text:
Macroscopic discrete modelling of stochastic reaction-diffusion equations on a periodic domain
March 2011, 31(1): 275-299. doi: 10.3934/dcds.2011.31.275
Preservation of homoclinic orbits under discretization of delay differential equations
Yingxiang Xu 1, and Yongkui Zou 2,
School of Mathematics and Statistics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
School of Mathematics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Received February 2010 Revised November 2010 Published June 2011
In this paper, we propose a nondegenerate condition for a homoclinic orbit with respect to a parameter in delay differential equations. Based on this nondegeneracy we describe and investigate the regularity of the homoclinic orbit together with parameter. Then we show that a forward Euler method, when applied to a one-parameteric system of delay differential equations with a homoclinic orbit, also exhibits a closed loop of discrete homoclinic orbits. These discrete homoclinic orbits tend to the continuous one by the rate of $O(\varepsilon)$ as the step-size $\varepsilon$ goes to $0$. And the corresponding parameter varies periodically with respect to a phase parameter with period $\varepsilon$ while the orbit shifts its index after one revolution. We also show that at least two homoclinic tangencies occur on this loop. By numerical simulations, the theoretical results are illustrated, and the possibility of extending theoretical results to the implicit and higher order numerical schemes is discussed.
Keywords: homoclinic orbits, homoclinic tangencies., Delay differential equations, forward Euler method.
Mathematics Subject Classification: Primary: 37C29, 37N30; Secondary: 65P3.
Citation: Yingxiang Xu, Yongkui Zou. Preservation of homoclinic orbits under discretization of delay differential equations. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - A, 2011, 31 (1) : 275-299. doi: 10.3934/dcds.2011.31.275
W.-J. Beyn, The effect of discretization on homoclinic orbits,, in, 79 (1987), 1. Google Scholar
W.-J. Beyn, The numerical computation of connecting orbits in dynamical systems,, IMA J. Numer. Anal., 10 (1990), 379. doi: 10.1093/imanum/10.3.379. Google Scholar
W.-J. Beyn and J.-M. Kleinkauf, The numerical computation of homoclinic orbits for maps,, SIAM J. Numer. Anal., 34 (1997), 1207. doi: 10.1137/S0036142995281693. Google Scholar
W. A. Coppel, "Dichotomies in Stability Theory,", Lecture Notes in Mathematics, 629 (1978). Google Scholar
K. Engelborghs and E. J. Doedel, Stability of piecewise polynomial collocation for computing periodic solutions of delay differential equations,, Numer. Math., 91 (2002), 627. doi: 10.1007/s002110100313. Google Scholar
K. Engelborghs, T. Luzyanina and D. Roose, Numerical bifurcation analysis of delay differential equations using DDE-BIFTOOL,, ACM Trans. Math. Software, 28 (2002), 1. doi: 10.1145/513001.513002. Google Scholar
G. Farkas, Unstable manifolds for RFDEs under discretization: The Euler method,, Comput. Math. Appl., 42 (2001), 1069. doi: 10.1016/S0898-1221(01)00222-X. Google Scholar
G. Farkas, A numerical $C^1$-shadowing result for retarded functional differential equations,, J. Compt. Appl. Math., 145 (2002), 269. doi: 10.1016/S0377-0427(01)00581-7. Google Scholar
G. Farkas, Nonexistence of uniform exponential dichotomies for delay equations,, J. Differential Equations, 182 (2002), 266. Google Scholar
B. Fiedler and J. Scheurle, Discretization of homoclinic orbits, rapid forcing and 'invisible' chaos,, Mem. Amer. Math. Soc., 119 (1996). Google Scholar
J. K. Hale and S. M. Lunel, "Introduction to Functional-Differential Equations,", Applied Mathematical Sciences, 99 (1993). Google Scholar
J. K. Hale and W. Zhang, On uniformity of exponential dichotomies for delay equations,, J. Differential Equations, 204 (2004), 1. Google Scholar
K. In't Hout and C. Lubich, Periodic orbits of delay differential equations under discretization,, BIT, 38 (1998), 72. doi: 10.1007/BF02510918. Google Scholar
U. Kirehgraber, F. Lasagni, K. Nipp and D. Stoffer, On the application of invariant manifold theory, in particular to numerical analysis,, in, 97 (1991), 189. Google Scholar
X.-B. Lin, Exponential dichotomies and homoclinic orbits in functional-differential equations,, J. Differential Equations, 63 (1986), 227. Google Scholar
K. J. Palmer, "Shadowing in Dynamical Systems. Theory and Applications,", Mathematics and its Applications, 501 (2000). Google Scholar
M. L. Peña, Exponential dichotomy for singularly perturbed linear functional-differential equations with small delays,, Appl. Anal., 47 (1992), 213. doi: 10.1080/00036819208840141. Google Scholar
G. Samaey, K. Engelborghs and D. Roose, Numerical computation of connecting orbits in delay differential equations,, Numer. Algorithms, 30 (2002), 335. doi: 10.1023/A:1020102317544. Google Scholar
Y.-K. Zou and W.-J. Beyn, On manifolds of connecting orbits in discretizations of dynamical systems,, Nonlinear Anal., 52 (2003), 1499. doi: 10.1016/S0362-546X(02)00269-9. Google Scholar
Y.-K. Zou and W.-J. Beyn, On the existence of transversal heteroclinic orbits in discretized dynamical systems,, Nonlinearity, 17 (2004), 2275. doi: 10.1088/0951-7715/17/6/014. Google Scholar
Victoria Rayskin. Homoclinic tangencies in $R^n$. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - A, 2005, 12 (3) : 465-480. doi: 10.3934/dcds.2005.12.465
Vera Ignatenko. Homoclinic and stable periodic solutions for differential delay equations from physiology. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - A, 2018, 38 (7) : 3637-3661. doi: 10.3934/dcds.2018157
Karsten Matthies. Exponentially small splitting of homoclinic orbits of parabolic differential equations under periodic forcing. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - A, 2003, 9 (3) : 585-602. doi: 10.3934/dcds.2003.9.585
Nikolaz Gourmelon. Generation of homoclinic tangencies by $C^1$-perturbations. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - A, 2010, 26 (1) : 1-42. doi: 10.3934/dcds.2010.26.1
Maria Carvalho. First homoclinic tangencies in the boundary of Anosov diffeomorphisms. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - A, 1998, 4 (4) : 765-782. doi: 10.3934/dcds.1998.4.765
Sergey Gonchenko, Ivan Ovsyannikov. Homoclinic tangencies to resonant saddles and discrete Lorenz attractors. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - S, 2017, 10 (2) : 273-288. doi: 10.3934/dcdss.2017013
Weiyin Fei, Liangjian Hu, Xuerong Mao, Dengfeng Xia. Advances in the truncated Euler–Maruyama method for stochastic differential delay equations. Communications on Pure & Applied Analysis, 2020, 19 (4) : 2081-2100. doi: 10.3934/cpaa.2020092
Xinfu Chen. Lorenz equations part II: "randomly" rotated homoclinic orbits and chaotic trajectories. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - A, 1996, 2 (1) : 121-140. doi: 10.3934/dcds.1996.2.121
Shigui Ruan, Junjie Wei, Jianhong Wu. Bifurcation from a homoclinic orbit in partial functional differential equations. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - A, 2003, 9 (5) : 1293-1322. doi: 10.3934/dcds.2003.9.1293
Changrong Zhu, Bin Long. The periodic solutions bifurcated from a homoclinic solution for parabolic differential equations. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - B, 2016, 21 (10) : 3793-3808. doi: 10.3934/dcdsb.2016121
Nicola Guglielmi, Christian Lubich. Numerical periodic orbits of neutral delay differential equations. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - A, 2005, 13 (4) : 1057-1067. doi: 10.3934/dcds.2005.13.1057
Ying Lv, Yan-Fang Xue, Chun-Lei Tang. Homoclinic orbits for a class of asymptotically quadratic Hamiltonian systems. Communications on Pure & Applied Analysis, 2019, 18 (5) : 2855-2878. doi: 10.3934/cpaa.2019128
Ting Yang. Homoclinic orbits and chaos in the generalized Lorenz system. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - B, 2020, 25 (3) : 1097-1108. doi: 10.3934/dcdsb.2019210
Amadeu Delshams, Marina Gonchenko, Sergey V. Gonchenko, J. Tomás Lázaro. Mixed dynamics of 2-dimensional reversible maps with a symmetric couple of quadratic homoclinic tangencies. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - A, 2018, 38 (9) : 4483-4507. doi: 10.3934/dcds.2018196
Steven M. Pederson. Non-turning Poincaré map and homoclinic tangencies in interval maps with non-constant topological entropy. Conference Publications, 2001, 2001 (Special) : 295-302. doi: 10.3934/proc.2001.2001.295
Antonio Pumariño, Joan Carles Tatjer. Attractors for return maps near homoclinic tangencies of three-dimensional dissipative diffeomorphisms. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - B, 2007, 8 (4) : 971-1005. doi: 10.3934/dcdsb.2007.8.971
C. M. Groothedde, J. D. Mireles James. Parameterization method for unstable manifolds of delay differential equations. Journal of Computational Dynamics, 2017, 4 (1&2) : 21-70. doi: 10.3934/jcd.2017002
Bahareh Akhtari, Esmail Babolian, Andreas Neuenkirch. An Euler scheme for stochastic delay differential equations on unbounded domains: Pathwise convergence. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - B, 2015, 20 (1) : 23-38. doi: 10.3934/dcdsb.2015.20.23
Addolorata Salvatore. Multiple homoclinic orbits for a class of second order perturbed Hamiltonian systems. Conference Publications, 2003, 2003 (Special) : 778-787. doi: 10.3934/proc.2003.2003.778
Flaviano Battelli. Saddle-node bifurcation of homoclinic orbits in singular systems. Discrete & Continuous Dynamical Systems - A, 2001, 7 (1) : 203-218. doi: 10.3934/dcds.2001.7.203
Yingxiang Xu Yongkui Zou


text:
Editorial & PR
Fine Art (external site)
Fees & Terms
November 16, 2017 by Tim Gander
A Frightfully Good Adventure!
It's pretty exciting when friends launch into a new adventure. Even more exciting when they ask you to get involved!
I've known Neil and Suzy Howlett for quite a few years now, but was totally unaware they were writing a book together until they got in touch to ask if I was interested in taking their author photos for Return to Kirrin, an affectionate pastiche of Enid Blyton's Famous Five books.
Return to Kirrin imagines the Five as adults in 1979, a period of punk and political turmoil, and brings them together for new adventures on Kirrin Island.
My brief for this project was to create a set of images which could be used for a range of promotional purposes. Neil and Suzy wanted a look which was neither too staid, nor too whacky. A fine line to tread indeed.
I decided their garden would be perfect, in particular the little covered bench structure which was a usefully muted colour and had some mystery and a certain wistful charm about it.
We needed to achieve shots of Neil and Suzy together as well as a couple of individual portraits so that whatever they needed, wherever they needed it, there would be an image to fit the use. They also needed to look good and legible at smaller sizes. Landscape and vertical formats had to be catered for too, so as well as the wide shots you see in the gallery, I also made sure there was a good selection of upright shots in the set.
You can already see one of the images in use on the book's Amazon page, where of course you can also buy your own copy.
The morning of the photo session was blessedly dry – rain would have been pretty unhelpful, and there was some lovely soft sunlight filtering into the garden. I still used a supplementary portable studio light to lift the shadows and to create a slightly 'hyper real' look and feel.
For the individual portraits I continued with the portable light, but matched it more closely to the daylight so it became less noticeable, more natural, but the test shots without it left the colours a little flat.
Now the book is out and available to buy, it'll be fascinating to see how the images get used. For Neil and Suzy, I sincerely hope the sales go wild and I hope my photos help achieve the coverage they so richly deserve. In the meantime, you can follow the book's adventures on the Return to Kirrin Facebook page.
Suzy and Neil looking for mystery.
Suzy relaxes on the garden bench.
Neil looks every inch the author.
in	Case Studies / My News / Uncategorized	2	comments
November 3, 2017 by Tim Gander
Impressions of London
The other week my son Joe and I took a day trip to London. We try to make it each year, normally in Summer, but this year was a little later than normal.
Apart from the tradition of the trip, Joe also had some pictures to take for his college photography course. So naturally I took a film camera to capture some of my own impressions and just to have a play with more film.
Joe's work took precedence, so I did only get around to shooting one roll of Kodak Tri-X which, because it was a dismal day, I rated at 800iso.
Here are the results, with special thanks to Brick Lane's finest leafleteer Charlie Kloos for posing while I messed about with a Pentax lens from the 1960s, which was a little tricky to focus as the evening light started to fail.
London door mat
London communal garden
London Grafitti and my son
London's finest leafleteer Charlie Kloos
in	My News / Personal Work	0	comments
July 27, 2017 by Tim Gander
Gimme Some Room!
Much of my business photography consists of taking portraits of, rather predictably, business people. So far so good.
This pretty much always happens at their place of work because that means less disruption to their busy schedule and I can create a set of portraits covering all the colleagues that happen to be in the building that day. Still so far so good.
Where "so far so good" becomes "ummm" is when I'm shown into a meeting room/stationery cupboard which is so crammed with immobile tables and heavy chairs/stationery that I have no space to actually take pictures.
I do make a point of requesting a space roughly 10 foot square, but sometimes the message gets lost or it's assumed the boardroom table can be moved when I get there. More commonly now, tables are cabled to the floor with telephone and computer wires, which will only stretch so far before they go PING! and the IT department has to be called in.
So to say I was utterly delighted with the space I was given this week is an understatement – half a ballroom in a hotel. All to myself, with nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing taking up floor space. In fact I had to pull a small table into the room so I could check off peoples' names as I went without having to squat on the floor.
A great space for portraits
I thoroughly enjoyed setting up my backdrop and lights slap bang in the middle of the space. It gave the whole thing a slightly surreal air and the people who came in to have their photos taken were astonished that the room they'd been assigned for their meeting was so much smaller than the one reserved for me.
Of course the ballroom wouldn't have worked for them because they needed AV and a projector for their presentations which the ballroom didn't have, but it did make me feel very special and it also meant I had bags of room to control how the lights lit the backdrop and the sitters. It meant I could work towards a very particular look without too much difficulty.
Ok, not the most exciting tale in the world, and it's not as if I'll be dining out on that one ever, but it's a fine illustration of how giving the photographer ample space to work will not only make their life easier, it'll also mean they can work to achieve more accurate results in-camera and ensure that so far so good endures right through to "that's a wrap".
in	Advice / Case Studies	1	comments
April 6, 2017 by Tim Gander
Latest on Routes
The brilliant people who sat for the Faces of Routes photo session.
Great news! Frome's best and only youth drop-in centre, Routes, has been saved for at least another year following a concerted campaign to raise awareness and funds.
Local businesses have run various fund-raising schemes and events and these, along with my Faces of Routes project and exhibition, have raised over £60,000 in donations with a few more bits and pieces still coming in, plus the outcome of a National Lottery application which was started before the appeal was made.
Routes manager Sarah Stobbart assures me the bulk of the money was raised as a result of the exhibition, with a very large chunk being donated by an individual who saw the pictures during a visit to Cafe La Strada in the town centre. I don't know much detail about who, but I believe the sum was £30,000, which is brilliant and I'm thrilled to know that the service has gained valuable breathing space.
Of course this isn't the end of the story, but with such a lot of good will and awareness raised this will make future funding applications that little bit easier. I still believe Routes should be properly funded by responsible organisations such as local government, but perhaps this stay of execution will allow these avenues to be explored further.
Sarah got in touch to say, "I truly think that the portraits, the use of them and the associated press has contributed massively to the fundraising campaign for Routes being successful – you've no idea how glad I am that you got in touch to begin with!"
In the meantime it's fantastic to know that youngsters from Frome and the surrounding villages have somewhere they can seek help, guidance and a listening ear. I'll be keeping an eye on things and will update here whenever there is significant news.
To all my blog readers who donated, a very heartfelt thank you. This has been the best personal project I've ever undertaken and without so much support it could have been a very futile gesture.
February 9, 2017 by Tim Gander
Faces of Routes Launches!
Wow, what a rollercoaster ride that was. From concept to completion, a photographic exhibition launched in less that five weeks and that includes shooting the photos! I may have to give the Guinness Book of World Records a call.
You can now see the Faces of Routes pictures in all their glory at Cafe La Strada in Cheap Street, Frome, until the end of March and I'm hoping many of you will take the opportunity to take a look around the gallery areas and read the quotes before enjoying some quality refreshments.
(L-r) Jude of Cafe La Strada, Laura and Kieran with Routes manager Sarah and me at back
This really has been a Frome effort, obviously starting with the help and cooperation of Sarah at Routes and her colleague Silky, all the young people who so bravely sat for my camera and shared their very personal experiences for the case studies, right through Nik Jones who added the text to the images for the exhibition, Mount Art Studio who did such a fantastic job of printing them and Studio Prints who did the framing at breakneck speed so we could get the exhibition launched as soon as possible and of course thanks to Cafe La Strada for giving us exhibition space for two months for free!
Of course the whole point of this exercise has been to try to save Routes, and we're not there yet. The hope is that the bodies which really should be funding this kind of service will understand how important Routes is to young, vulnerable people of Frome and that without it there will be barely any other resource to which they can turn when they're in difficulty.
Fingers crossed then. In the meantime, if live in Frome and you want to help but haven't the finances to do so, please consider writing to your local councillor or David Warburton MP. If the message is made clear that we don't want Routes to close, we have to speak loudly.
January 26, 2017 by Tim Gander
Routes Update
The launch of the Routes exhibition inches nearer, slowly. We've been working hard to find sponsors for the printing and framing because even though we've been offered a fantastic deal on the printing by Mount Art in Frome, exhibitions aren't cheap to do.
The exhibition is important because it will spread the message far and wide to those who need to consider funding for services such as Routes (the local MP, councillors and so on), so if you feel you'd like to donate to the costs of the exhibition or to help Routes continue its work, please text MEND41 £AMOUNT (between £1 and £10) to 70070, or donate via the website www.mendipymca.org.uk.
In the meantime I've launched the Faces of Routes portfolio page on my website which gives you a broad preview of the exhibition itself. There will be additional images on show at La Strada Cafe in Frome, so if you're in the area, do pop in for a lovely coffee, a piece of cake or an ice cream and take the time to view the prints and read the stories of the youngsters featured.
I'll update you all once the exhibition goes live!
Routes to Exhibition
Happy New Year! Ok, so 2016 might not have been your favourite year, but the bright side for me was lots of great work with wonderful clients and some personal highlights I won't go into here.
To make sure my 2017 kicked off with a January-blues-beating personal project, I've launched into one which is exciting in a number of ways; I was able get it under way quickly, it's local, it has a finite duration, has a tangible purpose and perhaps best of all it looks like it's going to culminate in a local exhibition.
It all started when, just before Christmas, I had been trying to formulate ideas for a personal project I could launch in the New Year. I wanted something which would not only please me, but also have some kind of impact either on those involved, or on its audience.
Then I saw a tweet from Routes, the youth drop-in centre in Frome. I'd always been vaguely aware of their work with young, often vulnerable people in the town, but didn't have much detail beyond that.
Routes tweeted that their funding is coming to an end in March 2017, after which they would have to find a new source of revenue or close. While I can't afford the £80,000 + per year to keep them running, I felt I could help them publicise their plight so I got in touch with the centre manager Sarah Stobbart, an absolute ball of energy and a real doer.
The idea was simple; I would take portraits of those who who either use or had used Routes and the pictures could be used for press releases and grant funding applications. Sarah added the idea of holding an exhibition of the portraits somewhere in the town, and so the ball got rolling.
I started shooting on January 3rd because there's no time like the present, and with all those willing to participate we now have 13 youngsters, Sarah and her colleague Silky shot for the project.
The local press have picked up the story and one local paper is looking to publish the portraits with case studies as a series, while a local cafe/art space has agreed to host the exhibition for free for two months.
At some point I'll create a portfolio gallery of the final images on my website, but I've included a couple of examples here to give you a taster of the work.
The main purpose of all this is to get funding for Routes to continue their work, so I'll leave you with this plea from Sarah:
"If you would like to show your support and help to keep this vital service operating for young people in Frome, there are a number of ways you can help our appeal. By Texting MEND41 an amount from £1 to £10 to 70070 Or by a cheque made payable to YMCA Mendip to 'Routes' Drop-In Centre, 1A Palmer Street, Frome, BA11 1DS. Donate online by clicking on the BT Mydonate button at http://tinyurl.com/j9jukt9 and select Routes as your chosen project. By holding a fundraising event to help raise funds and awareness! Or become a 'Friend' of Routes!- Contact Sarah Stobbart (Routes Project Manager) on 01749 679553 Ext 5020 or e-mail sstobbart@mendipymca.org.uk"
in	Case Studies / My News / Personal Work	0	comments
December 20, 2016 by Tim Gander
2016, a personal review
Normally I'd post a "year in pictures" round-up just about now, but I've decided to do something a little different this time just because.
Instead I'm going to focus on the more off-beat, off-diary photos I've taken. You'll have seen most of them, but not all, in various blog posts through the year, but it's fun to pull them together into a single gallery to enjoy again.
So sit back with your cuppa and your mince pie and enjoy…
Taken while attending National Photography Symposium in Derby.
Wine waitress Victoria takes a break at Borough Market, London.
Flash test shoot with my son Joe.
Bad Rasta, carnival trader, poses, smiling to camera as part of my film test project.
Geoff poses for my film test project.
Shot through a tinted window in the rain, St John's in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
Closeup texture, dead tree.
I'm hoping to shoot much more film in 2017.
in	Archive / Older Work / Personal Work	0	comments
October 4, 2016 by Tim Gander
First Film Results!
Last week I told you about my new adventures in black and white film photography, well here's a selection of the results. I need to work on my digitisation process a bit more because of course this is all still a bit trial and error.
I've owned a scanner in the past, but the results were never more than "ok" in spite of it being quite a high-end Nikon machine, so I'm using a digital camera and a copy box which I constructed myself.
As much as possible I want to preserve the beauty of the negatives (and they are quite lovely) and while this might only be truly possible by making direct prints from them, that's not so practical when it comes to showing them on my blog.
But away with all this technical talk, what about the subjects of the photos?
There's the shopfitter in Bath who didn't mind me taking a few frames while he was on his cigarette break, but wasn't going to pose. That's ok, I just wanted an interesting face and some half-decent light for my test photos. He was the perfect candidate.
Then, back in Frome, I met Bad Rasta who travels the country selling balloons and novelty toys at carnivals. He was on a break before the start of the evening carnival in the town and was great fun to chat to and was very happy to pose for me with his van and balloons.
Finally Geoff, a Frome local who I met while wandering around the funfair in Frome. Full of interesting reminiscences, a face full of character, and a pig skin jacket that belonged to his father.
There are more photos of course, but some were just tests to check the camera metering and to see how the Kodak Tri-X film would handle different lighting situations. I wanted to make sure I had a few engaging portraits to share.
Shopfitter on a break, Bath
Bad Rasta and balloons, Frome
Geoff at the fair
Of course the question has to be is this worth all the effort and expense? And of course the answer is yes. Ok, I could have taken these photos digitally with better technical quality for web, but these negatives would print beautifully well, and even if I never get the pleasure of doing that, it does give me satisfaction.
There is also the fact that knowing how to do this improves my work as a digital photographer. I've always firmly believed that having a background in processing and printing my own film work back when I started has always been a big advantage over photographers who didn't get that grounding. So to continue it now is helping me keep in touch with the basics.
And besides all that, getting out and about to discover personal stories and just talking to people I wouldn't otherwise get to photograph makes the whole exercise utterly, utterly worth it.
in	My News	0	comments
June 2, 2016 September 13, 2018 by Tim Gander
Contextual Portraits
One thing I love about being a photographer is the chance to meet a wide variety of people, all with different backgrounds, interests and personalities.
As a prime example, this week started with a delightful encounter with local ceramicist Jane Gibson who runs a gallery in Bradford on Avon. Jane needed images of her work to send to art galleries and for her website update.
With a simple backdrop and lighting set-up I was able to create lovely fresh images of Jane's quirky work, but when I'd finished photographing the pieces I also felt a portrait of Jane would be useful for the promotion of her art. Thankfully she didn't need too much persuading.
Although Jane's specialism is ceramics, she also offers a selection of her paintings and I wanted to suggest this in the background of the picture without it overwhelming the photo or being too distracting. I think Jane looks beautiful in the soft window light of her studio with subtle hints of her work behind her.
I particularly enjoy taking portraits with context, and this is a good example of what I mean. A contextual portrait is a great way to broadcast not only what you look like, but also what you do or where and how you work. This can really engage the viewer and hold their attention in a way a headshot against a plain background won't always achieve.
Most of next week I'll be working exclusively on contextual and action portraits, which I hope to share with you soon. It's going to be challenging, but huge fun.
in	Case Studies	0	comments
Industry Comment
Older Work
Documenting Challenging Times
From the Archive: The Musicians
A Perfect Storm
Lens Love
Documenting Challenging Times - Tim Gander, Photographer on A Shot In The Arm for Vaccinations
Tim Gander on Documenting Challenging Times
Paul Adams on Documenting Challenging Times
Lens Love - Tim Gander, Photographer on A Shot In The Arm for Vaccinations
Film to Film - Tim Gander, Photographer on Contact
GDPR statement and certificate.
E: tim@timgander.co.uk
Professional Summary
Corporate communications photographer producing creative portrait, public relations (PR), editorial, event and conference photography for businesses in Bristol, Bath, and Swindon, encompassing Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset and the wider UK.
All images © Tim Gander. All rights reserved. Please leave my photos where you found them.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Alonzo Kelly, President and Founder of Leadership Group, learned the value of putting customers first early-on in his career.
Today—with many other lessons he's learned—he showcases what it means to be an authentic safety leader who has a servant leader mindset.
Keep reading to see the mantra he lives by, and why he says safety is a verb, not a noun.
My first official job was working at Burger King as a teenager. I learned first and foremost that the hardest working people did so standing up rather than sitting down.
I also learned the importance of customer service, that the customer is always right (until they are misunderstood), and that speaking slowly and clearly into a microphone eliminates 90% of errors in orders.
Accountability, Humility, Courage, and Empowerment. If any of those are lacking, we are ineffective in our ability to lead.
I would change how people see and respond to safety. Safety is a verb not a noun! That word requires action. To say we believe in something and do not behave accordingly is a sign that we've missed the true essence of the word.
This would be no different than Love. It is one thing to say and label something as love and quite another to actually behave lovingly.


Rent a Dumpster in Mountain Pass Now!
Simply give us a call and we will answer any questions you may have about the Mountain Pass dumpster rental procedure, allowed materials, size you may need, etc.
Our roll off containers can usually be delivered in Mountain Pass the day after you place your order. Make sure to call us early to ensure timely delivery.
The quantity of time that you have to rent a dumpster in Mountain Pass usually depends on the type of project you are working on. A small endeavor, including a cellar clean out, will probably take a few days to finish while bigger projects, like building a new house, could take several months.
Most dumpster rental businesses in Mountain Pass are happy to adjust their programs to fit your needs. Keep in your mind, however, that the more time you keep the dumpster, the further you'll need to pay for it.
When you contact dumpster rental businesses in Mountain Pass, ask them how long their terms are. Many will allow you options such as several days or one week, however there are usually longer durations accessible, too.
What Size Dumpster Should I Get for a Residential Clean Out in Mountain Pass?
Residential clean outs generally don't require big dumpsters. The size that you require, however, will be contingent on the size of the project.
When picking a dumpster, though, it's often wise to request a size larger than that which you think you will need. Unless you are a professional, it's difficult to gauge the exact size required for your project. By getting a somewhat larger size, you spend a little more cash, however you also avoid the possibility that you will run out of room. Renting a larger dumpster is nearly always cheaper than renting two little ones.
It's possible for you to put most forms of debris into a dumpster rental in Mountain Pass. There are, nevertheless, some exceptions. For instance, you cannot place compounds into a dumpster. That includes motor oil, paints, solvents, automotive fluids, pesticides, and cleaning agents. Electronics and batteries are also banned. If something introduces an environmental danger, you probably cannot set it in a dumpster. Get in touch with your rental company if you are uncertain.
That leaves most varieties of debris that you could set in the dumpster, comprise drywall, concrete, lumber, and yard waste. Just about any sort of debris left from a building job can go in the dumpster.
Specific types of okay debris, nevertheless, may require additional fees. If your plan is to throw away used tires, mattresses, or appliances, you should request the rental company whether you need to pay an extra fee. Adding these to your dumpster may cost anywhere from $25 to $100, depending on the item.
Most residential areas enable roll-off dumpsters. For those who have a driveway, then you could usually park the dumpster there so you really do not annoy your neighbors or cause traffic issues by putting it upon the street.
Some projects, however, will require placing the dumpster on the road. If this applies to you personally, then you should speak to your city to learn whether you need to get any permits before renting the dumpster. Generally, cities will let you keep a dumpster on a residential street for a short period of time. In case you think you will need to keep it on the street for a number of weeks or months, though, you will need to get a permit.
Contacting your local permits and licensing office is generally a good idea. Even supposing it's an unnecessary precaution, at least you will know that you simply are following the law.
Choosing a dumpster size necessitates some educated guesswork. It is often problematic for people to estimate the sizes that they need for roofing jobs because, practically, they don't know just how much material their roofs comprise.
There are, however, some basic guidelines you'll be able to follow to make an excellent choice. If you're removing a commercial roof, then you will most likely require a dumpster that offers you at least 40 square yards.
Many folks order one size larger than they think their projects will take since they would like to avoid the additional expense and hassle of replacing full dumpsters which weren't big enough.
One of the greatest concerns you probably have when renting a dumpster in Mountain Pass is how much it will cost. Among the greatest approaches to negate this fear is to get exact advice. When you call to get a price quote, have recommended of how much waste you'll have to eliminate so you can get the most effective recommendation on dumpster size. If you're unsure on the amount of waste, renting a size larger will save you the added expense of renting another dumpster if the first proves overly little.
Supply any information you believe is applicable to make sure you don't end up paying for services that you don't actually desire. More than a few companies charge by the container size, while others charge by weight. Be sure you know which is which so you've a clear quote. Also ensure that you request whether the quote you receive comprises landfill costs; this will keep you from being surprised by an additional fee after.
What if I want my dumpster in Mountain Pass picked up early?
When you make arrangements to rent a dumpster in Mountain Pass, part of your rental agreement contains a given length of time you're allowed to use the container. You usually base this time on how long you think your project might take. The bigger the project, the more time you will need the dumpster. Most dumpster rental companies in Mountain Pass give you a rate for a specific number of days. Should you exceed that amount of days, you'll pay another fee daily. If the project goes more quickly than expected, you might be finished with the dumpster earlier than you anticipated.
If this is true, give the dumpster business a call and they'll probably come pick your container up early; this will allow them to rent it to someone else more immediately. You usually WOn't get a discount on your rate if you ask for early pick-up. Your rental fee includes 7 days (or whatever your term is), whether you use them all or not.
All major credit cards accepted for dumpster rentals in Mountain Pass.


text:
Four suffer minor injuries in Wakulla County collision
Sean Rossman
Democrat staff writer
Four people were injured, including 3 minors, in a collision in Wakulla County earlier this morning.
A Ford Ranger, carrying three children collided with a Chrevrolet 1500 truck, driven by a 17-year-old, on Spring Creek Highway, according to Florida Highway Patrol.
The Ranger, driven by 44-year-old Jimmy Lamar Bennett, was heading north on Spring Creek Highway when the truck attempted a left turn onto the road from Navajo Trail.
Bennett slammed on the brakes and slid 65 feet before hitting the truck, according to FHP/
Bennett was wearing a seatbelt, but his three children were not. He and two of his children, ages 12 and 11, suffered minor injuries. A 9-year-old passenger was not injured. All four were taken to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare.
The driver of the truck was charged with violation of right of way. Bennett was charged with having passengers under the age of 18 not wearing a seatbelt, FHP said.


text:
Healthcare and Medical News for Atlanta Physicians
New Screening Program Aids in Early Detection of Lung Cancer
Piedmont Atlanta Hospital has launched a new lung cancer screening program to improve early detection of the disease, which is the second leading cause of death behind heart disease.
Patients who meet a certain criteria and are deemed "high risk" for lung cancer will be able to participate in the new program, which uses a low-dose CT (computed tomography) screening to detect the disease. Those who are at high risk include people older than 55 years of age who have smoked approximately one pack of cigarettes a day for more than 30 years; those who have smoked two packs a day for 15 years; and those who have smoked three packs a day for 10 years or more.
Also at risk are current or former smokers over 50 years of age with at least a 20-pack year history and at least one additional risk factor (radon exposure, lung disease history, family history of lung cancer, or occupational exposure to known cancer-causing chemicals). Pack years are defined by the number of packs per day multiplied by the number of years a person has smoked.
"The test only takes 30 minutes to complete and the new low-dose CT uses far less radiation," said Saeid Khansarinia, M.D., Piedmont Atlanta. "This new program will help us catch lung cancer at an earlier stage so we have better chances of curing our patients and giving them a fighting chance at life."
A national lung screening trial found that screening with the use of low-dose CT, which is used to find nodules in the lungs, reduces mortality from lung cancer by 20 percent. Since insurance does not typically cover these screenings, Piedmont Atlanta will offer the tests at a discounted rate of $99.
As with many diseases, early detection of lung cancer is key to successful treatment. Screenings such as the new low-dose CT can detect cancer before signs appear. Common symptoms of lung cancer include coughing that lasts, blood in lungs, excessive mucus, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest area pain, tiredness, pneumonia, hoarse voice, pain when swallowing, and high-pitched sound when breathing.
Known risk factors for lung cancer are tobacco smoking, contact with radon, contact with asbestos or other cancer-causing agents, family history of lung cancer, diagnoses of certain other cancers and/or lung disease and contact with second-hand smoke.
Sign up to receive local physician and healthcare news monthly.
Drug Testing in Management of Chronic Pain –…
New Pain Management Laws and Rules in Georgia
Silent Killer: Epidemic of Low Health Literacy Makes…
Dr. Vinod Thourani Named Piedmont's Marcus…
Dr. Charles DeCook Opens New Arthritis & Total…
There are no current or upcoming events.
Copyright © 2021 Sawyer Direct LLC | All Rights Reserved.


The food you eat can cause life threatening diseases. Many people are today shifting to herbs. In this article, we are going to specifically discuss health benefits of ginseng. There are over 50,000 people using ginseng in the world. The main three types of ginseng tea include: the Siberian, American and Asian ginseng tea. All are beneficial for human health.
Ginseng provides numerous health benefits, and today we will be discussing the top 10 benefits.
Ginseng contains chemical compounds called ginsenosides considered to have powerful properties to fight cancer. The herb has been shown to help with cancer fatigue as well. If you are diagnosed with cancer, it is important to seek advice from your health care provider before you start taking ginseng, and be sure if you are a right candidate to use this herb.
Ginseng has the power to boost your immune system, helping you prevent and handle illnesses, diseases, and viruses. In individuals who choose to use it consistently, it also enhances the general immune system function. Drowsiness is a possible complication of ginseng, so using it with the influenza drugs may exacerbate this complication. In such instances, the herb is best taken when you have considerable time to rest properly.
It has been proven that taking ginseng when you first wake up in the morning, three times every week can boost your mental performance. You should start to detect enhanced mental performance after a while. Ginseng can also function as a stimulant, helping your brain cells and improving your attention and thinking skills.
Ginseng plant is popularly known to be an aphrodisiac. The herb contains components that boost the output of nitric oxide in the organs of males. Nitric acid can aid in fighting erectile dysfunction. Studies that had been conducted had shown that men who previously had erectile dysfunction could attain better erection scores and get love satisfaction after eight weeks of taking ginseng.
Ginseng has antidepressant and stress relieving properties that are more effective than drugs used to treat anxiety and depression. In the year 2000, researchers conducted a study at the Institute of Medical Sciences at Banaras Hindu University in India. They found that ginseng stabilizes moods in patients with behavioral disturbances.
This herb contains saponins that stimulate cholesterol and enzymes transportation. Saponins have the ability to reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in the blood while maintaining the good cholesterol. This is according to the National Institute of Health. Therefore, if you have bad cholesterol, ginseng is a safe and proven method to handle your problem.
Another health benefit of consuming ginseng regularly is its ability to improve cardiovascular health by keeping good cholesterol levels and inhibiting platelet aggregation. However, there are clinical studies that had shown that the herb may worsen hypertension condition. Therefore, consult with a physician before you start to take ginseng.
Ginseng is popularly known as an adaptogen which can strengthen the nervous system and relieves fatigue. In a British study conducted on nurses who do shift-work, the herb improved their mood and reduced fatigue. The nurses also performed better on speed tests and coordination. You are recommended to drink one cup of ginseng tea every day to help you fight off possible fatigue.
Studies conducted on American Ginseng had shown that ingestion of ginseng can enhance control of blood glucose by producing sugar lowering effects. The result was discovered in average blood glucose levels. Ginseng helps treat diabetes type 2. However, the long term effects of ginseng are still unknown, so you should take ginseng with the prescriptions of your drugs unless you are supervised by a health care professional.
Ginseng is widely used in energy drinks to boost cognitive alertness. This herbal tea increases overall energy of the body. Therefore, it can help with mental acuity drinks. The Maryland Medical Center, University gave reports that people taking ginseng tea demonstrate increased memory, an improved ability to think abstractly and better concentration.


text:
Home News Furious Putin prepares to use 'father of all bombs' as brave Ukrainians hold up advance: West warns Russia could use terror weapon that vaporizes bodies alongside a massive Amphibious assault as invaders run into fierce resistance in Kyiv
Furious Putin prepares to use 'father of all bombs' as brave Ukrainians hold up advance: West warns Russia could use terror weapon that vaporizes bodies alongside a massive Amphibious assault as invaders run into fierce resistance in Kyiv
Russia could use savage superweapons that vaporize bodies and crush internal organs if their assault of Ukraine becomes bogged down, Western officials warned tonight.
They fear Vladimir Putin could resort to high-power thermobaric weapons - dubbed the 'father of all bombs' - as brave Ukrainians resist his attempts to take control of Kyiv.
There are also concerns that units that are running behind schedule as they encounter stiff opposition could resort to indiscriminate shelling as a terror weapon.
Thermobaric weapons - also known as vacuum bombs - are high-powered explosive that use the atmosphere itself as part of the explosion. They are among the most powerful non-nuclear weapons ever developed.
A thermobaric bomb dropped by the US on Taliban in Afghanistan in 2017 weighed 21,600 pounds and left a crater more than 300 meters (1,000 feet) wide after it exploded six feet above the ground.
Thermobaric weapons were developed by both the U.S. and the Soviet Union in the 1960s. In September 2007, Russia detonated the largest thermobaric weapon ever made, which created an explosion equivalent to 39.9 tons.
The U.S. version of the weapon reportedly costs over $16 million each.
'My fear would be that if they don't meet their timescale and objectives they would be indiscriminate in their use of violence,' the official said. 'They don't adhere to the same principles of necessity and proportionality and rule of law that Western forces do.'
The bomb works by using oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion, making it far deadlier than a conventional weapon.
While Russian special forces have reached the suburbs of Kyiv, the bulk of Russia's heavy armour is believed to be still more than 50km away from the capital.
Western officials have suggested Russia will kill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his ministers if they seize Kyiv. Russia is launching a massive amphibious assault to bring thousands of navy personnel ashore in Ukraine on Friday, as Kyiv puts up a more aggressive defense than Moscow ever expected.
The assault is already underway in Ukraine, and Russian personnel sailed through the Sea of Azov, coming into west of Mariupol, a senior U.S. defence official said. The amphibious assault represents a significant ramping up of the conflict, as the Russian navy has until now played a largely supporting role in the fight.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has staged two amphibious attacks - the other is in Crimea and could land troop sin Odesa.
The U.S. has counted 200 Russian missile attacks so far. While most have been launched toward Ukrainian military installations, some have hit civilian areas.
The senior U.S. defence official said Friday that Russia appears to have lost some of its momentum due to the Ukrainian's fiery resistance.
'We do assess that there is greater resistance by the Ukrainians than the Russians expected,' the official said, adding Ukraine's command and control of its military 'remains intact.'
'They are not moving on Kyiv as fast as what we believe they anticipated they would be able to do. That said, they continue to try to move on Kyiv.'
The official also said several hundred Americans have left Ukraine over the past few hours.
Still, Putin has only mobilized about one-third of the troops he has stationed at the Ukraine border, the official said.
Few expect Ukraine to emerge victorious from what is almost certain to be a prolonged, bloody, and vicious war - but so far, Kyiv's forces have managed to inflict heavy losses on Putin's troops.
Soldiers tasked with defending Kyiv from advancing Russian troops take up positions underneath a highway into the city
Russian troops move towards Ukraine on the road near Armiansk, Crimea, in what appears to be the convoy that a citizen later tried to stop as it drove down a highway
Ukrainian soldiers are pictured forming up across a highway in Kyiv as they prepare to defend the city from Russian attackers, with gunfire and explosions heard in the centre of the capital
A thermobaric bomb explosion during the Caucasus 2016 strategic drills at Opuk range of Russia's Southern Military District
Thermobaric weapons were developed by both the U.S. and the Soviet Union in the 1960s
A thermobaric bomb dropped by the US on Taliban in Afghanistan in 2017 weighed 21,600 pounds and left a crater more than 300 meters (1,000 feet) wide after it exploded six feet above the ground
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said today that Putin's forces had failed to achieve many of their first day objectives. He said Russia had lost more than 450 personnel so far. Ukraine put the figure closer to 800. Neither number has been independently verified.
Western officials also suggested that Russia is avoiding many urban areas in order to avoid being bogged down in street fighting that could create heavy casualties and slow their advance.
Chief of Defence Intelligence Sir Jim Hockenhull said: 'Russian forces continue to advance on two axis towards Kyiv. Their objective is to encircle the capital, to secure control of the population and change the regime.
'Russia continues to conduct strikes across Ukraine. Overnight Russia launched a concerted series of strikes on targets in Kyiv. Multiple Rocket Launchers have been employed in Chernihiv and Kharkiv.
'Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to offer strong resistance, focusing on the defence of key cities throughout Ukraine.'
It came as Boris Johnson said the UK will 'imminently' level personal sanctions against Putin and his foreign minister Sergei Lavrov,.
The Prime Minister told Nato leaders in a virtual meeting tonight that the UK would echo measures announced by the EU to target the Russian leader.
Referring to Mr Putin's wish to recover territory which previously fell under the USSR, he said Russia was 'engaging in a revanchist mission to overturn post-Cold War order'.
Mr Johnson told allies 'the UK would introduce sanctions against President Putin and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov imminently, on top of the sanctions package the UK announced yesterday', according to a No 10 spokesman.
'He warned the group that the Russian president's ambitions might not stop there and that this was a Euro-Atlantic crisis with global consequences,' he said.
Mr Johnson also used the meeting to urge 'immediate action' over the banning of Russia from the Swift payment system to 'inflict maximum pain' on the Kremlin.
Senior Ukrainian officials, considered to be on Putin's 'hit list', have joined the exodus to Poland and are being airlifted to safety by joint British and American special forces, sources have suggested.
The source refused to name who was being rescued but added: 'These are rescue missions.'
But he insisted that President Volodymyr Zelensky and his family were determined to stay with his people.
Ukraine shares a 332-mile-long border with Poland, and it takes around eight hours to drive from Kyiv to Lviv, a distance of around 335 miles.
Lviv is around 50 miles from the frontier with Poland and is expected to become a safe refuge for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the war.
This afternoon a brave Ukrainian citizen was been pictured standing up to Putin's troops by trying to block a Russian military convoy - in scenes reminiscent of Tiananmen Square's 'tank man' blocking Chinese forces in 1989.
Russia is launching a massive amphibious assault to bring thousands of navy personnel ashore in Ukraine on Friday, as Kyiv puts up a more aggressive defense than Moscow ever expected
A brave Ukrainian citizen has been filmed apparently trying to stop a convoy of Russian Tigr-M fighting vehicles - similar to American Humvees - moving along a highway close to Crimea in scenes reminiscent of Tiananmen Square's 'tank man'
Russian soldiers on the amphibious infantry fighting vehicle BMP-2 move towards mainland Ukraine on the road near Armiansk, Crimea
Russian armour is now advancing on Kyiv from the north and east, with US intelligence saying the plan is to besiege the city, capture an airport, and fly in paratroopers who would then attack the capital. The aim would be to capture the government and force them to sign a peace treaty handing control of the country back to Russia or a Russian puppet
Ukrainian soldiers take position on a bridge inside the city of Kyiv, as Russian forces advance into the capital
Day 2: Russian forces are continuing to push out from positions they opened up during the first day of fighting, making gains in Kherson to the south and pushing into Kyiv in the north - but suffering heavy losses and defeats including in Chernihiv in the north, and Sumy and Kharkiv in the east
Ukrainian soldiers take position next to a highway a bridge during an exchange of gunfire inside the city of Kyiv
Ukrainian soldiers take up positions in downtown Kyiv as the prepare to defend the capital from Russian attackers
A Ukrainian soldier sits injured after an exchange of fire with Russian forces inside the capital Kyiv
A Russian vehicle with what appear to be corpses of Russian troops laying nearby is seen on the streets of Kyiv on Friday after fighting broke out in the suburbs
An Ukrainian military medic approaches the bodies of Russian servicemen wearing a Ukrainian army uniforms lying beside and inside a vehicle after they were shot during a skirmish in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv
A Ukrainian tank parked near Kyiv as troops prepare to defend the city from advancing Russian forces
Natali Sevriukova, a resident of Kyiv, is pictured weeping on the streets of Kyiv after a Russian rocket strike destroyed the apartment block where she lives overnight
Military vehicles are seen along a street in Kyiv as the city prepares to defend itself from advancing Russian forces
Ukrainian servicemen stand on patrol at a security checkpoint in the city of Kyiv, Ukraine
Ukrainian servicemen stand on patrol along a bridge in Kyiv
Heroic Ukrainian marine blows himself up with bridge to hold off Russian troops at Crimea
A heroic Ukrainian marine blew himself up along with a bridge in Crimea on Thursday to hold off advancing Russian troops and allow his battalion to regroup and redeploy.
Vitaly Shakun was manning the Henichesk bridge in the Kherson region when Russians advanced.
According to a post on the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine's Facebook page, the battalion decided the only way to stop them was to blow up the bridge. It was mined, and he had no time to get out.
Shakun texted them and told them he was going to blow up the bridge. Seconds later, they heard an explosion, the post said.
His efforts dramatically slowed down the Russian advance and allowed his comrades to regroup and re-deploy.
He is believed to be among the at least 137 people who died on the first day of the war yesterday.
'On this difficult day for our country, when the Ukrainian people are repelling the Russian occupiers in all directions, one of the most difficult places on the map of Ukraine was the Crimean Isthmus, where a separate battalion of marines met one of the first enemies.
'To stop the advance of the tank column, it was decided to blow up the Genichesky road bridge.
Vitaliy Volodymyrovych Skakun, an engineer of a separate battalion, volunteered to perform this task. The bridge was mined, but he did not have time to leave.
'According to the brothers, Vitaliy got in touch and said that he was blowing up the bridge. An explosion was heard immediately. Our brother died.
'His heroic deed significantly slowed the advance of the enemy, which allowed the unit to redeploy and organize the defense,' a translation of the post reads.
The footage, thought to have been filmed in the south of the country close to Crimea, emerged as Russia's military bared down on Kyiv today in an apparent bid to seize the capital and 'decapitate' the government in the hopes of bringing a swift victory for Vladimir Putin.
But Putin's men seemed set to face bloody street-to-street fighting as Ukrainian troops tasked with the city's defence began setting up defensive positions across highways, on bridges and on street corners with gunfire and explosions heard in the centre of the capital. Civilians were also being armed with rifles and Molotov cocktails.
Russian forces were sustaining heavy casualties across the country with Ukraine claiming to have killed 2,800 men - as Putin himself made an appeal to Ukrainian forces to turn on their 'drug-addicted neo-Nazi' leaders or else lay down their arms and go home.
But there seemed little chance of that, as President Zelensky told his men 'you are all we have' as he gave a rousing address to defend the country, called on citizens to travel from elsewhere in Europe to join the battle, and hit out at the West for leaving him to face down the might of Russia 'alone'.
Ukrainian troops were using armoured vehicles and snowploughs to defend Kyiv and limit movement, and said Russian spies were seeking to infiltrate the city. A truck was pictured riddled with bullets and bodies scattered around it, with Ukraine saying the men were Russian 'saboteurs' dressed in Ukrainian uniforms that it had killed.
Meanwhile Russia's military said it had seized a strategic airport outside Kyiv in what would be a hammer blow to the defence. It is thought the plan is to use one of the city's airports to fly in tens of thousands of reinforcements. Ukrainian forces did not mention an airport being captured, but Zelensky said fighting had restarted around Gostomel - a key airport where battles raged throughout the day on Thursday.
Russia claimed to have already cut the city off from the west - the direction most of those escaping the invasion are heading in - with lines of cars snaking towards the Polish border.
Intense fire broke out on a bridge across the Dnieper River dividing the eastern and western sides of Kyiv, with about 200 Ukrainian forces establishing defensive positions and taking shelter behind their armoured vehicles and later under the bridge.
The Russian troops are thought to have arrived from the north-west, having pushed down from Chernobyl which was captured late yesterday. More Russian troops and armour are advancing on the capital from Konotop, in the east, having bypassed the city of Chernihiv where they ran into heavy Ukrainian resistance.
Anton Herashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister, said today will be the war's 'hardest day'.
Once Kyiv is surrounded, US intelligence believes the plan will be for Russian special forces to move in and seize an airport - likely Sikorsky or Boryspil - which would then be used to fly in a much larger force of up to 10,000 paratroopers who would assault the capital.
The job of the paratroopers would be to enter the city, find Zelensky, his ministers, and parliamentarians, before forcing them to sign a peace deal handing control of the country back to Russia or a Moscow-backed puppet regime - effectively ending the war without Putin's ground forces needing to complete the difficult and bloody task of seizing and occupying the whole country.
It appears the Russians almost pulled off the plan on the first day of the invasion when 20 attack helicopters landed a crack team of troops at Antonov Airport, 15 miles to the north of Kyiv. But Ukrainian national guard units managed to retake the landing strip overnight after heavy fighting, scattering the surviving Russian attackers into the surrounding countryside.
A Russian attack on the capital would likely be coordinated with a push by troops on southern and eastern fronts - Crimea and Donbass - aimed at pinning down Ukrainian armed forces so they cannot retreat and reinforce the city, officials told author Michael Weiss.
It may also be accompanied by bombing raids and sabotage attacks on power grids and infrastructure to sow panic and force people to flee, snarling up roads and making it difficult for forces already in Kyiv to move around.
Zelensky pleaded with Moscow to hold talks, and with western powers to act faster to cut off Russia's economy and provide military help.
'When bombs fall on Kyiv, it happens in Europe, not just in Ukraine,' he said. 'When missiles kill our people, they kill all Europeans.' His whereabouts were kept secret.
He also offered to negotiate on one of Mr Putin's key demands: that Ukraine declare itself neutral and abandon its ambition of joining Nato.
The Russian president's spokesman said the Kremlin could consider the idea, but foreign minister Sergey Lavrov suggested it may be too late, saying Mr Zelensky had 'missed the opportunity' to discuss a non-aligned status for Ukraine when Mr Putin previously proposed it.
Firemen pick their way through the rubble of a destroyed apartment in Kyiv, as President Zelensky said the Russian military is now targeting civilian areas
A woman with a backpack walks in front of a damaged residential building at Koshytsa Street, a suburb of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv where a military shell struck
A man dressed in camouflage takes a picture of a crater where a Russian rocket landed, destroying part of an apartment block in Kyiv which is now under heavy attack
Ukrainian defenders have blown up several bridges leading into the capital in an attempt to slow the Russian advance
Widespread damage is seen to apartment in Kyiv, Ukraine, with a Russian assault on the capital expected to take place today
Natali Sevriukova breaks down in tears as she stands in front of the ruins of her Kyiv apartment in the early hours of Friday
Ukraine claimed to have shot down a Russian jet over the outskirts of Kyiv overnight, with wreckage falling on a house and leaving several people injured
A woman walks around the wreckage of an unidentified aircraft that crashed into a house in a residential area
The wreckage of an unidentified aircraft is seen on the outskirts of Kyiv, having been shot down and crashed into a houseUkraine's armed forces claimed to have shot down a Russian jet over the outskirts of the city, with flaming wreckage seen falling from the sky, as Zelensky gave a national address, saying Russia has identified him as 'target number 1' of the invasion but he and his family were remaining in the city.
He said invading Russian forces are targeting civilian areas, praising his countrymen for their 'heroism' and assuring them that the armed forces are doing 'everything possible' to protect them.
'They say that civilian objects are not a target for them. But this is another lie of theirs. In reality, they do not distinguish between areas in which they operate,' Zelensky said in a video.
'Ukrainian air defence systems are defending our skies,' he said. 'Ukrainians are demonstrating heroism'. 'All our forces are doing everything possible' to protect people, he added.
The Ukrainian leader called on people to show 'solidarity' and help the elderly find shelter and 'access to real information.' Zelensky also said that Russia will have to eventually talk to Kyiv to end their war.
'Russia will have to talk to us sooner or later. Talk about how to end the fighting and stop this invasion. The sooner the conversation begins, the less losses there will be for Russia itself,' he said.
Switching into Russian in his address, Zelensky acknowledged Russian street protests against Vladimir Putin's attack on Ukraine that ended with mass arrests Thursday.
'To the citizens of the Russian Federation that are coming out to protest, we see you. And this means that you have heard us. This means that you believe us. Fight for us. Fight against war.'
Russian police detained more than 1,700 people at anti-war protests across dozens of cities Thursday night.
Zelensky said the government had information that 'subversive groups' were encroaching on the city, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Kyiv 'could well be under siege' in what U.S. officials believe is a brazen attempt by Putin to dismantle the government and install his own regime.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told lawmakers on a phone call that Russian mechanized forces that entered from Belarus were about 20 miles from Kyiv, according to a person familiar with the call.
The assault, anticipated for weeks by the U.S. and Western allies and undertaken by Putin in the face of international condemnation and cascading sanctions, amounts to the largest ground war in Europe since World War II.
Russian missiles bombarded cities and military bases in the first day of the attack, and Ukraine officials said they had lost control of the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear power plant, scene of the world's worst nuclear disaster. Civilians piled into trains and cars to flee.
As explosions sounded in Kyiv early Friday, guests of a hotel were directed to a makeshift basement shelter. Air raid sirens also went off.
'Russia has embarked on a path of evil, but Ukraine is defending itself and won't give up its freedom,' Zelenskyy tweeted. His grasp on power increasingly tenuous, he called Thursday for even more severe sanctions than the ones imposed by Western allies and ordered a full military mobilization that would last 90 days.
Zelenskyy said in a video address that 137 'heroes,' including 10 military officers, had been killed and 316 people wounded. The dead included border guards on the Zmiinyi Island in the Odesa region, which was taken over by Russians.
He concluded an emotional speech by saying that 'the fate of the country depends fully on our army, security forces, all of our defenders.' He also said the country had heard from Moscow that 'they want to talk about Ukraine's neutral status.'
Biden was to meet Friday morning with fellow leaders of NATO governments in what the White House described as an 'extraordinary virtual summit' to discuss Ukraine.U.S. President Joe Biden announced new sanctions against Russia, saying Putin 'chose this war' and had exhibited a 'sinister' view of the world in which nations take what they want by force. Other nations also announced sanctions, or said they would shortly.
'It was always about naked aggression, about Putin's desire for empire by any means necessary - by bullying Russia's neighbors through coercion and corruption, by changing borders by force, and, ultimately, by choosing a war without a cause,' Biden said.
Blinken said in television interviews that he was convinced that Russia was intent on overthrowing the Ukrainian government, telling CBS that Putin wants to 'reconstitute the Soviet empire' and that Kyiv was already 'under threat, and it could well be under siege.'
Fearing a Russian attack on the capital city, thousands of people went deep underground as night fell, jamming Kyiv's subway stations.
At times it felt almost cheerful. Families ate dinner. Children played. Adults chatted. People brought sleeping bags or dogs or crossword puzzles - anything to alleviate the waiting and the long night ahead.
But the exhaustion was clear on many faces. And the worries.
'Nobody believed that this war would start and that they would take Kyiv directly,' said Anton Mironov, waiting out the night in one of the old Soviet metro stations. 'I feel mostly fatigue. None of it feels real.'
The invasion began early Thursday with a series of missile strikes, many on key government and military installations, quickly followed by a three-pronged ground assault. Ukrainian and U.S. officials said Russian forces were attacking from the east toward Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city; from the southern region of Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014; and from Belarus to the north.
The Ukrainian military on Friday reported significant fighting in the area of Ivankiv, about 60 kilometers (40 miles) northwest of Kyiv, as Russian forces apparently tried to advance on the capital from the north. It said one bridge across a small river had been destroyed.
'The hardest day will be today. The enemy's plan is to break through with tank columns from the side of Ivankiv and Chernihiv to Kyiv. Russian tanks burn perfectly when hit by our ATGMs (anti-tank guided missiles),' Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said on Telegram.
Zelenskyy, who had earlier cut diplomatic ties with Moscow and declared martial law, appealed to global leaders, saying that 'if you don't help us now, if you fail to offer a powerful assistance to Ukraine, tomorrow the war will knock on your door.'
Though Biden said he had no plans to speak with Putin, the Russian leader did have what the Kremlin described as a 'serious and frank exchange' with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Russia sanctioned by the world: How world leaders putting the financial thumbscrews on Putin
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has prompted a wave of sanctions as global leaders seek to ramp up pressure on the Kremlin and punish 'blood-stained aggressor' Vladimir Putin, in the words of Boris Johnson.
The United States, Britain, Japan, Canada, Australia and the European Union have unveiled more sanctions on Moscow on top of penalties earlier this week, including a move by Germany to halt a gas pipeline from Russia.
In the UK, the Prime Minister announced the 'largest and most severe' package of sanctions Russia has ever faced including measures to hit five further oligarchs, including the Russian president's former son-in-law.
Britain will also target more than 100 businesses and individuals, and Mr Johnson said he was sanctioning 'all the major manufacturers that support Putin's war machine' and will freeze the assets of all major Russian banks.
Mr Johnson also imposed a ban on Aeroflot flights, but Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsiya reacted hours later by saying all flights by UK carriers to Russia as well as transit flights had been banned from today.
Elsewhere, US President Joe Biden delivered further measures to target Russian banks, oligarchs and high-tech sectors, while the EU unveiled its own new package including financial, energy and technological sanctions.
Russia is one of the world's biggest energy producers, and both it and Ukraine are among the top exporters of grain - with war and sanctions expected to disrupt economies around the world. Oil prices are soaring and stock markets have dropped as investors brace for the impact of trade bans on major crude exporter Russia.
But India, which has close ties with Moscow and is a major purchaser of Russian weapons, has refrained from joining the sanctions - and China is also not imposing sanctions, saying they have never resolved any problems.
Meanwhile the Daily Telegraph reported that Italian prime minister Mario Draghi successfully lobbied for Italian luxury goods to be left out of the EU's package of economic sanctions against Russia. One source told the newspaper: 'Apparently selling Gucci loafers to oligarchs is more of a priority than hitting back at Putin.'
As Russia's military closed in on Kyiv today, here are some of the sanctions heaped on Moscow so far:
Ukraine crisis: Projectiles are seen falling from the sky over Kyiv
Ukraine crisis: Moment air raid sirens go off in both Kyiv and Lviv
Wreckage of bridge over Dnieper River that was blown up close to Kyiv
Fiery wreckage falls over Kyiv after jet is shot down
The sound of shooting rings through the streets in North Kyiv
Ukraine crisis: Gunfire rings out in the Obolon district in Kyiv
Ukrainians are given rifles and ammunition on the streets of Kyiv
US drops 'Mother Of All Bombs' on Islamic State cave system in Afghanistan
Furious Putin prepares to use 'father of all bombs' as brave Ukrainians hold up advance: West warns Russia could use terror weapon that vaporizes bodies alongside a massive Amphibious assault as invaders run into fierce resistance in Kyiv Reviewed by free heip on February 26, 2022 Rating: 5


text:
Judge Dredd Dredd Vs Death
Welcome to Mega-City One, a city of over 400 million people - every one of them a potential criminal. It is the third decade of the 22nd Century, unemployment is widespread, boredom is universal and only the Judges can prevent total anarchy. Empowered to dispense instant justice, they are Judge, Jury and Executioner all in one. The most feared and respected of all the Judges is you, Judge Dredd.
Patrol the streets and mete out instant justice wherever it is needed. The Psi-Judges are predicting a terrible plague – is this the sudden outbreak of Vampires on the city, and are they the work of the malevolent Dark Judges?
JUDGE, JURY and EXECUTIONER it's your choice to shoot to kill, or disarm and arrest
Two-player co-operative play throughout the entirety of the immersive storyline
Intense LAN action for up to 32 players
Customisable multiplayer games with enemy bots
Choose from over 60 characters for insane mayhem!
Operating system: Windows XP / Vista
Processor: Intel Pentium III or AMD Athlon 700MHz computer or equivalent
Hard disk space: 1.5GB free hard disk space
Video: 32MB graphics card that supports Transform and Lighting: E.g. GeForce 1, ATI Radeon 7500 or better
Sound: Windows compatible sound card
© 2003 Rebellion. The Rebellion logo, 2000AD logo, Judge Dread and associated characters, objects and locations are trademarks or registered trademarks of Rebellion A/S in the U.S. and/or other countries. All rights reserved. Developed by Rebellion. This product contains software technology licensed from GameSpy Industries, Inc. © 1999-2002 GameSpy Industries, Inc. All rights reserved. Uses Bink Video. Copyright © 1997-2003 by RAD Game Tools, Inc.


text:
<?php

	Class extension_order_entries extends Extension{

		protected $active_field;

		public function about(){
			return array('name' => 'Order Entries',
						 'version' => '1.6',
						 'release-date' => '2009-06-28',
						 'author' => array('name' => 'Nick Dunn',
										   'website' => 'http://airlock.com',
										   'email' => 'nick.dunn@airlock.com')
				 		);
		}

		public function getSubscribedDelegates(){
			return array(
						array(
							'page' => '/backend/',
							'delegate' => 'InitaliseAdminPageHead',
							'callback' => 'appendScriptToHead'
						),
						array(
							'page' => '/backend/',
							'delegate' => 'AppendElementBelowView',
							'callback' => 'appendOrderFieldId'
						),
			);
		}

		public function appendScriptToHead($context){
			$this->activeOrderField();
			if ($this->active_field) {
				Administration::instance()->Page->addScriptToHead(URL . '/extensions/order_entries/assets/order.js', 80);
				$this->_Parent->Configuration->set("pagination_maximum_rows", 99999, "symphony");
			}
		}

		public function appendOrderFieldId($context){
			if ($this->active_field) {
				$span = new XMLElement("span", $this->active_field["id"]);
				$span->setAttribute("id", "order_number_field");
				$span->setAttribute("class", $this->active_field["force_sort"]);
				$span->setAttribute("style", "display:none;");
				$context["parent"]->Page->Form->appendChild($span);
			}
		}

		private function activeOrderField() {
			if(isset(Administration::instance()->Page->_context['section_handle']) && Administration::instance()->Page->_context['page'] == 'index'){

				// find sort settings for this section (sort field ID and direction)
				$section_handle = Administration::instance()->Page->_context['section_handle'];
				$section = $this->_Parent->Database->fetchRow(0, "SELECT entry_order, entry_order_direction FROM tbl_sections WHERE handle='$section_handle'");

				// only apply sorting if ascending and entry_order is an Order Entries field
				if ($section['entry_order_direction'] != 'asc' || !is_numeric($section['entry_order'])) return;

				$field = $this->_Parent->Database->fetchRow(0, "SELECT field_id as `id`, force_sort FROM tbl_fields_order_entries WHERE field_id=" . $section['entry_order']);

				$this->active_field = $field;
			}
		}

		public function uninstall(){
			$this->_Parent->Database->query("DROP TABLE `tbl_fields_order_entries`");
		}

		public function update($previousVersion){
			if(version_compare($previousVersion, '1.6', '<')){
				$this->_Parent->Database->query("ALTER TABLE `tbl_fields_order_entries` ADD `force_sort` enum('yes','no') DEFAULT 'no'");
			}
			return true;
		}

		public function install(){
			return $this->_Parent->Database->query("CREATE TABLE `tbl_fields_order_entries` (
			  `id` int(11) unsigned NOT NULL auto_increment,
			  `field_id` int(11) unsigned NOT NULL,
			  `force_sort` enum('yes','no') default 'no',
			  PRIMARY KEY  (`id`),
			  UNIQUE KEY `field_id` (`field_id`)
			) TYPE=MyISAM");
		}

	}

?>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Flavor: Chilies add kick to pickled veggies
Pickles can be kept in refrigerator up to a year
Linda A. Thompson-Ditch
As more and more produce shows up in gardens and at farmers markets, now is a good time to give pickling a try. This method of food preservation can be used with cucumbers, as well as many other vegetables and fruits. The results are a great way to liven up a meal year round.
There are two styles of pickle making — refrigerator and processed, also known as canned. Refrigerator pickles are the easiest, because it's just a matter of putting the ingredients together and then storing the pickles in the fridge until ready to use.
Processed pickles require sterilized jars and then boiling the filled jars in water to seal. Canning pickles is time-consuming, but the resulting jars can be stored in the pantry for a year.
My first memories of homemade pickles are of my Mamaw making jars in her Missouri farmhouse kitchen. I have a card from her recipe file from 1971 that lists all the pickles she made that summer, including 40 pints of dill pickles and 12 of lime pickles (named not for the citrus fruit, but because the cucumbers were soaked in lime and the pickles were a bright green color.)
Many of Mamaw's old recipes called for lime, alum, pickling salt and pickling spices. Thank goodness today's modern recipes use ingredients often found in the home pantry. Some recipes do call for pickling salt and pickling spices. These items are usually found alongside the jars, lids, rings and other canning products.
Vinegar is the key to pickle making. This acid not only gives pickles their zing, but it's also important for safe preservation. Most recipes call for white distilled vinegar (often labeled pickling vinegar) with 5-percent acidity.
Salt is another common ingredient, although thanks to the vinegar, it isn't as important to the preservation of the pickles. Use the type of salt called for in the recipe. Don't use table salt or iodized salt, since it can make the brine cloudy and change the color of the pickle. Use pickling salt instead.
Some recipes call for kosher salt, which works well. However, don't try to substitute pickling salt for kosher salt. The salts don't measure equally because kosher salt has larger crystals.
When making pickles, follow the recipe exactly, especially when processing. Any changes, especially in the type of vinegar, could throw off the acidity level, which would jeopardize the safety of the pickles. If you want to experiment with the ingredients, store those pickles in the refrigerator, where the acid amount isn't as critical.
For my first try at making pickles, I chose giardiniera, an Italian mix of pickled veggies. I adapted a recipe from "The America's Test Kitchen D.I.Y. Cookbook" by the editors at America's Test Kitchen. The original recipe called for a red bell pepper. Because I'm not a fan of this veggie, I left it out and used an extra carrot instead.
Makes 4 1-pint jars
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch florets
4 carrots, sliced 1/4-inch thick on an angle
3 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 serrano chilies, stemmed and thinly sliced
23/4 cups distilled white vinegar
21/4 cups water
1/4 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Wash 4 1-pint jars in warm, soapy water or the dishwasher. Also wash the screw bands by hand. In a large pot or canner, place the jars without lids on a rack so they don't touch the bottom. If you don't have a rack, place the rings on the bottom and set the jars on top. Fill with water to 2 inches above the jars. Cover and heat to boiling, and then boil for 10 minutes. After that time, turn heat to low and keep the jars in the water until needed.
Place the flat canning lids in a saucepan off the heat and pour some of the liquid from the boiling pot over the top to cover. This will soften the rubber to help the lids seal.
In a large bowl, toss together the cauliflower, carrots, celery and chilies. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, heat the vinegar, water, sugar and salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic cloves, remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Remove the garlic cloves and bring the mixture back to a boil.
Remove the jars from the hot water and turn up the heat to bring the canner water back to a boil. Working with one jar at a time, pack with the vegetable mixture to the neck of the jar. Pour the boiling vinegar mixture over the vegetables until completely covered, leaving 1/2-inch headspace from the top. Run a small rubber spatula, plastic knife or bamboo skewer between the jar and the food, pressing toward the center, to release any air bubbles.
Wipe the rim with a damp cloth. Remove a flat lid from the warm water and place on top of the jar. Screw on a ring. Continue until the remaining jars are filled.
When the water in the canner is boiling, gently place the jars inside, making sure they don't touch each other or the outside of the canner. Make sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 to 2 inches. Cover, bring the water back to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, and remove the canner lid. Allow the jars to remain in the hot water for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove the jars from the canner and place on a dry towel to cool completely, leaving 1 to 2 inches of space between the jars. You will hear the lids start to pop as they seal, but it may take some time. Let the jars cool 12 to 24 hours before checking the seal. If the ring band has loosened during processing, don't tighten. This could interfere with the sealing process.
To check the seal on the cooled jars, press on the lid. If it springs back, the jar isn't sealed. Also remove the ring and try to lift the lid with your fingertips. If it stays tight, the seal is good. If after 24 hours a jar doesn't seal, just store the unsealed jar in the refrigerator and enjoy it first. Also refrigerate any jar after it's opened.
The vegetables will be tender and flavorful in a week, though you can eat them right away if you can't wait. Store the sealed jar in the pantry for up to a year.
Jobs Cars Homes Classifieds Pay Your Ad Bill Reviewed.com 10Best Reach Local
© 2022 www.cjonline.com. All rights reserved.


text:
Q: Creating a Starry Background in CSS I am making a solar system website in pure code with no images used. The problem is that I can't figure out how to get stars in the background. I'm trying to get something like a yellow spread-out polka dot pattern on a black background. This is my code (repeat div and styling for every other planet).

html,
body {
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  background-color: black;
}
#sun {
  position: absolute;
  top: 50%;
  left: 50%;
  height: 200px;
  width: 200px;
  margin-top: -100px;
  margin-left: -100px;
  border-color: orange;
  border-width: 2px;
  border-style: solid;
  border-radius: 50%;
  box-shadow: 0 0 64px yellow;
  background-color: yellow;
}
#mercury {
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  left: 50%;
  height: 10px;
  width: 10px;
  margin-left: -5px;
  margin-top: -5px;
  border-radius: 50%;
  background-color: #ffd9b3;
}
#mercury-orbit {
  position: absolute;
  top: 50%;
  left: 50%;
  width: 260px;
  height: 260px;
  margin-top: -130px;
  margin-left: -130px;
  border-width: 2px;
  border-style: dotted;
  border-color: white;
  border-radius: 50%;
  -webkit-animation: spin-right 22s linear infinite;
  -moz-animation: spin-right 22s linear infinite;
  -ms-animation: spin-right 22s linear infinite;
  -o-animation: spin-right 22s linear infinite;
  animation: spin-right 22s linear infinite;
}
@-webkit-keyframes spin-right {
  100% {
    -webkit-transform: rotate(360deg);
    -moz-transform: rotate(360deg);
    -ms-transform: rotate(360deg);
    -o-transform: rotate(360deg);
    transform: rotate(360deg);
  }
}
@keyframes spin-right {
  100% {
    -webkit-transform: rotate(360deg);
    -moz-transform: rotate(360deg);
    -ms-transform: rotate(360deg);
    -o-transform: rotate(360deg);
    transform: rotate(360deg);
  }
}

A: From this, a nice starry night.
background-color:black;
background-image:
radial-gradient(white, rgba(255,255,255,.2) 2px, transparent 40px),
radial-gradient(white, rgba(255,255,255,.15) 1px, transparent 30px),
radial-gradient(white, rgba(255,255,255,.1) 2px, transparent 40px),
radial-gradient(rgba(255,255,255,.4), rgba(255,255,255,.1) 2px, transparent 30px);
background-size: 550px 550px, 350px 350px, 250px 250px, 150px 150px;
background-position: 0 0, 40px 60px, 130px 270px, 70px 100px;

A: I found a pure CSS solution thanks to this code pen.  This would make your website look like this - unfortunately I can't copy-paste the entire CSS in, as it's far too long (over 40,000 characters and StackOverflow only permits me to paste 30,000 for a code snippet). The original code was generated with SASS, and compiled, it's ridiculously long.

The SASS code generating these stars:
// n is number of stars required
@function multiple-box-shadow ($n)
  $value: '#{random(2000)}px #{random(2000)}px #FFF'
  @for $i from 2 through $n
    $value: '#{$value} , #{random(2000)}px #{random(2000)}px #FFF'

  @return unquote($value)

$shadows-small:  multiple-box-shadow(700)
$shadows-medium: multiple-box-shadow(200)
$shadows-big:    multiple-box-shadow(100)

#stars
  width: 1px
  height: 1px
  background: transparent
  box-shadow: $shadows-small

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Demi Lovato to tackle past traumas in her new documentary Dancing with the Devil
Pop star Demi Lovato has taken to social media to announce the free release of her documentary series Dancing with the Devil
Lewis Knight
Demi Lovato to tackle past traumas in her new documentary Dancing with the Devil (Image: Twitter)
Demi Lovato has announced details of her upcoming tell-all documentary Dancing with the Devil.
The Camp Rock legend, 28, will be releasing the YouTube Originals documentary series in March and address some of her recent troubles.
Demi tweeted: "There has been so much that I've wanted to say, but knew I had to say it right. DEMI LOVATO: DANCING WITH THE DEVIL will be streaming free on @YouTube starting March 23rd [hearts emoji]".
She added: "Thank you to my family, friends, and fans for staying by my side over the years as I learn and grow.
"I'm so excited to finally share this story with you that I've held on to for the last 2 years. #DemiDWTD coming soon!"
Demi Lovato has announced the release of a new enlightening documentary that will see her address past traumas (Image: Twitter)
The press release for the series describes it as "an honest look back at some of the most trying times in Lovato's life as she unearths her prior traumas and discovers the importance of her physical, emotional, and mental health."
These traumas likely refer to Lovato's near-fatal overdose back in 2018.
Demi went on to speak out on World Suicide Prevention Day in September last year.
Demi Lovato has spoken of her excitement to share her new documentary on social media (Image: Twitter)
The Cool for the Summer singer said: "Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. Since a young age I've dealt with suicidal thoughts and depression.
"I've been very vocal in raising the awareness of mental health because it is possible to see the light when you start the work on yourself."
She added: "I'm living proof that you never have to give in to those thoughts.
"I've had many days where I've struggled but please let this song be an anthem to anyone who needs it right now. You can get through whatever it is you're going through."
Demi Lovato previously spoke out on World Suicide Prevention Day last year (Image: ddlovato/Instagram)
Demi signed off: "My hope is that you'll read these slides and share them with your friends and family.
"Take care of yourself, and listen to your loved ones. Remember, It's Ok Not To Be Ok."
The singer also released a song entitled OK Not To Be OK last year.
* Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you're feeling, or if you're worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org
RTE's Ryan Tubridy gives his honest opinion on Ireland's leaders after listener's Leo Varadkar story
Ryan TubridyThe texter said they were aware that the former Taoiseach 'hated' small talk
Love Island star Arabella Chi was told her bum was 'too big' for fashion modelling
Arabella ChiLove Island star Arabella Chi has revealed that several modelling agents told her that her bum was 'too big'. However, the reality star has learned to embrace her curves
'Grim-faced' Melania gives Donald Trump a wide berth as 'gloves come off' in election
Melania TrumpEXCLUSIVE - Body language expert Judi James has given her verdict on First Lady Melania Trump's 'grim' demeanour as she watched her husband President Donald Trump falsely claim victory in the US election during his extraordinary speech


text:
Body positivity has hit the mainstream. Now what?
Jaleesa M. Jones
Body positivity is going mainstream.
On Wednesday, New Zealand-based design house Lonely shared the latest shoot for its Lonely Girls Project, an ongoing portrait series dedicated to challenging objectification in traditional media. The shoot features nine untouched photos of women, including trans model Aurel Haize Odogbo, ballerina Anna Collins and plus-size model Paloma Elsesser. At the top of the year, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit unveiled plus-size model Ashley Graham's historic cover. This summer, JCPenney had its #HereIAm ad campaign, devoted to fat acceptance. And this fall, curve model-blogger Clémentine Desseaux and model Charli Howard garnered 2.7 million Facebook views for their All Woman Project, an inclusive photo-video initiative geared toward "empowering young women and letting them know they are fine the way they are," according to Howard.
And body positivity is slowly extending beyond advertising and modeling into pop culture.
Actress-comedian Nicole Byer says she "used to go out for things that were just, like, 'so fat that she miraculously (expletive) somebody and it's crazy.' And in scripts, it would be like, '32. Built like a linebacker.'"
Now the comedian helms MTV shows Ladylike and Loosely Exactly Nicole, where she's behind — not the crux of — the jokes.
'Loosely Exactly Nicole' star Nicole Byer on early auditions: I was asked to 'be as black as possible'
The talent behind Amazon's Transparent has also reflected on the changing tide. "Prior to Transparent, I wasn't out in the industry," actress Trace Lysette (who plays Shea on the show) told Vulture in September. "I learned to compartmentalize my life. I booked jobs as what we call 'stealth' — I didn't disclose being trans, and I didn't feel fulfilled."
But after Transparent premiered, as producer Rhys Ernst explains, "it was like a dam that broke. And it was long overdue. It's not that this movement didn't already exist, but it was very much quieted beneath the surface."
But is this current wave of inclusion the end of the conversation?
The rise of initiatives like the All Woman Project suggests we're headed in the right direction, says Tracey "Africa" Norman, the U.S.'s first black transgender model.
The trailblazer, best remembered for gracing one of Clairol's hottest-selling hair color boxes, still recalls when she was outed in 1980, a violation that effectively ended her modeling career... until now.
Norman has since made a return as one of the first trans women to cover Harper's Bazaar India alongside fellow trans model and advocate Geena Rocero and as the new face of the Clairol Nice n' Easy "Color As Real As You Are" campaign, a revival she still can't believe. "Coming from the '70s and '80s where there was so much hatred for me and the trans community itself and now being embraced as a pioneer, being hired by a huge company — where I'm allowed me to be my true self and don't have to worry about being fired — is really overwhelming."
But to some, body positivity is just a small step toward eventually embracing body neutrality, where bodies are accepted as-is without a positive or negative focus.
"I describe it as a double-edge sword," says Catherine Walker, a visiting assistant professor at Union College. "I think that the body positive movement is better representing what we actually look like in terms of age, size, race, ethnicity, so it's an improvement on where we've come from. But we're still glamorizing bodies."
Connie Sobczak, co-founder of The Body Positive, a national organization dedicated to providing resources and programming to end negative body image, agrees we need to go further.
Sobczak, whose work was inspired by her and her late sister Stephanie's struggles with body image and eating disorders, says she has watched the body positive movement take on a life of its own since she and co-founder Elizabeth Scott launched The Body Positive in 1996. Her concern is that its focus may be reductive. "We need to focus on beauty as the totality of a human being — internal and external — and how that's expressed in the world."
But Ravneet Vohra says we can't move forward until we validate all bodies.
"Until you make these faces, these bodies, until we make them the norm, how are we going to move forward as a society?" asks the founder of Wear Your Voice Magazine and creator of #BeyondBeauty, an initiative which featured 18 women of different sizes, races, abilities and gender expression and was viewed more than 3 million times on Twitter in its first week.
"We have to make different sizes, races, sexualities, a part of our everyday visuals," she said. "Because they're on the street, they're right in front of us. It's possible to add to the conversation but we have to keep having the dialogue and we have to smack people over the head with it until they really get with it."
Jillian Mercado, a model with spastic muscular dystrophy who has appeared in campaigns for Diesel Jeans, Target and lingerie company Thistle & Spire and made headlines after starring in merchandise ads for Beyoncé's Formation tour, agrees.
"I see very minor changes here and there with diversity and inclusion but we are by no means even close to the ideal work of all bodies and types of people being normalized in this industry," she says. "Take a look at all of the runways, magazine covers, and editorials from the past month and it will support that statement."
And the only way to normalize all bodies — to the point that their presence in media "doesn't even have to make headlines"— is to increase the visibility of them, Mercado says.
Bryan Karazsia, assistant professor of psychology at the College of Wooster, backs this sentiment.
Along with his colleagues, Karazsia recently presented findings from a meta-analysis of more than 250 studies spanning 31 years and representing 100,228 participants, which showed that body dissatisfaction among women was at an all-time low — a point which he partially attributes to the body positivity movement.
"In an appearance-driven world, (body positivity) is offering an alternative: diversity. Is this the end of the conversation? Does it end here? Absolutely not. This is just a start. But my hope with this body positive movement is that in decentralizing the emphasis on one particular ideal body and appreciating all bodies, in the long-term, it'll help us get away from the emphasis on bodies."