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Pat Devin
about consulting on the movie: "The Craft"
interview by Douglas Eby
Pat Devin is a High Priestess and Public Information Officer of Covenant of the Goddess and an elder Priestess of the Dianic Feminist Separatist Tradition.
Asked about how authentic and truthful were the depictions of witchcraft in the movie "The Craft" Devin notes "It's a motion picture; it's not a documentary, and I did what I could from my end, keeping in mind that the movie deals with four young women who begin to play with magic, and essentially create their own deity. They are not practicing the religion of Wicca. It's sort of 'Girls just want to have fun' - girls just want to play with magic.
"This is very common with young women, and probably has been since there have been young women. It's like, 'If I light a red candle, will he love me?' - that kind of folk magic. Some of the practices that are shown in the movie are actually, in that sense, fairly authentic, and I created some reasonable sounding chants.
The movie included a number of elements for dramatic effect: "They're levitating and doing all kinds of things," Devin notes. "Much, much more interesting than the average Wiccan circle, I might add, where people generally don't levitate or cast balls of lightning around, or have a hundred and fifty million snakes in the room.
"Reality tends to be a little tamer. The highest drama you tend to run into in an average Wiccan circle would be like who gets the last piece of chicken at the feast."
One of the things that moved her about the script, Devin says, was "the fact a number of young women do become involved with magic in a search for a sense of control or power in their life.
"When I was sixteen, I was reading Sybil Leek (this was back in the 60s) and experimenting, so it's not just this generation. Look what happened in Salem with the young girls doing fortune telling. It was the same thing. Young women have, I think, a particular propensity, especially for charms to attract the love of their life; that just seems to be a real big theme in young adolescent girls.
"We used to do a skip-rope when I was about ten years old that went 'Gypsy, gypsy please tell me, who my true love's going to be.' It all ties in to that, and lighting red candles because you love the boy down the hall."
One of the actors in the film, Robin Tunney, commented to Devin, "I notice we don't talk about the Goddess in this script at all." Devin says that a major aspect of the religion of Wicca, one of the things that sets it apart, is the focus on the Goddess, but in the movie the girls have created their own deity, whom they call Manon.
"Did you see [the movie] 'Manon of the Spring?' Devin asks. "I kept joking they were invoking the spirit of a vengeful blond French girl. It turned out the screenwriter got the name from that movie. We intentionally decided to stay away from what I would call a 'real' deity like Kali, or Hecate, because I did not feel it was appropriate to invoke a potentially living deity for the amusement of the masses.
"And I don't want a bunch of teenagers invoking Hecate when they don't know what they're doing. It's disrespectful and believe me if she shows up and you don't know what to do, you don't want her there."
Robin Tunney had wanted a Goddess chant for a scene, so Devin wrote a chant that, she recalls, went something like "Goddess of healing, let it begin, beauty of spirit, beauty of skin, beauty without, beauty within, Goddess of healing, let it begin."
One of the basic tenets of Wicca, Devin explains, is the "law of threefold return, which is that what you send out you get back three times over. If you think Karma is bad, wait till you start playing with magic if you don' know what you're doing. How often in a movie script do you even hear there is an ethic to magic?"
A "fair number" of people interested in Wicca and related topics write in science fiction and fantasy. "Marian Zimmer Bradley goes to all the pagan conferences and hangs out with us all the time," Devin notes. "She just doesn't like being called 'witch.'
She also mentions another group of highly talented people interested in Earth religions: "I remember reading an article where they estimated there were something like 30,000 technopagans working in Silicon Valley," Devin says.
The Film Board of Canada produced a documentary on Wicca a few years ago called "The Burning Times" which was, Devin says, "a historical piece. It makes me cry to see it. Several years ago there was a film that was also historical as opposed to what you see now in entertainment films - a french movie called "Sorceress" - it came around 1990.
"Most movies coming out of Hollywood tend to be pretty sensationalistic. It's much more amusing, if you're Disney, to have witches flying around on Hoover vacuum cleaners and sucking the life out of little children, which is what a lot of us got upset with that movie about.
"The main thing I've been trying to get through to the Wiccan community about this movie "The Craft" is that there will be a lot of opportunity for dialogue. You're going to be able to say, okay look, these girls are not practicing our religion, on the other hand young people getting involved with magic, with occult practices, who don't know what their doing can and od get themselves into hot water - it happens all the time.
"And this is an important thing to know. When these young girls deliberately ignore the advice of a more experienced practitioner - because they just want to have fun, they don't want to hear that there are laws involved, they don't want to think about the theology involved.
"They're teenage girls, they want power in their lives, they want to have a good time, they want to be able to pull elaborate tricks, they want to float, they want to get beautiful, they want to get the boy.
"As an opportunity for dialogue and education, I think the movie will be really positive. My fingers are crossed that it will be okay, and that I won't want to throw myself under a bus when I see it.
Devin took actor Assumpta Serna (who plays a magic shop owner) to some local shops "to show her what they looked like, but what was really interesting was we went to Pico Union to look at some botanicas.
"She's from Spain, so she could speak with the shop owners in Spanish and get more information. A couple of the younger shop people didn't blink when she told them I was Wiccan, which probably indicates a certain amount of overlapping among the younger generation of magic practitioners. There was one fellow who was probably in his fifties or sixties who, when she said I was Wicca, he kind of snarled 'Wicca?' and I could feel my hair starting to curl, and I said I think we'd better leave."
Devin remembers going over to pick Serna up, and hearing on the radio that Elizabeth Montgomery had died. "I was on the freeway and I started to cry," Devin relates. "And when I got home I told my husband I've got to call one of my circle sisters who was expecting a baby momentarily, and tell her she has to name the baby Samantha now, because they had picked out another name. But there was a message from her that she had had the baby that morning and had named her Samantha, without even knowing Elizabeth Montgomery had died. It was like, whoa! Major synchronicity."
[originally published in Cinefantastique magazine, 1996]
Scott Cunningham. The Truth About Witchcraft Today
The Burning Times "This beautiful crafted film is an in-depth look at the witch-hunts that swept through Europe just a few hundred years ago. False accusations and trials led to massive torture and burnings at the stake, and ultimately to the destruction of an organic way of life. The film advances the theory that widespread violence against women and the neglect of our environment today can be traced back to those times. Part two of a series of three films on women and spirituality which includes Goddess Remembered and Full Circle." [from abstract on National Film Board of Canada site]
related page: Wicca
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change / coaching / self-help articles
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text:
package hu.sztaki.ilab.longneck.bootstrap;

/**
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 *
 * @author molnarp
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public interface RepositoryItem {

    /**
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Why Unity Is the Top Dog in Creativity Right Now
By Josh Kohn-Lindquist – Nov 14, 2021 at 5:53AM
Unity has added to its arsenal of artistry tools with the $1.625 billion purchase of Weta Digital.
Content reigns supreme, and Unity's playground for creators makes it the leader.
Despite a market capitalization of almost $50 billion, the stock may still be cheap.
Motley Fool Issues Rare "All In" Buy Alert
NYSE: U
Unity Software
In this battle, "the ammunition is art," CEO John Riccitiello says.
One of my favorite traits when looking for a company to invest in is creativity. Whether through creative products, content creation, or enabling creativity in general, highly creative companies naturally generate growth optionality from their operations. Creativity is optionality in the investing world.
This idea rings especially true for Unity Software (U -1.06%) and the interactive, real-time environments in 2D and 3D that it enables artists to create.
Through its Create segment, Unity has nearly endless product optionality, acting as a playground for creators. Meanwhile, its Operate solutions offer seemingly infinite revenue optionality, with services available for almost anything needed to run and monetize these environments.
And Unity is just getting started with its long-term ambitions.
Art is ammunition for the content war
During Unity's third-quarter earnings call, it announced the acquisition of Weta Digital -- the visual effects specialist famous for creating scenes and characters in Lord of the Rings and Avatar -- for $1 billion in cash and $625 million in stock. Weta brings a suite of technologies, including visual fidelity, CityBuilder, simulations, and even Barbershop (which allows for the grooming and hairstyling of characters).
Upon reading about this acquisition, I immediately thought of Unity CEO John Riccitiello's words from the previous quarter's earnings call:
As gaming devices become more powerful, more powerful GPUs, more memory, 5G networks, developers compete by making bigger, richer, more art-filled games. The war among developers and publisher to win with consumers is over the best content. And in this war, the ammunition is art.
Simply put, Unity is arming its artists with some of the most potent ammunition in the creative world by adding Weta Digital's engineers and technologies.
The top dog in creativity
As the leader in mobile gaming with roughly 70% of the world's mobile games built in Unity, the company's new acquisition fortifies its top-dog status in creativity. In addition, Unity has been quickly moving into new verticals such as industrial manufacturing, where its digital-twin capabilities allow engineers to work on their projects from anywhere.
In general, workplace flexibility is a global trend that the company is fully ready to embrace. Whether it is through some metaverse, virtual reality, or simpler interactive workstations, Unity wants to enable its artists and engineers to be able to work from anywhere, at any time, on anything.
Regarding the idea of reimagining the global work scene, Riccitiello said: "... so watch this space, Unity, power, simplicity and a much larger user base, stitching together that platform that drives NER [net expansion rate] on the basis of an incredibly large number of on-ramps and the land-and-expand behind it."
With Unity posting a NER of 142% for the third quarter of 2021, it is capitalizing on this land-and-expand business model. Generally speaking, a NER above 120% is excellent and shows consistently increased spending from existing customers.
Seemingly endless optionality
Unity's optionality can be hard to comprehend fully. As its senior vice president for its Create solutions, Mark Whitten, said, "Whatever the word 'metaverse' means, it's going to be built by millions of content creators, and we're on a mission to give them the easy-to-use and high-performance tools that will bring their visions to life."
With a market capitalization of about $50 billion, Unity is about 5% the size of Meta Platforms, the most talked-about metaverse stock in the world right now. But while the company formerly known as Facebook recently decided this would be its new focus, Unity has been leading the creative charge for the interactive, real-time 3D environments that will be used in the metaverse.
Thanks to this leadership position in creativity, its optionality potential, and its small size compared to its primary metaverse peer, Unity's share price offers a unique opportunity to risk-tolerant investors looking decades ahead.
Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Josh Kohn-Lindquist owns shares of Unity Software Inc. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Meta Platforms, Inc. and Unity Software Inc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
$183.43 (-4.27%) $-8.19
Unity Software Stock Is Speculative. Here's Why I Own It Anyway
Why Unity Software Stock Dropped More Than 27%
Down 81% in 2022, Is Unity Stock a Buy for 2023?
Where Will Unity Software Stock Be in 3 Years?
Unity Stock Remains a High-Risk, High-Reward Bet After ironSource Merger

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Clearwire has announced that it will undertake various cost-cutting measures after reporting a loss of $139 million for the third quarter of 2010. To conserve cash, the company will reduce marketing spending, delay the launch of certain products and services, and suspend development at select construction sites.
Additionally, it will dismiss a substantial number of contractors as well as 15% (about 630) of its ~4,200 employees. Clearwire believes those changes could yield a savings of between $100 and $200 million.
The 4G provider is also looking for ways to secure additional capital, including "strategic transactions" and "additional debt or equity financings and/or asset sales." Despite its loss, Clearwire reported plenty of positive results for the recent period and it remains "cautiously optimistic."
Revenue increased 114% year-over-year to $147 million as the company witnessed strong demand for its mobile broadband service, adding 1.23 million subscribers for a total of 2.84 million, up 402% on-year. Its 4G network now reaches 100 million people and by the end of 2010 it plans to cover 120 million people and have more than 4 million subscribers.


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text:
April 17, 2018 Confessions of a Teacher
Test Scores > Hungry Kids? PA Teacher Fired for Making Pancakes
Welcome to 2018, where schools are permitted to hold pep rallies for students to "get them excited" about standardized tests (like that ever worked!?), but if a teacher makes his students - 95% of whom are free and reduced lunch - pancakes during the tests, that leads to him being fired.
This isn't an article from satirical The Onion, but the rationality - or lack thereof - reads that way.
What happened was Assistant Principal Marian Grill of Lancaster, Pennsylvania walked into a classroom and wondered why Kyle Byler, an 8th-grade social studies teacher at Hand Middle School, was doing for his students before the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSAs).
This story, as reported by LancasterOnline, claimed that "Byler brought an electric griddle and made a whole-grain pancake for each of test-taker to eat during the test." That same article said his students labeled him as "an awesome teacher" and parents claimed he acts a "school dad."
What does the price of being "an awesome teacher" acting like a "school dad" earn a teacher in this circumstance? A spot in the unemployment line, apparently.
In a phone interview with LancasterOnline, Mr. Byler said, "I don't understand what I did wrong, to be honest with you. There was no infraction whatsoever. At no point was it any distraction for any of the students. They worked their butts off."
PA Dept. of Education Spokeswoman Nicole Reigelman reported to the periodical that "there is no rule against serving or preparing food during the PSSAs, however, 'those activities would interfere with actively monitoring the assessment.'"
In what is probably the best quote ever from an 8th-grade student, Alizea Rodriguez said "[Assistant Principal Grill] was the distraction [when she entered the room]. Not the pancakes. Not Byler."
Jason Molloy, president of the Lancaster Education Association, said: "If the administration is concerned about a hot-cooked whole-grain breakfast could be a distraction during testing, this could be resolved in other ways, not by firing a dedicated and excellent teacher."
I couldn't agree more.
What point have we reached in our collective addiction to toxic testing that making food for kids before they take the PSSAs is a fireable offense for a teacher? Click To Tweet
Let's unpack that a bit.
First, it's amazing to note that Byler cares enough for his students that he'd take the time to make the students breakfast before they take the test. I've made breakfast for students before. It takes hours. And it's hours I often don't have to dedicate early in the morning, especially when I'm trying to ready my family to get out the door on time.
In Byler's case, it was just another example of him being "school dad."
Second, if this occurred during any other day in the school year, would he have been fired? It's hard for me to justify to any school board member on any day that this veteran educator made kids breakfast and that's why he's being terminated - let alone a day where every teacher in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hearkens the importance of a full night of sleep and a healthy breakfast in the morning.
In Byler's case, he couldn't provide his students 8 hours of sleep. But he could give them - who, again, are nearly all on free and reduced lunch - a hot breakfast. On his own dime.
Third, what is this obsession with active monitoring tests? One of my favorites is from online blogger LoveTeach, who shared their 2014 article titled, "16 Things You Can Do While Actively Monitoring during Standardized Testing (or the next time you're crazy bored)." My favorites are imagining which animals each student would be if they were members of the animal kingdom and "using Crest Whitening Strips." The blogger followed up this entry on WeAreTeachers a year later with "17 More Things You Can Do While Actively Monitoring a Standardized Test." Again, some of my favorites are "imagine what you'd want your last words to be" and "imagine sending each student positive vibes, one at a time." I responded to these silly posts with a serious reflection of my own: "'Active Monitoring Standardized Tests' is a Joke."
In any teacher's case (not just Byler), couldn't we use our time more wisely? More productively? More about putting our students first? Like Byler?
Fourth, whatever happened to let the punishment fit the crime? In what other professions would making breakfast lead to an immediate termination? Do we wonder why there's a shortage of teachers? Why do teachers fear the repercussions of losing their union? Their say? Their advocacy? Their jobs?
The Lancaster School District School Board will meet Tuesday evening to decide Byler's fate. While I don't know what to expect, I do hope (and imagine) that PA Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera, the former superintendent of Lancaster Schools, will get involved. Additionally, I imagine that the Pennsylvania State Education Association, an affiliate of NEA, will be suing the district for such heavy-handedness and to earn Byler's job back.
"I also think it would be justice to, rather than call for the firing of the oppressiveness administrators behind this egregious move, that they be punished. How? By making the students breakfast.
I also think it would be justice to, rather than call for the firing of the oppressiveness administrators behind this egregious move, that they be punished. How? By making the students breakfast. Click To Tweet
That is - unless there's more to this story...
Update: As of 4 pm EST on April 17, 2018, the decision to fire this teacher was not on the table. To read more, click here.
The New Teacher Smell
Take One For the Team: The Need for Self-Care
Taking the Anxiety Out of Student Placement in Special Education
Dissing the Family Crazies: A Christmas Story
« 10 Things Teachers DID NOT Have to Deal With 10 Years Ago
Are Elementary Teachers Jacks of All Trades or Masters of None? »
Abbott Elementary: The Dreaded Teacher Wishlist


Trusting your gut is a great and often untrusted and under-utilised design tool.
When I was in school I thought I wanted to be an animator, then did a transition year placement in a graphic design agency and wasn't into it. So I applied to Industrial Design in NCAD and switched to Visual Communication with the aim of becoming an illustrator. In third year I did a placement with Scott and Johnny in Aad and that changed my opinion of what graphic design could be. After graduating, with some college friends we formed a design collective called Junior. This was 2008 so jobs were sparse at that time (post-bust and all that) so we though that would be fun and maybe help us get junior roles in studios. I luckily got a spot on the Threex3. It was a real eye-opener as the programme really highlights the diversity of approach different studios can have; Zero-G to me felt very language and copy driven; Detail a strong illustration focus; and Atelier a swift kick about my limited knowledge of graphic design history.
After that I went back to work for Aad for three years and then three more working solo as a bit of a jack-of-all-trades graphic designer come web designer and developer. I had taught myself how to code during college and ended up doing projects in and around the web wherever I worked. Scott and Johnny allowed me to build a lot of websites during my time there and as I improved I began to work on larger web projects. That gave me a lot of confidence to go solo as I knew coding was a skill I could offer that most designers at the time didn't have. I could cut the developer expense on any website job so I had a fairly fruitful few years designing, building and collaborating with other great designers on making websites.
After some time I grew a bit jaded of mainly doing that kind of work, I was working alongside Rob on projects at this time and we felt pooling our resources and portfolios would lead to more of the right kind of projects. We started Post informally mid-2014 and then officially with the addition of Andy at the start of this year.
From working solo, the label of web designer and developer sat uneasily with me. I enjoyed that type of work but felt there were stronger aspects I could bring to a project. As a studio we're getting more diverse and varied projects. A project might begin with a digital bias but then snowball into other areas too. So an exact practice definition is a little hard to pin down, we're still waiting for the dust to settle before we can fully commit to what that is.
As for roles we each have the same role. A project lead is assigned on any new job, that person handles all admin, client dealings and determines who does what on the project. Any one job you could be a designer, illustrator, photographer, copywriter, developer, etc. You're free as the lead to commission specialists in those areas or handle it internally. The only stipulation is that whatever is produced needs to be at the studio standard (meaning all three of us are happy with the work).
We've been happy with this structure so far this year and it's getting more refined and efficient. While it does leave a lot of balls in the air (if you choose to be all things for a project) that does rarely happen and at the end of the day it's a shared workload (so shared responsibility).
With every project we set out to listen, understand and make work based on that.
To have my day job not feel like a job. I like the varied experience of what a day's work can bring; it's consistently diverse and never boring. I'm motivated to grow, continue to learn, work on exciting projects and make a living while doing all that.
I'd like our work to always feel appropriate, well thought out and well made. We try and talk about timeless but that sounds a bit grandiose. Regardless, if we feel what's made will have lasting value and that there's heart and vibrance in it then we're generally pretty happy.
To make sure there's always an idea at the heart of what we're doing.
Beyond that, we've been making our best effort to avoid having a too specific focus. We're open to new and different types of projects and I'd like to extend that further by taking projects that put us outside our collective comfort zone.
Probably a bit early to say as the areas are broad and varied. The only common link I've found is each client (regardless of area) has been as passionate about what they do as we are about what we do.
Scale can be relevant to experience. I feel we're in the goldilocks stage currently; our projects aren't too big or too small. Most work is identity-driven so there tends to be a comprehensive set of deliverables.
Larger projects arise through our emphasis on coding as part of our design process. We often collaborate with other studios giving us the opportunity to work on projects that might not present themselves otherwise.
This is our first year so can't say for sure right now.
Each project varies depending on the parameters of the job. Usually this is dependant on the client too so timelines could be anywhere from a week to six months. We have some projects at the minute that are shaping up to be longer still.
If we can get an idea of what a client is looking to spend on a project we can normally tailor the work to suit. If someone comes looking for an identity, print material and a website with all the bells and whistles but then doesn't have a budget to match the work, we try to be honest about what is realistic for their budget and what they might actually need. Whenever we can we avoid throwing figures before we have at least a conversational understanding of what someone's aims are.
When we do have to write a number and slide it across the table we work from a studio day rate and estimate out how long a project might take, then divulge a number from that. Looking back on completed projects we're generally putting in over our estimated time, sometimes a little and sometimes a lot.
A Monday morning production meeting with the full team (Rob, Andy, our intern Cassie and myself) is the only concrete habit we've been able to establish so far. On any day you could be managing, designing, organising, drawing, phone-calling, coding, writing, stitching (yeh, you heard me), meeting, delegating and so on. Any work day is a bit of a hodge-podge of tasks.
We try to eat lunch together daily away from computers but that's tricky to enforce and deadline dependent. Friday drinks in the studio (or a fine local Capel Street establishment) have been regular enough and primes us for the weekend ahead. These days that can be one day (sometimes two) in the studio but this is the first bad habit on our list to eliminate.
Our output is determined by what we're asked to do a lot of the time. Although clients can often look for one thing but actually require something very different. That can sometimes be an outcome of the work too.
Some do, some don't. If they don't at the start they tend to by the end of the process. Luckily, a lot of the people we work with are extremely creative and inherently understand the value of creativity and design.
What do you consider a successful project to be ?
Besides the usual fare (audience/client/designer happy [in that order]) I think it's important to learn something new with every project.
We have a way to evaluate if we should take on a project but it could also be applied to review if a project is successful or not. I've borrowed this method from someone but for the life of me can't remember who. If it was you (or you know who it was) then let me know and I'll credit accordingly. We draw a triangle, at each vertex we have the headings 'learn something new', 'do good work' and '$$$'. The sweet spot is where a project provides all three of these vital elements (which is quite rare). Two and we're usually pretty happy, one and we can take it or leave it and zero is no-fly zone. If you're not learning anything, not doing anything decent or even cashing in, then a change of direction is needed.
That's a tough one. I'd like to think design can help elevate the ordinary and highlight the best parts of why something or someone is great. If you imagine an alternate reality where instead of your lovely design work for a project your client got the most expected, default, off-the-shelf solution; would it affect the success of that person's business? Would their product or service still have the same impact? Maybe? Couldn't tell you, I'm not in the big data and/or alternate realities business. My gut is that a person's drive will carry through regardless of the design, but design can merely help speed up their success.
Why Working to code of course.
But really, I think allowing instinct a look in when working on a project is important. Trusting your gut is a great and often untrusted and under-utilised design tool.
We're definitely working for more of the right kind of people which I'm really happy about. As for 'working the way we want' I think our hours are a bit unsustainable if we're to consider this a lifelong career. We've worked on lots of quick jobs that require burning litres of midnight oil but we've been told by good sources that's just part of the process of starting and growing a business. Our goal is to get larger projects that allow us more time to breathe, experiment and learn. Saying that, I do like the odd late night work session — it's the places your half-asleep brain meanders to in the wee hours that tend to bring an element of the unexpected to a project.
I'm happy for the studio to stay relatively small and nimble. I don't want to lose touch with getting my hands dirty with the odd repetitive, menial task every once in a while. I feel that keeps me grounded and helps me realise how lucky I am to be doing what I do everyday.


text:
New Management at IDAIR in 2022
Hamburg IDAIR's advisory board nominates Luigi Celmi to be its new chief executive officer, starting Jan. 1, 2022. In addition, Christiane Grude, senior director of Original Equipment Innovation at Lufthansa Technik AG, has joined the IDAIR advisory board as of July 1, 2021. After six years of successfully restructuring IDAIR's business and leading it to a new era as a market leader in the IFEC segment for VVIP aircraft, Dr. Wassef Ayadi has been appointed senior director of Customer Relations and Sales Support Services for the business segment of Original Equipment & Special Aircraft Services at Lufthansa Technik AG and will remain in an advisory role for IDAIR.
Celmi, of Italian origin, has lived in various countries such as the U.S.A., France, Singapore, India, and now Germany. He has worked in the aviation industry for almost 20 years and holds a master's degree in aeronautical engineering from the Polytechnic of Naples (Italy). Before joining IDAIR he was the CEO of Lufthansa Technik Services India as well as the managing director of ATR (an Airbus JV) in Singapore.
"Luigi is a great personality, a strong business leader, and I am convinced that, with his customer-focused mind and his vast industry experience, he is the perfect fit to continue IDAIR'S success story. As CEO he will be committed to position IDAIR in the VVIP market as an innovator of CMS and IFEC solutions and provider of customized software solutions. Moreover, he will build on IDAIR's strong, reliable existing and new partnerships, as well as explore potential business opportunities and new markets," says Grude.
"To move to Hamburg to join IDAIR is a great step and opportunity. I'm looking forward to lead IDAIR and to further develop the newly set paths in the challenge of customizing the next generation of ever-evolving entertainment and communications systems. With our international team of VIP aviation experts, software engineers and program managers, we want to offer our customers an exceptional IFEC experience — just like a smart home and office in the sky — to the VVIP market and beyond, while expanding IDAIR's overall competence," says Celmi.
Established in April 2011, IDAIR is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. A success story from a start-up and joint venture to now being an independent company in IFE, CMS and connectivity solutions, the company continues to grow, based on its progressive and start-up-like spirit. Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, IDAIR has a team of experts spread across the world in the U.S.A. (Louisiana and California), in Dubai and in India. IDAIR develops, manufactures and supplies CMS and IFEC systems for VIP aircraft, as well as custom software services for aircraft applications.
To learn more about IDAIR, visit www.idair.aero.
IDAIR
Luigi Celmi
Christiane Grude


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TRANSCUTANEOUSLY TO A PATIENT" All technology is made in the UK in an ISO honored facility and has the CE mark.
The Ion Magnum Genius was cleared by the USA FDA for muscle conditioning K123158, prescription only. Arasys Genius was also cleared by the FDA K132179, for muscle conditioning with prescription. Both of these devices are currently distributed in the USA.
The Ion Magnum Imperial International V with 16 channels and 20 complex waveforms was launched in the international market in March 2016. Additionally, the and the Ion Magnum Genius IV with 8 channels and 10 frequencies were launched in the International market in February 2016. All three new devices have CE mark and ISO.
IELLIOS is based on Neuro Frequency Signaling research in Cambridge University. It has the CE mark,UL mark, UL E257804 and complies with the FCC standard.
All devices are shipped from the UK and include LIFE WARRANTY, ONLINE TRAINING and ALL ACCESSORIES. Please call us for Leasing opportunities. Leases are offered by our company so everyone qualifies!
LEASES ARE OFFERED BY OUR COMPANY SO EVERYONE QUALIFIES!
IELLIOS reVive (PATENT NO: 62351296) unique super technology is coming soon, touch screen iPad with 18390 blueprint signals for power results, in 9 languages! (English, French, Spanish, Portugese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Japanese and Russian). It offers the effectiveness of TWO IELLIOS working synergestically in one for significantly enhanced results. Unique motherboard design, signture software, DDS and DAS prime components, four dynamic hyperchannels and 18,390 signature waveform signals composed by frequencies ranging from 0.1 Hz to 10,000GHz for maxumum potency nd afficiency. Multilingual, economic and portable, the size of a mini iPad, IELLIOS reVive will come with software that can be downloaded on any PC computer!
IELLIOS Ион Magnum , Arasys и Свершитель являются Наука завтрашнего дня за молодость и красоту . Используется международных врачей и VIP-персон становятся лучше хранить тайну в индустрии развлечений . Спа и врачебных кабинетов , предлагающие процедуры получают свои прибыли на инвестицию в менее чем через месяц . В Arasys и Ion Magnum технологии были изобретены и построены в своей лаборатории в Лондонском университете и финансируемого ЕС BIC , Джерри Поллок, который был частью исследовательской группы изобретение первого Pacemaker в Великобритании.
IELLIOS, Ion Magnum, Arasys, 밋 Perfector 는 젊음과 아름다움에 대한 미래의 과학이다. 국제 의사와 VIP를 사용하여, 그들은 엔터테인먼트 업계에서 최고의 비밀이되고있다. 스파 및 의사의 사무실은 한 달 미만에 대한 투자 수익 (ROI)을 받고있다. Arasys 및 Ion Magnum 기술은 영국의 첫 번째 페이스 메이커를 발명 연구 그룹의 일부였다 Gerry Pollock에 의해, 런던 대학과 EU 자금 BIC에서 발명하고 자신의 실험실에서 건설되었다. Ion Magnum Genius는 처방전에 의한 근육 조절 K123158의 FDS에 의해 삭제됩니다. IELLIOS 캠브리지와 다른 유럽 대학 노화 연구를 단백질 신호에 신경 주파수 단백질에 의해 고무된다. 그것은 CE 마크, UL 마크, UL E257804을 가지고 있으며, FCC 표준을 준수합니다. 퍼펙는 원래 런던 대학에서 발명되었다. 모든 장치는 평생 보장이있다. 그들은 포함 된 모든 액세서리와 함께 만든 영국에서 직접 배송됩니다. 사내 임대 기회를 전화로 연락을 해 주시기 바랍니다. 모든 사람은 자격이!
The Ion Magnum Genius & Arasys Genius are cleared by the USA FDA K123158 & K132179 respectively for Muscle Conditioning - Prescription Only.
All text, images, and design is copyright ©2008 Perfector Skincare, LTD and Ion Magnum LTD. All rights reserved.


Nationally, in the most recently reported cohort of patients (2011), only 56% of patients with laboratory-confirmed MDR-TB initiated 2nd line TB treatment. The National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB, and STIs 2012-2016 set an ambitious target of 100% initiation. Because of the complexity of the referral and linkage process and the fragmentation of the records amongst various registers, the proportion of patients completing each step (sample collection, diagnosis of resistance, reporting of results, tracing, referral, treatment initiation), the time required between steps, and the characteristics of patients are unknown. There are no estimates available, for example, of the proportion of patients diagnosed with drug-resistant TB who actually initiate appropriate treatment. It is therefore important to identify how recent policy changes for diagnosis and models of care have affected the proportion initiating and time to initiation of 2nd line TB treatment.


Our environment is constantly changing and we cannot deny the fact that we should be more aware of the problems that surround it. But being aware of the problems is not enough, we should come up with different ways to solve them. Whenever we think and talk about all the environmental problems that we are facing today, we usually refer to pollution, natural disasters, global warming, population, the depletion of natural resources, climate change, deforestation among others. We tend to overlook all the small problems that we create with our daily habits without even realizing. The way we live our life and do things can also affect the environment. But there is a simple way of avoiding these problems by doing small things and adapting some eco-friendly habits in our day to day life.
I have seen many people while walking on the street, in subway, sitting in a coffee shop, who don't even care about what is going on around them. But it doesn't mean that I have not seen people who do care. I decided to talk to them and find out their concern towards the environment. I asked the same question to many people, what was the last eco-friendly choice they have made recently.
"I bought an eco-friendly car which is 50 percent gas and 50 percent electric. You can switch the mode according to your preference and requirement. I love my car. It makes less sound, is very comfortable, easy to drive and also saves me some bucks" says Irina with excitement.
Just under one year after the historic Paris Change Agreement was declared, it entered into force. This means that the treaty laid out in the agreement is now binding and that the countries who have both signed and ratified the Agreement can be held accountable. For this to happen 55 countries making up for 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions were required to ratify their signatures. The United States (17.89% of global emissions) and China (20.09%), the world's two greatest polluters, both ratified the agreement on September, 3rd 2016. However, it was not until October, 5th, when eleven countries making up 6.71% of global emissions ratified, that the agreement became binding.
The primary goal of the Paris Agreement is to bring global greenhouse gas emissions down to keep global temperatures from rising above 2 degrees Celsius since the pre-industrial era. However, the treaty also outlines the more ambitious goal keeping temperature rise below 1.5 degrees. Accomplishing this objective required all 194 countries that signed the treaty to set their own emission reduction standards depending on the infrastructure already in place and how much they contribute to overall emissions. Once the treaty was ratified these standards became binding, and any county that may want to opt out would have to go through a lengthy process and runs the risk of sanctions from the other members of the treaty. Actually reaching these goals will be a lengthy, difficult process, something that is accounted for within the treaty. However, this doesn't mean there is time before action must be taken.
Among the 129 countries that have ratified the agreement to date, many know this and have already begun to take clear and serious action towards moving our world towards a carbon neutral future. Over the last three years the level of global yearly emissions has inexplicably plateaued. Moreover, in the US, China, and Europe, there have been across the board reductions in the use of carbon. This is just the beginning of what needs to happen though. For one, reducing carbon is not enough. To get enough of the gas out of the atmosphere to stop catastrophic warming, scientists now warn that we must put increased energy into sequestration. Furthermore, reductions in carbon are just one aspect of the many changes that need to be made for humanity to achieve a heathy planet. One year into the Paris agreement, work has been done, but in many ways what is done just shows how much more there is to do.
Fall is here, and it's beautiful and slightly chilly outside, a reminder that it will be extremely cold soon once winter hits the door. I love winters and keep in touch with nature by going out and enjoying all the winter activities like hiking, skiing, sledding, snowboarding, Ice skating, and even making a snowman.
But this is also a time when we see our plants and trees dry up and wither. It is a repetitive cycle of birth and death, but all the hard work that has been put in growing a beautiful garden around our home quickly gets undone when temperatures start falling. It is easy to maintain the indoor or outdoor plants in summers when the weather is perfect for plants to grow; but, protecting plants in cold weather when you hardly get any sun is a lot more daunting.
Bring your potted plants indoors and place them either in the garage or use them as home decor by placing them in your living room. This is an easy first step that one should do. Never place them near a window as cold transfers from the window and damages the plants.
I have seen many people cover their plants with some thick material. It is also a good way to protect your plants. Wrap them with wrapping plastic, blankets or any other thick cloth but never forget to leave it open in the day time when you see little sun or bright light outside and cover them again in the night time.
It is important to water the plants in the cold temperature. Make soil around the plant completely wet. Wet soil gives more heat than dry soil. But don't over water it.
Applying a layer of mulch on the soil of the plant can protect the roots from becoming damaged. You can use leaves as a mulch, they will maintain the temperature and give heat to the plant.
Put a heat source around your plant. You can even put lights on your plant. It will not only provide heat to the plant, but will also make your room more alive.
It's time to change your habit!
Recycling can easily make a big difference in protecting the environment. It helps reduce energy and other useful materials from being wasted. There are a lot of people out there who always keep in mind what things can or can't be recycled and follow the instructions. But you may be surprised to know the fact that the things you have been throwing away in the blue bins, actually don't belong there.
The Toronto city launched a campaign earlier this month as a reminder for people on what can and can't go into recycling bin. You will be surprised to know that those takeout coffee mugs, which we use on the go and have been throwing away in blue bins, thinking that they are recyclable, actually have to go in trash.
The takeout coffee mugs are coated with plastic and wax so they can't go in recycle. There black lid also can't go in blue bins, only non-plastic lids and cardboard cup sleeves can be recycled. According to the city, last year estimated 45,000 tonnes of garbage was mistakenly put into recycling bins.
Here is a small list of those things which we use on a daily basis and which can or can't be recycled. We can help reduce global environmental damage by keeping this in mind and adding it to our daily routine.
As climate science has grown two of the areas most closely monitored are the poles. This past January saw record breaking lows of sea ice in the Arctic. For the years between 1981 and 2010 the average extent of sea ice for this time of year was measured to be 14.57 million square kilometers. Since 2005, January has consistently seen sea ice extent below 14.25 million square miles, and this year it reached only 13.53 million square miles. The effects that this loss will have on climate change remain unclear, yet there is consensus that there will be effects.
What is more apparent is how sea ice, or lack thereof, impacts people in the Arctic. For over a century we have known of the Northwest Passage, a boating rout that takes one from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific through archipelagos above the Arctic Circle. For those in the Northern hemisphere this allows for a much shorter journey to the other side of the World then the conventional one through the Panama Canal. Over the past decade the number of vessels making this journey has risen to around 30 per year. Still, for large shipping containers the voyage can only be made in the Summer months when sea ice is lowest, and they need to bring along ice breaking technology.
As the ice recedes the tourism industry has also moved into the Northwest Passage. They too can only voyage in the Summer, but this does not change the fact that they are stopping in ports that previously would have been impossible. One example is Cambridge Bay, a town of 1,500, which until recently was only accessible by air. The added tourism is changing the culture of these towns. Tours and cultural centers have begun to crop up and the increased traffic is also increasing revenue.
For other areas though the outlook is not so positive. Shishmaref, a island town on the western coast of Alaska, has historically relied on Fall sea ice to stop the damaging impacts of storms. However, now the ice isn't forming until December and the impact is the loss of about 50 feet of shoreline annually. The future of the people of Shishmaref becomes more uncertain each year, and there is consensus that they must relocate or perish. In the face of all this unknown, there is one nonnegotiable fact about receding sea ice – there will be massive affects that dramatically change life within the Arctic Circle.
The first two weeks of December saw that most important climate talks in years. From these talks, called COP21, have come the most concrete plan on how to mitigate global warming and its effects to date. Each country involved is now creating an individual plan of what this will look like. Starting in 2018 these plans will be revised every five years. The international goal is to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, with a more ambitious side goal of staying below 1.5 degrees of warming. To achieve this already developed nations are pledging to contribute funds to developing nations so that they may grow their alternative energy economies.
The steps taken during COP21 may be a turning point for the environmental movement. No longer are global warming and climate change being portrayed as fringe issues. They now exist within the public consciousness in large way, something that was vividly apparent throughout the talks in Paris. Along with the politicians, activists and everyday citizens flocked to the city to make their voices heard. Among them where a number of artists who used a diverse array of methods to increase the dialogue around these issues.
One of the most remarkable art installations at COP21 was by Danish artist Olafur Eliasson. He shipped twelve massive pieces of Greenland ice and arranged them in a shape of a clock in front of the Pantheon. The installation, titled Ice Watch, was then left to melt. The symbolism here is very clear: our planet is running out of time and action must be taken now.
Public art also served as an alternative to protests, which following the terrorist attacks on November 13th had been outlawed throughout the entire conference. French artist JR and American filmmaker Darren Aronofsky collaborated on a projection piece they call The Standing March. Showing the image of over 500 people, the purpose of this piece is to show that the world stands in solidarity on the need to care for our environment.
About 200,000 activists had planned to march on November 29th to further cement this idea. With strict rules on mass assemblies in place though, the protesters opted for a second best. That morning 20,000 pairs of shoes were placed in the Place de la Republique. Since the people could not walk, they let their shoes stand in their place.
Paris Climate Summit: A platform for a bigger change?
While leaders of 196 nations were discussing key policies in Paris to save earth from global warming, death toll continued to rise at various places because of natural cataclysm.
Rising temperatures are affecting our life on a daily basis. It affects our food, our surroundings, and all the work we do. Most cities in the world are experiencing a much warmer winter this year. Toronto celebrated the warmest Christmas Eve recorded in the last 175 years. Today climate change is like a ticking time bomb; the greatest threat people all over the world face.
In recognition of the growing problems of climate change, over 40,000 people gathered in Paris from November 30th to December 11th to take some corrective actions. The main objective of this conference was to achieve a binding and universal agreement on climate, with the aim of keeping global warming below 2°C.
After two weeks of negotiations, the Paris climate change agreement was signed. To make this agreement successful all nations volunteered to make cuts in their carbon emission to relatively safe level of 2C degree with an aspiration of 1.5C and also to participate in a program of regular assessment and adjustment every five years starting 2020. Leaders made bold promises to save the earth from climate change.
This was the biggest gathering of world's leaders, who came together for a single purpose. It was a historic moment for all the countries. Developed nations pledged not only their commitment but promised to provide help to developing and poor nations to cut down their emissions.
We all hope this summit will provide a good platform to come together to make our resources more sustainable. But given the gravity of the situation, it is high time we join in this effort and take a pledge to start bringing changes from our home. Each individual needs to look at their contribution to climate footprint and if needed, modify some of their lifestyle choices. That's what Paris is all about, changing our lifestyle, before it leads us towards complete disaster. It calls for a an acknowledgement and action at all levels.
$100 billion a year in climate finance for developing countries by 2020, with a commitment to further finance in the future.
At the beginning of the month President Obama rejected the proposal for the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have run crude oil from the Canadian Tar Sands in Alberta to the gulf coast refineries outside of Houston, TX. Over the past few years this pipeline has become a pet project for environmentalist and conservatives alike. One of the reasons that environmentalists have been so adamantly against the Keystone pipeline was its planned path through the Ogallala Aquifer.
The Ogallala Aquifer is a 174,000-square-mile reservoir which lies beneath the states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, New Mexico, Texas, South Dakota, and Wyoming. It supplies water to millions of people, and irrigates the fields of farmers in this region. Lying beneath the earth, it is easy to forget that it is there, yet it is so important that it was able to play a role in halting the creation of Keystone XL.
There are many ways in which one can know the world around them. With more than half of the world's population living in cities, most see it as a man-made, concrete jungle. It is more common for someone to know every player in the world series than where their water comes from. The danger than becomes that things like endless tap water are taken for granted, always expected and not preserved.
The Ogallala Aquifer is just one of hundreds that lie beneath the surface of North America. The map below shows the vast extent of land carrying these underground pools in the United States alone. Aquifers are formed when rock is porous enough to let water flow through. The layer of rock and water that is formed is called the water table. Depending on the type of rock, that water will run faster or slower. This also dictates how quickly the water in an aquifer can replenish itself. Through clay this can take a very long time, while a sandstone water table may refill much quicker. This is incredibly important to think about when using an aquifer as a water source.
It would be amazing if we were able to say that the Ogallala Aquifer is safe now that Keystone XL has been vetoed, but this is not the truth. Since the 1940's Midwest farmers have used this water source to grow vast amounts of corn, cotton, wheat, and cattle. The current estimate is that 30 percent of the water in this aquifer is already depleted, and it is projected that this percentage will only rise over the coming years. As of yet that farmers and citizens who utilize the Ogallala Aquifer are not taking action to stem this problem.
Even if you live very far away from this particular aquifer, there is a lesson to be learned here. The Earth is plentiful, but it is not endless. It is important to understand the land and water systems were you do live though. This may mean looking beyond the surface to what is hidden underground. Take the time to do your research, become an informed citizen, and try to find the ways to interact with your land in the most appropriate ways.
Hurricane Patricia made landfall on Mexico's Pacific coast. Thishurricane, which was the strongest ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere, narrowly missed causing severe damage despite reaching wind speeds of 200 mph. A week later no deaths have been reported and the damage is limited to flooding and mudslides within rural Mexico. This is due to a few factors, namely the fact that Patricia avoided a direct hit to more populated areas such as Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo, and that once on land it lost power very quickly. An excellent response from the government also made a huge difference in mitigating the damage.
This storm is just the latest to be added to the list of record shattering weather events. Although the research is ongoing, there is indication that global warming will cause an increase in storms to this caliber. Last August The Weather Channel published a list of the top ten most powerful hurricanes to ever occur within the Atlantic. Five of these storms have taken place since 2000, and only two occurred before 1950. It seems that the intensity of storms is on an upward trend. Some climate scientists even predict that we will have a storm on the level of Hurricane Katrina every two years.
Other natural phenomena are also on the rise due to global warming. California is currently entering its forth year of draught and has been consistently recording its highest on average temperatures. On the other end of the spectrum, the record shattering snow in New England last winter has been attributed the disruption of the Arctic polar vortex which is occurring through global warming. These two examples only scratch the surface of the many instances of changing weather.
After Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in 2013, Yeb Sano, the country's climate change representative, said the following words in front of the United Nations: "We can take drastic action now to ensure that we prevent a future where super typhoons become a way of life." After seeing his country destroyed by this storm he knew he had experienced climate change first hand. Action must be taken to slow down, stop, and reverse the degradation of the natural world or these storms will become the norm. We cannot count on the luck that Mexico received last week. There is hope, but only if business does not continue as usual.
Heavy rainfalls and a large amount of debris precipitated a muddy flood in Southern California last week on October 16th. Hundreds of people were trapped and stuck in their homes, cars. While many of them have been rescued, the rescue efforts are still ongoing.
Similar torrential rains had struck South Carolina on October 4, 2015. The flood had caused damage to many shelters. The whole South Carolina was gripped by floodwater. According to the National Weather Service, that day was the wettest day in the history of Southern Carolina.
These words of Albert Einstein say everything about life. It describes the connection of a man with nature. Nature has all the answers to your questions; whether these are related to you, your life, your relations or your work. All we need to do is listen, talk to and understand it.
Everybody loves to get out into the nature and feel the real charm of life. Living in Canada, I am fortunate to have so much beauty and splendor of nature all around me. The autumn season is here. The crisp and cool breeze makes us feel the summer is gone and fall is in the air. In Canada, autumn is the third season of the year. It is the time when leaves start to turn in different color red, yellow, orange and brown. It is amazing, an awesome creation of God. The glory of nature mesmerizes one and all. We forget everything in the lap of nature and just enjoy the pleasure of being there.
Nature is derived from the Latin word Natura, which means birth. It has its own way of existence and the mountains, beeches, hills, forest, rivers, sunrise, sunset, flowers, clouds in the sky, various season and so on together make an incredible spectacle. It is a privilege being surrounded by these. But as the saying goes, every privilege comes with some responsibilities.
Every time we build a new house, new road, parking space or even a concrete over a garden we astray ourselves to think that we are making the world a better place to live in. The natural resources are not infinite. They are limited and the way we are using it, that day is not far when we will have nothing to pass on to our future generations.
These days' floods are the most frequent natural disaster worldwide. Recent splurge in population and the changes in land use patterns are the main causes of flood.
We are constantly cutting down trees and plants for our daily needs. One and a half acres of forest is cut down every second and agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation. We get wooden furniture, decorative items for the interior of our house and offices but we do not realize that we are cutting our own feet by making wood from trees and plants. If the current rate of deforestation continues, it will take less than 100 years to destroy all the rainforest on the earth. Cutting of trees can be avoided if we cut down our materialistic needs and shift our focus in different direction.
According to The World Counts, 13 million hectares of forest have been converted for other uses or destroy by natural causes. We cannot deny the fact that our environment is constantly changing. Global warming is slowly becoming a more daunting threat with each passing day. Our environment is warming up and we are definitely responsible for it. Since the industrial revolution and the large scale of burning fossil fuels has increased the amount of heat in the atmosphere has also increased by 40 per cent.
All across the world people are facing different kind of environmental problems every day. Some of them are small and localized. Whenever a natural calamity hits a particular area, we talk about it for a few days, feel miserable and then forget. We never think that somewhere we are also responsible for that. We are making this earth not habitable by neglecting the nature and its requirements. From time to time nature warns us in many ways; we need to listen to it and make some changes before we reach a point where we won't have anything left except regret.
As human, the earth is our home. This is the place where we live, eat, enjoy, raise our children and dream for their healthy, safe and beautiful future. Our entire life is dependent on the well-being of earth, environment and all the species. It is the home of all natural beauty that we praise. But the relationship with nature is not a one sided relationship. We need to form a closer bond with nature, we have to live within it to understand and feel it; not only for the betterment of our life but the lives of our future generations.


text:
As Pro-Trump Caravans Hit Roads Across U.S., Organizers Are Upbeat Despite Tensions
Vehicles make their way along Interstate 205 South during the "Oregon for Trump 2020 Labor Day Cruise Rally" earlier this month at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City.
Michael Arellano / AP
Originally published on September 24, 2020 5:04 pm
In the age of social distancing, car and truck caravans of MAGA flag-waving supporters of President Trump have hit the road from New York to California.
"We stretched for a very long distance; I mean miles back," said Shawn Farash, who organized a caravan of hundreds of motorcycles, cars and trucks that drove through the streets of Long Island last weekend.
Farash describes himself as a "regular guy" who works in advertising, not politics, and says even he was surprised by the turnout. In his best Trump impression, he deadpans: "You don't have to trust the polls. Just look at the people who are showing up every weekend. The silent majority, silent no more."
Guys... Trump isn't losing the election.
1500+ cars on Long Island in support of @realDonaldTrump and our country yesterday. What a day. Thanks to all who made it out pic.twitter.com/DmXKrZXHvS
— Shawn Farash ❌🐻 (@Shawn_Farash) September 21, 2020
The caravans are promoted on social media, and in some cases, organized by people who have never before been politically active. Just this past weekend, boisterous convoys, with horns honking and Trump flags flying, also rolled through Michigan and North Carolina.
These mobile rallies have continued, even after one turned deadly last month in Portland, Ore. A supporter of a far-right group was killed following clashes between participants in a pro-Trump caravan and counterprotesters. The suspect, who supported antifa, a militant leftist movement, was killed by authorities serving a warrant for his arrest.
Most of the events since then have been peaceful, though tensions have flared. In Elon, N.C., on Saturday, a pro-Trump caravan drove through town, hurling insults and white supremacist slogans at a lone counterprotester, who posted a video of the incident on Twitter.
While the caravans haven't drawn much national media attention, videos of some of them have been shared online by RT, the television network funded by the Kremlin. This comes as U.S. intelligence experts warn that Russia is again trying to influence the election in favor of Trump.
Car caravans emerged in the spring as part of protests against state lockdown rules to protect against the spread of the coronavirus. Those events were coordinated, in part, by pro-business lobbying groups in Washington, D.C.
Organizers of the latest caravans say these are grassroots efforts aimed at showing the country is united — not divided by racism or violence. They say they deliberately try to avoid clashes with counterprotesters.
"We don't condone any racism, racist comments," said Keith Lee, a convoy organizer from Texas. "We don't want people dragging a Black Lives Matter flag or an antifa flag underneath their truck. If we see any of that stuff, they're out of there."
Lee is one of the organizers of MAGA Drag the Interstate, a group that's helping to coordinate caravans on major highways around big cities. So far, he says they've held events in 46 states, and they're planning to host caravans nationwide during the first weekend in October.
"This is about making America patriotic again," Lee said.
But counterprotesters said some events have stoked hate. Megan Squire, who studies far-right extremist groups at Elon University, where she's a professor of computer science, was the one who filmed the North Carolina caravan.
She was holding up a Black Lives Matter sign, and video shows people driving by shouting, "No they f****** don't, b****" and "white power."
"I was literally standing on that corner silent, listening, and I heard exactly what they had to say, and it was hate," Squire said. "He even, like, cupped his hands to make sure, and he enunciated. And I remember thinking that at the time, I was like, 'Wow, you really wanted me to hear that.' Creepy, really."
The caravan was organized by a local activist who's well-known for defending Confederate monuments. He did not respond to a request for comment.
Other caravans have gone off without incident.
Amish Trump Parade in Fredericksburg, OH 🇺🇸 Holding the line! pic.twitter.com/J4mfY185tk
— RedCap 🇺🇲 (@BuCap004) September 19, 2020
In Ohio on Saturday, a caravan of Amish and Mennonite Trump supporters in horse-drawn buggies drove through Fredericksburg. And in Michigan on Saturday, hundreds of cars and trucks drove through Grand Rapids.
Christina Medema, a stay-at-home mom, helped organize the Grand Rapids caravan. She also said she'd never done anything political until now but was motivated in part by the relentless stream of "negative" stories in the news.
"It surprised me just because I'm a little Rockford housewife," Medema said. "Not a ton of people know me, so it shocked me to see all of those people coming, all of those cars coming."
Video from the Michigan event taken by RT features clips of participants talking about the "silent majority" against "radicals" who don't like America and "BLM garbage."
RT / YouTube
Experts say RT is a Russian propaganda machine that tries to highlight divisions in U.S. society, but Medema doesn't see it that way. She said American media just won't cover this story and only focus on caravans when something goes wrong.
"I was actually really thankful that he was there. He pretty much posted everything that we did, showing it all, not splicing it or editing in a weird way," Medema said of the RT producer. "It made me a little bit disappointed in our local news outlets for sure."
Medema said she believes turnout at her caravan is an indicator that Trump will win Michigan — and the election — even though polls show former Vice President Joe Biden in the lead.
"I would be pretty shocked if he didn't, to be honest," she said of a possible Trump win. "Every car that passed us, it felt like honked and gave us a thumbs-up."
Caravans of President Trump supporters are hitting the road across the country even after one of these mobile rallies turned deadly. This past weekend car and truck convoys rolled through Michigan, New York and North Carolina. And while most of these events have been peaceful, tensions have flared. NPR's Joel Rose reports.
JOEL ROSE, BYLINE: Hundreds of motorcycles, cars and trucks drove through the streets of Long Island last Saturday, waving Trump flags and honking their horns.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: It goes on and on and on.
SHAWN FARASH: We stretched for a very long distance - I mean, miles back.
ROSE: That's the organizer, Shawn Farash. Even he was surprised by the turnout.
FARASH: There's a lot of us out here. There's more of us out here than we know.
ROSE: Farash describes himself as just a regular guy. He works in advertising, not politics or show business. But he does a really good Trump impersonation.
FARASH: (Imitating Donald Trump) You're talking about all of these people. They come out in their cars. They don't have to do it, but they want to do it. And I tells you you don't have to trust the polls. Just look at the people who are showing up every weekend, the silent majority silent no more.
ROSE: In the age of social distancing, these boisterous caravans have spread from Long Island to Los Angeles. They're promoted on social media, sometimes by people who've never been politically active before. One event gained notoriety last month in Portland, Ore., where a supporter of a far-right group was killed after clashes between participants in the pro-Trump caravan and counterprotesters. And then there is what happened over the weekend in Elon, N.C.
(SOUNDBITE OF CAR HORNS HONKING)
ROSE: On Saturday a pro-Trump caravan drove through town, hurling insults and white supremacist slogans at a lone protester on a street corner.
MEGAN SQUIRE: I heard exactly what they had to say, and it was hate.
ROSE: Megan Squire studies far-right extremist groups at Elon University, where she's a professor of computer science. Squire was holding up a Black Lives Matter sign. In the video she shot, one driver shouts, no, they don't. Others shout, white power.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: White power.
SQUIRE: I mean, he even, like, cupped his hands to make sure, and he enunciated. I remember thinking that at the time. I was like, wow. You really wanted me to hear that - creepy, really.
ROSE: The caravan was organized by a local activist who's well-known for defending Confederate monuments. He did not respond to a request for comment. Car caravans emerged in the spring as part of protest against state lockdown rules. Those protests were coordinated in part by pro-business lobbying groups in Washington. Organizers of the latest caravans say these are grassroots efforts and that they don't condone violence or racism.
CHRISTINA MEDEMA: Thank you, guys. Wow. This is...
ROSE: Christina Medema addresses the crowd before a caravan she helped organize on Saturday in Grand Rapids, Mich. She's a stay-at-home mom and says she'd never done anything political until now. Video from the event is circulating on social media.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #3: Most of America is on Trump's side.
ROSE: That clip and videos from other caravans have been posted by RT. The TV network is funded by the Kremlin. Experts say it's a Russian propaganda machine that tries to highlight divisions in U.S. society. But Christina Medema doesn't see it that way. She says American media just won't cover this story.
MEDEMA: It made me a little bit disappointed in our local news outlets for sure.
ROSE: She's not the only one who wonders why national media only cover these caravans when something goes wrong.
KEITH LEE: This is about making America patriotic again.
ROSE: Keith Lee is one of the organizers of MAGA Drag The Interstate, a group that's helping coordinate caravans on the major highways around big cities. Lee says convoy organizers deliberately try to avoid clashes with counterprotesters.
LEE: We don't condone any racism, racist comments. We don't want people dragging a Black Lives Matter flag underneath their truck. If we see any of that stuff, they're out of there.
ROSE: Lee says his group has helped organize caravans in 46 states so far. They're planning to host caravans nationwide during the first weekend in October.
Joel Rose, NPR News.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


text:
Revision as of 18:40, 13 January 2011 by MisterGlass (talk | contribs)
This page is currently being developed by a single author. Editing by others may cause a conflict of information.
If you'd still like to contribute, see the discussion page.
The Star Trek franchise was created by Gene Rodenberry, and began with the television series Star Trek in 1966. It related the adventures of the crew of the starship U.S.S. Enterprise as they traveled to new planets and encountered new species and beings. The ship was captained by James T. Kirk, played by William Shatner. His first officer, Mr. Spock, was half Vulcan, a species which values logic and reason. The rest of the human crew included Dr. McCoy, Uhura, Scotty, Sulu, and Chekov. Show themes included tolerance, acceptance, and peaceful exploration.
While the original series ran for only three seasons, for a total of 79 episodes (not including the original, rejected pilot), it became a very popular cult series. Eventually, six films starring the cast of the original series were produced from 1979 to 1991. A second series, Star Trek: The Next Generation premiered in 1987 with a new cast. The new cast subsequently made another four films. Three other series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Enterprise, followed. The franchise was restarted in 2009 with the movie Star Trek, which cast new actors as the original series characters.
Star Trek and Supernatural have several parallels. Star Trek also spawned an animated series, which aired in 1973. A library of books set in the Star Trek universe has been written since the airing of the original series. Star Trek is famous for its vast fandom, members of which participate in conventions. Additionally, Star Trek has been a popular subject for slash.
Two members of the Supernatural crew have connections to Star Trek. The director of 1.06 Skin, Robert Duncan McNeil starred in Star Trek: Voyager as Lt Tom Paris. Actor Mark Sheppard, who plays Crowley on Supernatural, guest starred in an episode of the same series.
1 Episodes References Star Trek
1.1 1.06 Skin
1.2 1.11 Scarecrow
1.3 4.02 Are You There, God? It's Me, Dean Winchester
1.4 4.03 In The Beginning
1.5 4.21 When The Levee Breaks
2 Ghostfacers
Episodes References Star Trek
1.06 Skin
Sam: I don't know, it was like he was downloading your thoughts and memories.
Dean: You mean, like the Vulcan Mind Meld?
In the Star Trek universe, Vulcans are humanoid aliens with pointed ears and green blood who can access someone's thoughts and memories by a mind meld. It is initiated through physical contact, usually by placing a hand on the side of the subject's head. Vulcan Mind Meld appears on the Pad of Definitions.
1.11 Scarecrow
Stacy: Sweetheart, that's what sacrifice means. Giving up something you love for the greater good. The town needs to be safe. The good of the many outweighs the good of the one.
This is possibly a reference to lines from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan:
Spock: Were I to invoke logic, however, logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
Kirk: Or the one.
However, in Star Trek, the sacrifice in question is voluntary.
4.02 Are You There, God? It's Me, Dean Winchester
Upon finding out that the Apocalypse is imminent, Dean suggests they go and visit the Star Trek Experience, among other destinations. This Las Vegas attraction ran from January 1998 to September 2008. It closed seventeen days before Dean's resurrection in Lazarus Rising.
4.03 In The Beginning
Dean: Know where I can get any reception?
Young John: The U.S.S. Enterprise?
To young John Winchester, Dean's cell phone looks like a communicator from Star Trek, which ended four years earlier.
4.21 When The Levee Breaks
Dean: They come on like shady politicians from Planet Vulcan.
Dean is referring to Star Trek's Spock's planet of origin, and comparing Castiel's behavior to the Vulcans' lack of emotional display.
Ghostfacers
In the first episode of the Ghostfacers Web Series, Ed Zeddmore and Harry Spangler discuss their new intern Dave:
Ed: Yeah, uh, Dave, Dave, Dave. Good intern, uh, knows his equipment, runs a mean cable—
Harry: Knows his Trek.
When Dean and Sam visit Ed and Harry's trailer in 1.17 Hell House, Dean observes that the two have "action figures in their original packaging"; it is possible that Ed and Harry have a few Star Trek action figures in their collection.
Retrieved from "http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/index.php?title=Star_Trek&oldid=46327"


What makes humor different for everyone? How is it defined? Why do some think that wiping out on a bicycle is funny, and some think that it isn't?
In Jerry Drye's humor communication class, students are trying to define humor, and what better way to find out than to have a comedian come to class!
Comedian Karen Mills was invited to speak to the class. She gave engaging insight on what humor means to her and how it got her through a tough time - overcoming ovarian cancer.
"She was really cool", said Chase Starkley, "I thought it was cool to talk to someone experienced in the field of comedy. It is great to get feedback and direction if I were to get into this field, and not to mention, she was hilarious in general!"
Students in the class are learning that with a positive mind, humor can be anything from wiping out on bicycles, to making the best out of a difficult topic - a skill that will last them a lifetime.


We handcraft high quality oil blends to heal your body naturally. There's always a natural remedy to improve one's health. Enjoy our unique series of oil blends.
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Strategy and evidence: coronavirus
COVID-19 Wales situational report: 6 May 2021
COVID-19 Wales situational report: 6 May 2021 [HTML]
Update from the COVID-19 Intelligence Cell and Health Protection Advisory Group.
Download this page as a PDF . File size 1 MB.
File size 1 MB. This file may not be fully accessible.
COVID-19 situation report summary
What is the current status of the epidemic?
What is the situation with the NHS and social care?
What is the situation with education, children and young adults?
What does the situation look like going forward?
Mobility data, adherence and UK comparison
Key risks and sources
Key points to note
Wales is at Alert Level 3.
Overall transmission of COVID-19 is generally decreasing and relatively low. The consensus estimate of the reproduction number for Wales is between 0.8 and 1.0. Source: SPI-M/SAGE, 27 April 2021.
COVID-19 cases are generally decreasing across most of Wales. The percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19 has also decreased slightly. Source: PHW
Overall COVID-19 hospital admissions and COVID-19 related deaths remain at a relatively low level. These numbers are now comparable to those observed in mid- September 2020. Source: NHS Wales Operational data
VOC-20DEC-01 (first identified in Kent) remains the dominant variant in Wales. SARS-CoV-2 is evolving antigenically. Some variants are less well neutralized by antibodies raised to current vaccines, and the vaccine efficacy against these variants is lower than for the existing predominant virus. There are three clades in the lineage B.1.617. The B.1.617.1 variant which is widespread in India and other parts of South Asia, has been designated a Variant under Investigation. There are currently 119 cases in the UK, all but 3 of which have been linked to travel. Source: SAGE
As of 5 May, in the previous seven days genomic sequencing of COVID-19 tests has identified 12 new confirmed cases of VUI-21APR-01 and 5 confirmed cases of VUI-21APR-02. Source: PHW
On vaccination, as of 6 May 2021, a total of 2.68 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given in Wales and recorded in the COVID-19 Welsh Immunisation System. Of the 2.68 million doses given nationally, 1.88 million were first doses and 0.80 million were second doses. Current coverage will not offer population level protection in the absence of other protective behaviours. Source: PHW
Most key indicators continue to decrease, following a period of high transmission in December and January.
Current value (03/05/21)
Change since previous week
(24/04/21 – 01/05/21 unless stated otherwise)
Change since reported figures for previous Alert Level review
(17/04/21 – 01/05/21)
Value change
Confirmed case rate (rolling 7 day sum per 100k)
10 -18% (-2) -33% (-5)
Confirmed case rate for over 60s (rolling 7 day sum per 100k)
8 -24% (-3) -30% (-4)
Test positivity (7 day RA)
1.1% -22% (-0.3 percentage points) -35% (-0.6 percentage points)
Population estimated to have COVID-19 (prevalence)1
0.05% -17% (-0.01 percentage points) -55% (-0.06 percentage points)
Reproduction number (Rt)2
0.8 to 1.0 5% (+0.04) -1% (-0.01)
NHS capacity – Admissions3
ONS deaths (7 day sum)4
PHW deaths (7 day sum)
Latest Covid Infection Survey data is taken from the 26 April 2021 to 2 April 2021.
Latest Rt value is as at 27 April 2021. Changes shown in table are based on the central estimate of Rt.
Seven day rolling average to the current date of confirmed COVID-19 patients – does not include COVID-19 suspected or recovering.
Latest ONS deaths data is to 23 April 2021 (rather than 1 May 2021) for the current value. Data to 16 April 2021 is used for the change since previous week and data to 9 April 2021 is used for the change since last Alert Level review.
Cases per 100,000 population (7 day period ending 01 May 2021)
% of All Wales Total
Case Incidence per 100,000
Incidence threshold reached
Change from previous week
40 12.9% 25.9 25 to < 50 -15%↓
24 7.8% 17.7 20 to < 25 -17% ↓
47 15.2% 12.8 Under 15 7%↑
23 7.4% 12.7 Under 15 53%↑
28 9.1% 11.3 Under 15 -47%↓
14 4.5% 11.1 Under 15 100%↑
12 3.9% 9.6 Under 15 -48%↓
22 7.1% 9.1 Under 15 47%↑
5 1.6% 8.3 Under 15 67%↑
9 2.9% 6.7 Under 15 -18%↓
5 1.6% 5.3 Under 15 0%→
0 0.0% 0.0 Under 15 -100%↓
3 1.0% - -25% ↓
309 100.0% 9.8 Under 15 -18% ↓
At a Wales level, on 1 May, the 7-day rolling incidence of COVID-19 cases and the percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19 have decreased since last week.
The SAGE/ SPI-M consensus estimate of Reproduction number (Rt) is 0.8 - 1.0 (as at 27 April 2021). When we look at reproduction numbers using PHW positive test data only (see second table below) - a more timely estimate but limited by variation in testing – we see a reproduction number estimate of 0.84 for Wales. At local health board level, there is considerable variation in the reproduction number (cases only) estimate. The central estimate of the reproduction number (cases only) is at or above 1.0 for the Cwm Taf, Aneurin Bevan and Hywel Dda Health Boards.
7-day cumulative case incidence is decreasing across most of Wales. At a Wales level, cases per 100,000 is currently at 9.8 per 100,000 population. This is a slight decrease compared to the previous report (11.9 per 100,000 population).
Incidence varies by local authority and age. Newport is the only local authority with a case incidence rate above the threshold of 25 cases per 100,000. However, the case incidence for Newport has decreased over the past week.
The table below also provides estimates of doubling and halving times based on COVID-19 positive test data. In this table, halving times are positive, whilst doubling times are negative. The 95% confidence intervals are showing in brackets after the central estimate. An asterisk (*) means that there are small numbers and estimates should be treated with caution. Local health board level estimates of Rt and halving times will be unstable when incidence is low.
Reproduction number (based on positive tests only) PHW data by Local Health Board as at 05 May 2021
Local Health Board
Rt (cases)
Halving time (days)
All Wales
0.84 (0.8 to 0.9) 44 (13 to -35)
Swansea Bay UHB
0.6 (0.5 to 0.8) 9 (4 to -54)
CTM UHB
1.1 (0.8 to 1.4) 36 (5 to –8) DOUBLING
Aneurin Bevan UHB
1.1 (1.0 to 1.4) 66 (9 to –13) DOUBLING
Cardiff & Vale UHB
1.0 (0.8 to 1.2) 222 (10 to -11)
Hywel Dda UHB*
0.9 (0.6 to 1.2) 215 (8 to –9)
Powys THB*
0.7 (0.4 to 1.0) 8 (5 to 39)
Betsi Cadwaladr UHB
0.7 (0.6 to 0.9) 66 (9 to –12)
COVID-19 pressure on the NHS continues to improve and is back to the levels seen in mid-September last year. As at 5 May 2021 there were 187 COVID-19 related patients (Suspected, Confirmed and Recovering) occupying a hospital bed. Confirmed cases constitute 32 of the total, the lowest number since 2 May 2021 when there were 31.
COVID-19 patients in critical care beds is currently at three, this is 161 lower than the maximum COVID-19 position of approximately 164. Confirmed cases constitute one of the total, the lowest number since 3 May 2020 when there were also one. The total number of patients in critical care for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 stands at 185, 33 more than the historic maximum critical care capacity of approximately 152.
Care homes data is reported to Incident Management Teams on a weekly basis. Those noted as red status have reported an outbreak or incident in the last five days.
Up to 22 April 2021, 7 (0.7%) adult care homes in Wales notified CIW of one or more confirmed cases of COVID-19, in staff or residents, in the past 7 days. This is a decrease compared to 12 (1.1%) in the 7 days up to 15 April 2021. The number of notifications is now at the lowest since the guidance change on 17 December 2020.
Childcare settings
The latest national SBAR covering the week of 26 April to 02 May reported no new clusters in childcare settings with 2 ongoing clusters in 1 health board.
At the time of writing for the national SBAR to 02 May, 2 new clusters and 15 ongoing clusters were reported to be associated with schools. In the seven days to 02 May, 77 new confirmed cases associated with schools were reported by PHW to Welsh Government: 65* among pupils and 12* among staff. Source: National SBAR *Please note these totals only include data from Swansea Bay and Hywel Dda. Confirmed case incidence remained stable in those aged under 20 years old in the most recent week ending 02 May.
IMTs continue to report that infection observed in pupils and staff are commonly the result of community and social interactions outside the school setting, with the acknowledgement that the incidence associated with schools reflects wider community transmission.
An average of 91% of all pupils were present in school over the week of 26 April to 30 April, the second highest rate of this academic year to date. This information is provisional and will be revised on 10 May.
HEIs in Wales have, since January, prioritised a return to in person blended learning for those students with practical and qualification requirement where in person learning is necessary. University facilities, such as libraries, laboratories and study spaces, have been open for those who need access.
From 12 April HEIs have fully opened for blended learning with all students invited to access online and in person learning. HEIs report cases notified to them by students and staff. From 1 February 2021 most HEIs have changed the way in which they report data, with positive cases referring only to students or staff attending campus or returning to the local area for study (with the exception of University of Wales Trinity St David's who are unable to split cases on this basis). Over the past week, the 7-day rolling average has been less than 4 positive COVID-19 cases for all HEI's.
There is currently Voluntary LFD testing of childcare staff, school staff, Further Education (FE) and Higher Education (HE) staff; FE and HE students, and older secondary school aged pupils. Detailed information on LFD test outcomes is not yet available.
Please note: Due to accuracy & timeliness limitations with the capability of our surveillance systems, distinguishing exact case associations between children over 19, school staff and/or family members is currently not possible. We are looking to develop this with local health protection officers.
Based on the current rates observed with current restrictions:
Cases - the probability of incidence greater that 100 per 100,000 remains low for all local authorities. The figure illustrates the probability (between 0 – 100%) of incidence being greater than 100 per 100,000. Source: Imperial College London
Deaths per day - continue to see small numbers over the next four weeks. Source: Modelled medium term projections, SAGE, 4 May
Hospitalisations per day - continue to decrease to 2 per day over the next four weeks. Source: Modelled medium term projections, SAGE, 4 May
These projections are based on current trends and will not fully reflect the impact of policy or behavioural changes over the past two to three weeks. They are not forecasts or predictions.
Projecting forwards is difficult when numbers fall to very low levels, therefore SPI-M-O have decided to pause producing medium term projections where this is the case. The small numbers can also introduce apparent inconsistency as regions are aggregated.
The most recent mobility data shows a slowed growth in mobility following the initial sharp increase seen after the easing of restrictions in several areas relating to travel and re-opening of non-essential retail on 12 April, with some categories showing little change.
New IPSOS MORI data for the period 23 – 27 April for Wales shows reductions in some categories since the previous survey wave 4 weeks ago, most notably a large reduction in those making essential trips only. Social-distancing and wearing of face coverings remains steady. Note this is self-reported adherence and will be affected by individuals understanding of the rules and guidance. Source: IPSOS MORI
UK comparison
The percentage of people testing positive appears to have decreased in Wales in the most recent two weeks, with the rate now similar to levels seen last summer.
For the week of 26 April to 2 May, it is estimated that an average of 1,500 people in Wales had COVID-19 (95% credible interval: 400 to 3,400), equating to around 1 in 2,070 people. This compares to around 1 in 1,180 people in England, around 1 in 760 people in Scotland, and around 1 in 750 people in Northern Ireland.
Source: Office for National Statistics COVID-19 Infection Survey
Key risks
Transmissions, incidence and prevalence
Overall transmission is generally decreasing and relatively low.
NHS Capacity
Overall COVID-19 hospital admissions continue to fall with numbers now comparable to those observed in September 2020.
Remains at a generally low level.
VOC-20DEC-01 (the Kent variant) is the dominant variant in Wales.
Immunity and vaccines
2.68 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine were given in Wales. Of the 2.68 million doses given nationally, 1.88 million were first doses and 0.80 million were second doses.
Key sources for this update
Technical Advisory Cell brief
COVID infection survey results
Public Health Wales
Hospital occupancy