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Tag Archives: Gun Control
Recent examples of law-abiding gun owners defending themselves from criminals
A woman defending herself from an armed home invader with her handgun
I've noticed that people outside America sometimes don't understand why Americans are so committed to owning firearms. Well, first of all, it's specified in our Constitution that we are allowed to keep and bear arms. And second of all, it's not always feasible to call the police and wait for them to arrive when a criminal shows up and menaces us or our loved ones.
And I have an example from just last week from ABC local news.
A robbery suspect was killed and a second ran away after a liquor store clerk opened fire in southeast Houston, police say.
The clerk opened fire during a robbery Wednesday night at Mike's Liquor Store in the 8700 block of MLK Boulevard near Reed.
Houston police said that at least two armed suspects went into the store, where two employees were working at the time.
One of the employees had a concealed handgun license and got into a shootout with the suspects.
The robbery suspect who was shot managed to escape, but died a short time later just south of the store.
The suspect's body was found by police, who put two and two together after receiving a call for a robbery at the store.
The employees were not injured.
Now, you might think that this self-defense stuff only happens once or twice a year, and the rest of the times guns are coming alive by themselves, and just flying around shooting children randomly. But actually, the number of defensive gun uses far outweighs the number of accidental deaths.
The Daily Signal had an article on this, with a bunch more examples from last month.
I just grabbed a few of my favorites from the article:
Feb. 5: A Nashville, Tennessee, woman was attacked from behind by a would-be purse thief, who proceeded to repeatedly slam the woman's head into a wall when she resisted him. The woman's husband heard her cries for help and came to her defense, firing his gun at the thief and causing him to flee.
Feb. 9: When three armed men attempted to rob a Little Caesars restaurant in North Fort Myers, Florida, a patron inside pulled his own firearm to defend other customers. One suspect was shot and the other two fled.
Feb. 12: A homeowner in Jackson County, Georgia, heard someone trying to break into her house through a window. She found a man standing outside and warned him not to come into the house. Nevertheless, the man broke the glass window, so the armed homeowner shot him.
Feb. 13: Sullivan County, Tennessee, Sheriff Jeff Cassidy praised the actions of a concealed carry permit holder who ended a deadly domestic violence incident at a dentist's office. The armed citizen shot and detained an active shooter who killed his wife and may have planned to harm others in the office.
Feb. 20: A 79-year-old Commerce, Georgia, homeowner called 911 to report a burglary in progress after she heard someone breaking into her home. The burglar ignored her threats and came in through an upstairs window before police could arrive. The homeowner shot at the burglar, who was so scared that he hid in a closet until the police arrived.
Feb. 26: The Mobile County, Alabama, Sheriff's Office posted a Facebook video showing an armed local homeowner's recent encounter with two would-be burglars. The burglars attempted to enter the occupied home in broad daylight, and were only deterred when the homeowner fired her handgun at them.
Feb. 28: Two men helped rescue a woman from a would-be kidnapper in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, after seeing her struggle to escape on the side of the road. After the two men stopped their car, one of them pulled out his handgun, prompting the suspect to flee. He was later apprehended and confessed to kidnapping the woman.
Daily Signal did the same thing for January, and I grabbed a few of my favorites for January, too:
Jan. 2: The security officer of a grocery store in Loomis, California, confronted a couple suspected of shoplifting. When one of them pulled a knife and tried to stab the security guard, a good Samaritan with a concealed weapons permit drew his firearm, stopped the confrontation, and held the couple at the scene until law enforcement arrived.
Jan. 9: An Arizona man awoke to the sound of four intruders breaking into his home. He flicked his lights on and off several times to warn the intruders that someone was home, hoping this would cause them to flee. But the intruders proceeded to smash windows and enter through the back door. The homeowner opened fire, hitting all four intruders and killing one.
Jan. 10: A Florida resident held an intruder at gunpoint until law enforcement could arrive. The man had broken into the garage and was in the process of filling his bag with the homeowner's firearms and ammunition.
Jan. 23: Police responded to a 9-1-1 call from St. Louis, Missouri, resident who used his firearm to protect the other people in his home from three armed men attempting to force their way inside. One intruder was shot and killed on the scene while the other two fled.
Jan. 28: A woman arrived at her Campobello, South Carolina, home to find it being burglarized for the second time in just a few weeks. She shot one of the three intruders, while the other two fled the scene and were later arrested by law enforcement
It's very important that law-abiding people be allowed to defend themselves and their loved ones from criminals. And that's why law-abiding Americans are so committed to being able to own firearms and obtain concealed carry permits.
Concealed CaryCrimeGunGun ControlGunsPoliceProtectionSecond AmendmentSelf-Defense
Did Australia's ban on guns lower violent crime rates and lower suicide rates?
Gun ownership up, gun violence down
Someone asked me about what I thought of Australia's experience banning the use of handguns for self-defense against criminals, and so I thought I would link to an article from The Federalist, then explain what peer-reviewed studies say about the issue.
Let's start with The Federalist.
The argument, as Vox's headline puts it, is "Australia confiscated 650,000 guns. Murders and suicides plummeted."
The piece, along with many gun control advocates, cites a Harvard University study whose conclusion begins with this line: "It does not appear that the Australian experience with gun buybacks is fully replicable in the United States." Not a great start for Vox's angle, but I digress.
The study doesn't conclude that "murders and suicides plummeted" in Australia after the 1996 gun ban, as Vox claims in its headline. Instead, it focuses solely on firearm-related murders and suicides.
After the gun ban, violent crime rates were up:
Yes, as with the gun-happy United States, the murder rate is down in Australia. It's dropped 31 percent from a rate of 1.6 per 100,000 people in 1994 to 1.1 per 100,000 in 2012.But it's the only serious crime that saw a consistent decline post-ban.
In fact, according to the Australian government's own statistics, a number of serious crimes peaked in the years after the ban. Manslaughter, sexual assault, kidnapping, armed robbery, and unarmed robbery all saw peaks in the years following the ban, and most remain near or above pre-ban rates. The effects of the 1996 ban on violent crime are, frankly, unimpressive at best.
It's even less impressive when again compared to America's decrease in violent crime over the same period. According to data from the U.S. Justice Department, violent crime fell nearly 72 percent between 1993 and 2011. Again, this happened as guns were being manufactured and purchased at an ever-increasing rate.
So although you have fewer firearm-related deaths when you disarm law-abiding civilians, violent crime increases, because there is now NO deterrence to criminals. Even a criminal with a knife can rob, rape and murder someone who is unarmed.
What about suicide rates?
The Australian gun ban's effect on suicide in the country isn't any better. While Vox repeats the Harvard study's claim that firearm-related suicides are down 57 percent in the aftermath of the ban, Lifeline Australia reports that overall suicides are at a ten-year high. The Australian suicide prevention organization claims suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians 15 to 44 years old. So, while Australians kill themselves with firearms less often, it seems they don't actually take their own lives any less often than before the ban.
So, overall suicides are not down, people simply found other ways to kill themselves. So the gun ban had no effect on the overall suicide rate. But it did raise the violent crime rate. Should we be surprised by this? Actually, this is consistent with peer-reviewed research.
Gun crime also skyrocketed after the 1996 gun ban. The Washington Free Beacon reports.
Australia has seen a rise in gun crime over the past decade despite imposing an outright ban on many firearms in the late 1990s.
Charges for crimes involving firearms have increased dramatically across the island nation's localities in the past decade according to an analysis of government statistics conducted by The New Daily. It found that gun crimes have spiked dramatically in the Australian states of Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania. In Victoria, pistol-related offenses doubled over the last decade. In New South Wales, they tripled. The other states saw smaller but still significant increases.
Experts said that the country's 1996 ban on most semi-automatic firearms has actually driven criminals to those guns. "The ban on semi-automatics created demand by criminals for other types of guns," professor Philip Alpers of the University of Sydney told The New Daily. "The criminal's gun of choice today is the semi-automatic pistol."
[…]Regardless of the reasons for the jump in gun crime, the numbers reveal the true size of Australia's illegal gun market. "Taken together, the data suggests that despite our tough anti-gun laws, thousands of weapons are either being stolen or entering the country illegally," The New Daily said. "The fourfold rise in handgun-related charges in NSW in the past decade points to the existence of a big illegal market for concealable firearms that seems to have been underestimated in the past."
If you take guns away from law-abiding people (which is what Australia did), then only criminals will have guns. And that means that the criminals will become bolder in the face of their disarmed victims.
The peer-reviewed research
Whenever I get into discussions about gun control, I always mention two academic books by John R. Lott and Joyce Lee Malcolm.
The Lott book was published by the University of Chicago Press (now in its 3rd edition)
The Malcolm book was published by Harvard University Press
I think that peer-reviewed studies should be useful for assessing gun control vs gun rights policy. The book by economist John Lott, linked above,compares the crime rates of all U.S. states that have enacted concealed carry laws, and concludes that violent crime rates dropped after law-abiding citizens were allowed to carry legally-owned firearms. That's the mirror image of Dr. Malcolm's Harvard study, which shows that the 1997 UK gun ban caused violent crime rates to MORE THAN DOUBLE in the four years following the ban. But both studies affirm the same conclusion – more legal firearm ownership means less crime.
One of the common mistakes I see anti-gun advocates making is to use the metric of all "gun-related deaths". First of all, this completely ignores the effects of hand gun ownership on violent crime, as we've seen. Take away the guns from law-abiding people and violent crime skyrockets. But using the "gun-related deaths" number is especially wrong, because it includes suicides committed with guns. This is the majority (about two thirds) of gun related deaths, even in a country like America that has a massive inner-city gun violence problem caused by the epidemic of single motherhood by choice. If you take out the gun-related SUICIDES, then the actual number of gun homicides has decreased as gun ownership has grown.
For a couple of useful graphs related to this point, check out this post over at the American Enterprise Institute.
AustraliaConstitutionCrimeCrime RateFirearmFreedomGun BanGun ControlGun CrimeGun OwnershipGun RegistryGun ViolenceGunsHandgunLibertyRifleSecond AmendmentViolent CrimeViolent Crime Rate
Facts vs feelings in the debate on gun control vs self-defense
I found a splendid at the Daily Signal article that ought to be read by everyone who has an opinion about the conflict between gun confiscation vs self-defense.
Here are the 8 points made in the article, then I'll comment on my favorite one:
Violent crime is down and has been on the decline for decades.
The principal public safety concerns with respect to guns are suicides and illegally owned handguns, not mass shootings.
A small number of factors significantly increase the likelihood that a person will be a victim of a gun-related homicide.
Gun-related murders are carried out by a predictable pool of people.
Higher rates of gun ownership are not associated with higher rates of violent crime.
There is no clear relationship between strict gun control legislation and homicide or violent crime rates.
Legally owned firearms are used for lawful purposes much more often than they are used to commit crimes or suicide.
Concealed carry permit holders are not the problem, but they may be part of the solution.
Whenever we discuss gun violence, it's very important to exclude suicides using a gun from the overall rate of gun deaths. Once you do that, you will find that the rate of violent crime has been declining as more and more law-abiding Americans have gone through the process to purchase a firearm for self-defense.
Let's talk about the gun homicide rate and how the steady increase in firearm ownership has affected that. When you look at the graph below, keep in mind that two thirds of the homicide are suicides committed with a firearm.
Here is a graph:
The question I want to address is this: why would someone want to own a gun in the first place?
Here are the points from the list of eight points that are relevant to that question:
Switzerland and Israel have much higher gun ownership rates than the United States but experience far fewer homicides and have much lower violent crime rates than many European nations with strict gun control laws.
Higher rates of concealed carry permit holders are even more strongly associated with reduction in violent crime than are "right-to-carry" states. The probable reason for this is that "right-to-carry" studies often include "open carry" states, which have not been shown to correlate with more people actually carrying or even owning firearms. Rates of concealed carry permit holders are better indicators of the number of people who actually possess and carry firearms within a given population.
Homicide and firearm homicide rates in Great Britain spiked in the years immediately following the imposition of severe gun control measures, despite the fact that most developed countries continued to experience a downward trend in these rates. This is also pointed out by noted criminologist John Lott in his book "The War on Guns."
Similarly, Ireland's homicide rates spiked in the years immediately following the country's 1972 gun confiscation legislation.
Australia's National Firearms Act appears to have had little effect on suicide and homicide rates, which were falling before the law was enacted and continued to decline at a statistically unremarkable rate compared to worldwide trends.
According to research compiled by John Lott and highlighted in his book "The War on Guns," Australia's armed and unarmed robbery rates both increased markedly in the five years immediately following the National Firearms Act, despite the general downward trend experienced by other developed countries.
Great Britain has some of the strictest gun control laws in the developed world, but the violent crime rate for homicide, rape, burglary, and aggravated assault is much higher than that in the U.S. Further, approximately 60 percent of burglaries in Great Britain occur while residents are home, compared to just 13 percent in the U.S., and British burglars admit to targeting occupied residences because they are more likely to find wallets and purses.
It is difficult to compare homicide and firearm-related murder rates across international borders because countries use different methods to determine which deaths "count" for purposes of violent crime. For example, since 1967, Great Britain has excluded from its homicide counts any case that does not result in a conviction, that was the result of dangerous driving, or in which the person was determined to have acted in self-defense. All of these factors are counted as "homicides" in the United States.
In 2013, President Barack Obama ordered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to assess existing research on gun violence. The report, compiled by the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council, found (among other things) that firearms are used defensively hundreds of thousands of times every year.
According to the CDC, "self-defense can be an important crime deterrent." Recent CDC reports acknowledge that studies directly assessing the effect of actual defensive uses of guns have found "consistently lower injury rates among gun-using crime victims compared with victims who used other self-protective strategies."
Semi-automatic rifles (such as the AR-15) are commonly used as self-defense weapons in the homes of law-abiding citizens because they are easier to control than handguns, are more versatile than handguns, and offer the advantage of up to 30 rounds of protection. Even Vox has published stories defending the use of the AR-15.
AR-15s have been used to save lives on many occasions [list omitted by WK]
Noted criminologist John Lott found that, as a group, concealed carry permit holders are some of the most law-abiding people in the United States. The rate at which they commit crimes generally and firearm crimes specifically is between one-sixth and one-tenth of that recorded for police officers, who are themselves committing crimes at a fraction of the rate of the general population.
Between 2007 and 2015, murder rates dropped 16 percent and violent crime rates dropped 18 percent, even though the percentage of adults with concealed carry permits rose by 190 percent.
Regression estimates show a significant association between increased permit ownership and a drop in murder and violent crime rates. Each percentage point increase in rates of permit-holding is associated with a roughly 2.5 percent drop in the murder rate.
Concealed carry permit holders are often "the good guy with a gun," even though they rarely receive the attention of the national media. Concealed carry permit holders were credited with saving multiple lives [list omitted by WK]
So, I think that those points provide a very necessary balance for the "ban guns" crowd. Gun ownership is a vital part of a free citizen's right to self-defense. People who want to discuss gun confiscation vs self-defense need to be aware of the way guns are really used by law-abiding people to protect themselves and their families.
CrimeGun ControlGun OwnershipGunsSelf-DefenseViolent Crime
Let's talk about the gun homicide rate and how the steady increase in firearm ownership has affected that.
Four Broward county deputies stood outside waiting while Parkland killer shot children
Broward county sheriff Scott Israel and Hillary Clinton
Should we depend on the police to protect us from armed criminals? Broward county sheriff Scott Israel is a well-known Democrat who supports Hillary Clinton. After the Florida shooting, he went on CNN and blamed the law-abiding gun owners for the Florida school shooting. But it was the police officers in his own department who stood around outside the crime scene doing nothing as children were shot by a killer they had visited 45 times.
The Daily Wire reports:
On Thursday night, the American public learned two bombshell pieces of information regarding the Parkland, Florida mass shooting. First, we learned that the Broward County Sheriff's Office was told in November that the Parkland shooter "could be a school shooter in the making" but deputies didn't bother to write up a report; that report "came just weeks after a relative called urging BSO to seize his weapons." Then, in even more shocking news, we learned that an armed school resource officer at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School sat outside and waited for four minutes during the six minute attack that ended in the deaths of 17 human beings.
So, here's what we know.
We know the FBI was warned specifically about the Parkland shooter not once, but twice — and did nothing.
We know the Broward County Sheriff's deputies were called to the home of the Parkland shooter at least 39 times since 2010.
We know that the Broward County Sheriff's Office was warned multiple times about the Parkland shooter.
We know that an armed officer was present during the shooting and did nothing — and that JROTC students showed far more courage.
Just to be clear, it's actually FORTY-FIVE times that the Broward county police had to visit the killer's home.
Far-left Buzzfeed reports:
Broward County sheriff's officials said in a statement late Saturday that they responded only to 23 calls involving suspected Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz or his family over the years, but records obtained by BuzzFeed News show at least 45 responses since 2008.
The number of calls made over the years involving Cruz or his family, according to the call records, are nearly twice the number publicly disclosed by the department.
And it's not just one armed school resource officer who sat around outside doing nothing, it's FOUR armed policemen who sat around outside doing nothing.
On Friday, CNN issued a shock report finding that earlier reports regarding Broward County Sheriff's Deputy Scot Peterson — the armed school safety officer who apparently cowered outside the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School while a mass shooter slaughtered 17 people inside — were accurate, but that Peterson wasn't the only officer waiting outside. According to CNN:
When Coral Springs police officers arrived at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on February 14 in the midst of the school shooting crisis, many officers were surprised to find not only that Broward County Sheriff's Deputy Scot Peterson, the armed school resource officer, had not entered the building, but that three other Broward County Sheriff's deputies were also outside the school and had not entered, Coral Springs sources tell CNN. The deputies had their pistols drawn and were behind their vehicles, the sources said, and not one of them had gone into the school.
So there were four armed officers outside the school. And none of them did anything, according to CNN. They instead waited for Coral Springs police to lead the charge inside.
What's more, Coral Springs City Manager Mike Goodrum apparently chewed out Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel over that malfeasance on February 15 — more than a week ago. Which means that Israel knew full well that his own office had botched everything dramatically when he stood on stage with CNN's Jake Tapper and a crowd of angry parents and community members and blamed the National Rifle Association and Dana Loesch for his own horrible failure.
Now, you might think that the sheriff in this case would resign immediately. It would probably be a good idea for him to lose his pension, and face civil and perhaps even criminal charges for criminal negligence. So, what did he do? He went on CNN and howled about how the NRA is to blame for the shooting, and that the answer to the shooting is reduced ownership of firearms by law abiding people. The NRA and the law-abiding gun owners did not visit the suspect's house 45 times, though.
You see, Sheriff Israel expects law-abiding people to not defend themselves from the fatherless killers produced by the socialist welfare state. He expects us to rely on him and his Broward county police officers. The same police officers who stood around outside doing nothing while children were shot.
It really makes me think about why CNN had this man at a townhall where he could point fingers at the NRA and law-abiding gun owners, when the truth is that his deputies stood around doing nothing while a killer they had visited 45 times murdered innocent children. Seems to me the NRA and the law-abiding people certainly had less to do with this shooting than the Democrat sheriff and his incompetent cowardly deputies.
Bernie SandersBroward CountyCrimeGun ControlHillary ClintonParklandSchool ShootingSheriff IsraelSteve Israel


Socially disadvantaged families with multiple problems also suffer from health disadvantages. Children and young people in particular in these families are exposed to a wide variety of health risks. This is aggravated by the fact that this social group in particular, which has the greatest need for preventive and health-promoting measures, is barely reached by such services.
This is the starting-point for the research project, which is evaluating three practical projects in large German cities (Hamburg, Berlin and Munich) that are aiming to help in innovative and more resource-oriented ways to solve the so-called 'prevention dilemma'. Using a multiple-methodology study design, quantitative efficacy research and multidimensional process evaluation are being combined.


Every E30 M3 that comes into our shop gets the front swaybar tab inspected. This is such a common problem but with an easy fix. If left to worsen you may be looking at an entire strut housing replacement. Fix it now with these reinforcing plates and a little welding! Not only will modified suspensions put stress on the mounts but age will reduce their strength as well. Reinforcing the swaybar mount to the strut will keep your swaybar geometry in spec and prevent a costly and ugly repair.


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A Socialist Journal
By Colin Piper
Debate, Environment, May 2014
Colin Piper calls for a rational approach on this controversial subject
t the time of writing "smog" caused by car fumes in Paris has led to severe restrictions on car travel. Problems such as these have led to the increased use of electricity for heating and transport, rather than the burning of fuels. Electricity is seen as clean and safe but it has not always been thought of in this way. Thomas Edison famously electrocuted an elephant in public in order to demonstrate how dangerous alternating current was (the type we all now have in our homes).
How is electric current generated?
Electric current is man-made. This usually involves spinning a turbine attached to a generator; the turbine is essentially a giant fan. The spinning can be done with wind, say, as in a wind turbine, or by boiling water and then blowing the steam at the turbine blades. This leads to the main problem with our increasing dependence on electricity, it may be clean and safe at the point of use but most certainly isn't where it is generated.
Burning fossil fuels
In the 1940s coal was used to generate around 90% of our electricity. Burning fossil fuels still accounts for around three quarters of our electricity production but natural gas has replaced most of the coal.
These industries all have a history of catastrophic environmental disasters. In her list of the 25 all-time worst man-made environmental disasters, Elaine Dimdam lists seven that were directly related to the extraction and transport of fossil fuels and a further five connected to the wider petrochemical industry. Moreover, her list was compiled before the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the worst accidental oil spill ever.
There is also the problem of climate change, the five wettest and seven warmest years in Britain since records began have all taken place since 2000 and this winter's floods are, according to Lord Stern, "part of an international pattern of extreme weather".
Derek Wall, and the left of the Green Party, sees the future in local solutions and community based energy production, "I have never been convinced that a centrally planned economy would work…" he says. I have some sympathy with his desire for localised electricity generation but there are problems with this image of a wind turbine on every chimney and a solar panel on every roof . People tend to settle in sheltered places and, even if it is windy, the large number of buildings in cities causes the air-flow to become turbulent and wind turbines inoperative. Solar panels only work when it is sunny and most of the world's densely populated places aren't very sunny at all, even without the smog.
Pete Dickenson in The Socialist, favours the construction of "offshore wind farms". My main concern is for the construction workers who have to build them. Germany has so far built three offshore wind farms and there have been three deaths and 80 serious accidents. There are plans to build a further 40 wind farms, many of them in more difficult and dangerous locations than the existing three. Do the maths and I hope you agree that wind generated electricity is far from safe.
All around the world there is a drive towards developing hydro-electric power. The 20-40,000 Xingu of Brazil are just one of many indigenous peoples who are fighting forcible eviction from their land. But it is not just the rights of indigenous tribes that we need to consider. Between 80 and 230,000 people died in Henan province China when a typhoon caused a dam to break (the authorities kept it a secret – hence the uncertainty in the figures) and an earthquake in India, caused by the weight of water behind Koyna Dam killed 280 people. Hydro-electric power isn't safe either.
Radiation is all around us and there is lots of it. If you could see radiation the world would be permanently foggy. Most of this radiation comes from outer space but some of it comes from naturally occurring rocks within the Earth. These naturally occurring rocks can be mined, refined and used to produce steam to drive turbines, replacing the fossil fuels that cause climate change and acid rain. Whereas our reserves of oil and gas will run out in maybe less than 50 years our reserves of nuclear fuel will last at least a thousand years, some argue much longer. This is partly because uranium, the fuel used in most nuclear power stations, is two to three million times more concentrated an energy source than coal or oil.
How dangerous is radiation?
Exposure to a dose of 1mSv (one milli-Seivert) gives an additional risk of fatal cancer of 1 in 20 00010. The fatal injury rate for agricultural workers in the U.K. is currently 8.8 per 100,000 per annum11, nearly twice as dangerous. The first workers to re-enter the Fukushima plant after the disaster were exposed to around 2mSv12. They faced about the same risk of death as each and every agricultural worker in Britain, and far less danger than the people currently building offshore wind farms, the desire for which is partly fuelled by a perception that nuclear power is dangerous.
The Fukushima nuclear power plant was old, inadequately maintained and lacking many safety features that ought to be obligatory. It was struck by a devastating earthquake, Japan's worst in living memory, and a vast tsunami 14 metres high. The reactors began to explode and melt down after the power failure had knocked out the cooling system. Yet to date there hasn't been a single death resulting from the leaked radiation. It is impossible to make any kind of reliable estimate of the final impact on health but one American scientist has suggested that the disaster may ultimately lead to 1,000 extra cancer deaths in Japan over the lifetimes of all the survivors, a century or so,the increase will be undetectable.
The 1986 Chernobyl disaster was by far the worst accident in the history of nuclear power. 530,000 local recovery workers were exposed to a radiation dose equivalent to 50 years normal background. Thirty one people died at the time of the accident followed by another 50 soon after from radiation poisoning. Estimates vary as to how many additional cancer deaths will be caused worldwide but it is certain to be in the tens of thousands.
Details of the circumstances that led to this accident are widely available. Suffice to say that it should never have happened but its causes were not related to any inherent fault in nuclear power per se.
Socialism is a society in which resources, including human ingenuity and scientific understanding, are used for the benefit of everyone. Marx talked of a society of super-abundance; this will inevitably require the availability worldwide of electric current and therefore a massive increase in our current capacity.
Unlike Derek Wall and the Green Party I think this is only achievable on the back of an international socialist plan, with a world-wide grid that allows supplies to be transferred from where they are available to where they are needed.
Unlike Pete Dickenson I don't think this demand for electricity can be credibly met by offshore wind farms. Unlike both of them I am not prepared to reject a potential source of huge amounts of energy for hundreds, possibly thousands, of years because of a complete misunderstanding of the nature of risk. Risk is inevitable and unavoidable. Societies as well as individuals have to make decisions about how to minimise and manage it.
There are issues relating to nuclear power, the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the safe storage and disposal of waste being two obvious examples. The new generation of thorium reactors and the development of nuclear fusion might well do away with these concerns over the next 20 years or so and, in the meantime, I hope that we can have a reasoned and informed debate around the options available to us, a debate based on evidence and not prejudice.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Yet another Another Show-n-Tell+Thursday. Please note some small corrections to last weeks examples (DBlookup's to leverage the Name and Address book). Oh the dangers of coding when tried.
Two things to be aware of : A) for this to work on the web the agent has to "Run as user", otherwise it will show the roles of the id that signed the web agent. B) On a a local database make sure you have "Enforce a consistent Access Control List across all replicas" in effect.
The third parameter so the compare is case insensitive and pitch insensitive!
Arraygetindex was there in R5 as well, but it seems to have been a very much underused function. And in ND6.5 and higher, there's NotesDatabase.QueryAccessRoles to replace the Evaluate(@UserRoles).
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"Life is great!"
ITP doesn't stop Aandrea Hays from living each day to the fullest!
If it's 6:30 am on a weekday, you'll find Aandrea Hays at work—at an Albuquerque brewery that's a 30-minute drive from her home in Los Lunas, NM. That's when her shift as a lab tech starts—in some months, before the sunrise. Not that Aandrea's complaining; after all, her 2:30 pm quitting time leaves more room in the day to do other things. Like play with her Chihuahuas, Tweak and Bitty, before preparing dinner for her and her husband, William. "I really enjoy cooking," says Aandrea. "All kinds of pasta, soups…but my enchiladas are my husband's favorite!"
Aandrea's active days are no problem now. But seven years ago, when her platelets fell to 13,000 and she was diagnosed with ITP, life didn't allow for too many hobbies. Whipping up a Mexican dinner? Not likely. For years, a frustrating ITP cycle consumed her life: platelet crash, followed by treatment, pause, repeat. "I was exhausted all the time," says Aandrea. While steroids could bring her up to 400,000, "I couldn't figure out how to sleep, I gained weight and developed horrible acne. But none of that compares to the emotional outbursts I'd have. Such angry outbursts! I'd ask myself, Why am I so mad?"
"I stayed the course—and found remission!"
Aandrea persevered, trying new treatments, dosages and combinations of treatments, and going for blood work to check her platelets—sometimes twice a week. Throughout, she wracked her brain to figure out why on earth her platelets were tanking. She spotted some connections, noting, "My father's adamant that when I'm stressed out, I crash. He linked my platelet drops with college finals and trying to find a job—things that are more than my normal daily stress."
In 2015, Aandrea began a new medication regimen but discussed a "plan B" with her hematologist: In the event the therapy failed, they agreed she'd undergo a splenectomy, surgery to remove the spleen, the organ that traps platelets and produces anti-platelet antibodies. She even got the vaccinations she'd need in case of surgery. "They wanted me to be prepared," she explains.
Fortunately, the new regimen was successful! As for plan B, that was scrapped. At last, Aandrea found the treatment that helped her break the frustrating cycle that had bogged her down for years. In fact, the medication brought her platelets to a safe level—and they've stayed there ever since! Best of all, it's given her priceless peace of mind—whether she's playing with new recipes, cheering on the Raiders or enjoying "really bad reality TV," ITP is no longer stealing her energy or spoiling her fun!
Here, the tips that keep Aandrea thriving—ask your healthcare provider if they can help you, too!
1.	Watch for signs.
Aandrea calls fatigue her "best indicator" that her platelet levels are falling. "But first, I try to figure out if it's ITP-related or if I'm just feeling lazy," she says. "If I'm super tired despite having had a good night's sleep, that's when I know I need to get my platelets checked. If it is my ITP fatigue, the only thing that really helps is a higher platelet count!"
2.	Live by how you feel—not by the number.
It took a while before Aandrea discovered she could live with a platelet count of 30,000. "I did my own research and learned how many people are sitting at that number," she says. "Some people drop and drop until they have no platelets. But I don't have any symptoms at 30—no petechiae, purpura or nosebleeds. I can live my life just fine!"
3.	Prepare yourself for platelet drops.
"Even without ITP symptoms, it's important to be ready," says Aandrea. "I keep a hospital bag packed with my favorite sweatpants and a hoodie, my shampoo and other things, so my husband won't have to panic if I have to be admitted." It removes some of the stress of going into the hospital.
4.	Guard against infection.
"As soon as I get an infection, my entire immune system goes down and I'm more likely to have a platelet crash," says Aandrea. "So I'm a compulsive hand-washer, and I'm big on getting my flu shot. I also have a face mask I wear if my husband, who's a teacher, comes home coughing. And I always have my disinfectant spray ready!"
5.	Tune into your body.
When she can, Aandrea exercises. "I run and use weights. I enjoy it—it makes me feel better and healthier overall." But she also rests when she feels the need. "If I'm feeling especially exhausted, I might sleep for 15 hours!"
6.	Network with others with ITP.
"I've been to three PDSA annual conferences," says Aandrea, whose family attended with her. "We've learned about ITP together. Hearing others talk about ITP fatigue, it's nice to be able to say I feel that, too and to have that support. And it helped my family understand how ITP fatigue affects me."
7.	Lose the guilt.
"When I had platelet crashes, people would ask me, What happened? What changed? What did you do? I finally realized: I am not causing my ITP—it's just the disease. That has changed my outlook! I know now that a platelet crash is not my fault," says Aandrea. "I'm not so hard on myself anymore!"
You can feel your best!
"We stood up to ITP!"
How to get that energy back!
"I have ITP—it doesn't have me!"
Have ITP? Bruise-proof your home
handle bleeding episodes with confidence
10 ways to reduce the risk of infection
Safely tackle everyday tasks
Exercise safety tips for ITP
8 tips to keep your head safe
Your guide to stress reduction
10 essential travel tips
Help your teen live with ITP
Take these steps to raise safe, happy children
Ask the expert: ITP and sports
Getting support, making ITP connections
Twitter.com/HealthMonitor
YouTube.com/HealthMonitor
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Platelet growth factors
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2016 Ohio State Spring Football Preview: Youth Will Be Served, Early And Often – TE Preview
March 4, 2016 by Jeremiah (SYR) Leave a Comment
"Almost everything that is great has been done by youth…" ~ Benjamin Disraeli
Ohio State will begin spring football practice on March 8th. Heading into the 2016 college football season, Ohio State will have 44 players on its roster designated as either a redshirt freshman (21 of the 25 players signed in February 2015), or a true freshman. For a roster that can have only 85 scholarship players, Ohio State will have around 52% of its roster with no playing time experience. As former Ohio State Head Coach John Cooper used to say, "If a dog is going to bite you, it will bite you as a pup.".
For the next several weeks, I will be writing position group previews, leading up to the Ohio State Spring Football Game in Ohio Stadium on April 16th, 2016. These position groups will be ranked, from least to most concern, as I perceive them. It is entirely possible that my concerns, as well as the coaching staff's concerns, will be reevaluated after the spring game.
7th – Tight End
Player Lost – Nick Vannett. Vannett exhausted his eligibility, and is preparing for the 2016 NFL Draft. Even though Vannett did not have as strong a senior season as he would have liked, Vannett had 19 receptions for 162 yards. Compare and contrast that to Marcus Baugh, who had 2 receptions for 32 yards, with the longest reception (27 yards) coming in The 2016 Battlefrog Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame.
Returning Players/Incoming Players – Marcus Baugh (Redshirt Senior), A.J. Alexander (Redshirt Freshman), Rashod Berry (Redshirt Freshman).
A few things to keep in mind as it relates to this position group…
· Marcus Baugh is the starter, almost by default. Baugh enters the 2016 season with a career total of 3 receptions for 34 yards, and one touchdown. That is three more receptions and one more touchdown than any other scholarship tight end on the Ohio State roster. Baugh has had numerous off the field issues in the past. The coaching staff has maintained their patience with Baugh, and Baugh seems poised to conclude his Ohio State career as a starter in 2016.
· Neither A.J. Alexander or Rashod Berry played in 2015. Considering Alexander was coming off an injury sustained during his senior year of high school, and how Berry split time at multiple positions in high school, it is no surprise why Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer was reluctant to play either player in 2015.
· Reinforcements are on the way, but will not arrive until the summer. Ohio State signed three tight ends in Luke Farrell, Jake Hausmann, and Kierre Hawkins, but none of these players will be in the mix during spring practice. For both Alexander and Berry, the spring practices will be essential. Alexander and Berry will want to secure their positions on the depth chart, before any of the freshmen tight ends arrive on campus.
These questions, among others, will be on my mind once Ohio State spring practice begins March 8th.
Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: A.J. Alexander, Jake Hausmann, John Cooper, Kierre Hawkins, Luke Farrell, Marcus Baugh, Nick Vannett, Rashod Berry, Urban Meyer
The Late Glenn Frey, In An Ode To The 2015 Ohio State Recruiting Class
February 12, 2016 by Jeremiah (SYR) Leave a Comment
The anticipation for Ohio State spring football is always tremendous. Tickets for the April 16th spring game are already on sale, with the game two months away. Ohio State just signed an impressive recruiting class for 2016, with seven of the players already enrolled, planning to participate in spring drills.
How does this involve the late, great Glenn Frey, former member of The Eagles? In February 2015, Ohio State signed a talented group of players, with the vast majority redshirting throughout the 2015 season. When I write "vast majority", I am citing the fact that 21 out of 25 players did not see game action. That amounts to 84% of the 2015 recruiting class.
Glenn Frey wrote the song "New Kid In Town", a familiar song to Eagles fans. Below are some of the lyrics as I describe some of the players Ohio State fans will have an opportunity to learn about as the April 16th spring game approaches…
"There's talk on the street; it sounds so familiar
Great expectations, everybody's watching you
People you meet, they all seem to know you
Even your old friends treat you like you're something new
Johnny come lately, the new kid in town
Everybody loves you, so don't let them down"
At quarterback, Joe Burrow has already been named the backup quarterback heading into spring drills. If you think backup quarterback is unimportant, I suggest you go look up the following football season – Ohio State, 2014.
At running back, Mike Weber will throw his hat into the ring to replace early NFL Draft entry Ezekiel Elliott. Weber is one of the members of the 2015 recruiting class who possibly could have played in 2015, if not for an injury that required surgery during fall camp.
At wide receiver, converted quarterback Torrance Gibson, Alex Stump, and K.J. Hill will all battle to impress the coaching staff. Considering Michael Thomas and Jalin Marshall have also declared for the NFL Draft, here is a position group that is open for players to contribute.
Tight end? Nick Vannett has moved on, with Marcus Baugh the only returning tight end with any game experience. A.J. Alexander and Rashod Berry will want to seize the moment, as Ohio State signed three tight ends in Kierre Hawkins, Jake Hausmann, and Luke Farrell who will arrive on campus this summer.
Offensive Line? This was an impressive haul last February, with Grant Schmidt, Kevin Feder, Matthew Burrell, and Branden Bowen…who all redshirted. There are three spots open on the line.
Two open spots along the defensive line should loom large this spring. Jashon Cornell, Dre'Mont Jones, Joshua Alabi, Robert Landers, and Davon Hamilton may all be in the mix here.
Two open linebacker spots, with plenty of opportunities for playing time. Nick Conner impressed in the 2015 spring game, but redshirted due to injury. Justin Hilliard was arguably one of the most recruited players in the class, and redshirted from injury also.
The secondary? Talk about an opportunity, with three open spots, including both safety positions. Joshua Norwood and Damon Arnette can throw their hats into contention.
Don't forget Ohio State signed a long-snapper last winter. Liam McCullough may be the easiest of the 2015 redshirt freshmen to target for a starting position, as Bryce Haynes has exhausted his eligibility.
Twenty-one out of twenty-five. All eager, able, and hungry to show the Ohio State coaching staff, and fans, what they can do. These players would be wise to remember the words of Glenn Frey…
"There's talk on the street, it's there to
Remind you, that it doesn't really matter
which side you're on.
You're walking away and they're talking behind you
They will never forget you 'til somebody new comes along…"
Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: A.J. Alexander, Alex Stump, Branden Bowen, Damon Arnette, DaVon Hamilton, Dre'Mont Jones, Grant Schmidt, Jake Hausmann, Jalin Marshall, Jashon Cornell, Joe Burrow, Joshua Alabi, Joshua Norwood, Justin Hilliard, K.J. Hill, Kevin Feder, Kierre Hawkins, Liam McCullough, Luke Farrell, Marcus Baugh, Matthew Burrell, Michael Thomas, Mike Weber, Nick Conner, Nick Vannett, Rashod Berry, Robert Landers, Torrance Gibson
Post-2015 Ohio State Spring Game: Reranking Concerns
May 1, 2015 by Jeremiah (SYR) Leave a Comment
Throughout the weeks leading up to the 2015 Ohio State spring game, I had written ten articles where I ranked my concerns about Ohio State heading into the 2015 season. These articles were written from lowest concern to highest concern, primarily based upon players lost to eligibility or injury.
A couple weeks have passed since the glorious spring game, allowing me to contemplate and reflect upon what I saw during the spring game, as well as what I had written prior to the game. Were my concerns warranted?
Here are my top three concerns as Ohio State prepares for the influx of freshman talent in their 2015 recruiting class to arrive upon campus in June, gearing up for the all-important summer workouts that will be key to the Buckeyes' 2015 national championship hopes…
3. Wide Receiver: Corey Smith had a terrific spring game, and Michael Thomas was sidelined due to a surgery procedure. Why am I ranking this wide receiver position higher than my earlier concern? Quite simply, losing Devin Smith as a consistent deep threat is something that will need to be demonstrated in true game competition. Corey Smith had some moments in the spring game, but I am skeptical about the consistency aspect that has plagued him in the past. We shall see if Corey Smith becomes the deep threat that is necessary for Ohio State's passing offense to flourish.
2. Tight End: Nick Vannett is the listed starter, and could be primed for a big senior year, provided he stays healthy throughout the season. Marcus Baugh would have to be considered the second-string tight end heading into summer workouts. Why am I ranking this position higher than my earlier concern? Plain and simple, Baugh did not play in the spring game, due to a stomach virus that sidelined him. The lack of experienced depth has me concerned, but incoming freshmen Rashod Berry and A.J. Alexander may have opportunities to get playing time in the early portion of the season.
1. Defensive Tackle: Yes, my earlier concerns about defensive tackle heading into spring practice remain my top concern heading into the summer and fall. Ohio State did not truly emphasize the run in the spring game, so it would be difficult to gauge how effective the interior defensive linemen are at shutting down the run. Tommy Schutt did not play in the spring game, so there is another factor in not being able to accurately see the position group at full strength. With the Virginia Tech game on September 7th, Ohio State fans such as myself are going to have to be in a true "wait and see" mode as to how strong the defensive tackles are for the 2015 Buckeyes.
Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: A.J. Alexander, Corey Smith, Devin Smith, Marcus Baugh, Michael Thomas, Nick Vannett, Rashod Berry, Tommy Schutt
2015 Ohio State Spring Football Questions: Who Else Besides Nick Vannett At Tight End?
March 19, 2015 by Jeremiah (SYR) Leave a Comment
On March 10th, Ohio State began spring practice, and had fifteen spring football practices available before the conclusion of spring practice on April 18th in Ohio Stadium. Over the next few weeks, I will rank the top ten questions facing Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer and his coaching staff as the Buckeyes retake the football field after concluding the 2014 season as the national champions.
These articles will be submitted from areas of lowest concern to highest concern. While Ohio State returns the overwhelming majority of its 2014 team, and welcomes in a highly-touted recruiting class, it will be important for Coach Meyer to convey to his team that complacency within the player ranks could derail any hopes of the Buckeyes repeating as national champions in 2015.
Two practices in, with the week of March 15th-March 22nd off as the players can enjoy the Ohio State spring break period. After March 22nd, Ohio State has thirteen remaining practices, including the April 18th spring game, to evaluate where the football program stands before fall camp begins.
6. Tight End
Key Players/Contributors Lost: Jeff Heuerman
Key Players/Contributors Returning: Nick Vannett (Redshirt Senior), Marcus Baugh (Redshirt Sophomore)
At first glance, it may seem puzzling that I have listed the tight end position group as a concern heading into spring practice. After all, Nick Vannett returns as the starter, and was instrumental in the 2014 season with nineteen catches and five touchdowns.
Where I am concerned is the lack of depth and experience at the position. Jeff Heuerman, a 2014 captain who battled through injuries during the season, leaves behind more than just his seventeen receptions and two touchdowns. Heuerman was a capable and dependable blocker in the Ohio State running game. Losing an experienced and reliable blocker at a key position on offense has to be somewhat disconcerting.
Yes, Marcus Baugh returns at tight end. Let us be honest – do you have any concerns about Baugh staying out of trouble after his first two seasons in the program? I am all for second chances, but it may not be far-fetched to suggest that the next offense could be the one that will result in Baugh being removed from the program.
Baugh did play sparingly in 2014, with his lone reception resulting in a touchdown versus Kent State. Even if Baugh stays out of trouble, is Baugh the type of blocker who can assist with the Ohio State running game as Heuerman or Vannett did in 2014?
Marcus Baugh just caught a touchdown pass. Didn't imagine typing that this season. It's 38-0 Ohio State.
— Tim Shoemaker (@TimShoemaker) September 13, 2014
Here is an idea that I have read and heard from other Ohio State writers/bloggers/analysts regarding the tight end position ~ Noah Brown.
Brown is listed on the official Ohio State athletic department website as a wide receiver. At 6'1″, Brown would not be in the traditional tight end mold like Vannett or Baugh height-wise, but Brown is a tremendous blocker. Perhaps Brown will be given some repetitions at both positions this spring, and the coaches will make a determination as to which will best help the team.
In the 2015 recruiting class, A.J. Alexander and Rashod Berry were both listed at the tight end position. Both will arrive on campus this summer, and could make an impact upon the depth chart this season.
Is the tight end postion a concerning one for Ohio State in 2015? In the grand scheme of things, no…as long as Nick Vannett stays healthy. Finding players who will be able to spell Vannett, or contribute with Vannett on two tight end set formations, is something Coach Meyer and Ohio State Tight Ends Coach Tim Hinton may want to determine before April 18th.
Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: A.J. Alexander, Jeff Heuerman, Marcus Baugh, Nick Vannett, Noah Brown, Rashod Berry, Tim Hinton, Urban Meyer
Ohio State Tight End Preview
August 21, 2014 by Jeremiah (SYR) Leave a Comment
The tight ends in Ohio State's offense were likely to play a significant role in the offense this season before Braxton Miller was lost for the season with a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. Now, with redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett at the helm, it would seem that the tight ends will get even more throws their way as they become potential safety valves for the freshman behind an inexperienced offensive line.
The tight end group is anchored by Jeff Heuerman, who led the team last season in yards per reception at 17.9. Heuerman played in every game, pulling in 26 catches for 466 yards and four touchdowns. The senior from Naples, Fla. has been named to the Mackey Award watch list this preseason for the nation's top tight end, which is no surprise given the flashes of big-play potential Heuerman showed last season.
Among the big plays Heuerman produced last season was a 57-yard touchdown catch and run in the Orange Bowl against Clemson and a 22-yard touchdown against Michigan. He also had a big game against Purdue (who didn't?), racking up 116 yards on five grabs on his way to being named the Mackey Award national player of the week. Heuerman earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades from both the coaches and the media last season.
Poised for a breakout year is junior Nick Vannett. The Westerville Central grad played in 25 games over the past two seasons, recording 17 receptions for 203 yards and one touchdown, with the lone touchdown coming in the victory over Purdue last year. After just eight catches in 2013, don't be surprised if Vannett doubles that total this season as he becomes a bigger part of the Buckeye offense.
The third tight end of the group is redshirt freshman Marcus Baugh. A four-star recruit coming out of high school, Baugh was a top-150 player across all the major recruiting sites. Listed as the No. 3 tight end in the country in the class of 2013 by ESPN, Scout, and 247Sports, Baugh played in the Under Armour All-American Game in 2013. Baugh was an extremely productive receiver during his days at John W. North High School in Riverside, Ca, where he caught 68 passes for 1,138 yards and 10 touchdowns over his final two years.
With all of the weapons Ohio State has on offense, it's easy to overlook the tight end position. It would not be wise to do so. Heuerman and Vannett have proven that they have the ability to make the big play on the collegiate level and Baugh certainly has the potential to do the same. Look for 30-35 catches from Heuerman and 10-15 from Vannett. At this point, any contribution from Marcus Baugh would just be icing on the cake for the offense.
What do you think of the Buckeye tight end group? Does Heuerman have what it takes to bring home the Mackey Award? Let us know in the comments what you're looking for from the tight ends this season.
Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, Ohio State Football Tagged With: Jeff Heuerman, Marcus Baugh, Nick Vannett
2014 OSU Spring Football – Questions Answered, Questions Remain
April 14, 2014 by Jeremiah (SYR) 1 Comment
Before Ohio State's 2014 spring practices began in March, I posted questions ranked from least concerning areas to most concerning areas as I perceived them. Are the categories in the same sequence? Let's find out.
10. Special Teams Units: Ranked tenth coming into the spring practice, and I believe this important area still ranks low in terms of concerns heading into the summer. During the spring game, Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer did not practice kickoffs, and punt returns all resulted in fair catches. Furthermore, with the influx of freshmen talent who will arrive in June, it would be reasonable to expect a number of freshmen to compete for playing time in this often over-looked area.
9. H-Back/Pivot/Hybrid/Slot: An area that was ranked eighth heading into spring practice, it seems to be in fairly capable and competent hands. Coach Meyer withheld rising sophomore Dontre Wilson from the spring game, and Wilson should have ample opportunities to play H-Back when the season begins next August 30th. Rising redshirt freshman Jalin Marshall and true freshman Curtis Samuel should also have chances to contribute in this area; Samuel had several moments during spring practice that impressed Coach Meyer.
8. Tight End: Ranked ninth, I elevated this area for two relatively minor reasons. First, rising senior Jeff Heuerman missed a considerable portion of spring practice a foot injury that required surgery, and will keep Heuerman in a cast and walking boot until summer workouts. Secondly, rising redshirt freshman Marcus Baugh had some impressive moments this spring, but is still trying to regain the confidence of the coaching staff. Rising junior Nick Vannett will play considerably this fall. Overall, a solid group, but Heuerman's absence and injury led me to rank this as an area of more concern after the spring than before the spring practices.
7. Running Back: This position area is in the same location as it was when spring practices began. My concerns rank in the same general area – will the coaching staff be able to keep all of these players happy and involved? Rising sophomore Ezekiel Elliott seems to be the prohibitive favorite going into summer workouts, but rising redshirt sophomore Bri'onte Dunn, true freshman Curtis Samuel, and rising redshirt sophomore Warren Ball all played well throughout the spring. Throw in rising senior Rod Smith, who had a strong spring, in the words of Coach Meyer, and perhaps you can see why I question how the coaching staff will be able to keep all of these players involved and happy.
6. Placekicker: Another adjustment, post-spring practice. This battle will continue throughout the summer, but true freshman Sean Nuernberger may have a slight lead over rising senior Kyle Clinton. Nuernberger was able to successfully kick both field goal attempts from 52 yards, while Clinton was unable to do so. It is early in the process, but considering Nuernberger is a scholarship player, it would seem plausible that Nuernberger may have the edge on this spot going into summer workouts.
Part two will focus upon the five areas of highest concern, as Ohio State leaves spring practice behind and prepares for summer workouts and fall camp.
Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: Bri'onte Dunn, Curtis Samuel, Dontre Wilson, Ezekiel Elliott, Jalin Marshall, Jeff Heuerman, Kyle Clinton, Marcus Baugh, Nick Vannett, Rod Smith, Sean Nuernberger, Urban Meyer, Warren Ball
2014 OSU Spring Football – Questions To Answer (Part 1)
March 1, 2014 by Jeremiah (SYR) 5 Comments
"It is only the farmer who faithfully plants seeds in the spring who reaps a harvest in the Autumn." ~ B.C. Forbes
I have no idea if Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer is an avid reader of Forbes magazine, but I feel comfortable in stating that Coach Meyer agrees with Mr. Forbes' ideas about the importance of spring as it relates to results in the fall. Ohio State will kick off the first of fifteen spring practices on March 4th, with the last culminating in the spring football game on April 12th in Ohio Stadium.
While Ohio State returns several key players from last year's squad that went 12-2 in 2013, Coach Meyer and his coaching staff will have to address and work upon position group areas before the 2014 season commences. Over a two part series, I have ranked the various position group areas, from least concerning to most concerning, as I perceive them.
It is entirely possible that this list may look entirely different when April 13th arrives. Feel free to comment below. Let us begin…
Honorable Mention: Senior QB Braxton Miller's Continued Passing Improvement – Before this series was written, I ranked this as my #10 question heading into spring football practices. With the recent news of Miller's offseason surgery, it led me to reassess this as a top priority. Miller will/should have limited work in the spring, to avoid further injury, while also allowing the backup quarterbacks (more on them in this series, I promise) more repetitions in game-like conditions. This concern could certainly warrant a higher ranking, heading into fall camp.
10. Special Teams Units – While ranked low, this unit is of extreme importance to the overall success of any team. Eliminating an opponent's ability to return kickoffs and punts can often be a difference between winning and losing. With that criteria in mind, keep in mind that several of the incoming freshmen who are not yet on campus. The players I anticipate playing on special teams for Ohio State in 2014 are names from the highly-touted 2013 recruiting class – players such as Jayme Thompson, Darron Lee, Christopher Worley, Eli Apple, Cam Burrows, or Gareon Conley. Again, this list is highly subjective, as there are several freshmen who will look to make an impact when they arrive on campus, and could fluctuate greatly by the time the season begins.
9. Tight End – Senior Jeff Heuerman returns, with redshirt junior Nick Vannett also in the mix. Senior J.T. Moore returns, after a conversion from the defensive line. Moore's role is primarily for blocking. The wild card of this group is redshirt freshman Marcus Baugh. Baugh was highly recruited, yet has received negative scrutiny for repeated off the field incidents. If Baugh stays out of trouble, will he do enough this spring to warrant playing time this coming season?
8. H-Back/Pivot/Hybrid/Slot – Notice how I used various terms, as I have read any and all of these during Coach Meyer's tenure at Ohio State to describe this important offensive position; H-Back seems to be the nomenclature I have seen more frequently as of this writing. Regardless, players such as Dontre Wilson, Jalin Marshall, and newly-arrived Curtis Samuel would seem to fit the H-Back position well for Ohio State. Questions to work on this spring for H-Back would seem to be are there other players on the squad who may also be able to contribute in this manner? More importantly, can the H-Back position become more than a decoy, as Dontre Wilson was often relegated to during the 2013 season?
7. Running Back – Carlos Hyde is busy preparing for the upcoming NFL Draft, so returnees Warren Ball, Bri'onte Dunn, Rod Smith, and Ezekiel Elliott will all battle for the starting job. Elliott is the favorite going into spring practice, but all should give him a run for the position. Hybrids Dontre Wilson and Curtis Samuel will also be involved. Can Ohio State RB coach Stan Drayton keep everyone happy?
6. Wide Receiver – The buzzword for this position group is "competition". Ohio State WR Coach Zach Smith has stated there are no starters, so I would speculate this is a group to keep an eye open for news this spring. Here are the players at Coach Smith's disposal ~ James Clark, Evan Spencer, Jalin Marshall, Jeff Greene, Johnnie Dixon, Michael Thomas, Corey Smith, Devin Smith, and Frank Epitropoulos. Throw in hybrid Curtis Samuel into that mix. Plus incoming freshmen Noah Brown, Parris Campbell, and Terry McLaurin are not on campus yet. Yow. Can Coach Smith keep all these players happy and in the fold?
Part two will examine what I believe are the top five questions to focus upon as they relate to the 2014 Ohio State spring football practices.
Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: Braxton Miller, Bri'onte Dunn, Cam Burrows, Carlos Hyde, Christopher Worley, Corey Smith, Curtis Samuel, Darron Lee, Devin Smith, Dontre Wilson, Eli Apple, Evan Spencer, Ezekiel Elliott, Frank Epitropoulos, Gareon Conley, J.T. Moore, Jalin Marshall, James Clark, Jayme Thompson, Jeff Greene, Jeff Heuerman, Johnnie Dixon, Marcus Baugh, Michael Thomas, Nick Vannett, Noah Brown, Parris Campbell, Rod Smith, Terry McLaurin, Warren Ball


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Crisis hotlines intact in Arrowhead region
The headline in the Duluth News Tribune on Monday, April 2, shook Linda Curran enough for her to act. "Minnesota's only suicide hotline could close," read the headline atop a story on Page A2. Curran called right away. "It was a little alarming,"...
The headline in the Duluth News Tribune on Monday, April 2, shook Linda Curran enough for her to act. "Minnesota's only suicide hotline could close," read the headline atop a story on Page A2.
Curran called right away.
"It was a little alarming," said Curran, supervisor of adult mental health and adult protection for St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services. "I wanted to make sure our market knew what was out there."
The St. Paul Pioneer Press story published in the News Tribune referred to Crisis Connection, a Richfield, Minn.-based nonprofit agency that receives state calls routed from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. But it's not the "only" crisis hotline in the state as the errant headline indicated.
In fact, Curran described suicide prevention services in the Northland as "robust and nimble."
"We continue to work on them," she said, "but we've developed crisis response lines and mobile teams to meet the needs of the region."
Some time ago, even some of the local counties used to contract with the Crisis Connection center that was reported in Monday's story. But that has changed in recent years as Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake and St. Louis counties, along with the Lake Superior Chippewa bands of Bois Forte, Fond du Lac and Grand Portage, have developed regionalized mental health crisis care services for children and adults.
The counties and bands work together as the Arrowhead Health Alliance and they're currently promoting their mental health crisis services with a public service announcement campaign titled, "Let's talk."
"I wanted to make sure no one thinks our crisis lines are shutting down," Curran said. "The most important thing is there's not despair and panic. We have answers for people - children, families and adults. I just didn't want misinformation for our region."
----Breakout box----
Crisis hotline numbers in Arrowhead region
Carlton, Cook, South St. Louis and Lake counties/Fond du Lac Band
North St. Louis County/Bois Forte Band
218-326-8565 or 211*
*St. Louis County 211 services are not crisis-related
Esko man pivots nursery into wedding venue, Airbnb
"It's actually a really good fit — a landscape company with a wedding venue on the same property," said Ken Hammarlund.
Minnesota prosthetist building limbs for Ukrainian soldiers, civilians
A small, newly formed Twin Cities prosthetic manufacturer works closely with a nonprofit organization to fit Ukrainians with free devices.
By Shannon Geisen


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Trump Echoes Fox News Guest (Again), Blasts English Health Service
By Carlos Ballesteros On 2/5/18 at 12:00 PM EST
Protesters carry placards during a march calling for an end to the 'crisis' in the state-run National Health Service (NHS), in central London on February 3, 2018. DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images
U.S. NHS Britain England Nigel Farage
President Donald Trump chastised the United Kingdom's National Health Service on Twitter just an hour after a prominent British nationalist made similar statements during an interview with Fox & Friends on Monday morning.
Nigel Farage, former leader of the right-wing U.K. Independence Party, was on Trump's favorite morning news show to talk about this weekend's protests in support of more funding and greater accountability for the NHS.
During the show, Fox News host Steve Doocy said celebrations in Philadelphia mirrored the Brits' protests of their "overburdened national health service—the same system Democrats have continued to push for here in the United States."
Doocy then asked Farage to explain the protests to the show's American audience. Farage's first target were immigrants.
"Well the big problem we've got is a population crisis caused by government policy on immigration," Farage said. "We have a population of 65 million but it's increasing by half a million people a year. We just haven't got enough hospitals, we haven't got enough doctors, we haven't got enough facilities."
"The National Health Service has turned into the International Health Service and we're providing a lot of healthcare for people coming into Britain from all over the world. We do need some absolutely fundamental reforms," Farage continued. "This system we have was set up in 1948. Surprisingly for a state-run thing for most of the first 50 years the public had great faith in it. Right now it's pretty much at breaking point."
Farage then warned his American listeners to stay clear of universal health care because the country "would never ever be able to remove it."
About an hour later, Trump tweeted a combination of Doocy's and Farange's points.
"The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working. Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks!," the President wrote.
In a separate tweet, Trump thanked Fox & Friends for "exposing the truth," adding, "Perhaps that's why your ratings are soooo [sic] much better than your untruthful competition!"
The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working. Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2018
Trump's response was swiftly criticized by commentators and British and American politicians, who drew attention to the many faults in the U.S. health care system. Many pointed to high per-capita costs and the lack of adequate coverage for the poor.
Jeremy Hunt, the U.K.'s health secretary, retweeted the President, adding that while the NHS has its issues, no one in the U.K. would want "to live in a system where [28 million] people have no cover." Hunt wrote that he was "proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage—where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance."
I may disagree with claims made on that march but not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28m people have no cover. NHS may have challenges but I'm proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage - where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance https://t.co/YJsKBAHsw7
— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) February 5, 2018
Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the left-leaning Labour Party, also replied to Trump on Twitter: "Wrong," Corbyn wrote. "People were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it. Healthcare is a human right."
Wrong. People were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it. Healthcare is a human right. https://t.co/Pmo2xYSqZh
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) February 5, 2018
The People's Assembly Against Austerity and Health Campaigns Together, a British activist group that organized Saturday's protests, also replied to the President and Farage, tweeting that the reason for the demonstration was to try and stop the British government from moving the NHS towards "an American-style system which is widely acknowledged to be one of the most expensive, inefficient and unjust healthcare systems in the world."
"Tens of thousands of British people want to show their love for the principles of universal and comprehensive care free at the point of use, paid for through general taxation," the group wrote. We don't agree with your divisive and incorrect rhetoric. No thanks."
According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the U.S. spends $2.8 trillion on health care annually, or around $8,500 a person—20 percent more than the next highest country in the world. Despite spending more, Americans on average visit the doctor less than those in the U.K., Germany, France, Canada and Australia, all of whom have some version of publicly-funded health care.
A movement to bring universal healthcare to the U.S. gained steamed during last year's presidential election thanks in large part to Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who wants the U.S. to adopt a "Medicare-for-All" program. A December 2017 Gallup poll shows 47 percent of respondents support a government-run health care system, the highest in seven years.
Russians Ridicule State Decision to Ban Stalin Satire
'Racist' Texts About Meghan Markle Spark UKIP Crisis
UKIP Takes Anti-Islam Turn Ahead Of General Election


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Kawanabe Kyōsai
Japanese painter
Alternative Titles: Kawanabe Gyōsai, Shōjō Kyōsai
Kawanabe Kyōsai, Kyōsai also spelled Gyōsai, also called Shōjō Kyōsai, (born May 18, 1831, Koga, Japan—died April 25, 1889, Tokyo), Japanese painter and caricaturist.
After working briefly with Utagawa Kuniyoshi, the last great master of the Japanese colour print, Kyōsai received most of his artistic training in the studio of Kanō Tōhaku. He soon abandoned the formal traditions of this master for the greater freedom of the popular school. The great painter Hokusai influenced his work, and, like that artist, Kyōsai delighted in sketching figures, conveying in a few masterly strokes an impression of living energy and momentary action.
During and after the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Kyōsai attained a considerable reputation as a caricaturist. Though often imprisoned, he continued to express his opinions in caricature with great popular success. His sketchbooks and a five-volume work on hawks were also published. Originality and humour are obvious in his sketches of goblins and animal life, especially birds, fish, and reptiles.
Kyōsai was fond of sake and is said to have done his best work under its influence. Many of his books, prints, and sketches are signed Shōjō ("Drunken") Kyōsai.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen, Corrections Manager.
Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Japanese painter and printmaker of the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") movement. Like…
Emperors and Empresses Regnant of Japan
Traditionally, the ruler and absolute monarch of Japan was the emperor or empress, even if that person did not have the actual power to govern, and the many de facto leaders of the country throughout history—notably shoguns—always ruled in the name of the monarch. After World War II, with the…
Sketch, traditionally a rough drawing or painting in which an artist notes down his preliminary ideas for a work that will eventually be realized with greater precision and detail. The term also applies to brief creative pieces that per se may have artistic merit. In a traditional sketch, the…
Koga, Japan
April 25, 1889 (aged 57)
Independent - Exhibitions / Crazy like a badger: The Japanese demon painter, Kawanabe Kyosai, overindulged in sake for art's sake. Iain Gale inspects the damage


text:
Saint-Hilaire-du-Bois puede referirse a:

 Saint-Hilaire-du-Bois, comuna francesa situada en Charente Marítimo.
 Saint-Hilaire-du-Bois, comuna francesa situada en Gironda.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Rhinestones Hair Comb. GLAM UP YOUR HAIR WITH THESE HAIR COMBS!
These Rhinestone Multi-colors (Yellow, Blue, Red, Pink, Orange, Green) Plastic Hair Combs will glam up your hair for sure!
*Expedited shipping extra. Ships USPS, unless otherwise specified.
FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2017, BLR FASHION JEWELRY WILL DONATE 50% OF OUR PROFITS TO THE AMERICAN RED CROSS.


text:
Stephen King "Secretary of Dreams" Vol. 2 Signed First Limited Edition, #747/750 [Very Fine, Archival Sleeve Protection]
VERY FINE GUARANTEED
Brand new, mint, and flawless. Free of markings, writings, or stamps. No bookplates attached or indication of any removed. Very Fine condition. The condition is of the highest quality.
Edition: Cemetery Dance Publications 2010
Binding: Over sized dj/HC
Illustrator: Signed Limited First Edition
Dimensions: 13.5" x 10" x 2"
Availability: Same Day Shipping
Product Code: SK628
This special over-sized (coffee table sized) edition is limited to just 750 copies, each copy personally hand signed by Stephen King along with the illustrator Glenn Chadbourne.
Number 747 of only 750 produced. This is the First World Signed Edition, Limited Edition.
A gorgeous over-sized volume FULL of illustrations that would make the perfect gift !
This signed limited edition volume is now OUT OF PRINT and no longer available from the publisher.
These Stephen King stories are LAVISHLY illustrated with hundreds of illustrations by Maine artist Glenn Chadbourne, making this is a one-of-a-kind project from the master of horror. This deluxe edition book is over-sized and housed in a handsome custom tray case to protect your investment. A wonderful addition to your Stephen King collection!
Below you will find just a few samples of Glenn Chadbourne�s interior artwork for The Secretary of Dreams (Volume Two) by Stephen King. There are HUNDREDS of illustrations within this signed limited edition volume, but we just wanted to give you a taste of what�s inside. Enjoy!
Stephen King has written more than forty novels and two hundred short stories. He is the recipient of the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. King has also received the O. Henry Award for his story "The Man in the Black Suit," and he is the editor of The Best American Short Stories 2007. Among his most recent worldwide bestsellers are Cell, the Dark Tower series, On Writing, The Green Mile, From a Buick 8, Lisey's Story, and Bag of Bones. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King.
Glenn Chadbourne's artwork has appeared in over thirty books as well as numerous magazines and comics. His trademark pen and ink drawings have accompanied the works of today's hottest genre authors. Glenn lives in Newcastle, Maine, with his wife Sheila and their pug dog Rocket.
LIFETIME GUARANTEE OF SIGNATURE AUTHENTICITY
Personally hand signed by both Stephen King and the illustrator Glenn Chadbourne directly onto the title page. The autographs are not facsimiles, stamps, or auto-pens. learn more
Stephen King "The Shining" Deluxe Signed Artist Edition #393/750 w/Traycase [Very Fine] Stephen King "Full Dark, No Stars" Signed Lettered Edition and Gift Edition [Very Fine] Stephen King "Misery" Autographed Book Club Edition [Fine/NF+] Stephen King "The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger" Signed Limited First Edition #151 of 500
Stephen King "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" Signed Limited Edition #81 [Sealed] Donald M. Grant Publishers, Stephen King "The Little Sisters of Eluria" Signed Limited Edition, #1152 [Sealed] Stephen King "Nightmares & Dreamscapes" Signed First Edition, First Printing [Fine/Fine] Stephen King "Insomnia" Signed Limited First Edition, Leather Bound Slipcased Edition [Very Fine]


The transcendental vibration established by the chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare [Hah-ray; Krish-na; Rahm-ah] is the sublime method for reviving our transcendental consciousness.
As living spiritual souls, we are all originally Krsna conscious entities, but due to our association with matter from time immemorial, our consciousness is now adulterated by the material atmosphere. The material atmosphere, in which we are now living, is called maya, or illusion. Maya means "that which is not."
And what is this illusion? The illusion is that we are all trying to be lords of material nature, while actually we are under the grip of her stringent laws. When a servant artificially tries to imitate the all-powerful master, he is said to be in illusion. We are trying to exploit the resources of material nature, but actually we are becoming more and more entangled in her complexities. Therefore, although we are engaged in a hard struggle to conquer nature, we are ever more dependent on her. This illusory struggle against material nature can be stopped at once by revival of our eternal Krsna consciousness.
Krsna consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind. This consciousness is the original, natural energy, of the living entity. When we hear this transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived. This simplest method of meditation is recommended for this age. By practical experience also, one can perceive that by chanting this maha-mantra, or the Great Chanting for Deliverance, one can at once feel a transcendental ecstasy coming through from the spiritual stratum.


What's the limit for benefits?
I just started my first day at my new job with Jet.com and I couldn't be more excited! This new startup environment has me jumping on my toes because it's SO new to me: new industry, new company, new role/position. During the first bit of training, I almost felt dumb because I didn't know any of the common knowledge that is part of the distribution world. Fortunately, my trainers and fellow co-workers were all very welcoming, encouraging, and have faith in me that I can come in to make a positive difference.
Another great, and unusual, feature of the culture is the unlimited vacation days for management. Yes, you read right: UNLIMITED. And don't worry, you're not the only one to do a double-take on that. I even did an audible, "huh?!" followed by a jaw-drop and blank stare. Not the best first impression for me, I'll admit. Once I got past the initial astonishment, I questioned how this idea was a benefit not just for the employee, but for the company as well.
Unfortunately, the benefit is not extended to hourly personnel. But, they aren't left short-changed: upon the initial hire date, hourly personnel are given their full-year's PTO up front. Yep. From day one, hourly are given 128 hours of PTO to spend as they wish. Granted, this PTO is suppose to last them the entire year so I will be curious to see how well some manage this paid-forward benefit over the course of the year. There are contingencies on call-ins, no-shows, and terminations with the PTO so it's definitely not a freebie, but still a very new concept to me. Also, I thought this was a unique solution to the question I was having on whether unlimited PTO was even feasible for an industry like distribution or manufacturing where the business is based on whether operators or workers even show up to work at the sanctioned time for everyone to come to work.
Now with the managers, I'm interested to see where this will end up looking like with the amount of time worked versus the time off as compared to previous companies I've worked with. Unfortunately, my foresight was and is not so keen to have measured these metrics previously so no benchmark to compare to. But, I'm sure handy-dandy Google® can help me with some industry averages in ratios or percentages. Despite not having the numbers to compare to, I already see a great advantage with the lack of worry a manager has with this freedom from PTO monitoring. If a personal emergency comes up or if you need a long weekend away, just call in. This of course is with the assumption that the manager will more than make up for it through extra-long days and coming in on your off days occasionally, which is already the expectation for most companies who have the standard PTO-accrual policy.
Just to play devil's advocate, I've heard from friends of mine who have been on this unlimited PTO system before that sometimes the system has a manager "feeling" that they're obligated to stay and work the long hours no matter what, even when you could technically take off any amount of time. Since, again, this is only my first day I will be anxious to see which of the scenarios happen. But, I'm also blessed with the 4-10 schedule (work 4 days at 10 hours each), which also compensates for the drudgery of working five days out of the week. So maybe, I might end up falling into the trap of becoming a workaholic since I'll constantly be given a 3-day weekend. Either way, I'm very much looking forward to this opportunity with the incredible, and different, benefits.
Please let me know of an opportunity where you had unique and different benefit from previous jobs. How did you like it? Would you recommend it as a universal expectation or maybe industry specific?


#403 : Seizing the moment for change.
Midterms, ballot measures and a "progressive wave. " Plus how a new Congress can change the agenda on immigration. And Bill Press with Congressman Dan Kildee (MI) on the Democratic majority in the House and what to do with it.
How voters used ballot measures to mandate an agenda for progressive change. And what Democrats need to do to end the policy of fear on immigration. Plus, Bill Press talks with Representative Dan Kildee (MI-05) on what the Democratic Party should stand for now.
Across the country, voters used ballot initiatives in the midterm elections to take democracy into their own hands. Our first guest says it is a story about progressive change that still needs to be told.
The rhetoric of fear over immigration dominated the midterm elections. Our next guest says Democrats now have an opportunity to turn that around.
Bill Press talks with Representative Dan Kildee (MI-05) on what's next for progressive democrats on Capitol Hill.
#392 : The promise of The American Dream for everyone.
The inclusive populism of Robert Kennedy, and what leaders are doing today to make a better life possible for all.
This week, Scholar Richard Kahlenberg on what progressive democrats can learn from Robert Kennedy about economic populism and race. Author Ben Hecht on what's actually working to close America's racial equity divide. Plus, Bill Press talks insider trading and politicians caught on tape with political reporter Mat Laslo.
Fifty years ago, Robert Kennedy ran an economically populist campaign that reached across America's deep racial divide. Richard Kahlenberg says his legacy matters now more than ever.
Ben Hecht has spent decades exploring strategies to combat racial disparities in wealth and income. His new book offers a blueprint on how to do just that.
Insider trading. Nunes caught on tape. Omarosa's new book. Coming up, Bill Press talks with reporter Matt Laso.
#382 : Why early childhood education is a progressive economic issue.
Why early childhood education is a progressive economic issue and how voters can make an impact. Plus, a life in politics fighting for progressive ideals. And Bill Press talks with Kyle Kondik of Sabato's Crystal Ball about presidential pardons, the latest news at the ballot box and a look ahead to mid-term elections.
Early childhood advocate Simon Workman explains about why progressive democrats should pay more attention to early childhood. Veteran politician Joseph Tydings talks about his new book "My Life in Progressive Politics: Against the Grain." And Bill Press gets a "political reading" from Kyle Kondik, Managing Director of Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.
Simon Workman works on policy solutions that will improve the lives of children. It's an issue, he says, that affects all Americans and tells us how voters can make politicians accountable.
Joseph Tydings spent his entire life in politics fighting corruption and promoting progressive ideals. It's a career that began over fifty years ago when he took a bold stand against segregation.
How low can the barons of high finance go?


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Q: How do I delay passing props until setState() is finished? I have a function called renderLayers which goes over each object in filterState and copy ones with checked property set to true
  const [layers, setLayers] = useState([]);
  (...)
  const renderLayers = () => {
        const newLayers = [];
        filterState.map(filter => (filter.checked &&
                          newLayers.push(filter.linkedTo)
        ));
        setLayers(newLayers);
      }

Then I have a component takes layers array as a prop. However, my code passes it before setLayers finishes its job.
<Component layers={layers}/>

In this case, how can I tell my program to wait until setLayers() is done? If I use a conditional rendering such as <Component layers={layers.length > 0 && layers}, will there be the case which layers still has a previous value and pass it before setLayer()?

A: You cannot ask the program to 'wait` per se, because this doesn't solve the core problem: what should be shown to the user?
What you can do, is pass a default value in the event that layers is empty:
<Component layers={layers.length > 0 ? layers : /*Some default value*/}/>

Or, inside Component, you can simply do nothing if layers is empty. When layers is updated, since it's passed to Component, Component will completely re-render anyway. This method is almost always preferred, as it keeps separates concerns better.
Example:
const Component = props => {
    if props.layers && props.layers.lengh > 0 {
        return <Stuff/>
    } else {
        return <Loading/>
    }
}

A: Sounds like you want to do something like this:
<Component layers={layers.length > 0 ? layers : null} />

If there's potential for renderLayers to result in an empty array, and you want to pass that empty array to Component, you might want to instead initialize layers as null instead:
const [layers, setLayers] = useState(null)

// ...

return <Component layers={layers} />

This way while the layers prop gets set, it's null until setLayers is called with a different value.
If, as you say, layers can have a prior value that you don't want to render, you now have additional state in your application for determining whether or not layers should be passed down. This smells a lot like dirty tracking to me, but a simple solution might be just to switch layers to be an object with a state on it (you don't want to separate out the state here because multiple calls to setX can result in out-of-sync renders).
const [layers, setLayers] = useState({ data: [], ready: false })

const renderLayers = () => {
  // ...
  setLayers({ data: ["example"], ready: true })
}

return <Component layers={layers.ready ? layers.data : null} />

A: You can use conditional rendering:
{layers.length > 0 && <Component layers={layers} />}

The Component will not be rendered unless there are something in layers.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Fri, 8 Oct 2010 | Published in Music Reviews
Sungod: First Matter
By: John Mordecai
First Matter
(Cyclopean Records)
Sungod's First Matter is loud and heavy psychedelic rock from outer space. These five tracks are mostly gargantuan affairs wherein everything swirls, reverberates or drones.
Nine-and-a-half minute opener "The Key Is No Key" is as appropriate of an introduction as any with its varying tempos, chugging and effect-laden guitars, and careening drums that send you hurling into black holes and milky ways.
The next few tracks are a bit more subdued, alternating heavy and light atmospheres, while "Blanche of Castile" resets the mood nicely with its soothing strums and picks, and echoey slide guitars.
It's a nice and welcome respite from the chaos, especially since it's followed by the 22-minute "Inkalimeva," a track that one-ups the previous four to an nth degree with its chugging build-ups, vamps and explosions. It reaches a climax at just over 12 minutes in, followed by a hushed, sparse midsection that slowly builds back into a big, swirling crescendo.
The bigness of some of these tracks might be a bit much to get your heard around the first time through, and there isn't too much in the way of "hooks" to hold onto, but as an exercise in interstellar rock, it works nicely.
Tags: atmospheric, crescendo, drones, First Matter, pyschedelic, rock, space rock, Sungod
About John Mordecai
John Mordecai is a musician and writer from New Haven, Conn. He was the bassist for Brooklyn-based ERAAS (formerly APSE), and also plays (sometimes) in New England-based Shark and Brooklyn's The Tyler Trudeau Attempt. He also maintains a blog (sometimes) at http://selfsensored.wordpress.com/
View all articles by John Mordecai