There are 7 group study rooms available in the Engineering Library. They are on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors. There is wireless access available throughout the Engineering Library, including all study rooms. Ethernet jacks are also available in the 2nd and 4th floor study rooms.
HDTV video screens are available in each room. Remotes needed to turn the monitors on and off and to operate the monitors are available for checkout at the Information Desk on the first floor of the library. You can connect your laptop to the video screens for group viewing. Extended VGA cords are attached to each screen. Adapters and VGA splitters are available for checkout at the Information Desk.
Whiteboards are provided in 6 of the study rooms. One study room has a whiteboard wall. Markers and erasers for the whiteboards are available for checkout at the Information Desk on the first floor.
There are additional group study rooms available in other UW Libraries.
Are for use by UW students, faculty and staff only.
Are available on a first come, first served basis. No key checkout is required.
Are intended for group study only, not for individual use. Study rooms are for 2+ people.
Snacks and covered beverages are permitted. Deliveries of food are not permitted.
Furniture, including chairs, must remain in the study rooms. Please do not remove the chairs or other furniture.
Please do not leave library materials in the study rooms.
Please keep discussions quiet – The walls are not soundproof. Keep the sound turned down as much as possible on the HDTV screens and other devices.
Be courteous and sensitive to the fact that these rooms are in high demand.
Please use the garbage & recycle bins provided near the study rooms. Do not leave garbage behind. Tidy the room for the next group.
Please erase whiteboards when finished.
Please turn off the HDTV monitors when not in use and before exiting the room.
Library users failing to comply with the conditions of this Policy will be subject to disciplinary actions under the University Libraries Code of Conduct.
The Library reserves the right to close any room to group study at any time.


WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate today voted to confirm Sylvia Mathews Burwell as the new Secretary of Health and Human Services in a 78-17 vote.
With insurers in the process of filing their rates for 2015, Consumers Union is urging Burwell to make releasing all insurance rate filing information to the public a priority in her new role. The consumer group, joined by 70 groups across the country, recently sent a letter to HHS asking for swift action to ensure transparency and accountability around insurers' health premium rate increase requests. Though HHS has stated that most, if not all, rate information is to be made public, it has not yet been made available by the agency.


A no-net-cost global warming fight?
The news is trickling in: it's possible to fight global warming without wrecking the economy; the savings might even outweigh the expenses. A no-net-cost global warming fight is possible if we all get to work at it. There are costs, of course, but the evidence is growing that the benefits of decreasing global warming may outweigh them. It's possible that the net costs may be zero to negative, making the global warming fight free or even a winner.
Here's some of the evidence. The Global Commission on the Economy and Climate has just released a report (The New Climate Economy) giving the big picture. The Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman has written about that report and another from the International Monetary Fund with supporting material. A quick glance shows that the task of quickly reducing global warming is formidable — but doable. The doing part of it is what is crucial.


Secure condominium located on quiet urbanization in Portimão, consisting of 2 bedrooms with fitted wardrobes, one of which is en-suite and a further family bathroom. Many modern features and finished to the highest of standards.
This modern apartment is located in a quiet urbanization in Portimão. The condominium is very secure with electric entrance gates. There are two swimming pools, one of which is for children and is surrounded by lawn. A box garage is located in the basement.
The apartment itself consists of an entrance hall with a fully fitted kitchen leading off to the right. A door at the rear of the kitchen leads out to the conservatory. The spacious living has two patio doors also leading out to the conservatory. The conservatory is enclosed in concertina glass panels which can open fully giving access to the private lawned garden. An exterior tap is supplied by a well which provides water for not only the private garden but communal gardens and pool.
There are two bedrooms, both with fitted wardrobes and patio doors leading out to a shared terrace. The master bedroom has a full en-suite bathroom with hydro massage bath. There is a further family bathroom with shower and both bathrooms have heated towel rails and demisting mirrors.
The garage is accessed by entering from the road into the condominium via electric gate, and a second electric door accesses the garage. The parking box electricity supply is fed directly from the apartment.


Mads Vassar Blog: Happy Founder's Day!
How did you like Founder's Day? What was the highlight of this years gathering? A friend invited me, but there was some confusion about guest policies and because it is near the end of the semester I ended up not going.


The EP3041A is a single width, full-height AMC processor board featuring the high performance, next generation QorIQ P3041 with quad core e500mc PowerPC processors operating at up to 1.5GHz.
The MFCC-8557 is a DAL-C* certifiable XMC 2.0 Single Board Computer engineered for the most stringent Aerospace & Defense applications. It is specifically designed to meet the DO-178C/DO-254 certification process of your system.
The VPX3-151 3U VPX SBC is targeted at avionics applications where a cost effective COTS alternative to custom developed DO-254/DO-178 Safety Certifiable solutions. It includes NXP's P3041 processor.


text:
Turkey says 277 'terrorists' neutralized in military operation in Syria's north — media
On October 9, Ankara announced the launch of Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria, which began with airstrikes on Kurdish positions
UN Secretary General calls for de-escalation in Syria
MOSCOW, October 11. /TASS/. /TASS/. A total of 277 "terrorist" were neutralized so far in Turkey's Operation Peace Spring in northern Syra, Anadolu Agency reported on Friday citing the Turkish National Defense Ministry.
According to the Turkish National Defense Ministry, among "neutralized terrorists" are members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and People's Protection Units (YPG).
On October 9, Ankara announced the launch of Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria, which began with airstrikes on Kurdish positions. The operation's goal is to create a buffer zone along the Turkish border, where, according to Ankara, Syrian refugees residing in Turkey could return. Syria's SANA news agency slammed the operation as an act of aggression. The international community condemned Ankara's actions.
According to Al-Arabiya TV channel, 17 civilians were killed by Turkish airstrikes in the north of Syria in the last 24 hours.
Syrian conflict
The group brings together women, elderly and severely ill persons
Turkey to discuss supply of second S-400 regiment with Russia in late January
On January 11, chief of Turkey's top defense procurement body Ismail Demir said that the S-400 missile systems delivered to Turkey were ready to be commissioned

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


STUNNING OCEAN / LAGOON VIEWS! STEPS TO WAIKIKI BEACH. Memorable Meals and fireworks from the Lanai. Walking distance to shopping mall, restaurants, shops, buses, rental cars, parks & Waikiki night life.
Available at nightly and monthly rates.Taxes and cleanings extra. Local calls, WIFI included.
Fully equipped and very clean. AC, cable, WIFI, Long Distance, 24/7 Security, Keyless Entry No Check In all included.Condo is professionally managed and maintained.


Will W. had the most liked content!
Any kind of metalworking, the history of bladesmithing, smelting, gunsmithing and shooting, traditional archery.
Already answered, but in case you want more input... If you only want three types of belts on hand, i would vote for 60-120-320. If a higher polish is desired, hand sanding is the way to go from then on.
A man of few words holds many secrets.
Really like the shape of that big bowie in the last pic. Looking good, Joshua! Keep em coming.
Speak the truth, regardless of forum! Lol.
5+ years of bladesmithing, first broken blade. Just goes to show, when its your time, its your time. Had a warp after quenching, tried to use the 3 pin method to straighten, pushed it a little too far... RIP little paring knife, your memory will haunt me forever.
Very nice all the way around, Gerhard!
Looks like a nice little buffer. Should serve you well. Do be careful with it, buffers love to grab your work piece and throw it. Thats bad enough, but when were talking about buffing knives, it becomes a whole different animal.
That one has very strange and equally appealing lines. Its a unique blade, i really like it!
Roger that, ill see what i can come up with. Thanks Alan. Jerrod, good point. Even a piece of sheet metal with some holes drilled in it for venting and a thermometer would be better than having the whole thing open. Thanks.
Ego is the anaethesia that numbs the pain of stupidity, pride is the burden of a fool.
Just saw this, no worries sir. "Brain flatulence" gave me a good laugh . Another for the list: Artists use lies to tell the truth, while politicians use them to cover the truth up.
This is basically exactly what i was planning on doing. I was hoping for about a 550 F temper, which i know is well above almost all oils smoke points, and into most of their flash points. Really dont want a fireball lol. Brian, i do not have a gas grill. Well, i dont have one that works anyways . Steven, i should have specified better, my plan was to burn wood in the same pit as the tempering tank and move the coals over to the tank of oil/sand. So essentially using charcoal, yes. My charcoal retort is down for the time being, so im stuck buying charcoal, but i have plenty of wood. The normalizing and quenching in the trench will be using charcoal, of course. Thanks for the suggestions, guys.
Hello all. I have plans to heat treat a small(ish) sword some time in the near future. 28 inch blade, 80crV2. I have no formal setup for effectively heat treating a blade that large, so im going primitive and low tech with this one. Im planning on digging a trench and running some piping for air, basically a long, narrow forge. Quench in a tank of oil. Its the tempering that has me wondering.... hot oil tempering seems dangerous given the fact that my only heat source would be a wood fire, but it may be my best and simplest option. Is it feasible to use a pan of sand and wood fire? I realize neither of these methods are precise or perfect, but im working with what i have. A lead bath and low temp salts are out of the question for me due to logistical reasons, btw. Just looking for advice. Any and all is appreciated. Thanks.


traveled by a global workforce all over Spaceship Earth.
but the toll booths will be operated by Microsoft.
announced today that it had purchased 8 percent of the MIR space station.
today that from now on, all players had to wear glasses.
position in the military alliance.
the hot line will be replaced by a Microsoft tech support phone number.
remember, Microsoft today purchased 16.4 percent of the American Dream.
Americans to click onto a wide range of pre-tested Microsoft dream options.
The deal also gives Microsoft an option on the new Great American Novel.
software and the promise of a place at Gates' home on Lake Washington.


text:
Steve Bullock @GuitarMoog Immigrant, Musician, Sound Engineer, SNP, ex-negotiator for UK in EU. Brother of @JuliaKayPotts. Supporter of @FinalSayForAll. Dec. 17, 2018 2 min read
UKGov's legal advice might be secret, but EU watchers have been discussing this for months.
I agree that EP elections would have to be held and UK MEPs take up their seats. I don't agree at all that this rules out the A50 extension necessary for a #FinalSay referendum. 1/
In June, the EU Council agreed a decision on the composition of the European Parliament after Brexit. This redistributes the UK seats to the other Member States.
http://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-7-2018-REV-1/en/pdf …
Article 2 of this decision makes specific provision for what happens if the UK is still a Member State at the beginning of the 2019-2024 EP term.
It says that the composition will be the current one, as laid out in the 2013 decision that is still in force. 3/
That decision specifies the UK will have 73 MEPs, which it currently does. 4/
https://publications.europa.eu/portal2012-portlet/html/downloadHandler.jsp?identifier=7f97ab27-e08e-11e2-9165-01aa75ed71a1&format=pdfa1a&language=en&productionSystem=cellar&part= …
So, as @jonworth argues here, it would be an unusual election, and many in UKGov and EU27 and EU institutions would prefer not to have it, but there don't appear to be any legal obstacles. In fact, there is specific legal provision for the eventuality. 5/
https://jonworth.eu/the-european-parliament-election-and-brexit-delay-not-a-major-headache/ …
As the ever level-headed @Sime0nStylites points out, this is messy, but not especially problematic for good reasons.
Those are that if the UK is a Member State, it must, like any MS, have MEPs to represent it (and a Commissioner, for that matter). 6/
That's not to say it isn't a serious political issue. UKGov no doubt doesn't fancy it, and EU27 would much prefer, understandably, not to have this issue, and Brexit in general, cluttering up or overshadowing what is meant to be an important year of renewal and new mandates. 7/
That is one of the reasons that I don't think it is very likely that EU27 would want to extend Article 50 past the elections for anything other than a plan, such as a Ratify vs Remain referendum, that ruled out the chaos and cost of a No Deal Brexit. 8/
Which is perhaps why UKGov is leaking this unsurprising legal advice now with the surprising and, in my view false, spin that it would rule out a #PeoplesVote.
Or perhaps the timing is more to do with the obvious faliure of the PM's argument that a referendum is undemocratic.9/9
You can follow @GuitarMoog.


A strain is the overstretching of a muscle or tendon causing sudden, sharp pain at the site of injury. A sprain is more serious and occurs when a joint is twisted or wrenched causing damage to attachments, but without dislocation. Muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and associated blood vessels may suffer damage. In severe cases, the joint cannot be moved at all. Sprains most frequently occur in the ankle and lower back region.
How do you treat sprains and strains? For minor sprains and strains, rest the affected area, apply cold packs or ice, wrap the area with a compression bandage, and keep the affected area elevated as much as possible. Doctors recommend "RICE" for sprains and strains, which stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. A sprained ankle should always be x-rayed to rule out a fracture. Over-the-counter pain medications, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen are routinely recommended to relieve minor pain and reduce inflammation. Try BC® Powder Original Formula or Arthritis Strength BC® Powder for fast pain relief. In more severe cases, consult your doctor for treatment.


Yu Lounge Private Jet Terminal in St Kitts brings a new experience to travel in the Caribbean.
As you step of the plane, you will be met by a dedicated concierge who will lead you to this beautiful and stylish lounge. Here you enjoy peace and comfort while your luggage and immigration formalities are all taken care of while you relax.
The mission is simple, to make arrivals, stopovers and departures as convenient and smooth as possible for passengers and crew providing a customised spectrum of aircraft care services.
Upon arrival you will be escorted to the private lounge by our concierge in our luxury vehicles. Concierge will expedite your arrival procedures while you relax in the luxurious settings. All the latest technology and services including: IMAC, plasma screens, newspapers, Wi-Fi, catering, etc.
Departure is just as stressless. immigration procedures will be taken care of while you enjoy the exclusive service. The Yu Lounge experience included mouth-watering finger foods and delectable meals served with a carefully selected wine list. Dietary preferences and requirements are taken care of.


text:
Las Tierras Bajas fueron una región histórica situada en Anatolia que se extendía al sur de Hattusa, la capital del Imperio Hitita, en la zona del lago de la Sal. Por el contrario las Tierras Altas eran las zonas montañosas situadas al este de Hattusa.

Historia
La región fue objeto de ataques y saqueos de la región vecina de Arzawa durante el siglo XIV a.C. A finales de ese siglo Piyassili, también llamado Sarri-Kusuh, virrey hitita de Karkemish e hijo del rey Suppiluliuma I, trató de hacerse con el control de ambas regiones, conquistándolas finalmente.

Geografía hitita

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


DETROIT - The coolest air of the season is moving in today as a cold front sweeps through SE Lower Michigan.
Temps in the upper 30s to mainly low 40s as you head out, but breezes will make it feel like the 30s so bundle up.
Mostly cloudy skies will accompany the cold front and the winds will be whipping again later this morning and all afternoon WNW 10-20 mph gusting 20-30 mph. It is unlikely that we'll see highs heading into the 50s so get used to mid 40s and gusty winds making it feel like 30s or even upper 20s at times out there today.
Rain chances are weak, but our North Zone will see a few spotty showers rolling off of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron and a few sprinkles may hit your windshield at times today.
We have another Freeze Warning to start your Thursday as early morning lows will hit the 20s to near 30 degrees for several hours and this could be that killing freeze.
Skies will be clear tomorrow and the winds will be lighter around Metro Detroit making for a decent day once the frost fades. Look for mostly sunny skies and highs in the low 50s and winds WSW 5-12 mph.
Friday will be a bit warmer with morning lows in the mid 30s as we hit the end of the work and school week. Mostly sunny skies will become partly sunny and highs will stop in the mid to maybe upper 50s with those pesky winds returning SW 10-20 mph.
The best shot at showers right now look to be in our North Zone in the evening hours but some model data is bringing in showers all across Metro Detroit in the late, late afternoon or evening so stay tuned. It has been a cold and wet theme for Friday Night Football games.
Saturday morning showers will become very scattered through the afternoon with another coolish day in the low 50s under partly sunny skies and breezy conditions. Sunday will be a little brighter but no warmer as highs will likely not make it out of the 40s for most of us, but a few low 50s are possible.


Dirtybird boss and festival favorite Claude VonStroke, a rare b2b performance by Loco Dice and The Martinez Brothers, and a special performance by all nine members of the Wu-Tang Clan celebrating the legendary hip-hop group's 25th Anniversary and their classic debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).
Detroit's annual three-day revelry returns to Hart Plaza on Memorial Day weekend, May 26-28, 2018. Over 85 acts including BADBADNOTGOOD, Carl Craig, Charlotte de Witte, Diplo, DJ Premier, Ida Engberg, Inner City (live), Justin Martin, Laurent Garnier, Maceo Plex, Mija, Nina Kraviz, Rezz, Seth Troxler, Shigeto (live), Tiga, Too Short and many more.
In keeping with the tradition of providing the best festival experience, this year's event will include the festival's original five stages and will feature new designs and elements for the Movement Stage, Red Bull Music Academy Stage, Stargate Stage, Pyramid Stage, and the Resident Advisor Underground Stage.
Click Here for Your Chance Enter to Win a Pair of Tickets!


text:
//
//  MJIvar.m
//  MJExtension
//
//  Created by mj on 14-1-15.
//  Copyright (c) 2014年 itcast. All rights reserved.
//

#import "MJIvar.h"
#import "MJType.h"
#import "MJConst.h"

@interface MJIvar()
@property (strong, nonatomic) NSMutableDictionary *keyDict;
@property (strong, nonatomic) NSMutableDictionary *keysDict;
@property (strong, nonatomic) NSMutableDictionary *objectClassInArrayDict;
@end

@implementation MJIvar

- (NSMutableDictionary *)keyDict
{
    if (!_keyDict) {
        self.keyDict = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];
    }
    return _keyDict;
}

- (NSMutableDictionary *)keysDict
{
    if (!_keysDict) {
        self.keysDict = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];
    }
    return _keysDict;
}

- (NSMutableDictionary *)objectClassInArrayDict
{
    if (!_objectClassInArrayDict) {
        self.objectClassInArrayDict = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];
    }
    return _objectClassInArrayDict;
}

+ (instancetype)cachedIvarWithIvar:(Ivar)ivar
{
    MJIvar *ivarObject = objc_getAssociatedObject(self, ivar);
    if (ivarObject == nil) {
        ivarObject = [[self alloc] init];
        ivarObject.ivar = ivar;
        objc_setAssociatedObject(self, ivar, ivarObject, OBJC_ASSOCIATION_RETAIN_NONATOMIC);
    }
    return ivarObject;
}

/**
 *  设置成员变量
 */
- (void)setIvar:(Ivar)ivar
{
    _ivar = ivar;

    MJAssertParamNotNil(ivar);

    // 1.成员变量名
    _name = @(ivar_getName(ivar));

    // 2.属性名
    if ([_name hasPrefix:@"_"]) {
        _propertyName = [_name stringByReplacingCharactersInRange:NSMakeRange(0, 1) withString:@""];
    } else {
        _propertyName = _name;
    }

    // 3.成员变量的类型符
    NSString *code = @(ivar_getTypeEncoding(ivar));
    _type = [MJType cachedTypeWithCode:code];
}

/**
 *  获得成员变量的值
 */
- (id)valueFromObject:(id)object
{
    if (_type.KVCDisabled) return [NSNull null];
    return [object valueForKey:_propertyName];
}

/**
 *  设置成员变量的值
 */
- (void)setValue:(id)value forObject:(id)object
{
    if (_type.KVCDisabled || value == nil) return;
    [object setValue:value forKey:_propertyName];
}

/** 对应着字典中的key */
- (void)setKey:(NSString *)key forClass:(Class)c
{
    if (!key) return;
    self.keyDict[NSStringFromClass(c)] = key;
    // 如果有多级映射
    [self setKeys:[key componentsSeparatedByString:@"."] forClass:c];
}
- (NSString *)keyFromClass:(Class)c
{
    return self.keyDict[NSStringFromClass(c)];
}

/** 对应着字典中的多级key */
- (void)setKeys:(NSArray *)keys forClass:(Class)c
{
    if (!keys) return;
    self.keysDict[NSStringFromClass(c)] = keys;
}
- (NSArray *)keysFromClass:(Class)c
{
    return self.keysDict[NSStringFromClass(c)];
}

/** 模型数组中的模型类型 */
- (void)setObjectClassInArray:(Class)objectClass forClass:(Class)c
{
    if (!objectClass) return;
    self.objectClassInArrayDict[NSStringFromClass(c)] = objectClass;
}
- (Class)objectClassInArrayFromClass:(Class)c
{
    return self.objectClassInArrayDict[NSStringFromClass(c)];
}
@end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Gladys Mae Amend
Mrs. Amend Dies in Douglas Fri.; Funeral Sun.
Mrs. Gladys Amend, 54, of Lost Springs died of cancer in the Converse County Memorial Hospital at Douglas Friday.
Her death came after a long struggle against cancer and was an especially heart rendering time for her daughter, Mary, will be graduated from NCHS Monday. NCHS seniors attended the funeral services in a body.
Funeral services were held from the Peet Chapel in Lusk Sunday with Rev. James Davis, minister of the Lusk Congregational Church officiating. Mrs. Joan Harbison of Lance Creek sang "The Lord's Prayer" and "My Father Watches Over Me". She was accompanied by Mrs. A. F. DeCastro on the organ. The Mariposa Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star of Manville conferred memorial rites in the chapel.
Active pallbearers were Gene Harris, Ted Pennington, Dan Diehlman, Larry Eddy, Melvin Nelson, Wilmer Baars.
Honorary pallbearers were Ed Sanman, Wilbur Wright, Leonard Gilbert, Harry Manning, Charles Reese, Roy Elder.
Gladys Sims was born October 20, 1908 in Santa Cruz, Calif. to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Sims. Her childhood years were spent in Manville and on her parents' ranch on Twenty Mile Creek. She graduated from Manville High School with the class of 1926. After teaching for one year in a rural school she attended college at San Jose, Calif. and returned to Manville to teach for two years.
On May 31, 1930 she became the bride of Henry F. Amend. In 1938 Amends purchased a ranch two miles south of Lost Springs where they have resided ever since.
In the Lost Springs community she was especially active in the religious education of young people, although she was active in all community activities. She taught a Shawnee Church school class for many years and participated in the Shawnee-Lost Springs Bible study class for ten years. She was a member of the 5280 Extension Club of Keeline and an active member of the Mariposa Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star.
She is survived by her husband, Henry; one son, Marvin; two daughters, Mae Ann Manning and Mary of the family home, and two grandchildren, Alvin and Debra Manning. Also two sisters, Mrs. Edna Fullerton of Manville and Mrs. Delberta Simpson of Madera, Calif., and one brother Cecil R. Sims of Byron, Mich.
Photo courtesy of the Joshua Brackett Eagle Scout Project
Obituary Amend, Fred (01/30/1912 - 05/16/1972) View Record
Obituary Sims, Cecil (10/08/1901 - 05/13/2002) View Record
Obituary Fullerton, Clara (12/14/1909 - 10/27/1995) View Record
Obituary Price, George (10/18/1915 - 03/30/1956) View Record
Historical Amend Family: The Lost Springs Ranch View Record
Historical Amend, Henry F. Jr. Personal History View Record


text:
Girls reportedly engaged in sex acts during truth-or-dare game at Dallas County juvenile facility
Eight to nine girls reportedly played the game at night on July 10 and 11 at the Letot Residential Treatment Center near Dallas Love Field Airport, though it's unclear whether all of them engaged in sex acts.
The Letot Residential Treatment Center, July 17, 2018. (Rex C Curry / Special Contributor)
By Julieta Chiquillo
9:34 PM on Jul 17, 2018
Authorities are investigating allegations that a group of girls at a Dallas County residential treatment center performed sex acts during an unsupervised game of truth-or-dare last week.
Eight to nine girls reportedly played the game at night on July 10 and 11 at the Letot Residential Treatment Center near Dallas Love Field Airport, though it's unclear whether all of them engaged in sex acts. All of the acts were consensual, according to the Dallas County Juvenile Department.
The department found that two juvenile supervision officers did not provide "necessary supervision of the youth" and will take disciplinary action against them, said Mike Griffiths, the department's interim executive director. The officers were reassigned to other duties after county officials began investigating the incident on Thursday.
The Dallas County Sheriff's Office is also investigating.
Detective Raul Reyna, a department spokesman, said staff at the facility reported that the girls had been "fondling each other and kissing."
Managerial staff at Letot immediately alerted authorities after they learned about "inappropriate sexual contact" among residents, Griffiths said. He noted that surveillance footage showed two occurrences of sexual contact in a common area lasting seven to eight minutes but declined to elaborate.
Letot is a facility that houses girls ages 13 to 17 who faced criminal charges and have been referred for counseling or therapeutic treatment by a juvenile court. Some of the girls have been identified as runaways or victims of human trafficking. They usually stay at the center for six to nine months instead of serving time in the state juvenile system.
The facility has locks to restrict entry and exit, but it mainly relies on the presence of staff to control residents' movements. There are no bars on the windows or fences with barbed wire.
County Commissioner John Wiley Price, who sits on the county juvenile board, said the girls appeared to be blocking what they were doing so staff could not see. He called the Letot case "a female copy, almost" of the situation at the county's Lyle B. Medlock Youth Treatment Center, where boys locked up for sex offenses were left unsupervised and engaged in sex acts for six months — until April 2017. None of those youths alleged that they were forced into sex, though their confinement precluded them from legally consenting to it.
In the Medlock case, Price learned about the incidents from a parent and confronted Terry Smith, then the head of the county's Juvenile Department, at a public meeting in May 2017. Smith said that was the first time she had heard about the sexual incidents, though Medlock staff had already notified parents and state authorities.
Price said that this time, staff with the county's Juvenile Department quickly alerted him about the incident at Letot.
Letot staff immediately began investigating statements by the girls and notified the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, as required by law, Price said.
"They followed policy and protocol," he said.
Price did say that he believes the two Letot juvenile officers who were reassigned during the investigation should have been fired instead. The officers had been in the area where the girls were playing the game but were "lethargic" and not as attentive as they should have been, Price said.
"This is unacceptable," he said.
The Letot Residential Treatment Center for girls sits next to an emergency shelter by the same name that houses both boys and girls. The $9.4 million center for girls opened in 2015 and was funded by private donations, though it's operated by Dallas County.
The Letot Residential Treatment Center has 96 beds. (Special Contributor / Rex C. Curry)
Residents have access to a visitation area, a gym, a dining area, a medical clinic and a courtyard, plus classrooms and labs. Bedrooms are arranged around a central activity room in each of eight housing areas.
No safety issues were detected during a site visit at Letot last summer by the Independent Ombudsman for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. The ombudsman's office rated youth supervision as "acceptable."
"Youth interviewed indicated they felt safe in the facility, although they stated that dorm 3 had more problems, which affected the whole population," the report stated, though it didn't elaborate on those problems.
Smith, who was the director of the Juvenile Department during the Medlock scandal, didn't return to work after an investigation by The Dallas Morning News published in December found that teenage boys at a lockup under her control had been denied access to the outdoors for months at a time. Even hardened prisoners are given outdoor time daily, according to federal prison standards.
Smith, who told officials she was taking leave to deal with family matters, had previously announced plans to retire in March.
In April, Smith was temporarily replaced by Griffiths, who ran the county's Juvenile Department from 1995 to 2010. He later became the executive director of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.
Julieta Chiquillo
jchiquillo@neighborsgo.com


Savernake Forest is a remarkable area of Wiltshire. Book your Savernake Forest camping trip at our Postern Hill Campsite below.
Passed down through more than 30 generations, Savernake Forest is the only ancient woodland owned privately, rather than by the Crown. The land is leased to Forestry England, and its privately owned status maintained by closing access to it one day a year.
Much like all of England's stunning ancient forests, Savernake is made up of a variety of inhabitants, from its Oak, Beech and Hazel trees and four species of deer to butterflies and rare birds such as the Firefinch and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.
These unique landscapes provide the perfect setting for a relaxing camping holiday in Wiltshire.
One of the more unique campsites in Wiltshire, Postern Hill offers a true forest experience. Nestled deep in the Savernake Forest, pitch up here and you'll have direct, unrestricted access to the woodlands that surround you.
A mix of pitches mean you can sit in the open, appreciating the views the site offers, or find a more secluded spot amongst the trees to be truly under the canopy. The site offers full toilet and washing facilities, making it accessible for all kinds of campers.
With its abundance of walking and off-road cycling routes, the forest has a wealth of activities for your holiday, whether it be a relaxing stroll or a fast-paced ride across off-road tracks. For more ideas on activities, take a look at our page on things to do in the Savernake Forest.


A new map commissioned by BrutalRPG, a free indie Medieval Fantasy Rpg.
I will never regret the decision to have settled in the small village of Dissenein but it's time for me to get back to a constant activity, the harvest season being over. I would go to the city a little further, open a booth where I will sell the finds of my travels, advice and equipment for adventurers.
The town being not far off, I arrived shortly after setting out. I was exploring the city, which was well organized and had many attractive houses and districts. I decided to open shop not far from the magician's tower. I knew that those who were looking for what I sold would inevitably head for this urban lighthouse.
So I set up my small shop in a cottage near the end of the town, that a peasant had Shortly afterwards, I was asking the magician's daughter in marriage. The beautiful woman had fallen in love with me coming everyday to my shop. Our wedding was celebrated last spring, and since then we have been expecting our first child.
It will surely be the last page of this newspaper, having nothing more of the adventurer than I was, and not wanting to take the time, nor to smear these pages with the hassles of the father of a family and a respectable citizen who I have since become.
Sometimes I look back at the path I have traveled, but only the last stages remain at my head, as if the rest were the memory of another.
Excerpt from "Journal of an Old Adventurer" by Yolric Brèvevoie.


text:
Women in banking tech: development & engineering
Home » Careers in Tech » Women in banking tech: development & engineering
photo credit: Getty images / seb_ra
Gillian M. Lamela
CIB Technology Strategy & Transformation, Engineering Delivery Lead, Barclays Investment Bank
LinkedIn: Gillian Lamela | Twitter: @gillianlamela
#BarclaysWomenInTech
Why do we need more women in technology?
Both gender and generational diversity in our workforce are essential to building successful teams. Fundamentals of technology – design thinking, engineering, programming – are all skills that will help build more innovative solutions, better products and better services.
We encourage women into technology with a number of initiatives, including Barclays 'Women In Technology Europe', a network I co-founded. We go into primary and secondary schools helping children to learn coding, we launch programmes to upskill our colleagues, and create role models in STEM for the next generation.
I am also an advisor for Teens in AI organisation, encouraging young people to build solutions using AI.
How does having a diverse workforce impact cloud engineering?
I've managed diverse teams throughout my career, ranging from new graduates to a colleague who had 25 years' more experience than I did.
Having a range of talent allows you to tap into different mindsets, points of view, and experience, which provides the best product for our clients. That's invaluable in cloud engineering where we operate in an agile environment and build collaborative solutions.
Do you ever have to deal with stereotyping? If so, how do you challenge it?
Early in my career I experienced some stereotyping, because there were very few women in technology, let alone of Asian descent. I was an anomaly in many ways and would encourage those dealing with stereotypes to proactively seek advice from others. Think more about who you are, which skillsets you exceed at, and which ones you need to develop. Banking has come a long way since then, we have become more agile and forward thinking, with an increasingly diverse workforce.
What is the most exciting thing you've developed?
I've worked on mission critical programmes and have been given the opportunity to lead several strategic initiatives in the US and UK. But I would have to say, the most exciting thing I've developed wasn't a particular project, rather building leaders in technology and inspiring teams within my organisation and community throughout my career. I'm also really proud of being nominated to join Barclay's first Women in Leadership Programme and recent nomination by Microsoft UK for Computer Weekly's "Most Influential Women in UK Tech" award and Barclays for TechWomen100 Awards.
Hear more from Barclays Women in Technology
Jo Garnett – Production Services
Ashleigh Randall – Data & Analytics
Victoria Simpson – Cyber & Security
"The gender imbalance in technology doesn't just represent a missed opportunity for women and society, but also for businesses. There is a growing body of evidence that having a more diverse workforce, including an equitable gender balance, makes for a better business. Put simply, diversity is a business advantage."
Jayne Opperman, Managing Director, COO of Barclays UK
Learn more about opportunities in technology, at Barclays, here.
Gillian Lamela
Careers in Tech - Barclays


text:
Relationship to Daniel. The relationship of Chapter 3 to Daniel as a whole, and in particular to the account of the den of lions in Chapter 6, is discussed at Daniel. The historical setting of Chapter 3 is also discussed at Daniel.
Story. Chapter 3 tells the story of Daniel's three friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being cast into the fiery furnace. Chapter 3 has six principal parts.
Verses 1-7:a. The king commands all to worship an idol on pain of death.
Verses 8-12: The three friends are accused of not worshiping the idol.
Verses 13-18: The king asks: Who is that God that shall deliver you from the sentence of death?
Verses 19-23: The king commands that they be cast into a fiery furnace, but the guards die rather than the three prisoners.
Verses 24-27: The three friends are saved by an angel from the sentence of death.
Verses 28-30: The king commands all to respect the God who delivers.
At the opening of this episode the king commanded that everyone must worship the golden idol. At the conclusion he now commands that no one may speak ill of the God of the Jews. The king is not converted to monotheism, but he does acknowledge God as the most high God.
Chapter 3 can be read as a parallelism.
a. king commands worship of idol on pain of death (3:1-7)
b. three accused of not worshiping the idol (3:8-12)
c. who is that God that shall deliver you? (3:13-18)
a. king commands three be cast into fire, but soldiers die (3:19-23)
b. three rescued from sentence by angel (3:24-27)
c. king commands respect for God who delivers (3:28-30)
In the first a passage (3:1-7) the people obey the king's command, upon threat of death, to worship an idol (6-7). In the second a passage (3:19-23) the king commands his mighty men to cast the three friends (Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego) into the fiery furnace. But death instead takes the king's own soldiers as they obey his command (3:20-22). Obedience to the world leads to destruction.
In the first b passage (3:8-12) the three friends are discovered refusing to serve the idol by Chaldeans, members of Babylon's earthly empire. The three friends are individually named, but they are also identified as Jews and thus represent all who worship God. In the second b passage (3:24-27) the world's most powerful man, Nebuchadnezzar, angrily sentences the three to death for refusing to serve the idol. But they are saved by an angel of God whose form, significantly, "is like the Son of God," and the king recognizes that they are in fact "servants of the most high God." Safety lies in obedience to God.
The climax of the first c passage (3:13-18) is the exchange in verses 16-17 between the king and the three friends about God's ability to save:
• king asks if friends are willing to serve the idol (14-15)
• who is that god that shall deliver you out of my hands? (16)
• God can deliver us, and he may or may not do so (17)
• but we will not serve idols (18)
After the three friends are delivered, the king states the lesson in the second c passage (3:28-30) that "there is no other God that can deliver after this sort".
At the opening of this episode the king commanded that everyone must worship the golden idol (3:4-6). At the conclusion he now commands that no one may speak ill of the God of the Jews (3:29). The king is not converted to monotheism, but he does acknowledge God as the most high God.
Dan 3:1-7 - Rev 13:14 (possible allusion)
Dan 3:21-25 - Heb 11:34 (clear reference)


text:
using System;

namespace Org.BouncyCastle.Asn1.Esf
{
	/// <remarks>
	/// RFC 3126: 4.2.2 Complete Revocation Refs Attribute Definition
	/// <code>
	/// CrlOcspRef ::= SEQUENCE {
	///		crlids		[0] CRLListID		OPTIONAL,
	/// 	ocspids		[1] OcspListID		OPTIONAL,
	/// 	otherRev	[2] OtherRevRefs	OPTIONAL
	/// }
	/// </code>
	/// </remarks>
	public class CrlOcspRef
		: Asn1Encodable
	{
		private readonly CrlListID		crlids;
		private readonly OcspListID		ocspids;
		private readonly OtherRevRefs	otherRev;

		public static CrlOcspRef GetInstance(
			object obj)
		{
			if (obj == null || obj is CrlOcspRef)
				return (CrlOcspRef) obj;

			if (obj is Asn1Sequence)
				return new CrlOcspRef((Asn1Sequence) obj);

			throw new ArgumentException(
				"Unknown object in 'CrlOcspRef' factory: "
					+ obj.GetType().Name,
				"obj");
		}

		private CrlOcspRef(
			Asn1Sequence seq)
		{
			if (seq == null)
				throw new ArgumentNullException("seq");

			foreach (Asn1TaggedObject taggedObj in seq)
			{
				Asn1Object asn1Obj = taggedObj.GetObject();

				switch (taggedObj.TagNo)
				{
					case 0:
						this.crlids = CrlListID.GetInstance(asn1Obj);
						break;
					case 1:
						this.ocspids = OcspListID.GetInstance(asn1Obj);
						break;
					case 2:
						this.otherRev = OtherRevRefs.GetInstance(asn1Obj);
						break;
					default:
						throw new ArgumentException(@"Illegal tag in CrlOcspRef", "seq");
				}
			}
		}

		public CrlOcspRef(
			CrlListID		crlids,
			OcspListID		ocspids,
			OtherRevRefs	otherRev)
		{
			this.crlids = crlids;
			this.ocspids = ocspids;
			this.otherRev = otherRev;
		}

		public CrlListID CrlIDs
		{
			get { return crlids; }
		}

		public OcspListID OcspIDs
		{
			get { return ocspids; }
		}

		public OtherRevRefs OtherRev
		{
			get { return otherRev; }
		}

		public override Asn1Object ToAsn1Object()
		{
			Asn1EncodableVector v = new Asn1EncodableVector();

			if (crlids != null)
			{
				v.Add(new DerTaggedObject(true, 0, crlids.ToAsn1Object()));
			}

			if (ocspids != null)
			{
				v.Add(new DerTaggedObject(true, 1, ocspids.ToAsn1Object()));
			}

			if (otherRev != null)
			{
				v.Add(new DerTaggedObject(true, 2, otherRev.ToAsn1Object()));
			}

			return new DerSequence(v);
		}
	}
}


Babies born during the previous 12 months are dressed in their best Sunday clothes and laid on mattresses in the streets.
Crowds of people, including the anxious parents, watch as El Colacho – a man dressed in a bright red and yellow costume – jumps over the babies in order to free them from illnesses, especially hernias. He is said to represent the devil fleeing from the sight of the Eucharist. This ritual is thought to have originated in 1621.
Every year two women are elected as mayoresses to run the village on the day of St Agatha, patron saint of married women. They ceremonially burn a stuffed figure representing a man.
The procession of 28 multicoloured sculptures which depict various scenes of the Passion is one of the most spectacular in Spain.
Men, some carrying people on their backs, walk barefoot over burning embers. It is said the only local people can do this without being burned.


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Ashleen - What does the girl name Ashleen mean?
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In the English origin, Ashleen means "Meadow of ash trees".
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text:
Fenton Chess Club
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Tollgate Hotel have decided to close down permanently, leaving us without a venue. We are now looking for a new home but, with the Covid-19 restrictions currently in place, this is unlikely to happen in the near future.
Use The Tabs Below To Navigate The Site
NSDCA
South Potteries Chess Challenge Cup
Staffordshire Chess Association
English Chess Federation
ECF Grading List
League Mgt System
There were 2 matches played in the 3rd round of the Club Championship this week. On Monday evening I beat Joe and last night Glyn beat Ray. Stuart has conceded his match against Pete Tideswell and withdrawn from the tournament.
Click here to view Ray and Glyn's game.
Latest News From Fenton Chess Club
Contact Fenton Chess Club Webmaster
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Synergy Automotive™ | UK Vehicle Leasing – 5 Star Rated!
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Established over 13 years ago in 2006, Synergy has achieved the Feefo Gold Trusted Service Award for five consecutive years and is 5 Star Rated for Customer Experience.
Synergy Automotive offers car and van leasing deals, with both business and personal leasing options available. Our top leasing offers are showcased on our website, and our Account Management team provide personalised leasing quotations on any make or model of car and van.
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Is Leasing the Right Option?
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Find out about the many different leasing and contract hire options available and the benefits to each one. Here we take a detailed look at both personal leasing contracts and business contracts.
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Find out more about our friendly and professional team located within our offices at Hornbeam Business Park in Harrogate. In 2016, Synergy Automotive celebrated 10 years in business, and we continue to offer a professional, friendly approach and a personal service. Clients will have a dedicated account manager and will be fully supported by our Client Services Team. In addition, we operate within FCA guidelines, the independent watchdog that regulates financial services.


text:
Стивен Фунаки Адамс (; родился 28 июля 1993 года в Роторуа, Новая Зеландия) — новозеландский профессиональный баскетболист, выступающий за клуб Национальной баскетбольной ассоциации «Мемфис Гризлис». Играет на позиции центрового. После одного года в колледже Питтсбурга, выставил свою кандидатуру на драфт НБА 2013 года, на котором он был выбран «Тандер» под общим 12-м номером, став первым новозеландцем, выбранным в первом раунде драфта НБА.

Профессиональная карьера
24 ноября 2020 года Адамс был обменян в «Нью-Орлеан Пеликанс». В рамках сделки он подписал с «Пеликанс» соглашение о продлении контракта на два года и 35 миллионов долларов. 29 января 2021 года Адамс набрал всего 4 очка, но сделал 20 подборов в победе над «Милуоки Бакс».

7 августа 2021 года Адамс был обменян в «Мемфис Гриззлис». 26 февраля 2022 года Адамс набрал 12 очков и совершил 21 подбор в матче против «Чикаго Буллз».

2 октября 2022 года Адамс подписал многолетний контракт с «Гриззлис».

Семья
Адамс провёл всего один год в Университете Питтсбурга. 3 апреля 2013 года Стивен Адамс заявил, что намерен участвовать в предстоящем драфте НБА. Прогнозировалось, что 19-летний игрок будет выбран в первом раунде драфта. Адамс принял решение начать профессиональную карьеру для того чтобы обеспечить свою семью.

Его отец, Сид Адамс, был англичанином, обосновался в Новой Зеландии после службы в Королевском флоте. Стивен был младшим из 18 детей Сида от пяти разных женщин, его мать тонганка. Братья и сестры Стивена отличаются необычными размерами и физическими данными. В среднем рост братьев составляет 2,06 м, а сестер — 1,83 м. Стивен Адамс — младший брат двукратной олимпийской чемпионки в толкании ядра Валери Адамс.

Статистика

Статистика в НБА

Статистика в колледже

Примечания

Ссылки
 Profile at Eurobasket.com
 Pittsburgh Panthers bio
 ESPN bio

Выпускники Подготовительной школы Нотр-Дам (Фитчбург, Массачусетс)
Баскетболисты Новой Зеландии
Игроки «Питтсбург Пантерс» (баскетбол)
Игроки «Оклахома-Сити Тандер»
Игроки «Нью-Орлеан Пеликанс»
Игроки «Мемфис Гриззлис»


text:
Criminal Law Sample Papers
Sample Criminal Law Paper on War on drugs
Friday, 30 April 2021 / Published in Criminal Law Sample Papers
War on drugs refers to various campaigns that are aimed at barring and reducing rampant trade on illegal drugs and substances. This equally refers to various initiatives that include a series of drug policies that are formulated by governments and international anti-drugs bodies with an aim of suppressing production, supply as well as consumption of illicit drugs (Joseph, 2014). In the United States, the war on drugs started more than a century ago but it was officially initiated by President Nixon in mid-1971 when he declared drug abuse as a major threat to American citizens. The war on drugs has been accelerated by the various negative effects it has on various people around the world (King & Mauer, 2006). In the United States, the war on drugs is estimated to have cost more than $ 2.5 million over the last half a decade and is now costing $ 50 million annually with numerous drug abusers arrested and imprisoned. This has therefore been very costly as huge financial and manpower resources have been engaged globally with minimal results. War on drugs has been a very challenging task as drug sellers and users have devised sophisticated ways of evading law enforcement agencies as they continue abusing these drugs (Joseph, 2014). Most of the drugs abused in the United States are gotten from drug cartels in Mexico and Colombia, which are high global suppliers and consumers. While the war on drugs is aimed at controlling the abuse of all illegal drugs globally, it has largely been adopted in United States to address the ever-rising marijuana abuse (King & Mauer, 2006).
Drugs were first introduced in the United States in the early 1800s and many became popular especially after the American Civil War as they served various purposes that included medicinal, health drinks, and pain killers. The war on drugs in United States dates back one century ago when protestant missionaries and other American religious organizations convinced Congress to outlaw drugs as they viewed them as evil and dangerous to people. The drugs that were mainly termed as dangerous to the health and lives of people both in the US and other parts of the world included opium, cocaine, morphine, and marijuana. Such statements were equally attributed to the notion that some Negroes were causing murder among American whites due to drug influence (Joseph, 2014). Despite the fact that United States citizens had previously used these drugs for more than one and a half centuries while observing the law, the passing of the Harrison Anti-Narcotics Act halted their freedom to use these drugs freely. The Harrison Act of 1914 is touted as the foundation of the war on drugs that has in the recent past expanded to become one of the heavily financed American projects. This act resulted in the imprisonment of various physicians and pharmacists that were also fined heavily for selling outlawed drugs in the early 1900s (King & Mauer, 2006).
The Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) was formed in1930 and it further outlawed the use of drugs like marijuana. This body adopted the use of propaganda to prevent further spread of abuse of this drug especially because it purported that marijuana was responsible for numerous cases of insanity and deaths among most drug users in the United States (Joseph, 2014). This war, as propagated by FBN, created counter behaviors that led to increased cases of drug abuse in many campuses across the United States. The demand for drugs in the United States skyrocketed in the 1960s as young people and soldiers from Vietnam War developed habits of consistent abuse of these drugs and even started using hallucinogens as stimulants. The rising trend of drug abuse saw the Johnson Administration passing Narcotics Addict Rehabilitation Act in the mid-1960s (King & Mauer, 2006). This Act led to the commitment of the United States federal government in allocating funds for rehabilitating numerous cases of drug abusers. The war on drugs in the United States was renewed as President Nixon declared drug abuse as a major enemy to the United States citizens. He thus strategized a comprehensive plan that would enable the United States to counter the supply as well as consumption of all illegal drugs (Joseph, 2014). The president equally initiated the greatest ever federal funding for programs intended to treat various cases among drug abusers. He later initiated an extensive interdiction effort in Mexico as he tried to block drugs coming from Mexico from entering the US soil. This measure, though attributing to short-term success, led to an increased supply of illegal drugs especially marijuana from Colombia as drug traffickers moved to fill the supply void created by stopped supplies from Mexico (King & Mauer, 2006).
Marijuana, which is a major illegal drug that is mostly supplied to the ever great demand in the United States from Mexico and Colombia always find routes to enter the US market. This is despite the spirited efforts by the United States federal government to counter their supply routes that are ever reorganized by well-established drug gangs. These gangs have particularly adopted sophisticated modes of transporting drugs that include marijuana through air, land, and even water routes (Joseph, 2014). This has therefore led the US government to realize that as long as there is a demand for drugs in their nation, drug gangs' activities of supplying these drugs cannot be controlled. War on drugs went on as President Carter rose to power in 1977 and he adopted lenient means of controlling the spread of these drugs. Although this president adopted a lenient approach towards controlling drugs especially marijuana, he never supported its legalization. He equally fought the spread of these drugs through the supply front as his administration focused on interdiction as well as eradication measures (King & Mauer, 2006). Marijuana continued to become a major abused drug that led to the highest ever recorded arrest cases among a significant number of drug abusers. Cocaine like marijuana gained prominence in 1978 to 1984 as its consumption rose by more than 700% and this greatly threatened the success of the war on drugs.
The rise of President Reagan in 1981 saw greater funding dedicated to efforts curtailing the supply of commonly abused drugs like president Nixon had done. He equally reduced federal funding for programs that aimed at eradicating, educating as well as rehabilitating people affected by abuse of drugs (Joseph, 2014). This president adopted a program that was referred to as "zero tolerance" that encouraged punishing drug abusers that were arrested. This ultimately led to the introduction of the "Anti-Drug Abuse" program that held all drug abusers responsible for possession and abuse of drugs and advocated for subsequent penalties. The continued measures to counter drug abuse in the United States have further led to increased cases of drug abuse as many citizens tend to be deviant to the restrictive measures formulated by the government. This, therefore, has made all budgetary allocation of money for rehabilitation to be insufficient in caring for rehabilitation cases (King & Mauer, 2006). President Clinton adopted an approach that attempted to wage war on the drug demand and supply front by allocating more than a $ 1 billion budget to achieve this objective. He also doubled the rehabilitation, eradication as well as prevention programs budget that would enable abusers to receive quality care. He further allocated more resources to law enforcement agencies that were tasked with the responsibility of countering the rising drug trade. While Clinton continued to allocate more resources to counter the supply of drugs to the US citizens, he equally allocated finances to fight drugs on the demand side (Joseph, 2014). He equally initiated innovative and inventive policies that focused on Community Action Programs as well as grassroots initiatives that would enable communities to help in controlling the abuse of drugs in their neighborhoods.
Since the beginning of the war on drugs, Congress has established numerous legislations that have enabled various leaders and law enforcement agencies to fight the war on drugs on more established grounds (King & Mauer, 2006). The Congress has also rejected various proposals that leaders and various stakeholders have requested for their legislation as they deem them unworthy for the fight on drugs. Arrests made by law enforcement agencies on drug abuse cases have surpassed all other criminal case arrests. Cases of arrests have continued to increase with more than one million cases of arrests made annually on people possessing illegal drugs. In the recent past, cases of marijuana arrests have continued to increase making marijuana to be one of the most abused drugs, which has led to subsequent increases in marijuana-related arrests. The rate of marijuana abuse has consistently increased by 113% from 1990 to 2002 (Joseph, 2014). In the United States, drug abuse has greatly affected the lives of African Americans that have equally registered the highest proportion of arrests made on marijuana abusers. War on drugs has led to increased costs that include financial resources used to hire and sustain numerous law enforcement agencies, the building of various prisons to hold arrested drug criminals as well as the increased loss of lives due to deaths caused during the war. This war has also been complicated by well-organized criminal gangs that are ready to lose their lives as they spread the drug trade as well as protecting their territories. Gangster "cops" have also been on the rise as they rob drug dealers of their drugs, sell them and ultimately rake profits enriching themselves (King & Mauer, 2006). These "cops" cover their dirty acts by framing innocent people that they are supposed to protect and safeguard. This in return has led to erosion of people's confidence in the law enforcement officers due to such kinds of betrayals. People have therefore continued to watch numerous drug cases in their neighborhoods go without reporting as mistrust between them and law enforcement officers have continued to increase. Corruption has equally infiltrated the drug trade as numerous police officers collude with drug gangs to allow them to trade secretly in return for money (Joseph, 2014). The continued war on drugs has diverted attention and resources committed to averting other criminal activities, and this has indirectly increased abuse of drugs by numerous people. Increased number of arrests for drug abusers and traders has equally overwhelmed the law enforcement officers and this has led to low-ranking offenses in the drug trade being ignored as they cannot all be handled in courts of law. Despite this spirited war on drugs, cases of drug abuse have increased worldwide in general and in the United States in particular (King & Mauer, 2006).
The legalization of drugs is a highly debated issue that has seen some people support it while others have strongly opposed it. Following years of war on drugs, there have been very minimal achievements compared to the great investment that various governments have to spend on this war. In the recent past, many people in the United States feel that legalizing illicit drugs will be the best option as it will enable the government to regulate the supply of these drugs thereby eliminating drug cartels in the markets (Joseph, 2014). Drug cartels have increasingly raked profits in the black market as people have continued to buy these drugs at very exorbitant prices. This indicates that legalizing these drugs will enable the government to reap great tax revenue from the sale of regulated drugs that will be used to build the nation in various ways. The legalization of drugs will ultimately stop the war on drugs and this will save a huge amount of money that will be used to provide services to US citizens. This will equally enable law enforcement agencies to concentrate their efforts in controlling other crimes that have been neglected as a result of the war on drugs (King & Mauer, 2006). This in return will reduce overall crime rates as law enforcement agencies will have sufficient time and resources to control criminal activities. The legalization of illicit drugs will also reduce the rising corruption trends that have infiltrated law enforcement agencies, as these have contributed to reduced public confidence and trust in law enforcement officers. This will therefore restore the reduced confidence, which is important in controlling all forms of crimes as citizens are the most reliable informants of criminal activities in various neighborhoods (Joseph, 2014). The legalization of these drugs will also allow medical practitioners to use them freely for medical purposes as many of them have great medicinal value that can greatly help sick people. Marijuana for example can be used as a pain reliever as it is renowned for its effectiveness. Legalization will equally enable people to access unbiased information, which is commonly given by anti-drug policymakers. This will therefore enable them to make informed choices on whether to use these drugs or not as they will have important information on their harm and benefits (King & Mauer, 2006).
War on drugs is a practice that was initiated more than one century ago by American protestant missionaries that convinced Congress to pass laws prohibiting their use as they believed that they were both evil and dangerous. Illegal drugs that include cocaine, morphine, heroin, and even marijuana have negatively affected most US citizens. Marijuana, which is the most commonly abused drug, is renowned for attributing to the greatest number of arrests across the United States. The war on drugs has mostly been spearheaded by various presidents in the United States that have formulated different strategies to counter the supply as well as consumption of these drugs. These presidents have consulted the input of Congress to formulate legislation that has enabled them to act within the law. Such legislations include Harrison Act, Anti-Drug Abuse, and Narcotics Addict Rehabilitation Act. The war on drugs has compelled the United States to use billions of dollars within and beyond its borders as it attempts to control the drug movement especially from Mexico and Colombia, which are the highest drug suppliers to the United States. Due to huge costs and minimal achievements made on this war, various lobby groups are calling for the legalization of illicit drugs to enable the government to be directly involved in their distribution. This will eliminate the great cost of fighting the organized cartels and enable the government to earn huge tax revenue from their sale. This will equally eliminate drug cartels that have continued growing rich for their trade on drugs as well as minimizing the overall crime rate in the United States.
Joseph, M.J. (2014). The Hidden Cost of America's War on Drugs, Retrieved on 8th March 2014 from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Rkey/My%20Documents/Downloads/16595785_WAR_ON_DRUGS_MCNAMARA_1%20(1).pdf
King, R.S. and Mauer, M. (2006). The War on Marijuana: The Transformation of the War on Drugs in the 1990s, Harm Reduction Journal, 3(6):1-24.
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Named for the letters "CB" that appear near the bottom of the vase. The trunk has a floral pattern. This vase, about 6 inches tall in marigold, sold for $235 in 1999. While that price was typical at the time, prices have since dropped on similar Jain vases. Also see Tribal.


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News > Local
State Police get $957K for pipeline patrols
Pipes are laid around a bend July 24, 217 at the easement granted to Kinder Morgan for construction of the Connecticut Expansion Pipeline project, which runs through Otis State Forest. Gazette File Photo
By EMILY CUTTS
For The Recorder
Published: 12/11/2017 8:03:36 PM
Massachusetts State Police have been paid more than $950,000 from Kinder Morgan for policing the area near its pipeline expansion project through Otis State Forest in Sandisfield, according to invoices prepared by the state police.
Records shared by a member of the Massachusetts Pipeline Awareness Network (MassPLAN) detail the hours troopers spent at the site working for overtime pay from May through October 2017. The network represents a coalition of groups and organizations opposed to the pipeline.
All told, Massachusetts State Police were reimbursed $957,682.15 for the time officers spent at the site. The majority of the officers were with Troop B in Northampton and the hourly overtime rates range from $56.43 for a trooper to $127.99 for a captain.
"They are using the commonwealth's assets for private corporate use," said Cathy Kristofferson, a member of the MassPLAN. "They are purchasing an arrest power."
David Procopio, a State Police spokesman, said the troopers' work in Sandisfield is not considered "detail work," and compared the police presence in Sandisfield to the work troopers have done providing public safety at events like the Boston Marathon and Sail Boston.
"Our role here was to protect the safety and security of all the parties," Procopio said. "Part of that includes protecting the rights of a company that has legal rights to complete a project."
Procopio said the troopers who were on patrol at the state forest were acting as state police and never act as a private contractor. Throughout the construction of the pipeline expansion, the area has been a hotbed for protests, which have led to dozens of arrests.
"We do not take direction or orders from any private entity," Procopio said.
Kristofferson began making requests for the payroll records after the nonprofit organization MuckRock requested invoices for the month of May.
The amount Kinder Morgan paid will likely grow as a public records request by Kristofferson for November invoices has not been completed. It is also unclear if the information provided contains invoices for police dogs that may have been used.
Kinder Morgan spokesman Dave Conover said the company does not comment on law enforcement and security matters.
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co., a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan, began work on the $93 million Connecticut Expansion Project last April. The new pipeline will upgrade an existing infrastructure to meet increased demand for natural gas transportation capacity in the Northeast, cutting through Albany County in New York, Berkshire and Hampden counties in Massachusetts, and Connecticut's Hartford County.
The expansion project consists of about 13.42 miles of new pipeline in three sections along an existing route from New York to Connecticut that runs through Berkshire and Hampden counties. Four miles of new pipeline will cut through Otis State Forest in Sandisfield.
Vivienne Simon acts as the legal liaison for Sugar Shack Alliance, a group formed to build the direct action movement against Kinder Morgan's Northeast Energy Direct pipeline. She said when the group members found out how much the state police had been reimbursed for their time, they were shocked. Simon characterized the payments as turning the state police into "a private arresting force for a for-profit corporation that was invading our public land."
"It was horrifying, actually, to realize the depths of what happened," Simon said.
Procopio said that the state police have been open about their "mission" at the state forest from the start.
"Troop B of the Massachusetts State Police will maintain a presence during project operations to ensure the safety of all involved parties, including the project team, local residents, and demonstrators," Procopio wrote in a statement earlier this year. "The state police will seek to ensure that the rights of all parties are protected, including the rights of the contractors to complete this legally authorized project, the rights of nearby residents to safety and privacy, and the constitutionally-protected rights of demonstrators to have a safe environment to lawfully assemble, speak, and protest."
sandisfield ma
On nature's peaceful path
PHOTO: On nature's peaceful path
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BERNARDSTON — A 59-year-old Colrain woman was transported to Baystate Franklin Medical Center on Monday after her Harley Davidson motorcycle...
New YMCA head settling in, meeting community
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Social Norms and Free-Riding in Influenza Vaccine Decisions: An Online Experiment
Krystal Lau, Imperial College London
Department General Research Seminars
Monday, 21 October 2019, 12.30pm to 1.30pm
Big Data Institute LG Seminar Room, University of Oxford Old Road Campus, OX3 7LF
Abstract: 'Nudge'-based social norm messages that signal uptake strength of a certain behaviour within a population can be used in public health interventions to shape individuals' decisions to adopt that behaviour. Messages conveying high influenza vaccination coverage levels signal a strong social norm, encouraging vaccination, but also a low risk of infection, discouraging vaccination and promoting free-riding. The complex interplay between these two signals can result in ambiguous vaccination decision-making behaviour, especially as coverage levels vary. We aimed to measure different vaccination coverage levels' impact on influenza vaccination intention.
In an online experiment, we randomly assigned 1,365 UK residents aged 18+ years to a control group (with no message) or one of seven treatment groups with different messages of vaccination coverage levels, shown as the proportion of vaccinated people (10%, 25%, 50%, 65%, 75%, 85%, or 95%) in the respondents' environment. Impact on respondents' vaccination intention was measured using self-reported intention and three elicited behaviour measures: (a) opening an online map locating nearby private flu jab providers; (b) time looking at this map; and (c) downloading a calendar reminder to vaccinate.
Treatment groups had significantly higher stated and elicited vaccination intention than the control. Below the 75% to 85% threshold, groups treated with higher coverage levels had greater vaccination intention than groups treated with lower levels. Groups treated with coverage levels above this threshold, compared to those below, had lower vaccination intention. Policymakers should consider this curvilinear effect when designing interventions that use social norm messages to 'nudge' vaccination.
Biography: Krystal's research primarily focuses on behavioural economics. Specifically, she investigates the impact of social norms on vaccination decision-making. She also works on identifying and characterizing key players in the anti-vaccination movement on social media. She has a broader interest in infectious diseases and pandemics, transmission of information and beliefs, and social network analysis. Krystal holds an MRes from Imperial College Business School as well as an MSc in Bioscience and Health Policy, a Bachelor's of Science in Biochemistry and Cell Biology, and a Bachelor's of Science in Health Care Management Policy Studies from Rice University in Houston, Texas.


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Peter Carl Fabergé, conocido también como Karl Gustavovich Fabergé (en ruso,  Карл Густавович Фаберже; 30 de mayo de 1846, San Petersburgo, Rusia – 24 de septiembre de 1920, Lausana, Suiza), fue un joyero ruso. Es considerado uno de los orfebres más destacados del mundo, que realizó 69 huevos de Pascua entre los años 1885 a 1917, 61 de ellos se conservan.

En 1870 pasa a ser el responsable de la empresa familiar de joyería en San Petersburgo. Con una excelente reputación como diseñador, trabaja con piedras preciosas y metales, y realiza diseños de diferentes estilos como ruso antiguo, griego, renacentista, barroco, Art Nouveau, naturalista y caricaturesco.

Sus obras fueron expuestas en la Exposición Panrusa de Moscú de 1882 y recibieron la medalla de oro. Recibió el nombramiento de orfebre y joyero de la Corte Imperial Rusa y de otras muchas monarquías europeas. Fabricó joyas con forma de huevos de Pascua de oro y esmalte, animales en miniatura, cálices, bomboneras y otros objetos.

Para la Pascua de 1885, el zar Alejandro III le encargó al orfebre Peter Carl Fabergé la construcción de un huevo para regalarle a su mujer, la zarina María. El regalo consistió en un huevo con cáscara de platino que contenía dentro uno más pequeño de oro. Al abrirse este último, se encontraba una gallina de oro en miniatura que tenía sobre su cabeza una réplica de la corona imperial rusa. Este particular Huevo de Pascua le gustó tanto a la emperatriz que el zar le ordenó a Fabergé que realizara uno nuevo para cada Pascua.

Once fueron en total los huevos que Alejandro III le regaló a su mujer. Luego, su hijo Nicolás II continuó con esta tradición y mandó realizar otros para regalarle a su mujer y a su madre. Los 57 huevos que confeccionó la casa Fabergé tenían en su interior algún obsequio, réplica en miniatura de una de las pertenencias de los zares.

La Revolución rusa acabó con la firma.

Desde la Segunda Guerra Mundial han salido a subasta seis de estas obras de arte. En noviembre de 1994 el Huevo de invierno (creado en 1913, y que se creía perdido hasta 1984) alcanzó los 5.600.000 dólares.

El 28 de noviembre de 2007 un huevo fabricado por Fabergé para la familia de banqueros Rothschild, alcanzó en subasta el precio récord de 18 millones de dólares.

Véase también
 Servicio de plata Kelch neogótico

Referencias

Enlaces externos

 Galería de fotos

Alemanes del Báltico
Artistas de Rusia
Joyeros
Rusos del siglo XIX
Rusos del siglo XX
Nacidos en San Petersburgo
Fallecidos en Lausana


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July 20, 2017 .Reading time 2 minutes.
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I'll admit it…I was terrified!
February 27, 2017 .Reading time 1 minute.


Nothing is better than friends studying together. Every student can learn from each other through teamwork building and interesting games and activities.
We help our students to get the interview by helping them create their CV and using SEEK as a tool to do so.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE FUN.
WE BRING PROFESSIONAL INDUSTRY EXPERTS INTO THE CLASSROOM.
TESOL students are busy preparing for their practice teaching!
Plenty of room to circulate, make new friends and study.
Our George Street campus is close to Chinatown, Market City, Central Station and lots more.
WIN is a good school. My teacher is good and lessons are good. I learn a lot.
I enjoy very much the school. "Molto bellissima" thank you.
The school and the course gave me the confidence to talk in public.
On behalf of Wentworth Institute, we welcome you to our college.
We are a Registered Training Organisation accredited by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) focused on offering high-quality training to students in vocational and English courses. All our qualifications are issued within the guidelines of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
Our philosophy is to develop in our students the capacity to become independent professionals and to equip them with the skills and knowledge to pursue their goals.
Our students are exposed to large companies through the excursions where they have opportunities to talk to different professionals, learn from them and be more prepared for the future.
We also have different classroom activities, movies, workshops and a lot of fun.
If you require any further information about the college that is not on the website, please don't hesitate to call us or make a visit.


I love the INB capris. The fabric is stretchy/compressive enough to feel comfortable and secure, and the lie-flat seams never rub. I wear the waistband up for yoga, and sometimes down when I run. Either way, there is a drawstring if you want one (I don't need it, the fit is perfect). The two thigh pockets are practically invisible on this design - I actually had to point them it to someone who admired the pattern!
The colors go beautifully with so many pieces - the matching racer back (of course), previous years cherry blossoms, the new Zen singlet, Medusa, razzle, the list goes on. I wear a size 10 in normal pants, and an 8 in INB capris.


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Oxford Family Hypnotherapy
Why choose Solution Focused Hypnotherapy?
Promoting Excellence
'Violent Child, Desperate Parents'; a reminder that aggressive children are not mad, but sad.
In 'Violent Child, Desperate Parents' (Ch5, 9pm) child psychologist Laverne Antrobus met 9yr old Joseph from Stoke, who terrorises his Mum with physical violence and verbal abuse. Joe is diagnosed with ADHD and was excluded from mainstream school. He regularly swears, spits, punches and kicks his mother. We learn that he has threatened her with hammers and knives and, on one occasion, thrown a boot at her face with such force, it nearly broke her jaw. Footage is often hard to watch, particularly when we see Debbie crying after another confrontation. 'You've broken me, Joe' she sobs and it's easy to see how.
After reviewing footage together, the adults decide that Joe needs more physical space to express his anger. As the child of an aggressive parent herself, Mum Debbie holds a fear of anger, terrified her son will turn into an 'angry man'. This is where Antrobus' measured approach really shines through. She encourages Debbie to examine her own behaviour, without ever being patronising or condescending. To Debbie's credit, she engages fully with the process, always focused on supporting Joe. This is extraordinary given the pressure that she is under: not everyone would react so magnanimously to having their parenting skills examined in this way.
One of Joe's greatest behaviour triggers is leaving the house. Even going to the park is a challenge, due to his 'kicking off'. After a particularly difficult trip, we see his vulnerability. Antrobus identifies him as a 'hyper-vigilant' child, seeing fear and danger all around. Once this is identified, things begin to turn around for Joe. His family are taught to give him the explanations he needs to feel safe. He has emoji pictures to identify feelings and he learns to use these to express himself. The biggest learning curve of all, however, belongs to 13yr old brother Vinnie, who had suggested that Joe 'needed a smack in the face'. We see him encouraging Joe as he scales a climbing wall. It's really quite touching.
There are jarring aspects to the programme. The salacious language and shocking scene-setting are O.T.T. The formula is a bit 'Supernanny'. What this series does have, however, is the considered approach of Antrobus, whose experience shines through as she strives to understand the reasons behind the behaviour. Rather than demonising them, this programme reminds us that violent children are still children, after all: not mad, but sad.
Julia Watson
Julia Watson is the founding Clinical Hypnotherapist at Oxford Family Hypnotherapy. She thinks everyone has a small, still voice inside telling them what they are really capable of and likes helping them listen to it.
"Julia offers the whole package - she is warm, perceptive, and very astute. She sees through problems and keeps you on track, even when it's difficult. I would highly recommend her to anyone who wants to change but doesn't know how." Jo, South Oxon
"My son is more confident, he's doing better at school and he's so much happier. Our family life as improved as a result. THANK YOU!"
Clare, Summertown.
"I felt so much more in control, even after the first session. I can enjoy spending time with my kids without getting distracted or worrying. You have changed our lives." Sarah, Kennington.


text:
Parents' Evening
What is a Church School?
Archbishop of York's Award
How Bennett is governed
Tenax Schools Trust
Articles of Association (PDF)
Bennett Music Academy
Chess at Bennett
Extra-curricular Sport
Tenax Jobs
Thought for the Day, 24th June
Trial exams for Y11 and Y13
Remote Teaching: Teams, Office and Foldr
4th Jan: Government's lockdown announcement update
A thank you to musicians
Microsoft Office 365 – Free for Students
Blog - Thought for the Day, 24th June
Below is my Thought for the Day broadcast on Radio Kent this morning.
Today, 24th June, is kept throughout the Christian world as the birthday of Saint John the Baptist. In many countries, the night before 24th June, St John's Eve, midsummer night's eve, is celebrated with bonfires, taken over perhaps from a pagan commemoration of the summer solstice, but now symbolizing the beacon of light which the words of John the Baptist were.
John the Baptist, a distant cousin of Jesus, was, the Bible tells us, born miraculously to parents beyond child-bearing age. His mother Elizabeth was visited by Mary while both were pregnant, and John 'leapt' in his mother's womb on being in the presence of the unborn Jesus. John is thought of as the last of the succession of prophets who sensed the imminent arrival of the Saviour. As a young man he lived in the wilderness, fasting, surviving on wild honey and locusts, dressing in animal skins, and must to 'decent people' have seemed at best an eccentric, if not completely deranged. Yet his words seem strangely relevant to our troubled economic times: "Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same." And again, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely — be content with your pay."
When asked by curious and faintly hostile onlookers who exactly he is, he replies by quoting an earlier Jewish prophet, Isaiah: "I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'" A prophet is more than one who simply foretells the future. Prophets read with deep insight the signs of the times and speak the truth, which often jars with what people want to hear.
The Burmese freedom campaigner, Aung Sang Su Kyi, this week formally accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo originally awarded to her over 20 years ago. She has spent much of the intervening period under arrest in Burma. In a remarkable acceptance speech, this extraordinary woman reflected on the importance of the quest for peace in our lives:
"Absolute peace in our world is an unattainable goal. But it is one towards which we must continue to journey, our eyes fixed on it as a traveller in a desert fixes his eyes on the one guiding star that will lead him to salvation."
When asked about this later in an interview, she said that we must find peace in our hearts before we can hope to make peace in the world. True peace begins with the individual, and is much more than the absence of conflict.
On this birthday of St John the Baptist, then, perhaps we should make a greater effort to hear the prophetic voices of our own time, and listen to those who call to us from beyond the confines of our everyday world.
Bennett Memorial Diocesan School is part of The Tenax Schools Trust which is an exempt charity and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales with company number 07542155.
The registered office is at Culverden Down, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 9SH. Telephone No. 01892 521595.
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