Dragon Ball Z (aka. ドラゴンボール Z), the sequel of Dragon Ball Anime, is the popular Japanese Anime TV Series produced by Toei Animation since 1989. DBZ continues the adventure of Goku defending the earth from many powerful villains. For more than 20 years, it stood against time and won the heart of many children and adults. with messages of love always sin the hate and good overpowering evil. Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F' (2015) created by FUNimation Entertainment is the latest movie all dragon ball fans are waiting for about the lifetime duel battle beyond gods!


text:
#pragma config(Hubs,  S1, HTMotor,  HTServo,  HTMotor,  none)
#pragma config(Sensor, S1,     touch,               sensorNone)
#pragma config(Sensor, S2,     compass,             sensorVirtualCompass)
#pragma config(Sensor, S3,     light,               sensorLightActive)
#pragma config(Sensor, S4,     sonar,               sensorSONAR)
#pragma config(Motor,  motorA,          gripperMotor,  tmotorNormal, PIDControl, encoder)
#pragma config(Motor,  motorB,          rightMotor,    tmotorNormal, PIDControl, encoder)
#pragma config(Motor,  motorC,          leftMotor,     tmotorNormal, PIDControl, encoder)
#pragma config(Motor,  mtr_S1_C1_1,     motorD,        tmotorNormal, openLoop)
#pragma config(Motor,  mtr_S1_C1_2,     motorE,        tmotorNormal, openLoop, reversed)
#pragma config(Motor,  mtr_S1_C3_1,     motorF,        tmotorNormal, openLoop)
#pragma config(Motor,  mtr_S1_C3_2,     motorG,        tmotorNone, openLoop)
#pragma config(Servo,  srvo_S1_C2_1,    servo1,               tServoNone)
#pragma config(Servo,  srvo_S1_C2_2,    servo2,               tServoNone)
#pragma config(Servo,  srvo_S1_C2_3,    servo3,               tServoNone)
#pragma config(Servo,  srvo_S1_C2_4,    servo4,               tServoNone)
#pragma config(Servo,  srvo_S1_C2_5,    servo5,               tServoNone)
#pragma config(Servo,  srvo_S1_C2_6,    servo6,               tServoNone)
//*!!Code automatically generated by 'ROBOTC' configuration wizard               !!*//

task main()
{
 motor[motorF] = -100;
 wait1Msec(8000);
// motor[motorF] = -100;
// wait1Msec(4000);
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Merging several .hgt files into one I'm currently struggling on trying to combine several .hgt files with different software. I can get the 4 tiles into any kind of software but my issue is exporting the file back to .hgt file.
I've tried using VTBuilder, which allowed me to easily blend the 4 tiles together. I made sure the projection was indeed to WGS 84 and the column and rows were at 1201 as a SRTM should be (as I have got 4 together perhaps I should have double them to 2402x2402?).
I then exported the data as .bt file from VTBuilder and imported it into Landserf, having seen information that it could write .hgt, which doesn't seem to be the case. I supposedly found a workaround by saving the file as a .bil and changing the file name manually to .hgt... It doesn't work as it should.
To give you all the context, I am working with grasshopper using the plugin elk. The grasshopper component cannot read 4x .hgt files and is asking for only one file larger than the area I am looking at ( which is 24.6420 to 25.1627; 94.8683 to 95.2968) hence why I am trying to combine them all together. I have access to QGIS and the software mentioned before.
I cannot seem to find anybody that has raised this issue before on the forum or online for that matter.

A: (Perhaps grasshopper/elk also accepts IMG and GeoTiff formats, anyway...)
Not a QGIS answer; my choice is SAGA, currently version 7.

*

*Install and Start SAGA

Mosaicking

*Drag and drop your hgt files to SAGA window.

*In the Tools window, go to Grid > Tools and activate Mosaicking tool.

*Mosaicking window has an entry for input files, as >>Grids. Click [...] button and select all your grids. [Edit] Choose Nearest Neighbour for resampling method. Then click on [Apply] button and then [Execute]. You'll have newly merged raster (grid).

Export hgt

*Then export the new grid as hgt. In the Tools window, go to Import/Export > GDAL/OGR and activate Export Raster tool.

*[Edit] Choose newly created Grid System (usualy 2401x, 2401y for 2x2 mosaic), then select new grid in the >>Grid(s). Give a new filename in File (file extension should be .hgt. In the Format selection, choose ESRI.hdr Labelled as the output format. Then click on [Apply] button and then [Execute] button. Now you have merged hgt file.

In this export process, SAGA is using a GDAL driver for ESRI BIL format. This is sometimes tricky (depends on data), but would work in most cases.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Training and certifying new IT employees can be a costly and nerve-wracking experience, but it's a necessary process you have to go through before handing over the reins of your company's unique, sensitive IT ecosystem to unfamiliar newcomers. You want to be able to rest easy, knowing that a team of professionals has your IT operations handled and under control. After all, the last thing you want in the middle of the night is a call that starts with, "Yes, you know our server? Well, it crashed. But don't worry, we'll figure out why, eventually." The costs of not certifying employees are clearly higher that the cost of doing so.
If you do hire new employees, properly certifying them allows you to be confident that they will be familiar with, and able to, solve issues as they arise, and to increase the system's efficiency and effectiveness, perform upgrades and keep usual operations running smoothly. However, things might start to look bleak as you get out your calculator to work out how much this will cost you.
Start with the prices of the individual training and certification programs, but don't stop there. You'll also need to price out the cost of their salaries while they complete the training programs, as well as the price of training equipment, space and utilities, and the cost of the recruitment process of evaluating candidates to objectively judge whether they will be successful IT professionals after training. Of course, there's always the risk of lost investment if your fully trained employee chooses to leave at some point in the future, and repeating the process is required to replace him.
After all of these considerations, you may be looking around, hoping to spot a more reasonable solution. IT outsourcing services can provide you with the perfect situation. You can assign your IT operations to a team of fully trained, responsible professionals, skipping the expensive certification stage and moving straight to a custom solution that is just right for your business's needs. Compared to the expense and risk of building your own in-house team, this can be a much more viable option, especially for small to average-sized companies.
Whether a business chooses to invest the time to train an in-house team, or outsources to a company already equipped to handle their needs, it is vital that competent individuals are in charge of your IT system. Taking the time to properly add up the costs and work involved in training, then objectively compare them to the costs of outsourcing, can save your business money and stress in the long run.
Discover Adaptive Defense 360, the first solution that integrates EPP+EDR.
All about the multi-device solutions of the new 2016 Consumer range.
The cases of ransomware continue growing – attackers are launching new campaigns targeted at thousands of users and businesses.
This case taught us many important lessons about cybersecurity.
There are no viruses for Mac, right?
The rootkit "Thunderstrike 2" has arrived and has swiftly refuted this claim.
If you receive an email informing you that you have a voice message in WhatsApp, don't open it, it's a malware!
It became a problem for Human Resources Departments, because some CVs can hold their computers at ransom.


text:
Talking Point July 2014
A succinct discussion of selected topical, legal matters
I take great pleasure in submitting the July 2014 edition of Talking Point to you.
This issue contains a variety of topics, including a crook, murder, racial quotas, and an unfortunate baboon.
Richard Rorty, an American academic and philosopher who died in 2007, was the main proponent of neo-pragmatism, and in his prime regarded as the most famous philosopher in the world. He also authored some memorable quotes:
"Solidarity is not discovered by reflection, but created. It is created by increasing our sensitivity to the particular details of the pain and humiliation of other, unfamiliar sorts of people. Such increased sensitivity makes it more difficult to marginalize people different from ourselves by thinking, 'They do not feel as WE would,' or 'There must always be suffering, so why not let THEM suffer."
"My sense of the holy is bound up with the hope that someday my remote descendants will live in a global civilization in which love is pretty much the only law."
"Always strive to excel, but only on weekends."
As always, I would greatly appreciate your feedback on Talking Point. Please email me at charlt@walkers.co.za.
Regards Charl Theron
Bureaucracy gone mad!
The trouble really started when the baboon went for a stroll.
Murder or Culpable Homicide?
A fine line that can make a considerable difference.
Warning: Slippery when wet!
The Supreme Court of Appeal rules on how to mop a floor.
Inventive vehicle finance
The Wheels Bank skids.
Racial quotas
A brief international perspective.
Precautionary suspension
Must the employee remain idle?
– by Matt van Eden
In Macrae v State, a judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal on 28 March 2014, the accused eventually experienced justice, despite the deplorable conduct of many State and judicial officials.
On 10 October 2006, at the request of a conservation officer from the Directorate Nature Conservation, the owners of a game lodge (Dr and Ms Macrae) took in a baboon that had been seized by the police. The conservation officer handed a formal document titled Certificate of Handover to Institution to the Macraes.
However, the following day a senior informed the conservation officer that under Treasury regulations the baboon should have been sent to a Treasury approved zoo. This resulted in some exchanges between the conservation officials, who demanded the return of the baboon, and the Macraes, who contended it was now theirs.
On 18 October 2006, two nature conservation officers, a vet, a third party, the police officer who originally seized the baboon, and two members of the flying squad, stormed the Macrae's game lodge in convoy to retrieve the baboon.
However, the baboon was not present, as the Macrae's son and the baboon had gone for a walk. Dr Macrae did not take kindly to the invasion, and Ms Macrae supported him. The police then arrested the Macraes.
The National Prosecuting Authority prosecuted the Macraes for theft of the baboon and obstructing the administration of justice. The Macraes made the fatal error of representing themselves at the trial in the Magistrate's Court. They were found guilty, and their appeal to the High Court, Pretoria was dismissed.
At last in the SCA sanity prevailed. The Macraes had not stolen the baboon, it had voluntarily been placed in their care, so they were acquitted of theft. The Macrae's refusal to hand over the baboon was in good faith and based on their belief that the baboon was theirs, so they lacked the intent to obstruct the administration of justice. The Court held that the Macraes arrest lacked any legal foundation, and set aside their convictions and sentences. As an aside, the State could not produce the alleged Treasury regulations.
The Court was mild but firm in its criticism of the State and judicial officials in what it described as "a classic instance of bureaucratic overreach".
As for the baboon, after the Macraes were found guilty, it was taken out of their care and placed in a shelter, where it burned to death in a fire.
– by Jerome Veldsman
Mkhize v S, a judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal on 14 April 2014, illustrated the fine line between murder and culpable homicide, and the potential considerable difference in sentence.
If an accused unlawfully causes the death of another human being –
• intentionally – he is guilty of murder
• (merely) negligently – he is guilty of culpable homicide.
Mkhize, a long serving police officer with considerable experience in handling firearms, whilst inebriated, intervened in a drunken brawl, was then brutally assaulted by the deceased, and fatally shot the deceased at close range in the front and back.
He was prosecuted in a regional Magistrate's Court. The Magistrate held that Mkhize had shot the deceased in revenge, convicted him of murder, and sentenced him to 12 years' imprisonment. Mkhize appealed to the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, to no avail; and then appealed to the SCA.
In the SCA, the main question was whether State had proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Mkhize unlawfully and intentionally killed the deceased, including that he did not act:
• in private defence; or
• in putative private defence.
The test for private defence is: Would a reasonable person in the position of the accused have acted in the same way? If the answer is in the affirmative, the accused is acquitted, as then the killing would have been lawful.
If an accused fails the test for private defence, he may still succeed with putative private defence. Even if a reasonable man in the position of the accused would not have acted in the same way, if the accused honestly (but incorrectly) believed his life to be in danger, and killed someone in purported protection of his life, his conduct is unlawful. However, his erroneous belief may exclude intent (and thus a conviction of murder); and at worst for him he can then be convicted of culpable homicide.
The SCA held that the State had –
• proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Mkhize had not acted in private defence, but
• not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Mkhize had not acted in putative private defence,
and accordingly, the SCA set aside the conviction of murder, and convicted Mkhize of culpable homicide.
The distinction was far from academic for Mkhize. In the specific circumstances of the case, including mitigating factors, the SCA sentenced Mkhize to five years' imprisonment wholly suspended for five years.
Caution: Slippery when wet!
by Taryn Herbert and Nox Malumbete
In Avonmore Supermarket CC v Venter, a judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal on 31 March 2014, a customer sued a supermarket for damages arising from injuries she sustained when she slipped on a damp floor.
An employee of the supermarket was attending to routine floor mopping. The employee placed a sign warning that the floor was wet at one end of an aisle, mopped the floor of the aisle, and moved on before the floor was dry.
The customer walked into the aisle, saw the sign, but nevertheless slipped on the damp floor and fell.
The Court found in favour of the customer:
"I accept that there is a need to mop the floors of a store to ensure that it is clean. However the manner of execution of that task is crucial. It is clear that the appellants conduct caused the danger. The routine cleaning operation was done during a busy period and the cleaner left behind him a damp floor. That should not have happened. The cleaning operation should have been conducted in such a manner that the cleaner ought to have worked on a small area and ensure that the area was dry before moving on. In my view, that would not have placed an onerous burden on him or his supervisor. This routine cleaning operation created a potential hazard to customers and in particular the respondent. The appellant had a duty to regulate its conduct in order to minimize or eliminate the risk of harm. I accordingly conclude that negligence has been established."
Pay attention, these mopping rules apply to all spaces to which the public has access.
Scenematic (Pty) Ltd v First National Bank, a judgment of the High Court, Pretoria on 30 April 2014, was a tussle between a bank and its client as to who was to suffer the loss caused by a dishonest employee (Mr TJ Naudé) of the client.
Naudé bought a Mitsubishi Pajero in his personal capacity, and funded the purchase by way of an instalment sale agreement with FNB (trading through its division Wesbank). He 'cleverly' provided Scenematic's bank account details as the account from which FNB was to collect the monthly instalments. Scenematic already had many large monthly debit orders, and Naudé hoped that his deceit would not be noticed.
The ruse worked well for more than three years (even after the termination of Naudé's services). Then, one day an external auditor requested the source documents for the relevant debit order, and the 'imposter' debit order was exposed.
Naudé was perhaps a 'man of straw', so Scenematic also went after FNB. Scenematic claimed that FNB had undertaken tacitly or impliedly that it would perform its duties as a banker scrupulously and without negligence. This undertaking included that FNB would not debit Scenematic's bank account without proper authority. As FNB had no authority to debit Scenematic's account in respect of the Pajero, FNB was obliged to compensate Scenematic for the amounts wrongfully deducted from its account.
The evidence presented showed that FNB had been negligent. Naudé had entered into the instalment sale agreement in his own name. Yet, the bank official completed a Corporate Spif Transmissions Checklist in which she ticked a block indicating "Agreement signed by authorised signatory and resolution attached". No such resolution was attached, or existed. The bank official also failed to verify the account number provided by Naudé.
Scenematic succeeded with its claims against Naudé and FNB.
Scenematic almost lost, as more than three year had expired before the fraud was discovered. Under the Prescription Act, the prescription period is deemed not to commence until the creditor has knowledge of the identity of the debtor and of the facts from which the debt arises, provided that a creditor shall be deemed to have such knowledge if it could have acquired such knowledge by exercising reasonable care. Scenematic's excuse for not discovering the fraud earlier was not very convincing, but the Judge was kind.
Racial quota systems
In terms of section 9(3) of the South African Constitution, no person may unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or more grounds, including (most prominently) race. The Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act is legislation enacted pursuant to section 9(3) to prevent or prohibit unfair discrimination.
Section 28 of the Equality Act places a duty and responsibility on the State, institutions performing public functions, and all persons to eliminate discrimination, in particular on the ground of race. In carrying out such duties and responsibilities, the State, institutions performing public functions, and others, must adopt viable action plans for the promotion and achievement of equality in respect of race.
At present, the topic of racial quotas is being debated in many on-going court cases, in universities (especially medical faculties), and in sport governing bodies. Under a racial quota system, a specific number or percentage of positions are set aside specifically for a designated race.
Are racial quotas a legitimate affirmative action measure to manipulate demographic profiles or unfair discrimination? Local case law is sparse. Only as an illustration, we briefly discuss USA case law.
Note that, due to the cultural, demographic, economic, political, and other differences between South Africa and the USA, the ultimate answer to the question in South Africa may be very different from that in the USA. Indeed, in the USA, affirmative action was designed to benefit percentagewise small minorities, at the cost of the majority. Whereas, in South Africa, affirmative action is designed to benefit the overwhelming majority at the cost of percentagewise a small minority. In a sense, what is an exception in the USA is the rule in South Africa. Perhaps using the same term for such vastly different endeavours may be misleading.
Regents of the University of California v Bakke (1978), a case in the (USA) Supreme Court, their highest court, is famous for (1) upholding the concept of affirmative action (in origin largely a USA product), but (2) striking down the application of racial quotas by the State and other public institutions.
The University denied Bakke, a white male, admission to its medical school, and he sued.
As the nine judges penned six different judgments, Bakke is a difficult judgment to unpack. Justice Powell (in effect, for the majority) found against racial quotas, as less restrictive programs, such as making race one of several factors in admission, would serve the same purpose. He held that the racial quota discriminated unfairly against Bakke. As the university could not prove that Bakke would not have been admitted even had there not been a racial quota, he ordered the university to admit Bakke.
The minority judgement of Justice Brennan (supported by three other judges) would have upheld a racial quota as legitimate to remedy disadvantages cast on minorities by past racial prejudice, provided it does not demean or insult any (non-designated) racial group.
In Grutter v Bollinger (2003) the Supreme Court revisited the Bakke case.
The University of Michigan denied Grutter, a white female, admission to its law school, and she sued.
The majority held that a race-conscious admissions process that favoured underrepresented minority groups, but that also took into account many other factors, and evaluated on an individual basis for each applicant, did not amount to an unconstitutional quota system.
The minority judgement of Chief Justice Rehnquist (supported by three other judges) would have struck the admissions process down as a thinly veiled and unconstitutional racial quota system.
Some European countries ban racial quota systems outright, but others accept them for narrow purposes. Brazil allows a racial quota system at universities. Malaysia has a pervasive racial quota system, including at universities and in the civil service.
Malaysia's racial quota system favours the 70% majority ethnic Malays. The 1971 New Economic Policy was described as a temporary measure, but remains in place today. The NEP has benefitted the designated group, but has caused a continuing brain drain and a system of corrupt patronage. The NEP and its merit and demerit remain divisive in Malaysia, and dominate politics.
One can expect a divided South African Constitutional Court on the question of racial quotas, but not the strict scrutiny applied in the USA. Racial quotas may well pass constitutional muster in South Africa.
– by Amien Hoosain
Solidarity and Kotze v Public Health & Welfare Sectoral Bargaining Council is a curious judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal on 6 May 2014.
Section 17(5)(a) of the Public Service Act provides that an employee who absents himself from his official duties –
•	without permission for a period exceeding one month shall be deemed to have been discharged on account of misconduct; and
•	without permission and assumes other employment, shall immediately be deemed to have been discharged on account of misconduct.
On 4 July 2007, Mr Kotze, an employ of the Free State Department of Health, was placed on 'precautionary suspension' pending the finalisation of allegations of misconduct against him. Three weeks into his suspension, he accepted other employment. The Department advised him that, because he assumed other employment, he has been deemed to have been discharged on account of misconduct.
Mr Kotze disputed his dismissal, but failed in an internal review, before the Bargaining Council, at arbitration, in the Labour Court, and in the Labour Appeal Court. In each instance, the prevailing argument was that an employee on suspension must remain available to report for duty at any time, if the suspension is lifted.
Mr Kotze succeeded in the SCA. The Court held that, as Mr Kotze was on 'precautionary suspension', he was not absent from his official duties without permission. Accordingly section 17(5)(a) was not applicable. The Court referred the matter back to the Bargaining Council, almost seven years later.
If a suspended employee assumes other permanent employment, it would be incongruous for him to return to his previous employ. Whether a suspended employee must remain wholly idle, is still not settled.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
June 11, 2018 by Amy Dudas
It's All in the Timing
–by Matthew Socey
In my last blog, I wrote about how the art doesn't change but the audience changes. What can also be vital is the time in which one encounters a piece of art. Sometimes we're too young or too old. Then there are those lovely moments when the time is right.
Like many, I saw the the latest Star Wars installment/off-branch/cash cow Solo. For a space cowboy tale, it was fine, but I wasn't jacked up about it. I was seven years-old when the first Star Wars film was released. Perfect timing. Three years younger and it would have been too scary at times (Then again, I saw Jaws at five and I'm fine. Really). Two or three years older and early male cynicism might have crept in.
In the previous blog, I mentioned that I first saw the film The Big Chill when I was 13 years old. What I got out of it at the time was strong acting and grown-up characters who were vulnerable. I hadn't had enough life experience to really relate to the film. A decade later after a classmate killed himself, I gained an emotional attachment to the film more than ever before.
The first impression can be critical. How many people had Shakespeare ruined for them by English teachers? I had an English teacher in high school that dragged out the multi-part vinyl edition of Hamlet starring John Gielgud. Instead of dropping the needle and letting side one of disc one play, she would lift the needle after the first scene and ask "now what just happened?" I argued to just let it play and let the words wash over us. I lost that argument. Fortunately, my love of Shakespeare never went away.
Sometimes the timing is right. I was seven years-old when I first experienced the first Star Wars film. Perfect timing of action, adventure and age. Maybe too intense if I was younger, then again I saw Jaws at age five and that really scared the hell out of me. I would have been probably a bit more jaded had I been older. When I showed my daughter Jaws in her early teens, he response was "It was OK. I could see how that would have scared you at five." I'm one of the old guys who hold the first three Star Wars films (to hell with your Episode nonsense) probably because I was 7-13 during those three film's releases. It's hard to recreate that youthful enthusiasm. There was less enthusiasm for the the next trilogy (Jake Lloyd, Jar Jar, the romantic scenes, "NOOOOOO!") and slightly more for the latest stretch of SW films (mixing something old and something new).
A year later, I saw the film Halloween with my father and older brother. Most of it was viewed between my fingers, but this was the first time I heard from the audience an equal mix of screams and laughs. I don't remember any laughter during Jaws (there could have been, but I was occupied with fear).
Music-wise, I was 14 when I first heard the Bruce Springsteen album Born to Run. Like many, Born in the U.S.A. was huge when I was 14 and I sought out the rest of his discography immediately. Hearing Born to Run's tale of being young and trying to burst out of your hometown and experience the world (I grew up in Flint, Michigan. I could relate) really resonated with me. To this day, Born to Run is my favorite rock album.
By the time I entered college, I was curious about music that wasn't played on the radio eight times a day. I had friends in my high school jazz band and was exploring into jazz in my teens. By college, I found music that I didn't understand what was always trying to be said but was curious about the journey (late-era John Coltrane, Yes). Then there was the music of Frank Zappa where I knew exactly what he was saying in his songs, but his arrangements could be extremely challenging. Any musician who dismisses Zappa should pick up their instrument and try to play some of his pieces. These musical challenges helped balance out my love of Bad News (a British comedy version of Spinal Tap featuring actors from The Young Ones and The Comic Strip) and Dread Zeppelin, who performed reggae covers of Led Zeppelin tunes sung by an Elvis impersonator. I am not making this up.
Then there is the arc of being affected by something, dismissing it in your teen years and then as one gets older going back and embracing it. (WARNING: NAME DROPPING) When I interviewed Richard Thomas on radio, I brought up his cult film Battle Beyond the Stars, a campy 1979 space version of The Magnificent Seven. "At one time, I wanted to be buried with every single print of that film. I'm old enough now that it's doesn't bother me anymore and I love it," Thomas told me.
I remember being scared of the Vincent Price film Madhouse(one of his post-Dr. Phibes films in the early 1970s), seeing it for the first time on TV. Watching it again in college, I was embarrassed that it had that kind of effect on me. Decades later, I love those 70s Vincent Price films.
Your homework assignment…quiet down, everybody, think about a play, film, album, book, that you experienced too young to fully enjoy and give it another go.
Matthew Socey 6-11-2018
Matthew Socey is a DIVA board member and hosts of THE BLUES HOUSE PARTY and FILM SOCEYOLOGY for WFYI 90.1 FM in Indianapolis.
Posted in Art Appreciation, Art Forms, Art in life, MiscellaneousTagged Bad News, Bruce Springsteen, Dread Zepplin, Frank Zappa, Halloween, Jaws, Music, Shakespeare, Star Wars, The Big Chill, Vincent Price
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The Baby Trend Snap-N-Go EX Universal stroller disappointed us with a strap installation system that we worry will go undone leaving the baby in a potentially dangerous situation. The Baby Trend is a dedicated frame stroller designed as a universal option for almost any infant car seat brand. It is relatively easy to use and attach car seats, but features like dual action brakes, limited storage bin weight capacity and dual plastic front wheels make it a stroller we aren't crazy about. We understand that the price is appealing, but the features and performance simply aren't.
The Baby Trend Snap-N-Go EX Universal is a frame stroller that works with almost any infant car seat on the market. This basic stroller has a "net" comprised of two adjustable straps that support the bottom of the carrier with additional straps that secure the seat over the top. The Snap-N-Go offers a storage bin, plastic wheels, a parent console with cup holders, and a simple fold with dual action brakes. While this frame product does work with a variety of seats, the straps make it difficult to use and a potential safety hazard if parents forget or choose not to use them.
Each different brand of car seat will sit as a slightly different depth inside the Baby Trend frame.
This comparison graph includes the overall scores tested in this review.
The information provided below includes details on how the Baby Trend performed during testing.
The Baby Trend earned a 6 of 10 for car seat attachment largely because of the attachment method.
The photos above show the Baby Trend with the Chicco Keyfit 30, Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 4-35, and the UPPAbaby Mesa (from left to right).
There are 2 adjustable straps on the frame of the Baby Trend that support the bottom of the infant car seat carrier.
The Baby Trend is a frame stroller that works with most car seats on the market. The car seat attachment works the same for all seats. The frame of the stroller has two adjustable straps at the opening where the carrier sits.
The adjustment toggle for the under the seat straps on the Baby trend is hard to adjust and fairly stiff.
The first step is adjusting the two straps, so the carrier sits inside the frame without falling too low or sitting too high. The plastic edge of the carrier should rest on the plastic edge of the stroller frame. Adjusting the straps is done with a plastic toggle that is a little stiff and hard to adjust, but ideally, you should only be adjusting it one time.
The restraint straps that come from the bottom of the frame and snap over the middle portion of the car seat on the Baby Trend are mandatory parts of the attachment process that must be done for safe installation.
Once the carrier is resting in the stroller, there is a second set of straps that must be brought up and over the lower portion of the carrier to secure the carrier to the stroller. If you skip this step, the car seat is not attached properly and is free floating in the frame. Not using the straps means the baby could suffer from injury or potentially death, so parents can't skip the second step.
While attaching car seats on this product is not difficult, we aren't big fans. We worry that parents will forgo the second step leaving the carrier unsecured to the frame. Some parents might skip the step thinking the carrier is secure enough, or they aren't "going that far," while others might forget to snap the securing strap or won't know that it is required. We prefer the easier one step click in products where the odds of doing it incorrectly are limited.
We tested several different brand car seats in the Baby Trend including the Cybex Aton 2, Chicco Keyfit 30, Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 4-35, Safety 1st onBoard Air, and the UPPAbaby Mesa. Most of the car seats we tried felt secure once properly install with both steps. However, the Cybex Aton 2 did move around a lot in the frame, and while it probably isn't going to fall out, it does have a lot more movement than the other brands we tried. So if you are committed to using the Snap-N-Go, it's probably best to avoid the Cybex Anton 2 combination.
While the Baby Trend is the lightest product in the group, it is not the smallest folded option.
The Baby Trend earned an impressive score of 9 of 10 for weight and folded size. It is a lightweight stroller but oddly folds into a larger product. We feel the weight and size of are important features to consider when looking for a car seat stroller. Because mom might have limitations after a C-Section that prevents her from lifting heavy things, we prefer a smaller and lighter product for car seat attachment.
The Baby Trend meets part of this requirement with a weight of 10.9 lbs, making it the lightest option in the review. Unfortunately, it is large for being the lightest product with an overall cubic size of 8,661 inches. This isn't a super large size, with the BOB Revolution Flex Combo measuring over 14,000 cubic inches, but it isn't as small as the UPPAbaby Cruz Combo that measures at 7,860 cubic inches and only weighs 15.3 lbs.
The double plastic front wheel design on the Baby Trend make it harder to maneuver than products with single wheel designs or rubber tires.
The Baby Trend earned a 4 of 10 for maneuverability. The high in the group is a 9 earned by the BOB Revolution Flex Combo and the Baby Jogger City Mini GT Combo which both have rubber tires and single front wheels.
None of the dedicated frame strollers are easy to maneuver thanks to their smaller plastic wheels. Given that this is not your lifetime stroller, it might not be worth getting upset that it didn't score that well for maneuverability, as it will do fine on hard flat surfaces where most newborns will be traveling.
The Baby Trend has small plastic wheels with the double front wheel design we aren't fond of because they aren't the best at staying on track. There is significant flex in the frame that gave us trouble moving over a 1-inch curb and it was better on hard surfaces than grass and gravel where we had difficulty turning. The wheels are small and foam filled plastic and they look like those found on a play stroller. They wobble when pushed and do not rotate well when spun. Compared to some of the competition with rubber tires and ball bearings on the wheel hub, it is easy to see how lower quality materials and design impacts performance. There is also no suspension which means the baby will feel every imperfection and jarring motion.
The handlebar is covered in a soft rubber type material that feels good but also seems like it may develop imperfections easily that could grow over time until chunks of the cover are missing.
The storage bin on the Baby Trend is limited to 5 pounds maximum, making it relatively useless at carrying a full day's supply of baby needs.
The Baby Trend earned a 4 of 10 for ease of use tying with three other strollers. A lot of the features and conveniences that make a stroller easy to use are missing on the Baby Trend, because at its heart it is a frame stroller that doesn't need, nor historically have these features.
To fold the Trend you first need to slide the unlock button on the handlebar and squeeze the release button.
The Trend is pretty easy to fold with only one hand. It has one to two steps depending, including an unlock and release button that allows you to fold the stroller. The front wheels need to be facing forward to complete the fold and engage the manual lock. The Trend self-stands and rolls when folded, or you can use the carry handle. It unfolds just as easy as it folds.
The Baby Trend has double action brakes, which means the brakes need to be set on each side independently. If parents only engage one side, the stroller will not be safely parked.
The Baby Trend has double action brakes that require two separate pedals to be pushed to activate. We prefer the single action brakes that only require the push of single pedal to enact both sides at the same time to avoid potential mistakes. The brakes are average for setting and releasing, and they can cause pain to the top of a sandaled foot.
The storage bin on this stroller is on the large side, but it has a 5 lb weight limit which will seriously limit what you can put inside. Unfortunately, we were only able to fit in the medium sized diaper bag. This is because access to the bin is not designed well. There is some access from all sides, but because the carrier sits down into the frame, it causes interference with the basket. You will not be able to run errands or go grocery shopping because it won't hold the weight making it somewhat useless for city dwellers.
The Baby Trend is one of the few options that come with a parent console. That sounds like a good thing, but it isn't that useful. The cup holders are small and the storage compartment is too small for even a standard iPhone. Also, there is a safety concern with putting bottles or other taller items into the cup holders because they can fall out and onto baby while strolling.
There is no canopy on the Baby Trend, and all car seat carriers will need to rely on their own canopy for protection from weather and other elements you hope to shield baby from.
The Baby Trend earned a 9 of 10 for ease of setup and took us about 5 minutes to put together. This is all in spite of a poorly designed manual with a hard to find the first step. The pictures in the manual almost make the simple process more difficult. Though it is easy to assemble, it requires more assembly than most of the competition with front and rear wheel assembly and console construction.
The Baby Trend Snap-N-Go is a "Universal" frame stroller.
The Baby Trend earned a 4 of 10 for quality. The materials and components aren't the best. The storage bin material is flimsy, and it looks like a small cut will easily turn into a larger hole, and may be why it has a 5 lb weight limit.
The materials used on the Baby Trend storage bin are not great and it left us feeling like they might tear easily and are certainly part of the reason why the weight limit is so low.
The frame on this product is a little wobbly and rattles when you place the car seat on board. The joints are not tight and there is a significant flex in the frame. The plastic on the frame components looks different and potentially of lower quality, and we think it could potentially fade over time. Overall the fit and finish aren't bad, it simply isn't as good as the competition. The components and materials used appear to be of a lesser quality and the way the parts are put together and connected make the stroller harder to use.
Amazon $40.05 - 43% off!


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Home News manchester united offered e190m for neymar
Transfer News & Rumours
Manchester United offered €190m for Neymar
Saikat
Neymar's father has revealed to Spanish radio station Cadena Cope that Manchester United made a €190m bid for the Barcelona superstar last summer.
According to reports from Spanish newspaper Sport, Neymar's father has told judge José De la Mata that several big European clubs were interested in signing the Brazilian, but Manchester United came forth with a mega offer (would have been a record-breaking deal had it been accepted) in the summer.
Neymar himself admitted earlier in the season that Manchester United had been in contact with him. However, the 23-year-old Barcelona star has stated time and again that he wants to stay at the Catalan club.
The Barcelona forward has been in tremendous form this season and has scored 21 goals already in all competitions for the Blaugrana.
Manchester United are looking to spend heavily in the summer, and one can expect the Red Devils to make a fresh move for Neymar.
The Brazilian has a two and a half years remaining on his Barcelona contract but has yet to sign a new deal. Neymar Sr, however, has assured the Barcelona fans that his son will not be listening to any other offers.
La Liga rivals Real Madrid are also seemingly interested in signing Neymar, and club president Florentino Perez is willing to meet the aforementioned release clause.
Previous article Photo: Injured Liverpool star has successful full training session
Next article Liverpool not willing to sell Lazar Markovic
Sports journalist. Graduation in English literature. Masters in mass communication from the University of Bedfordshire. Loves football, cricket, tennis, F1. contact - [email protected]


Weehawken, N.J. is a more beautiful place thanks to the Elks! Using an Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant, Weehawken, N.J., Lodge No. 1456 partnered with local Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, a teen peer leadership group, and other high school students to plant a garden surrounding Weehawken Town Hall.
The students gave this project two green thumbs up! They enjoyed digging in the dirt, and working alongside other local youth and the Elks.
To keep the plants and their new friendships thriving, the Elks plan to tend to the community garden year-round.
Does your Lodge want to be featured on the ENF blog or other ENF pages? Simply submit fabulous Final Report Forms! Include project successes, feedback from the Lodge and community, and photos that we can share with others. Be sure to have all 2012-13 Beacon, Gratitude and Promise Grant Final Report Forms submitted by Saturday, August 31, to be eligible to apply for 2013-14 grants and for the chance to be featured on the ENF website, Facebook or Twitter!


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Home Science NASA: Two Of Neptune Moons Are Locked In A Dance of Avoidance
NASA: Two Of Neptune Moons Are Locked In A Dance of Avoidance
A new research by the US space agency NASA has revealed how moons orbiting the solar system's outermost planet avoid colliding, even though their orbital paths overlap.
Orbital dynamics experts are calling it a "dance of avoidance" performed by the tiny moons Naiad and Thalassa. The two are true partners, orbiting only about 1,150 miles (1,850 kilometers) apart. But they never get that close to each other; Naiad's orbit is tilted and perfectly timed. Every time it passes the slower-moving Thalassa, the two are about 2,200 miles (3,540 kilometers) apart.
In this perpetual choreography, Naiad swirls around the ice giant every seven hours, while Thalassa, on the outside track, takes seven and a half hours. An observer sitting on Thalassa would see Naiad in an orbit that varies wildly in a zigzag pattern, passing by twice from above and then twice from below. This up, up, down, down pattern repeats every time Naiad gains four laps on Thalassa.
Although the dance may appear odd, it keeps the orbits stable, researchers said.
"We refer to this repeating pattern as a resonance," said Marina Brozovic, an expert in solar system dynamics at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and the lead author of the new paper, which was published Nov. 13 in Icarus. "There are many different types of 'dances' that planets, moons and asteroids can follow, but this one has never been seen before."
Far from the pull of the Sun, the giant planets of the outer solar system are the dominant sources of gravity, and collectively, they boast dozens upon dozens of moons. Some of those moons formed alongside their planets and never went anywhere; others were captured later, then locked into orbits dictated by their planets. Some orbit in the opposite direction their planets rotate; others swap orbits with each other as if to avoid collision.
Neptune has 14 confirmed moons. Neso, the farthest-flung of them, orbits in a wildly elliptical loop that carries it nearly 46 million miles (74 million kilometers) away from the planet and takes 27 years to complete.
Naiad and Thalassa are small and shaped like Tic Tacs, spanning only about 60 miles (100 kilometers) in length. They are two of Neptune's seven inner moons, part of a closely packed system that is interwoven with faint rings.
So how did they end up together – but apart? It's thought that the original satellite system was disrupted when Neptune captured its giant moon, Triton, and that these inner moons and rings formed from the leftover debris.
"We suspect that Naiad was kicked into its tilted orbit by an earlier interaction with one of Neptune's other inner moons," Brozovic said. "Only later, after its orbital tilt was established, could Naiad settle into this unusual resonance with Thalassa."
Brozovic and her colleagues discovered the unusual orbital pattern using analysis of observations by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The work also provides the first hint about the internal composition of Neptune's inner moons. Researchers used the observations to compute their mass and, thus, their densities – which were close to that of water ice.
"We are always excited to find these co-dependencies between moons," said Mark Showalter, a planetary astronomer at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, and a co-author of the new paper. "Naiad and Thalassa have probably been locked together in this configuration for a very long time, because it makes their orbits more stable. They maintain the peace by never getting too close."
Previous articleClimate researchers predict a bleak future for today's children
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The Music Box has something for everyone. It truly is a venue that appeals to guests of all ages. Grandparents and teenagers alike will be impressed with our downtown and riverfront views, outstanding cuisine, and unforgettable service.
If your son or daughter's Bar or Bat Mitzvah calls for a dance party complete with a DJ, or is a more intimate event, our staff will work out all of the details with you to ensure a perfect celebration on their important day.
Award-winning chef Dennis Devies and his kitchen staff can bring a combination of the latest culinary trends paired with traditional Jewish cuisine to your Bar/Bat Mitzvah dining experience at the Music Box.
You won't find a sound system or A/V access like ours anywhere else in Cleveland. Plus, we offer expert sound engineers to guide your celebration from start to finish, effortlessly. Whether you hire a DJ or a live band, we can provide you several dance floor options to ensure your guests are up and on their feet.
The weather can change in the blink of an eye in Cleveland. At the Music Box, we offer access to our outstanding outdoor spaces including our large riverfront deck. Guests can relax with a drink on our patio chairs or mingle with the crowd.
Whatever the theme or size of your Bar or Bat Mitzvah, we offer flexible floor plans to create the perfect event space for your guests.
You helped us create an unforgettable celebration for our friends and family. The service was terrific – many of the servers said something positive to me or Kelly which made us feel good. And the food was delicious. I tried as many of the food items as I could get my hands on … and the gazpacho shooters, ceviche, barramundi and leg of lamb all rated very high on my list of foods I enjoyed.
The party was so above & beyond. I think every single person called me to thank me again and tell me what a great party and especially how great the venue was. What a perfect night. And please let the chef know that the food was amazing. Absolutely delicious.


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Anthony Joshua devasted after Usyk loss, awaiting rematch, says promoter
Eddie Hearn, the promoter of former heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, said the boxer was devastated after losing his belts to Oleksandr Usyk.
Anthony Joshua's reign as world boxing heavyweight champion ended on Saturday, with the proposed "Battle of Britain" against Tyson Fury now in tatters.
This was after Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine claimed a stunning unanimous decision win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Usyk was giving up three inches in height and four in reach, as well as nearly 20 pounds in weight, for this fight.
But the former undisputed world cruiserweight champion's technical acumen came to the fore in an electric atmosphere.
Joshua finished the bout slumped against the ropes as his smaller foe looked for a dramatic finish.
And, as it was not forthcoming, Usyk claimed the WBA, IBF and WBO titles after he was given the nod by all three judges.
Scores of 117-112, 116-112 and 115-113 were just reward after a near-masterclass from the unbeaten Usyk.
He became only the third fighter after Evander Holyfield and David Haye to win world titles at cruiserweight and heavyweight.
Joshua was obligated to face WBO mandatory challenger Usyk after a bout against Fury fell through earlier this year.
He appeared philosophical in accepting the result when the scores came as he suffered just the second defeat of his career.
Hearn, in an interview with Sky Sports, said Joshua had requested to return to training ahead of a rematch.
"He is devastated and already talking about training again. Congratulations to Oleksandr Usyk. What a fighter. He put in a great performance and the better man won.
"The danger was always to overthink it by trying to be technical, if you don't use your attributes and you don't make your mark early enough in the fight.
"Usyk is very fit and has great feet. He threw a lot of punches and it was all the things you worry about against a fighter like Usyk," he said.
Hearn added Usyk was probably bit more aggressive than anticipated and that he was really good.
"He goes down in history and there are no complaints from AJ. He will go again. He has been beaten by a pound for pound great fighter. We have been here before at Madison Square Garden.
"That was different and he has been beaten by the better man on the night. He will have to make some big changes in the rematch to avenge that defeat," he added.
In another interview with BBC, Hearn said "When (Joshua) he lost in New York everyone started analysing the dressing room, the ring walk. He was fine, he was maybe a little too relaxed on the ring walk, he was shaking everyone's hand, he was hugging a few people that is just AJ but I feel it was the wrong type of performance. Sometimes you have to use your attributes.
"[Anthony Joshua] never really got going, he will go to hospital now, I don't know if he has broken his eye socket, it doesn't look great.
"But when you go back, Tony Bellew's comments about overthinking, and fatiguing you, it is like these last three or four days you get spellbound by Usyk and you end up giving him too much respect and that becomes a problem.
"AJ said he is not going on holiday that he is going straight back to the gym and that is not a good idea.
"You could make any manner of excuse but he got beat by the better man. Sometimes you have to take it on the chin, when you lose you shake someone's hand and say congratulations and say you will come back stronger.".
Joshua wants £40m to step aside for Fury, Usyk
Joshua admits Usyk's loss weighs heavily on him
Anthony Joshua drops to fifth in WBA rankings
Wilder was doomed against Fury –Joshua
Anthony Joshua won't step aside from Usyk rematch
Anthony Joshua, Usyk rematch to hold April 2022


I am a native of Washington County having grown up on a farm by Palmer. Before entering college at the age of 43 I held jobs as a construction worker (mainly concrete), livestock product salesman, and part-time mail carrier while also being a crop and livestock farmer. I use experiences from all these jobs in my current occupation as a science teacher in USD 223.
My goal as a teacher is to provide my students with the fundamental knowledge they need to be successful in a classroom after they leave our schools. While our students may not have the opportunity to have a wide range of science courses, I believe they have a good foundation on which to build. This is true across our curriculum; our students walk out the door with the tools they need to be successful in any field IF they develop their priorities properly and set goals.
I enjoy teaching and watching students mature through the years. Nothing brightens my day more than receiving an e-mail or letter from a former student, or better yet when they walk through my door and give me an update on their lives. Some even say thanks, that's icing on the cake.
If you have any questions concerning your child and my class feel free to contact me at the school at 348-5531, or e-mail me at rohlde@usd223.org.


American Ballet Theatre Spring 2017 Gala attracts Hollywood Hottest Females.
The Metropolitan Opera House in NYC was the place to be on Monday evening May 22nd, as Hollywood's elite Fashionistas dressed to impress. Blake Lively looked sensational as she walked the Red carpet in bright lemon-lime gown with a high slit up the side. The Gossip Girl star and wife of Ryan Reynolds was all smiles as posed for photos.
Katie Holmes transformed into an elegant lady as she stunned in a strapless red gown that had a cinched waist and a ballgown style skirt, which she complimented with strapped ruby heels that shone.
Another beauty of the night, Nicky Hilton dazzled in a pink dress that came above her knees. The young sister of Paris Hilton wore her hair up with button earrings and hot Silver pointy shoes.


That cow just keeps on blabbing, but the jackass's attention is on a fresher side of meat. When your wife isn't looking, click and hold on the cutie at the other table to flirt. Just make sure your wife doesn't catch you!
Brenda Song Makeup Choose a perfect make up for Brenda.
Bendy Spidey Help Spiderman to move with the help of the web.


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Home2015(Page 4)
Lederman Update
August 16, 2015 February 4, 2016 swrta Uncategorized
Oral arguments began this past week in Sheri Lederman's bid to challenge her ineffective rating and the entire VAM (value added modeling) system currently being used to rate teachers in New York State.
The trial got off to a good start, with State Supreme Court judge Roger McDonough pushing back hard against the state's attorney. As reported by Carol Burris, the judge did his homework on VAM, and seems inclined toward using a common sense standard, which certainly works against the state's defense of this ludicrous system (e.g. how can her VAM score have gone from 14 (effective) one year to a 1 (ineffective) the next, when her students got similar (and very good) scores both years?). A few members of the Badass Teachers Association (BATs) attended the proceedings as well, and this post on the BAT website contains some good analysis of the status of the case.
It is important to note that this is not the first time that VAM has been challenged in the courts. Last year, a Florida judge acknowledged that this type of model is indeed unfair, but nonetheless ruled that it is not unconstitutional and upheld its use. In this case, Lederman will attempt to show that the lack of transparency in the model is a violation of state law and will be presenting a number of affidavits from experts to demonstrate that the process is arbitrary and not scientifically valid.
Everyone seems to agree that this case has huge potential ramifications, but nobody seems to want to go out on a limb and predict just what that means. We'll have to wait and see and hope for the best.
A decision is expected in two to three months.
Please help the Ristau Family
August 9, 2015 August 9, 2015 swrta Uncategorized
This past Friday night, Prodell Middle School Teacher Gina Ristau and her family suffered a massive fire in their home. While, thankfully, none of her family members were injured, two of their three cats perished, the house sustained tremendous damage, and they lost nearly all of their possessions.
SWRTA members have always been generous in helping one another through difficult times, and we know can count on you to do so again. We will be making a donation as a unit, and of course anything you can do as individuals will be of great help.
A friend of the family set up a "go fund me" page to collect donations. Please click the link and do what you can.
http://www.gofundme.com/2fgcga88
Tune in and Watch
July 31, 2015 swrta news; satire
Tomorrow (Friday, 7/31) Dr. Cohen, along with Pat Med's Michael Hynes, Terry Kalb, Kevin Glynn (Lace to the Top), and Jeanette Deutermann (Long Island Opt-Out) will be featured on a call-in show on WRCN (103.9 FM) from 12 – 2pm. (Thanks to Ali Quenzer for the heads up)
A lot of comedians have tried the "what if we treated teachers the way we treat athletes" trope, but never as successfully as this bit from Key and Peele. Definitely worth watching all the way through (the BWM ad at the end is part of the sketch.
Reject The AFT's Premature Endorsement of Hillary Clinton
July 13, 2015 swrta Action, Clinton, News
The AFT endorsement of Hillary Clinton was extraordinarily premature and inappropriate without specific commitments from her that she will be a strong supporter of public education. No matter your opinion of her overall as a candidate, it is crucial to send her an important message. Please take a few minutes and click each of the links below.
Send a message directly to Hillary Clinton and let her know that as a teacher, regardless of the AFT endorsement, you will not giver her your vote unless she makes public statements against privatization of public schools, federal requirements for annual testing, and using test scores to evaluate teachers, as well as making a firm commitment to protecting union rights in this country. Click here for the contact form on her web page.
Send a message directly to the AFT and let them know they made a mistake. Endorsements should never be given against the wishes of the rank and file, and should always be contingent upon firm commitments from candidates that they will work for the best interests of public education once elected. Visit the AFT Election page, and look for the box in the right sidebar titled: "What are your thoughts about the endorsement process?"
Sign the petition telling the AFT to rescind their endorsement.
Another Fond Farewell
July 13, 2015 March 22, 2016 swrta APPR, News, NYSED
As you may have read, in The New York Times or elsewhere, NYSED has dumped Pearson and awarded the contract for developing state assessments to Questar Assessments, a relatively small Minneapolis based company.
Some are viewing this as a great first step, but this is a stretch at best. We'll get back to that. First the bright side.
According to NYSUT, the new agreement includes a "promise to involve New York teachers in every step of the test-development process." This addresses a major complaint about these tests – that the questions are clearly not written by people who actually work with children.
With all the talk about "accountability" in education, it's good to see the term applied in an authentic context. As Karen Magee said, "Pearson offered a bad product and today Pearson got fired. Teachers have called for this for years." Pearson's errors are legendary, and perhaps that will be at least one piece that will improve.
As many of us know, there is a world of difference between teachers being a legitimate part of the process vs. sitting teachers at the table just for the purpose of saying "there were teachers involved." NYSED has never said that they agree with educator complaints (the questions are developmentally inappropriate, unnecessarily complex, or invalid measures of the standards), let alone that more teacher input would address these complaints. So there is much reason to be suspicious that bringing more teachers in will actually make the tests any better – NYSED still has final say over the test content.
And as far as errors go, Perdido Street School blog reports that Questar, as a company, is a mess, so we really shouldn't be expecting better results. "Test scorers treated like cattle, imprecise scoring, managers who can't answer scorers questions, scanning glitches, incompetent schedulers – sounds even better. Meet the new company for 3rd-8th grade testing. Sounds a lot like the old company, doesn't it?"
And finally, let's address the idea that this is a good first step. As many bloggers and writers have pointed out, changing vendors does nothing to actually change the laws that require students to spend time taking meaningless tests, force schools to narrow curriculum, and will result in good teachers losing their jobs. In fact, there is a reason to believe that it will have just the opposite effect. Mary Ellen Elia, the new State Ed. Commissioner, said at least some of the right things: "[She] hopes the new assessments will take less time, and that teachers will have access to their students' results quicker so they can use the information to drive classroom instruction."
But she also had this to say: "I am not a person who believes that children shouldn't be tested. Life is one big test. We have to get to the point where people are at peace with that."
Anytime someone answers a question that hasn't been asked, you need to think about what the real purpose is. Nobody is saying that children shouldn't be tested, but this allows her to position critics as being against all testing, as opposed to inappropriate high stakes tests. You can expect her to use this next Spring to attempt to undercut the opt-out movement. Watch for comments along the lines of "We've got rid of the company that was causing errors, we got teachers involved in the process, we're releasing the data earlier, and we relaxed the gag order, so the only opposition to testing now comes form people who don't think kids should take tests and teachers who don't want to be evaluated."
You can also expect her, or others, to use Pearson's firing itself against us: "We fired Pearson because they weren't doing their jobs, but teachers don't want to be held to the same standard."
This gambit will fail. Parents and teachers in New York are way smarter than that.
July 10, 2015 March 29, 2016 swrta ESEA, Friedrichs, NYSED
A few news items of interest:
Supreme Court to hear "Friedrichs vs. California"
Last week the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will hear the "Friedrichs vs. California Teachers" case. The case concerns the requirement that teachers must contribute to unions even if they do not agree with some of the union's activities and do not want to join.
If the court finds against the union, the effects will be devastating, as "unions would be in the unfair position of still representing workers, negotiating on their behalf and improving their working conditions without the law's safety net requiring that all who benefit share in the costs. Dues-paying members would have to pay for the equal representation provided to non-members." It would ultimately have the entire country follow the path of Wisconsin, which has, as expected, seen union membership decline and workers losing benefits and wages.
The decision is expected to come early in 2016, and while it could go either way, the safe money is on an anti-union ruling. For more on this topic, see NYSUT's summary of the case or this article from Slate Magazine.
ESEA Re-authorization
The House and Senate began debating re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act this week. The House and Senate each have their own bills, which are, on the whole, very similar. Both would eliminate the AYP (annual yearly progress) aspects of No Child Left Behind, and would reduce the power of the US Department of Education, but would still maintain the requirement for annual testing. (Read more about the bills in this article from the Washington Post.) This again becomes one of those issues where one has to ask if it is better to support a bill that is wrong in many ways but much better than what we have, or should we hold out for a re-write that truly fixes what's wrong. Knowing that Obama has indicated he will veto any bill that does not include annual testing certainly plays into that. Here's why Carol Burris is supporting the Senate's, "Every Child Achieves" bill, flawed as it may be.
Spend Some Time in the Hamptons with Cuomo this Weekend
This coming Saturday, hedge fund manager and charter school advocate Daniel Loeb is hosting a $5,000/ plate fund raiser for Andrew Cuomo in East Hampton. A number of pro-labor groups, including various NYSUT locals, will be there to express dissatisfaction at the "hedge fund control of government." The central meeting point is at St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Amagansett. A bus will be coming that will pick people up in Hempstead and in Brentwood. The bus will then pick up everyone at St. Michaels and bring them to the rally point. Please contact Jeff Friedman at jfriedma@nysutmail.org or call him at (516) 670-7834 to RSVP and with any questions. RSVP is a must because of spacing.
Farewell Ken Wagner
Ken Wagner, former Prodell Principal, current Deputy Commissioner of NYSED, and well known Kool-Aid connoisseur, has just been chosen to be the Education Commissioner of Rhode Island. While many of us have fond memories of his time at SWR, his statewide contributions have left a bit to be desired, to say the least. Let's hope his replacement is someone who is more willing to listen to the voices of educators.
Teaching and Learning in Times of High Stakes Testing
June 17, 2015 swrta Events, Member news
A week from Thursday (6/25), SWR's own Rob Verbeck will be one of four speakers at the "Teaching and Learning in Times of High Stakes Testing" forum being held at Hofstra from 6 to 8PM.
Yes, the night before the last day of school is kind of inconvenient. But the featured speaker is Jessie Turner, who will be making his second walk from Connecticut to Washington D.C. "to protest the education malpractice that is demoralizing parents and teachers, and turning our children into human capital" and that's the night he'll be in this area.
Also on the bill are Debra Goodman, who will be moderating, Hofstra professor and writer Alan Singer, and teacher Elizabeth Lynch, who was one of the speakers at the Patchogue-Medford Forum on March 10th.
The event is free, but tickets are required. You can get more information and get tickets by clicking here.


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Q: Cannot update a component (`App`) while rendering a different component (`MessageController`) we need help. I get these errors when calling a component that uses a message from antd. How to fix it? Or maybe it is possible to rewrite this code so that this error disappears, but the functionality remains the same (a message was displayed when an error occurred)
App component:
const App = () => {
  const { isShowMessage, message } = useSelector((state) => state.appMessage);

  return (
    <>
      {isLoggedIn ? (
        <>
          {isShowMessage && message && <MessageController messageData={message} />}

          <Switch>
              <Redirect exact from={routeNames.main} to={routeNames.events} />
              {privateRoutes.map((route) => (
                <Route key={route.path} {...route} />
              ))}
             <Redirect push to={routeNames.events} />
          </Switch>
        </>
      ) : (
        <Switch>
          {publicRoutes.map((route) => (
            <Route key={route.path} {...route} />
          ))}
          <Redirect push to={routeNames.login} />
        </Switch>
      )}
    </>
  );
};

Controller component:
import React from 'react';
import { message } from 'antd';
import { useDispatch } from 'react-redux';
import { messageAction } from '../../store/message';

const MessageController = ({ messageData }) => {
  const dispatch = useDispatch();
  const { text, type } = messageData;

  dispatch(messageAction.hideMessage());
  return message[type](text, { maxCount: 1, duration: 2 });
};

export default MessageController;

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As we learned in the forming of East and West Jersey, King Charles II of England in 1664 gave a large slice of American Seacoast to his brother James, the Duke of York who then divided what we know as New Jersey to two of his friends. Charles had become King in 1660 and ruled for 25 years. His brother James followed him in 1685 but only ruled 3 years. He was followed by William and Mary, Queen Anne, George I and George II. It was under the reign of George II who became the King in 1760 that the Revolution was fought and won and the new country became independent.
From the time of Fenwick's landing in June of June of 1675 government in Fenwick's colony as in other parts of the land claimed by England followed English custom. For example, Laws from the time of Queen Anne Sabbath breaking and drunkenness were punishable by fine and commitment to the stocks for four hours. "Illicit connections" brought a fine of five pounds or if unable to pay both the man and women were sentenced to 10 to 30 lashes on the bare back at the public whipping post. In his Salem County history written in 1839 Robert Gibbon Johnson could only find four cases of capital punishment for murder in the lower counties.
As the demand for horses and other cattle increased with the rapid increase of the population, the farmers soon found that the rearing of the domestic animals would be more lucrative than almost any other business they could engage in; they therefore procured a law to be passed, which was to empower a person with the title of Chief Ranger of the county, who was also authorized to appoint deputies as needed. It was the ranger's duty to look through the woods and waste lands, and take up all horses and other cattle over two years of age, not having a brand or ear-mark. It was also the law that no person should mark any of his animals unless in the presence of a justice of the peace, constable or chief ranger under penalty of 20 pounds.
The long history of court procedure began in a log building which was standing as early as 1692. When it was built is not known. A brick and frame court house was erected in 1735, the court house of solid brick in 1818.
Administration of justice began with the whipping post. Records of early days show that the colony had its share of wrong-doers and disturbers of the peace.
The surrogate's office and the office of the county clerk with the carefully preserved records of the county were at one time housed in the building that sits behind the old court house on Market Street. It was built in 1851 and now houses the health Department and Senior services. The first county clerk of record, Samuel Hedge, Sr., appointed in 1679, was followed by Benjamin Acton in the year 1693.


It's finally time to shed those coats and sweaters as spring has finally arrived! Even though winter seemed to extend far into April this year, it didn't sway us from focusing more on the tremendous accomplishments of our students, teachers, and coaches during these past winter months.
It was a very exciting winter, to be sure. However, we have many more exciting things to look forward to the rest of this school year. Our students will be participating in award assemblies, field days, concerts, final assessments, prom, and graduation, just to name a few. I'm very proud of our students with all that they take on and will enjoy watching them reap the benefits of all their hard work this year.
As we head towards the finish line of this very productive school year, take some time to reflect on all you've accomplished but be careful to never rest on your laurels. The summer months will provide a great deal of time to rest and recharge your batteries as we prepare for the 2019-2020 school year. However, remember that education is a lifelong process that begins in the home. Take time to continue reading. Take on a project that you've never attempted. Always be curious. Learning is not to be confined to a classroom setting.
I'd like to close this message by sharing some of the good things to look out for this summer around the district. This past November, our community responded to our levy request with a resounding yes. As a result of your confidence in us, you will begin to see some of the great things happening to our schools and athletic facilities.
There's more in store coming in the months ahead! A lot to be excited about!


Here are the various items that have appeared in Silicon Soapware, sorted by topic (but not in any order within a topic).
The plant that eliminated a hundred million jobs.
Getting silly with the song "Kumbayah"
Searching the Net for "Butterhenge"
Do UFO pilots know what they're flying?
Why is Hell the way it is?
What's time to a tube worm?
Nanotech Mining of waste dumps.
Being lured away by the Fairies may not always be a bad thing.
Are cops in movies less human nowadays?
Will computers move completely beyond human understanding?
We're coming up on the 50th anniversary of Roswell.
Study drunks to gain insight into our primitive ancestors?
In line for the thrill ride.


The Santo team has a strong record of building, growing, and maintaining successful exploration and production companies.
The Santo management team marries decades of oil and gas experience to modern thinking and advanced technological capabilities to deliver value to shareholders, landowners, partners, and employees.
Santo's leadership relies on a dedicated, skilled, and professional team of staff members to carry out the day-to-day activities of the company. Regardless of title, all team members are empowered to contribute to the achievement of Santo's standards of safety, operational excellence, and value creation.


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Posts on 'June 20th, 2017'
Collapsing oil prices could fall into the $30s before the selling stops, analysts say
Patti Domm | @pattidomm: 20 June 2017
Oil prices could slide back into the $30s per barrel before the sell-off ends and prices stabilize, analysts said, bringing pain to both OPEC and its archrival — the U.S. shale industry
West Texas Intermediate oil futures for July were trading around $43 per barrel Tuesday, and Brent futures were just above $45. One catalyst for the decline was a report that Libyan oil production has returned to close to 900,000 barrels a day, its highest level in four years. Growing U.S. production and stubbornly high inventories has been another driver of lower prices. read more
Exxon, BP and Shell back carbon tax proposal to curb emissions
Oliver Milman: Tuesday 20 June 2017 17.32 BST
In a full-page newspaper ad on Tuesday, the companies called for a "consensus climate solution that bridges partisan divides, strengthens our economy and protects our shared environment". Exxon and the others were listed as founding members of the plan… "ExxonMobil will try to dress this up as climate activism, but its key agenda is protecting executives from legal accountability for climate pollution and fraud," said Naomi Ages, senior climate campaigner at Greenpeace USA. "A nicely worded public relations exercise is no cure for decades of deception." read more
Shell Nigeria considering investment in gas project in Niger Delta
Tue Jun 20, 2017 | 7:30am EDT: Shell is considering whether to invest in a gas project in Nigeria's southern Niger Delta energy hub, the managing director of the local unit said on Tuesday.
Osagie Okunbor, managing director of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), said the project under consideration would have a capacity of 300 million cubic feet and would be located in the city of Asa. read more


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This Web site — Information About Herbs, Botanicals and Other Products — is for general health information only. This Web site is not to be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any health condition or problem. Users of this Web site should not rely on information provided on this Web site for their own health problems. Any questions regarding your own health should be addressed to your own physician or other healthcare provider.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center makes no warranties nor express or implied representations whatsoever regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, comparative or controversial nature, or usefulness of any information contained or referenced on this Web site. Memorial Sloan Kettering does not assume any risk whatsoever for your use of this website or the information contained herein. Health-related information changes frequently and therefore information contained on this Web site may be outdated, incomplete or incorrect. Statements made about products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Use of this Web site does not create an expressed or implied physician-patient relationship.
Memorial Sloan Kettering does not record specific website user information and does not contact users of this website. You are hereby advised to consult with a physician or other professional health-care provider prior to making any decisions, or undertaking any actions or not undertaking any actions related to any health care problem or issue you might have at any time, now or in the future. In using this website you agree that neither Memorial Sloan Kettering nor any other party is or will be liable or otherwise responsible for any decision made or any action taken or any action not taken due to your use of any information presented at this website.
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For Patients & Caregivers
Tell your healthcare providers about any dietary supplements you're taking, such as herbs, vitamins, minerals, and natural or home remedies. This will help them manage your care and keep you safe.
Coriolus is a mushroom used to help with health issues in traditional Chinese medicine. It also comes as dietary supplements in pills or powders.
Coriolus is used to:
Improve general health
Treat cancer
Boost the immune system
Coriolus also has other uses that haven't been studied by doctors to see if they work.
It's generally safe to use coriolus in food and tea, but talk with your healthcare providers before taking coriolus supplements. Herbal supplements are stronger than the herbs you would use in cooking. They can also interact with some medications and affect how they work. For more information, read the "What else do I need to know?" section below.
What are the side effects?
Side effects of using coriolus may include:
Dark colored stool (poop)
Darkening of fingernails
Talk to your healthcare provider before taking coriolus in any form if you're pregnant or breastfeeding
Coriolus versicolor, Trametes versicolor, Polyporus versicolor, Polystictus versicolor
Clinical Summary
Coriolus versicolor is a mushroom of the Basidiomycetes class. It is used in traditional Chinese medicine as a tonic, and studies suggest that it has immunostimulant and antitumor properties. Polysaccharide-K (PSK), a proprietary product derived from coriolus, was developed for cancer treatment in Japan. Other coriolus extracts such as polysaccharide-peptide (PSP) and VPS are available as dietary supplements.
When used as an adjuvant, PSK appears to improve survival rates in patients with gastric (1) (2) and colorectal (3) (4) (5) cancers. It may also benefit patients with esophageal cancer (27). Findings from a study of PSP in conjunction with chemotherapy suggest benefits in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (6). PSP was also reported to act as a prebiotic and to modulate human intestinal microbiome composition (30). Studies of coriolus extracts alone or in combination with other botanicals suggest positive immunomodulatory effects (7) (8). However, data on their effects on breast cancer (9), hepatocellular carcinoma (10) (28), or leukemia (11) are mixed.
A meta-analysis reported improvement in the risk of mortality with adjuvant use of coriolus across a variety of cancers (29), but confirmatory studies are needed. Coriolus extracts are generally well tolerated but minor adverse effects have been reported. Many over-the-counter products are not standardized, making it difficult to compare potency between brands. It is also unclear if PSK, PSP, and other coriolus extracts have comparable effects.
Purported Uses
Immunomodulation
Coriolus versicolor is thought to be a biological response modifier. In vitro, PSP, PSK, and coriolus extract induces apoptosis in leukemia cells (13) (23) (24). PSP also increased apoptosis in cells treated with camptothecin, reduced proliferation, progression, and 3H-thymidine uptake, and prolonged DNA synthesis time (14). A coriolus medicinal mushroom blend inhibited cell proliferation and induced G2/M cell cycle arrest in an invasive breast cancer cell line (15). The mushroom extract inhibits expression of cell-cycle regulatory genes and suppresses metastatic behavior via inhibition of cell adhesion, migration, and invasion. Antiproliferative effects were linked to suppression of urokinase plasminogen activator (15). PSP also inhibits interaction between HIV-1 gp120 and CD4 receptor, HIV-1 transcriptase activity, and glycohydrolase enzyme activity associated with viral glycosylation (16).
Several animal studies report synergy between PSK and biologic therapies, including a concanavalin A-bound L1210 vaccine and the IgG2a monoclonal antibody against human colon cancer cells (17). PSP induces cytokine production and T-cell proliferation, and prevents cyclophosphamide-induced immune suppression. Peritoneal macrophages isolated from PSP-fed mice show increased production of reactive nitrogen intermediates, superoxide anions, and TNF (18). PSP also shows analgesic activity in mouse models (19).
In human studies, non-small cell lung cancer patients have increased leukocyte and neutrophil counts after PSP consumption, as well as increased serum IgG and IgM (6). Healthy volunteers and breast cancer patients who used a formula containing coriolus and Salvia had elevated CD4+ counts, a high CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and elevated absolute counts of B-lymphocytes (7) (8). TNF-alpha and IL-8 gene expression were significantly induced after PSK administration in healthy volunteers and gastric cancer patients, although individual response varied (20).
High doses of a hot water extract of coriolus enhanced development of large intestinal tumors in mice (12). However, this is not clinically relevant as the dosage was 10-13x higher than what is used in human studies and the mice were injected with known potent carcinogens.
Rare: Dark colored stools not originating from occult blood (21), darkening of fingernails (22), and low-grade hematological and gastrointestinal toxicities when used in conjunction with chemotherapy (3). However, such effects may be caused by the chemotherapy agents themselves.
Dosage (OneMSK Only)
Nakazato H, et al. Efficacy of immunochemotherapy as adjuvant treatment after curative resection of gastric cancer. Study Group of Immunochemotherapy with PSK for Gastric Cancer. Lancet 1994; 343(8906): 1122-6.
Niimoto M, et al. Postoperative adjuvant immunochemotherapy with mitomycin C, futraful and PSK for gastric cancer. An analysis of data on 579 patients followed for five years. Jpn J Surg 1988; 18(6): 681-6.
Ohwada S, et al. Adjuvant immunochemotherapy with oral Tegafur/Uracil plus PSK in patients with stage II or III colorectal cancer: a randomised controlled study. Br J Cancer 2004; 90(5): 1003-10.
Mitomi T, et al. Randomized, controlled study on adjuvant immunochemotherapy with PSK in curatively resected colorectal cancer. The Cooperative Study Group of Surgical Adjuvant Immunochemotherapy for Cancer of Colon and Rectum (Kanagawa). Dis Colon Rectum 1992; 35(2): 123-30.
Torisu M, et al. Significant prolongation of disease-free period gained by oral polysaccharide K (PSK) administration after curative surgical operation of colorectal cancer. Cancer Immunol Immunother 1990; 31(5): 261-8.
Tsang KW, et al. Coriolus versicolor polysaccharide peptide slows progression of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Respir Med 2003; 97(6): 618-24.
Wong CK, et al. Immunomodulatory effects of yun zhi and danshen capsules in health subjects—a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Int Immunopharmacol 2004; 4(2): 201-11.
Wong CK, et al. Immunomodulatory activities of Yunzhi and Danshen in post-treatment breast cancer patients. Am J Chin Med 2005; 33(3): 381-95.
Iino Y, et al. Immunochemotherapies versus chemotherapy as adjuvant treatment after curative resection of operable breast cancer. Anticancer Res 1995; 15(6B): 2907-11.
Suto T, et al. Clinical study of biological response modifiers as maintenance therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 1994; 33: S145-8.
Ohno R, et al. A randomized trial of chemoimmunotherapy of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia in adults using a protein-bound polysaccharide preparation. Cancer Immunol Immunother 1984; 18(3): 149-54.
Toth B, Coles M, Lynch J. Effects of VPS extract of Coriolus versicolor on cancer of the large interstine using a serial sacrifice technique. In Vivo 2006;20(3):341-6.
Yang X, et al. The cell death process of the anticancer agent polysaccharide-peptide (PSP) in human promyelocytic leukemic HL-60 cells. Oncol Rep 2005; 13(6): 1201-10.
Wan JMF, Sit WH, Yang X, Jiang P, Wong LY. Polysaccharopeptides derived from Coriolus versicolor potentiate the S-phase specific cytotoxicity of Camptothecin (CPT) on human leukemia HL-60 cells. Chinese Medicine. 2010;5:16.
Jiang J, Sliva D. Novel medicinal mushroom blend suppresses growth and invasiveness of human breast cancer cells. Int J Oncol. 2010 Dec;37(6):1529-36.
Collins RA, Ng TB. Polysaccharopeptide from Coriolus versicolor has Potential for Use Against Human Immunodeficiency Virus type I Infection. Pharmcology Letters 1997; 60(25): 387-387.
Tsukagoshi S, et al. Krestin (PSK). Cancer Treat Rev 1984; 11(2): 131-55.
Liu WK, et al. Activation of peritoneal macrophages by polysaccharopeptide from the mushroom, Coriolus versicolor. Immunopharmacology 1993; 26(2): 139-46.
Ng TB, Chan WY. Polysaccharopeptide from the mushroom Coriolus versicolor possesses analgesic activity but does not produce adverse effects on female reproductive or embryonic development in mice. Gen Pharmacol 1997; 29(2): 269-73.
Kato M, et al. Induction of gene expression for immunomodulating cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in response to orally administered PSK, an immunomodulating protein-bound polysaccharide. Cancer Immunol Immunother 1995; 40(3): 152-6.
Shiu WCT, et al. A Clinical Study of PSP on Peripheral Blood Counts during Chemotherapy. Phytotherapy Research 1992; (6): 217-218.
Kidd, PM. The use of mushroom glucans and proteoglycans in cancer treatment. Altern Med Rev 2000 5(1): 4-27.
Lau CB, et al. Cytotoxic activities of Coriolus versicolor (Yunzhi) extract on human leukemia and lymphoma cells by induction of apoptosis. Life Sci 2004; 75(7): 797-808.
Hirahara N, Edamatsu T, Fujieda A, et al. Protein-bound polysaccharide-K (PSK) induces apoptosis via p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in promyelomonocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. Anticancer Res. 2012 Jul;32(7):2631-7.
Fisher M, Yang LX. Anticancer effects and mechanisms of polysaccharide-K (PSK): implications of cancer immunotherapy. Anticancer Res. 2002 May-Jun;22(3):1737-54.
Cui J, Chisti Y. Polysaccharopeptides of Coriolus versicolor: physiological activity, uses, and production. Biotechnol Adv. 2003 Apr;21(2):109-22.
Ogoshi K, Satou H, Isono K, Mitomi T, Endoh M, Sugita M. Immunotherapy for esophageal cancer. A randomized trial in combination with radiotherapy and radiochemotherapy. Cooperative Study Group for Esophageal Cancer in Japan. Am J Clin Oncol. 1995 Jun;18(3):216-22.
Chay WY, Tham CK, Toh HC, et al. Coriolus versicolor (Yunzhi) Use as Therapy in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Poor Liver Function or Who Are Unfit for Standard Therapy. J Altern Complement Med. Aug 2017;23(8):648-652.
Zhong L, Yan P, Lam WC, et al. Coriolus versicolor and Ganoderma lucidum Related Natural Products as an Adjunct Therapy for Cancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Front Pharmacol. 2019;10:703.
Pallav K, Dowd SE, Villafuerte J, et al. Effects of polysaccharopeptide from Trametes versicolor and amoxicillin on the gut microbiome of healthy volunteers: a randomized clinical trial. Gut Microbes. 2014 Jul 1;5(4):458-67.
Email your questions and comments to aboutherbs@mskcc.org.


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Mod (film)
Director Nagesh Kukunoor
Writer Nagesh Kukunoor
Music director Tapas Relia
Genre Drama, Romance, Thriller
Release date October 14, 2011 (India)
Screenplay Nagesh Kukunoor
Release date September 30, 2011 (2011-09-30)
Songs Tu Hi Tu
Cast Ayesha Takia (Aranya), Rannvijay Singh (Andy), Tanvi Azmi (Gayatri Garg), Raghubir Yadav (Ashok Mahadeo), Anant Mahadevan (Dr Reddy)
Similar movies Related Nagesh Kukunoor movies
Mod (Hindi: मोड़) is a movie by Nagesh Kukunoor, starring Ayesha Takia and Rannvijay Singh, Raghuvir Yadav, Tanvi Azmi and Anant Mahadevan. The movie was released on 30 September 2011.
Mod 2011 hindi movie trailer ayesha takia azmi nagesh kukunoor
A 25-year-old woman named Ananya (Ayesha Takia) lives in a beautiful hill station called Ganga in Southern India's Nilgiris district, with her father, Ashok Mahadeo (Raghuvir Yadav), and aunt, Gayatri Garg (Tanvi Azmi). Ashok is the head of the local Kishore Kumar fan club while Gayatri runs a restaurant. Ananya's mother left home years ago to pursue her dreams. Ashok still waits for her to return. A local shopkeeper, Gangaram, who they owe money to, has feelings for Ananya.
In order to support herself and her father, Ananya runs a watch repair store where she meets a stranger named Andy (Rannvijay Singh). He comes everyday to get his water-logged watch repaired and leaves a ₹100 note in the form of an Origami swan. Andy claims to be her classmate from school and admits that he had a crush on her and had agreed to wait for 10 years to see her. She takes a liking to him and both hang out together while she attempts to deal with her creditor, Gangaram, and increasing pressure from R.K. Constructions who want to build a resort in the area. Eventually, Ananya and Andy fall in love. However, Ananya's world shatters when she finds out that the real Andy died several years ago, and the man claiming to be him is actually an inmate at the local mental institute. The rest of the film traces the truth about the man impersonating Andy, and Ananya's tribulations.
Ayesha Takia as Ananya Mahadeo
Rannvijay Singh as Andy/Abhay
Raghuvir Yadav as Ashok Mahadeo
Tanvi Azmi as Gayatri Garg
Anant Mahadevan as Dr. Reddy
Gulfam Khan as Nurse Kutty
Prateeksha Lonkar as Mrs. Raymond
Nakul Sahdev as young Andrew Raymond
The music for the film was composed by Tapas Relia.
The film received a lukewarm response from most of the critics. Komal Nahta the editor of Koimoi.com quoted "Mod will not be able to score at the ticket windows" and gave it one star. Leading Bollywood portal Movie Talkies stated "'Mod', not quite the turning point for Nagesh Kukunoor".
Mod (film) Wikipedia
Mod (film) IMDb Mod (film) themoviedb.org
Similar TopicsAnant Mahadevan
Nagesh Kukunoor
Anant Mahadevan


It was also a way for us all to meet as people—who share a hope for the SCN8A community.
Speakers included Dr. Michael Hammer (University of Arizona), Dr. Ingrid Scheffer (University of Melbourne), Dr. Miriam Meisler (University of Michigan), Dr. Alan Goldin (University of California, Irvine), Dr. Philip Pearl (Boston Children's Hospital), and Dr. Mandy Harris (Indiana University, Riley). Cyndi Wright, Director of SUDEP Initiative, also spoke about the risks of Sudden, Unexplained Death in Epilepsy--a risk that has been reported to be especially high within the SCN8A population.
Dianely Cabrera closed the parent speeches by beautifully summing up the feelings of all parents in the room. She said, "My son is a prisoner to [SCN8A] and I pray everyday for his release. He is waiting for mommy and daddy to save him from his dark prison, but unfortunately we do not have the answers yet. Maybe there will come a day where someone at this amazing gathering will help us to find that answer. Until then, I will continue fighting to save my heart, my soul, my Max."


This fluffy and charming little plush cocker spaniel just wants to be loved and hugged.
President Harry Truman has been credited for saying, "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog," but Harry Truman had no particular fondness for dogs. Feller, a cocker spaniel puppy given to President Truman as a gift, became infamous as one of the most unwanted Presidential pets in White House history. When Truman gave the puppy to his doctor, the public was outraged and branded President Truman "anti-canine." Thousands wrote the President, asking to adopt the pet. The doctor returned the dog, and Feller was exiled to Camp David.


"Howdy Ma'am," one lanky cowboy after another said while tipping their hats. This was a new experience for this writer and despite the daunting event at hand, it was charming.
Meandering among cowboys and cowgirls backstage transported me to another time and place–not Perth. Yet, here they were.
The Bulls and Broncs Show, a professional rodeo, unraveled on June 23rd at the Perth Fairgrounds. Despite the threat of rain, people showed up in large numbers. This type of event is atypical to the area rendering it all the more special.
I watched the riders backstage strapping on their chaps and belts inches from the bulls and horses they were to ride. The animals were thrusting against the goads mere feet from me. Their power was tangible.
I reflected, these men are so young. And brave.
This was a Saturday afternoon few of us will soon forget.
Here are the results of the competition. Tyler Waltz, Raymond Hostetler, Taycie Matthews, Natalie Spittal, Denise Stoddart, Tiara Cordick, Tyler Bauer and Luke McCoag all placed first in their respective IPRA competitions.
This show is entertainment to us; yet, for the riders it is serious business. A medic sat with a bird's eye view of the grounds at-the-ready should anyone need urgent care.
Skill is also front and centre. "It's all about balance," one rider said. Clearly, they must defy gravity with only milliseconds to jig in the right position lest they be thrown to the pounding of hooves and horns.
It's risky business riding an angry bull or a bucking horse. You could see and hear the collective gasps–not just from the audience, but also the staff. The bulls' horns and their full weight came shockingly close to eviscerating or crushing their riders and rodeo hands.
You hold your breath. Again. And again.
Show producers named a bull for each of its three media sponsors. The wedge bull did not get up, though the hands tried. Poor animal was not happy. He escaped his set with intermission. I felt relieved for him.
The wedge collaborated with Perth Sponsor, Metro, in the Rodeo Kids Colouring Contest prior to the rodeo. The winners received tickets for a family of five. Seen below, Metro Owner, Charlene Cadieux, holding 7-year old Ava Sargeant's winning entry–one of three winners.
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