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April 13, 2017 2:00PM EDT
Chechnya's Gay Purge Should Spark International Action
Published in The Guardian
Kyle Knight
Researcher, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program knightktm
A brutal campaign against gay men is sweeping Chechnya, with reports of abduction-style detention, enforced disappearances, torture and deaths. Chechnya is an administrative unit of the Russian federation, and Russia's authorities are duty bound to uphold the rights and fundamental freedoms enshrined in its domestic legislation and international human rights obligations. The obligations it owes to residents and victims in Chechnya, and its failure to meet them, are evident to all in the region.
The head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, on December 13, 2011.
© 2011 Government.ru
Minorities and government critics in the Chechen republic face a ruthless state security apparatus and scant avenues for recourse. LGBT people are particularly vulnerable to abuse. Anti-gay social attitudes are widespread in Chechnya; homophobia is intense and rampant – and fueled by local leadership. LGBT people are in danger of being both attacked by the authorities and victims of "honour killings" by their own relatives – a vile, lawless practice against those who supposedly tarnish family honour.
Local officials openly approve of these killings, while Moscow turns a blind eye. Given the societal and authoritarian pressures, gay Chechens released to their families after days of torture and confinement in horrific conditions sadly risk more persecution and abuse instead of sanctuary.
The presidential spokesman's blithe recommendation was that those who, "in their opinion" suffered abuse by law enforcement officials should report the cases to authorities. This advice is not only tone deaf and cynical, but reveals the lack of recourse available to victims in Chechnya. Without concrete, effective security guarantees, victims and witnesses cannot come forward, and there is no chance that any worthwhile investigation would take place. It should be a call to action for the international community.
As with past attacks on Chechen dissidents, activists and minorities, Russia's leadership can have no doubt of the extent to which Chechen authorities have violated human rights. Over the past decade, Ramzan Kadyrov, the local strongman, has installed tyranny in Chechnya with the blessing of the Kremlin. Kadyrov's control touches virtually all aspects of social life, including politics, religion, academic discourse and family matters.
If the Kremlin's dismissive response indicates that Russia will not offer any meaningful security guarantees to the victims of this current horrific campaign, the international community needs to fill that gap.
The actions in Chechnya fit into a disturbing global pattern of governments explicitly driving anti-gay violence, or tacitly allowing vigilantes to attack LGBT people with impunity. Throughout 2016, officials and politicians in Indonesia stoked anti-LGBT sentiment that boiled over into police violence against peaceful demonstrations and raids on suspected gay gatherings, and vigilante attacks on activists. After the brutal machete slaughter of two gay activists in Bangladesh in April last year, a top government official publicly stated that the deceased had been working to promote values "that do not fit in our society." The Gambian government's targeting of journalists, human rights defenders, student leaders, religious leaders and political opposition member extended to the LGBT community as well, driven by the former president's charge that "homosexuality is anti-God, anti-human, and anti-civilisation".
December 15, 2014 Video
Russian Police Ignore Anti-Gay Attacks
Russian authorities have failed in their obligation to prevent and prosecute homophobic violence. Growing numbers of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people have been attacked and harassed across Russia in the lead-up and aftermath of the adoption of the federal anti-LGBT "propaganda" law in June 2013. The law effectively legalized discrimination against LGBT people and cast them as second-class citizens.
Western governments should press Russian authorities at the highest level to resolutely condemn what effectively stands for a mop-up operation against gay men in Chechnya. Given the seriousness of the situation and the level of the threat, governments should also do whatever they can to assist LGBT people in imminent danger to leave Chechnya and find safe sanctuary outside Russia. This includes providing and expediting humanitarian visas, refugee resettlement, or any other permission for entry.
Russia's record of failure to investigate and prosecute anti-LGBT violence elsewhere in the country is coupled with the stark lack of accountability for torture, enforced disappearances, and extra-judicial killings in Chechnya by security officials under Kadyrov's control. That sends an urgent signal to key international actors to step in to save the lives and dignity of people before it leads to yet more blood and suffering.
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Question: How many people with disabilities are working?
Answer: The statistics vary depending on the source data and the definition of disability.
The Census 2000,�Census 2000 Summary File #3, and other Census 2000 reports are frequently referenced sources for disability statistics. For example, a publication from the U.S. Census Bureau, Disability Status 2000: Census 2000 Brief (March 2003) (C2KBR-17), along with Census 2000 Summary File #3 (March 2003) report the following statistics about the employment of people with disabilities:
The total number of people with disabilities aged 16-64 is 33,153,211.
Of those, the total number employed is 18,525,862.
The percent of people with disabilities aged 16-64 employed is 55.8%.
Of the 18.6 million people with disabilities employed aged 16-64, 60.1% of men with disabilities are employed, and 51.4% of women with disabilities are employed.
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is working with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) at the Department of Labor to develop tools for collecting current and more detailed employment data about people with disabilities using the Current Population Survey. More information on this initiative is available on ODEP's Web site.
Additional statistical information about persons with disabilities can be obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau Web site, or by phone at 301-457-3242. And more sources of disability statistics can be found online at Disability.gov.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We are happy to announce that we are now stocking a new, stronger series of deep cycle battery from Interstate. These new batteries are perfect for trolling motor applications or to use as a house battery for your boat. They have a higher amp hour rating so they last longer. The new batteries also have a 50% increase in charging cycles, meaning they can be discharged and recharged many more times than their predecessors. Last but not least, these have an 18 month replacement warranty versus a 12 month warranty. All of these improvements for only $15.00 more. Not bad!


For about ten years AalbertsFoodWise has been working closely with the Centre for Development Innovation of Wageningen University and Research Centre to organise a 3-week training course on food safety. Every year some 30-50 professionals from public and private organisations in emerging economies and developing countries are trained on international standards setting, EU and national food safety legislation and policy, implementation of public and private standards, impact on developing economies, and change management.The course is part of the short courses programme for Centre for Development Innovation and is commissioned by EP-Nuffic, It is a joy to meet so many motivated professionals, who are eager to learn and to share experiences from their own practice. Even more enjoyable is to be together with people with so many different nationalities and cultural backgrounds.
Personally, I believe this is one of the best ways to strengthen international linkages, which are so important in dealing with global issues, of which food safety is only one.
Below you will find some pictures of the past courses.


Restore the order of flow for your 1975-1979 Beetle with this Fuel Filter. This filter is for all fuel injected models and is a direct replacement piece. This filter protects your VW's engine from harmful contaminants by trapping them before they enter the fuel delivery system.


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Tamilnation > Struggle for Tamil Eelam > Conflict Resolution - Tamil Eelam - Sri Lanka > Norwegian Peace Initiative > LTTE's Unilateral Ceasefires > LTTE ceasefire opportunistic - Kadirgamar, 5 January 2001
Norwegian Peace Initiative
"LTTE's ceasefire offer, opportunistic" - Kadirgamar
Sri Lanka Daily News - 5 January 2001
Q. 1 What is your reaction to the LTTE offer of a ceasefire?
Ans. The LTTE should first have discussed the ceasefire with the Norwegian Government's representatives who would then have consulted us. Instead, the LTTE chose to announce a unilateral ceasefire without even telling the Norwegian Government about it in advance. This seems to have been a publicity stunt aimed to win credit for an international audience. Secondly their announcement is a transparent ploy to impede the Government Forces in their task of clearing the Jaffna Peninsula of the LTTE presence and bringing back normalcy in the lives of the civilian population.
The Government Forces expelled the LTTE from the Northern Peninsula in 1996 after it had been occupied by the LTTE since 1991. The LTTE always chooses a moment most opportune to themselves to announce a ceasefire. They never do so when their military campaigns are on the move. For instance, they did not suggest a ceasefire when they occupied new areas of land in the Vanni, overran the Elephant Pass camp and rolled into the Jaffna Peninsula itself in the months preceding May 1999. In fact, up to about September this year, they had made it clear to the Norwegians that they were not willing to discuss the question of negotiations at all. On the contrary, they made it clear to them that their main objective was to retake the Jaffna Peninsula. Neither at his meeting with the Norwegians on 1 November, nor in his 27 November speech did the LTTE leader mention a ceasefire. But he did speak about re-taking Jaffna. Now that he probably realizes that his dream of re-taking Jaffna is unrealizable and that military operations to clear that the Peninsula are proceeding, he suddenly decides to announce a ceasefire timed for the Christmas period and the Hindu festival of Thai Pongal in order to win sympathy and credibility.
The Government statement issued on 12 December, 2000, made it clear that the Government considers a ceasefire a "consequent step that would arise when negotiations proceed to the mutual satisfaction of both sides". In announcing its unilateral ceasefire the LTTE said it was a "goodwill measure to facilitate the peace process". The Government stated in its reply that "further gestures of goodwill are unnecessary when the Government has clearly indicated its wish to engage in talks with the LTTE forthwith on the substantial issues involved with a view to resolving the ethnic question, ending the war and constructing a durable peace". In this instance, this is the answer the Government would have given to the LTTE had it been consulted through the Norwegian representatives in advance of the LTTE's unilateral declaration. In fact, the Government had agreed with the advice of the Norwegian representatives, that unilateral gestures of goodwill are unwelcome at this time. Thus, in accordance with this understanding with the Norwegian representatives the Government does not itself intend to engage in any unilateral gestures.
Let us be frank, even blunt, about gestures of goodwill. Where in truth goodwill exists gestures are unnecessary. Where goodwill does not exist a so-called gesture of goodwill is a mere sham, a posture. Since April 1995 when it went back to war while negotiations with the Government were still on, the LTTE has shown no goodwill at all for the Government or any person who appeared to stand in its way. Where was goodwill when the LTTE bombed the Central Bank; bombed a commuter train full of civilians; massacred a number of young Buddhist monks and other innocent civilians of all races and religions; bombed the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (the Dalada Maligawa) and almost succeeded in destroying the Relic itself, the most sacred object of worship for the hundreds of millions of Buddhists in the world; assassinated a number of democratic Tamil speaking politicians, including Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam, the widely respected human rights activist, the elected lady Mayoress of Jaffna, an elderly lady, and her successor; assassinated Minister C. V. Gooneratne, while he was peacefully leading a procession in the City; attempted to assassinate and grievously wounded President Kumaratunga, the elected President of Sri Lanka. The LTTE is still constantly seeking civilian targets for assassination and economic targets for destruction.
How did the LTTE suddenly discover or generate sufficient goodwill for the Government of Sri Lanka to warrant the making of a gesture - and that, too, one that is so patently self-serving.
Q 2. Given its history of violating ceasefires, can you trust the LTTE?
Ans. No. As I have indicated in my answer to the first question, the LTTE's offers of ceasefires have, in the past, been opportunistic; so is the present one. It appears that the LTTE wishes to delay the day when it will have to get down to discussing with the Government the substantial issues involved as stated above. It is probably a manoeuvre to gain position on the ground. In any event, the LTTE has already violated its own unilateral ceasefire - it has thrown grenades at soldiers in the past few days.
Q 3. What is the role of Norway in the peace process?
Ans. At the invitation of the Government and the LTTE, Norway was engaged as a facilitator in order to bring the parties together for negotiations on the substantive issues. Norway is not a mediator or an arbitrator. It has no mandate to prescribe solutions to the problem. It has undertaken to bring the parties to the table so that they could talk directly to each other. This is the approach favoured by the Government. We wish to start the negotiating process forthwith.
Q 4. Did they find V. Prabhakaran genuinely interested in a resolution?
Ans. After their meeting with Prabhakaran on 1st November, the Norwegians came away with the impression that he would like to enter into negotiations at some stage. But I must add that the Norwegians were meeting him for the first time. The Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of India have known him for a long time. Both Governments are familiar with his record.
Q 5. After nearly two decades of war is there war fatigue among the Tamils?
Ans. I would say definitely yes. The Tamil people who live in Sri Lanka, especially in the North and East, where the conflict takes place have been severely buffeted by war for nearly twenty years. It is they who experience the horrors of war, death, injury, the destruction of property, the disruption of normal life, and displacement. They wish for nothing more earnestly than an end to the war. They do not want a separate state. They do not want to be ruled by a fascist organisation. They wish to be left aloe to pick up the pieces of their broken lives. They wish to remain within a united Sri Lanka. They wish to enjoy the fruits of developments and progress. Like all human beings everywhere, they yearn for peace, not for the continuation of a war to achieve a separate state.
The Tamil speaking expatriates who live in the affluent countries of the West do not experience the horrors of war. Some of them raise the money that fuels the war. But if they came back to Sri Lanka and lived in the North and East they would surely be in the vanguard of the movement for peace, the movement to end the war.
Q 6. Would Prabhakaran respect his peoples wish for an end to violence?
Ans. Yes, he will have to. He will not be able to go on much longer disregarding the wishes of the Tamil people who live in the North and East. He knows well that he does not enjoy popular support among the Tamil speaking people who live in Sri Lanka. If he did, the Tamil people who were driven out of Jaffna by the LTTE at gun point when the Army was advancing into the Peninsula in 1996, would not have flocked back into the Peninsula in their thousands within a matter of days of the Army consolidating its positions in the Peninsula. If they support the LTTE the people would not have remained in Jaffna last May when the LTTE wanted them to leave in order to facilitate the LTTE's entry into Jaffna. The people are still there in Jaffna in their hundreds of thousands, silently defying the LTTE directive. The Tamil speaking people of the North voted at the last Parliamentary General Elections in October in many, many thousands.
Q 7. The LTTE has managed to survive because of its diaspora. Are you asking those host countries to curb the activities of the Tamil Tigers?
Ans. Yes, certainly. We have for many years been pressing countries where the majority of Tamil expatriates live - Australia, Canada, the European countries, the Scandinavian countries, like United Kingdom, the United States of America - to enact national laws enabling the proscription of terrorist organizations and the prohibition of fund raising activities for terrorist purposes. Apart from the United States of America which declared the LTTE a terrorist organization three years ago under their existing law with the attendant consequence that fund raising for terrorist purposes became a punishable offence, and the United Kingdom which enacted a new Terrorism Act in July last year, the other countries concerned have not yet enacted laws to counter terrorism. But they are in the process of doing so. For instance, Canada, which experiences major fund raising activity by the LTTE's front organizations to the extent of many millions of dollars, is drafting a new law which is expected to be enacted in the first quarter of last year.
We know that Australia, France, Germany and Norway are considering such legislation. The United Nations recently adopted two important Conventions - one, the UN Convention on the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings in 1998 and the other, the UN Convention on the Suppression of Financing for Terrorist Purposes in 1999. Both these Conventions have detailed provisions regarding proscription, the investigation of fund raising activities by front organizations, etc. Countries which sign the Conventions, and most of the Western countries have done so, will have to comply with the requirement of the Convention that domestic legislation be enacted on the lines of the Conventions.
The United Kingdom Government has to consider the question, under its new law, of proscribing the LTTE. The Government of Sri Lanka has made a request for the proscription of the LTTE. It is clearly a terrorist organization within the definition and other provisions of the United Kingdom law. It is expected that a decision on this question will be made in the first quarter of last year.
Q. 8 How is the LTTE funding its war?
Ans. By the contributions of some sections of the Tamil diaspora, from trafficking in narcotics and human smuggling and from commercial operations, especially shipping. A great deal of investigative work is being done in countries such as Canada, and more recently in the United Kingdom and Australia, into the fund raising activities carried out by front organisations in these countries. In Canada and the United States of America, in particular, Courts have held that fund raising by LTTE front organisations is taking place in their countries. The United Kingdom has recently begun to look seriously into fund raising by so-called charitable organisations in that country which have been found to be supporting LTTE activities.
Q. 9 Have you been able to convince the international community that the Tigers are dealing in drugs and human trafficking?
Ans. Yes, but more evidence has to be gathered regarding these activities. This is being worked on all the time and there is substantial international cooperation in this field.
Q. 10 If they are convinced, will it help in curbing the support that the Tigers are receiving in Europe, Canada and South East Asia?
Ans. Yes. It is essential, first, for the countries in these regions to have adequate laws to tackle the problem of drug dealing and human trafficking; secondly, to keep close track of these operations and collect evidence on the basis of which prosecutions could be launched; and thirdly, to have the political will and commitment to mount and sustain a drive for the elimination of such operations.
Q. 11 If the peace attempts fail, do you think that the Sri Lanka Army can win a conventional war against the Tigers?
Ans. Yes. It will take some time but it would certainly happen. If the funds raised by LTTE supporters in Western countries begin to dwindle, and the LTTE also finds it increasingly difficult because of Naval surveillance round our coast to land arms on the shores of Sri Lanka, it will not take too long for the Government to bring the war to a successful conclusion.
Q. 12 Is the LTTE still using child combatants?
Ans. Unfortunately, yes. There is clear evidence of this from the battle field itself where the Armed Forces frequently find the bodies of young children, both boys and girls. The UN Secretary General's Representative on Child Soldiers in Armed Conflict, Mr. Olara Ottunu, pointed out some months ago that the LTTE had not honoured the assurance given to him when he had met some of their leaders in the Vanni in 1998 that they would not use in battle children under the age of 17. The UNICEF Representative in Colombo has also stated that parents have complained about the abduction of their children by the LTTE.
The international community is now well seized of the problem of child combatants and the LTTE's resort to this dastardly practice is now well-known internationally. The problem surfaced clearly at a recent international conference at Winnipeg in Canada. Much will be said about this problem at the forthcoming UN Conference on Children in September next year. What is very difficult to understand is how the LTTE can claim to be fighting a war of liberation if they cynically and systematically destroy the young Tamil children who should be the beneficiaries, not the victims, of "liberation".
Q. 13. The LTTE has raised the question of restoration of normalcy before it enters into negotiations with the Government.
Ans. In his 27 November speech the LTTE leader states: "We are not imposing any preconditions for peace talks. Yet we insist on the creation of a cordial atmosphere and conditions of normalcy conducive for peace negotiations". He further states that "by normalcy we mean that the economic hardships and difficulties imposed on the Tamil people should be removed and their living conditions should become normal again".
In the Government's view it is not only for the conduct of negotiations, but also for society as a whole to lie freely and in the absence of want and fear, that conditions of normalcy should prevail throughout the country.
However, due to the activities of the LTTE there are many reasons for the disruption or absence of normalcy in certain areas of the country:
1. The prevention of food, medicines and other essential items which are sent by the Government to the people in areas of conflict in the North and East reaching them as intended, and the forcible removal of these items from the people
It is of special significance to note that the Government supplies free quantities of food, medicines and other essential items required by the people, even in areas of conflict. Commercial supplies are also available.
2. The interruption of the education of children and youth by enticing them or forcibly recruiting them to military service, the disruption of education in areas close to the areas of conflict, and also preventing older people in the areas of conflict from carrying on their normal activities by drawing them too into armed activity.
3. The carrying out of explosions in public places, the attacking of buses and other vehicles carrying civilians, the attacking of villages and the massacre of village populations, the destruction of electricity transformers and telephone exchanges and similar acts, all of which lead to the disruption of normalcy.
4. In addition, the need to enforce security measures to prevent these acts also affects the normal life of the people, and has a predominantly harsh impact on the day to day lives of the Tamil speaking people living in all areas of the country, including those outside the areas of conflict.
5. The breakdown of civil administration as a result of assassinations of elected leaders of the Tamil speaking community and public servants, thereby depriving society of the service such persons could render, especially with regard to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of war ravaged areas.
In the view of the Government all such acts must cease if normalcy is to prevail not only in areas affected by the conflict but throughout the country.
Q. 14. Is the Government responsible for the hardships and difficulties faced by the Tamil speaking people?
Ans. Let there be no mistake about this: the difficulties the Tamil people face in conflict areas are the result of the war that is being waged against the sovereign Government and people of Sri Lanka by the LTTE, in its so called movement for the 'Liberation' of the Tamils, for which the LTTE has never received any mandate from the Tamil people themselves. Velupillai Prabhakaran himself has stated in his 27 November speech that the Tamil people have not participated in the LTTE actions so as to make it a genuine "People's struggle". There is sufficient evidence to show that the hardships the Tamil people undergo are caused by the tactics adopted by the LTTE to deprive them of Government supplies of food, medicines and other essentials.
In a document to be released shortly the relevant statistical data will be provided.
Although not explicitly so stated in his 27 November speech, the LTTE leader's reference to the imposition of hardships conveys the impression that there is an embargo on the supply of goods and services to the Tamil people. The Government states emphatically that there is no embargo on the supply of essential food, medicine and other items to the Tamil people of the North and East. The Government's embargo covers only 21 items to the North and 2 items to the East, which could be of military use and are of a sensitive nature.
The said document to be released shortly will explain this too.
The supply of food items to the Wanni area alone during the 11 months ending November 2000 was as follows:
Rice 4033 MT*
Flour 6486 MT
Sugar 2210 MT
Pulses 411 MT
* In October and November 2000 the Government Agent preferred to purchase rice locally and was paid cash for this purpose.
In current practice there is both a Government supply and a commercial supply of essential items to the North, including the uncleared areas of the North.
It is important to note here that although the LTTE leader speaks of hardships and difficulties faced by the Tamil civilians of the North, the LTTE cadres too feed themselves on the same food, and use the same supplies of medical and other items issued by the Government for the benefit of the people. It is worth recalling here the observation made by the late James Grant, former Head of UNICEF. He said it was a unique situation where a group which has taken up arms against the Government is provided with its food requirements by that same Government.
It should be noted here that the supply of requirements for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) is based on the estimates provided by the Government Agents of the respective districts who, the Government is well aware, come under heavy pressure and even threats to their lives from the LTTE.
It is also a well-known fact that the LTTE, in addition to expropriating food, medicines and other supplies sent to the people, gives them the left over stocks of food from the LTTE's hoarded stockpiles, and takes away the fresh stocks supplied by the Government.
The document to be released shortly will set out in further detail the Agencies that supply the provisions, the modes of transport, the availability of food, reasons for the interruption of supplies, and details of medical supplies to the respective districts.
With regard to the interruption of supplies, it is necessary to set down here some of the reasons for such interruptions. They include:
- The monopolistic control of distribution by the LTTE in the uncleared areas of the Wanni.
- The seizure of items by the LTTE for its own use. For example, 60% of kerosene issues to the Wanni is collected by the LTTE as fuel for its vehicles.
- The heavy storage of food items for the use of LTTE cadres.
- The special quotas issued by the LTTE to the families of their cadres.
- The creation of artificial shortages by obstructing the modes of transport.
- Difficulties created by the LTTE in agreeing to suitable despatch points.
The evidence shows clearly that the absence of normalcy of which the LTTE leader complains is caused by the LTTE itself and not by the Government. It appears that the LTTE holds the Tamil people to ransom by creating a situation of abnormality to serve its narrow ends, to which the Tamil people at large have shown they do not subscribe.
Q. 15. Are you under international pressure to resolve the conflict?
Ans. The Government of Sri Lanka itself wants to resolve the conflict as early as possible, for the obvious reasons that the conflict is causing death and injury to so many of our citizens, both Sinhalese and Tamils, the destruction of property, the dislocation of normal life and so on, and serious impediment to the development of our economy, to the detriment of all the peoples of Sri Lanka. Many friendly countries have urged us to find a political solution to the problem. They have even offered their good offices to bring the parties together to find a way of ending the war and bringing peace to our country. I would not call this "international pressure".
Q. 16. Does the world understand your difficulties in trying to negotiate with the LTTE which has been extremely unreliable in the past?
Ans. Yes, I think so. In recent years, the world at large has begun to see the LTTE for what it is - a monolithic, fascist organisation claiming to be the national liberation movement of the Tamil people. In fact it does not represent the vast majority of the Tamil people who want no part of its campaign for a separate State, who are horrified by the sustained brutality of the LTTE against innocent civilians of both communities. It is because the world has begun to understand our difficulties in dealing with the LTTE that so much support has been expressed for the territorial integrity, unity and sovereignty of the State of Sri Lanka. I think the world now understands that in trying to negotiate with the LTTE a political solution to the problem, the Government of Sri Lanka and its Armed Forces always have to keep up their guard, be alert and cautious and well prepared to defend the State.
Q. 17. President Kumaratunga had told Time magazine that she had even offered a 10 year term to Prabhakaran to manage the Tamil majority areas. Does that offer still stand?
Ans. That offer was made many years ago. The LTTE was not interested in it because it was obsessed by its dream of a separate State. What she has been striving to achieve over the past six years, during her first term as President, is a comprehensive settlement of the problem on the basis of substantial devolution of power to the regions of Sri Lanka as envisaged in the draft constitution which she presented to Parliament last August. In the absence of a two-thirds majority the Government was unable to secure the passage of the new Constitution. But she has stated that she intends to try again to achieve the enactment of the new Constitution which will guarantee substantial rights in a variety of areas to the minority communities.
Q. 18. Do you see an end to this conflict in the near future?
Ans. Yes, but how near in the future it is not possible to say. This depends to a very large extent on the attitude of the LTTE. If it wants to keep fighting for a separate State, although the international climate of opinion is strongly against that objective, then the Government will have no alternative but to continue the war until the LTTE is forced to abandon that objective. If the LTTE is prepared to discuss seriously and honestly a settlement, which guarantees to the Tamil speaking people and all minorities, their just rights, then it would be possible for fruitful negotiations to be held and concluded within a reasonable span of time which could even be in the range of months rather than years. The Government reiterates its position that it is prepared to engage in talks with the LTTE forthwith on the substantial issues involved. If the LTTE is of like mind it should accept the Government's offer for immediate direct talks.
Q. 19. Do you see a possibility of the Opposition agreeing to enact the new Constitution?
Ans. Yes, I do. Now that the heat and dust of the Parliamentary Election battle has subsided I hope the many members of parties in the Opposition who do favour, indeed desire, a negotiated settlement of our problem will join hands with the Government, across the Parliamentary divide, to achieve that result. In a democratic society all MPs, whether in Government or Opposition, know the wishes and feelings of the people. They know that the people want the war to end. It is to the people that the war brings great hardship and suffering. Our MPs know that. They would not wish needlessly to prolong the agony of our people - all our people, all our communities.
In our democracy we have to strive, all the time, on all major national issues, to reach consensus. It is a burden, often a struggle, but we have to shoulder that burden and carry on that struggle. I am convinced that in our Parliament there is a pool of wisdom, of good sense, of understanding that will rise to the surface in the months ahead, that will help us to rise above the rancour of party politics, that will forge consensus on the national issue, the consensus that the Tamil speaking people of Sri Lanka will urge the LTTE to join, so that together we would emerge from the ordeal we have all for so long to create a new, united society in which there will be justice and fair play for all our citizens, a society in which all our people can live with respect and dignity.


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Reba McEntire reveals how she met boyfriend Rex Linn
The country singer opened up to Andy Cohen about her new romance on "Watch What Happens Live."
reba/ Instagram
Nov. 11, 2020, 2:18 PM UTC / Source: TODAY
By Lindsay Lowe
Reba McEntire has been dating actor Rex Linn for about eight months, but the two have known each other much longer than that — nearly three decades, in fact!
McEntire revealed she and Linn first met in 1991 when they were both working on the Kenny Rogers movie "The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw."
Watch TODAY All Day! Get the best news, information and inspiration from TODAY, all day long.
However, their romance only began to bloom earlier this year when they went out for dinner.
"We've kept in contact with each other over the years, and we both know the same people, so it was just like good friends getting back together having dinner in January," McEntire, 65, said during Tuesday's episode of "Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen." "And then we started texting and talking on the telephone, getting to know each other better during the quarantine."
https://www.instagram.com/p/CHbadNth3WH
The country legend was previously married for 26 years to her manager, Narvel Blackstock. The couple split in 2015, and McEntire went on to date Anthony "Skeeter" Lasuzzo for nearly two years. She and Linn went public with their relationship last month.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CGiL_t8BmbU
On "Watch What Happens Live," McEntire reflected on how singing some of her classic breakup songs has felt different following her divorce.
"I guess before the divorce I was singing those songs because I knew people who had been through those situations, and now, I have," she said. "So I guess that's the difference."
McEntire also answered a fan question about whether there will ever be a reboot of her sitcom, "Reba," which aired from 2001 to 2007. While she didn't give a definitive answer, she said she would be open to the idea.
"We'd love to bring back the 'Reba' TV show," she said. "We had a lot more topics to talk about, stories to tell."
Reba McEntire talks about her late mother and re-release of 'What If'
May 18, 202005:50
She also opened up about one TV show she almost appeared on: "The Voice." She confirmed she turned down an offer to be a coach on the singing competition show and that Blake Shelton got her spot instead.
"It is very true," she said. "It was a very popular show in Holland, I'm pretty sure. And I watched the tape, and I said, 'No, I'm going to pass on that because I don't think I'd ever be able to tell somebody that they're terrible,' or, you know, 'Go find another job,' or, 'Hope you like your nighttime job,'" the singer added. "I couldn't do that day in and day out, I just couldn't do it. So I did pass on it, and Blake was the perfect choice. He's done a wonderful job."
Cohen asked if she has ever regretted turning down the "Voice" gig after seeing the show.
"Oh, sure! I mean, after you see a very successful show that's been running, what, 15 years?" she said with a laugh. "Uh, yeah. I'm like, shoot, I should have done that!"
Lindsay Lowe
Lindsay Lowe has been a regular contributor to TODAY.com since 2016, covering pop culture, style, home and other lifestyle topics. She is also working on her first novel, a domestic drama set in rural Regency England.


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Chell is a suburb of the city of Stoke-on-Trent in the ceremonial county of Staffordshire, England, that can be subdivided into Little Chell, Great Chell and Chell Heath. It lies on the northern edge of the city, approximately  from Tunstall,  from Burslem and  from the county border with Cheshire. Chell borders Pitts Hill to the west, Tunstall to the south west, Stanfield and Bradeley to the south, with the outlying villages of Packmoor and Brindley Ford to the north and Ball Green to the east.
Since 2011 the area has been divided into the electoral wards of Bradeley & Chell Heath, Great Chell & Packmoor and Little Chell & Stanfield.

History
There is no mention of Chell in the Domesday Book, it is believed to have come under the lands of Wolstanton. The earliest written record of Chell comes from 1212, by which time Chell had already been split into Little and Great Chell. Prior to 1212 the lord of the manor was Adam de Audley. He was succeeded by his son Henry de Audley who in 1212 confirmed in writing his father's decision to award one third of Chell to Robert Blund when giving him a further 14 acres 'in the wood between Chell and Thunstal'. Henry de Audley later gave the remaining two-thirds of Chell to Richard of Hanley, who is recorded under the name Richard Chell c.1230. Chell is now a common family name in north Staffordshire. There are few records of Little Chell manor after 1344 suggesting it had merged with Great Chell manor. However, the earliest confirmation of this is in 1679 when the Sneyd family, owners of Great Chell Manor, are known to have also taken over Little Chell Manor. The Sneyd family held these manors into the 19th century.

William Henry Duignan traced the etymology of Chell back to Ceolegh. "Ceole" meant throat or narrow valley in Old English and Chell is situated at the edge of a ridge of land by a narrow valley. Another possibility is that the township was named after a person known as Ceol- Ceol's Lea, lea meaning meadow.

In 1666 surveys conducted for the then recently implemented Hearth Tax recorded a total of ten households in Chell as being liable for payment of the tax on a total of 15 hearths. No households were recorded as being too poor to pay the tax. Chell receives a mention in William White's 1851 History, gazetteer, and directory of Staffordshire: "CHELL (GREAT AND LITTLE) form a liberty of 740 acres and 737 souls. Great Chell is on an eminence 2 ½ N. by E. of Burslem, and is occupied chiefly by potters. The Primitive Methodists have a chapel here, built in 1823, and enlarged in 1830 and 1841. The Union Workhouse is at Great Chell." Twenty years later Chell receive another mention in John Marius Wilson's grander Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales, compiled 1870–72: "CHELL, a township in Wolstanton parish, Stafford; 2 miles north of Burslem. Population, 1219. Houses, 215. It contains the Wolstanton and Burslem workhouse; and its inhabitants are chiefly colliers and potterers."

In 1772 the celebrated canal engineer James Brindley died at his home, Turnhurst Hall, on what is now Turnhust Road, Great Chell.

Little Chell Water-Mill is first mentioned in 1539, as having belonged to the Colclough family for several generations. It is believed to have been situated on Scotia Brook, where it enters what is now Victoria Park, and ground corn. In 1757 the then owner, Thomas Baddeley of Newfield, contracted James Brindley to fit the mill with machinery for grinding flint and also pumping water out of a neighbouring mine. By 1832 the water-mill had been decommissioned and demolished, only the attached farmstead remained.

Chell Lodge, on the south side of Little Chell Lane, also known as Little Chell Hall, was built by wealthy potter Thomas Cartlich in the late 1830s. It was demolished in the 1920s to make way for the houses on Sproston and Scott Roads. Sited on the north side of Little Chell Lane, was Little Chell Farm, first documented in 1775. Blessed William Southern Roman Catholic County Secondary was built on this site in 1957 and was renamed St Margaret Ward's Catholic School in 1970. The school was renamed St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy in 2013.

The parish was formed on 31 December 1894 from part of Wolstanton parish, the Local Government Act 1894 put Chell under Wolstanton Rural District from its creation in 1895 to its abolition in 1904. Parts of Great Chell had by then already been transferred to Tunstall Urban District Council. Little Chell and Chell Heath were transferred to Smallthorne Urban District, which did not join the federation of Stoke-on-Trent until 1922, making Chell one of the last additions to Stoke-on-Trent. On 1 April 1922 the parish was abolished and merged with Stoke on Trent. In 1921 the parish had a population of 3539.

Barnett Grove and Stross Avenue, in Little Chell, off Little Chell Lane are named after Barnett Stross a former city councillor and MP for Hanley constituency from 1945 to 1950, and its replacement Stoke-on-Trent Central from 1950 to 1966. He is noted for founding and championing the global Lidice Shall Live campaign that sought to raise awareness of, and rebuild, the Czech village of Lidice, destroyed by the Nazis in 1942 in revenge for Reinhard Heydrich's murder by British trained Czechs.

Chatterley Whitfield Colliery is a disused coal-mine on the eastern outskirts of Chell.  It was the largest mine in North Staffordshire and in 1937 it became the first colliery in the UK to produce 1,000,000 tons of saleable coal in a year.  In 1976 coal drawing at Chatterley Whitfield came to an end, with the coal worked from Wolstanton Colliery, via a four-mile underground passageway, until it too closed in 1981. On 28 April 2014, Greene King Brewery opened a new £4.5m pub named The Chatterley Whitfield on the western outskirts of Chell.

Chell Workhouse

The Wolstanton And Burslem Union Workhouse was opened in 1839 in Turnhurst Road in Great Chell, at a cost of £6,900 to house 400 inmates. The workhouse remained in use beyond the Federation of Stoke-on-Trent whereupon the newly formed county borough took over the running of the facility. It finally closed in 1922, eight years before the workhouse system was abolished by act of parliament. Following this it became a municipal home for poor people until 1975 and therein remained vacant until it was demolished in 1993. A range was built to the south as a hospital in 1894. This became the Westcliffe Hospital, which was demolished in 2011, finally removing any substantial reminders of the workhouse's presence. In local novelist Arnold Bennett's book Clayhanger, the characters referred to the Chell workhouse as the Bastille.

Geography and geology
Chell predominately lies on a north-south ridge of land west of Ford Green Brook and east of Scotia Brook, both tributaries of the River Trent. Scotia Brook is a designated Natural Heritage Site and is home to an important number of water voles. Great Chell, the northernmost and highest Chell, sits atop the ridge. Little Chell is situated south of Great Chell, lower down on the western ridge flank, alongside the grade II listed conservation area surrounding Victoria (or Tunstall) Park. Chell Heath lies east of both on the eastern flank, separated from Ball Green village by reclaimed spoil from Chatterley Whitfield Colliery.

The superficial geology beneath Chell consist of Devensian glacial tills, which overlie the Middle and Upper Pennine Coal Measures; the same sequences of sandstones, mudstones and coal seams as forms the impressive coalfields of Lancashire. There are records of millstone and blackband ironstone being quarried in Chell from at least the 13th century onwards. In 1831–32 Chell provided the stone for Christ Church, Tunstall. The main coal producing seam beneath Chell was the Winghay seam. The nearest workings were at Chatterley Whitfield, bordering Chell Heath, which was the first UK mine to produce more than 1 million tons of coal per annum. It closed in 1976, was declared a local nature reserve (part of Whitfield Valley nature reserve) in 1991 and a Scheduled Ancient Monument by English Heritage in 1993.
Just to the west of the Chells, lay Wolstanton Colliery, which at 3197 ft once had Europe's deepest mine shaft. The Chell Colliery Company had shafts off Turnhurst Road, Great Chell and High Lane, Little Chell, both had ceased production by 1901.

Community Profile and Facilities
The area is predominantly residential with a good mix of private, council, detached, semi-detached and terraced properties. There is a great deal of open space, with  Victoria (Tunstall) Park, Sproson Park, Burslem Golf Course, Spring Bank Recreation Ground and Monks-Neil Park helping distance Chell from the urban area of Stoke-on-Trent to the south and east. To the north and west of Chell the land peters out into the open countryside and heathland of the Staffordshire Moorlands.

The area is home to two secondary schools; St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy in Little Chell and James Brindley Science College in Great Chell, which was replaced by Ormiston Horizon Academy in 2011 and relocated to new buildings in 2013. There are three primary schools; Mill Hill Primary, Whitfield Valley Primary and Burnwood Community Primary School. There is also the SEN Watermill School in Great Chell, opened in January 2014. It was formed from the merger of Middlehurst School and Heathfield Special School, and caters for 2-16yr olds.

There are two Church of England churches; Chell Heath Church of the Saviour on Sprink Bank Road and St. Michael & All The Angels on St Michael's Road in Great Chell.
In Great Chell there is a post office, small collection of shops, pharmacy, petrol station and pub on Biddulph Road, close to the roundabout with St Michael's Road. The New Horizons Sport and Leisure Centre, a partnership between the City Council and Orimiston Horizons Academy, is based on Uplands Avenue in Great Chell. There is also a small parade of shops on Chell Heath Road.
The Vine, a rare Victorian (c.1875) backstreet local, is a grade II listed pub in the adjunct Pitts Hill area.
The Sustrans National Cycle Routes 5 and 55 pass west and east of Chell respectively and help to delineate the extent of the area.

Notable residents
Robbie Williams (1974 – ), Take That and solo musician, was a student at St Margaret Ward Secondary School in Little Chell (that features on a new Robbie Williams tourist trail)
Roy Smith (1910–1971), cricketer, died in Great Chell.
Charlotte Rhead (1885–1947), the famous pottery designer, lived in Chell during the 1930s, a contemporary of Susie Cooper and Clarice Cliff, their collected art deco inspired works are highly sought after.
Job Ridgway (1759–1814), one of the founder members of the Methodist New Connexion at Hanley, was born in Chell. He was a potter and became joint-owner of the Bell Pottery Works at Hanley. The Potteries Museum is now on the site. Later he became owner of the Cauldon Pottery Works at Hanley.
James Brindley (1716–1772), lived at Turnhurst Hall, Great Chell, from 1765 to his death. He created experimental models of the lock systems he later implemented on the Trent and Mersey Canal in the grounds of the hall.

References

External links
 Ormiston Horizon Academy
 James Brindley Science College
 St Margaret Ward Catholic School and Arts College
 Mill Hill Primary School
 Whitfield Valley Primary School
 Burnwood Community School
 Heathfield Special School
 St Michael and All Angels
 Chell Heath Church of the Saviour

Areas of Stoke-on-Trent
Former civil parishes in Staffordshire

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


She's spent most of her adult life talking to young people, from the vantage point of the front of a classroom.
So it's not surprising that longtime educator Carol Todd finds standing on stage and speaking to 16,000 kids at once a much different experience.
"It's incredibly empowering," she says on Wednesday just after addressing the Saddledome audience at the sixth annual Alberta WE Day. "I never imagined one day I'd be doing this," she says, adding that fame was never on her bucket list.
Fall is a cruel season for Todd. Her daughter Amanda died from suicide five years ago this past Oct. 10; later this month, she would have been marking her 21st birthday.
Amanda Todd is shown in an undated family photo.
It is a private tragedy made public because of the circumstances around the then-15-year-old's decision to end her life. As a junior high school student, she was befriended online by someone claiming to be another kid around her age. In fact, it was an adult male in the Netherlands, who lured her into exposing her breasts via webcam, which he then spread on the Internet.
In 2012, the teen made a YouTube video, using flash cards to share her story. A few weeks later, she took her own life.
Carol Todd, who has now devoted her life to education and awareness about cyberbullying, is one of many celebrity activists on hand for the annual Calgary event that sees youth from all over Alberta descend on Stampede Park for a full day of inspirational stories and top-notch entertainment.
It's the brainchild of Craig Kielburger and his big brother Marc, as a way to reward the young Canadians who have helped their organization grow into a global initiative.
The entertainment on this day comes courtesy of everyone from local singing sensation Lindsay Ell and Juno nominee Shawn Hook to the world-renowned Kenyan Boys Choir; also on hand for this year's WE Day is Rasheda Ali, daughter of the late boxing legend Muhammad Ali, who spreads the message of inclusivity and community, values that her famous father espoused throughout his epic life.
On this same day that Todd is educating kids about the Internet's dark side — and congressional hearings are taking place to look into Russian meddling via social media during last year's U.S. presidential election — it's not surprising to see George Takei on WE Day's lineup as its keynote speaker.
The 80-year-old star of the 1960s TV series Star Trek is also well aware of what he calls the "double-edged sword" of social media's incursion into our lives.
While the thousands of young people on this day celebrate their accomplishments and gear up for another year of giving back to the local and global community, Carol Todd says they have also inspired her to keep teaching youth about how to prevent other kids from the kind of torment her daughter experienced.
"Amanda always wanted to be famous, to change the world in the best possible way," she says with a teary smile of the beloved daughter whom she fights for every day.


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Home Reviews Lecrae "Rehab" album review
Lecrae "Rehab" album review
Reach Records (September 28, 2010)
Review by Aidan Severs
It's not because hes dropped five solo LPs that Lecrae has made what is arguably the biggest noise in the history of Christian Hip Hop. No, it's because of just one of those albums: Rehab. Its the album that fans of numerous genres have been able to listen to and then list as one of their favorites. It's the album that's recently seen him featured in secular Hip Hop magazine XXL. Its the album that's made Lecrae the current ambassador for CHH.
Stylistically Lecrae is comparable to other artists from the various Southern states and cities he has called home. With its synths-not-samples approach and auto-tuned vocals the albums team of producers employs current production trends although are not limited to one particular sound. Weighing in at 17 tracks long and with over an hours worth of music you definitely get value for money. Topically the album is full of explicit thoughts and teachings on the Christian life.
Just Like You is a thoughtful and honest track about earthly role models but it's the last verse that brings perspective with its unashamed explanation of our sin and what Jesus has done for us. Background is a song in a similar vein with C-Lite on chorus duties and Lecrae rapping, almost in prayer, about allowing God to be sovereign in his life. High, which features Sho Baraka, is reminiscent of Snoops Drop It Like It's Hot and its memorable lyrics are sure to get audiences rapping along. 116 compadres Tedashii and Trip Lee get on board 40 Deep as accountability and community in the body of Christ are discussed from a street perspective. These are some of the highlights but after each listen the listener will come away impressed by a different track – the rock/rap/reggae of Children of the Light and the perspective on the devils tricks in the last verse of Used To Do It Too are currently on my mind.
Some of the tracks don't stand out as much as the others and there aren't many who would be able to listen to the album in one sitting but they are my only negative thoughts on the project. The LP is very well conceived and my suspicions are that the intention is that the album hits many different target audiences and markets – the tracks that don't stand out to me will be someone else's favorites.
Lecrae is a talented MC with a shrewd ability to make songs with mass appeal. There's no doubt that without the Christian content these tracks would be all over your radio and TV and it's the fact that Lecrae makes a stand for what he believes that secular programmers will not give these tracks the exposure they deserve. That being said, this record has been making waves over the last year and continues to do so and I'm sure the Lord is using His servant and his work for His purposes – there many who will testify to this. Ultimately, regardless of the listeners tastes, this album uplifts and encourages believers and its success lies in this fact.
For fans of: 116 Clique, Sho Baraka, Trip Lee, Tedashii
Purchase CD – download – iTunes
116 Clique
Benjah
C-Lite
Chinua Hawk
Reach Records
Sho Baraka
Sonny Sandoval
Tedashii
Trip Lee
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Resources Membership
Resources Find a Club
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Mikaël Kingsbury Skis into the History Books Winning Back-to-Back World Championship Gold
Brenden Kelly and Sofiane Gagnon narrowly miss podium, enjoying career-best days in fourth
Almaty, Kazakhstan – March 9, 2021: Mikaël Kingsbury added another chapter to the history books as the first male freestyle ski athlete ever to successfully defend both World Championship moguls titles after winning the gold in the dual competition on Tuesday in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The 28-year-old from Deux-Montagnes, Que., who won the singles competition on Monday, also accomplished the rare feat of winning gold in both singles and dual moguls at the 2019 World Championships in Deer Valley. The premiere freestyle ski competition in a non-Olympic year is held every second year.
"Winning two back-to-back World Cups is difficult, but winning two back-to-back World Championships is even more challenging," said Kingsbury, who now has three World Championship dual moguls titles. "It's insane to know that I have been able to achieve this feat once again."
Kingsbury, a two-time Olympic medallist and reigning champion, solidified his 11th career World Championship medal and recorded his sixth victory after dusting Australia's Matt Graham in the Big Final in a tricky day on the mountain.
"The course and the conditions were very difficult today, especially the red course," said Kingsbury. "I lost a little bit of balance before the second jump but was able to absorb it well in the landing to cross the finish line. I have to agree that today was not everyone's best skiing. It was the kind of day where if you are able to cross the finish line, you have a chance to win."
The dual moguls competition pits the top freestyle skiers in a head-to-head match-play bracket format. The fastest athlete down the mountain, while combining technically-sound turns and air, moves onto the next round until the champion is crowned.
The double golden triumph caps off a remarkable return to the elite circuit for the most accomplished freestyle skier ever. Kingsbury missed the first three World Cups of the season because of a fracture to his T4, T5 vertebrae following a training run in December in Ruka, Finland.
"It is really important for me to thank my team back home: my physical trainer Scott Livingston who helped me recover from my injury, my mental prep Jean-François Menard who helped me stay focused, Dr. Fontaine, who was there from day one to make sure I was on the right track, and my coach Michel Hamelin who made sure everyone was following the plan we put in place. I would not have two World Championship titles if it weren't for all of their help," added Kingsbury.
While Australia's Matt Graham was forced to settle for the silver medal behind the legendary Canadian, it was Japan's Ikuma Horishima beating out Canada's Brenden Kelly for the bronze medal.
Building on a 17th-place finish in Monday's singles, the 25-year-old Kelly enjoyed his career-best finish after picking off many of the best skiers on the planet. Working his way through the bracket from the round of 64, the Pemberton, B.C. native was forced into the Small Final after losing a nailbiter in the semifinals to Australia's Graham – setting up a rematch against Horishima who is arguably one of the top skiers in the world behind Kingsbury.
"I started the event with a super tough bracket. I fell behind my competitors in speed, but because I kept my skiing as clean as possible I was able to ski all the way to the Small Finals. It was super exciting to make it this far," said Kelly. "I've never skied this many runs in a dual moguls World Cup event, let alone a World Championships. Skiing against these super talented skiers forced me to push out of my comfort zone and the boundaries of what I can do."
Kelly, who missed valuable training time in January due to a bruised heel, was confident coming into World Championships after coming off a career-best fifth-place finish in dual moguls at his last World Cup event in Deer Valley where he topped the talented Japanese athlete. Horishima got the best of the Canadian this time around.
"Having beaten Horishima in my last competition in Deer Valley, I knew I was going to have to push really hard. I went all out, but unfortunately lost control after going too big on my top air and ended up blowing out of the course," added Kelly. "To lose by blowing out was certainly a little frustrating, but I'm still really proud of my performance today and walking away with my career-best result."
Horishima also dashed the medal hopes for two other Canucks before squaring off with Kelly. He also knocked off Quebec City's Laurent Dumais in the round of 16 before taking out Kerrian Chunlaud in the quarter-finals.
Chunlaud, of Ste-Foy, Que. was solid in seventh place overall. Dumais finished 11th. Gabriel Dufresne, of Repentigny, Que., was ousted in the round of 32 after losing to Bradley Wilson, of the United States.
A young Canuck also made a charge for her first career podium in the women's dual moguls event.
The youngest member of the Canadian squad in Almaty at 21 years of age, Sofiane Gagnon of Whistler, B.C., finished in fourth spot to secure her best-ever result at the elite level.
"This week was tough on Sofiane. The course was difficult and she had a tough time adjusting," mentioned her coach, Jim Schiman, who added Gagnon has only had two starts in the last two years while recovering from a knee injury.
"We made some tough decisions early in the season holding her out of starting World Cups in December and Deer Valley (February) in order to have Sofiane train in Canada to ensure her health for World Championships. She didn't complain. She saw the value in the decisions. She came out today with a great attitude after a disappointing single moguls result and competed on par with her training, which was good enough to beat anyone in the field."
Skiing calm and composed, the talented Gagnon showcased her potential while finishing just shy of punching her ticket to battle for the gold in the Big Final after losing her semi-final match to the eventual silver medallist from Russia, Viktoriia Lazarenko. A couple of small mistakes also cost Gagnon the bronze medal match. She was edged off the podium in the Small Final by Anastassiya Gorodko, of Kazakhstan.
"Today was definitely a special one for me", mentioned Gagnon. "My last duals event was at the World Championships in 2019, so I was really excited to step back into the gate for this event after two years. Returning from a long rehab and walking away with a new best result really meant a lot to me."
Russia's Anastasiia Smirnova was crowned World Champion for the women's dual moguls event.
Montreal sisters, Justine and Chloé Dufour-Lapointe also competed on Tuesday. Justine Dufour-Lapointe finished in ninth spot after losing out in the round of 16, while Chloé Dufour-Lapointe's day came to an end in the round of 32, placing 19th.
The World Ski Championships continue on Wednesday with the opening day of the aerials competitions.
CANADIAN ATHLETES' PLACINGS:
Women: Sofiane Gagnon (4), Justine Dufour-Lapointe (9), Chloé Dufour-Lapointe (19)
Men: Mikaël Kingsbury (1), Brenden Kelly (4), Kerrian Chunlaud (7), Laurent Dumais (11),
Gabriel Dufresne (19)
Previous: Mikaël Kingsbury Strikes Gold in World Championship Moguls
Next: Double Silver for Canada in Halfpipe at World Championships
Édouard Therriault skis to bronze medal in Font-Romeu
Mikaël Kingsbury nabs seventh podium ahead of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games
100th Podium Finish for Unstoppable Kingsbury
Evan McEachran Clinches Bronze in Spirited Final
Kingsbury Back on Top at Tremblant!
Mikaël Kingsbury Wins First of Two Events at Tremblant
@freestylecanadaski
🚨Mackenzie's search for Canada's Top Peak h
Welcome to the Halfpipe Top Hits presented by @Toy
It was a good day for the 🇨🇦 Canadian boys a
That's a wrap! Today marked the final day of the @
While most of us were sleeping last night, the Fon
Make that World Cup podium #100 for @mikaelkingsbu
Perfect jump = perfect score 💯💯💯  W
It all starts tomorrow for our mogul team in 📍
Our aerial and mogul teams have landed in 📍 @de
En équipe avec nos amis à @ToyotaCanada, nous av
The @fisfreestyle halfpipe World Cup season offici
About Freestyle Canada


If you work in the area of digital investigation, you probably know about NIST's National Software Reference Library (NSRL).
In other words, the NSRL is a very large collection of file hashes for 'known' software. In most cases it can be treated as a known good hash set, for filtering out potentially uninteresting files from a case.
The NSRL hashes are also hosted on hashsets.com, allowing you to query their database for a particular hash if you don't want to store the files locally.
NSRL is very useful, but it does have some limitations. The Korea University Digital Forensic Research Center is attempting to solve some of these limitations but providing the DFRC Reference Dataset.
Their Reference Data Set includes hash values from software used in South Korea as well as the NSRL. Currently, they have over 27 million hashes. Best of all, they provide a number of interfaces to test your data with. You can upload the suspect file directly, upload a list of hashes, search for a single sha1 or md5, or query their RDS via their REST interface! This way you can call their hash database directly from your tools.
Of course, you can also directly download their entire RDS.


text:
Liam Mackenzie, 15, of Comox made the Under-17 national soccer team earlier this year. (Photo courtesy Vancouver Whitecaps)
QUIZ: How much do you know about world cup soccer?
Soccer is enjoyed around the world and is played by people of all ages
John Arendt
Soccer teams from around the world are competing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The event, the highest level of international men's soccer competition, began Nov. 20 and continues to Dec. 18.
Canada is one of the teams participating in this international competition organized by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA, the world's governing body for the sport.
Soccer is enjoyed around the world and is played by people of all ages.
How much do you know about the World Cup tournament or about the sport of soccer in general? Put your knowledge to the test with these 10 questions.
READ ALSO: QUIZ: How much do you know about winter sports?
READ ALSO: QUIZ: How much do you really know about beer?
READ ALSO: QUIZ: A celebration of sunshine
To report a typo, email:
news@summerlandreview.com.
news@summerlandreview.com
Contestssoccer
Camryn Curts (20) is surrounded by teammates after scoring for TRU in the Canada West women's soccer semi-final against Trinity Western University this fall. (Photo courtesy Bob Frid / UBC Athletics)
Canada still determining how to best help Turkey, Syria after earthquake: Trudeau
'The only Black one left:' Alberta village remembers its African-American roots
Alberta to pilot oil and gas royalty breaks for legally required well cleanup
Canadians will hold provinces accountable for proposed health deals: health minister
QUIZ: How much do you know about winter sports?
Justin Trudeau talks allyship during appearance on 'Canada's Drag Race' spinoff
Chevron's buyback boosts stock, get rebuke from White House
Driver charged with first-degree murder in Quebec daycare bus attack


text:
Q: Pull master branch newly from forked repository I have made a total mess on a forked repository and would like to get the current master branch from the original one to continue with that one in my fork.
Unfortunately, I cant just do a pullrequest from the original one. The amount of merge conflicts are too huge.
This branch is 1210 commits behind the upstream and has conflicts that must be resolved.

Is there a simple way to solve this, either from command line or GitHub?

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The Ladies of Playing House React Exactly As You Would to a Kenny Loggins Surprise—With Body Rolls!
Just like that, Playing House season two is coming to a close. Yes, we're eating four pounds of artisanal cheese out of sorrow. But Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham are going out on a high note, literally, with Kenny Loggins. Celebrate!
In the exclusive clip from the two-episode finale, Maggie (Parham), Zach (Zach Woods) and Emma (St. Clair) reminisce with some childhood home movies that reveal the origin of Maggie's bodyroll and perhaps some of Zach's insecurities. Not only that, the home video also serves to help surprise a down-in-the-dumps Emma after [SPOILER!] she broke up with Rabbi Dan (Kyle Bornheimer).
Cab we please take a moment and marvel at how spot-on the casting for young St. Clair and Parham is?
Yes, the ladies are going to see Kenny Loggins! And guess who's back…Bosephus and Jandana! Bosephus livessssssssss!
Playing House, the best comedy of the summer, wraps its second season Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 10 p.m. on USA. If you like funny things, you will watch this show. You will then tell five people to watch this show or you'll never have love again! Just kidding, you'll probably find love, but what if you find your soulmate by talking about Playing House?
PHOTOS: 2015 fall TV spoilers!


The Motorhome Showroom is a used motorhome dealer based in Warminster in the south of England. They specialise in the sale of used motorhomes, and stock a large range of vehicles from brands such as Auto-Sleeper, Auto-Trail, Bailey, Bessacarr, Burstner, Elddis, Swift and more. As well motorhome sales, The Motorhome Showroom has an approved motorhome service centre and an accessory shop for all your after sales requirements.


text:
	#define __VIDEO__H__

	#include "../../include/common.h"

	#define HEIGHT 				47

	#define MAX_CHAR_LINE		MAX_BUFFER

	typedef struct {
		char c;
		char color;
	} charStructure;

	bool videoBuild();
	void videoDestroy();
	void videoStartLocking();
	void videoStopLocking();
	void print(const char* str, char color);
	void putChar(char c, char color);
	void printDec(uint64_t value, char color);
	void printHex(uint64_t value, char color);
	void printNewLine();
	void clear();
	void setDefaultColor(char color);
	void setBgDefaultColor(char color);
	char getDefaultColor();
	void printPixel(uint16_t x, uint16_t y, ColorRGB* color);
	void printToast(const char* str, int size);

	//TODO: remove next, it's just for testing and should never be used
	void unsafe_print(const char* str, char color);
	void unsafe_printNewLine();

#endif

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home / Paranormal / Crystal Skulls
Posted by: LT in Paranormal January 24, 2012 0 2,769 Views
Just as the name implies, crystal skulls are skulls that are made out of quartz crystal. The skulls are claimed to be of pre-Columbian origin and to possess various paranormal powers. These claims include the power to heal, as well as the power to kill. Here are some of the remarkable claims that have been made about crystal skulls.
Anna Mitchell-Hedges is credited with finding the first skull, sometimes called The Skull of Doom, in 1924. She is said to have found the skull at a dig being conducted by her adopted father Frederick Mitchell-Hedges at the ruins of Lubaantun in Belize. She declared the skull could cause visions. One vision she claimed to see was a premonition of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Another claim she made was that she had used the skull to kill a man.
Joshua Shapiro, coauthor of Mysteries of the Crystal Skulls Revealed, believes the Crystal Skulls are psychic recording devices which are able to record energy and vibration that occur around them. In Mysteries of the Crystal Skulls Revealed he writes, "The skull will pictorially replay all events or images of the people who have come into contact with them (i.e. they contain the history of our world)."
Others believed the skulls had some connection with the end of the Maya calendar cycle on December 21, 2012. The end of this calendar cycle was interpreted by many to be the literal end of time or the end of the world as we know it. It was believed that 13 true skulls had been kept separate due to the enormous power they had. Some suggested that if they are brought together at the proper time they could be used to prevent the end of time. According to Joshua Shapiro, coauthor of Mysteries of the Crystal Skulls Revealed, nine of these skulls have been identified. They are known amongst crystal skull devotees as Mitchell-Hedges, Sha Na Ra, Ami, Max, Synergy, Einstein, Mayan Skull, ET, and Mahasamatan.
As for skeptics, this appears to be one case where they clearly carry the day – starting with the Mitchell-Hedges Skull. It has been clearly shown that Anna Mitchell-Hedges was never at the dig site where she claimed to have found the skull. Also her father, Frederick Mitchell-Hedges, never made mention of the discovery in his field notes for the dig and only started to make mention of the skull decades later. But most damning of all is this letter Frederick Mitchell-Hedges wrote to his brother about the purchase of the skull.
"The "Collection" grows and grows and grows. You possibly saw in the papers that I acquired that amazing Crystal Skull that was formerly in the "Sydney Burney Collection." It is fashioned from a single block of transparent rock crystal, exactly life size; scientists put the date at pre-1800 B.C., and they estimate it took five generations passing from Father to son, to complete. It is anthropologically perfect in every detail, a superb piece of craftsmanship. There is only one other in the world known like it, which is in the British Museum and it is acknowledged to be not so fine as this."
Clearly the skull was not found in situ, but purchased. The purchased was made at a Sothebys auction and is clearly in their catalog for Oct. 15, 1943. When one takes time to compare the image from the catalog to images of the Mitchell-Hedges Skull, it is obvious they are of the same crystal skull.
In addition, all the crystal skulls mentioned above have been shown to be of modern manufacture. By extrapolation does this mean that all crystal skulls are fake? What does that make of the claims the skulls are psychic recording devices? And, at this point, all claims about the13 skulls and the end of times on December 21, 2012, should be seen to be clearly false.
Whatever your personal beliefs, there is no doubt that the idea of crystal skulls with paranormal powers has become deeply entrenched in pop culture. They have appeared on television in Stargate SG1 and in video games like Assassin's Creed. The Crystal Skull, known as ET, inspired the Indiana Jones movie, Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. The artifacts were also an inspiration to actor Dan Aykroyd who is co-founder of a vodka brand called Crystal Head Vodka.
If at this point you are possessed of a desire to have your own Crystal Skull, then look no further than Ebay. At the time of this writing a search on Ebay resulted in 14,223 hits. The skulls in the Ebay search range in price, depending on size, from a few dollars to thousands. They are also available in almost any semiprecious gem stone you can imagine. Once you get a skull in hand expose it to one of the nine skulls listed above to charge it. It appears Crystal Skulls have become quite the cottage industry.
Previous: Spear of Destiny or Holy Lance
Next: Parallel Universes


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Q: how to solve zend_translate problem with some keywords? i am using zend_translate class (ini adaptor) for my multi language site.
but when i use some keywords in my language files it produce error. for example (yes, no keywords).
sample language file entries which produce error:
yes=native language yes
no=native language no
how do i solve this problem?
thx in advance.

A: So from the documentation

INI files have several restrictions. If a value in the ini file
  contains any non-alphanumeric characters it needs to be enclosed in
  double-quotes ("). There are also reserved words which must not be
  used as keys for ini files. These include: NULL, yes, no, TRUE, and
  FALSE. Values NULL, no and FALSE results in "", yes and TRUE results
  in 1. Characters {}|&~![()" must not be used anywhere in the key and
  have a special meaning in the value. Do not use them as it will
  produce unexpected behaviour.


text:
Ataliva Roca est une localité argentine située dans le département d'Utracán, dans la province de La Pampa. La juridiction de la municipalité s'étend également sur la localité presque inhabitée de Naicó dans le département de Toay et sur une zone rurale du département d'Atreucó. Elle est située à  de la capitale de la province. Elle est traversée par la RN 35.

Histoire
En 1909, la première école, dont le directeur était M. Teófilo Lucero, a été créée. Plusieurs commerces ont été créés : la première boulangerie de San Pedro, la boucherie d'Acuña et Aza. Le bureau d'état civil, dont le premier directeur était Don Teófilo Casal. Une pharmacie apothicaire, Edorna, a été l'une des premières entreprises.

Le registre civil a commencé à fonctionner en 1911, son premier responsable étant Don Julio Casals. Le tribunal de paix a été créé le . Il offre à la ville des conseils gratuits sur les affaires civiles, les contrats, les certifications et les procédures judiciaires.

La ville s'est développée progressivement et le , le Territoire de la Pampa centrale a créé la Commission de développement d'Ataliva Roca. Ses premières autorités étaient Don Jorge Chapuis, président, Orfeo Pattacini, trésorier, et Eulogio Fernández García, secrétaire.

Notes et références

Liens externes
  Coordonnées géographiques et images satellites

Ville dans la province de La Pampa


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KMA2018: Song of the Year
posted in Korean Music Awards on February 15, 2018 by Anna
The nominees for the 15th Korean Music Awards were announced last week. Yesterday I had a closer look at the albums nominated for Album of the Year. Today it's time for an introduction to all songs nominated for Song of the Year.
Red Velvet – 빨간 맛 (Red Flavor)
Girl group Red Velvet released summer mini album The Red Summer on July 9th. Opening track "빨간 맛 (Red Flavor)" immediately claimed the top position on Gaon's digital chart with its deliberately summery appeal. The song is composed by Swedish songwriting team Caesar & Loui with lyrics from SM Entertainment songwriter Kenzie. "빨간 맛 (Red Flavor)" finished at #19 on Gaon's digital chart for 2017.
"빨간 맛 (Red Flavor)" is also nominated for Best Pop Song while Red Velvet's sophomore album Perfect Velvet is nominated for Best Pop Album. Red Velvet had another nomination in the same category the previous year.
2017: Best Pop Song – "러시안 룰렛 (Russian Roulette)"
BTS – DNA
Boy band BTS put out Love Yourself 承 'Her' on September 18th, counting as the band's fifth mini album. "DNA" is the lead track on the release. The song is produced by Big Hit Entertainment's in-house producer Pdogg. BTS members RM and Suga both contributed in composing and writing lyrics for "DNA" alongside Pdogg, Big Hit CEO Bang Si-Hyuk, pre-debut BTS member Supreme Boi, and Kass. "DNA" finished at #54 on Gaon's digital chart for 2017. It also managed to chart on Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #67 in October.
"DNA" is also nominated for Best Pop Song whereas the mini album it comes from is nominated for Best Pop Album. BTS is nominated for Artist of the Year.
IU – 밤편지 (Through The Night)
Pop singer IU put out her 4th full-length album Palette in April 2017. As a first teaser for the album, "밤편지 (Through The Night)" was released as a digital single on March 24th. It is composed and arranged by Kim Je Hwi, who also recorded his own version of the song, and Kim Hee Won while IU has written the lyrics. The result is a song said to appeal to all generations. "밤편지 (Through The Night)" finished at #2 on Gaon's digital chart for 2017.
"밤편지 (Through The Night)" is also nominated for Best Pop Song whereas the album it comes from is nominated for both Album of the Year and Best Pop Album. IU herself is nominated for Artist of the Year. IU has previously won the Korean Music Awards Netizens' Choice for Female Artist in 2012 and 2016 and won both Song of the Year and Best Pop Song in 2012.
2012: Song of the Year – "좋은 날 (Good Day)"
2012: Best Pop Album – Last Fantasy
2012: Best Pop Song – "좋은 날 (Good Day)"
2016: Best Pop Album – CHAT-SHIRE
2016: Best Pop Song – "스물셋 (Twenty-three)"
Woo Won Jae – 시차 (We Are)
Rapper Woo Won Jae became known to the Korean public through his participation on Show Me The Money 6, where he was coached by GRAY and eventually finished in 3rd place. Just a few days after Show Me The Money 6 came to an end, on September 4 Woo Won Jae released his first official single "시차 (We Are)" through AOMG. With Woo Won Jae responsible for the bulk of the lyrics as well as a strong rap performance to match, the track is produced by GRAY and features both GRAY and Show Me The Money first season winner Loco. "시차 (We Are)" finished at #33 on Gaon's digital chart for 2017.
"시차 (We Are)" is also nominated for Best Rap & Hip-Hop Song. Woo Won Jae himself is nominated for Rookie of the Year.
Hyukoh – Tomboy
Indie rock band Hyukoh released the highly anticipated first full-length album 23 on April 24th. Among the two lead tracks was "Tomboy", composed by Hyukoh leader OHHYUK together with Car, the garden. The lyrics are written by OHHYUK and describe the struggle of youth. "Tomboy" finished at #56 on Gaon's digital chart for 2017.
"Tomboy" is also nominated for Best Modern Rock Song whereas the album that it comes from is nominated for both Album of the Year and Best Modern Rock Album. Hyukoh is nominated for Artist of the Year. Hyukoh won both Rookie of the Year and Best Modern Rock Song in 2016 while being nominated in three additional categories.
2016: Artist of the Year
2016: Rookie of the Year
2016: Song of the Year – "와리가리 (Comes And Goes)"
2016: Best Modern Rock Album – 22
2016: Best Modern Rock Song – "와리가리 (Comes And Goes)"
bts, car the garden, gray, hyukoh, iu, loco, oh hyuk, red velvet, woo won jae, 그레이, 레드벨벳, 로꼬, 방탄소년단, 아이유, 오혁, 우원재, 카더가든, 혁오
← KMA2018: Album of the Year
KMA2018: Jung's Predictions →


Hannah Elise: Fall Giveaway Winner!!
Wow, I was blown away by all the entries for my fall giveaway, thanks so much!!!
and I really wish I could give a gift to everyone.
Because who doesn't love happy mail?!!
Etsy shop. Click HERE to check out her work!!
of my friend Kayla to an amazing guy, David.
Seriously, talk about a stunning couple!!
Cannot wait to blog their full day in the future.
Also check out my facebook page for some other previews!
I'm excited for the vlog tomorrow!!
Congrats Emma!! Lovely photo's as always Hannah! Hehe! Can't wait to see the Vlog tomorrow!!


text:
Temon Wetan is een bestuurslaag in het regentschap Kulon Progo van de provincie Jogjakarta, Indonesië. Temon Wetan telt 1356 inwoners (volkstelling 2010).

Plaats in Jogjakarta


text:
Q: My cash value is suppose to go up every minute but its not. (Roblox Studio lua error) I was trying to re-edit the code over and over again but it still didn't work I've created the folder leader stats and when I play the game it shows that it's a part of the player. It says however that it isn't a valid member.

The other error says: Cash is not a valid member of Folder "Players.(players name).leaderstats"

A: It's because game.Players.PlayerAdded is an event which you're assigning to a variable.
Try this for the PlayerAdded script (you will need that cash add function in this script):
local players = []

game.Players.PlayerAdded:Connect(function(ply)
    table.insert(players, ply)
end)

while true do
    wait(60)
    for i, v in ipairs(players) do
       v:WaitForChild("leaderstats").Counter.Value += 1
    end
end

I've written this from my memory as I am away from a PC that can test this code so best of luck!

A: while wait(60) do
    for i, v in ipairs(game.Players:GetChildren()) do
        if v:FindFirstChild("leaderstats") then
            if v.leaderstats:FindFirstChild("Counter") then
                v.leaderstats.Counter.Value += 1
            end
        end
    end
end

You always need to make sure what you're using exists. If you want to avoid errors, I prefer using FindFirstChild instead of WaitForChild to not get it into an infinite wait incase it somehow doesn't load.

A: it looks like you forgot to create the leaerstats folder. Here is a fixed code:
local Players = game:GetService("Players")

Players.PlayerAdded:Connect(function(player)
   local Leaderstats = Instance.new("Folder")
   Leaderstats.Name = "leaderstats"
   Leaderstats.Parent = player

   local Counter = Instance.new("IntValue")
   Counter.Name = "Counter"
   Counter.Parent = Leaderstats

   while true do
       task.wait(60)
       Counter.Value += 1
   end
end)

This will start counting time after player joins. If you want to increase counter value of all players at the same time, use this code:
local PlayersService = game:GetService("Players")

local Players = {}

PlayersService.PlayerAdded:Connect(function(player)
   local Leaderstats = Instance.new("Folder")
   Leaderstats.Name = "leaderstats"
   Leaderstats.Parent = player

   local Counter = Instance.new("IntValue")
   Counter.Name = "Counter"
   Counter.Parent = Leaderstats

   table.insert(Players, player)
end)

while true do
    task.wait(60)
    for _, player in ipairs(Players) do
      player.leaderstats.Counter.Value += 1
    end
end

You don't need to check if "Counter" or "leaderstats" exist as they are created before the player is being inserted into the table.


It's nice to see the issue of body image back in the news…and in a positive way. My daughter's favourite singer, multiple Grammy winner Adele, speaks out on feeling good about her body and her responsibility as a role model for her young fans.
I had my first "real" book signing in Toronto at the Ontario Library Association conference this about this time last year. I remember how afraid I was that I would sit there for half an hour with no one to talk to! You can imagine my excitement when an actual lineup of readers, holding my novel, appeared looking for my signature. It was a great start to this incredible literary journey that I'm on! Next stop, virtual book tour…now all I have to do is learn how to useSkype….
A new book trailer for Fostergirls…beautifully made and full of images that really evoke the novel for me! Hope you like it.
Are beauty pageants dangerous for young children…both the participants and those who can now watch it on TV?


text:
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane desperate to keep ahold of key £30M Los Blancos starter
Sam Wilkins
Follow @SamTWilkins
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane is reportedly keen to keep Karim Benzema at the club for the future, even if Los Blancos manage to secure a deal for Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski.
Diario Gol are stating that, if the club are successful in their pursuit of the Polish international, then instead of getting rid of the Frenchman, he will take up a role on the subs bench, similar to the role Alvaro Morata played before he left to join Chelsea.
MORE: Real Madrid consider shock transfer swoop for £58million Chelsea star
The news outlet are also reporting that Perez will have to listen to Zidane's wishes as long as he is Los Blancos manager, meaning that Benzema's future in the Spanish capital seems safe, for now.
It seems as if Benzema will remain at the Santiago Bernabeu as long as Zidane is around
Since securing his move to the Spanish giants from Lyon for £30M in the summer of 2009 (fee as per the Guardian), Benzema has managed to become somewhat of a big fan favourite at the Bernabeu.
In 399 appearances for the European champions, the France international has managed to amass a total of 189 goals and 114 assists, a fantastic return.
However in recent seasons, the former Lyon frontman has struggled in front of goal, with Benzema only managing to bag a total of 15 goals in his last 53 league appearances, a poor return for a player of his quality.
It seems as if Benzema is there to stay in Madrid as long as Zidane is charge, whether some of the fans like it or not.
More Stories Florentino Perez Karim Benzema Zinedine Zidane
Real Madrid figures hopeful of winning race for Man United & Liverpool transfer target January 17, 2021 8:50
Zinedine Zidane losing patience with Real Madrid star amid axe fears January 16, 2021 12:40
Eden Hazard video suggests stars could be aligning over Chelsea return January 15, 2021 22:12
Florentino Perez names his price for Real Madrid flop Eden Hazard January 15, 2021 17:55
Liverpool set to miss out on highly-rated centre-back target as Bayern enter the race January 15, 2021 15:00
Things going from bad to worse for Hazard: Now 44 percent of Real Madrid fans want him sold January 15, 2021 13:07
Real Madrid eye Chelsea and Man City stars to replace Luka Jovic January 15, 2021 8:43
Opinion: Zidane's reliance on the Real Madrid old guard could soon see him out of a job January 15, 2021 7:46
"Backfired on him so many times" – These Real Madrid fans question Zidane's selection after Athletic Bilbao defeat January 14, 2021 22:49
Man United tipped as favourites to beat Real Madrid to attacker transfer January 14, 2021 9:12


CECA 2020 has 4 scientific and technological objectives (OS).
CECA2020 aims to develop a motorized finger prosthesis for partial-hand amputation, controlled in flexion-extension through muscular interfaces, sensorized and equipped with a sensory feedback system. This sensory feedback system will provide contact information based on DESC strategy (Discrete Event-driven sensory feedback Control), where discrete vibro-tactile stimulation is provided corresponding to the events of contact and release of objects. The integrated control system will be modular and adaptable to different levels of amputation will manage combined movements of multiple fingers.
For cases of complete amputation of hand, the project aims to develop a multi-articulated trans-radial hand prosthesis, integrated with a wrist joint and a multimodal sensory system.
This wrist joint will be equipped with active flexion and extension or, alternatively, will be passive with selectable stiffness.
The bidirectional control interface is a processing system capable of converting biological signals into motion controls of the prosthesis and thus providing the subject with a sensory feedback.
The OS3 is divided into two sub-objectives described below.
To reduce the physical and cognitive effort of users, the project aims to study and develop algorithms and technologies that decode the motor intention and translate it in motion of the prosthesis.
The control electronics will not exceed the shape of the hand and the biological control signals will be acquired with a matrix of sensors measuring the pressure exerted by the residual muscles on the socket. For trans-carpal and trans-radial amputations, the control will be based on the decoding of surface electromyographic signals (sEMG).
Two tactile stimulation systems will be developed in this project: the first one based on the aforementioned DESC model, while the second is based on coherent multi-modal feedback, i.e. on feedback stimuli of the same mode as the input stimulus.
The final prototypes of the project will be evaluated on amputees through experiments designed to replicate daily life activities.
This evaluation will be conducted through tests commonly used in the prosthetic field (e.g. Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure, Box and Block test, 9 PEG in HOLE dexterity test, and others).
In addition to these tests, devices and procedures will be designed for simple and objective evaluations of the functionalities of prostheses and their bidirectional control interfaces. The Virtual Eggs Test (VET) and the Pick and Lift Test (PLT) will be developed and, possibly, integrated in a single instrumented object.
The first replicates the action of picking and replacing fragile cubic objects. The assessment is made based on the number of cubes transferred and the percentage of broken cubes in 1-minute trail.
The second replicates the action of picking, lifting, and replacing objects and consists of a rigid object in the shape of a parallelepiped, instrumented with load cells that measure the grip force and the load force that the object exerts when placed on a surface.