text:
A cross-sectional study for estimation of associations between education level and osteoporosis in a Chinese men sample
Cai-Xia Yu1,
Xiu-Zhen Zhang1,
Keqin Zhang1 &
Zihui Tang1
The main aim of this study was to evaluate the association between education level and osteoporosis (OP) in general Chinese Men.
We conducted a large-scale, community-based, cross-sectional study to investigate the association by using self-report questionnaire to assess education levels. The data of 1092 men were available for analysis in this study. Multiple regression models controlling for confounding factors to include education level were performed to explore the relationship between education level and OP.
Positive correlations between education level and T-score of quantitative bone ultrasound (QUS-T score) were reported (β = 0.108, P value < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis indicated that the education level was independently and significantly associated with OP (P < 0.1 for all models). The men with lower education level had a higher prevalence of OP.
The education level was independently and significantly associated with OP. The prevalence of OP was more frequent in Chinese men with lower education level.
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02451397; date of registration: 05/28/2015).
Osteoporosis (OP) is a skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength, which predisposes the individual to an increased risk of fractures of the hip, spine, and other skeletal sites [1]. It is widely known that OP is, at least partially, a preventable disease [2]. Bone mineral density is now viewed as a predictor of possible problems [3]. The assessment of risk factors and definition of risk profiles are important steps toward the prevention of fractures in the elderly [4]. This is critical, as China is experiencing a growing osteoporosis pandemic, due to a rapidly developing economy and a large, aging population [5].
Some studies have identified that the prevalence of OP and peripheral fractures are influenced by the educational level of the subject [6]. Research has strongly indicated that a higher education level is associated with a higher likelihood of vitamin D supplementation, which would reduce the risk of OP and bone fractures [7]. Previous studies have described the differences in the prevalence of OP among educational classes and the potentially preventative role played by increased formal education. Using the lowest educational level as a reference category, increases in educational status were associated with a significantly reduced risk for OP in these studies [8]. In addition, other studies have indicated that although half of the pre- and post-menopausal women respondents reported having some awareness of OP, their level of knowledge was poor, particularly with regard to the risk factors associated with the condition and its complications [9]. However, women had attained higher levels of education demonstrated a high level of knowledge about osteoporosis. Evidence indicated that not only a higher level of education but also a lower age were associated with higher levels of knowledge about osteoporosis, with no systematic influence of personal experience with the disease [2]. Studies demonstrated that there were complicated relationships among the levels of attitudes, knowledge, osteoporosis behaviors and educational level [10]. Therefore, there has been an ongoing conversation among researchers regarding the association between education level and OP.
Many studies have shown that better education is effective in lowering the risks for a number of chronic diseases, but little information exists as to how this relates specifically to bone health. Of those studies that have been conducted, more have focused on females than on males [11]. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which education level was associated with OP in a sample of Chinese men.
We performed a community-based study for OP using a random sample of the Chinese population. All participants were recruited from rural and urban communities in Shanghai. Participants aged 30–90 years were included in this study. More than 3,000 participants were invited to a screening visit between 2011 and 2014. Written consent was obtained from all patients before the study, which was performed in accordance with the ethical standards in the Declaration of Helsinki, and approved by the Medicine Ethical Committee of the Shanghai Tongji Hosptial. Some participants with chronic diseases and conditions that might potentially affect bone mass, structure, or metabolism were excluded. Briefly, the exclusion criteria were as follows: a history of 1) serious residual effects of cerebral vascular disease; 2) serious chronic renal disease (Glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2); 3) serious chronic liver disease or alcoholism; 4) significant chronic lung disease; 5) corticosteroid therapy at pharmacologic levels; 6) evidence of other metabolic or inherited bone disease, such as hyper- or hypoparathyroidism, Paget disease, osteomalacia, or osteogenesis imperfecta; 7) recent (within the past year) major gastrointestinal disease, such as peptic ulcer, malabsorption, chronic ulcerative colitis, regional enteritis, or significant chronic diarrhea; 8) Cushing syndrome; 9) hyperthyroidism; and 10) any neurologic or musculoskeletal condition that would be a non-genetic cause of low bone mass.
All study subjects underwent complete clinical baseline characteristics evaluation, which included a physical examination and response to a structured, nurse-assisted, self-administrated questionnaire to collect information on age, gender, residential region, visit date, family history, lifestyle, dietary habits, physical activity level during leisure time, use of vitamins and medications, smoking, alcohol consumption, and self-reported medical history. Body weight and height were measured according to a standard protocol. Smoking and alcohol consumption were categorized as never, current (smoking or consuming alcohol regularly in the past 6 months), or ever (cessation of smoking or alcohol consumption for more than 6 months). Regular exercise was defined as any kind of physical activity 3 or more times per week. Self-reported medical history was categorized as "no" or "yes." HTN was defined as blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg, or a history of hypertension medication. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was defined by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and either HbAlc ≥ 6.5 % or the use of insulin or hypoglycemic medications.
Education level was evaluated by a semi-quantitative education questionnaire (commonly divided into four stages: group 1: primary school, group 2: junior high school, group 3: senior high school, and group 4: college). To determine education level, the participants were asked, "How about your education level?" The possible answers were: "primary school," "junior high school," "senior high school," or "college," and the answers were taken as a subjective assessment. To answer the question, the participants were required to decide one issues based on their impressions: 1) whether or not the education experience was actually approved by authority.
The study outcomes
The bone ultrasound value was measured at calcaneus by standardized quantitative ultrasound (QUS, Hologic Inc., Bedford, MA, USA) utilizing T-scores based on WHO criteria, which were obtained from the automated equipment. T-score refers to the ratio between patient's ultrasound value and that of young adult population of same sex and ethnicity. T-score of > −1 was taken as normal, between −1 and −2.5 osteopenic and < −2.5 as osteoporotic. Daily calibration was performed during the entire study period by a trained technician. The coefficients of variation of the accuracy of the QUS measurement were 0.9 %. The QUS technology is less expensive, portable and also has the advantage of not using ionising radiation, so it is safer than dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).
Continuous variables were analyzed to determine whether they followed normal distributions, using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test. Variables that were not normally distributed were log-transformed to approximate a normal distribution for analysis. Results are described as mean ± SD or median, unless stated otherwise. Differences in variables among subjects grouped by education level were determined by one way analysis of variance. Among groups, differences in properties were detected by χ 2 analysis. Univariate regression analysis was performed to determine variables associated with outcomes (T-score or OP), and to estimate confounding factors possibly disturbing the relation of education level to outcomes (T-score or OP). Tests were two-sided, and a p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Multiple variables regression (MR) was performed to control potential confounding factors and determine the independent contribution of variables to outcomes (T-score or OP). A p-value of < 0.1 was considered significant in MR models.
For the associations analysis, three models have been developed. In model 1, education level were categorized by group 1: primary school, group 2: junior high school, group 3: senior high school, and group 4: college. In model 2: education level were categorized by group 1: low education level including stages of primary school and junior high school, group 2: high education level including stages of senior high school and college. In model 3: education level were categorized by group 1: primary school and group 2: high school and college. Results were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences for Windows, version 16.0 (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA). Odds ratios (OR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for the relative risk of frequency of fish food intake with the outcome of OP.
Clinical characteristics of subjects
The clinical baseline characteristics of the 1092 Chinese male subjects are listed in Table 1. In the total sample, the mean age was 64.11 years. An average T-score of −1.23 was reported and the prevalence of OP was 8.79 % in our study sample. The prevalence of HTN, coronary artery disease (CAD), DM, Gout, and Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were 45.78, 10.29, 9.73, 3.56, and 3.43 %, respectively. The proportions of subjects having current smoking and alcohol habits were 36.39 % and 30.58 %, respectively. There were significant differences in age, smoking habits, exercise and therapy history among groups according to education level (P value <0.05 for all). Significant differences in T-Score and the prevalence of OP among the four groups (P value =0.002 for T-score and 0.003 for the prevalence of OP).
Table 1 The baseline characteristics of participants
Association analysis for T-score
Univariate linear regression analyses were developed to include demographical information, medical history, and lifestyle to estimate the association of various clinical factors and T-score (Table 2). The variables age, exercise, and education level were significantly associated with the T-score. The comparison of T-scores among groups according to education level (group 1: primary school, group 2: junior high school, group 3: senior high school, and group 4: college) reported that the mean T-score was −1.42, −1.30, −1.21 and −1.08 in the four groups, respectively (Fig. 1a). There were significant differences among the four groups (P value = 0.002). Additionally, there were significant differences among groups according to model 2 and model 3 (Fig. 1b and 1c, P value = 0.001 for model 2 and P value = 0.021 for model 3). Univariate linear analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between education level and T-score.
Table 2 Univariate linear regression analysis for associations among variables and T-score
Comparison of T score among groups according to education level. a, The results of comparison of T-score among groups according to Model 1 (education level were categorized by group 1: primary school, group 2: junior high school, group 3: senior high school, and group 4: college). The mean T-score was −1.42, –1.30, -1.21 and −1.08 in the four groups, respectively. There were significantly differences among the four groups (P value = 0.002). b, The results of comparison of T-score among groups according to Model 2 (education level were categorized by group 1: low education level - primary school and junior high school, and group 2: high education level - senior high school and college). The mean T-score was −1.33 and −1.15 in the two groups, respectively. There were significantly differences between the two groups (P value =0.001). c, The results of comparison of T-score between groups according to Model 3 (education level were categorized by group 1: primary school, and group 2: high school and college). The mean T-score was −1.42 and −1.21 in the two groups, respectively. There were significantly differences between the two groups (P value =0.021)
Multivariate linear regression analyses were developed to include education level and the outcome of T-score. After adjustment for relevant potential confounding factors, the multivariate linear regression analyses detected significant associations (β = 0.097, p-value = 0.001, 95 % CI: 0.039–0.155 for model 1; β = 0.162, p-value = 0.005, 95 % CI: 0.048–0.277 for model 2). No significant associations were reported in model 3 (p-value = 0.299). The data were shown in Table 3.
Table 3 Multiple variables linear regression analysis for the associations between education level and T score
Association analysis for OP
Univariate logistic analyses were performed to evaluate associations with OP. The results indicate that age, RA, alcohol intake, and exercise were significantly associated with OP (P value < 0.05 for all, Table 4). The comparison of prevalence of OP among groups according to model 1 revealed that the prevalence of OP was 17.86, 7.92, 6.35 and 9.03 % in the four groups, respectively (Fig. 2a). There were significant differences among the four groups (P value = 0.003). In addition, significant differences among groups according to model 3 were reported (Fig. 2c, P value = 0.001 for model 3). Correlation analysis demonstrated a negative correlation between education level and OP (data not shown).
Table 4 Univariate logistic regression analysis for associations among variables and osteoporosis
Comparison of prevalence of osteoporosis among groups according to education level. a, The results of comparison of prevalence of osteoporosis among groups according to Model 1 (education level were categorized by group 1: primary school, group 2: junior high school, group 3: senior high school, and group 4: college). The prevalence of osteoporosis was 17.86, 7.92, 6.35 and 9.03 % in the four groups, respectively. There were significantly differences among the four groups (P value = 0.003). b, The results of comparison of prevalence of osteoporosis among groups according to Model 2 (education level were categorized by group 1: low education level - primary school and junior high school, and group 2: high education level - senior high school and college). The prevalence of osteoporosis was 10.25 % and 7.65 % in the two groups, respectively. There were significantly differences between the two groups (P value = 0.133). c, The results of comparison of prevalence of osteoporosis between groups according to Model 3 (education level were categorized by group 1: primary school, and group 2: high school and college). The prevalence of osteoporosis was 17.86 % and 7.76 % between the two groups, respectively. There were significantly differences between the two groups (P value = 0.001)
Multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to evaluate the association between education level and the OP outcome. After adjustment for relevant potential confounding factors, the multivariate logistic regression analysis detected significant associations (p-value = 0.036 for model 1, p-value = 0.096 for model 2, and p-value = 0.005 for model 3, Table 5). In participants with education level of primary school, the OR for OP was 2.28 in model 3.
Table 5 multiple variables logistic regression analysis for associations between education level and osteoporosis
A large-scale, community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the association between education levels and prevalence of OP among a sample of Chinese men. The prevalence of common diseases, such as DM, CAD, and HTN, was consistent with the results of nationwide epidemiological studies, and our sample was determined to be an adequate representation of the Chinese male population. A subjective self-reported questionnaire estimating education level was suitable for this large-scale study because of its convenience in collecting independent variables. Importantly, our study is the first performed on a large sample of Chinese males in order to obtain data about the relationship between education levels and OP. The answers to the questionnaire were collected during the years 2011–2015. In this study, T score was evaluated using QUS, which has many advantages in assessing osteoporosis: the modality is small, no ionizing radiation is involved, measurements can be made quickly and easily, and the cost of the device is low compared with DXA and quantitative computed tomography devices.
The primary finding of our study was that education level was strongly, independently, and significantly associated with OP in Chinese men. Results of univariate and multiple variable analysis provided evidence to support our findings (p-value <0.05 for all analyses). Specifically, in individuals who had attained a low level of education, the OR was >1.0, indicating that the prevalence of OP was higher in these individuals. These results were consistent with those of other studies in which low education level was linked to lower BMD and OP. For example, Etemadifar et al. conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study to explore the relationship between education level and knowledge about OP in a sample of healthy Iranian women, suggesting that subjects with a higher education level possessed significantly better knowledge about OP than did women with a lower educational level [12]. A high level of education and having OP or knowing somebody with OP were the strongest predictive factors for knowledge about this disease in the Norwegian study [13]. Kim et al. have indicated that after adjusting for age, sex, and health behaviors, level of education was only significantly associated with osteoporosis in men, whereas education level had an inverse relationship with osteoporosis only in women (p = 0.01, p < 0.001, respectively) [14]. Education level was associated with OP, and individuals who had attained a low level of education were linked to high prevalence of OP. Our finding provided strong evidence that education level has a positive correlation and association with OP in Chinese men.
Some authors have emphasized that a subject's level of knowledge regarding OP is associated with his or her level of education [15]. Education level was positive correlation with knowledge. The participants with high education level have a more knowledge of prevention and management of this disease. For example, Drozdzowska et al. reported that subjects with a higher level of education offered correct answers more frequently. The data they collected provided important information about knowledge of OP among their sample. Our study and other epidemiological studies demonstrated that education level is positively correlated with OP. The independent and significant association between education level and BMD has been identified and explained by several medical studies. In this study, we did not take into account that education level may represent a greater contribution to OP than some other factors.
The current study has several limitations. Firstly, it does not cover age groups outside of 30–90 years. Additionally, all subjects were recruited from an urban, industrial region, and comparison with a rural population is not possible. The study data, based on a cross-sectional study for association analysis, also requires a larger sample size and more geographic representations. Thirdly, a subjective self-reported questionnaire was used to estimate education level for convenience in a large-scale cross-sectional study. Our sample was sufficiently large to account for statistically significant considerations and consisted of men who fell along a wide spectrum of age and educational levels. Finally, it is important to mention that our study was conducted in Chinese men, and our findings may not be relevant for application to other ethnicities.
Our findings indicated that education level was independently and significantly associated with OP. Specifically, the prevalence of OP was more frequent in Chinese men who had attained a low level of education. This study suggested that improvement in access to education might be beneficial in the prevention of OP in Chinese men.
BMD:
bone mineral density
BMI:
BM-MNC:
bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell
CAD:
DM:
DXA:
dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
GFR:
HTN:
MR:
multiple variable regression
OP:
QUS:
quantitative ultrasound
Lane NE. Epidemiology, etiology, and diagnosis of osteoporosis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2006;194:S3–S11.
Drozdzowska B, Pluskiewicz W, Skiba M. Knowledge about osteoporosis in a cohort of Polish females: the influence of age, level of education and personal experiences. Osteoporos Int. 2004;15:645–8.
Goddard D, Kleerekoper M. The epidemiology of osteoporosis. Practical implications for patient care. Postgrad Med. 1998;104:54–6. 65, 69–72.
Lips P. Epidemiology and predictors of fractures associated with osteoporosis. Am J Med. 1997;103:S3–S11.
Zhang Z, Ho S, Chen Z, Zhang C, Chen Y. Reference values of bone mineral density and prevalence of osteoporosis in Chinese adults. Osteoporos Int. 2014;25:497–507.
Allali F, Rostom S, Bennani L, Abouqal R, Hajjaj-Hassouni N. Educational level and osteoporosis risk in postmenopausal Moroccan women: a classification tree analysis. Clin Rheumatol. 2010;29:1269–75.
Castro-Lionard K, Dargent-Molina P, Fermanian C, Gonthier R, Cassou B. Use of calcium supplements, vitamin D supplements and specific osteoporosis drugs among french women aged 75–85 years: patterns of use and associated factors. Drugs Aging. 2013;30:1029–38.
Varenna M, Binelli L, Zucchi F, Ghiringhelli D, Gallazzi M, et al. Prevalence of osteoporosis by educational level in a cohort of postmenopausal women. Osteoporos Int. 1999;9:236–41.
Okumus M, Ceceli E, Tasbas O, Kocaoglu S, Akdogan S, et al. Educational status and knowledge level of pre-and postmenopausal women about osteoporosis and risk factors: A cross-sectional study in a group of Turkish female subjects. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2013;26:337–43.
Puttapitakpong P, Chaikittisilpa S, Panyakhamlerd K, Nimnuan C, Jaisamrarn U, et al. Inter-correlation of knowledge, attitude, and osteoporosis preventive behaviors in women around the age of peak bone mass. BMC Womens Health. 2014;14:35.
Ho SC, Y-m C, Woo JL. Educational level and osteoporosis risk in postmenopausal Chinese women. Am J Epidemiol. 2005;161:680–90.
Etemadifar MR, Nourian S-M, Fereidan-Esfahani M, Shemshaki H, Nourbakhsh M. Relationship of knowledge about osteoporosis with education level and life habits. World Journal of Orthopedics. 2013;4:139.
Magnus J, Joakimsen R, Berntsen G, Tollan A, Søgaard A. What do Norwegian women and men know about osteoporosis? Osteoporos Int. 1996;6:31–6.
Kim J, Lee J, Shin J-Y, Park B-J. Socioeconomic disparities in osteoporosis prevalence: different results in the overall Korean adult population and single-person households. J Prev Med Public Health. 2015;48:84.
Hamid S, Al-Ghufli FR, Raeesi HA, Al-Dhufairi KM, Al-Dhaheri NS, et al. Women's knowledge, attitude and practice towards menopause and hormone replacement therapy: a facility based study in Alain, United Arab Emirates. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad. 2014;26:448–54.
We thank the grant from Shanghai Tongji Hospital to support the study. Funding sources: grant from the Key Department Foundation of Shanghai Tongji Hospital, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02451397.
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200065, China
Cai-Xia Yu, Xiu-Zhen Zhang, Keqin Zhang & Zihui Tang
Cai-Xia Yu
Xiu-Zhen Zhang
Keqin Zhang
Zihui Tang
Correspondence to Keqin Zhang or Zihui Tang.
The authors declared that they had no competing interests.
CXY carried out the data collection and drafted the manuscript. XZZ carried out the data collection and drafted the manuscript. KZ participated in the design of the study and performed the statistical analysis. ZT conceived of the study, and participated in its design and coordination and helped to draft the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Yu, CX., Zhang, XZ., Zhang, K. et al. A cross-sectional study for estimation of associations between education level and osteoporosis in a Chinese men sample. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 16, 382 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-015-0839-0
Accepted: 01 December 2015
Chinese men
Epidemiology of musculoskeletal disorders


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Q: combination of functions are not working properly When i try to fetch the results using below function I'm getting only first string available under SH_CHGDESC which is FRTRV-1
string available for the SH_CHGDESC are: FRTRV-11;SFARV-13;SCRRV-12
want to fetch all available strings
If InStr ({pipe.SH_CHGDESC}, "1;") >0
then mid({pipe.SH_CHGDESC},1,InStr ({pipe.SH_CHGDESC}, "1;")-1)

Please suggest.

A: I think you're just trying to split a delimited string into multiple values; with your string in a CTE:
with pipe (SH_CHGDESC) as (
  select 'FRTRV-11;SFARV-13;SCRRV-12' from dual
)
select regexp_substr(sh_chgdesc, '(.*?)(;|$)', 1, level, null, 1)
from pipe
connect by level < regexp_count(sh_chgdesc, '(.*?)(;|$)');

REGEXP_SUBSTR(SH_CHGDESC,'
--------------------------
FRTRV-11
SFARV-13
SCRRV-12

If you are getting the string from the table and working with multiple rows at once then it's a bit more complicated, but can be handled if there is a primary/unique key on the pipe table.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


A few weeks after the October 2002 plane crash that killed Sen. Paul Wellstone, his wife, Sheila, their daughter, Marcia, and five others, a Lutheran confirmation class visiting D.C. from Minnesota decided to stop by Wellstone's office to pay their respects. As the group went through security at the Senate office building, one of the students—who had worked on the senator's re-election campaign and was still wearing a Wellstone button—set off the metal detector. The officer took her to the side to wand her. As he was checking her, the guard said, "Not one other senator in this place knows my name; Paul Wellstone knew my kid's name." He and the student hugged each other, and both started weeping.
Wellstone's political career began when, as a political science professor at Minnesota's Carleton College, he started working with farmers to block electric lines forcibly run through their farms—and he continued to organize and agitate on behalf of regular people for the rest of his days.


In MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve fibers and causes communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body.
Signs and symptoms of MS vary widely and depend on the amount of nerve damage and which nerves are affected. Some people with severe MS may lose the ability to walk independently or at all, others may experience long periods of remission without any new symptoms. The progression of MS also varies widely with some people deteriorating rapidly while others go years without noticeable changes in their function.
Patients often suffer with symptoms for years before given a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Once sufficient tissue destruction has occurred to identify MS, the standard of care is steroids and other immune-suppressing medications such as DMARDs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) and biologics. Each has its limitations and side-effects.
There is growing evidence that increased intestinal permeability plays a pathogenic role in various autoimmune diseases. Increased intestinal permeability and compromised gut integrity appears to precede MS and predisposes to immune activation and chronic inflammation. Assessment and proper restoration of the integrity of the intestinal barrier is crucial in managing autoimmune conditions.


text:
Fun Facts About Candy!
It's very rare to find someone who doesn't love at least one type of candy. For most Americans, a small sweet treat can make a day feel better and can bring a smile to their face! This article is going to be full of fun facts from the wide world of candy!
Kit Kats Aren't Just Chocolate Flavored
Many candies come in a wide variety of flavors, which certain flavors only being found in certain parts of the world. Kit Kats, for example, come in over 50 flavors, including blueberry cheesecake, white peach, green tea, apple, grilled potato, apricot seed, and pumpkin!
Who Are The M & M's?
M&M's get their name from the founders, Forrest Mars and Bruce Murrie!
How Many Tootsie Rolls Are Made A Minute?
Every single day, 64 MILLION Tootsie Rolls are made. That boils down to 44,440 Tootsie Rolls a minute! That's incredible!
Speaking Of Tootsie Rolls…
According to the original recipe, a small portion of the previous day's candy needs to be included in the next batch. In theory, this means that the original batch is part of every other! It's a never ending Tootsie Roll!
Students At Purdue Answered The "Number of Licks" Question
Nearly everyone has seen a commercial in which the famous owl asks "How many licks does it take to reach the center of a Tootsie Pop?" Well, a group of students at Purdue took the question seriously and performed a study! They found that using an automated licking machine, it took 364 licks to reach the center. However, if given to an actual human, the average number of licks was significantly smaller, at 252!
Pez Collectibles
Pez dispensers come in a wide variety of characters and it should be no surprise that some people collect these dispensers. So far, over 1500 unique dispensers have been made!
Air Force One And Jelly Beans
President Ronald Regan loved jelly beans so much that during his time in office, Air Force One was specially fitted with jelly bean holders so that the candy didn't spill if the plane hit turbulence. How's that for dedication?
M&M's Have Gone To Space
Did you know that astronauts get to request candy for their trip into space? So far, M&M's are the most requested candy by these brave explorers!
Yes, Chocolate Can Kill You
Researchers have determined that eating 262 fun-sized candy bars would actually poison a 180-pound person. What would poison a person? Chocolate contains a compound called theobromine which is toxic in large quantities. In fact, many animals don't metabolize theobromine as quickly as humans do which is why many pets are rushed to the emergency room each year after eating chocolate.
Thankfully (sort of), the average human would be vomiting long before they were able to actually consume that much chocolate!
Snickers And Milky Way
How did Snickers and Milky Way bars get their names? Well, Franklin Mars, the creator of these candy bars, had a beloved horse named Snickers. The horse was kept at the family ranch – called Milky Way.
Three Musketeers Is Really Just One
Prior to World War II, the Three Musketeers candy was actually made up of three different bars: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Each packet contained one of each flavor. However, when war impacted sugar rationing, the company dropped the vanilla and strawberry bars. The name, however, never changed!
How Did Candy Canes Come To Be?
According to legend, in 1670, a German choirmaster wanted the children in his choir to be quiet during church. So he asked that sucking candy be made to give to them. To justify the handing out of candy in church, he suggested that the candy be shaped like a shepherds staff, similar to those who visited the baby Jesus in the Bible.
Blue Raspberry Isn't Actually Blue
The flavoring in blue raspberry flavored products is based on a real fruit that is also called a blue raspberry. However, it's not actually bright blue – it's closer to black!
Hopefully, you've enjoyed this fun-filled post about candy – come back next month for another trivia post! For more interesting facts, check out our post from December 2019.
Facts About Valentines Day & Valentines Gifts
Facts About Halloween
Surprising Facts About Technology That You Probably Don't Know
How Much Do You Know About The White Rhino?
Today is St. Patrick's Day. Quick, name an Irish food favorite…
Facts About Grey's Anatomy

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text:
5 Hidden Practical Benefits Behind Common Religious Rituals
Eric Yosomono ·
Patrick McCarty ·
Religious rituals, traditions and taboos can sometimes look random and insane to those who don't follow that particular holy scripture. Sometimes it can look like God was just making a bunch of shit up to see if people would comply.
But some of these traditions came from a time when they afforded real practical benefits, and not just because people decided to do whatever a book told them to do. For example ...
Animal Sacrifice Made Herding Easier
We don't care how open-minded you are, if you came home one day and found your roommate wearing a black robe and ritualistically sacrificing a goat in your living room, you'd get the hell out of there. If there's one thing that marks a religion as being primitive or savage or just "weird," it's a guy in face paint chanting while he stabs a sheep in the heart.
This is pretty creepy, too.
So Why Do They Do It?
On the surface, it seems like animal sacrifice is a pretty pointless, even counterproductive ritual for ancient humans to develop. If we've just managed to domesticate some walking milk factories that are great for pulling plows, then what's the point of killing a bunch of them?
Well, apparently it's a holdover from when humans first learned the art of selective breeding. If you're an upstart farming civilization, you can't just get a bunch of animals together and let them breed willy-nilly. To maintain a strong herd, you need to weed out the undesirables and thin the herd so that they don't overrun the place. Academics who study this kind of thing note that communities that practice animal sacrifice usually do it at the time of year when it's ideal to cull the herd (that is, to kill off some of the male animals so you don't have to feed them through the winter).
"Tons of sex, or death? Can't we compromise?"
As another expert explains, it also forced ancient herders to get good at selective breeding. One thing these ceremonies all have in common is that they demand a perfect animal -- which requires figuring out how to consistently make them. Which is to say, it's easier just to make a ritual out of something like this than it is to exhaustively explain to each new generation of illiterate farmers how herd culling works.
So the next time you're invited to an awkward animal sacrifice, it should put you at ease to know that you're witnessing part of a long agrarian tradition, no matter how creepy the guy looks wearing a goat skull on his head.
On a related note ...
Want The Best Job Of The 21st Century? Learn To Herd Goats
Pork and Beef Taboos Saved Lives
We think it's so weird that Hindus consider cows sacred that we sarcastically refer to things as "sacred cows" when we mean that a person or subject is arbitrarily off-limits to criticism. In the West, we tend to only think of cows as sacred because you can get like a hundred quarter-pounders off one. Again, it seems like such an arbitrary thing to prevent people from chowing down on them, yet there are more than 800 million people in India who would think you were some kind of weirdo if you so much as showed up to their house in a Hamburglar costume.
"Wait, you're all Hindu? Guess I'll have to eat these steaks by myself ..."
Not that they're the only ones -- we could say the same for pigs in the Middle East. They're famously off-limits to practitioners of Judaism and Islam, despite the fact that they are also Earth's most delicious animal. Hell, we can prove scientifically that pigs are good food: They're one of nature's most efficient plant-to-meat factories, converting 35 percent of the plants they eat into meat, as opposed to the measly 7 percent that cows give us. With all their benefits over other forms of livestock, it seems like they were designed by God expressly to wind up on our plates ... but more than a billion people aren't allowed to eat them. Were their religious leaders just being dicks?
Indians used to eat beef, once upon a time. But India has a unique climate. They get monsoons -- periods of very intense rain that turn the ground into a sludge. That made cows really important as beasts of burden, as they're the best to farm that kind of environment. So important, in fact, that going ahead and eating them instead of strapping a plow to them could have been a death sentence for your family.
You can take my burgers after you take my goddamn life, you bastards!
So some researchers now think that for Indians who may have been short-sighted and started craving hamburgers as soon as the monsoon season went away, it was easier to reign in those desires when it was decreed that the cow was a sacred animal. It's literally your proverbial "teach a man to fish" scenario, applied to a T-bone.
Likewise, archaeology shows us that pigs actually were raised for meat in the Middle East centuries ago. As agriculture began to develop, it changed the ecosystem. As difficult as it is to imagine, the Middle East used to be heavily forested, but after the population exploded, humans changed the environment. Since pigs are much harder to raise in a desert (they require a lot of mud and water to thrive), the practice of trying to fatten up a pork dinner became a serious burden.
Would you give up pork without a divine declaration?
So whether you believe that the bacon ban was a decree from God or just shrewd farmers, either way, those who kicked pigs to the curb thrived much better in the arid climate. That is, they did it for the same reason that humans ultimately do everything: Because it worked.
The Future of Plant-Based Meat Will Be New Flavors We've Never Imagined
Ritual Laying on of Hands Strengthens Communities
Sadly, a whole bunch of the world's religious ceremonies are off-limits to you if you don't like people touching you. Baptisms, confirmations, ordinations, exorcisms ... all require the "laying on of hands," the power of the spirit flowing through the paws of other practitioners. Hell, even the magical tree-worshiping religion in Avatar required everybody to join hands:
Alhough this may have been because the artists were tired of drawing two hands for every Na'vi.
Experts say it actually doesn't matter what group it is, from co-workers at an office to members of a sports team -- touching releases chemicals that help us bond to others. Specifically, a friendly touch releases the feel-good hormone oxytocin and blocks the stress hormone cortisol. In other words, hugging someone isn't just a signal that you like them -- it actually makes them like you, by forcing the release of their trust chemicals.
"Yes, that's it. Feel all the red flags going off in your head melt away."
It makes sense -- as a baby, you had to have a way to know how to trust the huge, scary beings looming over your crib, despite not knowing their language. Touch was the only language you knew -- a hug or cuddle or caress were your signals to trust before your brain had developed enough to detect things like dishonesty or anger. In infancy, it's all about forming bonds. And what was important in infancy is just as important in a ritualistic setting (or basketball game, or mosh pit) -- touching strengthens those chemical bonds within the group. We're all in this together, we're all in the same group, we all trust each other.
Obviously, it has to be a loving touch if you want that oxytocin release -- you'd be able to tell right away the difference between a laying on of hands and a grab from an angry Centurion.
When you regained consciousness, of course.
And speaking of the laying on of multiple hands ...
Into The Dark World Of YouTube Blood Rituals
Polygamy Makes Men Live Longer
Although it has its advocates, polygamy isn't an especially popular marriage arrangement. Not for women, anyway, and it's probably not that hot for the guy either when he comes home to find that his dozen wives are all pissed at him.
"Honey, I told you I was going to be busy today!"
One benefit seems obvious -- back when rapid breeding was everything, one virile dude with 10 wives could get 10 buns in the oven instead of just one. But there's another, more unlikely benefit as well. A study finds that men from polygamous societies live, on average, 12 percent longer than those from predominantly monogamous ones.
Scientists aren't quite sure why, but there are theories. One possibility is that polygamous men take better care of themselves so they can keep attracting and impregnating younger women, whereas a monogamous man might just let himself go once his one brood of kids moves out and his wife's fertility clock runs out. In a monogamous society, a genetic predisposition to long life does you no good if your wife stopped breeding half a century ago.
"Your menopause is literally killing me."
Another possibility is simply that old polygamous dudes live longer because they have more wives around to tend to their crusty asses' every whim. Communities in which polygamy is the norm tend to be a little less progressive on the gender equality front, so in these societies, a woman's well-being tends to rely on her husband's social status. So taking care of his needs and keeping him healthy rather than making him bust his ass to build a pergola is in a woman's best interest.
In any case, it's good to know that there's some reason Hugh Hefner is still alive.
We'd suspect he was bathing in the blood of virgins, but we doubt that Hugh knows any.
Polygamy Is Moving Towards Being Decriminalized In Utah (Forget Poly Husbands, Though)
The Latin Rosary Is Good for Your Heart
For those of you who haven't polished up on your Catholic rituals, the rosary is a series of short prayers that you repeat over and over again to remind you that God is awesome. But even from God's point of view, it seems like saying the "Hail Mary" 30 times isn't good for anything other than as a really tedious punishment for a sinner.
Particularly when you discover that it's actually 53 "Hail Mary"s.
Science has recently shown that it's actually good for your heart. Physically, we mean. A 2001 study found that saying the rosary in Latin improves your heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity, which the science types assure us are both good things for your heart. They compared it with a yogic mantra and found that the benefits were about the same. Of course, the rosary isn't going to do shit for your flexibility, so score another one for yoga.
They're not saying that the effect is supernatural -- apparently, the rhythm of saying the rosary just helps to regulate your breathing. And any old Latin prayer won't do, either. It's the constant repetition that keeps your breathing rate down, which, if practiced regularly, can make your ticker fitter and reduce the risk of heart attack later in life.
"Praying? Oh no, I'm just staving off death for a few more years to spite my husband."
The scientists who did the study speculate that this may have been part of the reason the rosary tradition evolved -- it feels good doing it, and it makes you more receptive to the religious message. If you believe in God, it doesn't change anything -- maybe He's just looking out for your cardiovascular health.
Side note: If you're wondering how we got all the way through this list without explaining Pentecostal snake-handling, we're going to go out on a limb and say that they do it because it looks freaking badass. Duh.
Eric Yosomono writes for GaijinAss.com and has a Facebook page here. Patrick McCarty co-stars as Paul Crane in The O.C. Club, a new Web series. You should also follow him on Twitter.
For reasons why religion can be badass, check out 5 Nuns Who Could Kick Your Ass and 6 Saints Who Could Kick Your Ass.
If you're pressed for time and just looking for a quick fix, then check out 5 Incredible NASA Technologies (With Goofy Secondary Uses).
How Baby Yoda Became A Latin American LGBT Icon


text:
Hannó fou un dels deu ambaixadors enviats per Cartago a Roma l'any 235 aC.

Volien intentar evitar la guerra que els romans tenien intenció de declarar aprofitant la revolta dels mercenaris a Sardenya. Va aconseguir el seu propòsit pels seus discurs francs i enèrgics i va obtenir la renovació de la pau en termes equitatius, segons diuen Cassi Dió i Pau Orosi.

Referències

Cartaginesos

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
How to Win Big in the letter g in different fonts Industry
The letter g is in all fonts, but not in all fonts. That's right. This is the letter g that people use to express an expression of the concept "good". "Good" can be used to express a feeling or a positive state, or an action or a reaction.
The g is also in all fonts, but not in all fonts. For instance, I write "good" as "g" in different fonts, just because I tend to use this font in different situations. This may be because I use the g in different situations and am not aware of the other fonts people use.
Letter g is the letter that most people write when they are excited, happy, or positive. This g is also in all fonts, but not in all fonts. It is the letter that most people write when they are sad, angry, frustrated, or fearful. This g is also in all fonts, but not in all fonts.
Letter g is a very common letter in the world, and you might be wondering why I use it in all fonts, but the answer is that it comes from the Greek language and is used in the different languages. This is because it is the letter that most people write when they are excited, happy, or positive. This g is also in all fonts, but not in all fonts.
It is also the letter that most people write when they are angry. In fact, the Letter G is the symbol for the Greek word "agatho.
In English, it is usually written in three different ways: as an "h" (happiness), as an "e" (excitement), and as a "g" (anger). The Greek Letter G, on the other hand, is used for the same thing and is also used to spell agatho. This g is also found in all fonts, but not in all fonts.
The Letter G is found in letters. For example, in a letter the g is used to write the word happiness, in English it is written in three different ways, like an h happiness, as an e excitement, and as a g anger.
It's not just the letters that are different, it's also the way "g" is written. This is a case of "look at the world and you will never see it the same way again." It seems to have started as a way of expressing anger, but then it became a way of expressing happiness.
It's not all about fonts, though. The Letter G is more than just a way of saying "happy." It's a different way of talking to our friends, it's a way of saying "I'm angry." It's a way of saying "I'm sad." For example, "I'm sad this time, that's why I'm wearing my white shirt.
That's why I'm wearing my white shirt. I'm sad. Its a way of saying Im sad. Its a way of saying Im angry. Its a way of saying Im happy. Its a way of saying Im stressed. Its a way of saying Im calm. Its a way of saying Im happy. Its a way of saying Im sad. Its a way of saying Im happy. Its a way of saying Im sad. Its a way of saying Im happy.
The Most Influential People in the how many weeks are in 2 years Industry
The nomatic traders Case Study You'll Never Forget


Game streaming videos, sometimes called "Let's Plays", are videos usually found on YouTube or Twitch where people record themselves playing a video game, sometimes accompanied with audio of the player speaking and a video of the player.
Let's Plays are often used as walkthroughs, to display live gameplay of a new title, or sometimes purely for entertainment. Many YouTube users such as PewDiePie and Smosh have found fans via streaming and even made money from it. It's a 21st-century form of performing that has been proven very popular.
If you own a Playstation 4, you might have considered trying to film your own Let's Play. It's actually very easy to do; you don't have to be a technology master or spend tons of money on equipment. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to stream a game onto Twitch, Dailymotion, or YouTube from your console.
This guide is for audio only, but it is also possible to film yourself using a webcam and upload the video, too.
I recommend the Magigaga headset as it's affordable, really easy to use, and also compatible with your PC. It's perfect for those just starting out.
First of all, you'll need to connect your accounts to your Playstation account. Also connect your social media such as Facebook and Twitter if you'd like to post on there automatically whenever you're live streaming.
To connect your accounts, log into your Playstation account as normal.
Now your accounts are ready to broadcast your stream!
Still on the SHARE menu, select Broadcast settings.
Exit this menu and you'll see the option to "Display Message to Spectators and Spectators' Comments". Deselect this for now if you're just starting up. Chances are you don't have many fans yet, and if you check this box then it displays how many people are watching. It's a bit embarrassing if it's on zero.
Make sure your headset or microphone is plugged into your controller. Now you're ready to go!
Start up the game as usual. At the start menu or the beginning of the game, you can start streaming.
What kind of video are you hoping to stream?
To end the Broadcast, press the Playstation button and select Stop Broadcasting. Your video clip will still be on YouTube with the same link as before.
Although this is the easiest way to upload Let's Plays to YouTube, there are several disadvantages. You can't change or edit the video you upload, and if your internet connection isn't strong, there's a chance the video quality won't be good. There are plenty of other ways to show off your skills on YouTube, but this method is the easiest and most affordable option.
Streaming your games is really fun and can boost your confidence as you're effectively performing in front of an audience. There is also a chance that you'll be "discovered" and get some fans who enjoy watching you play! It's easy for anyone with internet to easily upload themselves onto YouTube, so why not give it a try?
Can you delete your livestream on either Twitch or Youtube?
You can't delete your Twitch stream as it's only live while you're recording it, but you can delete your YouTube video from your YouTube account.
I didn't realize it was this easy. Thank you so much!


Always be sure to wash your watermelon well before cutting it. Use organic watermelon only.
Since watermelon has a high water content, its juice is a natural diuretic and may help to cleanse the kidneys and bladder of impurities. Watermelon is a great source of lycopene, vitamin C, vitamin A, Vitamin B, magnesium, potassium and thiamin. The rinds are just as nutritious. I like to save the rinds to add to other juices too.


text:
package com.github.discvrseq.walkers;

import org.broadinstitute.hellbender.testutils.ArgumentsBuilder;
import org.broadinstitute.hellbender.testutils.IntegrationTestSpec;
import org.testng.annotations.Test;

import java.io.File;
import java.util.Arrays;

public class RemoveAnnotationsIntegrationTest extends BaseIntegrationTest {

    @Test
    public void testBasicOperation() throws Exception {
        File cassandra = new File(testBaseDir, "ClinvarAnnotator.vcf");

        IntegrationTestSpec spec = new IntegrationTestSpec(
                    " -V " + normalizePath(cassandra) +
                    " -XA PURPOSE" +
                    " -XA RN" +
                    " -GA DP" +
                    " -GA AD" +
                    " -GA GQ" +
                    " -GA GT" +
                    " -GA PL" +
                    " -ef" +
                    " -cgf" +
                    " -O " + "%s" +
                    " --tmp-dir " + getTmpDir(),
            Arrays.asList(normalizePath(getTestFile("/testBasicOperation.vcf"))));

        spec.executeTest("testBasicOperation", this);
    }

    @Test
    public void testBasicOperationSitesOnly() throws Exception {
        File cassandra = new File(testBaseDir, "ClinvarAnnotator.vcf");

        IntegrationTestSpec spec = new IntegrationTestSpec(
                " -V " + normalizePath(cassandra) +
                        " -XA PURPOSE" +
                        " -XA RN" +
                        " -GA DP" +
                        " -GA AD" +
                        " -GA GQ" +
                        " -GA GT" +
                        " -GA PL" +
                        " -ef" +
                        " -cgf" +
                        " --sitesOnly" +
                        " -O " + "%s" +
                        " --tmp-dir " + getTmpDir(),
                Arrays.asList(normalizePath(getTestFile("/testBasicOperationSitesOnly.vcf"))));

        spec.executeTest("testBasicOperationSitesOnly", this);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Need help planning your stay in Hillsborough? This page is full of ideas of how to experience your ideal vacation while staying with us. Whether you are seeking relaxation while taking in the rich history of the area or you crave a bit of adventure by mountain biking the White Rock Recreation Area; the vast options for indoor and outdoor experiences await you, all year long! Our quaint Village welcomes you to Eat, Play, Relax & Stay!
The Hillsborough Golf Club is located at 443 Golf Club Road. Beautiful greens on this well maintained 18-hole course with amazing scenery. Picturesque setting with challenging holes makes this a desired course to experience in summer and autumn. Book your Tee Time online or by calling 506.734.6000.
This no reservations required pub-style eatery, The Hills Restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and supper is suitable for golfers, couples and families. Be sure to enjoy a cold beverage on the deck overlooking the ninth green! Looking for a location for a reception, or private party, consider this fantastic venue!
We offer Red Cross Swim Lessons during the summer months. If you are interested in a position as a lifeguard, please send your credentials to hillsboroughnb@rogers.com.
Shared with the Municipal Office Building, the Library is located at 2849 Main Street. Offering the best choice of books, magazines, newspapers and DVDs; something for all ages! Public computers are available to surf the net, catch up on news, send an email or even work on your resume. Do drop in…you'll feel right at home! You can also visit their Facebook page for upcoming activities, crafts or events. Planning on getting active? You can rent walking sticks, pedometers, binoculars and bird-watching books at the library and as always, free of charge.
Centrally located at 2847 Main Street, this is one of our two Must-See Museums while you visit Hillsborough. Rich in history, this museum houses an extensive collection of railway artifacts. To read up on the history and to view the schedule of hours for tours, please visit New Brunswick Railway Museum. You may also contact the Museum by calling 506.734.3195 to reserve your tour. The Museum is currently closed for the 2018 season and will reopen during the shoulder season May/June 2019.
A pleasant stroll around an active beaver pond, and numerous duck ponds, to the dykes along the Petitcodiac river where the remnants of numerous old docks and the old gymsum silos may be viewed.
Stroll the marshes where the Battle of the Petitcodiac was fought here on the site of the Acadian Village des Blanchards, one of the only major defeats of the British in the 7-Years war. The Monument which depicts the event can be viewed near the parking area at the Village Office / NB Railway Museum.
Enjoy beautiful walking and mountain bike trails. Located on the Golf Club Road, just before the Hillsborough Golf Club.


Dr. John Gorrie (1803-1855) was an early pioneer in the invention of the artificial manufacture of ice, refrigeration, and air conditioning. He was granted the first U.S. patent for mechanical refrigeration on May 6, 1851 (U.S. Patent # 8080). Dr. Gorrie moved to Apalachicola in 1833 after the completion of his education at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of the Western District of New York in Fairfield, New York. Motivated by a severe yellow fever epidemic in the summer of 1841, Dr. Gorrie and his predecessors felt the fever was caused by heat, humidity and decaying vegetation. He sought to effect a cure by introducing an element of cold in the form of refrigeration. Dr. Gorrie noted, "Nature would terminate the fevers by the changing of seasons." In May 1844, he constructed the refrigeration that received the patent. This mechanism produced ice in quantities but leakage and irregular performance impaired its operation. At various times he served as a physician of the Marine Hospital Service, Postmaster, President of the Apalachicola Branch Bank of Pensacola, Mayor, Secretary of the Masonic Lodge, and founding vestryman of Trinity Episcopal Church. Dr. Gorrie was honored by the State of Florida with a statue of him placed in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol.


text:
Millions of NHSmail accounts relocated to Microsoft Exchange Online
More than two million NHSmail boxes have been moved over to the Microsoft Exchange Online platform in the world's largest enterprise email relocation.
Moving to the Microsoft platform will enable frontline staff to communication more efficiently, reducing the burden of administration and ultimately improving patient safety, NHS Digital said in a statement.
The large-scale migration aims to create a more joined up NHS while providing frontline services with digital tools and services. It builds on the rollout of Microsoft Teams to support communication at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
NHS Digital's chief executive Sarah Wilkinson said: "The migration of NHSmail to Exchange Online has enabled us to provide staff across the NHS with a mail system which is functionally richer, more secure and lower cost.
"We have also deployed a Microsoft Hybrid implementation of Office 365 to the NHSmail platform, which is allowing NHS organisations to provision O365 services much faster, integrate with the existing NHSmail identity, and collaborate more easily.
"These additional Office365 services build on the deployment of Microsoft Teams, which we rolled-out at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and is currently used to send almost one million messages across the NHS every day."
In August 2020 Microsoft and professional services company Accenture began the email migration, which was successfully completed on 1 February.
Some 22,000 NHSmail accounts were moved over to the cloud every evening alongside 83,000 accounts each weekend.
Now NHSmail is cloud based it will automatically update to the latest version of Microsoft's Office 365 collaboration suite. It also enables NHSmail to provide Office 365 services.
Clare Barclay, Microsoft UK's chief executive, said: "Whilst the NHS has had to function under incredibly challenging circumstances this past year, Microsoft has been proud to support its vital work in any way we can.
"The rapid rollout of Microsoft 365 has ensured that clinicians and support staff across England have access to the very latest productivity tools, enabling a truly joined up approach in the fight against Covid-19 and the effective delivery of essential care services."
Julie Sweet, Accenture's chief executive, added: "We are incredibly proud to help the NHS and its essential front-line workers use the very best digital tools available to respond to the Covid-19 crisis.
"Completing this migration at unparalleled speed and scale to equip NHS staff with a new cloud-based platform that enhances their productivity and the delivery of critical services to patients is a testament to how today's urgent challenges can be met with the powerful combination of technology and human ingenuity."
Accenture | Microsoft | Microsoft Office 365 | NHSmail


text:
← Amazon, Hachette, and flaming bullshit
Sleep Apnea Begone – Part 1: Waking Up the Neighbours →
Spoiler: Superheroes are Silly
Posted on May 23, 2014 by Nick C. Piers
J'ohn J'onzzz, aka The Martian Manhunter
Recently, film writer David Goyer made some disparaging remarks about She-Hulk and Martian Manhunter. Chris Sims over at Comics Alliance wrote about it recently, which you can read here. In short, Goyer believes She-Hulk is basically a porn star character made specifically to give Hulk someone to bang. Which is ridiculous on multiple levels.
In the same interview, he also called The Martian Manhunter "goofy." Maybe he just has a problem with green-skinned characters or the colour green in general (except the piles of money Hollywood keeps inexplicably throwing at him.).
Dammit, J'ohn! Not again!
However, he does bring up a good point Martian Manhunter: he is goofy. Or silly. Or ridiculous. Or whatever other description you want to use. He's a shape-shifting, green-skinned telepathic Martian who can also turn invisible and becomes powerless from fire. Not Kryptonite, a rare element from another galaxy. Fire. As Batman said to him once, "I have a $70,000 sliver of a radioactive meteor to stop the one from Metropolis. All I need for you is a penny for a book of matches. " (Darwyn Cooke's New Frontier). How could anyone be a superhero, rescuing people, with a weakness to fire? It's ridiculous! And don't get me started on the dude who talks to fish.
But here's the kicker: the superhero genre is inherently silly. It's part of what makes it so great.
If you take any common aspect of superheroes, they constantly fail under modern, logical scrutiny. For example, how could anyone in this day and age keep a secret identity? With a huge online presence and every phone with a built-in camera, it would be near impossible. Who in their right mind would wear spandex to fight crime? Who would ever wear a cape? How would you hold down a job and still have time to patrol the city or save the world on a regular basis?
Superman once wrestled an angel from Heaven. AN ANGEL.
That's without even getting into the ridiculous science of superheroes (why doesn't Spider-Man shoot webbing out of his butt?) or just some of the completely ridiculous things that superhero comics have offered over their seven-decade run. We've seen everything from a evil giant starfish, Nazi dinosaurs, anti-matter monsters, demons and creatures from hundreds of planes of existence, madmen who control everything from the weather to colours, and immortal gods shooting lighting out of their eyes.
Put too much thought into even Batman or Superman and those two iconic figures are ridiculous. Sure, there could be a scientific explanation behind Superman's strength and flight due to the planet's gravity compared to Krypton, but how does he have heat vision or cold breath? Then there's the ever popular "Why don't people see he's Superman if he's just wearing glasses?" Then you have Batman, who is basically just a scared little boy who never grew up and lashes out at the world with his toys. No wonder one of his only friends is a teenage boy. And why hasn't anyone followed the money trail for where Wayne Enterprises' expenditures go?
Sorry, Ace the Bat-Hound. Apparently Batman has ALWAYS been super serious and realistic.
But you know what? That's what I love about comics. I love that anything and everything happens in it, no matter how ridiculous. I love that Superman has a pet dog with the same powers. I love that Batman had a Bat-hound of his own. I love Starro the Conqueror. I love the ridiculousness and honestly, I don't think many can be a fan of the superhero genre without accepting or loving at least part of it.
One must make huge leaps in logic in order to love the superhero genre, but that's part of what makes it so great. Superheroes inherently fly in the face of logic. Scrutinize them even for a second and very little of the genre makes sense. The science rarely makes sense (that's not how radioactivity works, dammit!). The law doesn't work ("I mean, he's really good at swooping in and catching the bad guys, but he's not so hot at the little things, like Miranda rights, due process," – Lex Luthor, Superman Returns). Realistically, society and politics in general are just not accommodating to superheroes.
Except that's their whole point. The superhero genre is and has always been escapist fantasy. The genre is for dreamers. It's for optimists who wish the world was a little simpler. There's a reason that children are so strongly drawn to the genre. It offers them a simple morality system about good and bad, fighting injustice, and helping the downtrodden or troubled. Are there deeper, more complex stories within the genre? Absolutely. I could list off hundreds of great examples. At its core, though, the comic book world simply does not – nor should it – apply to the real world. The real world is an incredibly scary, complex, and not at all black and white place. The superhero genre, no matter how ridiculous it gets, is comforting in its simplicity.
Warner Bros, David Goyer, and DC Comics in general need to accept that. You can absolutely have mature stories without being grim and dark. You want to make movies about an alien who shoots lasers out of his eyes. You want to make stories about a nutball who dresses up as a bat. Read that again. He dresses up as a bat. A BAT. Superheroes are already inherently ridiculous, no matter how hard you try to make them realistic. It's better to embrace the ridiculousness rather than actively trying to avoid it. If you can make room for the alien and the nutso in the bat-suit, you can make room for the shape-changing Martian.
I hope this movie makes billions and billions of dollars just to we can point and laugh at WB.
And while WB continues to fight against the inherent ridiculousness of superheroes, Marvel's new movie this summer – The Guardians of the Galaxy – will have a space raccoon and a talking tree. Marvel's films not only understand but embrace the ridiculousness of the superhero genre. They understand that not everything has to be grim and dark like the recently completely Batman trilogy by Christopher Nolan. Why can't WB do the same with their struggling movie franchises?
Of course, I'm just saying all this because I want a big screen version of Starro the Conqueror. Seriously, how awesome would that be?
This entry was posted in Comic Books, Essays, Movies and tagged batman, david goyer, dc comics, martian manhunter, superheroes, superman. Bookmark the permalink.


While the company never officially said that every paying organization using OneDrive for Business would get unlimited storage, a blog post announcing unlimited storage for consumers said that it would be on the Office 365 roadmap. Removing that option for budget customers is a move that's sure to be unpopular among those businesses who thought that they would get more bang for their buck storage-wise.
It's a decision that's similar to one that Microsoft made regarding its consumer Office 365 product. According to Seth Patton, a senior director of product marketing for Office 365, Microsoft decided to go that way in order to focus OneDrive on helping users be productive—and avoid acting as an online backup service.
Organizations using Microsoft's Office 365 and Office 365 Government E3, E4 and E5 plans, along with Office 365 Education, OneDrive for Business Plan 2 and SharePoint Online Plan 2 will still get access to unlimited storage. Microsoft will begin rolling that out by upgrading all users on those plans from 1 TB of storage to 5 TB of storage between now and March.
Offering unlimited storage only to premium customers isn't an unprecedented move among the company's competitors in the online storage and collaboration space. Google does the same thing with its Google Drive for Work offering, and Box does the same thing for its enterprise storage service.
Microsoft's storage plan changes also come alongside a number of product updates, including the launch of a new sync client for Windows and Mac, the announcement of upcoming support for offline storage on OneDrive for iOS and new developer tools.


Tom Kell (UEFAcomTomK), Letná Stadium: A curious game in the end. Serbia looked so dangerous in the first half, but they looked to be content with their lot after the interval. Germany were forced to retreat after going down to ten men, but they were certainly not notably superior even before then.
ter Stegen (Germany) takes the free-kick.
Milunović (Serbia) is adjudged to be in an offside position.
Pešić (Serbia) misses the target.
Bittencourt (Germany) takes the free-kick.
Milunović (Serbia) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Younes (Germany).
Jojić (Serbia) delivers the corner.
Younes (Germany) delivers the corner.
Jojić (Serbia) blocks a shot.
Bittencourt (Germany) has a shot blocked.
Volland (Germany) has a shot blocked.
Great play by Leonardo Bittencourt sets up the Germany captain but his shot is charged down.
Ginter (Germany) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on N. Petrović (Serbia).
Ginter (Germany) takes the free-kick.
Brašanac (Serbia) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Knoche (Germany).
Čaušić (Serbia) blocks a shot.
Kimmich (Germany) takes the free-kick.
N. Petrović (Serbia) is penalised for a foul on Kimmich (Germany).
Brašanac (Serbia) takes the free-kick.
Ginter (Germany) is penalised for a foul on Pešić (Serbia).
Can (Germany) takes the free-kick.
Spajić (Serbia) is penalised for a foul on Volland (Germany).
Spajić (Serbia) blocks a shot.
N. Petrović (Serbia) takes the free-kick.
Korb (Germany) is penalised for a foul on Čavrić (Serbia).
Pantić (Serbia) is penalised for a foul on Volland (Germany).
Pantić (Serbia) is shown a yellow card.
Čaušić (Serbia) is penalised for a foul on Kimmich (Germany).
Spajić (Serbia) takes the free-kick.
Günter (Germany) is shown a second yellow card and is dismissed.
Volland (Germany) misses the target.
A good hit from Germany captain just clears the bar.
Meyer (Germany) delivers the corner.
Pešić (Serbia) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Korb (Germany).
Meyer (Germany) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on N. Petrović (Serbia).
Spajić (Serbia) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Ginter (Germany).
P. Hofmann (Germany) misses the target.
Germany's top scorer in qualifying has his first sight of goal. Philipp Hofmann peels off at the back post and meets a right-wing cross but sends his header just past the far post.
ter Stegen (Germany) makes a save.
Jojić (Serbia) has an effort on goal.
The Borussia Dortmund player finds space outside the area before letting fly but his left-footed effort is straight at Marc-André ter Stegen.
Brašanac (Serbia) is cautioned by the referee.
Brašanac (Serbia) is penalised for a foul on Kimmich (Germany).
Dmitrović (Serbia) takes the free-kick.
Volland (Germany) is penalised for a foul on Pantić (Serbia).
Djuričić (Serbia) is penalised for a foul on Korb (Germany).
Čaušić (Serbia) is cautioned by the referee.
Čaušić (Serbia) is penalised for a foul on P. Hofmann (Germany).
Volland (Germany) takes the free-kick.
S. Srnić (Serbia) is penalised for a foul on Kimmich (Germany).
Günter (Germany) is cautioned by the referee.
Günter (Germany) is penalised for a foul on Djuričić (Serbia).
Pantić (Serbia) blocks a shot.
Can (Germany) has a shot blocked.
Having already netted in the first half, Emre Can shoots from distance again but his effort is charged down by Aleksandar Pantić outside the area.
Günter (Germany) takes the free-kick.
Čaušić (Serbia) is penalised for a foul on Meyer (Germany).
The Group A encounter is finely balanced with 45 minutes to go after a good first-half showing from Serbia against Germany in Prague.
Tom Kell (UEFAcomTomK), Letná Stadium: This game is certainly in the balance. If Germany decide to go for the three points as the second half progresses, I can see Serbia threatening on the counterattack - they have no shortage of pace.
Leitner (Germany) delivers the free-kick wide.
The Borussia Dortmund midfielder shoots high and wide with the final kick of the first half.
Djuričić (Serbia) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Can (Germany).
Brašanac (Serbia) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on ter Stegen (Germany).
Čaušić (Serbia) has an effort on goal.
So close! Goran Čaušić lets fly from distance but his effort is tipped onto the woodwork by Marc-André ter Stegen who makes a brilliant fingertip save.
Jojić (Serbia) takes the free-kick.
Leitner (Germany) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on S. Srnić (Serbia).
Dmitrović (Serbia) makes a save.
Leitner (Germany) has an effort on goal.
The Germany No10 with an effort from distance but his tame shot is gathered easily by Marko Dmitrović.
Younes (Germany) misses the target.
Korb (Germany) takes the free-kick.
Pantić (Serbia) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on P. Hofmann (Germany).
Pešić (Serbia) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Ginter (Germany).
Volland (Germany) is flagged for offside.
The VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach lets fly from distance but his effort fails to hit the target.
Meyer (Germany) takes the corner.
Günter (Germany) has a shot blocked.
Younes (Germany) takes the corner.
Jojić (Serbia) misses the target.
Can (Germany) is penalised for a foul on Djuričić (Serbia).
Čaušić (Serbia) takes the free-kick.
Volland (Germany) is penalised for a foul on Djuričić (Serbia).
S. Srnić (Serbia) is penalised for a foul on Can (Germany).
Horst Hrubesch's side restore parity via a sweetly struck effort from the Liverpool FC midfielder. Emre Can fashions an opening before unleashing a right-footed shot past Marko Dmitrović.
Knoche (Germany) takes the free-kick.
Čaušić (Serbia) is penalised for a foul on Ginter (Germany).
N. Petrović (Serbia) takes the corner.
The SL Benfica forward nets the opener. Filip Djuričić beats Robin Knoche with a cheeky nutmeg before sending Marc-André ter Stegen the wrong way with a cool finish.
Meyer (Germany) takes the free-kick.
Jojić (Serbia) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Leitner (Germany).
Meyer (Germany) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on S. Srnić (Serbia).
Younes (Germany) takes the free-kick.
S. Srnić (Serbia) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Leitner (Germany).
The Group A rivals have met only once in this competition before, will Germany prevail once again?


text:
British DM Compares ISIS Fight to War With Nazis
'New Battle of Britain' being fought in Syria, UK Defense Secretary says, while announcing dispatch of new planes to strike ISIS.
Arutz Sheva Staff
Jul 16, 2015, 8:03 PM (GMT+3)
UKISISMichael FallonBattle Of Britain
RAF Tornado fighting ISIS (file)Reuters
Britain will send another spy plane to fly over Iraq and Syria in what Defense Secretary Michael Fallon called a "new Battle of Britain" Thursday, as it edges towards joining US-led air strikes in Syria.
Fallon announced Britain would take delivery of a new Airseeker plane next month, which would "shortly after" be deployed to carry out reconnaissance of suspected Islamic State (ISIS) group targets.
"Today, with more warnings of threats to our citizens in Tunisia following the horrific events of two weeks ago, we're fighting a new Battle of Britain," he said during a speech in central London. "Once again, against a fascist enemy, an enemy prepared to kill its enemies and civilians alike, it is the RAF spearheading our counter attack."
The Battle of Britain took place during World War II in 1940, pitching Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) against its German counterpart, the Luftwaffe.
Eight British RAF Tornados based in Cyprus are carrying out air strikes over Iraq as part of US-led operations and Britain currently also has one Rivet Joint and two Sentinel spy planes flying missions in the region.
Days after 30 Britons were among 38 tourists killed by a jihadist on a beach in the Tunisian resort of Sousse last month, Fallon hinted that Britain's parliament could be asked to vote again on joining air strikes on targets in Syria.
He told the BBC that ISIS "has to be defeated in both Syria and Iraq" and that there was "an illogicality" about not being able to strike targets in Syria.
Lawmakers voted to join strikes on ISIS targets in Iraq last year but the government led by Prime Minister David Cameron did not seek support for taking similar action in Syria due to opposition from the main opposition Labor party.
Cameron favors exploring a second vote to gain support for air strikes in Syria later this year after Labor has elected a new leader in September who could give him the support he would need to get the move through parliament.
On Wednesday, two Brimstone missiles fell off a British Tornado as it landed at RAF Akortiri, a staging post for sorties and surveillance against ISIS group targets in Iraq, after a military operation.
AFP contributed to this report.


Nagur is a town which is located in the Koppal district of Karnataka. The tiny village is located 79.5 km away from the city of Raichur and 121 km away from Gangavathi. From the state capital of Bangalore, the town is located 435 km away. Nagur used to fall under the principality of the Hyderabad Nizams.
There are no hotels in Nagur. Nearby Raichur (79.5 km) and Gangavathi (121 km) offers some good hotels such as Hotel Nrupatunga (Tariff-Rs. 500), Hotel Priya (Tariff-Rs. 600), and Hotel Iyengar (Tariff-Rs. 700).
The official language spoken here is Kannada. Besides this Hindi and English are also spoken here.
The important festivals celebrated in Nagur are Dasarai in October, Ganesha festival in September, Deepavali in November, Ramzan in August and Muharram in November are celebrated with equal fervour here.
There are many places of interest that can be visited in and around Nagur. Some of them are: The Fort of Raichur (85 km) which is one of the most disputed forts in the history of Karnataka, besides that there is another historical place nearby called Hampi (100 km). Hampi is well known for its architectural and historical structures and is a UNESCO world heritage site.
The nearest airport to Nagur is the Hubli Airport which is located at a distance of 140 km.
Daily buses ply from Adoni, Hubli, Bangalore, Riachur, and Ganagavathi. Some of the bus providers are: Ganesh tourists, SRS travels and VRL travels. Online bus booking site like Ticketgoose.com provides tickets with best deals.


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Nestled in the remote Southern Ocean north of mainland Antarctica are South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The islands remain an official British territory and are most famous as polar explorer Ernest Shackleton's final resting place.
The king penguins that roam South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are Antarctica's iconic symbol and one of the most beloved and spectacular sights for visitors. The penguins stand at an impressive three feet high and can be spotted at most of the bays that pepper this remote archipelago. Although female king penguins only raise two chicks every three years — despite regular breeding — their population continues to thrive.
One of the most satisfying aspects of travel is flicking through your passport to reflect on your adventures. When visiting the South Sandwich Islands, be sure to get the official South Georgia stamp. It's not an official entry pass, but it is an excellent memento for your trip to this faraway part of the world.
After setting out from London in 1914, the crews of the Endurance and the Aurora ran into difficulties around South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Explorer Ernest Shackleton and his crew survived for weeks on an ice floe before finally making it to South Georgia, which they traversed on foot and eventually sent out ships to rescue the remaining crew. On a later trip to the islands, Shackleton died of a heart attack. Visitors can now pay respects at his grave in Grytviken.
This small island, located a few miles northeast of Luck Point on South Georgia, is famed for being charted by American naturalist Robert Cushman Murphy during 1912–1913. It's the home of the spectacular wandering albatross, and the island is also known for being rat-free, making it an exception among the other islands nearby, which have been plagued by rats ever since whaling ships brought them there centuries ago. The rats pose a threat to the native bird life as they prey on the eggs; luckily, this isn't an issue on Prion Island.
One of the few markers of human life in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is the Norwegian Lutheran church in Grytviken. This neo-Gothic structure was constructed by whalers, led by explorer Carl Anton Larsen, during 1912–1913. The church was consecrated on Christmas Day in 1913, and its graveyard has sixty-four graves, including that of Ernest Shackleton. The church was also briefly shown in the 2006 animated film Happy Feet, which centers around a group of emperor penguins.
Visiting the South Sandwich Islands is an experience like no other. Witness some of the few man-made structures in Antarctica, discover the area's wildlife, and soak up the history of famed explorers who visited the area.
This epic voyage explores the great continent of Antarctica, stunning South Georgia, and the isolated Falkland Islands. We look forward to taking you on the expedition of a lifetime to experience the power of nature's silence in the surreal and haunting beauty of the one of the most remote places on Earth.
This epic expedition takes you through the isolated Falkland Islands and stunning South Georgia before experiencing the great continent of Antarctica. We look forward to taking you on the expedition of a lifetime, exploring the endless white scenery, and hearing nothing but nature's silence in the surreal and haunting landscapes of Antarctica.