime peak urban roof temperatures across the Chicago metropolitan area by about 2-3° Celsius. However, in downtown Chicago they lowered roof surface temperatures by 7-8° Celsius. This dramatic difference indicates that green and cool roofs are most efficient in highly urbanized areas.
Infrared image showing buildings radiating heat in downtown Chicago.
Second, because green and cool roofs lowered rooftop temperatures in the city, they reduced the relative temperature difference between air over Chicago and air over adjoining Lake Michigan, which is typically 4-5° Celsius cooler than air over the city during daytime in summer. By doing so, they weakened the strength of breezes that blow from the lake to the shore in warm weather and help to cool shoreline neighborhoods. Urban planners can offset this effect by designing streets so that they channel air easily instead of blocking natural flow patterns.
Third, we found that these rooftop surfaces did not just reduce temperatures immediately above the urban rooftops. Their impact extended into the lower atmosphere, up to altitudes of about 2.5 kilometers. This affected regional weather patterns by reducing local convection — a process in which warm air rises into the atmosphere, removing heat from earth's surface.
Overall, our analysis suggested that large-scale installation of green and cool roofs could actually decrease wind flow in Chicago by lowering horizontal wind speeds and reducing vertical air mixing during daytime. This may lead to air stagnation near ground level, and potentially could reduce air quality. We are investigating these possibilities now.
Choosing between green and cool roofs
Green and cool roofs each offer advantages and disadvantages. Installed on a large scale, green roofs could add a substantial amount of green space to cities and provide habitat for plants and insects across urban areas. Additionally, plants can improve urban air quality by removing solid and gaseous pollutants from the air.
On the other hand, cool roofs do not require watering and cost less than green roofs to install and maintain. Green roofs also increase local humidity: moisture is released when plants are watered, and plants release more water to the atmosphere from their leaves.
Many other issues will also influence decisions about where to install green and cool roofs. One important consideration is environmental justice. Low-income and minority neighborhoods are disproportionately vulnerable to negative health impacts from extremely hot weather, so planners may choose to focus heat reduction strategies on these areas.
It is also important to note that human thermal comfort is governed by many variables, including time spent outdoors, social and economic behavior, and access to cooling resources, such as air conditioning and swimming pools. Planners should consider these factors as they apply heat mitigation strategies at the local scale.
Getting more insight into the effects of green and cool roofs can inform city planning initiatives, such as the Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure 2040 Vision, by identifying where green and cool roofs will work most effectively. Cities in northern latitudes, such as New York, Portland, and Toronto, can benefit from green roofs because they have adequate water to irrigate them. In contrast, cool roofs are more appropriate for cities in arid and semi-arid environments such as the southwestern United States.
Cities in a warming world
In the words of John Wilmoth, director of the United Nations Population Division, "Managing urban areas has become one of the most important development challenges of the 21st century." The world's urban population is growing, and climate change will add to urban heating.
Unless societies act to mitigate UHIs, rising urban temperatures will threaten human health, strain energy resources, and reduce economic productivity. Green and cool roofs are excellent choices to mitigate urban heat island effects, and can be applied at a city-wide scale or block by block. Together with other strategies — such as adding more parks, lawns, ponds, trees and other green infrastructure — they can help to keep temperatures in the world's cities livable.
Ashish Sharma is a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Notre Dame. This post originally appeared at The Conversation.
Green Roofs Could Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Heat waves aren't just a source of discomfort. They're the nation's deadliest weather hazard, accounting for a fifth of all deaths caused by natural hazards in the U.S. Most of…
Urban Heat: Can White Roofs Help Cool World's Warming Cities?
This post originally appeared at Yale Environment 360.
Cool Roofs Cut Urban Water Consumption
Researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have found that the widespread use of reflective roofing has the potential to save cities millions of gallons of water while also lowering…
Luke Morton sits on a green building committee that's been asked to advise local officials on a green building code. The code will feature both mandatory and elective features. One…


text:
https://www.darientimes.com/news/community/article/Darien-Library-celebrates-125-years-14051190.php
Darien Library celebrates 125 years
By Sandra Diamond Fox
Published 12:38 pm EDT, Thursday, May 23, 2019
Some Darien Library staff members. The library is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. From left, Anna Taylor, Mia Orobona, Elisabeth Marrocolla, Baily Ring, Samantha Cardone, Catherine Stricklan
What are the names of the seven dwarfs?
That was one of the most frequently asked questions to the reference desk at the Darien Library in pre-Internet days, according to Louise Berry, a former library director, who worked at the library for 35 years.
"In the 70s, before computers and Google, people always would call the library and ask all kinds of trivia questions like that," said Berry, a Stamford resident.
The month of May marks Darien Library's 125th birthday.
As a way to celebrate, on May 29, the library will hold Giving Day, where it will try to raise $125,000 within 24 hours.
"This is an opportunity for all of our users to give back on one day," said Caroline Lopez, the library's associate director of operations.
In addition, on the same day, there will be activities throughout the day including crafts and a family scavenger hunt throughout the building. There will also be cake and coffee at 4 p.m., near the front desk.
To donate, visit darienlibrary.org/donate or visit the Darien Library on Facebook.
"We are a public-private partnership," Lopez said. "The town funds 75% of our budget, which goes toward operations, salaries and benefits. We fundraise for collections, programs, and technology. Our goal is to raise $700,000 per year."
The Darien Library has had a total of six locations around town over the past 125 years. The original location was at 805 Post Road, where there is currently a Shell gas station.
Other locations included the former Holly Bell Homestead and 35 Leroy Avenue, where the Board of Education is now located. The library has been at its current location, at 1441 Post Road, since 2009.
The earlier years
"Reference questions were a big part of what we did, of what people looked to the library for," Berry said.
Additional questions that were often asked of library staff were: "What are the hours of the town dump? and "How do I start a business?"
"We had a Rolodex with answers," Berry said. "Blanche [Parker] was a wiz at the desk."
Parker, who is assistant head of knowledge and learning services, has worked at the library for 41 years. She started as an intern and was later promoted to reference librarian.
Many times, people asked health-related questions about different diseases.
"They would ask us questions that they would be intimidated to ask their doctor," Parker said.
"We had boxes of information that we would order, and go through little catalogs that the government published," Berry said. They would also consult world almanacs and encyclopedias.
"We both have master's degrees in library science and we learned you don't learn facts. You learn how to find sources," Parker said.
Changing with the times
The Darien Library mirrored the advancements in technology that were taking place outside its doors, according to Berry.
In 1984, "we got our first computer, an IBM desktop. We used it for the budget," Berry said. "Before that, every time we made a change in the budget, we had to use Wite-out and retype it."
The library evolved from an information-centric organization to one also focused on programming and being a community center.
"When Superstorm Sandy came through [in 2012], we got hit hard along the coast and people were in a state of shock about it," Berry said. "The library served as a community gathering place when the area lost power."
It stayed open late and residents would charge their devices and use the computers.
"I heard people say, 'Did you lose your power?' And the answer would be, 'No, but I wanted to check on my neighbors,'" Berry said. "It was like a group hug. People needed that interaction and it was here that they came."
In recent years, the library has had an increasing role of cultural programming, Berry said.
There are Friday night movies, book discussions, a children's area, and entertainment.
It has always been a "guessing game" as far as predicting what people would enjoy at the library, Berry said.
"What amazes me is the interests in this town are so diverse that almost anything you do will attract its own audience," she said.
In 2010, a man wanted to play a variety of harmonicas at the library. "It didn't strike me as something that was going to be a very popular program," Berry said.
Berry was wrong. "We had standing room only in the auditorium," she said.
While the library staff is still asked reference questions today, "it's much harder questions because it's information they're not able to find on Google," Berry said.
Customer service has always been the library's main focus, according to Parker.
"We were never to answer 'no' to anyone," she said.
In the 1990s, a woman wanted to check out the Town Plan and the library had only one copy of it. "So, I went to the copy machine and made a copy," Parker said. "It was 90 pages."
"People need a human touch. They call and ask the time or the day. They want to hear a voice. People come in and sit and come to talk," she added.
Despite all the changes the library underwent through the decades, it has remained constant, according to Berry. "It's an important place where people go to reconnect with their neighbors," Berry said.
Alan Gray, director of the Darien Library, said people come to the library "to follow their passions, develop their interests, and improve their lives. They do it with friends and acquaintances or by themselves, and in the library they often form a community of common interests that builds on itself. The library is the center of the Darien community and it brings people together; it doesn't separate them from others as too much of the Internet does these days."
Darien Library fast facts
According to the 2018 Connecticut State Library statistical profile on the Darien Library:
In 2018, there were 383,264 visits to Darien Library.
Darien Library is the most actively used library in the state.
Among 179 libraries, Darien is, per capita: First in visits and First in circulation (Darien residents take out 20.8 items on average per year).
Darien residents take out more books than any other residents at any other library.
sfox@darientimes.com


War of the Rebellion: Serial 012 Page 0516 THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VA. Chapter XXIII.
on the 4th till after the enemy had retreated beyond Williamsburg I received the most zealous assistance from the officers composing my staff, Major [now Brigadier General] A. Baird, inspector-general, and his assistant, Lieutenant S. J. Smith, Second Rhode Island Volunteers, Lieutenant B. C. Chetwood, First Artillery, and Lieutenant O. Jackson, Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry, aides-de-camp; Lieutenant L. J. Howard, Twenty-third Pennsylvania Volunteers, acting ordnance officer, and Captain C. D. Balnchard, chief quartermaster of the corps. To the unceasing assiduity and skill of the medical director, Surg. Joseph B. Brown, U. S. Army, also of my staff, the wounded are greatly indebted. In the arduous duties of his profession he was nobly assisted by Brigade Surg. T. Rush Spencer, medical director of Smith's division.
The battle of Williamsburg has demonstrated the effect of organization, military discipline, and instruction upon the Army of the Potomac. The troops met the enemy with perfect steadiness, and delivered their fire with an effect which the prisoners captured describe as most deadly. But the courage and skill of the troops are much less to be wondered at than the good temper and fortitude with which they have borne hardships-exposure to mud, rain, and hunger-during the battle, before and after it. These qualities, according to Napoleon, are more essential to the character of a soldier than courage itself.
Adjt. General, Army of the Potomac.
Fifth U. S. Cavalry, of operations May 4-7.
HEADQUARTERS FIFTH CAVALRY, Williamsburg, Va., May 7, 1862.
SIR: I have the honor to report that in conformity with the orders of the general commanding Fourth Army Corps on the 4th instant I led the advance with my regiment, under the command of General Naglee, from Lee's Mill toward this place, having sent one squadron [Lieutenant Sweet's] on a reconnaissance toward Grove's wharf, on James River, and encamped for the night with Naglee's brigade near the Halfway House. On the 5th the march was continued through mud and rain, under the orders of General Casey, to the vicinity of Fort Magruder, and on the morning of the 6th, after the enemy were driven from that and the other forts of their second line, I again encamped with General Naglee's brigade on the right of our line of battle on the banks of York River, and this morning reported with the regiment to the commanding general of the Fourth Army Corps at this place.
All the arduous and various duties incident to an advance through narrow and difficult roads, in mud and rain and in face of the enemy, were performed by every officer and man of the regiment with alacrity, intelligence, and spirit.
Major, Fifth Cavalry, Commanding Regiment.


The new 700 Series is a feature-rich line of chrome-plated hardware that is both light in weight and extremely durable. All 700 Series models feature an improved, clamp-style memory lock design, ergonomically designed wing nuts, newly redesigned rubber feet, double braced legs and multi-tiered tubular construction with molded slip-proof nylon inserts. The B700 Boom Stand is completely re-engineered with several new features. Mapex's popular OS Cymbal Accentutors have been replaced with new Multi-sustain Cymbals Felts that allow the player to use any combination of felt and plastic for a more precise level of cymbal sustain. In addition a new Super-Glide stepless cymbal tilter allows unlimited positioning and the new Acculock Tilter handle holds the system tight and can be conveniently positioned out of the way.


What can I say, this is my dream bike. Yes, I love my Harley, and have a blast on my KLRs, but when it comes to pure AWE inspiring, it's my Hayabusa.
This bike started off life bone stock, purchased from the original owner with nearly no miles. I was looking for a specific year, and found it about 60 miles away. I was working with a nearly unlimited budget for the build so I made it exactly the way it should be.
I purchased the bike from a kind, older man about 60 miles away from where I lived. He had a BMW 1200 LT that he had put well over 50k miles on, this Bus was a secondary "fun" bike that he rarely rode. The bike sat in his garage on a battery tender, underneath a bike cover, and the service records on hand told me he had nothing but love for this bike, it was perfect! After making the purchase I loaded it into the back of my 1970 Chevy Truck and headed home. I purposely brought my bluetooth headset so I could get the ball rolling immediately.
I first got on the phone with Roaring Toyz, they are the makers of the beautiful swingarm, and wheels you see. I wanted to do a candy/cut contrast black, "blade" theme, so I chose the swingarm, and wheels accordingly. I also got some bolt-ons in motion, such as the twin Yoshi pipes, Pro-One Pro-Blade Billet Levers, and matching mirrors. Then came the fun toys!
I ordered an 84mm Big Bore kit that took the already impressive 1299cc engine to an astonishing 1441cc. But wait….there's more. I ordered a custom built head, and cams to match the bottom end, plus the MPS 62 pound injector/rail kit and 175HP, dual stage nitrous kit. Along with these mechanical goodies, I added the Bazzaz Z-Fi TC module, and NX TPS Window Switch to make sure I didn't detonate my engine.
The list of parts, and mods can continue for the next 12 chapters, but then I would be giving it all away to my track competitors. Yes, I do track this bike. Let's be honest, with this much horsepower, a fat tire on an 11.5″ stretched swingarm, there's not a LOT of practical use. It's designed for 2 things, going down the track STUPID fast, and going slowly on local rides so everyone can see how pretty she is.
My brothers bike is so pretty, but I can't keep chrome that clean, he's good!


text:
Home F1 Newey talks of getting fundamental right with 'dominant' RB18
AUSTIN, TEXAS - OCTOBER 21: Adrian Newey, the Chief Technical Officer of Red Bull Racing looks on in the garage during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of USA at Circuit of The Americas on October 21, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202210210671 // Usage for editorial use only //
_Home
Newey talks of getting fundamental right with 'dominant' RB18
Copyright: Red Bull Content Pool
Neil Farrell
Adrian Newey talks about the domination of Red Bull RB18 in 2022 F1 season, while adding about one key factor in hybrid era.
A lot of success for Red Bull over the years is down to its technical guru Newey. His designs have crossed the finishing line first on 193 occasions with several championships too. He knows his stuff from his early days at Leyton House, through his time with Williams and then McLaren.
He has been a mainstay of Red Bull since 2006. There for the halcyon period and glory days from 2010 to 2013 when Sebastian Vettel took four world titles. Fast forward eight years and Max Verstappen triumphed in the duel in the desert 12 months ago. A back to back drivers title has since ensued plus their first constructors title in almost a decade.
Not just that, they did in style by winning a record 17 races, domination of sorts despite the pace shown by Ferrari. Having paid second fiddle to Mercedes for almost a decade, this years Red Bull RB18 has been in a proverbial league of its own despite the reliability issues at the start of season.
But even with the success of the 2021 season, Red Bull themselves must have been surprised with the performance in 2022, coupled with the new rules. Their concept seemingly worked with the new regulation with the only trouble of being overweight which they managed to claw down after the first races.
"Statistically, obviously, RB18 has been our best car," said Newey. "It's a car I think we can be very proud of in as much as we had a tight championship battle through 2021, and arguably we put too much resource into that, so you're not putting it into this brand new car with the new regulations we knew were coming. It's a difficult balancing act".
"We focused on trying to get the fundamentals right, including front and rear suspension, the layers, and the radiators. We kind of struggled a little bit with the bounce (porpoising) in pre-season testing. We'd already done a little bit of research and knew roughly what we needed to do to improve it, so when we put the race package on in Bahrain, that catapulted us from definitely behind Ferrari to broadly level".
"After that, it was a matter of developing it and certainly the second half, we had a fully competitive package," summed up Newey while reflecting on how they got together the dominant RB18 ready after a heavy 2021 season and a budget cap situation.
Ferrari of course were the kings early on in the 2022 season. They played a bit of catch up in the Mercedes domination of the hybrid era also. But that decade of Brackley domination would of course have got Red Bull to sit up and take notice of (a) the monopoly of success for Mercedes and (b) try to learn from and see how best to match or better them.
The key difference in this era has been the hybrid engine where Mercedes certainly got the best of the pack followed by Ferrari and Renault in the early part. But over the course, Honda has caught up well with all the three and could even be matching the German manufacturer if not outpacing them.
"Have a decent engine," said Newey when asked about the key part of success in this era. "We went into the hybrid era, and Renault got it wrong, so that was pretty depressing because you realised that in your foreseeable future if you do a spectacular job, you might snatch the odd win, but you're never going to win a championship".
"That was a reset. I think one of the strengths of the team is that we put our heads down and got through that period so that when once we had a good power unit again with a partnership with Honda, we were able to respond," summed up Newey.
The bottom line for Red Bull in 2022 was team work, from the ground up the whole team worked tirelessly and effortlessly and got the job done with the team of Christian Horner and Newey leading them well, while Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez did their job.
Here's Sergio Perez on getting first-ever Top 3 result
Here's Red Bull celebrating at Milton Keynes
Here's them collecting their trophies
Here's Christian Horner on Mattia Binotto's exit
Here's Max Verstappen on Imola weekend being game changer
Here's Daniel Ricciardo on F1 podcast
Here's Mattia Binotto on Red Bull advantage
Here's Honda Thanks Day
Here's Christian Horner on handling Brazil badly
Here's Christian Horner crediting Red Bull people for 2022 success
Here's potential earning of Red Bull drivers
Previous articleFormula E: Guenther tops three days at Valencia; Nato on one
Next articleMcLaren wins both the F1 ESports titles for 2022 season
Vasseur says at Ferrari the target is to win; adds on PU reliability
F1 02/02/2023
MotoGP 01/02/2023
Vasseur says at Ferrari the target is to win; adds on...


There's a certain seafood store in suburban Maryland that used to source its product by driving to Newark, New Jersey, in the dead of night on Wednesdays and meeting a plane from Portugal. On Thursdays the store was swarmed with clientele looking for fresh sardines, salt cod, octopus and all sorts of other delicacies. Thinking of it always reminded me of the desperate final scene in "Casalanca," where everything hinges on catching the plane to Lisbon.
Alas, there's nothing quite so romantic about fish. Still, you had to be impressed that a couple of fishmongers in Bethesda were so devoted to freshness that they would drive through the night four hours each way to get it. They don't drive to Newark any more. I understand they meet a truck somewhere along the Baltimore-Washington Parkway instead. For me, even 30 minutes in an automobile in traffic from the District of Columbia to buy seafood seemed like a stretch. Still, I always promised myself that one day I would bite the bullet and make the trip to Bethesda to try some of those sardines.
Well, guess who beat me to the punch? Yesterday I stopped by the local Whole Foods to buy a chicken for dinner and there, calling to me from the seafood counter, were fresh sardines from Portugal.
In case you hadn't heard, sardines have acquired a bit of cache lately because they are low on the food chain, plentiful and full of healthful Omega-3 fatty acids. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program gives sardines from the Pacific an enthusiastic "best choice" rating. The California sardine fishery is making an impressive comeback and garnering quite a following. Unfortunately, Seafood Watch is silent on the question of sardines from Portugal.
You'd think a fish like that would be available all the time. But no, finding sardines at Whole Foods is actually quite an occasion. I had to take some home and see if they were anything like the sardines I remember from my personal travels in Portugal. There, you can hardly swing a dead cat without hitting some guy grilling them on the street. Grilled sardines are, in fact, one of the world's great street food thanks to the Portuguese.
I have a bone to pick with the seafood clerk at Whole Foods who looked me straight in the eye and nodded when I asked, "These sardines are gutted, right?" But now that I think of it, he didn't seem to speak English very well.
It's not a big problem. Just slice the belly open with a sharp paring knife and pull the guts out with your forefinger. To grill, make a hot fire with your coals, season the sardines with salt and pepper and lay them on the grate. I had intended to throw some rosemary branches on the coals for flavor, but forgot. There's not much you can do about it when the grate is covered with fish.
You may have gathered by now that these are not the sardines you find in a can. For one thing, they are much larger, but still small compared to most of the other fish you typically see at the seafood counter. They won't take long to cook through, so keep a close eye on them. Turn them once and check for doneness. You can poke a little with your paring knife. The fish should acquire a nice little crust. But you don't want them too close to the coals or they will burn before cooking through.
Transfer the cooked sardines to a platter and dress with a fine olive oil infused with sauteed garlic. I like them presented on a platter with a fresh garden salad and sliced tomatoes garnished with a chiffonade of basil. The sardines you will simply pick apart with your knife and fork, but be careful. This is an operation that calls for meticulous care and patience, as the sardines are full of tiny little bones you'll want to remove. Separating the flesh from the bones is part of the experience of savoring sardines.
I served this with a cold bottle of white Burgundy. But maybe a wine from Portugal would be even more appropriate. I can't think of a more satisfying meal for a summer's evening on the deck.
We used to go to Newark for their Portuguese restaurants. There's nothing like a tradition grown up around some particular foodstuff, like fish. Looks like a great find, Ed.
I adore sardines, even the canned stuff. Canned ones are perhaps a bit of a stretch for many people but I think they're great, and high in calcium too (because of course you eat the bones ).
El, I'm with you. I eat sardines out of the can whenever the mood strikes. I usually keep quite a stash of different varieties in the pantry. I like the ones smothered in tomato sauce or mustard. I've always wanted to spend some time in Newark precisely to dive into the Portuguese food. Who knew?
I buy them frozen whole, big bags for a few bucks. but even at 6″ long, the bones and heads are no problem. my 3-year-old ate 5 for breakfast.
Five for breakfast? Sounds like the breakfast of champions.


text:
SNL destroys Dr. Oz in a shocking signal to Republicans
SNL said Dr. Oz appears to be trying to lose because they commented on him killing a puppy and photographing him in Hitler's car.
SNL video:
"There's only a month left to the midterm, and am I alone, or are some of the candidates trying to lose?" said Colin Jost, of The Weekend Update. Let's start in Pennsylvania with Dr. Oz, who is shown here telling the audience how many minutes he lived in Pennsylvania… A review of scientific studies published by Dr. Oz found that his experiments killed more than 300 dogs. But in the end, he got the recipe right."
Later Jost returned to Oz, "Dr. Oz declined to comment on the report that his research had killed more than 300 dogs, although he probably couldn't hear the question about the wood chipper. But don't worry. Dr. Oz won everyone tonight past when he gave a speech in front of Hitler's car. Worse, he then climbed into the car and got off a dog."
It's always a bad sign for any party before an election when Saturday Night Live smears its candidates.
He was almost irresistible to SNL this week, as Herschel Walker lit his campaign, then decided honesty would definitely not be his policy. Not to be outdone by anyone, news broke that Oz had killed over 300 dogs and then decided to change the subject through existence Photographed with Hitler's car.
Oz and Walker are two Senate candidates chosen by Donald Trump who not only lose but embarrass the Republican Party and the nation as they head toward defeat.
Mr. Easley is Managing Editor. He is also a White House Press Correspondent and Congressional Correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason holds a BA in Political Science. His graduating work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Member of the Association of Professional Journalists and the American Political Science Association
Fabulous! Fake news The Washington Post outdoes itself
Justice Jackson joins the Supreme Court, debate over Indigenous


text:
What is UEFA Nations League? What does it mean for the World Cup?
College football recruiting rankings: Alabama locks up No. 1 class on National Signing Day 2023
Department of Education tallies up damage from storms
Ice storm slams Texas, power outages pile up
Getting politics out of utility bills
The UEFA Nations League is a relatively new contest, founded in 2018, and it takes place every two years. 2022 sees the third edition of the competition kicking off in June as 55 countries in Europe will battle it out for the UEFA Nations League title.
The competition consists of three leagues of 16 teams each, with a fourth league made up of just seven teams. Leagues A, B, and C all have 16 teams, and each league saw their teams drawn into groups of four to start. League D has seven teams, which are split into two groups.
The four group winners in League A will advance to the Nations League Finals set to take place in June of 2023, while the group winners in the rest of the leagues will be promoted to a higher league ahead of the 2024-25 Nations League. Each team that finishes last in their respective groups in Leagues A and B will be relegated to the league just below them, while the last-place teams in League C will enter a playoff in March 2024 to decide who moves down to League D.
The tournament was founded as a way to eliminate international friendlies for European teams, entering them into a meaningful competition that will also benefit the ones who perform well ahead of the next European competition. Nations League also provides a way for teams to qualify for the Euro 2024 tournament, although the specific qualification details haven't yet been released be UEFA.
Nations League also has a link with the FIFA World Cup, with the two best group winners who finished outside of the top two in their qualifying group being entered into a playoff with the ten group runners-up from World Cup qualification. It doesn't guarantee anyone a berth into the World Cup, but teams can find a pathway there that begins in Nations League play.
Here's a look at the groups in each league as the UEFA Nations League gets underway with Matchday 2 this week. Note that Russia will not be allowed to play in this edition of Nations League due to sanctions placed on them following the invasion of Ukraine. They will automatically be ranked last in Group B2 and will be relegated to League C ahead of the next edition.
A1: France, Denmark, Croatia, Austria
A2: Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Czech Republic
A3: Italy, Germany, England, Hungary
A4: Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Wales
B1: Ukraine, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Armenia
B2: Iceland, Russia, Israel, Albania
B3: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Romania, Montenegro
B4: Sweden, Norway, Serbia, Slovenia
League C
C1: Turkey, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Faroe Islands
C2: Northern Ireland, Greece, Kosovo, Cyprus
C3: Slovakia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan
C4: Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Georgia, Gibraltar
League D
D1: Liechtenstein, Moldova, Andorra, Latvia
D2: Malta, Estonia, San Marino