text:
Being well-liked predicts increased use of alcohol but not tobacco in early adolescence
Mark J. Van Ryzin, Dawn DeLay, Thomas J. Dishion
CLAS-SS: Social and Family Dynamics, T. Denny Sanford School of (SSFD)
CLAS-SS: Child and Family Success, Center for
CLAS-NS: Psychology
CLAS-NS: REACH Institute
Although substance use has traditionally been linked to peer deviance, a parallel literature has explored the influence of peer social status (being "well-liked"). This literature hypothesizes that adolescents with higher status will anticipate shifts in social norms and modify their behavior earlier and/or more substantially than lower-status students. As substance use becomes more socially acceptable during early-to-mid-adolescence, higher status youth are hypothesized to reflect this shift in norms by accelerating their use more rapidly than lower status youth. Although some evidence exists to support this hypothesis, it has never been evaluated in conjunction with the opposing hypothesis (i.e., that substance use contributes to elevated peer status). In this study, we evaluated reciprocal links between peer status and substance use (i.e., alcohol and tobacco) using 3. years of data from 8 middle schools in the Pacific Northwest. Social network analysis enabled us to model standard network effects along with unique effects for the influence of the network on behavior (i.e., increased substance use as a result of being well-liked) and the influence of behavior on the network (i.e., increased status as a result of substance use). Our results indicated significant bidirectional effects for alcohol use but no significant effects for tobacco use. In other words, being well-liked significantly predicted alcohol use and vice versa, but these processes were not significant for tobacco use. Prevention efforts should consider the dynamics of peer status and peer norms in adolescence with the goal of preventing escalations in problem behavior that can compromise future adjustment.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.10.017
Peer status
Social norms
10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.10.017
Dive into the research topics of 'Being well-liked predicts increased use of alcohol but not tobacco in early adolescence'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
nicotine Social Sciences 100%
adolescence Social Sciences 87%
alcohol Social Sciences 80%
Alcohols Medicine & Life Sciences 78%
Alcohol Chemical Compounds 63%
Standard Model Chemical Compounds 53%
Tobacco Use Medicine & Life Sciences 44%
Van Ryzin, M. J., DeLay, D., & Dishion, T. J. (2016). Being well-liked predicts increased use of alcohol but not tobacco in early adolescence. Addictive Behaviors, 53, 168-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.10.017
Being well-liked predicts increased use of alcohol but not tobacco in early adolescence. / Van Ryzin, Mark J.; DeLay, Dawn; Dishion, Thomas J.
In: Addictive Behaviors, Vol. 53, 01.02.2016, p. 168-174.
Van Ryzin, MJ, DeLay, D & Dishion, TJ 2016, 'Being well-liked predicts increased use of alcohol but not tobacco in early adolescence', Addictive Behaviors, vol. 53, pp. 168-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.10.017
Van Ryzin MJ, DeLay D, Dishion TJ. Being well-liked predicts increased use of alcohol but not tobacco in early adolescence. Addictive Behaviors. 2016 Feb 1;53:168-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.10.017
Van Ryzin, Mark J. ; DeLay, Dawn ; Dishion, Thomas J. / Being well-liked predicts increased use of alcohol but not tobacco in early adolescence. In: Addictive Behaviors. 2016 ; Vol. 53. pp. 168-174.
@article{4eef2ef9384f4524a583a4be29ac1bef,
title = "Being well-liked predicts increased use of alcohol but not tobacco in early adolescence",
abstract = "Although substance use has traditionally been linked to peer deviance, a parallel literature has explored the influence of peer social status (being {"}well-liked{"}). This literature hypothesizes that adolescents with higher status will anticipate shifts in social norms and modify their behavior earlier and/or more substantially than lower-status students. As substance use becomes more socially acceptable during early-to-mid-adolescence, higher status youth are hypothesized to reflect this shift in norms by accelerating their use more rapidly than lower status youth. Although some evidence exists to support this hypothesis, it has never been evaluated in conjunction with the opposing hypothesis (i.e., that substance use contributes to elevated peer status). In this study, we evaluated reciprocal links between peer status and substance use (i.e., alcohol and tobacco) using 3. years of data from 8 middle schools in the Pacific Northwest. Social network analysis enabled us to model standard network effects along with unique effects for the influence of the network on behavior (i.e., increased substance use as a result of being well-liked) and the influence of behavior on the network (i.e., increased status as a result of substance use). Our results indicated significant bidirectional effects for alcohol use but no significant effects for tobacco use. In other words, being well-liked significantly predicted alcohol use and vice versa, but these processes were not significant for tobacco use. Prevention efforts should consider the dynamics of peer status and peer norms in adolescence with the goal of preventing escalations in problem behavior that can compromise future adjustment.",
keywords = "Adolescence, Alcohol, Peer status, Social network analysis, Social norms, Tobacco",
author = "{Van Ryzin}, {Mark J.} and Dawn DeLay and Dishion, {Thomas J.}",
note = "Funding Information: This study was supported by grant DA13773 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to Thomas J. Dishion. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 Elsevier Ltd.",
doi = "10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.10.017",
journal = "Addictive Behaviors",
T1 - Being well-liked predicts increased use of alcohol but not tobacco in early adolescence
AU - Van Ryzin, Mark J.
AU - DeLay, Dawn
AU - Dishion, Thomas J.
N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by grant DA13773 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to Thomas J. Dishion. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Publisher Copyright: © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.
N2 - Although substance use has traditionally been linked to peer deviance, a parallel literature has explored the influence of peer social status (being "well-liked"). This literature hypothesizes that adolescents with higher status will anticipate shifts in social norms and modify their behavior earlier and/or more substantially than lower-status students. As substance use becomes more socially acceptable during early-to-mid-adolescence, higher status youth are hypothesized to reflect this shift in norms by accelerating their use more rapidly than lower status youth. Although some evidence exists to support this hypothesis, it has never been evaluated in conjunction with the opposing hypothesis (i.e., that substance use contributes to elevated peer status). In this study, we evaluated reciprocal links between peer status and substance use (i.e., alcohol and tobacco) using 3. years of data from 8 middle schools in the Pacific Northwest. Social network analysis enabled us to model standard network effects along with unique effects for the influence of the network on behavior (i.e., increased substance use as a result of being well-liked) and the influence of behavior on the network (i.e., increased status as a result of substance use). Our results indicated significant bidirectional effects for alcohol use but no significant effects for tobacco use. In other words, being well-liked significantly predicted alcohol use and vice versa, but these processes were not significant for tobacco use. Prevention efforts should consider the dynamics of peer status and peer norms in adolescence with the goal of preventing escalations in problem behavior that can compromise future adjustment.
AB - Although substance use has traditionally been linked to peer deviance, a parallel literature has explored the influence of peer social status (being "well-liked"). This literature hypothesizes that adolescents with higher status will anticipate shifts in social norms and modify their behavior earlier and/or more substantially than lower-status students. As substance use becomes more socially acceptable during early-to-mid-adolescence, higher status youth are hypothesized to reflect this shift in norms by accelerating their use more rapidly than lower status youth. Although some evidence exists to support this hypothesis, it has never been evaluated in conjunction with the opposing hypothesis (i.e., that substance use contributes to elevated peer status). In this study, we evaluated reciprocal links between peer status and substance use (i.e., alcohol and tobacco) using 3. years of data from 8 middle schools in the Pacific Northwest. Social network analysis enabled us to model standard network effects along with unique effects for the influence of the network on behavior (i.e., increased substance use as a result of being well-liked) and the influence of behavior on the network (i.e., increased status as a result of substance use). Our results indicated significant bidirectional effects for alcohol use but no significant effects for tobacco use. In other words, being well-liked significantly predicted alcohol use and vice versa, but these processes were not significant for tobacco use. Prevention efforts should consider the dynamics of peer status and peer norms in adolescence with the goal of preventing escalations in problem behavior that can compromise future adjustment.
KW - Adolescence
KW - Alcohol
KW - Peer status
KW - Social network analysis
KW - Social norms
KW - Tobacco
U2 - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.10.017
DO - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.10.017
JO - Addictive Behaviors
JF - Addictive Behaviors


text:
Der Herrensee von Niedernhausen ist ein Natura2000-Gebiet in der Gemeinde Fischbachtal im Landkreis Darmstadt-Dieburg in Südhessen. Die Ausweisung als FFH-Gebiet 6218-305 erfolgte mit der Verordnung vom 16. Januar 2008 (geändert am 20. Oktober 2016). Geschützt wird ein Auenabschnitt des Fischbachs mit Grünland, Großseggenriedern, Ufergehölzen, Röhrichten, Feuchtbrachen, Brennnessel-Mädesüßfluren und Streuobst.

Lage
Das FFH-Gebiet "Herrensee von Niedernhausen" liegt im Naturraum Vorderer Odenwald, Untereinheit 145.7 Lichtenberger Höhen. Es befindet sich in den Gemarkungen von Billings und Niedernhausen zwischen beiden Ortsteilen und verläuft in der Aue des Fischbachs über etwa 1,3 Kilometer von Südwesten nach Nordosten. Auch der Unterlauf des Meßbachs, der dem Fischbach von Süden zufließt, gehört zum Gebiet. Im Westen grenzt die Landesstraße 3102 an. Südlich der Abzweigung nach Meßbach reicht es nach Osten am Hang bis zum Waldrand hinauf. Im nördlichen Teil ist es nur ein schmaler Streifen und wird auf der Ostseite von einem Feldweg begrenzt. Das Schutzgebiet liegt auf 180 bis 210 Meter Meereshöhe und umfasst eine Fläche von 23,9371 Hektar.

Beschreibung
Der Bachlauf des Fischbachs liegt geologisch auf Bachablagerungen und Löss-Sedimenten über Granit- und Diorit-Gesteinen des kristallinen Odenwalds. Im oberen Drittel des Gebiets ist er naturnah und strömungsreich. Der untere Teil wurde in den späten 1950er Jahren im Rahmen der Flurbereinigung begradigt, inzwischen hat er durch Uferabbrüche und Kurven wieder eine verlangsamte Strömung. Der Fischbach und der Unterlauf des Meßbachs werden von Ufergehölzen gesäumt.

Die umgebenden Flächen werden landwirtschaftlich genutzt. Der größte Teil ist Grünland mit Wiesen und Weiden unterschiedlicher Nutzungsintensität. Im nördlichen Teil des Gebietes liegt eine Streuobstwiese, im Südosten gibt es einige Ackerflächen.

Flora und Fauna
In den Ufergehölzsäumen dominiert die Schwarz-Erle, stellenweise kommen auch Gemeine Esche, Bruch-Weide, Bastard-Schwarz-Pappel und Bergulme vor. Dazwischen stehen Sträucher wie Gemeine Hasel, Gewöhnliche Traubenkirsche, Gewöhnlicher Spindelstrauch, Schwarzer Holunder und Brombeeren. In der Krautschicht wachsen unter anderem Hain-Sternmiere, Großes Springkraut, Riesen-Schwingel, Hain-Ampfer, Echtes Mädesüß, Kohldistel, Sumpf-Storchschnabel, Gewöhnlicher Blutweiderich und Schilfrohr. Stickstoffzeiger wie die Große Brennnessel weisen auf den Eintrag von Nährstoffen hin.

Das Grünland besteht aus Tal-Glatthaferwiesen mit den typischen Arten Gewöhnlicher Glatthafer, Wiesen-Labkraut, Wiesen-Pippau, Wiesen-Glockenblume und Wiesen-Storchschnabel. An feuchteren Stellen gedeihen Großer Wiesenknopf und Kuckucks-Lichtnelke. Die meisten Wiesen sind nährstoffreich bis überdüngt und relativ artenarm. Magere Flachland-Mähwiesen gibt es nur auf kleinen Flächen. Sie zeichnen sich durch Magerkeitszeiger wie Feld-Hainsimse, Magerwiesen-Margerite, Kleine Bibernelle und Knöllchen-Steinbrech aus.

Besonders schutzwürdig ist das Vorkommen des Schmetterlings Dunkler Wiesenknopf-Ameisenbläuling, dessen Raupen sich in frühen Entwicklungsstadien ausschließlich von den Blütenköpfen des Großen Wiesenknopfs ernähren. Im Fließgewässer sind die Bachforelle und das gefährdete Bachneunauge heimisch. Entlang der Bachläufe wurden außerdem Wasseramsel, Teichrohrsänger, Eisvogel sowie die Blauflügel-Prachtlibelle beobachtet.

Erhaltungs- und Schutzziele
In dem FFH-Gebiet sollen folgende Lebensraumtypen erhalten werden:
 6510 Magere Flachland-Mähwiesen (Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis)
 91E0 Auenwälder mit Alnus glutinosa und Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae)

Als Erhaltungsziele der Arten nach Anhang II der FFH-Richtlinie werden folgende Tierarten genannt:
 Lampetra planeri (Bachneunauge)
 Maculinea nausithous (Dunkler Wiesenknopf-Ameisenbläuling)

Die dafür erforderlichen Pflegeeingriffe und Anpassungen der Bewirtschaftungsweise werden durch einen Maßnahmenplan geregelt.

Beeinträchtigungen
Die Überdüngung und die Beweidung der Frischwiesen führt zu einer unerwünschten Nährstoffanreicherung, auch im Gewässer, sowie zur Ausbreitung von Ruderalvegetation. Entlang des Bachlaufs sind Neophyten  wie Drüsiges Springkraut problematisch.

Siehe auch
Liste der FFH-Gebiete in Hessen

Einzelnachweise

Weblinks

 Herrensee von Niedernhausen, European Environment Agency (EEA).

FFH-Gebiet in Hessen
Geographie (Fischbachtal)
Schutzgebiet im Odenwald
Schutzgebiet (Umwelt- und Naturschutz) in Europa

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure)
Pulmonary resection
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, unspecified
Nasal, Allergy and Sinus Conditions
Unspecified chronic bronchitis
Lung Transplant Outcomes at UCSF Among the Nation's Best
For nine consecutive years, the UC San Francisco Lung Transplant Program has achieved significantly higher-than-expected survival rates following transplant surgery. It is the only lung transplant program in the country with this record. Performing about 70 to 80 transplants each year, the UCSF team has given more than 900 patients with advanced lung disease the chance for a longer, more active life.
Based on data released July 2021, from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, UCSF lung transplant outcomes are as follows:
Three-year survival rate of 89.91 percent – the highest rate in the country, far surpassing the national average of 74.3 percent*
Volumes among the top 10 of all U.S. lung transplant programs, with 80 lung transplants performed at UCSF in 2020
Consistently low waitlist mortality, despite high patient acuity
Cross-disciplinary teamwork
These outcomes are the result of close teamwork that pushes boundaries to redefine possible at every level of care. The UCSF Lung Transplant Program provides:
Aggressive transplant management plans to expand access for patients who previously were not eligible for lung transplantation
Expertise in bridge to lung transplant for extended periods of time through skilled use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
Cross-disciplinary teams of specialists in pulmonology, transplant surgery, nursing, social work, nutrition, psychology and physical therapy
Clinics for interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis and scleroderma, led by specialists in these conditions
Catching his breath
"We get a lot of challenging cases that have been turned down by other centers," said Jasleen Kukreja, MD, MPH, surgical director of the UCSF Lung Transplant Program. In January 2017, the team performed transplantation surgery on Bradley Dell, a young man with cystic fibrosis whose survival depended on getting a double lung transplant. "Brad's case was as severe as it gets. He was on the verge of death. Transplant was his only option."
"It was like chipping through cement. His lungs were completely scarred to the chest wall," said Kukreja. Dell also had a mycobacterial infection which made surgery even more challenging. "You don't want to have any spillage of the infection into the chest."
The surgery was a success.
"Once I recovered from transplant, I was obsessed with taking deep breaths," said Dell. "Before my transplant, I didn't dare to dream. After my transplant, I started thinking it was OK to dream, and that brought a lot of joy. Dr. Kukreja said to me, 'If you trust me, you can have a long life span.' I'd only ever heard 'life expectancy.'" Dell sees his doctors as "heroes and beautiful souls who go through a lot. All that work really is worth it. My life is just incredible."
The UCSF Lung Transplant Program is committed to expanding access for previously ineligible patients through aggressive transplant management plans before, during and after the procedure. The team's approachable, easy-to-reach style facilitates smooth communication from the referring community to the transplant team and back.
To learn more:
UCSF Lung Transplant Program
*Estimated probability of surviving 3 years. Source: Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. University of California, San Francisco Medical Center (CASF). Table C13D. Adult (18+) 3?year patient survival (deceased donor graft recipients): Single organ transplants performed between Jan. 1, 2015 and June 30, 2017.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Two students in the University at Buffalo School of Management have been awarded scholarships by the American Business Women's Association (ABWA).
Michelle Bligh of Spokane, Wash., a doctoral student, received a $5,000 Stephen Bufton Memorial Scholarship from the national chapter of ABWA. First-year MBA student Elizabeth Welker of Buffalo was awarded a $2,000 Bufton Scholarship from the group's local chapter.
Bligh, who is studying organizational behavior, plans to teach at the university level. She has taught organizational behavior courses at the undergraduate level at UB and has lectured in UB's Executive MBA and Professional MBA programs. She is a research assistant in the School of Management, conducting research projects in the areas of culture, leadership and communication. Bligh earned a master's degree from UB and a bachelor's degree from Pomona College in California.
Welker is enrolled in UB's 3/2 MBA program, which enables students to earn both a bachelor's and an MBA degree by completing three years of undergraduate work followed immediately by two years of graduate studies. She expects to graduate from UB in 2003 with a concentration in finance.
ABWA has provided workplace skills and career-development training for more than 545,000 members. ABWA's scholarship trust, the Stephen Bufton Memorial Education Fund (SBMEF), has contributed more than $11 million to women's professional success through education.


Domain zone de. Main characteristics.
Domains de. Frequently Asked Questions.
Who is the target customer for a .de domain name?
A .DE Domain is normally used by companies or private entities who are located in Germany.
How much does it cost the registration in the .de domain?
Domain registration or prolongation in domain zone .de will be cost 468.00 UAH per year.
It is possible to register a domain name if this name is free and meets all requirements of the .CC registry.
What do I need to register a domain name in the .de domain?
Are there any additional conditions and requirements for a .de domain name?
Owner or Admin contacts must have a valid address (no P.O. Box) located in Germany. If you don`t have a valid German postal address, you can register the domain with our Trustee service.
Are there any restrictions for a .de domain name?
Do I need to have a trademark or another official documents for registration in the .de domain?


text:
REVISED 2010 VERSION
"First there was Star Trek. Then there was Star Wars. Now... there is Starmites, which is certainly the mite-iest of the three intergalactic epics, a vest-pocket musical nebulae of cheerful nuttiness." – The New York Times
Fantasy, Adventure, Science Fiction, Parody / Spoof
Competition or audition material
Appropriate for all audiences, Adult, Senior, Children (Age 6 - 10), Pre-Teen (Age 11 - 13), Teen (Age 14 - 18)
Nominee: Six 1989 Tony Awards, including Best Musical
Starmites Lite
Starmites Pro is a crowd-pleasing family musical that can be produced with a cast of 11, and a musical ensemble of 5. It is a Sci-fi Fantasy show with a big heart and big laughs. It is designed to be performed with imagination and wit—rather than with huge sets and special effects. Starmites has been recently been carefully and lovingly "upgraded" by authors Barry Keating and Stuart Ross (Forever Plaid).
The Story: Shy teenager Eleanor has built a fantasy world around the sci-fi comic books she collects. To the distress of her mother, she has learned to avoid the pains of growing up by escaping into fantasy, imagining herself to be an unrecognized superhero. When she is mysteriously thrust into the Website World of her favorite comic book, Eleanor is drawn into the conflict between Shak Graa, Arch-Creep of Chaos, and the Starmites, guardian angels of Innerspace. She turns out to be the legendary Milady, teen superhero who must lead the Mites on their Quest to save the Galaxy. Standing in her way are a colorful assortment of Bowie-esque villains, including the delightfully flamboyant Diva, Queen of Innerspace and her Banshee warriors – Destiny's Child-ish sirens with a ravenous hunger for Boy Bands. With the help of hip-hop heartthrob Space Punk, Eleanor learns to own up to the inner power she has always denied, defeating her foes and conquering the evil force of the "Cruelty."
Starmites premiered on Broadway at the Criterion Center Stage Right on April 27, 1989. Directed by Larry Carpenter, the production starred Liz Larsen, Gabriel Barre, Brian Lane Green and Sharon McNight.
Non-Traditional casting
Reduced casting (Doubling Possible)
Roles for Teens
Flexible casting
Shoestring Budget
Large Stage
Blackbox / Second Stage /Fringe Groups
ELEANOR FAIRCHILD – A teenage girl who eventually becomes MILADY, Superhero of Innerspace.
ELEANOR'S MOTHER – An unassuming woman who loves her daughter and anxiously awaits the day when she will grow out of her comic book craze.
SPACEPUNK – The hero, captain of the Starmites and heartthrob of the Universe.
THE STARMITES – A teenage band of Space youths dedicated to fighting the deadly forces of the Universe. They include:
S'UP S'UP SENSABOI – The organized and methodical member of the group – he plays by the rules.
DIGGETY RAZZLEDAZZLE – The bumbling show-off of the group. Openly expresses his feelings.
ACK ACK HACKERAX – The group's tough guy. He is second in command.
(You may cast as many extra Starmites as you choose.)
SHAK GRAA – High Priest of Chaos, determined to destroy both Earth and Innerspace.
TRINKULUS – A reptilian minstrel, once slave to Shak Graa, now serving as a guide to the Starmites. (Can double with SHAK GRAA.)
DIVA – Imposing and powerful Queen of Innerspace. (Can double with MOTHER.)
BIZARBARA – Awkward and shy daughter of Diva, possessed with a heart of gold and a yearning to be "normal and average." (Can double with ELEANOR.)
THE BANSHEES – Amazonian bombshells, and henchwomen to Diva. They include:
SHOTZI – Diva's airhead sergeant at arms. (can double as ORAGALA)
HOLLABACK – Delights in dominating the STARMITES.
CANIBELLE – Delights in devouring the STARMITES.
MALIGNA – Delights in teasing the STARMITES.
(You may cast as many extra Banshees as you choose.)
5m, 6f with doubling - ensemble, chorus, extras work very well.
Time Period Contemporary, Present Day, New Millennium/21st Century, The Future
Setting EARTH: A teenage girl's bedroom. INNERSPACE: A Sci-Fi Fantasy World.
Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes, Fantasy Costumes
Additional Features Local Celebrity Cameo, Physical Comedy, Puppetry, Stage Combat, Special Effects
"An utterly charming musical... a living cartoon about growing up that should appeal to children of all ages." – The Sunday New York Times
"Starmites is an utterly charming musical... You do not need to be a science fiction buff to enjoy Starmites. The only prerequisite is that you be, or once were, young... Starmites is about how people discover self-confidence and build self-esteem. It is also about individuals discovering the center of their beings so they can grasp what is important and what is superficial. In short, Starmites is a living cartoon about growing up that should appeal to children of all ages." – The New York Sunday Times
"Need an escape? Try Starmites... No two ways about it, Starmites is out of this world. The heroine Eleanor is a modern-day Dorothy who dreams of being a super-hero and wakes up to find herself not over the rainbow but up above the stars in a phantasmagorical galaxy." – The Boston Globe
"Starmites is a galactic good time!... [It] has a sassy personality all its own – in Barry Keating's rackety rock score: in Keating and Stuart Ross's goonily graphic book." – The Boston Herald
"ZIP! ZAP! ZALOOM! BIFF! AARGH! Move over, Tinker Bell, Alice, Dorothy and Annie – Eleanor, the Superhero Girl, has arrived." – What's Up Magazine: On The Boards
"An unassuming futuristic rock musical, with sweet lessons about the awkwardness of growing up... It contains enough spoofs of the sci-fi genre to keep adults amused, and enough high-spirited music and action for all... The production...brims with charm and wit." – New York Newsday
ON BREAKING CHARACTER
20 Plays & Musicals for Spooky Season
Annette Storckman
Song Samples
Superhero Girl
Starmites
Afraid of the Dark
Little Hero
Attack of the Banshees
Diva (It's Hard to be a Diva)
By Your Side (Love Duet)
Bizarbara's Wedding
The Cruelty Stomp
Reach Right Down
It Wasn't a Dream (Finale)
Musical Style Classic Broadway, Pop/Rock
Chorus Size No Chorus
11 Vocal Books
Sound Effects CD
Instrumental/Accompaniment CD (Please be advised that the performance tracks differ slightly from the scores in some instances)
Spiral-Bound Manuscript
Digital Perusals
Barry Keating
Barry Keating wrote the music and lyrics and co-wrote the book for the Broadway musical Starmites. The show was nominated for six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and is published in several versions by Samuel French. His gospel/rap/rock Jungle Book (written with David S ...


text:
Green Therapeutics, Nevada
Nutritional High hits the jackpot in Nevada! Recently, both Nutritional High entered into a non-binding letter of intent to acquire a 75% interest in Green Therapeutics. Green Therapeutics is one of the premier innovators and established producer/processors within the cannabis space in the State of Nevada.
Green Therapeutics has a state of the art cultivation and processing facility in the Las Vegas area. They produce and sell cannabis flower and manufactured cannabis products to a number of Nevada dispensaries. In addition to producing and selling cannabis flower, Green Therapeutics manufactures the following products: Dabs, vape pens and cartridges, oral sprays, topical creams, as well as pre-rolls.
Green Therapeutics completed their first harvest and finalized construction of their laboratory in July 2016, and commenced sales of manufactured products in August 2016. Green Therapeutics is led by a professional management team with extensive pharmaceutical experience operating GMP licensed medical and recreational facilities.
In conjunction with the acquisition of the Green Therapeutics company, Nutritional High will also purchase certain lands and premises owned by Meridian Companies, a Nevada
limited liability company, consisting of cultivation facilities and parcels of land for cultivation expansion utilized by Green Therapeutics.
Green Therapeutics' asset base includes:
– Four Nevada Licenses: 2 cultivation and 2 production facilities in Clark County & North Las Vegas
– 8,000 sq. ft. of licensed and operational cultivation/production facility in Clark County generating approximately $400k/month in recreational sales;
– Licensed 5,400 sq. ft. production laboratory in North Las Vegas with UPLC/MS and GC testing capabilities
Approved cultivation license in North Las Vegas that's ready to move to a new high-tech greenhouse facility;
9.8 acre parcel of land to allow for expansion of over 500,000 sq. ft. of cultivation space in North Las Vegas.
The final transaction structure will be determined after each party has had the opportunity to receive legal, accounting and tax advice regarding the most appropriate structure for the proposed transaction. Nutritional High and Green Therapeutics are proceeding to expedite due diligence and move to finalize and close the proposed transaction as soon as possible.
Pasa Verde Labs, California
We are taking steps to become one of the top manufacturers of cannabis oils and edibles in the State of California – and in the United States.
Pasa Verde in April 2018 and the transaction has closed effective in July 2018. Pasa Verde, a 17,200 square foot property with an additional "Sacramento Property" that's inclusive of an extra 9,000 square feet of land, was founded in 2017. Currently, Pasa Verde operates a leading cannabis extraction and toll processing facility in Sacramento, California.
Nutritional High intends to commence manufacturing at the facility and continue to expand sales of its flagship FLÏ™ branded product line in the California market. Bringing the manufacturing capability in-house, the Company will be able to achieve higher product sales margins, exercise greater control over quality control and provide the flexibility in adding new product lines.
Pasa Verde has most recently received an extension on its Cannabis Manufacturing License by the California Department of Public Health. Pasa Verde's application for an Annual Cannabis Manufacturing License is currently under review by the Department and the Company expects it to be accepted in the near future.
This facility will mirror many of the manufacturing and production processes as set out in Palo Verde's facility (currently fully operational).
Palo Verde, Colorado
We are taking steps to become one of the top manufacturers of cannabis oils and edibles in the State of Colorado – and in the United States.
Located in Colorado (home to a booming cannabis industry), our Pueblo facility and surrounding property is currently fully operational. First and foremost, our Palo Verde extraction facility takes up about 20% of the current property in Pueblo. Filled with industry leading purification and extraction equipment, and knowledgeable extraction experts, we're ramping up operations to manufacture bulk amounts of FLÏ™ cannabis oil and edibles.
The installation of commercial kitchen equipment within the Palo Verde facility allows us to produce large amounts of consistent edibles products. Commercial kitchen equipment also permits us to develop edibles products on a semi-automated basis with a long shelf life.
In our strategic planning, Palo Verde's surrounding property can be used for future indoor greenhouse growth projects. The Pueblo property also has two warehouses – designated for cultivation in the future, which can house state-of-the-art indoor automated
hydroponic grows. This would provide Palo Verde with a steady supply of trim and shake of consistent quality and desired attributes.
The decision to launch our flagship FLÏ™ cannabis oils and edibles line in Colorado followed the state's decision to fully legalize recreational and medicinal marijuana use. Today, Colorado's cannabis industry is booming, and we're ready to establish ourselves as a part of the foundation of the country's current and future cannabis opportunities.
The Pueblo property also has significant vacant land, which can house greenhouses with square footage more than twice exceeding the space designated for indoor cultivation.
This innovative facility uses a short path distillation technology to purify its cannabis oil extracts and remove harmful compounds.
Abba Medix, Canada
Nutritional High and Abba Medix recently announced that they entered into a definitive agreement to manufacture cannabis oil extracts and cannabis-infused products in Canada under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations.
The Joint Venture is structured as a 50/50 partnership and will see Nutritional High and Abba build-out a production facility at Abba's Pickering facility to house a cannabis oil extraction operation focused on producing the oils and extracts currently permitted under ACMPR.
Nutritional High is working closely with Abba to secure a supplemental license from Health Canada for the production of medical cannabis oils. The Companies are looking forward to completing the facility build-out and servicing the Canadian medical cannabis market with alternative, more convenient and dose-controlled consumption methods. Once the appropriate regulatory frameworks are established, the Joint Venture will seek to service the Canadian recreational market as well.
La Pine, Oregon
We are taking steps to become one of the top manufacturers of cannabis oils and edibles in the State of Oregon – and in the United States.
Nutritional High was pleased to announce the acquisition of a 5,000 square foot real estate property in The City of La Pine located in Deschutes County, Oregon. The company intends to extract cannabis oil, and manufacture cannabis infused products. The initial permitting and design was focused on replicating the extraction process in Pueblo, CO, using ethanol-based primary extraction method and short-path distillation to purify the oil.
Currently, Nutritional High has received a Certificate of Occupancy from Deschutes County based on the successful inspection of its extraction facility in Oregon, bringing the company closer to receiving its recreational processing license in Oregon. The facility in Oregon is sufficient to house a robust extraction and infused product manufacturing operation and manufacture more than a dozen of product lines.
Upon fully completing Phase I construction and permitting, the Company will focus on rolling out its FLI products in the State of Oregon. Nutritional High will emulate its Colorado model, starting with bulk oil and cartridges, followed by edible and topical products.
Once the production of concentrate products has commenced, the Company will begin planning and obtaining requisite permits for Phase II (including an updated LUCS), which would be focused on manufacturing cannabis-infused edible products.
Marley Naturals
Nutritional High entered into an agreement with Docklight LLC of Seattle, Wash., to license a number of well-known brands, including the Marley Natural brand, for use in connection with inhalable cannabis products (whole flower, preroll and oil cartridges) in Washington and Oregon. Marley Natural, the official cannabis brand of Bob Marley, offers a comprehensive line of products, including cannabis, body care and accessories.
In addition to Marley Natural, the licence agreement grants Nutritional High International the rights to produce, market and sell additional inhalable cannabis product lines, including Dutchy, Headlight, Irisa, Grail and Martian Gardens. Learn more about Marley Naturals at:
Visit Marley Natural


text:
Tampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Richard Sherman will be available Sunday for Bucs. So might Jason Pierre-Paul
Bruce Arians
Joey Knight, Tampa Bay Times
October 1, 2021, 2:05 PM ·3 min read
TAMPA — Hours after signing with the Bucs on Wednesday, Richard Sherman suggested any notion of him performing at his All-Pro level Sunday in New England would be preposterous.
"If I did it, it would be another thing to chalk up as a cool thing I did," he said.
Whip out the chalk. Sherman might — might — get the chance.
Following Friday's indoor practice, head coach Bruce Arians said cornerback Jamel Dean, still unable to push off on the knee he injured last week against the Rams, is out for Sunday's contest along with tailback Giovani Bernard (knee). As a result, Sherman will be on the active roster as a precaution for the Bucs' injury-depleted secondary.
"We'll have (Sherman) up, just in case," Arians said.
Also making the trip will be veteran edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul, a surprise participant at Friday's practice after being sidelined by hand and shoulder issues since the Falcons game two weeks ago. Arians said Pierre-Paul and tight end Rob Gronkowski (ribs) will be game-time decisions.
Pierre-Paul is listed as questionable on the latest official injury report; Gronkowski is doubtful.
"Nothing surprises me with Jason," Arians said. "He looked pretty good. ... He's an amazing cat."
Gronkowski was spotted at Friday's practice, albeit without pads as the Bucs worked out in "spider" pads and helmets. He took a hard shot to the ribs in last week's 34-24 loss to the Rams and didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday.
Though his possible return to New England, whom he helped lead to three Super Bowl titles, remains a huge story line in a game filled with them, he hasn't been made available to reporters this week.
"We have great doctors, great trainers," Arians said. "Everybody knows what it takes to get somebody ready, and a lot of it's just personal toughness. And some guys are a lot tougher than other guys. It's nothing bad against them, but some guys are just really tough."
A precious few, however, possess the resilience of Pierre-Paul, who at 32 forges onward despite a medical history that includes an amputated right index finger (due to a fireworks accident) and a neck fracture (due to a 2019 car accident).
"The element of JPP is amazing," defensive lineman William Gholston said Friday. "He's one of the most amazing people I've ever met or played with. It's crazy. I've never seen anybody like him."
Pierre-Paul received a second opinion in Denver for his current injuries just last week, and the treatment called for rest. His possible presence Sunday would add savvy and energy to a beleaguered Bucs pass rush that has totaled three sacks in as many games.
"I kind of told him, 'Look, you're traveling this week,'" Arians said. "He said, 'If I'm traveling, I'm playing.'"
Contact Joey Knight at jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls.
Sign up for the Bucs RedZone newsletter to get updates and analysis on the latest team and NFL news from Bucs beat writer Joey Knight.
Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook.


My bird stamp obsession is now in full swing, so I have broken out yet another new set for some challenges. There were two challenges I had in mind when creating this tag and combining both ideas worked really well.
Isn't this little blue bird just…."cute as a button!" I LOVE him! He is from Ink-dink-a-doo's "Birds Cling set". I stamped and embossed the bird in black soot distress ink then colored him with stamp markers and distress ink (broken china). I punched the scalloped circle and reg. circle out of scrap cardstock and distress inked them too (weathered wood and broken china). The sentiment is stamped with my go to letter set which I can't seem to get enough of…"Fanciful Swirl Alphabet" from Hero Arts. I bought it only because it had a tree branch stamp which I needed for a project and now that branch and the letters are invaluable to me. The buttons are from my stash and I used "Zip Dry" paper glue to adhere them. If you haven't tried it yet pick up a bottle it is the best adhesive I have EVER used in all my paper crafting years. The first time I used it (a few months ago) I was left saying "Where have you been all my life Zip Dry!?!?"….and yes it dries in a zip!
It's a bird! It's a Card! It's a gift tag!
Well, I think it's absolutely adorable, is what I think! Love, love this fun mini card shape and the scalloped bottom, and LOVE that sweet little bird. You did an amazing job stamping your sentiment, too.
What an adorable little bird stamp…he looks sooo cute on the tag and I love how you added the buttons!!!
Thanks for joining us at The Kraft Journal!


The botched Affordable Care Act launch has faded from the daily news cycles, as stories inevitably do as fresher fare emerges. If history is any indication, the analysis and hand-wringing that generated so much news won't amount to anything except another spectacular website or call center failure in the future. The technology industry hasn't shown any sign of learning anything from its previous flops, so why would this time be any different?
What they haven't learned – and this applies to government and private sector IT operations – is the value of testing websites and call centers under real-world conditions before they go live. Don't believe it? Think that testing is too basic for anyone to ignore? Then dial back to October 2005 when the federal government launched the Medicare Part D prescription drug program. It was a smaller-scale fiasco than the ACA rollout, but otherwise they were depressingly similar.
The Medicare site, meant to help seniors pick benefit plans, was supposed to debut October 13, 2005. It didn't go live until weeks later in November. Even then, "the tool itself appeared to be in need of fixing," the Washington Post reported at the time. Visitors could not access the benefit enrollment website for the first two hours it was supposed to be available. When it finally went online at 5:00 p.m., it performed poorly. Once enrollment began, seniors had problems finding necessary information.
Things weren't much better on the call center front. Call centers provided by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services underestimated call volumes and under-trained service representatives.
So what's the lesson, besides "history repeats itself"? Or perhaps "the government doesn't learn from its mistakes"? Both of them, sure, but in a large sense, the ACA website and call center failures were just business as usual in the tech industry, whether you're talking government or private sector.
Political dimensions aside, there's a persistent curiosity about how such a high-profile project could have failed so spectacularly. It was possibly the world's most important IT project to date, yet it performed as if it were rolled out the door without so much as a cursory kick of the tires. That's because it probably was – and that's far from unusual.
A recent survey by LinkedIn and Empirix found that at most companies and public agencies, full pre-deployment testing is rare or doesn't exist at all. When IT organizations do test, they don't test the system the way customers will interact with it. They test components – Web interfaces, fulfillment systems, interactive voice recognition systems (IVRs), and call routing systems – but not the system as a whole under real-world loads.
The survey of more than 1,000 executives and managers in a variety of industries uncovered contradictory results. On the surface, pre-deployment testing rates are high: 80 percent or better. The deeper picture, however, isn't as rosy. More than 80 percent of respondents said their companies do not test contact center technology under real-world conditions before go live. They do some form of testing, but it doesn't mirror how customers actually will interact with the system.
Sixty-two percent use comparatively inaccurate manual testing methods. While this is better than not testing at all, manual testing does not reflect real-world conditions. Manual tests are so resource-intensive that they often occur only during off-peak times, and usually only once or twice. That makes it harder to pinpoint problems – and ensure they are resolved – even if they are detected pre-deployment.
Voice quality can be a significant drag on short- and long-term call center ROI. Contact center agents who must ask customers to repeat themselves because of poor voice connections – or worse, ask customers to hang up and call in again – are less productive than those who can hear customers clearly. In the long term, repetition and multiple calls erode customer satisfaction levels.
The majority of professionals who responded to the survey (68 percent) reported that their companies never monitor contact center voice quality. Only 14 percent continuously monitor voice quality, while the remaining 17 percent periodically monitor it on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
With misdirected efforts and testing rates like these, it's no wonder people aren't surprised when a major initiative like online healthcare enrollment goes off the rails or customers calling a contact center are funneled down a blind alley in the IVR system.
This kind of neglect isn't necessary when there are end-to-end monitoring solutions that offer deep visibility into complex customer service technology environments. Business and government agencies have the means to quickly and economically reduce the time it takes to understand the source of a problem and fix it before customers ever notice the glitch.
Or they can let history repeat itself again.
Matthew Ainsworth is senior vice president, Americas and Japan, at Empirix. He has fifteen years of experience in contact centers and unified communications solutions. Jeff Dell is preempt product manager for Empirix.


text:
Q: How to write to S3 access point using pyspark I have pyspark code that writes to an s3 bucket like below:
df.write.mode('overwrite').parquet([S3_BUCKET_PATH])

I am testing writing to the bucket via the bucket's access point instead. The AWS documentation has an example writing to the access point using the CLI like below:
aws s3api put-object --bucket arn:aws:s3:us-west-2:123456789012:accesspoint/prod --key my-image.jpg --body my-image.jpg

I have tried doing it like this:
df.write.mode('overwrite').parquet("arn:aws:s3:us-west-2:123456789012:accesspoint/prod")

However, I get this error:

Relative path in absolute URI

Is it possible to write to an S3 access point using pyspark?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Shanghai stock footage and royalty free video clips (page 1). China.
159 results Displaying 1 to 48 of 159 matches.
A Pearl TV tower rises above the Huangpu River in..
Businesses and pedestrians fill a shopping district in..
A boat travels on the Huangpu River in Shanghai.
Shanghai skyscrapers light the night along the Huangpu..
Colorful neon signs light up a shopping district of..
A Pearl TV Tower stands along the Huangpu River in..
Skyscrapers and bridges tower over the Huangpu River in..
The common transportation in Shanghai as opposed to..
Skyscrapers rise above Shanghai, China.
Making of a Chinese sailor in the 1930s. Multiple boats..
Boats on the Yangtze River passing the Pudong district..
The warlike Shanghai in 1932, the city is in ruins and..
Natural Jade in an ornamental garden with koi pond,..
Beautiful shot inside a food stall or cart of a woman..
A Chinese girl plays with pigeons in Shanghai, China..
Golden Buddha carved on wall, Jade Buddha Temple,..
Shanghai borders the Huangpu River in China.
Pedestrians walk on a street in Shanghai.
Handheld slow motion shot of the Neon lights on Nanjing..
Chinese prayer ribbons, Jade Buddha Temple, Shanghai,..
Chinese stone carving on a wall, Yuyuan Garden,..


text:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/bill-gates-to-spend-billions-on-coronavirus-vaccine-development-11586124716
Bill Gates to Help Fund Coronavirus-Vaccine Development
Foundation along with governments and other backers to develop facilities for most-promising efforts
FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said the agency will test chloroquine, an antimalarial drug, as a coronavirus treatment. The drug could serve as an intermediate therapy before a vaccine becomes available. Photo: Evan Vucci/Associated Press
By Jennifer Calfas
Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates said his foundation will make billions of dollars available for manufacturing the most promising vaccines to combat the novel coronavirus.
Mr. Gates, a billionaire philanthropist who is one the richest people in the world, said the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will work with seven makers of a possible vaccine to develop facilities and manufacture doses. The effort will likely cost billions of dollars and require funding from governments and other backers. Mr. Gates, who announced the efforts in an appearance on "The Daily Show With Trevor Noah" Thursday, acknowledged that billions of dollars would be wasted on vaccines that won't pan out.


text:
Q: Why Request object from Controller doesn't contain data information when i used Ajax to update entity? I try to updtae post entity with Ajax from Form...
PostControler.php:
<?php

namespace BISSAP\ForumBundle\Controller;

use Symfony\Component\HttpFoundation\Request;
use Symfony\Bundle\FrameworkBundle\Controller\Controller;
use Sensio\Bundle\FrameworkExtraBundle\Configuration\Method;
use Sensio\Bundle\FrameworkExtraBundle\Configuration\Route;
use Sensio\Bundle\FrameworkExtraBundle\Configuration\Template;
use BISSAP\ForumBundle\Entity\Post;
use BISSAP\ForumBundle\Form\PostType;

class PostController extends Controller
{

    public function editAction($id)
    {
           ...
    }

    public function updateAction(Request $request)
    {
        $id = 14;
        if ($this->container->get('request')->isXmlHttpRequest()) {

        $em = $this->getDoctrine()->getManager();

        $entity = $em->getRepository('BISSAPForumBundle:Post')->find($id);

        if (!$entity) {
            throw $this->createNotFoundException('Unable to find Post entity.');
        }

        $editPostForm = $this->createForm(new PostType(true), $entity);
        $editPostForm->handleRequest($request);

                if ($editPostForm->isValid()) {
                $em->flush();
                return $this
                    ->container
                    ->get('templating')
                    ->renderResponse('BISSAPForumBundle:Post:update.html.twig', array('post' => $entity));
                }

                $errorform = var_dump($editPostForm->getErrors(true));;
                return $this->render('BISSAPForumBundle:Post:test.html.twig', array('output' => $output));
        }

    }

}

When I explore $request where var_dump, there isn't any form informations (like content or name form...),Maybe, is for this reason that isValid() return false.
Part of PostType:
$entity = $builder->getData();

            $builder
                    ->add('content', 'ckeditor', array(
                        'label' => 'Votre message',
                        'config_name' => 'edit_post',
                        'config' => array('language' => 'fr')))
                    ->add('Envoyer', 'submit', array(
                        'attr' => array(
                        'class' => 'btn right-flt',
                        'data-id' => $entity->getId())))
            ;

AJAX on click :
$(function(){
    $(document).on('click', ".comment .content form button", function(e) {
    var $this = $(this);
    var route = $this.closest("form").attr("action");
    var type = $this.closest("form").attr("method");
    var id = $this.data('id');
    console.log(route);
    console.log(type);
        $.ajax({type: type, dataType: 'html', url: route, success: function(response){
            console.log(response);

            $('#message-'+id).html(response);

        }, error: function(jqXHR, ajaxOptions, errorThrown) {
            console.log(jqXHR.status);
            console.log(jqXHR.responseText);
            console.log(errorThrown);
        }});
        return false;
    });
});

A: Adding data to ajax call could solve this problem
$.ajax({
    type:"type",
    url: "url",
    data: $("form").serialize()
});

A: Clarifying moments:

*

*Why you use dataType: 'html' in your ajax request?

*I dont see 'data' property of object you passed to $.ajax

*I dont worked with PHP and JS long time, but I remember that I was serialize form using jQuery method and then pass it to ajax object into data section, dataType I was set to json.

Hope this will help to you somehow :)


text:
Q: How to get checkboxid which is placed inside the repeater control from the codebehind side? Let us assume sample.aspx is a page
this page contails the following Repeater
<asp:Repeater ID="Repeater1" runat="server">
 <ItemTemplate>

   <asp:CheckBox ID="CheckBox1" runat="server" Text='<%# container.dataitem("CUISINENAME")%>' />

 </ItemTemplate>
</asp:Repeater>

My question is "while clicking the submit button in server side,
i have to find the checkboxid which is placed inside the Repeater control.
Any one help me Regarding this ?

A: How to get all values of check boxes on button click asp.net


To be eligible for The Legacy Award 2019, you must first receive a Diana Award between 2017-2019.
Young people can be nominated for a Diana Award by an adult who works with them in a professional capacity, such as a teacher or youth worker. Full details on how to nominate can be found in the nomination centre.
If your nomination is successful, your nominee(s) will be invited to an awards ceremony in your local area where they will be presented with The Diana Award. If you live outside of the UK, your nominee(s) will receive The Diana Award via post and celebrated via our digital platform if it is not possible for them to receive it in person.


When outside lilac has started to bloom the second brave group of English students at Rīgas Ūdens were passing their exam! ;) We are proud of you and we are happy that you tried so hard, were so scared but also determined!! ;) We are looking forward to autumn and working with you again!


text:
Q: Xcode 5.0.2 black screen simulator on app launch First of all I have tried almost many possible solutions in stack overflow,say  one like this Xcode /Sim black screenBut my problem is still not solved! I cannot run my app in any of my sims in Xcode 5.0.2/OS X 10.9.1 . Like many others my problem is when I launch an app the Xcode shows an indefinite processing message like "Attaching to AppName" and meanwhile shows a Black screen simulator.

*

*I had reset my sim/mac.

*Cleaned device driver directory.

*Checked    bundle identifiers

But the problem still exists.
Can anyone help me out?

A: Finally found the solution in Apple discussion forums. Added 127.0.0.1 localhost to my etc/hosts file. Now Xcode can attach app to simulator.Got this answer from FMLZ's thread in Apple discussion forum.


text:
'The Star Wars Holiday Special' at 40: How a landmark TV turkey was born
By Ethan Alter, Yahoo Entertainment
Long, long ago — 40 years, to be precise — The Star Wars Holiday Special brought George Lucas's far, far away galaxy out of cinemas and into living rooms for the very first time. Lucas himself conceived of the notorious two-hour variety show, which aired on CBS once, and only once, on the evening of 17 November, 1978.
Arriving one year after the original Star Wars became a pop-culture phenomenon, the Holiday Special reunited everyone's favourite Rebels — human, alien and droid. That meant that the Luke, Leia and Han (Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford) were back, alongside Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) and the dynamic duo of C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (a radio-controlled version stood in for Kenny Baker). They were joined by a cavalcade of celebrities eager to be associated with the biggest blockbuster around, including Bea Arthur, Art Carney, Harvey Korman and Diahann Carroll.
It could have — heck, it should have — been a new Yuletide classic. But the Star Wars faithful were immediately left with a bad feeling about the Holiday Special. The special remains a traumatic memory for the actors as well. Speaking with Yahoo Entertainment in 2015 prior to the release of The Force Awakens, both Ford and Fisher reacted in real (not mock) horror when the subject of the special was raised.
"It's awful … not awful in a good way," Fisher said. Ford was even harsher in his assessment of the show. Asked whether he hoped we'd ever see another attempt at a Holiday Special, he replied: "Not if I have anything to say about it! And if I have anything to say about it, you won't see the first one. What an embarrassment." (Watch our interview above.)
Carrie Fisher and Anthony Daniels in the notorious Star Wars Holiday Special (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
But when Yahoo Entertainment spoke with the special's director, Steve Binder, he revealed himself to be one of its biggest fans. "I had a great time shooting it," remarks the now-85 year old director. "I got to work with all of the cast of the original, and we had a crack A-plus television crew on the show."
And Binder has a convincing explanation about why the show flopped so badly upon its original airing. "The public never knew this wasn't Star Wars II. This was a television show that Lucas sold CBS to sell toys to kids, and that's all it was. Everybody who tuned in without that knowledge was expecting it to be a big expensive movie! But Lucas made a deal with Hasbro and wanted to get on national television to sell merchandise, and that was the whole purpose of the show to begin with. The public never knew any of this — it was behind the scenes."
From the beginning, Binder knew he would have little creative control over the content of the Holiday Special, which had been set in stone by Lucas. The Star Wars creator's storyline involved Han and Chewbacca trying to get back to the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk in time to celebrate Life Day. That requires them to outrun Darth Vader (voiced, again, by James Earl Jones) and the Imperial Army. Meanwhile, back on Kashyyk, Chewie's wife assembles a Life Day feast, while their son, Lumpy, wiles away the time watching a cartoon where his dad and Han teaming up with their future enemy, the bounty hunter, Boba Fett.
Interestingly, Binder was a last-minute replacement for the original director, David Acomba, who only shot a few scenes — including a musical sequence with the band Jefferson Starship — before he jumped into the nearest escape pod. Desperately in need of someone to steer the ship, CBS reached out to Binder, who had previously helmed acclaimed specials for such artists as Elvis Presley and Liza Minnelli.
"When I got called in, they had already started production and shut it down because they had spent all their budget and only shot a fourth of the show," he recalls. "So I came in as a kind of a fireman. I got the script on a Friday, and I started shooting on a Monday." Binder accepted the job despite some trepidation over the material. "When I saw the script, I saw the first 10 minutes with the Chewbacca family was just in subtitles. I thought, 'Uh-oh, we're gonna be in trouble.' But I had no say in changing anything at that point — I just had to get it shot."
As he anticipated, the lengthy, dialogue-free sequences with Chewie's extended family — which remain the most ridiculed parts of the Holiday Special — were difficult to shoot. "There was this fantastic Chewbacca home set on this huge Warner Brothers' stage, but I realised it was 360 solid! So I had them immediately break through one of the walls so that we could get multiples cameras into the set. The Wookiees themselves also had to take oxygen every hour on the hour; I think we had to shut down for at least 10 of 15 minutes every hour so they could get oxygen. The actress who [played Lumpy] came in weighing around 60 pounds, and I I think she left weighing around 40 pounds, because of the costumes and the heat."
Art Carney and Chewbacca's kid, Lumpy on the set of the Star Wars Holiday Special (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
Onscreen, at least, Fisher, Ford and Hamill often look less-than-thrilled to be part of the Holiday Special. (And, in certain scenes, they also look less-than-present, particularly Fisher, who was open about her drug use.) Behind the scenes, however, Binder insists that they were easy to work with. "I bonded with Harrison Ford — we had great times talking to each other on the set. I never saw anybody complaining about when their turn came to shoot; they were all there ready and willing to do it." In fact, certain guest stars proved to be more of a headache.
"Art Carney was great, but after lunch I knew I couldn't shoot him in anymore scenes because he would go to the local restaurant and bar and fill up. By the time he came back, I didn't have the time to waste to get him to do the takes!"
The special ends with Chewbacca happily reunited with his family around the Tree of Life, while Leia serenades the group with a treacly Life Day ballad. But the mood in Lucas's household was considerably darker. The filmmaker disliked the Holiday Special so much, he immediately pulled it from circulation and Star Wars canon. To this day, The Star Wars Holiday Special legally remains in the Lucasfilm vault. Nevertheless, bootlegs are widely available online and at conventions, and a new generation of Star Wars fans are eager to add it to their collections. Binder would as well, for that matter.
"I'd love to have a Blu-ray copy of it! It's been bootlegged all over the place, but I've never seen anything of the quality like we shot it. There's a whole fan club of people who watched it and love it to this day. I'm proud of it, too. Against what the popular opinion might be, I had a great time doing it and would do it again in a heartbeat."
The Star Wars Holiday Special can be found on YouTube.
Star Wars writer fired by Marvel
What happened to George Lucas's live action Star Wars TV series?
Darth Maul actor responds to 'fat-shamers'


text:
In the last year, relations between Jewish communities around the world, and especially between the two largest, in Israel and North America, have stood in the shadows cast by political and geopolitical developments. The relationship between non-Israeli Jews and Israel has become more complicated. Israel's status in the world, and Israel's responses to various political circumstances, have caused many Diaspora Jews to evaluate how their connection with Israel affects them, more than in the past. This evaluation, or reevaluation, has brought into focus the difficulties many have in shaping their relationship with the Jewish state. For the younger generation, these difficulties hit especially hard; their social frameworks and the ways their political views are formed differ markedly from those of their parents' generation.
In the summer of 2014, Israel launched Operation Protective Edge in Gaza. Along with the support shown by many Jews and Jewish organizations, considerable criticism of Israel was expressed by influential Jews. Further on in the year, there were harsh confrontations between the Israeli and the American governments, over both the failure of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and, perhaps even more so, the nuclear deal with Iran. These confrontations have caused some American Jews embarrassment and confusion. Worldwide anti-Semitism, most notably in France, and the questions raised by Israel's urging Jews to flee to Israel in response marked yet another stress point in Israel-Diaspora relations.
Internal Israeli developments also influenced Israel-Diaspora relations. The new government, formed in the wake of Israel's spring 2015 elections, is moving in a direction that many of the world's Jews (especially in the U.S.) do not endorse. This dissent applies to Israeli policy vis-à-vis the geopolitical arena and domestically, especially in regard to religion and state matters.1 The critical views of many Diaspora Jews were evident in JPPI's 2015 Israel-Diaspora Dialogue. Around half of the respondents to the written survey participants completed said that they do not believe the Israeli government is making a sincere effort to reach a peace settlement with the Palestinians.2
Interim findings and conclusions drawn from the 2015 Dialogue were discussed with Jewish leaders at a JPPI brainstorming conference in Glen Cove in May.3 Chief among them was that although many non-Israeli Jews feel "proud" of the way Israel conducts itself in war, around a third are "worried" about Israel, and many pointed out that there are members of their communities who feel "detached" from Israel, and some who are even "embarrassed" by Israel (both categories together include around a fifth of the survey respondents).4 The debate about personal attachment to Israel is more pronounced among younger Jews, and the gaps between their opinions and those of the older generation are apparent in this and many other studies.
Within the Dialogue groups, few denied Israel's right to defend itself, and few expressed strong criticism of the way Israel fights its wars. However, many participants described how Israel's battles directly affect their lives, especially their relationship and interactions with the non-Jewish world in which they live. In many instances, this results in Israel supporters "lowering their profile" in order to avoid confrontations when Israel acts in controversial ways.


Life sure ain't shy of opportunities to question God, ourselves, and humanity in general. When someone you care about gets hurt, there is a very human need to resolve the hurt in some way.
I get that. Particularly when a loved one is reeling from a gripping loss, and all you want to do is that one thing that may make them feel better.
Sadness, despondence, defeat, and a cocktail of other deep gash emotions stomped around in her words and her world, and I felt the need to do something to fix the ways she felt.
That experience. The one where a friend or family member is in the thick of their emotional thing, and you want to be there for them, but you don't exactly know how being there should look or feel?
I have. And as an Emotional Wellness Educator, I tend to get particularly unnerved when I can't readily identify the fix-a-feeling brew for a loved one's emotional ailment.
So, is this the bit of information that's going to finally tell you how to solve that? And if there has to be a next time, will you then be able to help your friend get through it faster? easier? both?
I want to give you someone Life Design tools to move through that tough space. You just read an excerpt from my "Fix-a-feeling" post over at Everyday Feminism. If you're dealing with that set of emotions, read the rest of the post here.


text:
Business & Economy >
Economy >
SBI chief says ATM woes to be resolved by tomorrow; bank allows cash withdrawal through PoS machines
Updated Apr 19, 2018 | 17:36 IST | ET Now Digital
Both the RBI and the government said there is sufficient cash in the system but the statements do not a match with reports and banking firms, who have pointed out that a considerable amount of cash is missing from the system, especially Rs 2,000 notes. It should be noted that a large chunk Rs 2,000 notes have disappeared, with a high rate of withdrawals between the October-March period. Several states have been hit, but the government blamed the state governments for having a low cash reserve.
The ATM issues in several states is most likely to get resolved as the pumping of notes to those areas have already commenced | &nbspPhoto Credit:&nbspBCCL
New Delhi: Amid the period of difficulty witnessed over the past few days over depleting levels of cash in ATMs, the country's largest lender SBI bank on Thursday provided some relief. It said that in smaller towns, people would be able to withdraw up to Rs 2,000 in a day from its PoS machines or point-of-sale machines at retail outlets. These transactions would be free of charge, added the bank in a post on micro-blogging site Twitter. "For withdrawals up to Rs 2000, @TheOfficialSBI has cash@POS facility @ 4.78 lac POS machines. A customer can use SBI & any other bank debit card to withdraw cash up to Rs 1,000 in Tier 3 to 6 & up to Rs 1,000 in Tier 1 & 2 cities per card per day presently without any charges," said Neeraj Vyas, DMD (chief operating officer) of SBI in a tweet.
The bank would be following RBI guidelines, where the withdrawal limit from PoS machines at retail outlets in Tier 1 and 2 cities would be Rs 1,000/day and Rs 2,000 in smaller towns. According to a PTI report, SBI has a total of 6.08 lakh PoS machines – 4.78 lakh are enabled to dispense cash to customers of SBI as well as other banks. The move is a major boost to people, who have been affected by the sudden cash crunch, with some likening it to the situation observed in the aftermath of demonetisation.
Customers may need to pay more for ATM usage as operators demand intercharge rate hike
Both the RBI and the government said there is sufficient cash in the system but the statements do not a match with reports and banking firms, who have pointed out that a considerable amount of cash is missing from the system, especially Rs 2,000 notes. A major chunk of Rs 2,000 notes have disappeared, with a high rate of withdrawals between the October-March period. Several states including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have been hit, but the government blamed the state governments for having a low cash reserve. Another section of the crowd has blamed the disappearance of Rs 2,000 on increased hoarding, which has become simpler after the release of the new Rs 2,000 notes. For instance, an individual can withdraw 10 notes of 2,000 and have Rs 20,000 in cash. However, the same amount would require at least 40 Rs 500 notes, which is the Rs 1,500 lesser than highest-value denomination.
Cash to flow in tomorrow?
SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar said today that the problem of cash crunch is being faced across several states but assured that it would be resolved by tomorrow. "It is not a uniform cash crunch problem. It is there in geographies like Telangana and Bihar. We are hoping that the problem will be resolved by tomorrow because cash is in transition and it is reaching these states by today evening," Kumar told PTI.
Cash crunch: I-T department begins raid on hoarders, RBI pump in notes
However, it seems doubtful according to a report by his own bank's research firm. It should be noted that an SBI Research on Wednesday pegged the cash shortfall in the system at a whopping Rs 70,000 crore, which is a third of the monthly withdrawals at ATMs. In a note that comes a day after reports of currency shortages made national headlines, it depended on nominal economic growth, currency with the public and the rise in digital transactions to arrive at the shortfall estimate.
Digital lending apps under RBI lens | The Money Show
RBI cautions customers against falling prey to unauthorised digital lending platforms
RBI constitutes working group on digital lending after instances of harassment by unauthorised apps
RBI to conduct ₹2 lakh reverse repo rate auction; bid to normalise liquidity management
Budget 2021-22 US Bank Account Personal Loan Apps SBI vs HDFC vs ICICI
No mandatory 20-day leave for central govt employees: Govt
SBI vs ICICI vs HDFC Bank Senior citizens special FD rates
Bengaluru tops London for world's fastest-growing tech hub
IDFC First Bank enters credit card business


Texturize any project with Fun Flock!
From scrapbook pages and cards to decorated tins, pails, sarabinders™ and more, Use 'Em for Anything papers, monograms, silk flowers and brads really can be used for anything! Here, Susan shares her latest page creation using Use 'Em for Anything Chocolate. Designer projects are quick and easy when everything coordinates!
Use the black medallion paper as the background. Ink the edges of an 8"x7 1/2" piece of brown cardstock. Mat on white cardstock, trimming the mat to 1/8".
Ink the edges of a 5"x7" photo, then glue the photo to the left side of the brown cardstock. Ink the edges of a white initial monogram and write the name on the initial in black. Attach the monogram in the top right corner of the brown cardstock with two brown brads. Journal below the monogram with a white pen. Attach the cardstock centered at the top of the page, leaving the left edge unglued.
Fold three 4" grosgrain ribbon lengths (two white and one black) in half. Tucking the folded ends under the unglued left edge of the matted brown cardstock, attach the ribbons to the page with brown brads.
Layer three silk flowers and attach them in the bottom right corner of the black cardstock with a brown brad in the center.
Computer journal the subjects' names on white cardstock, crop and ink the edges. Mat the names on brown cardstock, trim to 1/8" and ink the edges. Fold 1" of white grosgrain ribbon in half and secure the loose ends behind the left edge of the matted names. Glue the names overlapping the bottom of the photo.
Computer journal a horizontal block on white cardstock, crop and ink the edges. Mat on brown cardstock, trim to 1/8" and ink the edges. Glue the journaling below the photo.


text:
Denis Shapovalov Hopes To Learn From 'Enjoyable' Federer Experience
Denis Shapovalov is hoping to learn from playing his idol Roger Federer after exiting the Miami Open.
Denis Shapovalov (@SportsCentre - Twitter)
Denis Shapovalov is hoping to learn from the 'enjoyable' experience of playing Roger Federer after exiting the Miami Open..
It was a special moment for the Canadian last night after playing his idol Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the Miami Open last night.
The moment is something Shapovalov will never forget but the result is something he will want to forget in a hurry after losing 6-2 6-4 in convincing fashion.
After a poor first set, the Canadian played better in the second set before Federer survived the storm to reach the final in Miami once again.
After the match Shapovalov described the experience as 'enjoyable' and is looking to learn from the occasion, "Yeah, definitely, it's always tough to lose, but, yeah, it's definitely enjoyable to be out there with your idol on the court," Shapovalov said in his press conference.
"I was just trying to play as good as I can, and, you know, he did a good job today. He played an excellent match. I wasn't able to kind of stay at his level. So, you know, I'm just going to try to learn from this and move forward."
Despite the result last night, reaching his first Masters 1000 semi-final is something to be proud of and after an inconsistent 18 months, the Canadian finally put his game together this week.
The 19 year-old also acknowledged that he wasn't playing at his 100% best but credited the 20-time grand slam champion for causing that, "Honestly I don't think I was able to play at 100% at my level today, but, you know, that's why he's so good," Shapovalov explained.
"You know, he didn't let me kind of get into my groove and get into my game. That's just, you know, it shows how experienced and how good he is."
Next up for Shapovalov is the clay-court season, which is something that could favour the Canadian as he suggested in his press conference, "Honestly, yeah, it's kind of a good part of the season for me. I think I have proven myself on the dirt. I see that I can play on it and beat good players on it."
The first tournament of Shapovalov's clay-court season is the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, which starts on the 15th of April.
Related Topics:Denis Shapovalov
Mike and Bob Bryan clinch their sixth Miami title as a team
Roger Federer Storms Into Miami Final With Superb Win Over Shapovalov
Denis Shapovalov Hails 'Huge Win' As Canada Thumps Greece At ATP Cup
Denis Shapovalov Joins Calls For Merger Of Key Team Events
Novak Djokovic Strolls To 34th Masters Title In Paris To Boost Year-End No.1 Hopes
ATP Chengdu: Bublik Leaps To The Final, Finds Carreno Busta
Denis Shapovalov Blames 'Mental Struggles' For Mixed Season