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by Michelle Smith | Nov 5, 2018 | Governance Networks
Part 1: Equity and Consent in Collaborative Networks
In every area of public concern, we are seeing organizations from all sectors of society — non-profit, business, government and community — digging in to the hard, deep work of equity. The need for equity and inclusion, across race, gender, age, geography, and more, becomes acute when these diverse stakeholders from those multiple sectors come together in collaborative networks to address complex issues and wicked problems from a whole systems perspective.
How decisions get made, and who participates in those decisions, is a key indicator for equity. Past articles have identified the breakthrough that the Consent-based governance offers to groups who want to integrate the wisdom and power of diverse people to shape their work together.
Photo by Quinn Dombrowski from Berkeley, USA – Equity, diversity, inclusion, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link
Consider the following pressures that are present in collaborative network initiatives:
No one is "in charge."
The nature of networks is non-hierarchical. While it's recognized that inclusion is fundamental to achieving the mission, usually participation is entirely voluntary. No one is "in charge" but the success of the mission depends upon widespread participation.
Is this worth my time?
In addition, we've never seen a collaborative network that wasn't made up of very busy people with very demanding workloads. People care deeply about the issues they've shown up to help address.
And so everyone is assessing both "Is this worth my time?" and "Is my voice being fairly included?"
Beyond a general understanding that good governance will be "consensus-oriented" there's almost never an agreed upon direction from the beginning about the kind of governance system that works best in that space. They know that they need inclusive processes for making decisions. Yet the group struggles to get to decisions in a way to creates meaningful movement forward.
Consensus baggage: "it takes too long and things don't get done!"
When groups try to bring that "consensus-oriented" value into practical reality the work can become very bogged down. People who've experienced that inefficiency are often resistant to using consensus. For them, the process took too long and things didn't get done.
There's a lot of baggage about the way that people implement consensus:
Thinking everyone needs to be part of every decision.
Not getting to the interests and needs beneath the positions people are holding.
Micromanaging people who are taking on responsibility instead of delegating authority with responsibility.
Assuming their differing opinions about the source of the problems and the nature of the solutions need to be resolved to move forward.
Avoiding or not having tools to work through conflict.
Not recognizing and acknowledging power dynamics explicitly.
Sometimes, a group has leaders that are able to hold a process of open dialogue and norms around listening to each other, but, if the leaders leave, it isn't clear that the group will be able to sustain the cultural norms. Other times, the more powerful players in the room will push things through. Things will move forward, but the quality of decisions won't be as good, and the initiative might lose engagement.
Consent is an Evolutionary Breakthrough for Consensus
Consensus is a decision-making model. Consent is the foundation for an entire governance system. The principle of Consent within a Range of Tolerance allows us to meet the needs for inclusion and buy-in that also provides a framework that meets the needs for autonomy and action.
Collaborative Networks are like Ecosystems
"Range of Tolerance" is a principle that comes out of ecosystems science. That sense of operating like an ecosystem is a valuable metaphor in collaborative networks.
The nature of the problems they're trying to address don't have simple, clear solutions. At every moment the environment is changing; and any action in one part of the system will create an effect, usually unforeseen, in another part of the system.
The Range of Tolerance framework offers clarity because it gives people the language to talk about differences in values and interests without defensiveness.
It allows people to communicate their own boundaries and objections without negating any other members' boundaries.
It provides a communication framework, as well, for people to see where there is common ground.
It does not use the language of "blocking" or "standing aside from" decisions.
Instead, it gives people the language to talk about levels of risk (range of tolerance) with different solutions or ideas, and to adapt solutions to mitigate risk.
It supports decisions that are good enough to try and safe enough to fail.
It allows groups to delegate authority with responsibility and experience the advantages of shared leadership.
Collaborative networks need processes that allow people to recognize they're in a different realm and to make space for uncertainty while also allowing them to adapt and respond quickly.
This governance principle, Consent within a Range of Tolerance, gives structure for people to discover ways forward that are experimental, iterative, and can be evaluated and adjusted before irretrievable harm occurs in the system.
Equity and Governance are both about POWER
Being included is not the same as having power; providing feedback is not the same as being a decision-maker. Remember all those busy people I mentioned earlier? The initiative cannot risk their diverse voices being ignored, overrun or out voted. For collaborative networks to succeed in their mission, power must be distributed.
Photo courtesy of Chesapeake Foodshed Network CFN Communications
More and more networks (and the organizations that come together to form them) are waking up to the need to center equity in their work if their missions are going to succeed.
Consent-based governance is a great choice for collaborative networks.
This sounds like a bold statement and it is. But we've found, in over five years of working with collaborative networks in food systems, economic development, large landscape conservation and more, that this powerful decision-making principle, Consent, helps collaborative networks find the sweet spot between inclusion, equity and forward momentum.
We'll expand on the relationship between governance, power, equity and consent in Part 2 of this series.
Equity, transparency and creativity embedded into your operations
The Collaborative Governance
Toolkit and Dashboard


I've had to revert back.
I hope someone joins the search, because tomorrow will be the last day I can do something.
If someone wants the results I've got, PM me.
Appreciate the quick reply.... After resetting SIP to (--without kext), re-ran the script and back in business.
😆 Sitting back now to wait for updates.
Still willing to test if someone needs another platform.
Oh I was fully aware it may not work, I just wanted to test things out. I do have some time so I may mess around with things further today! Appreciate all the hard work you've done and will let you know if I get any further information. I've saved two of the kernel panic logs and kept track of what I did before each of them.
I've spent a few hours messing with things, and the only difference I can see is that apple bumped the version of IOGraphics (from 517.17 to 517.22). I did some diffing on the two versions and didn't see any major changes, so maybe the EGPU enabler script just has to have the IOGraphics family version bumped?
I've some time today, will also try that.
Is any chance of running (eGPU) nvidia card with system 10.13.4?
Please be patient, this topic is currently being worked on, but only god knows how long it may take. Just be patient.
You may, however, fix it yourself and publish the fix. That is also possible.
Not to bother you, but I might be able to offer some help for the whole 10.13.4 update, whatever that entails. I am a second year EE student and I enjoy coding in my spare time (I know ANSI C + others, if that helps). What would I need to do to help get this update sorted?
Anyways I have some older (TB1) machines (MacMini 2012 i7 and MacBookAir 2013 i7 + AkitioTB2/GTX980 eGPU) that I could try the nvidia eGPU patch with. Are there any step-by-step instructions?
e.g. do I just use the above patch?
A complete script that does all with one command is coming. However, development there is still in progress.
I'm coding it right now and doing everything possible to make it as "dumb user proof" as possible while retaining pro possibilities (support for AMD & NVIDIA, custom install, uninstall and much more). It will take me a few days to get everything together. However, development on the NVIDIA side is still unfinished. So it may take even longer.
I am also curious how feasible it is to use old setups (Akitio TB2 + GTX970) with 10.13.4? I just tried installing (on iMac 5k) the TB2 enabler script (works fine), then I installed recent nvidia drivers (also worked) and finally this NVDAEGPUSuppor-v8.zip patch. When I plug in the egpu to working imac the screen goes black and becomes unresponsive. After restart, I get kernel panic logs. Same thing when I startup computer from scrach with egpu plugged in - black screen on both monitors and nothing starts, after reboot there is a kernel panic log.
Any hints? I am running on 10.12.6 so far using famous automate-eGPU script. I am sick and tired of this setup to be honest. Firing egpu is a tedious job - hit & miss when starting computer, and of course I need to reboot every time I want to plug/unplug.
- buy TB3 case, adapter and new card (rx 580) - expensive but will work for sure.
- buy TB3 case, adapter and hope to get gtx 970 up and running. is there any hope for hot-plug in this scenario? I read some time ago how the drivers for amd and nvidia are completely different, and due to some race conditions/conflicts its not possible to have h0t-plug in both. If that is true, and apple decided to support amd, maybe hotplug wont work with nvidia unless they rewrite drivers (which I seriously doubt they will).
- buy new card (rx 580) and keep Akitio TB2 case. Again, any chances for hot-plug in this case? Or does it strictly require TB3 case with TB2 adapter?
In any case, thanks for your hard work, I've been running with egpu for over a year now. It has serious issues, but I love the idea nonetheless!
If you want me to test any (nvidia) scripts, with above TB1 machines I have at home, I'll be happy to do that!
Hello! Tnx for fast fix, but seems like i have a problem here. After i installed v8, my computer going to reboot, eGPU starting boot, but when i log in, OS showed kernel panic. So now i can work with OS only with TB3 cable turned off, cause if i turn it on kernel panic shown immediately.
p.s. sry for english, i'm not a native.
Hello! Tnx for fast fix, but seems like i have a problem here. After i install v8 my computer going to reboot, eGPU starting boot, but when i log in, OS showed kernel panic. So now i can work with OS only with TB3 cable turned off, cause if i turn it on kernel panic shown immediately.
terminal says "Unsupported/Invalid version of thunderbolt or none provided."
Might it be cause i have a TB3?
Yes, you should only have read what's written at the top. There's the information on what you need to swap. Not execute the script. Your on TB3... It clearly states only TB1/2!
Is there a bounty/reward system for these efforts? If not, there needs to be.
Your on TB3... It clearly states only TB1/2!
Yeah)) I thought that u mean it should work even with TB3. Ok. Anyway tnx!
Thanks for all these efforts and great solutions!
However, I have struggled a day and still cannot make the my GTX 1080 work on my 13" MBP 2016 TB3 with an Akitio Node Pro. It could not even be detected.
When I started earlier today, the newest package for 10.13.4 hasn't been released yet. I downgraded my system to 10.13.3 and tried both 17D102 and 17D47. None of them works.
All the same... I cannot let my macbook recognize the card. Then I saw the newest package and tried the last time. This time I even erased my disk before upgrading to 10.13.4. Still... No luck... I am going to post all the information that I have, and hopefully someone can help me out.
However, Graphic card is not detected. I can only see Intel Iris 550.
@SaddestGpu, I have a Node Pro as well, but an iMac Pro and I never got it to work with anything newer than the .104 driver.
You have to use the login hack though where you boot with the egpu disconnected, login, log out, plug in the TB3 cable, wait a few seconds then log back in.
The version 8 package (nVidia support on TB3) doesn't work for me either. nVidia drivers were updated, SIP disabled, package installed. On a MacBook Pro (2017) it simply kernel panics when plugging in the TB3 cable, regardless if it has been logged in before and logged out first or not.
I saw something in an earlier thread about replacing a kext, but not sure that applies to TB3 machines.
but please read the instructions carefully!
Ok, do a kext swap. Where is the one we need to swap in? The script clearly only works for TB1 and TB2 systems.
Ok, do a kext swap. Where is the one we need to swap in?
Instead of the first two steps you may also open your Time Machine backup in Finder and copy it from there.
That's a lot of work. So you may also just relax and wait until another solution comes out.
also, in RM you might need to mount your drive first within the Disk Utility.
Seems like the best course of action.


You can see how Leder families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Leder family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Leder families were found in the USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 41 Leder families living in Ontario. This was about 55% of all the recorded Leder's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Leder families in 1911.
In 1880, Farmer, Carpenter and Cegar Maker were the top 3 reported jobs worked by Leder. A less common occupation for the Leder family was Farm Hand. The most common Leder occupation in the USA was Farmer. 23% of Leder's were Farmers.
There are 642 immigration records available for the last name Leder. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.


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Promise check: Publish a draft amendment for constitutional recognition of Aboriginal people within 12 months
Posted Sun 27 Jul 2014 at 7:58am Sunday 27 Jul 2014 at 7:58am Sun 27 Jul 2014 at 7:58am , updated Sun 8 May 2016 at 5:37am Sunday 8 May 2016 at 5:37am Sun 8 May 2016 at 5:37am
Before the 2013 federal election the Coalition promised to publish a draft amendment for constitutional recognition of Aboriginal people within 12 months. ABC Fact Check is tracking the promise here. (AFP: Anoek De Groot)
abc.net.au/news/draft-amendment-constitutional-recognition-promise-check/5484342
Before the election Tony Abbott pledged to be "a prime minister for Aboriginal affairs."
Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian constitution has been one of his most consistent promises.
At the Garma annual cultural festival in Arnhem Land on August 10, 2013, Mr Abbott said: "As far as I am concerned, one of the most important things that any new government could achieve would be the final recognition of Indigenous people in the Australian constitution."
"Indigenous recognition would not be changing our constitution, but completing our constitution, and until this is done our country will not be whole," he said.
"Within 12 months, we will publish a proposal for constitutional recognition and we will establish a bipartisan process to try to bring that about as soon as possible.
"This should be a great unifying moment for our country, a unifying moment perhaps to surpass the 1967 referendum or the national apology.
"Let us hope so. It's more important to get it right than to rush it, but by God, we will have failed if we do not do it, because until we do it, our country will be torn, our country will be incomplete.
"If we do it, if we do it well... then more fully than at any other time in our history, black and white people can march as brothers and sisters arm in arm into a brighter future."
In an earlier speech, Mr Abbott was more specific about the promise: "Within 12 months of taking office, an incoming Coalition government would put forward a draft amendment and establish a bipartisan process to assess its chances of success... We should be prepared to work on it until we get it right because such an amendment is too important to go forward, yet fail."
And in his campaign launch speech on August 25, 2013, he said: "Starting next year, I will work to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution - something that should have been done a century ago that would complete our constitution rather than change it."
Assessing the promise
This promise was broken when one year passed after the swearing in of the Abbott Government, with no draft amendment published.
Here's how the promise tracked:
This article contains content that is not available.
Posted 27 Jul 2014 27 Jul 2014 Sun 27 Jul 2014 at 7:58am , updated 8 May 2016 8 May 2016 Sun 8 May 2016 at 5:37am
Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander)
Indigenous Policy

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Starting Tuesday, add an extra $1 onto your taxi fare in the Miami area to cover the rising cost of gas.
The Miami-Dade Consumer Services Department announced the fuel surcharge to help drivers pay higher gas bills.
County law provides for a surcharge when gas prices remain at or above an average $3.50 a gallon for three staight weeks based on data from the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration.
All taxicabs may collect the fuel surcharge for each trip, but they must display a Miami-Dade County fuel surcharge decal on the right-rear passenger side window to do so, the agency said.
If gas prices keep rising, more surcharges may be authorized in increments of 50 cents, the department said.


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New Jersey High School Sports
The Times of Trenton boys and girls bowling recap, 2019-20
Posted Mar 17, 2020
Jazmyn Willis of Ewing celebrates after throwing a strike during the Central Jersey sectional bowling tournament at Bowlero Lanes.George McNish | For NJ Advance Media
By Casey Roland | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
2019-20 TRENTON TIMES BOYS AND GIRLS BOWLING RECAP
WILLIS RETURNS AS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE STATE
After leading Ewing to a 16-1-1 record in her freshman season as the anchor bowler two years ago, Willis' high-school bowling career was off to a hot start.
However, the trajectory of her development was in danger of taking a significant dip in the wrong direction after she missed the entirety of her sophomore campaign due to injury.
The team went 12-5 in her absence behind the play of senior Amelia Baffuto, but was unable to take the next step, finishing in eighth place among 10 Group-2 teams at the Central Jersey sectional tournament.
This year would not be another disappointment for Ewing, and Willis made certain of that. She reclaimed her spot as the anchor bowler and picked up right where she left off, and then some.
Willis averaged 188 over 18 regular-season matches, leading the team once again to a 16-1-1 record.
She was the best bowler on the roster, boosting the team not only with her impressive stats, but also from a mental aspect, providing a level of reliable consistency as the embodiment of what a true 'anchor' bowler should mean to a team.
In the regular season, Willis had 17 games over 200 and six series over 600, highlighted by a 675 as part of a four-match stretch in early-January in which she averaged 652 per series.
She kicked it into high gear in the postseason, rolling a 726 at sectionals to earn high-series honors by more than 20 pins in a stacked field that featured four of the six first-team all-state selections from last year.
Not only was her performance enough to card the high series of the event, it was vital in securing the first-ever sectional title in program history, with Ewing recording a 2,692 team score and winning the Group-2 sectional championship.
Ewing would finish in sixth place among Group-2 teams at the state team tournament, with Willis rolling a 563 as the team's season came to an end.
While Ewing's year was finished, Willis' 726 at sectionals sent her to the state individual tournament at Bowlero, where she once again put on a dominant display. She started slowly with a 187 in Game 1 before finding her stride, bouncing back with a 242 followed by a 224 to sit in fifth place with a 653 after the first series. She kept it up in the second series, rolling a 609 to secure fifth place overall and the final spot in the stepladder tournament.
Willis would see her postseason run come to an end in the first game of the stepladder, with Wayne Valley's Marissa Cosentini taking her out with a 214, bringing Willis' spectacular comeback season to an end.
But with another year of eligibility remaining for the junior, Willis will be on the shortlist of bowlers to watch looking forward to the 2020-21 campaign.
TAYLOR KEEPS HAMILTON WEST STREAK ALIVE
After Brittany Lucci made it to two consecutive stepladder tournaments while competing as an individual over the previous two seasons, it could have been reasonably assumed going into last year that Hamilton West's time at the state tournament was over.
However, despite the team not having a bowling team on which its athletes could compete during the regular season, Ryan Taylor kept the tradition alive in 2019-20.
Taylor, who is also a student at Hamilton West, accomplished the rare feat once again last season, rolling a 702 at the Central Jersey sectional tournament, finishing in third place behind a pair of all-state bowlers in Brandon Bohn-Palmer of Howell and Jackson Liberty's Brandon Bohn.
Taylor's 702 was more than enough to secure a spot at the state individual tournament, with the top 20 finishers from each sectional advancing to Bowlero.
At states, Taylor started out strong with a 225 in Game 1 before taking a step back in Game 2. He recovered to roll a 212 in Game 3, but it wasn't enough. He finished with a 623 series, missing the cut for the second round by just 23 pins and finishing in 35th place overall.
While he certainly would have liked to extend his day, Taylor can hold his head high knowing he kept the recent school tradition alive despite not having the resources provided to the vast majority of the bowlers that make it to states.
The Ewing girls team, as mentioned above, put together a great year behind the return of junior anchor Jazmyn Willis, finishing the regular season with a 16-1-1 and winning its first-ever sectional title at the Central Jersey sectional tournament. The team accomplished another one of its major goals this year, winning the BCSL Open title, something coach David Angebranndt mentioned prior to the start of the season.
"The goal every year is to win the BCSL just for the sole purpose that we're not in the league and teams don't like us as much," said Angebranndt in a preseason interview with NJ.com.
If the other teams in the conference indeed didn't like Ewing before last season, those negative feelings are almost certainly increased after Ewing came in and took the title.
Sophomore Sierra Reid took a step forward, while Mia Siminitus and Olivia Ross each made major contributions. Coach Angebranndt was able to fill out his roster by recruiting soccer goalkeeper Marian Ordoñez to take the fifth spot on the roster. Her tryout for the team was only the third time she had ever bowled, and she became a vital member of the team over the course of the year.
The Ewing boys went 17-1 in the regular season and displayed remarkable consistency up and down its roster, with its top four bowlers each finishing the year with an average between 184 and 193.5. Aiden Reid (193.5) and Mike Franks (191) led the way for Ewing, which finished in fourth place among Group-2 teams with a 2,716 team score at the Central Jersey sectional.
Gabe Ostrowski put together another solid season in his junior year for Bordentown, averaging 187 throughout the regular season to lead the boys team to a 10-7-2 record. Lucas Frader remained a consistent starter, but the squad struggled to round out its starting five, with eight bowlers rotating in and out of the lineup throughout the season. While Ostrowski rolled a 652 at the Central Jersey sectional to secure the 20th and final spot at states, the team missed out on a trip to Bowlero by just 23 pins, rolling a 2,587 to finish in third place in Group 3. Ostrowski struggled to make an impact at states, rolling a 554 to put an end to his year.
Bordentown's girls team went 11-5-1 in the regular season and finished in fifth place among Group-1 teams at sectionals with a 1,894 team score. Rayna Smith, Jamie Nasatka and Kylia Verwey led the team this year, though the latter two are seniors and will be lost to graduation as the team looks to build on another successful season next year.
Senior Libby Witham led the New Egypt girls team once again, propelling the team to a 13-4-1 record. Gabby Biesiada was once again a key contributor, while sisters Kaitlyn Search and Emily Search carved out starting roles as freshmen. The team just missed out on a state tournament appearance, finishing in third place among Group-1 teams by just 34 pins at sectionals.
After going 4-10-2 last year, the New Egypt boys team improved this season to the tune of a 10-7-1 record highlighted by an early-season streak in which the team won five of six matches. The team's season ended with a ninth-place finish at sectionals, but has something to look forward to next year. Of the six players that saw meaningful time on the boards, none are seniors and three are juniors. With the team expecting to bring back the majority of its talent, look for New Egypt to take another step forward come 2020-21.
The Northern Burlington girls team improved its record from the previous year by five wins, ending with a 7-12 record. Seniors Carly Smith and Madison Brooks led the way, though the team experimented throughout the season with eight different bowlers for the remaining three spots. With Smith and Brooks set to graduate this summer, look for sophomores Tracy Ha and Isabelle Rodriguez to take the reigns in the Fall of 2020.
The Northern Burlington boys also improved on last year, going from two wins to five (5-14), though it failed to make noise in the postseason, finishing 10th at sectionals. Darian Dean, Logan Stewart, Paul DiGerolamo and Kaden LaMere led the way for the team, which will only have to replace DiGerolamo as it looks to build heading into next year with a comparatively young roster.
Casey Roland may be reached at croland@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @CaseyRoland24. Like NJ.com HS sports on Facebook


This 2016 Clio Awards Gold winning entry titled 'Charles' was entered for Getty Images by AlmapBBDO, São Paulo. The piece was submitted to the medium: Out of Home within the entry type: Business-to-Business and the category: Poster. It consists of 1 image. This piece is part of a campaign called 'Endless Possibilities' that consists of 3 elements.


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Aqra bil- Malti
TVM2
Magic Malta
Radju Malta
Radju Malta 2
Djarju 24/7
TVMi
Junior Eurovision Participants
Dan l-artiklu huwa disponibbli anke bil-Malti
Maltese literature books with large printed characters for elderly persons
Posted On February 13, 2019 - Updated 14 February, 2019 4:36pm
Report: Daphne Cassar
Elderly persons will have Maltese literature books written in larger than average print characters. The initiative by the Parliamentary Secretary for Active Ageing was launched among the 700 elderly persons who attend in one of the five centres of the Third Age University at Floriana, Sliema, Attard, Cospicua and the Gozo campus.
Professor Marvin Formosa said that the Third Age University, which started offering courses to elderly persons in 1993, serves as a platform for these persons to enhance their understanding and skills in subjects and fields without the exams pressure. The centres offer lessons in subjects such as philosophy, theology, history and languages. He expressed satisfaction that there are elderly persons over 90 who attend these courses.
The University's director, Marvin Formosa, said "many times…stereotypes that an elderly person who is aged 90 is fragile and vulnerable….this is not always the reality".
77-year old Saviour Sammut discovered new horizons due to the courses and is socializing himself with other elderly aged persons. "The more you interact with elderly people the more you learn, even on something which is new to you".
74-year old Marcelle Tomasuolo Dandrea, who worked as a tourist guide, wanted to join the courses when she was 59 years old. Since then she never looked back. "Philosophy and theology are my subjects. Currently I am attending a theology course", she said.
Parliamentary Secretary Anthony Agius Decelis visited the Attard centre and launched the publication of books by Frans Sammut with large printing characters for elderly persons. The books will be distribution at the Third Age University centres, day-car centres and in elderly residential homes.
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20:00 News
On Saturday avoid driving from Kordin in the direction of Marsa
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Dr Delia welcomes Police Commissioner's resignation but says it is two years too late
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PM states Government is committed to address challenges related to Rule of Law, the Judicial System and public institutions
St Julian's hotel now carries the renowned Marriott name after an investment of €30 million
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DC and Federal Government Come Together, Discuss Transition To Tech
Elliot Volkman February 1st 2016 10:34 am
In a joint press conference last week, Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, Chief of Staff for the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office Vikrum Aiyer, President & CEO of the Washington DC Economic Partnership Keith Sellars, and Social Tables CEO Dan Berger discussed their continued commitment to advancing tech in DC.
The theme of the night was about DC's continued transition from a government workforce to a technological focused one, and how each part of the government plays a role. From shared resources to drawing in experienced professionals, the tech focused private sector is growing as a result of government investments and partnerships. This is not to say they are the single point of advancement, but a contributory factor.
"Washington DC is indeed a place for tech," said Mayor Bowser. "There is another kind of misperception about Washington, and that is we're just a government town. "Between 2011 and 2015 for example private sector employment grew more than 11 percent," said Mayor Bowser.
Much of that growth is the result of tech startups in the area. Building on the successful growth of the private sector, DC's government has further invested in the community through partnerships such as the Tech Hub at Howard University, programs with 1776, summer coding camps, and other educational opportunities and strategic hires.
"Without tech companies like Social Tables, we wouldn't be able to tell the great story that we can tell," said Mayor Bowser. The company recently moved into a new 30,000 square foot office as a result of their success. We are turning DC into a smart, digital city. We know we can also be a hub for exclusive tech, and we want you to be our ambassadors." DC's government is looking to its community to encourage new technology and companies to move to the area. This is also one of the primary reasons they continue to create such a large presence at the annual SXSW festival and conferences.
"One of the reasons why we have so many smart engineers, pure scientists, technologists, in DC now is because a lot of them worked for the federal government or contractors," said Mayor Bowser, discussing the need to share said resources across local, federal, and private sectors. For example, the mayor's office created a war room of technologist to identify the best way to handle the record-breaking blizzard that dumped two to three feet of snow on the area. It's more than just solving business issues, but also community issues and basic human rights through technology.
"I think investments by the Obama administration and the convening power of the president can actually help accelerate small businesses, accelerate discovery, and that's a way that pushes the entire nation forward, particularly Washington, DC," said Aiyer. "So that's why you've seen over the arc of this administration record investments in advance manufacturing technology. Record investments in precision medicine, which allow you to have better health diagnosis and health outcomes."
This investment also includes Vice President Biden's new task of curing cancer, as noted by President Obama during the 2016 State of the Union Address. According to Aiyer, by investing in the local advancement of technology and startups in the Washington DC area, the federal government hopes that those who benefit will one day give back in the form of their service.
By investing in tech and teaching the next gen to code, federal gov believes that workforce will join their ranks pic.twitter.com/3lE8jRoQau
— Elliot Volkman (@TheJournalizer) January 29, 2016
Photo courtsey of Kathryn McQuade


text:
Q: How to insert the values from REST VF Page Screenshot

This is my VF Page
<apex:page controller="cntrycontroller" >
<apex:form >
<apex:outputText >Enter a 2 digit country  :  </apex:outputText>

<apex:inputtext value="{!input_country}" id="id_inptext"/>
<apex:commandButton id="btn" action="{!fetch_data}"  value="Get from Webservice"/>

<apex:outputText >Status : {!response_status}</apex:outputText>

<apex:outputtext >Status Code : {!response_status_code}</apex:outputtext>

</apex:form>
</apex:page>

Controller Code
public with sharing class cntrycontroller {

public PageReference fetch_data() {

    HTTPRequest req = new HTTPRequest();
    String url = 'http://services.groupkt.com/country/get/iso2code/'+input_country;
    req.setEndPoint(url);
    req.setMethod('GET');//DONT FORGET THIS GUY .HE IS IMPORTANT
    HTTP h = new HTTP();
    HTTPResponse resp = h.send(req);
    response_status = resp.getStatus();
    response_status_code = String.ValueOf(resp.getStatusCode());

    return null;
}

public String input_country{get;set;}
public String response_status{get;set;}
public String response_status_code{get;set;}

 public cntrycontroller(){
  input_country = 'IN';
 }
}

URL Response

I am getting "alpha3_code" value when passing the input country. The aim is i have to insert this value  in CountryCode__c field of County__C object.
Please help me to solve this query.
Thanks in advance...

A: You would need to retrieve, and parse the contents of the body returned in the response. Something like this:
HTTPResponse resp = h.send(req);
String json = resp.getBody();
Map<String,Object> responseMap = (Map<String,Object>)JSON.deserializeUntyped(json);
Map<String,Object> restResponseMap = (Map<String,Object>)responseMap.get('RestResponse');
Map<String,Object> resultMap = (Map<String,Object>)restResponseMap.get('result');
String alpha3code = (String)resultMap.get('alpha3_code');

insert new Country__c(CountryCode__c = alpha3code);

NB. I have not tested this, there may be syntax errors but in essence this is what you'd need to do.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The blog has moved! Discover the latest Getty news and stories at our new home on Getty.edu/news.
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Iris Blog
Ancient Life
About Getty's Blog
Creating Intimacy in Getty's Central Garden
Revisiting Robert Irwin's conversations with writer and critic Lawrence Weschler
Getty Media | September 9, 2020 | 3 min read
Early autumn along the stream
It's hard to imagine the Getty Center without its bold yet inviting greenery, paths, and blooms—a living work of art. The Central Garden was designed by Robert Irwin, an artist who had gained prominence for his Abstract Expressionist paintings and public installations. In 1997 he brought his eye for light, space, and scale in his landscape design to the Getty Center.
A few years after the Getty Center opened, writer and critic Lawrence Weschler accompanied Irwin on a series of walks around the Central Garden. During these walks, Irwin talked about the critical choices he made to create this unique, ever-changing space. In 2002 these conversations were published in Robert Irwin Getty Garden, a book that reveals the artistic intent behind the garden's design.
A revised edition of the book was published earlier this year and is available now. In this excerpt, Irwin describes how he sought to build intimacy within the grand scale of the garden, encouraging visitors to find beauty and joy in even the smallest details.
Aerial view of the bowl garden
Robert Irwin One of the elements of the garden is this process of enticing and pulling you down. Your first view of it, of course, from up here or one of the other vista points, is as this really strong graphic element, which is one of the reasons why I left the green around the side, so that you'd get this really clear configuration in the middle. That's what supplies much of the scale of the garden, as up against the grand scale of the surrounding architecture. But what you see is, hopefully, interesting enough that you are being enticed to come down to the path over there to the side. And then the path itself draws you down to the plaza, and the plaza then lets you look down on the bowl, and then, hopefully, you have the desire to want to descend into the bowl. So the whole thing is a series of descents, becoming, in a sense, more intimate as you go along.
I think intimacy was really one of the key elements that was missing from the whole Getty experience, especially with regard to the architecture. Which was not necessarily the job of the architecture. But it was one of the things the architecture didn't really take into consideration—and that even went for the people who work here: a place where you could go that was essentially quiet and sort of down-in and surrounded and…
Lawrence Weschler Nested.
Irwin Yeah, nested. And the garden really does go through a process of nesting itself as it goes down. It starts with the big scale up here, the overall bang, and then hopefully takes you by degrees—in terms of your willingness to participate—down to a more and more intimate level.
It all reminds me of my early days as an Abstract Expressionist, when I was first exposed to Raku ware, which was very interesting for me because Abstract Expressionism, as you know, was so committed to this idea of large scale. And for good reason: when you took the figure out, scale became an element in and of itself, a thing. You know, a real thing. So I was doing huge paintings, but one of my first introductions to Raku was this guy who would—
Weschler What is Raku, by the way?
Irwin Raku is a Japanese tea-ceremony bowl that has a kind of almost… I mean, it's become a national treasure in Japan. With very much of a kind of a Zen overtone to it. And the thing about it was that this person who had collected these bowls, if your karma was right, he would let you see a tea bowl. And the way he would do it is you would have dinner with him and at the end of the dinner, he would set on the table this box with a beautiful little tie on it—very Japanese—and you untied it, you opened up the box, he let you do that. And then inside of it was a cloth sack. You took the sack out, and it had a drawstring, and you opened up the drawstring and you reached inside and took out the bowl. By that time, the bowl had you at a level where the most incidental detail—maybe even just a thumb mark—registered as a powerful statement.
And this whole idea of how you bring somebody down to a level of awareness where they can deal with intimacy, they can deal with the most subtle kind of nuance—that kind of thing is normally lost in the bigger scale. So the idea here is that even though you start out with this kind of grand scale, hopefully, by the end, you're able to really look—and I'll show you when we get down there—to really gaze in wonder upon a single flower: this petal, that stalk. One of the reasons for raising the platforms of the flowers in some areas down there is so that you don't even have to bend down: you can really just look at a flower up close.
This excerpt is from the publication Robert Irwin Getty Garden by Lawrence Weschler © 2002, 2020 J. Paul Getty Trust.
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Jeffrey Wood	on September 10, 2020 at 10:19 pm
During long days of Summer, I often enjoy a Getty Garden experience on Saturdays when my shift ended a 6pm before heading home. Visitors often are spotted with very specialized camera equipment to capture by macro-photography the beauty of leaf or flower petal with a visiting insect or pollinator. On occasion, when I know I want to explore the Central Garden on a Saturday after work and before Sunset, I bring my 6.5 x 21Pentax Papilio binoculars, "papilio" is Latin for butterfly. These wonderful optics have an extremely close focus to 1.5 feet (about 18″) at 6.5 power. You can actually see with clarity the hairs on a bees legs and other minute detail. Fantastic for flowers. Jeff Wood, Getty Museum Store Associate
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text:
Climate change a risk to health of Australians: report
3:30am Apr 30, 2015
Steam and other emissions rise from a Melbourne industrial plant. (AAP)
Doctors and scientists fear global warming will lead to more disease, death and violent conflicts as nations fight for food and water.
In a new report, 60 researchers warn climate change will have devastating impacts on the health of Australians as the world warms by a predicted minimum of two degrees over the next century.
They fear extreme weather events such as droughts, floods and cyclones will affect Australia's food security while ecosystem changes will increase diseases such as dengue and E.coli.
"The world therefore faces a future in which billions of people will be hungry or homeless or both and no nation will be able to avoid the consequences," the authors state.
That could result in an eruption of violent conflicts as tensions over food, water and uninhabitable land boil over within and among countries.
It could also mean increased migration and degraded mental health, the report says.
It's not just extreme events such as cyclones the researchers fear - it's also heatwaves that threaten to kill thousands of elderly Australians, children and those with chronic illnesses.
According to federal government figures, 374 people died from heat-related problems in the week before the Black Saturday fires in Victoria.
That's more than double the 173 who perished in the actual fires.
The report recommends more be done to prepare for global warming, including increasing research and implementing a credible climate policy that focuses on emissions reduction targets.
Australia is aiming to slash emissions by five per cent by 2020
© AAP 2021


Michael Scolamiero recently joined Ballet West after an extensive international search led by Michael Kaiser, President Emeritus of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Mr. Scolamiero previously served as Executive Director of Miami City Ballet for three years, during which time the organization achieved a significant reduction in debt, as well as robust growth in ticket revenue, contributions, and touring income. Prior to Miami City Ballet, Mr. Scolamiero was Pennsylvania Ballet's Executive Director for 17 years, the longest tenure in the Company's history and among the longest of any leader of a major ballet company. During his tenure, Mr. Scolamiero led the organization's first capital campaign that raised $11.9 million (against a $10 million goal) to build an endowment and fund repertoire expansion. At Ballet West, Mr. Scolamiero is set to implement a newly completed strategic plan and excited to guide a growing and robust Company.
Bob Crowder, Josh Crowder, and Aaron Crowder are the official IT consultants to Ballet West.
Ballet West is an American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) Company.Ballet West is an American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Company.
Ballet West is an International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Company.


AR Modular RF is a global leader in Broadband, Sub-Band and discrete frequency non-EMC RF amplifiers and amplifier systems. Its products are used in military communications, electronic warfare, homeland security, high-tech medical equipment, and more. AR Competitive Edge products supply a multitude of unique RF solutions to companies around the world..
AR Modular RF is a leading supplier of military amplifier systems and accessories, providing booster amplifiers and embeddable modules for tactical military radios covering the HF, VHF, UHF and L bands (30 MHz– 1.9 GHz frequency range). They're available from 12 – 3,000 watts and are ideal for CW, pulse, over-the-horizon, foliage penetration, Doppler and Phased Array radar applications.
AR amplifier modules & systems have been on the front lines, in the toughest battle conditions and they're highly reliable. They're not only tough & dependable, they're lightweight and easy to use.
AR Modular RF provides power amplifiers for a wide range of communications frequencies.
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RF amplifiers, systems and modules, has been selected as the top choice to upgrade a growing fleet of V-22 Osprey onboard aircraft communications amplifiers.
The latest technology of the AR-50 "Tactical Booster Amplifier" increases the V-22 Osprey abilities to defeat air-to-air and ground-to-air threats by enhancing the communications capabilities. In addition, the AR-50 "Tactical Booster Amplifier" is a JITC Certified AR Modular RF amplifier that is compact, lightweight, and exceeds the aggressive shock and vibration requirements even when directly mounted to the airframe. In hostile environments where dependable mission-critical communications is essential, the AR-50 provides an even more compelling value and outperforms all expectations.


1. How many vertebrae are in the spinal column?
Thirty-three vertebrae make up the spinal column.
A broader perspective on a baffling condition includes training your brain to work with your body while a doctor treats physical symptoms.
Is Surgery Really the Answer for Your Back Pain?
Your treatment options should first include remedies such as exercise, chiropractic, acupuncture, and bodywork.
You can avoid surgery with exercises. Losing weight helps, too.
There's plenty of self-help advice and professional treatment, but proceed cautiously.
The cause is unknown and the pain, which feels like intense burning, can be crippling.
Most people have good intentions and want to help when you're not feeling well. It's when you look perfectly fine, that they don't understand and sometimes don't believe you are in pain.
A scale of one to 10 isn't ideal.
Learning about the disease, exercise, and a healthy diet all help.
Some say they need solutions for the emotional, behavioral, and mental toll, too.
Find out how much you know about alternative arthritis treatments.
1. Acupuncture, the practice of using fine needles at specific sites on the skin to treat illness, can relieve arthritis pain in some people.
Researchers say that acupuncture provides relief for conditions such as fibromyalgia, a chronic condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, multiple tender points, and chronic fatigue, and for osteoarthritis. Acupuncture appears to be less effective for rheumatoid arthritis and similar conditions marked by system-wide inflammation. Acupuncture is safe when performed by a trained specialist using sterile needles. This procedure may not be covered by insurance.


text:
Sergio Lemori brutally murdered a rough sleeper in Brighton in an unprovoked attack with a stone slab. The 33-year-old, of no fixed address, was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 25 years.
A woman who set fire to a well-known homeless man's bedding in Worthing in a 'shocking' attack was jailed for arson. Lyndsay Dewey, 41, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to two counts of arson and was jailed for 32 months.
Aleksandra Kopinska, 22, and Adam Jendrzeczak, 32, both unemployed, of Sackville Road, Hove were jailed for eight years for child cruelty.
Former Uckfield town councillor James Anderson, 34, of Michelham Road, Uckfield, was sentenced to 32 months' in prison for six sexual offences involving three teenage girls.


What do you guys think of Matt Firor? I know he developed Dark age of Camelot, but haven't played it. Was it awesome?
I'm looking around on Wikipedia and all that but those are mostly facts, damn useless things if you ask me.
What are your guys opinion of this guy leading what might be the best game of all time? I have played two MMORPG's and they were both...not terrific. AoC and DCUO, so yeah. I'm pretty sick of picking not too great MMO's.
I've been sticking with stuff like Reckoning, Skyrim of course, and Dragon Age II. I really really want this game to rock. Please tell me something good.
There are lots of people on this board who are former DAoC players. I started playing just a few months after it launched.
Since then I've beta-tested a whole bunch of games, and tried out a few of the big names, but nothing kept me playing as long as DAoC did. I for one welcome our new Matt Firor overlord.
For one: I think he has a lot of experience and that is good.
You should never judge him for any fails he ever committed since that only results in him learning from his errors. Little chance of the same error being done twice.
I guess you can tell one thing for sure: he loves his 3 faction RvR. I would have thought almost anyone else would have simplified it to only two factions.
I agree about Matt and what Cools said about DAoC. About PVP system - I would pick the GW2 Realm vs Rrealm Sieges... They are quite fun. I think Cyrodill will be something like that.
Of course changing "Realm" to "Faction" since they are using the megaserver technology.
Meh, I personally prefered DAoC RVR over GW2 by a long shot.
Firor has an A in my book.
RF Online also has 3 faction war.
It's all good to hear. I was wondering about the PvP quite a bit, I saw the similarities between what they are trying to do with TESO and the DAoC model. I figured you guys would be able to enlighten me a little.
The only PvP I have been exposed to was Age of Conan...It was horribly unbalanced, and you could never have a full seige without crashing. In fact that was how you won a seige, by having the lead before the crash happened.
Let's just say I have high hopes for the megaserver.
If you search Youtube for DAoC pvp vids, you can find some really interesting ones. Bear in mind the game is antiquated, but the gameplay is what is key here.
I will check it out...a little excited about it to tell you the truth.
"People that never played DAoC ask me often why was this PvP so good? DAoC PvP (or RvR) is widely seen as the best PvP MMO ever"
Of course the site was down for maintenance.
DAoC PvP was always chaotic, especially because of the point-and-stick targeting. The camera would get dragged around like crazy and lots of times you didn't even know what was going on. Eventually you got used to it, but still... it was easy to get confused at any moment in battle.
I'm looking forward to the active targeting implied in ESO.
(December 5th 2012, 11:15 AM)Cools-His-Hands Wrote: DAoC PvP was always chaotic, especially because of the point-and-stick targeting. The camera would get dragged around like crazy and lots of times you didn't even know what was going on. Eventually you got used to it, but still... it was easy to get confused at any moment in battle.
I understand your point of view, and this is just a game. But what you are describing sounds like real battle (I am ex-infantry) and so as you stated you get used to it after a while. Wouldn't the PvE train you a bit as far as the camera drag?
Clunkiness always gets accustomed to. It would just be nice for things to be more user-friendly (especially the camera). ESO seems to be blending the PvP we're talking about with more intuitive UI and cameras.
I'm damned excited about it.
I haven't played DAoC, so I can't really comment on the clunkiness of the camera... good point.
he was called the man who made DAOC.
(December 5th 2012, 03:29 PM)Sordak Wrote: he was called the man who made DAOC.
Can you be more specific? Or I guess I should say would you be more specific?


Business trips are often long, demanding and full of challenges. That is why we strive to make our apartments an element of relaxation and rest for representatives of the business world. A perfect, quiet apartment with a comfortable, large bed and full equipment will be an appropriate ending of the day after long negotiations or intensive training.
For the sake of business travelers, we guarantee express check out and a possibility of ordering a breakfast set that can be delivered in the evening of the previous day.
We offer a range of facilities for business.
Fast, individual Wi-Fi connection, express check-out, iPad available, breakfast "to go", discount for regular customers, VAT invoice, receipt and delivery of correspondence, mobile SPA, a possibility to store luggage.
guarded underground parking available in each location.
The best apartments, in the center of Krakow.


text:
Q: Solution to a linear system? Lets say I have a linear system of equations given by:
    $a_{11}x_1 + a_{12}x_2 + a_{13}x_3 = p_1$
    $a_{21}x_1 + a_{22}x_2 + a_{23}x_3 = p_1$
    $a_{31}x_1 + a_{32}x_2 + a_{33}x_3 = p_1$
You can assume that a unique solution exists for this problem. For the solution ($X_1, X_2, X_3$) to this problem the following happens:
    $b_{11}X_1 + b_{12}X_2 + b_{13}X_3 > p_1$
    $b_{21}X_1 + b_{22}X_2 + b_{23}X_3 > p_1$
    $b_{31}X_1 + b_{32}X_2 + b_{33}X_3 > p_1$
I need to find a solution such that the first set of equations are almost satisfied (in either direction ) i.e.
    $a_{11}x_1 + a_{12}x_2 + a_{13}x_3 \approx p_1$
    $a_{21}x_1 + a_{22}x_2 + a_{23}x_3 \approx p_1$
    $a_{31}x_1 + a_{32}x_2 + a_{33}x_3 \approx p_1$
and at the same time the following happens:
    $b_{11}X_1 + b_{12}X_2 + b_{13}X_3 < p_1$
    $b_{21}X_1 + b_{22}X_2 + b_{23}X_3 < p_1$
    $b_{31}X_1 + b_{32}X_2 + b_{33}X_3 < p_1$
What techniques can I use to solve such a problem? Furthermore, if a solution doesn't exist how can I check that out? How can I find a bound for the deviation of first set of equations from $p_1$.

A: One possibility I see to solve this problem, is to formulate it as a convex optimization problem:
You want to achieve the following:
$\text{min}_x \lVert Ax - b\rVert^2_2$ such that $Bx \leq b$
Where $b\in \mathbb{R}^3$ and $b_i = p_1 \forall i$
Now, this optimization problem is convex and thus has a global optimum, if there is any. You can use CVX and Matlab for example to solve this problem, it is not a hard one to solve computationally.
Solving this problem, will give you the following insights:

*

*If your optimum value of the minimization is zero, you know there is indeed a solution $x$, where $Ax=b$ and $Bx \leq b$.

*If your optimum value is not zero, then it shows you, what is the best possible approximation $x$ in 2-norm sense, which satisfies $Bx\leq b$.

*If the problem is infeasible, your condition $Bx\leq b$ does not hold for any $x$.


text:
Taking your vacation home on the road
KATE CONWAY
According to a 2008 AAA survey, the average American couple traveling in North America would spend approximately $250 per day for lodging and meals. So a typical five- to seven-day vacation could cost up to $1,500. Add in a few kids, and boarding for the dogs, and the price could increase dramatically.
But with families today wanting to make every penny count, what if you could take several vacations a year for about that same amount?
Jennifer and Rich Fagnant of Sandwich have been making their vacation dollars stretch for miles since they were children. Their secret weapon for the past two years now sits beside their home and has enhanced their multiple vacations each year with their three children.
The Fagnants own a 32-foot Jayco Travel Trailer that attaches to their heavy-duty pickup truck. With bump-out rooms, beds, a kitchen and bathroom, it is a fully functioning home on wheels and a vacation at the ready.
"We both grew up in families that camped and have been doing it our whole lives," says Jennifer. "RVing is just as good as other vacations and opens up a lot more opportunities for weekend getaways and exploring places closer to home. Plus, you can bring the dog!"
She notes that for a family of five, airfare, hotel rooms and eating out can get very expensive. "For the payment on a trailer, at least we can use it all year long," Jennifer says. "Plane fare would only be for one trip."
Bob and Pat Johnson of Harwich are sold on RVing for vacations, too. As grandparents, they've found RVing to be a great way to spend time with their children and grandchildren.
They got started two years ago when a friend forwarded a Craigslist ad and the Johnsons bought a Class C driveable RV from a Sandwich owner who took it out on Sandy Neck Beach.
While there are expenses, the Johnsons have found that using the RV has, overall, been less costly than multiple getaway vacations. Bob estimates he spent $1,600 last year to maintain the nearly 40-year-old vehicle but has kept the RV for local "vacations," particularly at Sandy Neck Beach, rather than spending money on gas driving around the country.
"We concluded that since hundreds of thousands of people come to Cape Cod annually for the outdoors, why not create a great family experience right here and save time and money," says Bob.
For the Johnsons, using an RV means many more vacations and opportunities for family members to bond together.
"RVing is less complicated and … we get to the beach more frequently because we have an RV. And, with contemporary life schedules, it is tough to put together three to five days to get away. An afternoon or overnight is easy in the RV," says Bob.
Brian Sullivan, manager at Camper's Inn in Raynham, an RV dealer with a large selection of travel trailers, estimates that two-thirds of his company's clients are families with kids.
"They are looking to spend quality time, frequently, with their children and RVs provide them with the opportunity," Sullivan says.
According to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association, this year marks the 100th anniversary of RVing. While the economic downturn kept more people at home last year, industry officials expect that more than 216,000 RVs will be sold in 2010 – up from 165,000 last year.
Both Sullivan and Dana Cheyne, CEO of MCD RV Center in West Yarmouth, say they make sure clients consider and answer a lot of questions before choosing an RV. What type and size you need depends on several factors.
-- Layout is important. "Many parents are looking for an RV with a bunk room at one end, especially for older kids, and their bedroom at the other end. They want bump-out rooms to maximize the internal space for comfort and floor space for kids to play and loads of storage," Sullivan says.
-- Consider your vehicle. If you're towing a travel trailer, it's crucial to match that with what vehicle will be towing the RV. Many of the lightweight travel trailers that Cheyne sells work well with a minivan.
-- Lifestyle - what type of camping do you want to do? "Are they going to a campground with full-service amenities or roughing it deep in the woods?" Cheyne asks. "If you are mostly going to a full-service campground with site hook-ups for electricity and sewer, go for something bigger and more home-like. But if you are going to be roughing it, I suggest something smaller, because when the grey and black water tanks are full, you are going to have to pull it to the dump station to clean out those tanks."
-- How old are your kids? Cheyne says younger children will want to sleep close to mom and dad, whereas older kids want their own space.
Cheyne says a good way to start out, especially for a young family with small children, is a tent-camper that folds down to tow and then pops up to camp. "You get a taste of RVing that way, without the expense and if you like it and want something more elaborate, you know what to look for."
Another way to try out the RV style of vacationing is to rent. Cheyne's company offers full-sized, 32-foot self-contained TrailManor RVs. "People will call us up, tell us which campground to set up the trailer on and get to use it for a week or two," he says. "It is the ideal way to really feel out RVing without a financial commitment."
Richard and Christine Sassone of Bourne are parents of 8-year-old twins. They own a 27-foot Starcraft Travel Trailer. Christine's parents had been RVers for years and she wanted to continue the tradition with her own family.
Like Cheyne, she advises anyone looking into purchasing an RV to do their homework and consider all aspects of their family's needs because RVs "come in a lot of shapes and sizes."
Christine also advises people to really do their homework about campgrounds, especially with kids involved. "Some campgrounds have lots to do, some are very rural and beautiful and some are loud and full of parties!"
She enjoys being able to take everything she needs for her family with her. "It is almost like driving your house around," says Christine, who likes being able to pack their RV at the beginning of the season and not have to unpack until the entire season is over. "What we love about RVing is that it gets us away from our daily routine and that 'to-do' list. It gives us great, quality family time!"
Jennifer and Jason Laber of Centerville are parents of three children, ranging in age from 5 to 8. Four years ago, they invested in a used class A Coachman Mirada – a drivable, bus-like RV. They had been sold on the idea of owning an RV when they were tent camping one year and the people next to them were using an RV – and were living with all the comforts of home.
Jennifer agrees that packing up once is a huge bonus. "We spend all year talking about the next camping season and where we will go and what we will do next," says Jennifer. "I have learned that our children adore RVing as much as we do. You can go amazing places and meet so many different people. And with a class A, the kids can be busy playing with something while we are driving long distance!"
Bob and Lynn Cram of West Barnstable have two children and own a Class A Fleetwood Bounder buslike RV. They are pals with the Labers and have been RVing since 1995.
"RVers form a little 'community' with the people you camp with, the same as you would in a cottage colony, whether it's in a state park or privately owned campground," says Lynn. "It's like having your home with you! All your children's favorite toys, bed things, kitchen gadgets, etc, travel with you like a second home or vacation home. It is fabulous."
Like many other Cape Cod RVers, the Crams are enthusiastic fans of the RVing community on Sandy Neck. "We used to go to Sandy Neck as day-trippers before we got an RV, but we never wanted to leave at the end of the day," Lynn says. "With our RV, now we don't have to go."
We called experts at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., to get a cost comparison of staying at their campground, Fort Wilderness Resort, versus staying at the Polynesian Resort's most basic hotel room. (The Polynesian was chosen for being the least expensive resort that can also access the Magic Kingdom Park via water shuttles, just like Fort Wilderness).
To bring your own RV: about $2,700
-- A Premium RV campsite for two adults and two children with full hook-ups for seven days, including 5-day Park Hopper passes (that include all the theme parks): about $1,900
-- Food bought at grocery store and cooked in RV: about $200
-- Gas from Cape Cod to Orlando (round trip): about $600
To stay in a hotel: about $6,000
-- A basic room at the Polynesian Resort near the Magic Kingdom for two adults and two children.
-- Price from disney.com includes 5-day Park Hopper passes, Disney dining plan, flights from Boston to Orlando and ground transportation from the airport to the hotel
A guide at www.rvtraderonline.com.rvtraderonline.com/find/search offers small sketches of different class categories of RVs. Prices vary widely, and rentals can range in price from about $300 per week for a folding camper to $1,500 per week for a 31-foot Class C. For more information: www.gorving.com. Among the RV choices: -- Class A: Bus-like drivables ranging in size from 25 feet to more than 40 feet. -- Class B: Drivables resembling modified minivans. -- Class C: Drivables between 20 and 38 feet long that have a bunk area over the cab. The cab area often resembles a van or truck. -- Travel trailers: Towable RVs that attach to the tow vehicle's tongue; there's a wide range of sizes and weights. -- Fifth wheel: Towable RVs that attach to the tow vehicle via a specialized neck, often welded into the truck bed; there's a wide range of sizes and weights. -- Toy hauler: Like a fifth wheel or travel trailer, but this also has a self-contained garage area within the trailer for "toys" like golf carts or motorcycles. -- Folding camper: Also known as a pop-up, this is small and light and can often be towed by cars or minivans. The living area "pops" up into a tent. -- Truck camper: A small, self-contained living space that is seated on top of a truck bed. -- Park model: Large, house-like RV that is usually set in one place and not moved. This is basically a prefabricated home with wheels.
Finding the right RV


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Kacey Montoya Wiki, Bio, Age, Height, Married, Husband, Kids, Net Worth
Biography, Journalist, Journalist USA
Kacey Montoya is a journalist from the U.S. She is currently a general assignment reporter at the KTLA News Station. Also, he has worked at KOIN-TV for more than five years. She is famous among the media fraternity for giving her honest views and news. Let's find Kacey Montoya's Wiki, Bio, Age, Height, Married, Husband, Kids, Net Worth, etc.
Kacey Montoya Wiki:
She is born and raised by her parents in the USA.
She is born on June 4th, 1981 and it is the day on which she cuts her birthday cake.
She is born in the USA.
How old is Kacey Montoya ? Kacey Montoya is 40 years old as of 2022.
Her ethnic background is white.
Her nickname is Kacey.
Her maiden name is Kacey Montoya.
Zodiac Sign / Sun Sign:
Her birth sign is Gemini.
Kacey Montoya Height:
How tall is Kacey Montoya ? Kacey Montoya stands more than 5 feet and 9 inches tall in height.
Her weight is moderate.
The color of her hair is blonde.
The color of her eyes is blue.
Her shoe size details are not available.
She has three siblings brothers and three sisters in her family.
She obtained her graduation with a bachelor of arts degree in Broadcast Journalism from California State University.
She is a journalist on the professional front.
She is a hard-working and dedicated journalist who has served at numerous news networks and stations in her entire career to date.
She has worked at the CBS Station based in Palm Springs, California as a reporter and anchor for two years.
She served at the WOAY-TV based in Oak Hill, West Virginia in a similar role.
Also, she served at KOIN-TV, which is a CBS-affiliated Station based in Portland, Oregon for five years.
Since 2013, she is working at the KTLA News Station as a General Assignment Reporter in the USA.
Also Read: Scott McDonnell Biography
Marriage / Wedding:
She is a married woman.
Husband / Spouse:
The name of her husband is Matt Brade.
Kids / Children:
It is not known whether she has any kids or not.
She likes to post interesting insights and stories both from her personal and professional life on her Instagram account with the username @kaceymontoya. She posts wonderful and beautiful pictures too on her account. It is one of the main reasons, that her profile got more than 54.9k followers. Let's see one of her beautiful pictures below…
A post shared by K A C E Y M O N T O Y A (@kaceymontoya)
More than 20.4k followers are currently following her on Twitter with the username @kaceymontoya.
More than 110k people have showered love and respect for her on her Facebook profile which she runs with her own name with the username @kaceymontoyaTV
Salary / Net Worth:
How much are the Salary and net worth of Kacey Montoya? The answer to this question is still not available in the public domain. But she is working in the journalism sector for many years, so we can assume she might be getting the salary as per the industry standards and might have accrued a decent net worth.
Tags:AgeBioHeightHusbandKacey Montoya WikiKidsMarriedNet worth


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Sussex Jazz Magazine
The jazz magazine for the Sussex area
Column: Simon Spillett – There's Always Someone Looking At You: The Peculiar World of the Jazz 'Recordist'
There's Always Someone Looking At You: The Peculiar World of the Jazz 'Recordist'
I was on a gig the other night when a man noisily elbowed his way through the door of the venue, pushing what looked for all the world like some sort of portable defibrillator unit, mounted on a wire frame and complete with a set of wheels that appeared to have been stolen off a vintage pram.
He wasted no time in approaching the band.
'Do you mind if I film a bit?', he enquired, a question met by quizzical 'we've been here before' looks between myself and the other musicians on stage.
'Well, er…'
A few minutes later and the man had his equipment whirring away in full Heath Robinson glory. This was none of your simple camera-phone held at shaky arms' length business, mind. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Suddenly, myself and the other players were pinned in a spotlight that wouldn't have been out of place at Colditz, while its operator, shielded from view like a Gestapo interrogator, made busy adjustments to a camera that to my eyes looked to be just this side of the sort of thing you'd expect to see atop a security fence at an MOD site.
Dazzled by this spectacle (quite literally), we did our thing and then, almost as soon as he appeared, the man was gone, his wire-wheels, arc light and surveillance get-up off into the chilly night.
A day or so later a friend emailed me to ask if I'd seen a YouTube clip of 'The Simon Splillett Trio' [sic.] that had just been posted. I hadn't and I didn't want to but there it was all the same – three musicians looking like rabbits caught in the headlights playing a gig which – when all's said and done – really wasn't the kind of thing that needed capturing for posterity.
That's the thing these days though – it's not whether we want to be recorded or not that matters. It's Joe Public who's boss and says so.
As a naturally reluctant 'recording artist' it's taken an age for me to accept the insidious way of life that is the mobile phone camera but for sanity's sake I've had to.
I learned a while ago that you can't beat it, you just can't.
And I suppose if people are willing to share hours of 'you had to be there' epic 'fails' on the net (thank you Rude Tube!) I suppose a musician showing some sort of accumulated skills shouldn't be too surprised that those who watch them want to film them.
No, that's not my beef here. My issue is that there are a growing army of so-called 'jazz fans' who roll into gigs with ever more elaborate recording equipment, be it audio or audio/visual, and who feel as if there is some sort of service being done to the music by documenting its more obscure happenings.
Only a few weeks ago I was about to go on at a London jazz venue when I saw a man sit down in the front row and unpack so many free-standing table mics that I thought he was about to deliver a press conference.
When I politely questioned what he was doing he seemed most offended – as if I shouldn't mind at all that someone is taking away a free sample of what we do and – come on, we're not stupid! – sharing it willy-nilly with their mates.
Now before anyone accuses me of being unnecessarily heavy-handed, let me say that it's the deeper issue that is the real concern, not the simple gesture of taping a gig. Rather, it's the nature of how some folk regard the gig itself.
Like many musicians I know, I'm saddened by some people's increasing inability to walk into a music night and enjoy it for what it is – a live event, an in-the-moment never-to-be-heard-again occasion that is as much a social thing as an 'artistic' display.
Yes, I know there have been gigs we've been to that we wish we had a souvenir from but to my mind part of what makes a gig a gig is that it is something that is transient and unrepeatable – think of that famous quote from Eric Dolphy about music being 'gone in the air.'
The trouble is that now there exists a particular kind of music follower – halfway between Dean Benedetti and that guy in The Truman Show – who can't help himself in his over-obsessive documentation of what he likes. OK, you can argue it's his camera or his mini-disc recorder or whatever, but honestly does someone – anyone? – really need to capture the most inconsequential of pub blows for future generations?
You can also argue the toss from what you might call the 'environmental' angle. Think about it for a minute and imagine what it would be like if Greta Thunberg had decided not to turn her ire on the older generation and its shamelessly size 14 carbon footprints but on the rampant overuse of digital media.
Of the many troubling things in our paradoxical shrinking-but-growing existence, the overload of information we face daily on the internet is, for me, the most disturbing.
Sealed behind a laptop or mobile screen there exists a whole cyber-realm in which, for some unjustifiable reason, the most inane, unimportant and, quite frankly, 'so what' of experiences have been elevated to worthiness.
Yes, I use YouTube to look at vintage jazz clips and the like, but I'm blowed if I'm going to wade through an entire set by a current jazz icon taken at the rear of a club on a wobbly selfie-stick.
The trouble is that the rules of cyberspace – that is, NO rules – has robbed the whole enterprise of the one thing the human race (without exception) needs from time to time: an edit button.
Give a limitless forum to the entire globe, one which has, let's face it, all too little policing of its content and yes, you'll undoubtedly get gold dust from some (think of that old chestnut about a room full of monkeys and typewriters) but you'll also have to watch some adenoidal nerd from Des Moines telling you how to play 'Countdown' in all twelve keys over an impossible-to-decipher clave rhythm.
I think this might be what Andy Warhol was getting at when he predicted the ubiquitous 'fifteen minutes of fame' back in the 1960s. Fortunately for him, Warhol died in 1987, several years before the internet came into public use, thus robbing him of the educational, mind-expanding experience that is watching endless novelty pet clips or skateboarding tricks gone wrong.
And, despite being a pioneer in turning the everyday into 'art', I'll wager that even he would have baulked at the idea that some out-of-the-way pub gig needed to be sealed permanently into the digital domain.
Simon Spillett
Tagged: Column, Simon Spillett
Terry Pack: Reflections on the Impact of the Coronavirus Crisis
Column: Simon Spillett – Sixty Not Out
Column: Eddie Myer – All Night Long
January 2021 Issue out now
December SJM Out Now
August Issue Free to Download
July Issue Free to Download
June Issue Free to Download
Jazz Education New Generation Jazz live review Eddie Myer The Column Jazz News Terry Seabrook Album Review Interview Patrick Billingham Pete Recommends Love Supreme Festival Wayne McConnell Charlie Anderson Peter Batten The Verdict Big Band Scene Lisa Wormsley Review Improv Column
Big Band Scene
Brief Guide
Improv Column
Jazz Education
Jazz Essentials
Jazz History
Letters Page
Pete Recommends


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Q: Overloading + operator for arrays in groovy I am a groovy newbie. Maybe this is a piece of cake, but I want to overload the + operator for arrays/lists to code like this
def a= [1,1,1]
def b= [2,2,2]

assert [3,3,3] == a + b

A: I wouldn't recommend globally overriding well-established behaviors. But, if you insist, this will do as you ask:
ArrayList.metaClass.plus << {Collection b ->
    [delegate, b].transpose().collect{x, y -> x+y}
}

A more localized alternative would be to use a category:
class PlusCategory{
    public static Collection plus(Collection a, Collection b){
        [a, b].transpose().collect{x, y -> x+y}
    }
}
use (PlusCategory){
    assert [3, 3, 3] == [1, 1, 1] + [2, 2, 2]
}

However, I would probably create a generic zipWith method (as in functional programming), allowing one to easily specify different behaviors...
Collection.metaClass.zipWith = {Collection b, Closure c ->
    [delegate, b].transpose().collect(c)
}
assert [3, 3, 3] == [1, 1, 1].zipWith([2, 2, 2]){a, b -> a+b}
assert [2, 2, 2] == [1, 1, 1].zipWith([2, 2, 2]){a, b -> a*b}


Confidence in your Confidentiality Policy?.
In the recent case of Stimpson v Citibank N.A, an employment tribunal held that a bank wrongly and unfairly dismissed a foreign exchange (FX) trader for sharing information via Bloomberg instant messaging and disclosure of confidential client information to traders from other banks in an online chat room.
Under the bank's disciplinary policy, unauthorised disclosure of confidential information was included as a specific example of gross misconduct, and the trader was summarily dismissed following a disciplinary investigation into such disclosures.
This employment claim formed part of a wider landscape in the financial sector. In late 2013, financial regulators in the UK, US and other countries began to investigate concerns that traders at a number of financial institutions had behaved in a manner that was inappropriate in FX trading. An investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) eventually led to substantial fines being imposed on a number of banks, including the respondent in this case, for failing to control business practices in their FX trading operations which it identified as systemic failures by the bank.
Despite the widely publicised background of this employment case, the tribunal found that it was insufficient for the bank to simply rely on the black letter of its policies and codes of practice on protecting confidential information. The bank should have additionally investigated how the policies were applied in the FX business or the extent to which the information was already in the public domain.
It was held that a reasonable investigation would have revealed that there was a culture of, and in fact management appeared to condone, information-sharing between FX traders at different banks, a fact that was highlighted by the regulatory investigation into the bank by the FCA. The tribunal considered contributory fault but found that the employee had not been given specific guidance for using the on-line platform and any breach of confidentiality was not deliberate as the employee believed his conduct was permitted, given the similar conduct of his peers and immediate managers.
Summary: The case provides a useful lesson for employers conducting disciplinary investigations and hearings for misconduct. It is a reminder that whilst it is critical to have a policy, sole reliance on the black and white analysis of policy will be insufficient if employers do not ensure that they are actually applied and enforced in the business. Of course, one way to ensure application within the business is by providing managers and staff with relevant training on the practical aspects of relevant policies.


Rep. Will Hartnett (R-Dallas) will not seek re-election to his House District 114 seat. Former Dallas County Republican Party Chairman Jonathan Neerman and former Rep. Bill Keffer are said to be interested in running to replace Hartnett.
Donna Campbell announced that she will run against Sen. Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) in the Republican primary for Senate District 25. Campbell most recently ran against Congressman Lloyd Doggett in 2010.
Rep. Mark Shelton (R-Ft. Worth) is expected to officially announce that he will run in the Republican primary for the redrawn Senate District 10, currently represented by Sen. Wendy Davis (D-Ft. Worth). Dr. Shelton will be joining Rep. Kelly Hancock (R-Ft. Worth) who previously announced his intent to run for the Senate seat.
Ryan Downton, an attorney who served as general counsel to the House Redistricting Committee last session will challenge Rep. Paul Workman (R-Austin) in the Republican primary for House District 47.
Lufkin school board president Trent Ashby will challenge Rep. Marva Beck (R-Centerville) in the Republican primary in House District 57.
Dr. Stuart Spitzer, a Kaufman surgeon, announced he will run in the Republican primary for House District 4, currently represented by Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Terrell).
Governor Rick Perry appointed John T. Steen III of Houston to the Texas Racing Commission for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2013.


A New Jersey-oriented family website has released their list of the best towns for families in the Garden State and a couple locations in South Jersey are getting recognized -- and some are not.
The folks at NJfamily.com take things like education, affordability, and crime into account when they put together their annual list of the best cities in the state to raise a family.
Coming in at the top spot is Clinton in Hunterdon County, where the average house costs about $365,000 and the website describes it as, "straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting."
As a subset of their list, NJfamily.com released their top pick for each county. Locally, Linwood was named the top city to raise a family in Atlantic County (overall #42 out of over 500 municipalities in the state) and Upper Township got the nod in Cape May County (#127 statewide).
Regionally, Haddonfield, Hopewell Township, Woolwich Township, Moorestown, and Point Pleasant Boro scored tops for their respective counties.
Now here's what I don't understand: NJfamily.com ranked 511 towns and townships and many places in South Jersey are listed at the bottom, or as some of the worst places to raise a family. Absecon ranks 485, North Wildwood ranks 505, Wildwood 506, and Wildwood crest is at #509. Meanwhile Camden is at 460.
So Camden is a better place to raise a family compared to North Wildwood? We have nothing against Camden, but c'mon.
You can read more about NJfamily.com's rankings and even view their entire list of where over 500 locations ranked on their website.


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Grand Valley State selects its 1st woman as president
ALLENDALE, Mich. (AP) — Grand Valley State University has selected a woman as the western Michigan school's president for the first time in its history.
The appointment of Philomena Mantella as the school's president was unanimously approved Tuesday during a special board meeting at the university's Allendale campus. She says in a statement that the school is among those helping to "carry the promise of a degree and a path to prosperity for learners from all backgrounds."
Mantella is currently senior vice president and chief executive officer of the Lifelong Learning Network at Northeastern University in Boston. She has a Ph.D. in college and university administration from Michigan State University and degrees in social work from Syracuse University.
She'll replace Thomas Haas, who earlier announced plans to retire this year as the school's president.


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/ Places
/ United States, Canada, and Greenland
/ U.S. Political Geography
/ Jamestown
Jamestown. 1 City (1990 pop. 34,681), Chautauqua co., W N.Y., on Chautauqua Lake; founded c.1806, inc. as a city 1886. It is the business and financial center of a dairy, livestock, and vineyard area. The chief industries are food processing and furniture and machine manufacture. Nearby are Allegany State Park and the Chautauqua Institution, a cultural and recreational center on the lake. Lucille Ball was born in the city.
2 City (1990 pop. 15,571), seat of Stutsman co., SE N.Dak., on the James River, in a farm area; founded 1871 when Fort Seward was established to protect railroad workers, inc. 1896. It is the trade and processing center for an agricultural area where grain and flour are produced and sunflowers and livestock are raised. Processed food, ordnance, and construction materials are manufactured. Jamestown College is in the city. Fort Seward Historic Site and a restored frontier village lie on the outskirts.
3 Former village, SE Va., first permanent English settlement in America; est. May 14, 1607, by the London Company on a marshy peninsula (now an island) in the James River and named for the reigning English monarch, James I. Disease, starvation, and Native American attacks wiped out most of the colony, but the London Company continually sent more men and supplies, and John Smith briefly provided efficient leadership (he returned to England in 1609 for treatment of an injury). After the severe winter of 1609–10 (the starving time ), the survivors prepared to return to England but were stopped by the timely arrival of Lord De la Warr with supplies. John Rolfe cultivated the first tobacco there in 1612, introducing a successful source of livelihood; in 1614 he assured peace with the local Native Americans by marrying Pocahontas , daughter of chief Powhatan. In 1619 the first representative government in the New World met at Jamestown, which remained the capital of Virginia throughout the 17th cent. The village was almost entirely destroyed during Bacon's Rebellion ; it was partially rebuilt but fell into decay with the removal of the capital to Williamsburg (1698–1700).
Of the 17th-century settlement, only the old church tower (built c.1639) and a few gravestones were visible when National Park Service excavations began in 1934. Today, most of Jamestown Island is owned by the U.S. government and is included in Colonial National Historical Park (see National Parks and Monuments , table); a small portion comprises the Jamestown National Historic Site, which is owned by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. A tercentenary celebration was held in 1907, and in 1957 the Jamestown Festival Park was built to commemorate the 350th anniversary. The park, which was renamed Jamestown Settlement in 1990, contains exhibit pavilions and replicas of the first fort, the three ships that brought the first settlers, and a Native American village. Excavations that began in 1994 finally uncovered the original fort at Jamestown, which had long been believed to have been eroded away by the river.
See report by the Celebration Commission, The 350th Anniversary of Jamestown, 1607–1957 (1958); C. Bridenbaugh, Jamestown, 1544–1699 (1980); D. A. Price, Love and Hate in Jamestown (2003).
See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Political Geography


Without a tie there is no hen.
Insidious has written 36 articles so far, you can find them below.
Tokyo Ghoul Re premiers April 3rd, this has just been announced in the Weekly Young Jump magazine. This Thursday the 12th issue of Shueisha's magazine revealed new information regarding Tokyo Ghoul Re. We can safely relax until April 3rd. On that day we will be watching the new anime adaptation of Sui Ishida's Tokyo Ghoul manga.


Excellent value for this quintessential Old Naples home just five blocks to the beach. With 2,872 Sq.Ft. this is one of the lowest price per Sq.Ft. homes you will find in Old Naples. Home has been very nicely updated with wide plank oak flooring, updated kitchen with new Bosch kitchen appliances, new A/Cs, and an open floorplan. Two large downstairs bedroom suites. Set on a beautifully landscaped lot on a mahogany lined street minutes to the beach and the famed 5th Ave/3rd Street shopping/dining.
Address: 313 5th Street N.


Make a subtle statement with these lightweight beauties. Wear them on date night or out on New Year's Eve. The length of the earring adds a touch of elegance to any outfit. Choose the short (1.5 inch) or long (2.5 inch pictured) style in the options above. Earrings are made from sterling silver posts placed on 3mm hand hammered goldfill chain with a hand hammered sterling silver disc handwired to add the final touch. Select the gift wrap option to receive your new beauties in the Jewel Ya keepsake linen bag!


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Rarest Seal Found Breeding In North Cyprus
North Cyprus has become host to the world's rarest species of seal, it was discovered.
The Mediterranean monk seal is classified as "endangered," with a total population of about 700.
At least three seal pups were born from 2016-19 in caves in North Cyprus. The discovery was confirmed in a new study launched by the University of Exeter and the Society for the Protection of Turtles (SPOT), using camera-traps.
The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is a monk seal belonging to the family Phocidae.
As of 2015, it is estimated that fewer than 700 individuals survive in three or four isolated subpopulations in the Mediterranean, (especially) in the Aegean Sea, the archipelago of Madeira and the Cabo Blanco area in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. It is believed to be the world's rarest pinniped species. (Wikipedia)
Science Daily, Wikipedia


While recuperating I am trying to return to reading more and getting back to learning.
I am finding that reading is a discipline akin to working out. It requires a concerted effort to guide my mind back into "reading mode." Much like returning to running after years of non-running where my body had forgotten "how to" run, I find my mind has grown fat and lazy. It prefers the junk food found in social media rather than the solid nutrition found in literature, art, and story. So then, my "exercise" regime is to ease my mind back into reading.
I find my mind is hungry for substance, for ideas, for things that will cause me to grow rather than waste away on the junk food found in our technological cornucopia of social media and instant infotainment. I find myself wondering if I have waited too long to get back to learning? Am I too old? Is it too late? No!
No. It is a matter of discipline. It will take work, and it will not be easy. There are many distractions in this day of instant internet and entertainment access. It was an epiphany to realize that I had allowed myself to become seduced by easy technology, to be ensnared by the entertainment at my fingertips in the device I now carry with me everywhere I go. My mind has become addicted to soundbite, to bumper sticker snippets and click-bait headlines. All fluff and no substance.
I have therefore decided to impose some self discipline and require myself to read for at least one hour each day. In practicing that today, my mind realized the shallowness of what I have been consuming for far too long and it realized the emptiness of time wasted in cheap entertainment pursuits with which I have intoxicated myself. Cheap entertainment pursuits that require no thought have left my mind numb and in desperate need of more nourishing substance.
I hope to incorporate more classical literature in my routine as well as my mind training progresses. I just know that at this moment my mind is starving for something more that the mind numbing dribble that I've been feeding it for the past several years. It's not too late to begin again and learn. It's not too late to feed my mind and soul.
My story would begin in darkness though not total darkness but not romantic moonlit darkness either. It would be more the darkness that accompanies a storm. The kind that diffuses the the light and casts strange shadows across the land. The kind that causes the street lamps to come on at mid-day.
I stand at the gate looking out at the road that lies before me, uncertain which direction to go from here. Do I open the gate and step through? Or do I run back to the porch and ride out the storm in the relative comfort of the crumbling structure I am seeking to escape? Do I stay until the bitter end?
I stand at the gate and look back. Indecision has me paralyzed and the storm is increasing in intensity. I feel the wind at my back and it causes me to shiver. I adjust my collar and huddle down to make myself a smaller target for the chill breeze and once again turn to look at the road before me just a step beyond the gate.
I stand at the gate and my eyes search for any sign of direction. Off in the distance I see rays of sunlight that quickly retreat into shadow as I watch, teasing me with hope that is transient and elusive. I'm too old to go chasing after "maybes" and "what-ifs." I need a sure thing. Yet I realize how unreasonable and unrealistic that standard is. There are no "sure things" and to make that a requirement will only keep me paralyzed with indecision.
Every so often I have an epiphany that is so simple, so obvious, so elementary that I get angry at myself for not seeing it sooner. Or at least not acknowledging that it is something that I know already… but I'm not practicing as I should.
Yet how much time do we spend looking for a magic pill, a shortcut, some hocus-pocus that will make us better without putting in the hard work it takes to actually get better?
You say you want to be a better runner. Guess what, if you continue to run you will get better.
Intuitively we know this. Why are some people great at playing video games? Because they play them all the time. Why are athletes so good at the sport they do… because they do it all the time.
In order to get good at anything you have to invest time and hard work in doing it.
Let's bring this home to everyone and make it real.
You say you want to lose weight? Guess what… it's going to require time and effort. Period. The "gurus" out there are making a fortune selling illusions of quick fixes and shortcuts… but if you want to make it real, make it last and see real results then you have to invest time and effort in the process.
Yet in this culture of instant gratification we want results NOW, right now. We also quickly become bored with the effort and move on to something more shiny, more new and easier. We want the sculpted, supermodel body but we want it with only the couch potato effort. We will spend thousands of $$$ dollars buying meal plans, pills, shakes, gadgets and fads in order to lose weight and slim down… but we won't spend that amount of time and hard work doing the same.
See, its so simple, so easy to say, so easy to gloss over… but sometimes it is the simple things that we trip over along the way.
Now, begin… do what you can do today… and increase that by a little bit more tomorrow… and don't quit. The results will come I promise you. Just keep on and don't stop.


The Jersey Shore's biggest breakout star (and also technically the tiniest), Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi is not only pregnant, she's engaged to boyfriend Jionni LaValle. In an interview with Good Morning America earlier this month, Snooki denied bun-in-the-oven rumors, saying, "I definitely do want kids, but I'm not pregnant. Being pregnant should be a real thing and a happy thing, and I'm not."
Oh? Apparently the 24-year-old reality star is happy for the real thing now, because, in addition to expecting a child later this year, she and LaValle also plan to wed. "I know he's the one so I know the ring's gonna come soon," Snookie told People in January. "He knows it should be big, cuz if it's small I'm saying no. Like, 'Get another ring!'"
Aside from a much-needed crash course in decorum, it seems Snooki wants for a lesson in gracious proposal etiquette—because it's not okay to say you think the stone is too small! That's like saying, "You didn't spend enough money." Surely, whatever MTV is paying the self-described lil' meatball for her new spin-off series with fellow Shorester Jenni "JWOWW" Farley, Snooki can afford her own upgrade.