Digital or analogue, CD or vinyl, wired or wireless, the new Rotel A11 integrated amplifier and CD11 compact disc player cover the bases.
The A11 is a sleek integrated amplifier featuring Rotel's sleek, no-nonsense aesthetics. Round push-button switchgear, a rotary volume controller and a clear LCD alphanumeric display grace the fascia.
A glance at the rear panel reveals a dual set of speaker binding posts, together with four line-level inputs an a pre-output set. For vinyl fans, there's a MM-compatible phono input, while the A11 also offers integrated Bluetooth 4.2 with apt-X and AAC codecs for sonic quality.
The A11 uses a traditional Class AB amplifier to deliver 50 watts/channel into 8 ohms. A beefy toroidal power transformer ensures plenty of headroom and peak power capability, regardless of load.
The CD11 recognises that despite the rise of streaming and digital downloads, the compact disc remains a primary music medium. It mirrors the A11's appearance as far as casework is concerned, and utilises a traditional drawer-based CD transport mechanism rather than a slot drive.
Under the covers, the circuit design separates analogue and digital sections, and also makes provision for separate power supplies in order to combat interference. Digital-to-analogue conversion is via a Texas Instruments 192 kHz/24-bit DAC chip.
Both units are custom install-friendly, with 12V triggers and RS232 serial ports for system integration.


text:
Gooswijn Wilhelm van der Lawick (±1630 - Bredevoort, 18 juni 1665) was kapitein en heer van Oldenbernsvelt, drost en gouverneur van de heerlijkheid Bredevoort.

Geschiedenis
Gooswijn was een zoon van drost Georg Nicolaas van der Lawick en Gerardina Judith van Hambroick. In 1650 en 1653 weet hij een akte van survivance te bemachtigen, waarmee hij het recht krijgt om hem op te volgen als drost van Bredevoort.

Gooswijn trouwde met Henriëtte Charlotte Vijgh op 27 mei 1657 in Zoelen. Op 23 februari 1661 werd hij benoemd tot drost van Bredevoort, als opvolger van zijn vader.

Zie ook
 Lijst van drosten van Bredevoort

Bronnen
 weddink.nl

Drost van Bredevoort
Persoon in de Nederlanden in de 17e eeuw
Gooswijn Wilhelm van der Lawick

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Are you looking for the ideal place for your next corporate or private event?
At Hoteles Campanario we specialize in the planning of all kinds of events, adapting to the needs of our clients and offering comprehensive advice to make everything perfect for this special day.
Coffee breaks, executive menus and cocktails in our restaurant, with top-class cuisine and a spectacular ocean view.
For inquiries send an email to [email protected] or fill our contact form.
Looking for the perfect place for that special day?
At Hoteles Campanario we have everything you need to make your wedding an unforgettable day.
Experience the magic of a seaside wedding and celebrate with your loved ones in our charming boutique hotel in one of the most iconic colonial buildings in La Serena. We offer the possibility to make your reception in our roofed central courtyard, which will fill your celebration with all the colonial charm of Hotel Campanario del Mar. You will then have an unforgettable dinner and party in our sea-front restaurant which has the most spectacular view of the beach.
Give your guests the convenience of being able to stay in the same place, either in the Hotel Campanario del Mar, where they will enjoy the luxury of our rooms with an ocean view, or in the Campanario Cabañas, where your guest will find the perfect place to enjoy in group.
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Preferential rates in accommodation up to 227 people.
Catering service tailored to your tastes and budget.
Free room for the bride and groom in your wedding night, with sparkling wine, fresh flowers and chocolates.
For inquiries send an email to [email protected] or fill the contact form.


text:
Future of Indonesia's education tech lies in untapped categories, experts say
Eisya A. Eloksari
Jakarta / Mon, October 5, 2020 / 03:53 pm
Illustration of remote learning (Shutterstock/Menara Grafis)
Indonesian education technology (EdTech) companies have the potential to expand to a wider market, including vocational training and the digitization of schools, as the COVID-19 outbreak has increased the need for such services, experts have said.
"EdTech is still an uncharted territory with a few players and plenty of potential. It is also very segmented, as each level of education needs a different approach; that is what makes it interesting," Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) researcher Bhima Yudhistira said in a phone interview with The Jakarta Post on Sept. 28.
In the future, EdTech platforms could offer learning management systems (LMS) through business-to-business (B2B) partnerships with education institutions, he said, adding that there was also an opportunity to create tailor-made digital solutions, such IT system development.
As the country still struggled with the rising number of COVID-19 cases, Indonesia's 60 million students are forced to adapt to remote learning, which accelerates the use of EdTech.
Currently, EdTech services in Indonesia are mainly consumer-centric, including Zenius, which offers free access to its library of more than 80,000 videos on various subjects for grades 1 to 12 students, as well as Ruangguru, an interactive online learning platform for students.
However, some are more institution-focused, like Scola, an LMS service that digitizes classroom monitoring, which has a feature to track students' scores.
Read also: COVID-19 crisis opportunity for education reform in Indonesia
Bhima went on to say that, apart from merely expansion, B2B EdTech platforms had a stronger consumer base and user loyalty than business-to-consumer (B2C) platforms, as institutional customers were less likely to switch to other platforms even when discounts are discontinued.
According to a World Bank report published in May titled EdTech in Indonesia: ready for take-off?, fewer than 5 percent of EdTech platform users in Indonesia are willing to pay once a platform's free trial period is over.
Consequently, the report also showed that 90 percent of EdTech firms have changed their business model, mostly from only B2C to also tapping into B2B in an effort to increase revenue and improve customer acquisition, among other reasons.
"EdTech companies have a greater focus on social impact. Therefore, their market is not inherently a high profit-generating sector. This poses a challenge for EdTech firms in terms of attracting potential investors," the report reads, adding that only 8 of 35 EdTech firms participating in the survey considered themselves profitable.
Management consulting company Redseer noted that Indonesia's EdTech startups only received US$200 million funding last year, with a large chunk of $150 million going to Ruangguru in December 2019. The number is significantly lower than the funding for the sector in India at around $2.5 billion and the US at around $7.5 billion over the same period.
Indonesia saw at least eight cases of EdTech funding this year totaling more than $23 million, including Zenius's $20 million series-A funding and learning platform Pahamify's $150,000 seed funding.
"We do think that this is the beginning of what is going to be a mega market. Indonesian EdTech will be very large and profitable, and we are very bullish about it," Sequoia Capital India managing director Rajan Anandan told the Post in an interview on Sep. 30.
Sequoia's recent accelerator program Surge 03 included an Indonesian EdTech startup called CoLearn. Anandan claimed that CoLearn had been used by 200,000 students since its launch in September.
He went on to say that Indonesia was likely to see some big players in EdTech for kindergarten to grade 12 students, while new players would emerge in university supplementary education and vocational training, filling in the current whitespace.
Anandan added that there were opportunities to build businesses in LMS or a similar products to help offline schools and universities move to digital platforms, but consumer-focused EdTech companies were expected to be larger than the B2B companies.
"Globally, we see it is much easier to scale and monetize a B2C business in EdTech than a B2B business," he said.
Ruangguru, for example, has tapped into the LMS sector by launching ruangkelas in July. The new platform is available for free to help teachers during the pandemic. More than 17,000 teachers in more than 10,000 schools have used the service, according to the company's founder Iman Usman.
"I do think in the future we will see more EdTech start-ups for upskilling workers, language learning and early childhood education, especially since millennial parents put priority on quality education," Pahamify cofounder Mohammad Ikhsan said in an interview with the Post on Thursday.
So far, the company has seen a tenfold increase in users from July to September compared to all of last year's total users. It currently grants discounts of up to 90 percent during school closure amid the pandemic.
Read also: Majority of Indonesians find distance learning costly: Study
most engaging
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Body parts found at Sriwijaya Air crash site
Indonesia's deadliest air crashes in recent years
Sriwijaya Air airplane feared crashed off Jakarta
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Sriwijaya Air crash adds to troubling safety record in Indonesia
Rescuers detect signal from downed Sriwijaya Air plane in Java Sea

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Gautam Gambhir Feels Rahul Dravid Will Always Give Balance Comments
By CricShots - Nov 22, 2021 4:56 pm
Former Indian opener, Gautam Gambhir took a dig at Ravi Shastri over his "this Indian team is one of the great teams that have played the game" remark before signing off as the head coach of the Indian team. Shastri's coaching tenure ended after the recently-concluded T20 World Cup in UAE, as Rahul Dravid took over the job. Gambhir took a dig at Shastri earlier too, when he appreciated Dravid as someone who would not give "big statements" and not get "carried away with success".
Rahul Dravid
Dravid made similar remarks after India clean swept New Zealand 3-0 in the recent T20I series at home to mark a positive start of the Rohit-Dravid era. Notably, Dravid quickly pointed out that it was difficult for New Zealand to turn up for a bilateral series immediately after the T20 World Cup.
Describing the same, during a chat with Times Now Navbharat, Gautam Gambhir said, "We have to keep our feet on the ground and be realistic, especially with bigger things down the line in the next 12 months. It's not easy for New Zealand to play a World Cup final, turn up three days later, and play three games in six days. We knew it was never going to be easy on them."
ALSO READ: Amitabh Bachchan Writes A Poen To Articulate India's Series Whitewash Over NZ
He also added, "The one thing I found surprising is that when you play well, you don't usually boast about it. It's fine if others talk about it; when we won the 2011 World Cup, no one gave statements saying that this team is the best in the world, let alone country."
Gautam Gambhir added that whether in a situation of victory or defeat, Rahul Dravid's statements always be balanced.
Elbaotaung the same, Gautam Gambhir said, "When you win, let others talk about it. You won in Australia, that's a big achievement no doubt. You won in England, performed well, no doubt. But let others praise you. You won't hear such statements from Rahul Dravid. Whether India play good or bad, his statements will always remain balanced. Moreover, it will reflect on other players. Humility is very important, whether you play good or bad. Cricket won't go on forever."
ALSO READ: Dhananjaya de Silva Finds A Bizarre Way Of Getting Hit-wicket
He further added, "I think Dravid's major focus will be on players being good people first. One thing with Rahul Dravid is he will not get carried away with all the success. And probably there will not be a lot of big statements which will be made after success as well which is very important because sometimes, as a young group of players can get carried away with this kind of statements which we were used to in the last two years from the team management."
Tags Gautam Gambhirhead coachRahul DravidRavi ShastriTeam India


If tough times are here to stay for a while be prepared to gain a few kilos and add a few centimeters to your waistline!
The recession seems to have a sweet tooth. As unemployment has risen and 401(k)'s have shrunk, Americans, particularly adults, have been consuming growing volumes of candy, from Mary Janes and Tootsie Rolls to gummy bears and chocolates, particularly inexpensive ones, candy makers, store owners and industry experts say.
Many big candy makers are reporting rising sales and surprising profits even as other manufacturers are struggling to stay afloat. Cadbury reported a 30 percent rise in profits for 2008 while Nestlé's profits grew by 10.9 percent, according to public filings. Hershey, which struggled for much of 2008, saw profit jump by 8.5 percent in the fourth quarter. Lindt & Sprungli, which specializes in high-end products like Lindt bars and Ghirardelli, said that even though it expected to close its luxury retail stores in 2009, it would remain profitable because of strong chocolate sales through middle-class retailers like Wal-Mart and Target.
There may be historic precedent to the recessionary strength of the candy business. During the 1930s, candy companies thrived, introducing an array of confections that remain popular today. Snickers debuted in 1930. Tootsie Pops appeared in 1931. Mars bars with almonds and Three Musketeers bars followed in 1932.
Hershey, the dominant candy brand during the Depression, remained profitable enough through the 1930s that the company financed its own Works Progress Administration programs, said Pamela Whitenack, Hershey Community Archives director.
"Candy companies are relatively recession proof," said Peter Liebhold, chairman of the Smithsonian's work and industry division. "During the Great Depression, candy companies stayed in business."
So, better be careful as summer is approaching fast!


Well, here's an update, and my lame excuse for not writing more. As some of you know (some meaning three, the sum total of readers of this blog minus my son) I ruptured my Achilles tendon back in April and had to have it repaired. I was supposed to have started my new job back in April and hurt myself at work a day before I was supposed to leave. Since then I have been bed, and then couch ridden, with my bad leg elevated.
About three weeks ago I was finally able to hobble around without my crutches and decided it was time to go back to work. Firstly because disability payments cut what money we had to eat with drastically, and secondly because I was concerned about how long my new employer (or rather the hiring official) would hold my position open for me. I know the guy, and the truth is that he would probably have held the position open for me another month, at which point I'd have been walking better, but I was already feeling bad about having to start three months later than planned, and I didn't want to have to put him on the spot where he would be forced to close the position. So I took the occupational physical and passed. The work is less strenuous, in that I don't have to put on the bubble suit with a tank on my back, and I believe the doctor understood that the tendon will get back to 100%.
So I've been working regular shifts these last two weeks, and coming home tired, sore and sweaty. Like I said, it's a lame excuse, and not a real solid reason.
So about the job. It's wonderful being back in aerospace. It's wonderful hearing the sound of freedom all day at work. It's wonderful seeing cool aircraft. The most wonderful thing is to be home with my family again.
Now if only I could start getting paid and finish all the silly in-processing.


text:
In the Healthcare Data Revolution, AI Looms Large
Rick Robinson| June 04 2018
| security
Healthcare data is reshaping medicine, and the transformation is only beginning. Until very recently, "data" as a concept hardly existed in the practice of medicine. Clinical researchers compiled data, to be sure, but the doctors who consulted their studies looked at their findings, not necessarily the data behind those findings.
The only data most physicians had about their patients were their own notes, along with whatever facts the patients remembered to report when describing their medical histories. If a patient moved or changed doctors for any reason, chances were all too good that their prior history would be lost.
Now, resources such as Epic Systems are making it practical to organize and track this formerly fragmentary patient information. Not only can medical professionals access better information about their own patients, they can gain insights into what is happening to other patients as well, allowing them to detect information that they might previously have missed.
Exit Horse and Buggy, Enter Big Data
Back in the days of horses and buggies, when doctors made house calls, the fragmentation of medical data was less of a problem. Most people rarely moved, so their medical histories did not need to follow them around. And there was less information to preserve and consult — lab results as we know them didn't exist yet. For that matter, there was not much that medical professionals could actually do about most health conditions.
As medical science revolutionized the potential for treatment, the need for reliable healthcare data dramatically increased, and the ability to manage that data lagged. Physicians don't work at desks for the most part, and conventional record keeping systems were too clumsy to use while making the rounds. Only in the last few years have technical resources emerged, such as Epic Systems, that are suited to records management in a clinical environment.
This transformation has come just in time. Medical technology has not only made healthcare more complex, it has added new expenses, so that holding down costs has become a critical issue. Doctors need to see more patients, meaning that they cannot afford to waste time tracking down fragmented records or dealing with clunky record systems.
But the healthcare data revolution is not just about doing familiar things better. It is also about doing new things. Correlations and patterns that previously would have been undetectable, buried in the notes of thousands of individual doctors, can now be brought to light using big data analytics. Tracking the spread of epidemics such as the Zika virus is a compelling example of the power of correlated data to provide healthcare insights.
Dr. Robot Calls for a Specialist
Even as the power of data is making an impact on modern healthcare, another revolution is looming. Artificial intelligence (AI) is on its way to a doctor's office or clinic near you. According to Fast Company's Sean Captain, healthcare AI is just now making the transition from studies and pilot projects to a working tool.
No, human doctors are not about to be replaced by robotic ones. But medical AI, with its ability to remember and analyze vast amounts of data, can take a big burden off of overworked physicians, nurse practitioners and other medical professionals. Venkat Rajan of research firm Frost & Sullivan told Fast Company that doctors are "stressed, they've got a million different things they're looking at, so [there's] stuff they might have missed." Medical AI will catch the little things that a busy human might not.
To take a simple but familiar situation, AIs can take over the initial questioning of patients, asking them about their symptoms and complaints, then summarize these in medical language. Doctors can then quickly hone in on key indicators and be informed at once if, for example, an unusual symptom matches reports from other doctors' patients, which can help them identify and monitor emerging epidemics.
Intelligent systems are coming to healthcare. Fueled by data, these systems have enormous potential to improve our health and well-being. The challenge for the medical IT community will be managing that data and those systems reliably and securely.
Topics: security
A New Resource for Healthcare IT Teams
Data Privacy Day & Protecting Personal Healthcare Information
New Ransomware Attacks Target Healthcare
THIS POST WAS WRITTEN BY Rick Robinson


Signature Builders KC, LLC is owned and operated by Bill Barnard. As a second-generation builder, Bill has been building homes for over twenty years and is committed to providing you with an exceptional home of incomparable value.
It is our goal to provide you with a fine quality home that will stand the test of time. At Signature Builders, we surround you with the highest quality materials, richly appointed custom features, and superb craftsmanship that meets rigorous standards.
Our customer dedication goes beyond our structure to fulfill your satisfaction. For more than 20 years, we have provided unparrallelled service and personal attention from the time you choose a Signature Home throughout the entire construction phase. After you move in you receive "hands on" supervision with every home.
Our passion for building and our reputation for excellence is something that we take very seriously. This philosophy has resulted in steadfast customer loyalty. You can see the proof of our commitment everywhere you look and you will see Bill or his son Billy on your job site everyday to ensure that every phase of your home is being held to the highest standard.
Signature Builders KC, LLC provides you with full scale design services, specializing in new construction homes in the middle to upper level price range, full home remodels, basement finishes, kitchen remodels, etc.
Billy has been working with Signature Builders KC, LLC for the past two years. Growing up as a third-generation builder, Billy had the privilege of visiting job sites with his grandfather and dad throughout his lifetime. Billy graduated from the University of Missouri with an undergraduate degree in business.
Billy takes his passion for building and his desire for excellence very seriously. You can see the proof of his commitment everywhere you look and you will see him on his job sites everyday making sure that every phase of your home is being kept on track and completed in a timely manner.
Billy completed his undergraduate internship with Signature and learned everything from the ground up about building a quality home.Throughout his time in High School and College, Billy worked his summer jobs with a restoration company learning how to rebuild homes after fire and water damage.
As project manager, Billy is dedicated to be on site each and every day to ensure that the customer's best interest is being upheld and that our subcontractors are informed and guided to build the best possible home we can provide.
Daily on site contact with subcontractors to monitor on site work.
Daily scheduling with subcontractors to ensure jobs progress in a timely manner.
Bob has been working with Signature Builders KC, LLC for the past year. Bob has brought over 14 years of construction experience in the residential field to our Signature Team. He construction career began in 2002 where he started his work as a framer and continued to learn each trade that went into building a home.
Bob takes his passion for construction and his desire for excellence very seriously. You can see the proof of his commitment everywhere you look and you will see him on our job sites everyday making sure that every phase of your homes warranty work is being completed in a timely manner and to an extremely high standard.
Through years of building and reparing homes Bob has become very well versed in all aspects of the construction process. He has a wide range of skills and is a perfect fit to be our on site warranty specialist.
As our warranty specialist Bob will be dedicated to insuring all clients are happy not only on their move in day but long after the move in process is complete.
Daily on site contact with our project managers to monitor all warranty issues.
Daily scheduling with subcontractors to ensure all warranty items are being addressed.
Consistent communication with project managers to ensure the warranty work is being completed to their standards.


text:
Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies (Unabridged)
Superintelligence asks the questions: What happens when machines surpass humans in general intelligence? Will artificial agents save or destroy us? Nick Bostrom lays the foundation for understanding the future of humanity and intelligent life. The human brain has some capabilities that the brains of other animals lack. It is to these distinctive capabilities that our species owes its dominant position. If machine brains surpassed human brains in general intelligence, then this new superintelligence could become extremely powerful - possibly beyond our control. As the fate of the gorillas now depends more on humans than on the species itself, so would the fate of humankind depend on the actions of the machine superintelligence.
But we have one advantage: We get to make the first move. Will it be possible to construct a seed Artificial Intelligence, to engineer initial conditions so as to make an intelligence explosion survivable? How could one achieve a controlled detonation?
This profoundly ambitious and original book breaks down a vast track of difficult intellectual terrain. After an utterly engrossing journey that takes us to the frontiers of thinking about the human condition and the future of intelligent life, we find in Nick Bostrom's work nothing less than a reconceptualization of the essential task of our time.
Napoleon Ryan
Audible Studios
Audible.co.uk
erase_rewind , 17/02/2016
Missing PDF, no chapter titles
According to the narrated introduction, this download should come with support diagrams in PDF format.
Also, why can't the chapters be named properly instead of 'Track 1', 'Track 2', etc. It would make navigating the audiobook a possibility.
Stevey247 , 28/08/2017
PDF documents not present. Useless 😡
When paying almost £15 for an audiobook that discusses complex subjects and is explained better with visuals they should be present.
The original is filled with visuals and diagrams that have been apparently recreated as PDF and should have been available for download with the book. Not only are the PDF's missing but even the chapters / sections of the book are not labelled correctly. This basically means that some of the topics in the book are difficult if not impossible to understand and navigating the book is terrible.
Absolutely scandalous. DO NOT DOWNLOAD AUDIOBOOK.
Our Final Invention: Artificial Intelligence and the End of the Human Era (Unabridged)
The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future (Unabridged)
The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself (Unabridged)
The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World
Free Will (Unabridged)


text:
Interview with Greg Laporte
In 2015 several former World champions competed in the BRKC. We spoke to 2008 Indoor Kart World Champion Greg Laporte about his experience of the championship.
BRKC: Tell us a little bit about your role with the Kart World Championship.
GL: I am part of the KWC Committee that was founded towards the end of 2007, when the KWC started hosting it events all over the globe, after the initial 3 events on Northern American soil. In this committee, I contribute as an advisor, making rule suggestions, improvements based on event experiences, and I try to help find new locations as well that would be suitable for hosting a big event like the KWC. There are many great tracks around the world, but karts, kart levelling, facilities, are all as important than the track layout itself. So during the year I try and help out the KWC group as much as possible, whilst during the events itself, I'm a competitor where I have no influence on any kind of decisions.
BRKC: How did BRKC compare with other similar national qualifiers?
GL: I really enjoyed competing in BRKC, even making it to the finals which had some national & international greats there. It was very challenging, which is what we love the most right? Compared to other national qualifiers (I did the Belgian & Italian series), I must say the level of drivers was similar, but the event managing in BRKC was top notch. The timing schedule was excellent. However, what sets BRKC apart is the live commenting during races, driver interviews and the livestream & live timing. This is a great plus and makes the experience for all drivers extra special. I'm definitely coming back to BRKC if my job allows for it.
BRKC: What advice would you give to a driver competing for the first time in a high level indoor competition?
GL: First of all I would advise every driver to drive as much as possible on different tracks (different karts, surface). Mainly because in the big competitions you will have to race guys who do so much racing all over Europe and the World. All the top guys adjust very fast to a new track, new surface, new karts – so it's very important to understand quickly what makes you fast, and what doesn't. Simply trying your best isn't enough – it really takes dedication and even studying to make it to the top.
I would also advise drivers to watch as many races as possible when you're not driving yourself. To see what lines drivers are taking, to see where overtaking manouvres pay off and when they don't, to see what pit strategies work best, etc. You really can learn a lot just with your eyes. Also, most drivers are as passionate as you are, so they will never act weirdly when you simply walk up to them and ask them some questions. Me & my teammates do nothing else but talk trajectories and what works & what doesn't. This saves us a lot of time because we don't have to learn everything individually.
Finally, the ultimate key to success will be consistancy, which means being able to resist pressure. You must learn to do your races, regardless who is around you. If it's a reigning champion, an ex F1-driver, or a rookie, they are just adversaries like all others, and that is something really important. You have to show respect, obviously, but never too much. Be selfish, you want to win, so you must do everything it takes and not be overwhelmed by some 'big-name'. Fast laps, lap after lap, plus good racecraft and strategy will bring you success. Nothing else.
BRKC: What impressed you most about BRKC in 2015?
GL: The level of dedication by the BRKC people (organisers, staff) and the Formula Fast crew. This combination of a serious organisation team plus dedicated track owners were the key to success for BRKC 2015 in my opinion. Obviously the great level and number of drivers made it something special as well.
Interview conducted in April 2015
in	Latest News	664	comments
New Pitstop System for 2016
BRKC races feature one compulsory pitstop to add a tactical element to the racing.
Pitstop strategy is crucial, and BRKC 2016 will feature an all new technological innovation for precise measurement of each driver's pitstop.
As the driver enters the 'stop box' in the pitlane, a laser activates a red traffic light instructing the driver to stop. After a pre-determined time on 'stop', the system activates a green light allowing the driver to continue.
A false start will trigger a separate warning light, notifying both officials and drivers that they must pit again to complete a full stop.
Check out the animation for the new system below:


Unlock your child's imagination with these train toys for toddlers. Here is a wide range of train sets, some made from wood, some made from plastic, but all capable of encouraging pretend play whether they are large or small sets.
If your little one has outgrown their crib, but they're not quite ready for a 'grown-up' bed, check out these toddler beds that are designed to help them make that transition (without as many sleepless nights as you feared).
Splish, splash and stop any bath time tantrums with this exceptional list of bath toys. Filled with a wide array of toys, children can have fun and imagine while they get themselves clean and submerge themselves in excitement.
They can certainly be a tad fussy, which is why we've written this list of gifts for 12 year olds boys to give you parents a little helping hand. Here you'll find awesome instant cameras, nifty Bluetooth speakers, and more.
This fantastic list of thoughtful gifts for 12 year old girls will have you wishing you had found us sooner! But don't worry, the wonders of shipping will have these with you ready to wrap up for your precious princess in no time.
Take a stroll through our Disney parade and choose from the best Minnie Mouse toys that you could find. From ride ons to collectibles, instruments to dress ups, and even remote control vehicles, this list encompasses the best Disney has to offer.
A lot of people are allergic to real life cats but love the idea of one. So why not use our list and bypass that problem? Robot cat toys are an ideal way to enjoy a cat without having to suffer. Whether you're looking for yourself or your kids, you'll find something to suit you.


Mysterious Buddhist kingdom, Tibet which remained in isolation for long year has now been an ultimate destination from across the world for having tour, as there are number of mysterious places, ancient Buddhist monasteries, and shrine in order to have tour tour.
Tibet has been of the world's richest cultural and spiritual centre for Buddhism, incredible landscapes, treeless barren land, high lands, ancient Buddhist shrines, monasteries, arts and architectures all have been the greatest attractions. Tibet which is popularly known as the roof of the world as it is located on the high land and there are number of well-developed trekking trails and destinations, which have attracted millions of travelers every year for having tour.
The mysterious Buddhist arts and architecture, culture, and the traditions that have been preserved from 14th century or so, have been the greatest attractions for travelers from across the world.
Lasha is the capital city of Tibet which is surrounded with snow-capped mountains all around, Buddhist monasteries and ancient buildings carved with beautiful arts, the valleys are full of historical monuments decorated beautifully, the hills are like a terraced with beautifully carved by stone slabs, all these features made Tibet an ultimate destination for having tour.


text:
Q: Loading native lib error I have problem with starting my app on linux, from IDE and direct from win everthink is ok, but on linux I'm getting following error:
native lib Version = RXTX-2.2pre2
mar 06, 2017 7:54:44 PM org.jnativehook.DefaultLibraryLocator getLibraries
SEVERE: Unable to extract the native library /org/jnativehook/lib/linux/arm/libJNativeHook.so!

Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-0" java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: org.jnativehook.GlobalScreen.getAutoRepeatRate()Ljava/lang/Integer;
at org.jnativehook.GlobalScreen.getAutoRepeatRate(Native Method)
at org.jnativehook.GlobalScreen.<clinit>(Unknown Source)
at the.main.pac.TheModbusSimpleTesterWindow$1.run(TheModbusSimpleTesterWindow.java:74)
at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(InvocationEvent.java:311)
at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEventImpl(EventQueue.java:756)
at java.awt.EventQueue.access$500(EventQueue.java:97)
at java.awt.EventQueue$3.run(EventQueue.java:709)
at java.awt.EventQueue$3.run(EventQueue.java:703)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at java.security.ProtectionDomain$JavaSecurityAccessImpl.doIntersectionPrivilege(ProtectionDomain.java:80)
at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:726)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:201)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:116)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:105)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:101)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:93)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:82)

Thanks for help in advance

A: The library tries to extract the naive code from the Jar if no library is found on the java.library.path property.  If you are repacking the Jar, you must pack the libraries to the same location within the Jar and fully comply with the GPL licence for your project.  The library must be included as a stand-alone library to comply with the Lesser-GPL.  You can specify a different library loading method or location by implementing the NativeLibraryLocator interface.  See DefaultLibraryLocator for an implementation example.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: How to get the TextField value in flutter I have created sign up screen in the flutter. I want to get the email and password in the onPressed of the FlatButton.
Does anyone know how to do this in flutter ?
  Widget SignupPage() {
    return new Scaffold(body: Container(
      height: MediaQuery.of(context).size.height,
      decoration: BoxDecoration(
        color: Colors.white,
        image: DecorationImage(
          colorFilter: new ColorFilter.mode(
              Colors.black.withOpacity(0.05), BlendMode.dstATop),
          image: AssetImage('assets/images/mountains.jpg'),
          fit: BoxFit.cover,
        ),
      ),
      child: new Column(
        children: <Widget>[
          Container(
            padding: EdgeInsets.all(100.0),
            child: Center(
              child: Icon(
                Icons.headset_mic,
                color: Colors.redAccent,
                size: 50.0,
              ),
            ),
          ),
          new Row(
            children: <Widget>[
              new Expanded(
                child: new Padding(
                  padding: const EdgeInsets.only(left: 40.0),
                  child: new Text(
                    "EMAIL",
                    style: TextStyle(
                      fontWeight: FontWeight.bold,
                      color: Colors.redAccent,
                      fontSize: 15.0,
                    ),
                  ),
                ),
              ),
            ],
          ),
          new Container(
            width: MediaQuery.of(context).size.width,
            margin: const EdgeInsets.only(left: 40.0, right: 40.0, top: 10.0),
            alignment: Alignment.center,
            decoration: BoxDecoration(
              border: Border(
                bottom: BorderSide(
                    color: Colors.redAccent,
                    width: 0.5,
                    style: BorderStyle.solid),
              ),
            ),
            padding: const EdgeInsets.only(left: 0.0, right: 10.0),
            child: new Row(
              crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.center,
              mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.start,
              children: <Widget>[
                new Expanded(
                  child: TextField(
                    obscureText: true,
                    textAlign: TextAlign.left,
                    decoration: InputDecoration(
                      border: InputBorder.none,
                      hintText: 'PLEASE ENTER YOUR EMAIL',
                      hintStyle: TextStyle(color: Colors.grey),
                    ),
                  ),
                ),
              ],
            ),
          ),
          Divider(
            height: 24.0,
          ),
          new Row(
            children: <Widget>[
              new Expanded(
                child: new Padding(
                  padding: const EdgeInsets.only(left: 40.0),
                  child: new Text(
                    "PASSWORD",
                    style: TextStyle(
                      fontWeight: FontWeight.bold,
                      color: Colors.redAccent,
                      fontSize: 15.0,
                    ),
                  ),
                ),
              ),
            ],
          ),
          new Container(
            width: MediaQuery.of(context).size.width,
            margin: const EdgeInsets.only(left: 40.0, right: 40.0, top: 10.0),
            alignment: Alignment.center,
            decoration: BoxDecoration(
              border: Border(
                bottom: BorderSide(
                    color: Colors.redAccent,
                    width: 0.5,
                    style: BorderStyle.solid),
              ),
            ),
            padding: const EdgeInsets.only(left: 0.0, right: 10.0),
            child: new Row(
              crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.center,
              mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.start,
              children: <Widget>[
                new Expanded(
                  child: TextField(
                    obscureText: true,
                    textAlign: TextAlign.left,
                    decoration: InputDecoration(
                      border: InputBorder.none,
                      hintText: '*********',
                      hintStyle: TextStyle(color: Colors.grey),
                    ),
                  ),
                ),
              ],
            ),
          ),
          Divider(
            height: 24.0,
          ),
          new Row(
            children: <Widget>[
              new Expanded(
                child: new Padding(
                  padding: const EdgeInsets.only(left: 40.0),
                  child: new Text(
                    "CONFIRM PASSWORD",
                    style: TextStyle(
                      fontWeight: FontWeight.bold,
                      color: Colors.redAccent,
                      fontSize: 15.0,
                    ),
                  ),
                ),
              ),
            ],
          ),
          new Container(
            width: MediaQuery.of(context).size.width,
            margin: const EdgeInsets.only(left: 40.0, right: 40.0, top: 10.0),
            alignment: Alignment.center,
            decoration: BoxDecoration(
              border: Border(
                bottom: BorderSide(
                    color: Colors.redAccent,
                    width: 0.5,
                    style: BorderStyle.solid),
              ),
            ),
            padding: const EdgeInsets.only(left: 0.0, right: 10.0),
            child: new Row(
              crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.center,
              mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.start,
              children: <Widget>[
                new Expanded(
                  child: TextField(
                    obscureText: true,
                    textAlign: TextAlign.left,
                    decoration: InputDecoration(
                      border: InputBorder.none,
                      hintText: '*********',
                      hintStyle: TextStyle(color: Colors.grey),
                    ),
                  ),
                ),
              ],
            ),
          ),
          Divider(
            height: 24.0,
          ),
          new Row(
            mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.end,
            children: <Widget>[
              Padding(
                padding: const EdgeInsets.only(right: 20.0),
                child: new FlatButton(
                  child: new Text(
                    "Already have an account?",
                    style: TextStyle(
                      fontWeight: FontWeight.bold,
                      color: Colors.redAccent,
                      fontSize: 15.0,
                    ),
                    textAlign: TextAlign.end,
                  ),
                  onPressed: () => {},
                ),
              ),
            ],
          ),
          new Container(
            width: MediaQuery.of(context).size.width,
            margin: const EdgeInsets.only(left: 30.0, right: 30.0, top: 50.0),
            alignment: Alignment.center,
            child: new Row(
              children: <Widget>[
                new Expanded(
                  child: new FlatButton(
                    shape: new RoundedRectangleBorder(
                      borderRadius: new BorderRadius.circular(30.0),
                    ),
                    color: Colors.redAccent,
                    onPressed: () => authHandler.handleSignInEmail(emailController.text, passwordController.text)
                        .then((FirebaseUser user) {
                      Navigator.push(context, new MaterialPageRoute(builder: (context) => HomePage()));
                    }).catchError((e) => print(e)),
                    child: new Container(
                      padding: const EdgeInsets.symmetric(
                        vertical: 20.0,
                        horizontal: 20.0,
                      ),
                      child: new Row(
                        mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
                        children: <Widget>[
                          new Expanded(
                            child: Text(
                              "SIGN UP",
                              textAlign: TextAlign.center,
                              style: TextStyle(
                                  color: Colors.white,
                                  fontWeight: FontWeight.bold),
                            ),
                          ),
                        ],
                      ),
                    ),
                  ),
                ),
              ],
            ),
          ),
        ],
      ),
    ));
  }

A: The text field calls the onChanged callback whenever the user changes the text in the field. If the user indicates that they are done typing in the field (e.g., by pressing a button on the soft keyboard), the text field calls the onSubmitted callback.
Using this callbacks, we can set the instance variables and use those variables on onPress of submit button.

A: Make the TextEditingController before the build method.
TextEditingController yourControllerName = new TextEditingController();

Then in TextField, pass controller like this:
TextField(
           controller: yourNameController,
           // your extra stuff
          )

And Suppose you want to access it in a Text, access it like this:
Text(
     yourControllerName.text.toString(), // this will convert your controller to String
     )

Thanks, I hope it works!!!

A: another easier (for my opinion) option is to add 'onChanged' property inside the TextField class that will contain the String
String enteredText .... TextField( onChanged: (newText) { enteredText = newText; },

A: Create your TextEditingController as a global variable in your State class and set it into your TextField widget.
final TextEditingController emailController = TextEditingController();

@override
  void dispose() {
    // Clean up the controller when the widget is disposed.
    emailController.dispose();
    super.dispose();
  }

TextField(
  controller: emailController,
  obscureText: true,
  textAlign: TextAlign.left,
  decoration: InputDecoration(
    border: InputBorder.none,
    hintText: 'PLEASE ENTER YOUR EMAIL',
    hintStyle: TextStyle(color: Colors.grey),
  ),
)

Now you can get the value using :
emailController.text

You can get more information here: https://flutter.dev/docs/cookbook/forms/retrieve-input


text:
Pollen Tests Reveal That 'Baby Doe' Was Likely from Boston Area
Police are still trying to identify the remains of a little girl found dead in a plastic bag near Boston
By Tara Fowler Updated August 14, 2015 10:40 AM
Credit: Courtesy National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
New tests have revealed that "Baby Doe," the unidentified little girl found dead in a plastic bag along a shoreline near Boston in late June, was likely from the area.
Police have been trying to identify the girl, who they believe was about 4 years old at the time of her death, since a dog walker discovered her body almost two months ago.
A computer-generated image showing what the girl may have looked like when she was alive has reportedly been shared more than 50 million times on Facebook. And yet, authorities have had little luck identifying the child whose plight has captured the hearts of so many.
But a small break in the case thanks to pollen could be the key to finally learning the little girl's identity.
"People collect pollen everywhere they go," Jake Wark, a spokesman for Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley, told ABC News Thursday.
"In this case, where we had a child whose identity we did not know, and whose birthplace we did not know, we collected pollen from evidence at the scene and sent to a government lab."
"We then presented the results of that testing to experts, who offered their opinions that the pollen was specific to the greater Boston area," Wark said.
Authorities said that they have received thousands of tips, but none of them have led to credible leads as of yet.
"From time to time we do come across unidentified remains, sometimes in the water, sometimes in rural or wooded areas. But in most cases they're identified quite rapidly," Wark said.
"In this particular case we have not had that success. And that's why we're trying to reach someone who knew this little girl and encourage them to step forward, identify her and give her the dignity of a burial under her own true name."
The cause and manner of the little girl's death have not yet been determined. There were no signs of trauma to her body and toxicology tests found no toxins or pathogens.
Anyone with information can call the state police at (617) 396-5655
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.


text:
Is the administration of Mifepristone drug, a safer treatment for acoustic neuroma?
Acoustic neuroma also known as vestibular schwannoma is a tumor that arises due to the excessive growth of Schwann cells. It mainly affects the cranial nerves and symptoms include hearing loss, tinnitus, balance loss, nystagmus, and vertigo[1]. The historical treatment options for this tumor include waiting and watching for the tumor to grow and then removing it, surgical removal, or radiotherapy. Till now no drug has been proven to be effective against this tumor, however, the use of Mifepristone a newer treatment option for acoustic neuroma is discussed here[2].
Mifepristone - How much do you know about it?
Mifepristone, a structurally synthetic steroid, is a glucocorticoid antagonist hormone. It inhibits the action of progesterone, a hormone that helps during pregnancy. Mifepristone is preferably used with Misoprostol in the early stages of pregnancy to stimulate abortion[3].
Mifepristone and acoustic neuroma – Are they related to each other?
The exact action of Mifepristone on acoustic neuroma is still not understood completely.
Preclinical computational analysis revealed that Mifepristone acts on nuclear factor- κB cells in acoustic neuroma. They belong to the family of transcription factors that controls a large group of genes that participate in various inflammatory and immune reactions.
It also reduced the activity of HE1-193 cells (cells derived from tumor tissue and immortalized for cell culturing), thereby reducing the metabolic activity of cells.
In this manner, Mifepristone can either reduce or prevent the growth of tumor cells in acoustic neuroma.
It is proven to be more effective in bilateral acoustic neuroma which is seen in a condition called neurofibromatosis -2, where Mifepristone acts on the defective gene that disrupts the function of the merlin protein which produces Schwann cells [3].
Pediatric Astrocytoma
Glioblastoma Multiforme
Gliomas in Neurofibromatosis
Brainstem Glioma
Cerebellar Astrocytoma
Turner Syndrome
Current management strategy using mifepristone in acoustic neuroma
With the advancements in technology and investigative clinical trials happening across the globe, there is a paradigm shift in the treatment of acoustic neuroma. Age-old surgical and radiation treatment options may remove the tumor, but they have the disadvantages of damaging the adjacent nerves and surrounding structures resulting in permanent hearing loss, and also other unavoidable complications such as post-surgical trauma, and radiation exposure side effects. Sometimes even after complete removal, the tumors may recur. So attempting drug therapy immediately after the occurrence of symptoms can be considered in acoustic neuroma[4].
Initially, drugs that give symptomatic relief can be advised for patients, and then after confirming the presence of the tumor by a series of investigations such as imaging techniques, tumor-suppressing drugs may be preferred. Apart from Mifepristone, several other chemotherapeutic agents which inhibit the growth of several growth receptors that are involved in the tumor progression can also be prescribed. But despite being effective on tumor growth, they are associated with several side effects [5].
Mifepristone on the other hand has lesser side effects and is relatively safer. It either reduces the size of the tumor or prevents its further growth by inhibiting the tumor cells' proliferation. It has been proved that in the initial stages where the patient is asymptomatic if Mifepristone is administered, the tumor does not increase in size and the patient does not develop hearing loss or any other associated symptoms. The efficacy of Mifepristone in the treatment of acoustic neuroma is widely established in cell culture. But further studies and longstanding clinical trials should be conducted to determine its success in treating acoustic neuroma patients and its safety aspect in pregnant patients[5].
Conserve till the last reserve
With the use of Mifepristone, a conservative approach can be tried in the acoustic neuroma, without directly proceeding to surgical excision or radiotherapy. But further studies are required in decision-making regarding the usage of this drug in patients with acoustic neuroma particularly pregnant women[3].
Gupta, V.K. et al. 'Vestibular Schwannoma: What We Know and Where We are Heading'. Head Neck Pathol. (2020) 14(4), 1058–1066. DOI: 10.1007/s12105-020-01155-x.
Karpinos, M. et al. 'TREATMENT OF ACOUSTIC NEUROMA: STEREOTACTIC RADIOSURGERY VS. MICROSURGERY'. (2002) 54(5), 12.
Sagers, J.E. et al. 'Computational repositioning and preclinical validation of mifepristone for human vestibular schwannoma'. Sci Rep. (2018) 8(1), 5437. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23609-7.
Myrseth, E. et al. 'Treatment of vestibular schwannomas. Why, when and how?'. Acta Neurochir (Wien). (2007) 149(7), 647–660. DOI: 10.1007/s00701-007-1179-0.
Long, J. et al. 'A Review of Drug Therapy in Vestibular Schwannoma'. Drug Des Devel Ther. (2021) 15, 75–85. DOI: 10.2147/DDDT.S280069.
We are scientific professionals committed to synthesizing advances in sciences & practice of medicine into layman's language (simple & understandable), without deviating from scientific facts.
© 2022 by Bhimar.org


text:
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Rispone is no 'outsider.' Campaign contributions & Lane Grigsby link make him a consummate 'insider' politician
October 23, 2019 by tomaswell
Eddie Rispone, who will face incumbent John Bel Edwards in the Nov. 16 general election for governor, calls himself a political outsider. In fact, that appears to be about the only position he has taken in the entire campaign other than proclaiming ad nauseam that he is a "job creator."
And if running for public office for the first time serves as the barometer for which the term is defined, then yes, he is a political outsider.
But if you include participation behind the scenes—as in pouring hundreds of thousand of dollars into various political campaigns in order to make one's influence felt in the halls of the Louisiana Legislature—then no, Eddie Rispone is anything but a political outsider.
If allowing someone like Baton Rouge contractor Lane Grigsby control your campaign—even to the point of boasting that he will chair your transition committee following your election (as claimed Wednesday over a Baton Rouge radio program)—then Eddie Rispone would have to be considered the consummate political insider.
Rispone, by necessity, had to participate in the gubernatorial debates because he was pitted not against Edwards in the first primary, but against Congressman Ralph Abraham, to see who would face Edwards in the general election.
And now that he's in the runoff, he seems to be dodging any face-to-face confrontation with Edwards. Just last night (Tuesday), he was a no-show at a statewide forum sponsored by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce, leaving Edwards alone to field questions.
It's a strategy, regrettably, that may be in Rispone's favor. With no real proposals forthcoming from him other than his repeated claim that he is a "job creator," and knowing that as the only Republican candidate in a very red state, he need only keep his head down and avoid major gaffs for the next three weeks.
The two are scheduled to participate in one final debate one week from today. We'll see if Rispone keeps that date.
Since 2003, the first year that Bobby Jindal ran for governor, Rispone and various family members have forked over more than $944,000 in political campaign contributions to various candidates—including $19,000 to Jindal and $35,000 to David Vitter's 2015 campaign for governor.
Rispone and family have also contributed:
$72,600 to Citizens for a Better Baton Rouge Political Action Committee (PAC);
$50,000 to Education PAC;
$100,000 to Empower Louisiana PAC (chaired by Grigsby);
$250,000 to the Louisiana Federation for Children PAC;
$40,000 to the Republican Party of Louisiana;
$175,000 to the Fund for Louisiana's Future.
Like his protégé, Grigsby likes to play behind the scenes, preferring to act not as a king, but as a kingmaker. And by holding the purse strings, he wields far more power than many office holders do themselves but without the pesky necessity of answering to constituents.
As such, he has been the chief "sponsor" of Rispone's candidacy, hoping to install his own candidate in the fourth floor of the House that Huey Built so that he, like the man behind the curtain in The Wizard of Oz, can call the shots without being subjected to voters' scrutiny.
And now we have Donald Trump spewing disinformation about John Bel Edwards on behalf of Rispone. Trump's TV ads, which are peppering the airwaves, claim that Edwards is pro-abortion and anti-Second Amendment. Nothing could be further from the truth. If anything, Edwards has alienated the Democratic Party with his Pro-Life stance, based on his Catholic background—and don't forget, he supported and signed a strong anti-abortion bill into law that is presently before the U.S. Supreme Court.
And his pro-Second Amendment record is out there everyone to see—even Donald Trump. But in a political campaign, anything goes—even outright lies.
Grigsby's campaign contributions dwarf those of Rispone. He and his family members have poured more than $2 million into various political campaigns since 2003, meaning that between him and student Rispone, they have spent just a shade under $3 million on a wide array of candidates and causes.
Unsuccessful U.S. Senate candidate Rob Maness was on the Jim Engster Show on Wednesday morning and he made the claim that Grigsby is already spreading the word around Baton Rouge that he will chair Rispone's transition committee after he's elected governor on Nov. 16.
But Grigsby recently may have crossed an ethics line, assuming such a line even exists anymore—or ever did—in the world of Louisiana politics.
In the Oct. 12 primary election for State Senator from Baton Rouge's 16th District, Democrat Beverly Brooks Thompson led a five-candidate field with 14,213 votes (34 percent) while incumbent Republican Steve Carter and Republican challenger Franklin Foil finished in a tie for second place.
With a three-candidate runoff looming, which would have been in favor of Thompson since only a plurality would be needed to win, Grigsby, desperate to install a Republican, tried to entice Foil into dropping out by promising him a judgeship.
As it turned out, that was unnecessary because a re-count gave Foil a four-vote win over Carter, placing him in the Nov. 16 runoff alone against the Democrat.
But Grigsby's offer brings into sharp focus the problem with big money in political races. It is indisputable that any candidate—whether he has anything to offer or whether he is just an empty suit—with sufficient money for enough sound-bite television ads has a tremendous advantage over a candidate with plenty of substance but no money.
No one should be able to purchase a judgeship—or any other office. That flies in the face of everything this country is supposed to stand for, but apparently no longer does.
Kris Kristofferson wrote a beautiful song entitled Me and Bobby Magee. There's a line in that song that says "Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose."
To paraphrase that line, "Free elections is just another term for plutocracy."
Posted in Campaign Contributions, Corruption, Elections, Ethics, Governor's Office, Politicians | 7 Comments
on October 23, 2019 at 7:52 pm | Reply John Sachs
John Bel has in 4 years created many times over the number of jobs that Rispone has over a lifetime. When John Bel moved the state into the medicaid programs that his Republican predecessor had refused to do, he created thousands upon thousands of new jobs in every medical care field. Then when John Bel turned around the Education underfunding trend of his Republican predecessor he again created thousands upon thousands of jobs. When John Bel obtained additional funding for repair and replacement of collapsing infrastructure, he created again thousands upon thousands of jobs, including the jobs that Rispone and Grigsby want to take credit for creating. No, John Bel is the REAL job creator in this matchup!
on October 23, 2019 at 10:25 pm | Reply STEPHEN WINHAM
It is a national shame that our politicians and PACs are able to lie about the opposition with impunity and to broadcast these lies ad nauseum. This lying negativity was bad enough prior to the election of our current POTUS. He has established the new gold standard – and not just in purely political speech. The false lines about JBE he is shown reading from a teleprompter with sing-song insincerity at his Lake Charles praise rally are being drilled into the minds of Louisiana's voters by sheer repetition – the simplest method of brainwashing – and it may very well be working.
John Bel Edwards has taken the high ground despite his utter misrepresentation by the president and Mr. Rispone – but what choice does he have? Gumbo PAC has gotten down in the mud with the president and Republican PACs, but JBE has attempted to stay above it.
We see what happens, on the largest possible scale in our country, when a person with no knowledge of government (other than the tax loopholes and incentives available to those who are least needy) and an unyielding ideology assumes responsibility for its effective administration. We have also seen what happens when that same president, on a much larger scale than former governor Bobby Jindal, chooses to go full steam ahead with actions inconsistent with our laws and with the doctrine of separation of powers – and simply awaits challenges that don't come often enough..
Mr. Rispone is likely to take his cue from Bobby Jindal. If so, we run a strong chance of entering another era of fiscal irresponsibility and haphazard administration. We have finally settled back down and are getting much better grades for management of our state and its finances. We are making modest progress toward a better quality of life for our citizens and government reforms.
As sick as we all are of hearing about the mess in which Jindal left our state, we desperately need to remember it and not take a chance on winding up like that again. Republicans will vote for Mr. Rispone in the march toward total domination of our state and country by their party.
If you believe in public education, a two-party system, pragmatic leadership, and that John Bel Edwards deserves 4 more years because our state needs a stable base to make further progress, your choice is clear and YOU MUST VOTE.
on October 24, 2019 at 4:29 am | Reply Fredster
Well said Stephen.
on October 24, 2019 at 6:01 am STEPHEN WINHAM
Thanks, Fredster. Here's what Mark Zuckerberg had to say yesterday:
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York was one of Mr. Zuckerberg's harshest questioners, asking about recent outreach to conservative news outlets: "Do you see a potential problem here with a complete lack of fact-checking on political advertisements?"
Mr. Zuckerberg replied: "In a democracy, I believe that people should be able to see for themselves what politicians are saying, and judge their character for themselves."
I certainly don't disagree with the spirit of Mr. Zuckerberg's statement. However, like a lot of other good concepts, it just doesn't work.
on October 24, 2019 at 6:21 am | Reply Edith Herring
Sadly, in my Parish, we are suffering from low Democratic voter turn out. Many seem to be almost comatose and uninformed about real issues. They feel defeated by Republican propaganda without any efforts by our Democratic organizations to "work the ground games" and reach out to them on any personal level. It seems that we lack Democratic leadership on several levels and we will all suffer for it.
on October 25, 2019 at 1:00 pm | Reply Joseph Biundo
We in Louisiana should be very concerned about someone running for our Governor, whose political and government experience is making large political contributions. Too, Rispone's support by Trump, which clearly helped in the primary, may now hurt him, as Trump's narcissism, and egotism causes him to make rash and inappropriate proclamations-such as with the Kurds. Too, Trump fits all the characteristics of being a sociopath. If you Google "sociopath", you will find that nearly every criteria fits our President.
on October 25, 2019 at 1:27 pm | Reply STEPHEN WINHAM
True!!! I would brand him a psychopath if he was more cunning.


Tight end Jimmy Graham, the Seattle Seahawks' prized offseason acquisition who was supposed to revitalize the team's offense in the red zone, caught just one pass for 11 yards on two targets in Sunday's 27-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Afterward, according to NFL.com's Michael Silver, it was obvious Graham was upset by his lack of involvement in the Hawks attack.
Silver said that while the 28-year-old wouldn't go as far as calling for offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell's job (like Marshawn Lynch's mother Delisa did last week), he "clearly wasn't thrilled" after Sunday night's defeat.
Granted, this is speculation on Silver's part, but it would be hard to blame Graham if he was a little bewildered about his role on the team. The 6-foot-7, 265-pounder averaged 8.7 targets per game over the last four seasons with the New Orleans Saints, when he also averaged 89 receptions for 1,099 yards and 12 touchdowns per campaign. Wile it was a given that he wouldn't see the ball that much in Seattle's run-first system, his utter lack of involvement on Sunday night was apparent.
Carroll said it wasn't for lack of trying that Graham didn't make an impact on the game, instead citing myriad factors that prevented Russell Wilson from getting the ball to the former All-Pro.
In his Seahawks debut versus the Rams in Week 1, Graham caught six passes for 51 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown.


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