text:
Newcomer Alex Roe Rides "The 5th Wave" to Stardom
Young British actor Alex Roe stars as the conflicted Evan Walker in the hotly anticipated sci-fi adventure-drama "The 5th Wave" opposite Chloe Grace Moretz.
The film is an adaptation of Rick Yancey's hit novel, published in 2013. It focuses on a young girl, Cassie Sullivan, played by Moretz, who is bidding to survive in a world that has been decimated by four waves — huge, earth-shattering events, from tidal waves to pestilence — which are unleashed upon the planet by some unknown force. The likes of Nick Robinson (playing Ben Parish) and Liev Schreiber (Colonel Vosch) also star.
The story tells how in the midst of the wreckage, as one of earth's last survivors, Cassie must fight to save herself, and her brother, as the fifth wave looms. She teams up with Evan, who may be her final hope, if she can learn to trust him. Trust, says Roe, is one of the key themes in the film.
"Evan is definitely conflicted. He's a real contradiction," says the actor. "All of us are contradictions to some extent but he's a contradiction in a really extreme way. His whole view on life is completely turned upside down when he meets Cassie.
"Sometimes, people walk into your life and do that. That makes it sound like it's about a romance between them, but it's really not. They don't trust each other at all. They don't give into any of the feelings that two human beings in a normal situation might give into."
The complexity of the character and his situation appealed to Roe, who made his name in the UK with the teenage TV shows "The Fugitives" and "The Cut" before he moved to LA and bagged his role on "The 5th Wave." He says that he connected with the Evan Walker character the moment he read the script.
"I read this character and went, 'I know this guy,'" he says. "That happens sometimes because you agree with what the character says or what they believe in, or you understand why they're like they are, maybe because of their background."
He relates to Evan in a number of ways. "I think I'm quite physical in the way that he's quite physical. He grew up on a farm and I grew up doing manual labor and things like that."
Roe was perfect casting for the Evan role, says "The 5th Wave" director, J Blakeson, who brings the movie to the screen on the back of his film festival and critics' favourite "The Disappearance of Alice Creed."
"It was quite late in the process when I saw Alex's tape but we flew him to New York to audition," the director says. "When he read with Chloë, it was obvious that there was a really good rapport. Alex also has real presence, and he's got these fantastic eyes that feel like they could either be threatening or extremely empathic."
Certainly, "The 5th Wave" represents a major opportunity for the actor. "I do see this as an opportunity," Roe says. "I was out in LA for three months and was building a little bit of momentum while I was there and was lucky enough to get the audition [for The 5th Wave].
"And then hearing that I was being flown to New York to have a chemistry meet with Chloë was just unreal. It seemed like something that was completely unachievable."
And yet here he is on the cusp of stardom with a prominent role in a huge studio picture. "This movie feels so big," he says. "The sets are incredible. Before, I'd be walking onto a set of 50 people and now I am walking onto a set with around 200 people.
"Getting used to that was different but it is an amazing opportunity. You have to focus and then that becomes your job and it becomes normal. You are in Atlanta shooting with Chloë Grace Moretz and that becomes normal!" He smiles. "I would be the first one to say how lucky I am."
Opening across the Philippines on Jan. 20, 2016, "The 5th Wave" is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.
Newcomer Alex Roe Rides "The 5th Wave" to Stardom Reviewed by Vida Madrona on 7:23:00 PM Rating: 5
Movie Review: Friends with Benefits
The cliche that worked. - It is interesting how this movie utilized the abused tried and tested elements of a romantic comedy, and yet...


text:
Q: Error on importing pypgx on jupyter notebook We are trying to import pypgx on a jupyter notebook. The default version of Java is 8. However we are changing the version to 11 with the following code snippet
import os
os.environ['JAVA_HOME'] = '/data/jdk'
os.environ['PATH'] = '/data/jdk/bin:' + os.environ['PATH']
os.environ['CLASSPATH'] = '/home/orcunt/oracle-graph-client-22.3.0/lib/*'
print(os.environ['PATH'])

After we run the following code, we see that our Java version changed to "openjdk version "11.0.8" 2020-07-14 LTS".
After changing java_home, we are running import pypgx
import pypgx

However we are getting the following error.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
AttributeError                            Traceback (most recent call last)
<ipython-input-7-35cee121df1f> in <module>
----> 1 import pypgx.pg.rdbms.graph_server as graph_server

~/.local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/pypgx/__init__.py in <module>
     25 from pypgx._utils.error_handling import PgxError
     26 from pypgx._utils.loglevel import setloglevel
---> 27 from pypgx.api._pgx import get_instance, get_session
     28 from pypgx.api.filters import EdgeFilter, VertexFilter, GraphFilter
     29

~/.local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/pypgx/api/__init__.py in <module>
     13
     14 from ._all_paths import AllPaths
---> 15 from ._analyst import Analyst
     16 from ._compiled_program import CompiledProgram
     17 from ._entity_provider_meta_data import (

~/.local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/pypgx/api/_analyst.py in <module>
      7 from jnius import autoclass
      8
----> 9 import pypgx._utils.algorithms_metadata as alg_metadata
     10 from pypgx._utils import pgx_types
     11 from pypgx._utils.arguments_validator import validate_arguments

~/.local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/pypgx/_utils/algorithms_metadata.py in <module>
      7 from pypgx.api._pgx_collection import VertexSet, VertexSequence, EdgeSequence, EdgeSet
      8 from pypgx.api._pgx_entity import PgxVertex
----> 9 from pypgx.api._pgx_graph import PgxGraph, BipartiteGraph
     10 from pypgx.api._pgx_map import PgxMap
     11 from pypgx.api._property import VertexProperty, EdgeProperty

~/.local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/pypgx/api/_pgx_graph.py in <module>
     12 from pypgx.api._mutation_strategy import MutationStrategy
     13 from pypgx.api._mutation_strategy_builder import MergingStrategyBuilder, PickingStrategyBuilder
---> 14 from pypgx.api._pgql_result_set import PgqlResultSet
     15 from pypgx.api._pgx_collection import (
     16     EdgeSequence,

~/.local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/pypgx/api/_pgql_result_set.py in <module>
     23 PythonClientResultSetUtil = autoclass('oracle.pgx.pypgx.internal.PythonClientResultSetUtil')
     24
---> 25 DEFAULT_PRINT_LIMIT = ResultSetFormatter.DEFAULT_PRINT_LIMIT
     26
     27

AttributeError: type object 'oracle.pgql.lang.ResultSetFormatter' has no attribute 'DEFAULT_PRINT_LIMIT'

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
New Evidence Suggests Home Visiting Can Prevent Child Neglect
Chronicle Of Social Change April 27, 2018
The Parents as Teachers model, which uses trained parent educators for home visits, was shown to reduce likelihood of substituted maltreatment by 22 percent.
Home visiting, one of the most acclaimed child welfare strategies in recent decades, just got another gold star from researchers, who found new evidence that the program could help prevent child neglect.
The study of Connecticut's statewide home visiting program, which uses the Parents as Teachers model, found that participation in the program reduced the likelihood of a substantiated neglect report by 22 percent.
"These results from a scaled-up statewide program highlight the potential of home visiting as an important approach to preventing child abuse and neglect," said the authors of "Preventing Child Maltreatment," which was published in the most recent edition of Child Abuse & Neglect.
Home visits for at-risk parents involve sending a trained professional (a nurse, a social worker or a trained community member) to the home of young families (often single or teen moms, or low-income parents) a few times per month to go over basic parenting skills. These might include safe sleep practices, nutrition, basic child psychology and communication training.
Such programs have previously been shown to improve health, education and cognitive outcomes for their young children. The reach of home visiting received a major boost when the Affordable Care Act passed, and included a massive increase in federal spending on certain home visitation models.
But researchers had found little to suggest that most home visiting models prevent child abuse and neglect. The Nurse-Family Partnership model is a notable exception, identified in 2016 by a federal commission as the only program known to reduce the risk of a maltreatment-related fatality.
This study adds more evidence that home visiting can lower the likelihood of maltreatment. A team led by Barbara Chaiyachati of Yale School of Medicine's Department of Pediatrics searched Connecticut's state child protection investigation database for records matching those of over 2,600 mothers who signed up for a home visit from a trained parent and social worker team.
The team also collected data on any investigations of child maltreatment, substantiated cases of maltreatment, and child removal due to a confirmed maltreatment allegation. The study used a process called propensity score matching to compare the home visiting clients to a "cohort of families who were eligible for the home-visiting program but did not participate."
The two groups were investigated for maltreatment at about the same rate. But, confirmed maltreatment reports were significantly lower for those mothers who received home visits twice a month from Connecticut's Nurturing Families Network.
The authors conclude: "Home visiting was associated with a 22 percent decrease in the likelihood of substantiated reports, with specific impact on the occurrence of neglect but not physical abuse."
Parents as Teachers CEO Constance Gully: "Our families are dealing with a lot of stressors, including high rates of poverty, maternal depression, opioid abuse and teen parenting."
There were other positive findings, but the connection between home visiting and lower substantiated neglect looms largest. While physical and sexual abuse generate a more visceral public reaction, the vast majority of substantiated maltreatment is neglect.
Neglect accounted for 80 percent of the estimated 676,000 maltreatment cases in 2016, according to recent federal data. Neglect cases have declined overall in the United States since 2014, though that drop has been concentrated in about 20 states.
The study noted its own shortcomings. It was not a randomized control trial design — the most rigorous, conclusive study design. The study also noted that if home visiting involvement is known to a child protective services worker, "it is possible" that the family "may have experienced a positive bias in decision making by CPS case workers resulting in fewer substantiated reports."
These findings come on the heels of a five-year reauthorization of Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV), the federal program that was expanded through the Affordable Care Act. MIECHV will distribute $400 million per year to states for home visiting through the year 2022.
Parents as Teachers is a national model of home visiting that uses trained and certified parent educators to build protective factors in new families. The national organization is based in St. Louis. The model is rated as a "promising practice" by the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare.
"Our families are dealing with a lot of stressors, including high rates of poverty, maternal depression, opioid abuse and teen parenting," said Constance Gully, CEO of Parents as Teachers National Center. "We are truly humbled that this new research confirms that our home visiting model has such a significant impact on supporting families and children being healthy, safe and ready to learn."
By Michael Fitzgerald
New Evidence Suggests Home Visiting Can Prevent Child Neglect was originally published @ The Chronicle of Social Change and has been syndicated with permission.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Latest News / Feature
Moments in time - United States special
Believe it or not, the Circuit of The Americas in Austin is the tenth US venue to have hosted a round of the Formula One world championship.
In this special edition of our regular 'Moments in time' series - which explores the history of Grands Prix through selected iconic images - we take a look at each of them in turn…
Indianapolis, 19 races, 1950-1960 (as Indy 500) and 2000-2007 (as US Grand Prix)
For 11 years, from 1950 to 1960, the Indianapolis 500 formed part of world championship. However, it was virtually unheard of for any of the European-based F1 teams or drivers to make the trip to the States to compete in what was such a highly specialised race. But F1 racing would eventually run at the Brickyard in anger, albeit in reverse thanks to the creation of a new circuit which twinned a substantial part of the famous oval with a new infield section to create a unique 4.1-kilometre road course. The first of eight consecutive United States Grands Prix at Indy was held in 2000 and, as this picture shows, the grandstands were heaving, with an estimated 250,000 fans flocking to see the action. McLaren's David Coulthard (front, left of grid) got the better of Ferrari's Michael Schumacher at the start, but was subsequently punished for jumping the start. The German would go on to triumph, leading home team mate Rubens Barrichello.
(© Sutton Images)
Sebring, one race, 1959
The first United States Grand Prix in the world championship era took place in 1959 at Sebring International Raceway, a road course constructed on a former military airbase in Florida. It was the ninth and final round of the '59 season and excitingly for the first time since the inaugural championship in 1950, three drivers - Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks - had a shot at securing the world title. Brabham (pictured here leading Cooper team mate Bruce McLaren) was the favourite to take the crown, and duly led until 400 yards from the finish when somewhat incredibly he ran out of fuel. In a moment of high drama, 'Black Jack' then jumped out of his car and managed to muster just enough strength to push it across the line in fourth place before collapsing to the ground with exhaustion. It was unconventional, but Brabham had become Australia's first world champion, while his misfortune had enabled 22-year-old McLaren to become the youngest winner in F1 history - a record that stood until 2003 when it was eclipsed by Fernando Alonso.
(© LAT Photographic)
Riverside, one race, 1960
Riverside International Raceway, set in the city of Riverside in Southern California, hosted the United States Grand Prix in 1960. The track, which was back-dropped by the San Bernardino mountain range, was notable for its hilly topography and 1.8km (1.1 mile) straight. The sole world championship race at the venue was dominated by Stirling Moss (pictured) who won from pole position in his Rob Walker-entered Lotus 18-Climax, beating works Lotus driver Innes Ireland by some 38 seconds. Though F1 racing never returned to Riverside, the track continued to operate until 1989 before it was sold off for real estate.
Watkins Glen, 20 races, 1961-1980
After brief dalliances in Florida and California, the US Grand Prix found a more permanent home in 1961 - Watkins Glen in picturesque, upstate New York. 'The Glen', as it became known, was a gloriously fast track built around a wooded hilltop, and quickly became a drivers' favourite. Innes Ireland gave Colin Chapman's works Lotus squad their first world championship victory in the inaugural Watkins Glen race, sparking a run of British success that would continue for a staggering eight years. The two most prolific British victors are pictured here competing for Team Lotus in the 1967 race. Graham Hill (number 6) and Jim Clark (number 5), each won the race three times, though all of the former's wins came whilst driving for BRM. The track, which always attracted scores of passionate fans, was extended by over a mile ahead of the 1971 race and went on to host a further 10 Grands Prix before disappearing from the calendar after 1980.
Long Beach, eight races, 1976-1983
For eight years in the late seventies and early eighties, Formula One cars raced on the palm tree-lined streets of Long Beach, California. Like many street tracks, Long Beach - which was conceived as 'Monaco on America's West Coast' - was very bumpy and twisty in places, but there were high-speed sections too, most notably along the evocatively named Shoreline Drive and Ocean Boulevard. There were several standout races in the history of the United States Grand Prix West as it was known, including John Watson winning from 22nd on the grid in 1983. But perhaps the best remembered is the 1977 race, which was won by home favourite Mario Andretti. The Lotus driver - who remains the only American to win a world championship Formula One race on home soil - is pictured here following the Wolf of Jody Scheckter down the hill at Linden Avenue. Andretti would pass the South African with less than three laps to go to send the home fans into raptures, whilst Ferrari's Niki Lauda (third in this picture) also overcame Scheckter to finish second. You can read more about the famous '77 race here.
Las Vegas, two races, 1981-1982
For those too young to remember it, the idea of holding an F1 race in the car park of the Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas might seem absurd, but for two years in the early eighties it was a strange reality. The first race at the stop-start, concrete barrier-lined track was not only the final race of the 1981 season, but also a title decider. In contention for the drivers' championship were Williams' Carlos Reutemann (sitting in fourth in this picture) and Brabham's Nelson Piquet (blue and white car, right of picture) and after a tense race it was the latter who took the crown, the Brazilian finishing fifth behind winner Alan Jones (leading in this shot). F1 racing would return to the Nevada desert for the final time in 1982, with Tyrrell's Michele Alboreto taking the honours.
Detroit, seven races, 1982-1988
The addition of a Detroit Grand Prix to the calendar in 1982 made the USA the first (and as yet only) country to host three world championship races in one season. Sadly though, the street track, which wound around the American car capital's downtown area, was bland and bumpy, with a predominance of slow 90-degree bends. Ayrton Senna (pictured here leading Lotus team mate Johnny Dumfries in the 1986 race) established himself as something of a Detroit specialist, winning at the unloved Michigan venue three times in a row between 1986 and 1988.
Dallas, one race, 1984
"The only thing good about it," said Alain Prost of Texas's first Grand Prix track, "is that suddenly Detroit is not so bad..." Thankfully for the Frenchman and his fellow F1 drivers, they would only race around the frightening quick, hugely bumpy circuit in Dallas's Fair Park on one occasion after a chaotic 1984 event. Held, rather puzzlingly, in July when temperatures in 'Big D' regularly topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit, it was little surprise when parts of the track surface started to break up, leading to the cancellation of morning warm-up. Despite threats of a boycott from the drivers, the race eventually got underway as planned and it turned out to be something of a doozy with Williams' Keke Rosberg (pictured) - aided by a water-cooled skull cap under his helmet - taking his only win of the year. But the enduring image of the race for many was the sight of an exhausted Nigel Mansell (pictured second here) collapsing after trying to push his crippled Lotus across the finish line.
Phoenix, three races, 1989-1991
The Phoenix street circuit was built around the Arizona city's grid system and so, like Detroit, it featured an abundance of uninspiring right-angled bends. As in Dallas, the inaugural race in 1989 was run in the intense heat of high summer and of the 26 cars that took the start, only six were running at the finish. The 1990 race, which took place in spring, was a much more exciting affair as Tyrrell's Jean Alesi (the lead car in this picture) famously battled McLaren's Ayrton Senna (following) for victory. The Frenchman eventually lost the wheel-banging squabble, but by coming home second he'd marked his card as a future F1 star. Senna, meanwhile, cemented his position as king of American street tracks by dominating the final race in Phoenix in 1991.
Austin, two races (so far), 2012, 2013
After a five-year absence, the United States Grand Prix returned to the calendar in 2012 with a race at the brand new Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas - the country's first track purpose built for F1 competition. Unlike Texas's previous Grand Prix venue, Austin is eminently driveable, with circuit architect Hermann Tilke taking cues from the likes of the Senna S at Interlagos (for Turns 2 and 3), Silverstone's epic Maggotts/Becketts section (for Turns 4-6), and Istanbul Park's famous multi-apex Turn 8 (for Turns 16-18). McLaren's Lewis Hamilton triumphed at the inaugural event after a late race pass on Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel (the winner in 2013). Hamilton is pictured here negotiating Austin's iconic Turn 1 which is reached via a 134-foot climb from the start-finish line.


WD6400AAKS - Anything to know?
Discussion in 'Mac Pro' started by scottydawg, Apr 25, 2008.
I just got 2 of these Western Digital drives from NewEgg to install in a FirmTek SeriTek/2EN2 that will be connected to the MP via a Sonnet card. Is there anything I should know about configuring these drives, using jumpers or any other settings before doing a plug and play? I assume I format them in Mac OS Extended?
On another note, I have a 3 year old Seagate 500GB eSATA Free Agent I am thinking about removing from the case and installing in an extra tray for the Firmtek. My thought is just swap the drive into the Firmtek when I need it to save desk space over having both there (plus the Firmtek looks cool). Any thoughts?
just format as you normally would with disk utility.
Well... I have a RAID card in my MP with 4 SAS drives so they aren't going anywhere .
I set up the two WD's tonight, they seem to be very fast. One is currently working on my first Time Machine backup. The second one will probably have my photos and music so my girlfriend can share everything with her iTunes and iPhoto.


text:
Cal Lutheran Students to Receive Over $1.7 Million of CARES Act
Isabella Breda, Editor in Chief
California Lutheran University received $3,451,376 in Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, of which half will be disbursed to eligible students.
"We found out [about the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund] like everyone else, in a mass letter," Cal Lutheran Director of Financial Aid Jerry McKeen said. "From there we've been waiting on regulations and guidance and trying to come up with the plan…but the plan continues to change because the guidance has changed."
The CARES Act became law on March 27, permitting a $329,683,000,000 budgetary increase for emergency relief directed toward American sectors such as agriculture, utilities, education, defense, health and human services, transportation and education.
According to the U.S. Department of Education the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund "provides funding to institutions to provide emergency financial aid grants to students whose lives have been disrupted."
Many Cal Lutheran students are eager to learn how the funds will be distributed.
"I'm currently working until June at my internship—which is paid, and my lease is up in June," senior Sierra Scali said. "I've applied to a lot of jobs but everything is pretty much on hold and it's hard to know where the future lies."
Scali said as a Pell grant recipient, she assumes she is eligible for the emergency aid.
"I'm just concerned as to why they haven't reached out to those who have the potential to be eligible [for funds]…with everything up in the air, every little bit helps," Scali said.
According to McKeen, the current guidance suggests that any students who qualify for any federal financial aid, including loans, are eligible for the emergency aid.
"But we realize all students have expenses so we hope to disburse the funds to a much broader base than [just federal aid eligible students]," McKeen said.
In order to ensure the financial aid office can provide aid to as many students as possible, they will wait until there is clarity on what is considered permissible use of the funds.
"As with aid of any kind, it has lots of regulations behind its disbursement, we are reluctant to act too fast," McKeen said. "We want to be fair and responsive but follow all rules and regulations."
The primary guidance the Department of Education has provided said the money "shall not be used for any purpose other than the direct payment of grants to students for their expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child-care."
While there is an expectation of duty to distribute the aid, higher education institutions are struggling to do so because of the minimal guidance they have received.
McKeen said some universities may have acted too fast.
Eastern Michigan University announced plans to use the relief funds for summer school credit, which violated the Department of Education's intended allocation of funds.
One EMU student told POLITICO, "summer classes are expensive… if I can't afford a meal from McDonalds at this time how can I pay for a summer class?"
Another stipulation of the act states that emergency financial aid must be distributed in the form of cash grants.
Meanwhile, many large public universities have announced plans for disbursement of funds which are compliant with federal guidelines.
On April 29, the University of Pittsburgh, which has also notably announced their scientists are developing a potential vaccine against COVID-19, announced a concise plan for how their first disbursement of emergency financial aid will be distributed.
The funding will be disbursed to students "identified as having the greatest need, undergraduate students who received a 2019-20 Federal Pell Grant, undergraduate students who did not receive a 2019-20 Federal Pell Grant and who had unmet financial need, graduate students who received a federal loan for spring term 2020, or did not borrow but would have earned a summer stipend, displaced student employees of Pitt's food service providers, [and] resident assistants who lost meal plan access."
In a press release, Ann E. Cudd, Pittsburgh's provost and senior vice chancellor said, "ensuring that eligible students with need receive CARES grants as soon as possible is a top priority."
At Florida A&M University, about 4,600 students eligible for the Pell grant will be the first to receive emergency assistance, with roughly $871 slated to be distributed to each recipient, ABC7 Tallahassee reported.
In addition, roughly $1.7 million will provide aid to 1,000 non-Pell undergraduate students and 1,500 graduate and professional students with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) up to $15,000.
McKeen said the university is mitigating both the external and internal sides of how to "go about disbursing the funds." This means deciding how eligible students will be informed, as well as what format will be used to transfer the funds to students' financial accounts, are still under consideration.
Both undocumented and international students are ineligible for the emergency aid, according to the Department of Education.
Career Services is 'student focused' with weekly events and programs
CLU's Thousand Oaks campus sees an increase in COVID-19 cases
International Education Week helps in 'promoting global understanding'
CLU sets out to 'have more international students'
Cal Lutheran considers film safety amid fatal 'Rust' incident
McNair program seeks new director
Gallery: Activism Creations provides outlet for advocates
Town Hall Recap: Coming out of the pandemic 'stronger'
Ryan	• May 6, 2020 at 8:08 pm
Hello, I'd like to know how I can apply for CARES. Can you please let me know how I can go about this as details arise?
https://cluecho.com/13683/news/cal-lutheran-students-to-receive-1-7-million-of-cares-act/#comment-69
Isabella Breda	• May 8, 2020 at 9:12 am
The most recent update is available on our twitter, but here is the link to the application for CARES Act funding: https://t.co/A6VbVVtTPP?amp=1


text:
Why I Want My Daughter's To Be #LikeAGirl Unstoppable
As a mum to two daughters with my oldest being twelve year's old, I worry a lot, as being a teenager in today's society can be hard work. You are expected to perform well at school, sometimes school can be tough as other girls can be rather mean, your body is changing as you reach puberty and you have crazy hormones rushing around your body. You are also often expected to conform to how society think's you should be. It is fair to say my eldest daughter is turning into a huffy teen at times, but I try to give her some slack as I remember being a teenager myself all to well and how much I hated it. I felt awkward and self-conscious all the time and sometimes felt like I did not fit in or did not behave how society expected me to. I don't want my own daughters to feel that way, I want them to grow up happy and confident in their own skin and for them to believe that they can be and do whatever they want in life.
So when I heard about the new #LikeAGirl Unstoppable campaign from Always I knew that I had to find out more as I remember watching the original campaign last year. Last years campaign set out to challenge the negative perception people often have to do things "like a girl " as it is often used as an insult, I know I have heard this phrase said a lot of times with people saying things such as "don't cry like a girl " or "don't throw like a girl", often to boys. The campaign went viral last year and was viewed more than 85 million times in 150 countries and shared by more than 1.5 million people worldwide, which is phenomenal.
This year on the 7th July Always launched the follow up to last years successful campaign named #LikeAGirl unstoppable, which aims to help girls stay confident during puberty and beyond. Always have carried out a survey* which found that 59 % of girls lose confidence at puberty and many never fully recover. Which is a rather depressing fact for us parents, so if you are a parent of a daughter then you really should watch the video above as it is so powerful. I knew that I had to get my own daughter to watch it with me as I don't want her to ever feel like she is boxed in by society as 84% of UK girls who were surveyed felt that society putting girls into boxes had a negative impact on their lives. I want my girls to be whoever they want to be in life and full of confidence and self-belief.
As soon as I put the video on my daughter Chloe surprised me by saying " Oh I have already seen this, people were talking about it at school so I watched it on YouTube." Pretty impressive saying as the video has only been out for a couple of weeks but has already had a huge 14 million views. I asked if she understood what the video was about and she said that it is about when people say that girls cant do thing's that boys can, and that sometimes people think girls have to behave in a certain way. She is only 12 and already she understands gender stereotyping.
I thought that it would be a fun activity if I gave Chloe a white box and got her to write on it things that people have said that she can't do just because she is a girl. She spent a few moments thinking about it and then she wrote down be good at playing football. I asked why she said this and she said because people say only boys can play football and girls are rubbish at it. I asked if she likes playing football and she said yes it is her favourite PE lesson, she even used to be on a girls football team in primary school. I reminded her that girls can play football just look at the amazing British women's football team, her response was that she wanted to carry on enjoying football and is better than some of the boys, that's my girl.
The second thing that she wrote on the box was being funny, I asked her why and she said because most people say girls should not be funny and that only boys can be funny and play tricks. Now I know my daughter and she loves playing pranks, telling jokes and making people laugh I reminded her of this and said that she can tell jokes and be funny as that is who she is and that is what makes her who she is.
She then wrote cant be strong, again I asked what she meant and she said that boys are stronger than girls. I said yes sometimes as they are bigger then girls but girls can still be strong not just physically but mentally too which she readily agreed with. She then crossed everything she had written off on the box and asked if she could kick it over like in the video as she could do all of the things she had written down. Of course, I said yes as I don't ever want her feeling boxed in or like she can not do something just because she is a girl.
I think that the campaign is just fantastic for highlighting to girls and even women too that yes sometimes society may try and box you in or say you can't do something, but it is up to us mothers and women to teach our children that no matter what, you can do or be whatever you want and not to let others put you down as every girl deserves to be happy and confident and believe she is capable of anything she wants.
If you have a daughter why not watch the video together, get a box and let your daughter write on it what she thinks a girl cant do and then help her squash those belief and let her know she can do those things as she is unstoppable and pretty amazing. Don't let puberty and society steal her confidence as she is unstoppable just #LikeAGirl.
This is a collaborative post, however, all views are my own and I really do think this is a pretty amazing campaign.
* Source The Always confidence and puberty wave 111 study.
Labels: Teen
Alison 22 July 2015 at 09:13
It is strange how we perceive things. This is a great activity for overturning sterotypes
Newcastle Family Life 3 August 2015 at 21:05
It really is , I loved the video they created it really makes you stop and think xx
Pass Around The World For Your Chance To Win
What Baby Jacob Wore : George At Asda
We Are Vital Baby #WeaningWarriors
Don't Fear The Mess With Pampers Baby Wipes
The Minions Come Alive With Crayola
The Perfect Child Friendly Cornish Holiday At The ...
A Bella Bathroom Wishlist
The Reality Of Two Under Two
Little Learners From Parragon Books
I Am The Mum Who
Bubabloon : Review
A Personalised Frozen Story Book
A Slimming World Update
My First Britmums Live 2015


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Tag Archives: PILT
Bundy Ranch
Yes, I've been quiet about the Bundy Ranch situation. Fine… You want my opinion?
Bundy is a nutter and owes his grazing fees. But he also has a point. I believe the States should control their own land and not the Feds through the BLM. I know a lot of guys that work for the BLM and they are good guys. But in Nevada, they are over-stepping quite a bit. Pulling back like they did was a smart move. They had nothing to gain by pushing further.
Harry Reid is right when he said that this isn't over. The BLM will make their bones on this. That much is for sure. Because it's BLM land, not Nevada land. The Feds will get their due. They are like the Lannisters from the Game of Thrones.
Does anyone really think this is about Turtles? Does anyone really give a crap about the turtles? Las Vegas is killing them because they have too many. Even though they are "endangered". Really? What's really going on?
The BLM controls most of the western states. This is patently wrong. See the Feds made these huge land grabs by offering PILT deals. Payments in lieu of Taxes. The States turn over "unproductive" land to the Feds and get payments from the Feds in return. "More than what they would earn in taxes" or so they said. Utah took it. And it so happens that the PILT money is a fraction of what they would be making on the revenue from the Mineral Rights… OIL MONEY. Crude, Tar Sands, Oil Shale, Fracking… Black Gold… Texas Tea… And then all the Natural Gas on top of that. Billions of dollars worth and the Feds pay out Pennies in PILT. Nevada gets PILT payments as well. How's that working out for them?
Now, in Nevada, they don't have as much oil as Utah. Not like in the Uintah Basin. But Harry Reid's son has a solar energy deal with China… a deal that is supposed to happen on that contested land. You can bet the farm – er – the Ranch… sorry… That Harry Reid is fully set and ready to destroy the Bundy's so his son and he can make some bacon on that land the Bundy's are raising beef on. Reid is ready to go Full On Waco on the Bundy's. Yet that clown points a finger at the people that are saying "hey, that's not right" and calls them Domestic Terrorists. Well, I can't say how I feel about Reid. The G-Men would be knocking on my door if I did.
All I can say about this situation in Nevada is "Follow The Money". Who benefits from this? Nevada? No… Nevada doesn't get nothing.
Huh… Looks the Sheriff might be getting some scratch. The Reid Family sure is. But the people of Nevada are getting the thumb screws. As are all of us… Because this is a States Rights issue at the core of the Bundy's arguement – and it's an issue that needs to be looked at.
When I ran for office in 2010 in Utah, my platform had two key issues I wanted to push. Taking Back Utah and Constitutional Carry. Now, when I was running, the US Forrest Service had just shut down the majority of the routes through the Uintah Mountains. Trails, Dirt Roads… basically all access to old family hunting grounds that the people of Uintah County had been hunting for generations. I was there at the meetings and listened to the proposals and listened to the people – and let me tell you. The Feds didn't give a damn. They had their goals to accomplish. Keep everyone where they could be found easily. "For their safety" and to keep the wear and tear down on the trails. Yeah – by concentrating all that traffic in one big loop. They never explained just how that works.
Utah can manage Utah better.
Nevada can manage Nevada better.
BundyBundy RanchHarry ReidNevadaPILT


Noosa has a number of extreme things to do mainly involving the water and sky. Click on the links below to learn more and book. We do suggest you book before you arrive in Noosa as these activities tend to book out fast.
Come fly, jump and skydive with us and see the whole Sunshine Coast, from Noosa right down to Caloundra and Bribie Island, all from a sensational perspective. The ride to altitude is quick and smooth - the views are fantastic from 10,000 ft. Jumping out of the plane will completely grab you. The freefall is fast and incredible; the parachute ride is quiet, re-assuring and peaceful. Finish this ultimate experience by landing on the beautiful beach at Coolum - right in the middle of the Sunshine Coast. This is simply the best place to skydive.
As you arrive at Sunset for your briefing, you will be met by one of our friendly staff who'll show you a tandem skydive video, answer any questions you have and explain exactly what you've got to look forward to! You'll then be introduced to your tandem master to be 'geared-up' followed by a short pre-skydive briefing - this ensures you are aware of the basics of tandem skydiving and will enjoy the dive to the maximum. Once everyone is geared-up, you will experience an amazing twilght flight over the sunshine coast. By the tim e you are ready to jump it is dark, adding a whole new dimension to your sky diving experience!
The adventure starts as soon as you arrive at the Jump Centre. You'll be met by one of our friendly staff who'll sit you down, show you a tandem skydive video and explain exactly what you've got to look forward to! They'll also answer any questions you might have prior to your skydive. You'll then be introduced to your tandem master to be 'geared-up' (put into your harness etc) followed by a short pre-skydive briefing - this ensures you are aware of the basics of tandem skydiving and will enjoy the dive to the maximum. Once everyone is geared-up, you'll hop on the plane for a 20 minute flight before experiencing 8 seconds of absolutely amazing, adrenalin-pumping FREEFALL and 8 minutes floating parachute ride your beach landing - a real taste of what skydiving is truly all about!


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2017 RAM 1500 Night Edition Crew Cab Review: Red Between the Lines
April 8th, 2017 by Micah Wright
Engine: 5.7-liter V8 HEMI
Torque (lb-ft.): 410
Transmission: 8-speed Automatic 8HP70
Drive Configuration: AWD/2WD
0-to-60 Time (secs): 7.0
Top Speed (mph): 107
City/Hwy/Combined MPG: 15/21/17
Wheelbase (in): 140
Total Length (in): 229
Width (in): 79.4
Price as Tested (USD): $57,395
When the "Flame Red" Ram 1500 pickup arrived on my doorstep, I immediately knew that she needed a name, and with the help of my 4-year-old, we gave this lumbering lady the title "Hemi," which at the time seemed quite appropriate. Big, red, multi-talented, and fully loaded, our FCA female mud-wrestler proceeded to surprise with one of the most pleasant driving experiences we've ever encountered in a pickup truck. Outside of her inability to be parallel parked in certain spaces and sporting a few imperfections, Hemi was a joy to drive and to this day she remains sorely missed.
For those of you who aren't familiar with Ram's "Night Edition," it's an appearance package that takes the Sport platform and blacks out things like the truck's wheels, badges, RAM tailgate nameplate, and a set of bulging polished exhaust tips. While this may not be all that impressive to some, on a Flame Red truck it looks pretty damn good, and members of both sexes could be seen checking Hemi out as we thundered from point A to point B.
Aesthetics aside, this pickup really does offer a lot of desirable features, especially once fitted with a bevy of options. Our beloved Hemi had over $14,000 worth of work done to her, and we found ourselves appreciating every last little detail associated with these upgrades. Leather seats with vent and heat functions, rain-sensing wipers, an upgraded 3.92 rear axle ratio with an anti-spin differential, air suspension, park assist, and a Ram Box cargo management system all earned winning nods of approval.
While Hemi's trailering, traction, and rugged off-road features make her appealing to the average farmhand or gearhead, I found myself using her as a delivery vehicle as well, all in preparation for my little girl's birthday party. This meant I was able to take full advantage Hemi's auto-locking Ram Box cargo system, which proved to be a godsend, as everything from condiments and plastic cutlery, to coolers, bags of snacks, and party favors found a home within her cargo hold. It's a brilliant system that's easy to use, well-lit, and drains out excess liquids, so tailgating allows football fans to remain where they belong: On the tailgate.
Drive-wise, Hemi has the ability to be put in 2WD for improved fuel gains, 4WD auto for safety's sake, and either in 4WD Lock or Low for when Mother Nature tries to sucker-punch you senseless. She rides extremely well for being so cumbersome. The air suspension automatically raises once you crest 15 miles-per hour, and with the push of a button, both mirrors fold for narrow passage clearance or to avoid parallel parking mishaps. Another nice touch is Ram's Mopar catback exhaust and air intake upgrade combo, which lets out a refined roar under heavy throttle, but is not prone to drone on the interstate.
As for traction, even in heavy rain with just rear-wheel drive mode engaged, the clever anti-spin differential upgrade kept power pumping to the pavement. Off-road, we found auto 4WD to work flawlessly against mud, grass, and loose gravel alike. Sure, she may not have all of the traction settings found within a Trailhawk Grand Cherokee, but with coil-spring articulation at the ready it didn't feel like Hemi needed it either, especially once raised to maximum ride height.
Within the confines of the crew cab you'll find useful upgrades like the latest 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen, adjustable foot pedals, double stacked gloveboxes, and a heated leather steering wheel. There are also rugged cargo pockets aplenty, a power-sliding rear window, dual zone climate control, and a 9-speaker Alpine audio upgrade, complete with a subwoofer. It may not be the most spacious crew cab on the market today, but it's well thought-out, keeps practicality at the forefront, and retains just enough style points to keep it in the running.
So it handles surprisingly well due to an absence of leaf springs, has ground clearance options aplenty, can be driven in rear-wheel or 4×4 mode, and has a tastefully executed exterior, interior, and bed layout that are all pretty damn practical. What more could you want from a pickup?
Unfortunately, there were a few notable issues with our precious Hemi that demand to be noted, starting with the truck's tech. The keyless entry couldn't make up its mind whether it should be unlocking or sounding the horn half the time, USB ports in the rear were nonexistent, 360-degree camera views aren't available, and 3D maps remain 2D at best. There's also the issue of limited blindspot visibility, and for as spacious as that crew cab felt it's still far from being the roomiest in the segment.
Other miscues are all the hard plastics designed for holding cell phones beneath the center stack, seat cushions that emanate a loud crunching noise, underseat fit and finish misses, and a rear LATCH tether that rattles against the glass once a child seat is attached. It also doesn't tow as much as equally equipped V8 Ford or GM trucks, and does not come with an integrated gooseneck attachment like the Nissan Titan.
But all of these complaints are just a drop in the bucket against Hemi's selling points. Take the loaded 8.4-inch Uconnect system for example. Over the course of the past few years FCA has turned its infotainment setup into a fantastic piece of technology, and to this day it remains one of the easiest to use and most responsive units on the market.
We also found ourselves obsessing over Ram's customizable 7-inch "Multi-View Cluster," which is brimming with pertinent driving specs and vehicle maintenance minders. Cycling through its vibrant spec sheets and useful driving details you get the feeling that Ram has pulled playing cards from the Challenger deck and is trying its own hand at becoming a digital encyclopedia.
Once properly equipped, this truck can tow up to 10,700 pounds, and will automatically close its front shutters and lower itself for increased fuel efficiency at higher speeds. This pickup is equal parts potent and efficient, and while it may not be as speedy off the line as other V8 competitors, we didn't find ourselves pining for Scat Pack power all that often.
We have to admit it; to this day, Hemi is sorely missed. With the right off-road rubber and wheels, a Mopar brush guard, and a set of side steps for easier entry, we feel that a Night Edition of the Ram 1500 would be damn near ideal as both a daily driver and as a weekend warrior. The only dilemma at that point would be its price, because for $57,395 would you rather have Hemi here, or a well-equipped Ford Raptor?
2020 Ram 1500 Night Edition and Rebel Black Go to the Dark Side
2020 Ram EcoDiesel V6 Makes Horsepower and Torque Specs Announced
2019 Ram 1500 Longhorn Review: Award Winner Deserves All the Accolades


ROCKLEDGE, FL — October 20th,2017 — Mainstream Engineering Corporation, a 31-year-old Brevard County manufacturer with a history of leading-edge research and development that has resulted in advanced, lean-manufacturing, cost-competitive products, which are all Made in the USA, has been awarded a contract from the U.S Air Force for Online Spectroscopic Chemical Diagnostics for Thermally Stressed Fuel Flows.
The limits of high-performance aircraft continue to be pushed, requiring more capacity from thermal management systems as hydraulic, mechanical, and pneumatic power systems are replaced with electrical components. Rejecting this heat to the fuel can lead to composition changes and the production of insolubles and surface deposits via pyrolysis and oxidation at elevated fuel temperatures, especially at walls and hot spots. As such, it is important to understand and monitor online the thermal degradation processes. A few trace compounds have been identified as critical in the thermal oxidative chemical process including hydroperoxides, reactive sulfur compounds, polar organic compounds, trace metals, and dissolved oxygen. Currently, there is no way to measure these compounds in real-time at aircraft-relevant conditions or determine the onset of thermal instability. Mainstream Engineering proposes a spectroscopic approach using solid-state, fiber-coupled components to determine bulk properties and trace indicators of thermal oxidation through chemometric analysis. Phase I will result in a high-fidelity integration of components in the laboratory. Phase II will include testing a prototype demonstrator on the Advanced Reduced Scale Fuel System Simulator as well as development and execution of technology transition strategy.
Mainstream Engineering Corporation is a solutions-oriented research, development and manufacturing small business with a history of leading-edge R&D that has resulted in advanced, American-made, cost-competitive products. Founded in 1986, Mainstream's mission is to transition thermal control, energy storage and energy conversion technology into high-quality, cost-effective, environmentally safe green, commercial products. Products include lightweight diesel engines, thermal control units, biomass conversion technologies, refrigerators/freezers for shipping containers and the QwikProductTM line of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC/R) products. Areas of research include thermal control, energy conversion, power electronics, turbomachinery, chemical technology and materials science.


In July, enjoy summer pleasures!
This summer, the clinics in Paris, Montreal and London stay open for all types of projects.
This month, Ciara Phelan illustrates a pop up image for the 100th year advertising campaing of Calgary Stampede, Silke Werzinger creates cover pages to personalize on the Miss Candy L'Oreal Paris Facebook page, Tonwen Jones produces a map of Lac St-Jean, region of Quebec reknowned for its beauty and the strong accent! Nazario Graziano illustrates about the London Olympic Games, Takeshi creates a photomontage for the summer festivities in Montreal.
In July, the downloadable wallpaper is about summer and sports in order to give you the envy to take on new challenges this summer. Colagene unveils also a brain new website created by the graphic design clinic for the famous harp player Emmanuel Ceysson. Join us on our Facebook page which has now more than 3200 fans!
Colagene, graphic design clinic just created the new website of the harpist Emmanuel Ceysson. With his powerful, virtuoso playing, Emmanuel Ceysson, the 'enfant terrible' of the harp, sweeps away all the clichés associated with his instrument. His infectious enthusiasm and boundless energy reveals the harp in all its sparkling splendour, in a world where poetry rhymes with temperament.
Patrick St-Hilaire, Coordinator, Usage rights and research, Chenelière Éducation Inc.


Well, I'm back at it again.
Getting thrown out of a conventional supermarket wasn't enough fun for me, so this time, I'm going shopping at my favorite Asian supermarket with camera in tow.
What interesting and traditional foods can we find here?
If you haven't ever shopped at an Asian grocery before, you must find one in your local area right away. Not only is it an incredibly fun and interesting experience (be sure to take the kids along), but you will find foods here that you cannot find anywhere else.
What foods do you like to buy at an Asian market?
* By the way, I need to come clean. The salted duck eggs I bought in the video .. they were terrible! Big strike-out on that purchase.
* This post is shared at Real Food Wednesday!


The Bubblebee Industries Windkiller S provides the best possible wind-protection for small to medium sized camera shotgun microphones. Its design rests on extensive real-world tests and knowledge of materials, shape and fit, to ensure superior performance in windy conditions while retaining the frequency response and sensitivity of the camera mic.
The Bubblebee Windkiller S (small) is constructed using a special fur surrounding a moulded foam housing, removing the effects of wind on the camera or boom microphone capsule while allowing the mic to function with specifications largely unaffected. Get clean and crystal clear audio from otherwise difficult outdoor recording situations with the Bubblebee Windkiller fitted to your microphone for amazing audio results.
The BBI-WK-S is made for use with mics with a diameter of 18-24mm and will cover a length of 105mm. See compatible mics in specification tab.


Tom Aldred, Allan Campbell and Alex Rodriguez Gorrín say Motherwell must stay positive, despite a setback in defeat at Hibernian.
Stephen Robinson says Motherwell just lacked a cutting edge, but still showed enough to suggest they are still in the fight for the top six.
Motherwell endured a difficult afternoon in the capital, as their top six hopes took a serious dent in defeat to Hibernian.
First half goals from Marc McNulty and David Gray did the damage, as the Steelmen failed to lift their game to claim a place in the top half of the table.
The visitors were again unchanged, as they went in search of the win that would see them leapfrog the Hibees into the top six.
Within 30 seconds, it looked like they were off to a dream start. Gboly Ariyibi's cross from the left caused havoc and Lewis Stevenson turned the ball against his own post, before it dropped out of play.
At the other end, Mallan and McNulty caused concern for Mark Gillespie, but both sides were enjoying attacking freedom on a difficult and heavy pitch.
Then, midway through the first half, the hosts got their chance. Tom Aldred blocked McNulty's goalbound shot with his hand, with the referee pointing to the spot and booking the defender.
In-form McNulty made no mistake from the spot, blasting home to give his side the lead.
Motherwell remained positive but the sucker punch would come soon after. From a corner, Gray got the run on his marker to powerfully head into the net.
The visitors struggled to get a proper foothold and, as the match wore on, threw four up top in an attempt to salvage something from the game.
Ultimately though they were denied, leaving them with a task to salvage top six with three more games to go.


text:
Hermann Struck
Portrait of Oscar Wilde, ca. 1912
Hermann Struck, 1876-1944, German
Portrait of Oscar Wilde
Soft-ground etching on green paper
soft-ground etching
Light weight green wove paper
Plate: 14.9 x 10.5 cm (5 7/8 x 4 1/8 inches)
Gift of Martin Birnbaum
Facing Artists
February 27 - July 31, 2009
Hermann Struck studied at the Akademie der Künste in Berlin and appeared to have a bright future as a teacher there, but was denied the right to teach
because he was Jewish. An early Zionist, he signed his works with the initials of his Jewish name, Chaim Aaron ben David, and a Star of David, as seen here. Struck
mentored several notable artists in the art of etching, including Marc Chagall, Lovis Corinth, and Max Liebermann, and published the seminal instruction
manual Die Kunst des Radierens (The Art of Etching) in 1908. On a visit to England he made portraits of several leading English cultural luminaries, including the writer Oscar Wilde (Irish, 1854–1900), who died before Struck made the print. Struck's refined grasp of etching is evident in his use of soft-ground, a technique imitating soft, graphite drawing.
The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in Copyright. This object is Portrait of Oscar Wilde with the accession number of 24.084. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.


These waterproof valuables cases are waterproof to 10 metres and fully touchscreen compatible. They are made from resilient triple polymer film and close simply with an airtight press-to-lock seal.
Purchased the DriStore Waterproof Valuables Case (7x4.5''). On the bags first outing the seal held brilliantly keeping the stored Euro notes bone dry. Sadly on opening the bag the seal refused to open, however, the glue holding the seal to the bag gave up!!!
I now have a 7x4.5'' plastic bag and a damp 20 Euro note! (not looking forward to trying the other two bags in the set).


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SOUTH PACIFIC ISLAND DITCHES FOSSIL FUELS TO RUN ENTIRELY ON SOLAR POWER...
Posted by David Pike 27sc on November 29, 2016
Ta'u island, part of American Samoa, is now off the grid and sustainable with solar power Photograph: American Samoa Power Authority
Ta'u island in American Samoa will rely on solar panels and Tesla batteries as it does away with diesel generators...
A remote tropical island has catapulted itself headlong into the future by ditching diesel and powering all homes and businesses with the scorching South Pacific sun.
Using more than 5,000 solar panels and 60 Tesla power packs the tiny island of Ta'u in American Samoa is now entirely self-sufficient for its electricity supply – though the process of converting has been tough and pitted with delays.
Located 4,000 miles from the west coast of the United States, Ta'u has depended on over 100,000 gallons of diesel shipped in from the main island of Tutuila to survive, using it to power homes, government buildings and – crucially – water pumps.
When bad weather or rough seas prevented the ferry docking, which was often, the island came to a virtual stand-still, leaving Ta'u's 600 residents unable to work efficiently, go to school or leave their usually idyllic paradise.
Utu Abe Malae, executive director of the American Samoa Power Authority, said Tutuila has subsidized Ta'u diesel shipments for decades to the tune of US$400,000 a year – and continually ran the risk of a serious environmental disaster if the delivery ships capsized during the notoriously treacherous journey.
"Shipping diesel has been a long-standing environmental risk, and an inefficient use of taxpayers money," said Malae.
"We want all of American Samoa to be solar-powered by 2040 – but Ta'u has been the priority and test-run."
Construction of Ta'u 1.4 megawatt micro-grid began two years ago, and was immediately bogged down by poor weather, transport delays and technical difficulties.
"It has been really hard," laughs Malae, light-hearted now the biggest hurdles are over.
"The ferries to the island would often break down, so then we'd have to flag down nearby fishing boats to transport the solar panels, and then they'd have to pass the panels to row-boats to reach the island. Nothing about this project went smoothly at all."
Solar engineers from contractors Tesla and SolarCity flew out from California to help oversee construction of the micro-grid, and 15 local men were employed in the construction process.
Ta'u island, part of American Samoa, is off the grid and sustainable with solar power Photograph: American Samoa Power Authority
Five of those fifteen locals – previously low skilled, odd-job men on the island – have now transitioned to full-time jobs as solar power technicians managing the grid.
Associate Professor Ashton Patridge from the faculty of engineering at Auckland University said "off-the-grid, small communities" like Ta'u were "ideally suited" to harnessing solar power.
"It is fantastic what they have done, and they should provide a working model for other Pacific island countries to study, as most get 6 to 8 sunshine hours a day, 1,000 watts per square metre – which is a resource that is otherwise wasted.
"The cost of setup for solar is high and there has been a push-back against that," he added. "But it is ideal if governments absorb that cost, especially for these remote communities that would otherwise be totally reliant on non-renewable energy sources."
With cyclone season approaching, when heavy rain and grey skies can be daily occurrences, Malae said he was interested to see how the solar panels held up, but was not worried about maintaining Ta'u's electricity supply, as the grid could store enough to power the island for three days.
A sailing ship stands in the harbor at Pago Pago, capital of American Samoa. Photograph: David Briscoe/AP
Although the islanders' power bills remain the same – around US$80-100 per month for an average household – Malae said the reliability and self-sufficiency of the new system had been a cause of celebration on this remote outpost, with neighbours Ofu and Olosega islands planning to follow suit by Christmas.
"It wasn't easy, but we're totally committed to it," said Malae.
"It's the future for our islands."
Eleanor Ainge Roy
@EleanorAingeRoy
Monday 28 November 2016 00.09 EST
source: https://www.theguardian.com/us


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Shazam Family (Team)
Zachary Levi
Zachary Levi's Shazam 2 Receives Production Update From DCEU Actress
By Richard Nebens Posted: May 08, 2021
Now that major blockbusters are finally returning to theaters and streaming services, news is coming on quite a regular basis for new entries that are turning on cameras and putting star actors on film once again. Warner Bros. is joining in on this with production starting on multiple projects in the DCEU, including Zachary Levi's Shazam!: Fury of the Gods.
This film has spent plenty of time in the conversation, mostly thanks to its acquisition of iconic Hollywood talent for new DC roles. Two of the villains will be played by former Kill Bill star Lucy Liu and Academy-Award winner Helen Mirren, although not many plot details have come for this sequel in its early days of filming.
Thankfully, things are really starting to kick into high gear according to the latest social media post from one of the film's younger stars.
FAITHE C. HERMAN ALMOST READY FOR SHAZAM! 2
Faithe C. Herman in Shazam!
Actress Faithe C. Herman took to Twitter to reveal that she's almost finished filming her material for Season 5 of This Is Us on NBC.
This coming week, Herman will "start" Shazam!: Fury of the Gods to reprise her role as Darla Dudley. It's unclear exactly what Herman will be starting on with the DC sequel, as it could be anything from a script reading to rehearsals to possibly even filming itself.
Last day of me filming This Is Us Seaon 5 & then I'm off to start Shazam 2 next week. I am so grateful for these amazing opportunities 🤎🤎 Happy Thursday! Stay safe & healthy everyone #shazam2 #furyofthegods #ThisIsUs
— Faithe C. Herman (@FaitheHerman) May 6, 2021
THE BAND COMING BACK TOGETHER
Herman marks yet another cast member from 2019's Shazam! that will be returning to play her character in the highly-anticipated 2023 sequel. Herman memorably played one of Billy Batson's adopted siblings in Darla, all of whom gained the powers of Shazam in the final scene of the movie when Zachary Levi's hero needed their help to defeat Dr. Sivana.
Herman will team up once again with Asher Angel's Billy and Jack Dylan Grazer's Freddy Freeman as the family of superheroes looks forward to their next challenges within the DCEU. It's becoming evident that all of them will have to use every bit of power they can muster against villains as formidable as those played by Mirren and Liu, even though the specifics are unknown right now.
Fans now await news on when the rest of Batson's adopted family will join the fray, as well as their super-powered alter-egos. Shazam!: Fury of the Gods is now filming and will release in theaters on June 2, 2023.
Tags: Shazam! Fury of the Gods / Shazam Family (Team) / Shazam / Zachary Levi /


AHS Junior Kaleb Her was recognized during lunch today as our Subway Student of the Week for displaying his Raider Pride and the core value of Participation. Kaleb walks in to class every day with a smile, is always prepared and ready to participate with questions, answers or ideas. Way to go Kaleb!


text:
Published: 5 December 1997
Imprint: Vintage
Special archival edition
Amazon Booktopia Dymocks QBD Readings Angus & Robertson Abbeys Boomerang Collins Kinokuniya Robinsons The Nile
Find local retailers
A stunning gift package of prize-winning Beloved to commemorate Toni Morrison.
It is the mid-1800s. At Sweet Home in Kentucky, an era is ending as slavery comes under attack from the abolitionists. The worlds of Halle and Paul D. are to be destroyed in a cataclysm of torment and agony. The world of Sethe, however, is to turn from one of love to one of violence and death - the death of Sethe's baby daughter Beloved, whose name is the single word on the tombstone, who died at her mother's hands, and who will return to claim retribution.
Pub date: 5 December 1997
Toni Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993. She was the author of many novels, including The Bluest Eye, Sula, Beloved, Paradise and Love. She received the National Book Critics Circle Award and a Pulitzer Prize for her fiction and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honour, in 2012 by Barack Obama. Toni Morrison died on 5 August 2019 at the age of eighty-eight.
Also by Toni Morrison
Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Fyodor Dostoevsky
Catch-22: 50th Anniversary Edition
The Makioka Sisters
The Blue Rose
Kate Forsyth
The Heart's Invisible Furies


Warrior Legend Manga Universe: Update without a update!
Today is Wednesday and it usually a update day, as I said before it difficult to keep every Wednesday updated, but I'm trying my best. Reason for this post is cause I said I would post something today, but things has come up that I had to fix, sorry about that. I'll reschedule that work for next Wednesday instead!


A grandmother's trove of Civil War photos goes to Library of Congress – The Washington Post.
YouTube Is Experimenting With Ultra High Def, Ultra Smooth Video Playback — Here Are The Examples | TechCrunch.
List of lenses with rebates is here at the Adorama web site. There are also deals on Nikon cameras.
"The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies" available now on Blu-ray 3D!
Will VR be the next step beyond 3D?
These 3D Gifs Will Turn Your Brain Inside Out. Just watch the animations and you'll see how they work. An old trick, actually, but effective.


text:
Climate change could shift wildfire season for our neighbor, Pennsylvania
This article originally appeared on StateImpact Pennsylvania.
Wildfires aggravated by the effects of climate change have been raging across the western United States for weeks.
The commonwealth is starting to see changes in its fire season as well.
Data from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources shows Pennsylvania had 686 fires on average each year between 2015 and 2019.
Most of the state's fires are small and are extinguished quickly. They also typically happen in the spring.
But Mike Kern, Chief of Forest Fire Protection under DCNR, said this year they saw an unusually high number of fires in February — 161 this year compared to 11 a year earlier.
"It's pretty rare," he said. "Usually in February we have snow on the ground or it's cold enough, there's not a lot of fires. Anytime the vegetation here is dormant and it's dry enough, we can have fires."
Scientists expect Pennsylvania's climate to get warmer and wetter because of climate change. Kern said that might make fires more common in different seasons.
He said it only takes a few degrees for a snowstorm to turn to rain. In that case, some rain will soak into the ground, some will dry up, and dormant vegetation will be susceptible to fires.
The Wolf Administration has warned of a heightened wildfire risk in Pennsylvania this fall. Precipitation totals from the National Weather Service show a wide area of central Pennsylvania with below-average rainfall this year.
DCNR is responsible for only two million of the state's 17 million forested acres.
Kern said the best prevention tool the state has is public education. More than 95 percent of Pennsylvania's wildfires are caused by people.
"We look at it as a lot of those fires could have been prevented," Kern said.
The most common cause of Pennsylvania's wildfires is debris burning.
DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said wildfire risk increases each year as more development encroaches on heavily wooded tracts.
State officials say people should postpone burning if conditions are dry and windy.
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text:
import _ from 'underscore';
import {getExtension} from 'helpers';
import YAML from 'yamljs';
import interpret from 'interpreters/interpret';

var interpreters = YAML.parse(require('interpreters.yaml'));
var workers = {};

export function spawnWorker(name) {
  if (workers[name]) {
    return workers[name];
  }

  let interpreter = interpreters[name];
  let workerPath = interpreter.workerPath;
  let instance = new Worker(workerPath);
  workers[name] = instance;
  return instance;
}

export function bundle(key) {
  return _.assign({}, interpreters[key], {
    name: key
  });
}

export function getDefault() {
  for (let key in interpreters) {
    if (interpreters[key].isDefault) {
      return bundle(key);
    }
  }
}

export function byExtension(extension) {
  for (let key in interpreters) {
    let interpreter = interpreters[key];
    if (interpreter.extension == extension) {
      return bundle(key);
    }
  }

  return getDefault();
}

export function byFileName(path) {
  let interpreter = byExtension(getExtension(path));
  return getInterpreter(interpreter);
}

export function getInterpreter(definition) {
  let worker = spawnWorker(definition.name);
  let extra = [worker, definition.parsingErrors];
  return (...args) => interpret(...args, ...extra);
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Just a quick reminder that the Droid RAZR is on sale today starting at 11:11 am from Verizon Wireless. The latest in the Droid family is sure to turn some heads with its sleek profile and Kevlar back. The phone itself has been getting mixed reviews across the board, but overall it is a powerhouse of a phone for Verizon running on its high speed 4G LTE network.
So for all you Droid fans out there, this may be the Droid you're looking for.
Unless you're waiting for something else?
Well isn't Motorola on a roll, first the Droid Bionic, then the Droid RAZR and now the Droid 4? This pace of device releases can't be sustained and has got to be driving Verizon up a wall. We have a rumored device picture found by Droid-life, along with some interesting information. First and foremost this is a full qwerty device similar to the original Droid but it is obviously taking design queues from the Droid RAZR. Other than knowing the device will be 4G and have a screen size similar to the Droid RAZR not much is known at this point but with things going the way they are we'll go out on a limb and say an 8MP camera, at least 1GB of RAM and a Dual-Core processor.
This does appear to be an early device build and may change with the upcoming Android 4.0 not needing physical buttons perhaps Motorola will see fit to remove the buttons from this device and make the screen a bit larger. It's early yet but we'll certainly keep you posted as we bet more information on this device.


Satellite television behemoth DirecTV struck a decisive blow against signal pirates Sunday night, when it transmitted a carefully-crafted electronic signal from its orbiting satellites and destroyed thousands of hacked smart cards, which for the last four years allowed pirates to gain free access to hundreds of channels of programming.
According to sources in the satellite TV underground, the vast majority of illicitly reprogrammed DirecTV access cards, which once had a street value of several hundred dollars each, were wiped out on what hackers are calling "Black Sunday."
"It turned all these cards into ice scrapers," says a California pirate.
A spokesman for California-based DirecTV says company policy prevents him from confirming a specific cyber-strike. "But I will tell you that we do, from time to time, use electronic countermeasures," says spokesman Robert Mercer. "Obviously, we want only authorized people to receive our service."
DirecTV has been grist for pirates almost since inception, primarily due to well-funded research efforts in Canada, where the company is not licensed to provide service, and selling hacked access cards and equipment is not a crime.
"It's certainly a problem," says Mercer. "But we have an Office of Signal Integrity, a group of former FBI agents, dedicated to this issue."
The company reportedly acquired the ability to launch the electronic countermeasure (ECM) against pirates in November of last year, but held off on using it until Sunday. The massive counter-hack comes amid negotiations between DirecTV's parent company, General Motors, and media mogul Rupert Murdoch, who's considered acquiring DirecTV for an estimated $40 billion.
DirecTV controls access to their signal through smart cards shipped with every system. Each plastic card resembles a credit card, but is in fact a completely self contained microcomputer with its own embedded software and memory. In normal operation, a subscriber inserts the card into a slot in the DirectTV receiver, and a satellite signal from the company tells the receiver which channels, if any, the subscriber is allowed to watch, based on the unique identification number coded into each card.
Sunday's ECM was aimed at hacked 'H' series smart cards. The H cards were shipped with receivers sold from late 1996 to early 1999, and later became valuable commodities among TV pirates as the technology to hack them plummeted in price, and the techniques became publicly known online. Card programming devices were sold through Canadian dealers, and hacker-authored software for the H card that allowed complete access to all programming -- including movie channels, sports and pay-per-view events -- was easily found on the Internet.
By most estimates, thousands of hacked H cards are circulating in the US alone. They all became useless Sunday night, when DirecTV detonated a devilishly clever logic bomb the company planted in the access cards last year.
According to sources in the TV piracy underground, the counter strike was the capstone to four years of electronic warfare over the H card.
DirecTV's system gives them the ability to reprogram smart cards remotely, through the set top receivers. In the 90's, the company used that capability in their initial response to the proliferation of hacked cards by broadcasting a search-and-destroy program to all the H cards that would look for hacked code, and damage the software in any cards that had it.
To counter that technique, hackers developed a method of making the cards "read only" after hacking them, so that DirecTV could no longer put their search-and-destroy programs onto the cards.
But DirecTV reacted to that wrinkle over a year ago, by taking advantage of their ability to remotely reprogram the set top satellite receivers, as well as the cards. The company sent a few specific bytes of data to all the H cards, while simultaneously reprogramming the satellite receivers to reject cards that didn't reflect the change. This forced hackers to update the cards manually with the new data, or to make the cards writable again.
Through the following months, DirecTV continued to add more data using this tactic. By the time they stopped in November, the company had made a total of sixty-three updates to the H cards.
By then, the hackers realized that the data was not arbitrarily chosen: DirecTV was actually sending a computer program to the H cards, a few bytes at a time. After analysis, the hackers predicted that the program would make it possible for the company to permanently disable the pirated cards on command.
DirecTV finally issued that command on Sunday, and used it to inject an endless loop into a "write once" section of the H cards' memory, which cannot be modified a second time, according to an analysis on one satellite TV hacking site.
"Why they didn't do it back in November is a big mystery," says the California pirate.
While "Black Sunday" was a devastating blow to pirates, it's not likely to end the electronic arms race between DirecTV and hackers.
The company's current generation of smart cards, the so-called 'HU' card, has proven more resistant to tampering than its predecessor, but hacked versions are now turning up on the commercial grey market. Another technique, in which a pirate uses a PC to emulate an access card, was reportedly unaffected by the Sunday blast.
Smart cards are used for a variety of applications, including electronic customer identification for wireless GSM phones in Europe, and as new credit card offerings from Visa and American Express. "Smart cards are considered highly tamper resistant," says Don Davis, editor of Card Technology magazine. "There have been incidents where people have been able to attack them and tamper with them, but not very many that have proven to have commercial impact, like the problem DirectTV has had."
© 2001 SecurityFocus.com, all rights reserved.


Growing up in a upper middle class area of Queens,NY, my parents were always worried about money. They never had enough, and when they did have a few dollars, they would spend it on clothes or fancy furniture. They would however spend it on us to go to summer camp though, they would tell us about it ad nauseam. "I had to sell my wedding ring for you kids to go to camp!" This "self-sacrifice" taught us that you are your money. The obsession with money indoctrinated us with the idea that you need to grab money and hold onto as your security blanket. It was tough as a kid looking around a seeing all the other kids have nice clothes, pulling up to school in the latest luxury car while you are taking the bus every day to school. My parents did their very best to "keep up with the Jones's" but I felt the feelings of lack that my parents felt. The messages I was receiving were that we were not enough, that I was not enough. And my goal throughout my adolescence was to prove to everyone in the world that they were wrong. What a mountain to climb as a boy who could barely get some food to eat, and his roll models were characters on television. I ping ponged through life latching onto one concept to the next trying to make myself feel better about the emptiness in my pockets. There were times when I would shop lift at my local convenience store because my parents were broke. I would walk out with more than I came in with, Gatorades swaying, stuffed down the pant legs. Every time I felt feels of lack, the universe was telling me something, but I wasn't on the correct frequency to hear it.
Years later, not really knowing where to go with an extra $1,000 I had saved by stuffing extra cash in my sock drawer, I reached out to my brother who was savvy with money and asked for some advice. "Evan," I asked, "What's the best way to turn a profit on a $1,000 investment." He replied, "leave it alone in a savings account." That didn't sit well with me as I knew the money wasn't really making a return for me at ~1%. "Isn't there something that will make me more money more quickly," I asked. Evan said, "Yes, go to the casino." I knew what he was getting at. When you don't have huge money, your investment will not show dividends on a scale that you will even notice. And with the amount of money I had, there was nothing I could see investing in that would ever make a dent, financially at least.
I realized years later that I was making huge dividends on small investments of my time and money. After all, I was investing in myself. Today, almost every dollar I earn through my paycheck, after paying my bills, I spend on my growth as an athlete, coach, and person. Books I have bought, seminars I have taken, food that I buy all are allowing me to create the best version of myself possible. In turn, I am able to bring in a much more significant income had I blew the money on clothes, gold watches, or sporting events. None of those things are inherently bad, but if they aren't raising your value, they are in my view a wasted investment.
Let me give you an example. Whenever I receive a gift card or money from a friend, I hear all the time, "Spend it on something you enjoy." In other words, splurge. A 100% happiness for now decision. This never sat well with me. Why can't I enjoy the thing that I buy, and have it also allow me to grow? Recently, I received a gift card to Nordstroms. Rather than buying an expensive belt or wallet, I decided to buy a Fitbit. With that electronic watch, I created multiple content pieces for my social media. It motivated me to start running in the morning. It gave me insight about my sleep, and It provided the basic necessities of a watch. $150 gift card. Enormous return on investment.
It's really scary sending your money out into the world. It feels so much better in our egoic minds to be staring at a nice number in the bank account. The more zeros, the more safety, right? Well that's what everyone thought back in 2008 when the stock market crashed. There bank savings and retirements were wiped out with a click of the mouse. Because I am investing into my knowledge, growth, and life experiences, I am now independent of bank account. My value is measured by who I am, not the money. This is a new feeling, but it is also extremely freeing. Believe it or not, for a millennial that is "burdened" with college loan debt, I see now that an investment is what you make out of it. I could have taken my $50,000+ education and played it safe. Started selling mortgages like my brothers. Got a shop in medial sales. But I chose a different path. I chose to become a fitness and wellness coach. I chose to use my time in a way that grows my mind, body and spirit. And I know that this decision will put me on a path that will create more value than any of those other jobs would ever create. So the next time I sit down at a party and I look around at the watches that people are wearing, or the labels that line the inside of their sport coats, and I will smile with contentment knowing that my value is always inside me, and no one can ever take that away.


Many New York golf courses, already reeling from the effects of the recession, find themselves at odds with municipalities over the assessed value of their golf courses and membership clubs.
At the law firm of E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy our lawyers represent golf courses statewide in property tax appeals ortax certiorari. We have a record of notable results in tax certiorari and other tax abatement litigation, having represented Mohawk Country Club in Niskayuna, Stadium Golf Course in Schenectady, among other New York golf courses.
Golf courses typically sell for a price that includes its business operation and other assets. However, only the value of the real estate may be considered in setting the property tax assessment. Assessing golf courses based on an outdated selling price rather than the value of their real estate would lead to an inflated assessment and unwarranted tax hike.
Another mistake that assessors often make is assessing golf courses based on alternative land uses, such as housing developments. A golf course should be assessed on its present use and condition, not on possible alternative uses.
Our lawyers will point out specific errors and factors that we believe should result in a reduction in assessed value and taxes for your golf course. Our property tax reduction practice is headed by senior partner David R. Murphy, an accomplished trial attorney with more than 35 years of experience in tax appeals and real estate litigation. Mr. Murphy has authored sections of "Review and Reduction of Real Property Assessments in New York" published by the New York State Bar Association.
Our property tax appeal practice offers a variety of fee arrangements, including contingency fee and blended hourly and contingency fee arrangements. Under a contingency fee arrangement, our compensation would be a percentage of your tax savings if we prevail.
Contact us to schedule a consultation with our Albany golf course assessment attorneys. We can meet you at one of our offices located in Albany, Troy, Latham or Saratoga Springs, or at a location more convenient for you. Call us toll free at (866) 919-9031.


Bottles to trees: Plastic beverage bottles as an alternative nursery growing container for reforestation in developing countries. PloS One, May 31, 2017.
Reforestation is needed globally to help restore degraded sites, combat desertification, protect watersheds, and provide forest products. This involves planting forest tree seedlings grown in local nurseries, but technologies to produce quality seedlings are lacking in developing countries. Modern nursery containers used to propagate seedlings have internal-surface barriers (ribs or ridges) or side-slits to prevent root spiraling.
These are cost prohibitive or unavailable in developing countries and so polybags (plastic bags) are more commonly used, despite their tendency to produce seedlings with deformed root systems that have less potential to establish on field sites.


text:
Bears passing attack crippled by dropped passes
Devin Hester, Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery all dropped crucial passes to kill the Bears passing attack in the loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
By Jack Cassidy Dec 10, 2012, 8:01am CST
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Matthew Stockman
Dropped passes plagued the Chicago Bears offense on Sunday as they fell to the Minnesota Vikings and damaged their ever dwindling playoff chances.
In the fourth quarter, Jay Cutler hit Devin Hester in the middle of the field on a slant pattern that was destined for the end zone. But with no defender between him and the endzone, Hester did not look the ball into his hands and dropped the pass.
Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago writes that no one was more critical of the play than Hester himself.
"We're not finishing the plays," Hester said. "I had a crucial drop. Could have probably had a chance to score, and I dropped it. You got any more questions? It's just frustrating to let a play go. I let a play go that I can't get back."
Brandon Marshall, despite going over the 100 reception mark on the season, also dropped a crucial pass, as did Alshon Jeffery. Taking into account the dropped passes and missed opportunities, Jay Cutler and the Bears' passing attack was 22-of-44 for 260 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. The result: a loss, which drops the Bears to 8-5 and makes their road to the postseason significantly more difficult.
"We all let the team down," Marshall said.


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The melting of gold is particularly useful to form ingots or 1 oz coins. The important thing is to have the right equipment and use it safely.
Collect dust and gold nuggets in one place.
Put it in the Melting pot. Since gold melts at about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, you need a container that will not melt before the gold. If you have a pot, you can buy a graphite crucible online for about $ 10. Enter the crucible in a fireproof area.
Use acetylene burner. Add some powdered boric acid on gold. Directs gold flame until it begins to melt. Add a bit of boric acid and continues until gold becomes completely liquid.
With Melting pot tongs, carefully pour the molten gold in the ingot mold or mold of any shape. The mold must be of a similar material to the crucible.
Wait for the gold piece to cool completely before handling.