text:
How Berlin nursery workers are affected by Coronavirus
Some thoughts of a nursery worker after a stressful week
Kirsty Pattison
I work in a nursery in Berlin. The public opinion is 'nurseries are closed'. They are open. They are open for emergency cover. They are open for children of nurses, doctors, shop assistants ect. They are open for anyone who helps to keep society running and has no other option. For the last two days and for everyday next week, I am going to work (and definitely more in the future), to provide a service that makes sure that there is one more nurse or doctor in the hospital, one more person keeping the shops stocked etc. This is important right now; we need everyone we have in these roles working.
Let me be clear, this is a risk to my health and to the health of my loved ones. These children are not coming from families who are staying home in isolation. They are coming from families were the parents are also putting themselves at risk to help society, making our chances of infection highly likely.
I am proud to be doing this work to help society run. All staff will of course not all be in the nursery at the same time (this would be against government guidance and make the chances of spreading the virus very high). There will be times when we are working from home. But we will be working, we will be creating and planning new projects for the children when we eventually reopen. We will be catching up on all the important evaluation and monitoring of child development, we will be working on new concepts which will make the children's experience much better in the future.
But most importantly we will be doing what the government is imploring us to do, staying at home and staying healthy. Making sure we will not take an intensive care bed from someone else and making sure that when our time comes back round again, we will be in work, providing emergency care for those members of society we so desperately need to be in work. But here comes the maddening part, the Berlin Senate has not yet said whether it will pay us in full for this.They might put us on 'Kurzarbeitzeit'… short time = cut our pay. We are not paid much for our work (that, as all parents who are faced with 5 weeks with the children they chose to have, are only now realising is important).
We are not paid enough to have real savings to fall back on. It will be hard, very hard. But I will still be there when needed, to look after the children of the workers who look after us.All I ask is that Berlin Senate pays us our wage, so I can pay rent.
Kirsty Pattison has lived in Berlin since 2018. She works in a Kindergarten and is a GEW Trade Union member.
Macron and France in the Deluge
The epidemic in France has already claimed 2 000 lives, and it is early days yet. Two presidential speeches, Thursday 12th March and Monday 16th March, have transformed life in France, closing school, universities, non-essential shops, parks, cinemas, restaurants and so on. The speeches also transformed French politics, I think, for the next decade, and they […]
The epidemic in France has already claimed 2 000 lives, and it is early days yet. Two presidential speeches, Thursday 12th March and Monday 16th March, have transformed life in France, closing school, universities, non-essential shops, parks, cinemas, restaurants and so on. The speeches also transformed French politics, I think, for the next decade, and they posed the crucial question of how this crisis will affect class struggle in a country where class consciousness and activity have been high these last years. This is a once-in-a-lifetime test for the capitalist state, but also for anticapitalists.
Macron has understood the extent and the depth of the present sanitary crisis and of the economic slump which will follow. He is positioning himself as a reliable representative of the medium-term interests of French capitalists. He is finding huge sums of money he had said did not exist, mostly to prop up companies, but occasionally to help workers and their families.
This is the biggest political crisis since the Second World War. Although it is not comparable to the war (despite Macron's repeating "We are at war" a number of times in his speeches), what is certainly true is that the flourishing of any political or class organization, Left or Right, reactionary, reformist or revolutionary in the decades to come, depends on its proposing now initiatives to defend the interests of its class. In Macron's case, of course, capitalists; for the Left, the working people.
Radical decisions
Shaken by the stock market crash and the real risk of incredibly high mortality from the virus, which could threaten social stability, particularly in a country where workers are used to fighting back and Yellow Vest demonstrations and riots have marked the last year, Macron took some radical decisions. No-one is to leave home without having printed and signed a document saying where they are going and why, and there is only a very short list of acceptable reasons. Funerals and weddings are not allowed.
Huge amounts of money have suddenly been found (and Macron has announced his support for the European Central Bank's decision to spend 750 billion euros buying up debt). Most of the money will be to help big business, but, for political reasons, Macron emphasized the help for small companies: electricity bills and rent for small businesses and for the self-employed will be suspended. All businesses can postpone their payment of national insurance contributions. There was also money to expand considerably workers' rights to sickness benefit, to benefit for staying home to care for children, and to benefit if you are laid off (though this is lower than one's wages).
Macron is doing far less than what is needed. Very little was announced for the homeless, for prisoners and for refugees in detention centres. No massive requisition of the industry necessary to produce ventilators, masks, gel, gloves and other necessities. Indeed, no figures at all for what will be spent on the health system as it comes under tremendous strain. At the end of March, as hospitals are stretched to the absolute limit, it is clear that the government is doing only a quarter of what is needed.
Suddenly forgetting the massive cuts in numbers of hospital beds, which he has presided over, and the vicious police violence unleashed on striking nurses in recent months, Macron hailed health workers as "heroes and heroines" in his second speech, promising state-funded taxis and hotel rooms for them throughout the crisis, and emergency child care provision.
More surprisingly, for those who had not understood the depth of this crisis, was Macron's announcement on March 16th that all the neoliberal reforms in progress are to be suspended. This includes pausing the vicious attack on pensions which has led to more powerful strikes than we have seen here for decades. (see previous articles here : https://www.theleftberlin.com/john-mullen). It also includes stopping harsh reforms of unemployment benefits and a radically Thatcherite all-out attack on universities, against which resistance was growing.
Macron is hoping to show the bosses and the stock market that he has a plan for the recovery, that, even if it involves spending billions, he has a fighting chance of building sufficient national action and consensus to take France through the next few months without half a million dead or mass rioting in the streets. The markets hate uncertainty, and anything which walks like a plan and quacks like a plan is a relief to them.
A week later, on the 25th March, Macron spoke again, pledging a "massive plan of investment" and higher wages "for all health service occupations", promising that they would not be forgotten once the crisis is over. Naturally, presidential promises are cheap. Nevertheless, in a context of massive, unheard-of expressions of support by millions in the nightly "clap for health workers" events, the promise represents Macron's response to a balance of forces, and will make it easier for our side to fight for better wages and conditions in hospitals.
Macron's weaknesses
Macron has plenty of political difficulties too. It is becoming clear that he could have announced a lockdown and other measures weeks earlier. The Minister for Health, Agnès Buzyn, who was moved to a different role in mid-February, has now revealed that she warned the government at the end of January of "the tidal wave" which was coming, saying the municipal election campaigns should have been cancelled.
The tremendous unpopularity of Macron's neoliberal attacks (as well as the low level of local implication of his ramshackle newish party) meant that in the first round of municipal elections, (Sunday 15 March, between Macron's two speeches) his candidates did very badly. And every day which passes is showing graphically and murderously how useless his neoliberalism is in fighting the deadly virus.
A head of state who announces a highly necessary lockdown might hope to gain some popularity in an atmosphere of national unity, and Macron this week is repeating the word "unity" at every opportunity. It may be too late for him though, since two years of vicious cuts and repression have left him with a very narrow support base. So, on March 26th , an opinion poll shows 59% consider government measures "insufficient" while only 43% are satisfied. 83% think the government is too slow ramping up testing numbers, while an overwhelming 88% think they are too slow getting production and distribution of masks moving.
Macron had in any case intended to make some small reforms favourable to workers in the second half of his mandate, in the hope of re-election. As this unprecedented crisis rolls out, he has the chance to thoroughly test his plans for the survival and the future of French capitalism, using all the resources and legitimacy the presidential throne provides. There will be further radical and surprising measures.
Naturally, Macron will also try to profit from the crisis to move against workers. A law passed this week allows, for the next two years, bosses "in essential sectors", including transport and freight, to ignore regulations about maximum number of hours worked in a day or in a week. Workers will be made to work up to 12 hours a day and up to 60 hours a week. Sunday work will be deregulated. Rather than hire the unemployed, workers' health will be put at risk. These measures were bundled up with other lockdown provisions and rushed through parliament. The 17 France Insoumise MPs and the 12 Communists voted against. The 26 Socialist Party MPs abstained.
A crisis where it is best for everyone to stay at home for several weeks presents a completely new challenge to the organized Left, and some of it still seems stunned, leaving some individuals on the Left tempted by multiple versions of what are basically conspiracy theories
There are three aspects that the Left must focus on. Firstly, getting involved in local mutual help schemes. Secondly, demanding that health comes before profit. Housing must be requisitioned immediately for the homeless, production of essential items such as ventilators and masks must be accelerated without respect for patents or profits, companies must be nationalized to avoid mass redundancies, all non-essential production must be closed down until the virus is beaten, the development of drugs and vaccines must be massively funded and organized by public bodies. Adequate health protection for essential workers must be an absolute priority. There will be many more demands.
Finally, we must patiently explain all the ways in which capitalist austerity, the dictatorship of profit, and the division of the world into competing national economies have made this crisis a thousand times worse than it could have been in a real economic democracy, a socialist production system.
Across France, neighbourhood help groups are being set up. A particular symbol is the increasingly popular 8pm appointment, when we all go to our windows to applaud the health workers and other essential workers (this is in buildings which have no real tradition of collective initiative). In my town the Communist mayor has set up a council-led system to make sure isolated or vulnerable people are not forgotten. Even some commercial companies are taking some good decisions – one supermarket chain has set up a toll-free number offering free delivery of groceries for the elderly.
Education unions have generally been able to pressurize the administration to agree that hourly-paid teachers will not lose money even if their classes cannot take place. The CGT has demanded that industry be shut down if it is not necessary to fight the epidemic, and is mobilizing to insist on protective measures for those who must work. Macron declared on the 19th March that any work which cannot be done online must continue (despite the known and massive danger), while one of his ministers accused those wanting to shut down building sites of "defeatism"! At the same time the government is theatrically denouncing people who go out of their homes too often, as if they were the main problem!
The France Insoumise, a left reformist grouping that got around 14.5% nationally in last week's elections is asking people to sign up "I want to be an activist from home", and giving advice on how to organize group discussions via internet around FI videos or how to intervene in debates in the national press. One of the most popular of the FI members of parliament, François Ruffin, is collecting people's experiences and writing a book collectively with others through an online tool where one can read each day where they have got to.
The France Insoumise in parliament voted against the lengthening of the working week, and is proposing that paying dividends to shareholders be banned in France until January 2022. The group has presented a list of 11 key demands, including 10 billion euros for the health system now, requisition of factories for health supplies, mass testing for the virus and an end to hospital charges for all patients.
The New Anticapitalist Party is insisting that workers should have time off on full pay in all sectors of production which are not essential to fighting the virus, and calling for massive recruitment in the hospitals, as well as a ban on all redundancies. The Communist Party support similar demands, while in a series of cases around the country, including lorry drivers, bus operatives, chemical industry workers, bottle manufacturers and Amazon employees, strike action has been called to demand better safety conditions.
Because, over the centuries, working people have fought for rights and respect, our rulers cannot just react to the virus by saying "three percent of the population dying, mostly old people, won't affect profits too much: bring it on!» But because working people have not managed to overthrow the dictatorship of profit, humanity is fighting the virus with both hands tied behind its back, due to austerity, neoliberalism and nationalism. This crisis will test political organizations and ideas like nothing else has for 80 years, as both capitalists and anticapitalists try to persuade that their vision deserves to guide the future of humanity.
As French airline companies alone are now asking for 185 billion euros in government help to prop up their profit-making (almost 3 000 euros for every person in France – far more than a month's wage for every worker), we need to unite and fight for the idea that our health comes before their profits.
Germany is protecting the economy, not the people
Angela Merkel's speech to the nation called for "social distance", but health protection in the workplace is neglected
Yaak Pabst
Things are getting worse in Berlin. The government is so slow that it cannot control the spread of the pandemic here. Just one shopping in a supermarket is enough to understand that the Merkel government is doing a bad job. The employees are in permanent contact with many people. And yet: No protective masks, no hand disinfectants, no protective suits or gloves… Nothing!
The policy of the German government is highly contradictory. While on the one hand »maximum social distance« is demanded (Merkel) and public life is severely restricted: cafés, restaurants, universities, schools, playgrounds, shops, cinemas and daycare centres are closed – a debate about a strict curfew is coming. On the other hand, health protection for employees is neglected. Millions of people still have to go to work and are thus exposed to unhealthy working conditions. It is a contradiction to demand »social distance« on the one hand and to allow »social contact« in industrial companies or in many service sectors on the other. It would also be consistent to reduce industrial production and service companies, which are not urgently needed, and to make jobs »corona-safe«.
Merkel and her government first underestimated the dynamics of the corona pandemic (as many government does) and now they are afraid. The federal government is doing almost everything to protect the economy and almost nothing to really protect the people. »It is serious. Take it seriously too,« Merkel said in a television speech to the nation. Merkel was probably also talking to herself.
Merkel's words of thanks to the nursing staff and doctors are untrue, in view of the decades of ruined savings in the health system by her government. Merkel's appeal to the individual, on the other hand, fits in well with the dogma of neoliberalism. But shifting the responsibility for containing the pandemic onto the individual is wrong. It is a political question, not an individual one.
The government would have to create the social conditions so that all people (especially the workers) can learn and practice »social distance«. How could this be done? The government of the Canadian province of Quebec pays 573 Canadian dollars (362 euros) per week to all workers in the province who have to isolate themselves! You fill out the application online and the money will be in your bank account within 48 hours. Why doesn't the German government distribute protective suits, masks and disinfectants free of charge for everyone in risk areas and big cities?
Repressive policies such as border closures, restrictions on freedom of travel or curfews are of little help under the current conditions, because they are distracting from the actual more important tasks (massive expansion of health care) while at the same time creating new problems. For example, the closure of the Polish-German border has caused a permanent traffic jam for miles, leaving thousands of truck drivers trapped in nirvana. Nevertheless, the number of infected people in Germany continues to rise. it really doesn't look good.
Yaak Pabst is a political scientist, member of die LINKE and on the editorial board of marx21 magazine.
Photo Gallery: International Women's Day, 8 March 2020
Photos by Antony Hamilton and Karsten Schmitz
Photos from our meeting: Fighting Fascism from Greece to Germany
7 March 2020, Karl Liebknecht Haus


If you're trying to learn Spanish Nouns you will find some useful resources including a course about Nouns and Words... to help you with your Spanish grammar. Try to concentrate on the lesson and notice the pattern that occurs each time the word changes its place. Also don't forget to check the rest of our other lessons listed on Learn Spanish. Enjoy the rest of the lesson!
Notice the structure of the Nouns in Spanish.
Below is a list of the Nouns and Words in Spanish placed in a table. Memorizing this table will help you add very useful and important words to your Spanish vocabulary.
Nouns and Words have a very important role in Spanish. Once you're done with Spanish Nouns, you might want to check the rest of our Spanish lessons here: Learn Spanish. Don't forget to bookmark this page.


CEO Robert Craven will leave Foodstate, makers of Megafood whole food supplements and the Innate Response practitioner line, at the end of the year.
Facing challenging sales dynamics in the omnichannel era, Megafood CEO Robert Craven, an outspoken champion of independent natural retailers, is stepping down from the CEO spot at the premium whole food supplement brand.
Craven said that he will leave the post at the end of the month, but will retain an advisory role in a new streamlined innovation program at Megafood's parent company, Pharmavite. "I think it's time for new leadership to take the company to that next level," Craven said, in advance of the announcement.
Craven earned a reputation as a leader in transparency, launching a number of programs he dubbed "Big T transparency." These programs aim to boost awareness of supply chain issues. He was also well known as a supporter of independent natural retailers and argued that "mass slippage," the phenomenon of shoppers drifting out of the natural retail channel as conventional grocers stocked more organic and natural products, was bad for retailers and supplement brands.
Mass slippage turned out to be just one of many problems Craven and Megafood faced in the past year. Amazon's Whole Foods takeover complicated the channel for premium brands and more sales moved online, to name a few. Though he would not comment on sales trends for 2018, Craven did say that this past year had been "a year that taught me a ton." "I think that the omnichannel move that we started a couple of years ago, in terms of meeting the consumer wherever they want to meet our brand, has significant challenges," he said.
Craven joined Foodstate, makers of Megafood and the Innate Response practitioner line, in 2011 after a series of natural products industry jobs, including a 2-year stint as CEO at Garden of Life. He was at the helm when the company was acquired by Pharmavite in 2014. Craven was already an outspoken proponent of transparency, and his advocacy for independent natural retailers did not change after the acquisition. The company achieved B Corp certification this year and named a "vice president of social impact" in 2017.
Such efforts garnered widespread respect in the supplement industry and were part of what earned Craven the Nutrition Business Journal Award for Management Achievement in 2015.
Craven said there are no plans to alter the company's character or commitments—"Things like our B-Corp certification aren't going anywhere"—and that he is committed to a smooth transition, offering his advisory role on the Pharmavite innovation team as evidence that the change is being accomplished with good intentions. "I'm excited to be working with them at a broader level," Craven said.
Tobe Cohen, who is heading the innovation program at Pharmavite, said Craven's passion for new technology, new ideas and new business models is rare in the supplement world and that his creative attitude and fresh ideas made him a perfect addition to the team.
"Being able to bring in some of his vision on what is ahead and his connection to that startup ecosystem was really one of the missing pieces," said Cohen, who came to Pharmavite from DSM where he was president for North American operations.


Do you offer a college scholarship program?
Crayola is not sponsoring a college scholarship program, however, you may want to read about The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program at http://www.scholastic.com/artandwriting/index.htm. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program is the largest and longest running program of its kind in the nation, encouraging and recognizing the artistic talents of students in grades 7-12. Entry materials can generally be obtained in the fall for the awards of the following spring.


text:
South America Chile The Lake District
See our selecton of sample itineraries which feature Tierra Chiloe
Location: The Lake District
This avant-garde geometric masterpiece is home to five-star boutique hotel Tierra Chiloe; the newest member of the Tierra Hotel family and the pioneer of luxury hotels in Chile's Northern Patagonia.
Amid quaint fishing villages accessed down a eucalyptus-lined avenue, you'll find Tierra Chiloe; bold yet somehow in keeping with the surrounding landscape, clad in native materials and hand-crafted touches. Each of the 12 cosy guest rooms are minimalist in design featuring large windows framing spectacular sea and fjord views. The rather inviting lounge boasts an open fireplace while the reading room and terrace offer alternative places to relax and take in the view. Be sure to try one of their Pisco Sours - some of the strongest and tastiest in Chile and fast-becoming pretty legendary.
Everything is about relaxation and nature in this part of the world and Tierra Chiloe remains in keeping with this, as a no-fuss an all-inclusive hotel. And that starts with the food. Most ingredients are locally sourced and from which the chef daily prepares a fresh set menu -think mussels, merzula ceviche and fillet steak. The wine-tasting room and open-air fire below the hotel are particular favourite after-dinner spots for guests.
There are a variety of excursions on offer for the adventurous traveller including trekking, biking, horse riding, kayaking and bird watching as well as cultural trips to the UNESCO Jesuit churches dotted across the island. After a long day return to Tierra Chiloe to unwind in the spa, Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room.
It's completely in a league of its own on this hilltop overlooking this inland sea. It's all about its surroundings and the all inclusive nature means you don't have to think about anything once you get there - even the activities are included.
Itineraries that feature Tierra Chiloe
Best for: Couples, Honeymoons, Families, Groups and Solo Travellers
Santiago, Valparaiso and the Chilean Lake District
Chile's Lake District has scenery to rival anywhere in the world. This 13-day luxury holiday combines the region with the central cities of Santiago...
Best for: Couples and Families
Back to Nature: A Road Trip Around the Chilean Lake District
Get back to nature on this 14-day Chilean Lake District road trip that takes you from the country's vibrant capital to its dramatic national...
Other Places to Stay in The Lake District
South America > Chile > The Lake District
Antumalal Hotel
Set in lush hillside gardens a mile or so outside the town of Pucón, the Antumalal hotel is built in the distinctive Bauhaus architectural style...
&Beyond Vira Vira
Set in 23 acres of Native Park along the shores of the Liucura River, &Beyond Vira Vira offers a true hacienda experience in the region. It exposes...
Nomads of the Seas
MV Atmosphere by Nomads of the Seas is a stunning expedition vessel, which comes complete with helicopters and zodiac ribs, enabling guests to...
Ollie is our 'Tierra Chiloe' expert and as a seasoned traveller has the inside track on the most memorable adventures.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Peter Andreas and Kelly Greenhill (eds), Sex, Drugs and Body Counts: The Politics of Numbers in Global Crime and Conflict
Sean Michael Wilson & Hunt Emerson, Goodbye God? An Illustrated Exploration of Science vs Religion (Review)
Review by Ian Sinclair
Cornell University Press, 2010; 288pp; $24.95
'Numbers, measures, and metrics profoundly influence our daily existence', the editors of this academic volume note. And, with statistics having 'very real and quite significant political, humanitarian, legal and scholarly consequences', they are therefore 'deeply political'.
However, considering the relative importance of numbers, the authors argue many people – and I would count myself as one of them – are 'relatively innumerate', and thus susceptible to being misled, or flat out lied to, through the use of statistics.
In an attempt to combat this ignorance, Sex, Drugs and Body Counts surveys the use and abuse of statistics in global crime (mainly human trafficking and illegal drugs) and conflict. Peace activists will be particularly interested in the latter, with this half of the book looking at a number of case studies including the Kosovo and Bosnian wars in the 1990s. Both, according to the analyses here, involved the inflation of the number of dead for political purposes – mainly to increase the pressure for foreign intervention.
Lara J Nettlefield explains that the generally accepted figure for the death toll in the Bosnian civil war came out of a meeting between the country's prime minister and foreign secretary when they decided on the figure of 150,000, subsequently increased to 250,000 by the foreign secretary at a press conference. Independent analysis conducted by the Sarajevo-based Research and Documentation Center has found the death toll to be 'only' 100,000. The organisation and its findings have received a lot of criticism, especially from the Bosnian nationalist intellectual elite, who suddenly found their expertise and power questioned.
Other case studies provide uncomfortable reading for peace activists. Kelly M Greenhill pulls apart claims made by Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) about the number of child victims of armed conflict as well as questioning whether there was a massacre in Jenin in April 2002. There are also repeated critical references to the famous 2006 Lancet survey which found approximately 655,000 Iraqis had died due to the US-UK invasion and occupation, though frustratingly no in-depth analysis of the research is presented.
Despite being US-centric and a typically dry academic read, this book provides a lot of food for thought for UK-based peace activists who wish to be credible thinkers, commentators and actors on their chosen issues of concern. As always, critical thinking is the key. So, when it comes to statistics, everyone should ask: Who produced them? Why? How? And for whom?


+.\" preserved on all copies.
+.\" permission notice identical to this one.
+.\" the source, must acknowledge the copyright and authors of this work.
+.TH MULTIARCH 7 2015-04-06 "Linux" "Linux Programmer's Manual"
+This manpage covers only the filesystem aspects of multi-arch.
+Multiarch allows binaries of many ABI targets to co-exist on the same system.


The sui juris of citizenship: According to Pew, 63% of all unauthorized immigrants have been in the US for more than 10 years.
Because your Military Rulers Said So: Revealer Abby Ohlheiser's been keeping track of the Egyptian election over at The Slatest.
Tebow has been showing them what he thinks of predestination. He's a radical free-will believer in Jesus and in his own capacity for confounding the wisdom of the wise. So far, he's been confounding in most every game he's played. Tebow's Broncos don't score many points per game, and they rely on a newly stingy defense and impeccable special teams play to keep games close until "Tebow Time," where 4th-quarter magic is bound to happen. And so it has.
Really poor children in really poor neighborhoods have no habits for working and have nobody around them who works. So they literally have no habit of showing up on Monday.
Minority rights are a "special privilege": Michele Bachmann yesterday firmly reminded Iowa that a democracy doesn't have to protect minorities (unless they're say, Christian).


Erik Spicer wasn't only a great librarian – he was a great professional. The U of T alumnus (BLS 1949) served for 34 years as the Parliamentary Librarian at the Library of Parliament in Ottawa, which was established at Confederation, and made it an essential source of information and non-partisan service for all parliamentarians.
The first professionally trained librarian to head the Parliamentary Library, Spicer is recognized for bringing the Parliamentary Library into the modern age, and credited with many advancements, including the establishment of a Research Branch and installing new technology. It was one of the first libraries in Canada to get a photocopier and it hosted Parliament's first word processor and first network of linked terminals. Spicer retired in 1994 and was named to the Order of Canada that same year.
Spicer was dedicated to library associations and helped developing countries – such as Nigeria, Bangladesh, Trinidad and Tobago, Cameroon and Tunisia – to establish their own parliamentary libraries. He died on September 27, 2014, at the age of 88.


text:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
              android:orientation="vertical"
              android:layout_width="match_parent"
              android:layout_height="match_parent">

    <TextView
        android:text="An error occured !"
        android:gravity="center|center_vertical"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"/>

</LinearLayout>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Maureen Simon of Asheville, presents her newest project, which she lovingly entitled, "Project Maureen".
Inspired by her childhood, her friends, and her ongoing quest to be true to who she is, Maureen is excited to share her vision of art and photography from Biltmore Iron and Metal, here in Asheville.
This exhibit showcases her love of architecture, colors, metal, wood, and the abstract. The project will feature works of art in photography, mixed media, encaustics, along with a soul-stirring collection of images from her volunteer photography work at Haywood Street Congregation.
Maureen shares how she came to accept and acknowledge her gifts and share them with the world. Her story will inspire many to heal the fears of conditioning to embrace the purpose of their soul's longing to be seen, heard and accepted for what they came here to create. May her story inspire you to embrace your longing, may it stir you to acknowledge your gifts and step into the creative self present within and break through the walls of fear that keep us from embodying our true joy and purpose driven life.
What is The Maureen Project?
I call this the Maureen Project because I was recently asked how i would know when I had arrived at the place that I so desperately wanted to be at.
Fill in this form to receive a personal invitation from Maureen. She will send you updates and news about her upcoming shows in Asheville and surrounding areas.
If you have a special request or would like to commission an art piece from Maureen, please send her a message with your details. She will contact you to set an appointment.
Maureen welcomes media inquiries to feature her work and talk about her journey as an artist and what it has taught her in life.
Copyright Maureen Simon. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Carlos Ghosn on Sept. 29, 2016, in Paris. | BLOOMBERG
National / Media | DARK SIDE OF THE RISING SUN
Is international scrutiny of Japan's criminal justice system fair?
by Jake Adelstein
Online: Jan 05, 2019
The Nov. 19 arrest of ousted Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn, his 23-day detention, his subsequent arrests and lengthy stay in detention has resulted in international scrutiny of Japan's criminal justice system. Is that fair?
Shin Kukimoto, deputy public prosecutor at the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor's Office, defended the practice at a news conference in the capital last year.
"Each country has its own history, culture and systems," Kukimoto told reporters. "I wonder if it's appropriate to criticize our system just because it's different."
Attempts to dismiss criticism of Japan's criminal justice system as Western prejudice really only work if one ignores numerous voices of dissent that have been raised by criminal defense lawyers in addition to opposition from prosecutors and judges.
Nobuo Gohara, a former prosecutor, believes the criminal justice system in Japan is based on a hostage mentality.
"If you admit to the crime you're arrested for, you're released on bail relatively quickly," Gohara says. "However, if you dispute the charges or claim innocence, you will be detained longer. You won't be released on bail and your detainment will last weeks. You're basically held hostage until you give the prosecutors what they want. This is not how a criminal justice system should work in a healthy society."
Not only does the application of such a system fly in the face of the widely accepted notion of being innocent until proven guilty, it encourages false confessions. It also punishes those who have the audacity to deny any charges laid against them and even if you are released from detention without an indictment, the odds that your job will still be there 23 days later are rather slim.
So long as the police and the prosecutors are correct, Gohara believes "hostage justice" can work. "However, no sooner than they make a mistake and grab an innocent person," he says, "the whole system becomes a terrifying weapon."
In the past, backroom deals have been struck to elicit a confession. On Nov. 24, 2015, the Tokyo High Court ruled that a 51-year-old fraud suspect had been coerced into confession by the police who promised him a lighter sentence if he confessed. He had been charged with multiple counts of fraud, allegedly because he refused to confess to the initial charges. The defendant later retracted his confession and pleaded innocent. His lawyer asked to cross-examine the police officers who had interrogated the subject, but the court rejected the request.
The defendant was sentenced to five years in jail; the sentence was appealed. The suspect then called the arresting officers and recorded them admitting to making a deal with him. On that basis, the Tokyo High Court ruled that the case should be retried and sent it back to the lower courts.
In the summer of 2012, a hacker used compromised computers to have four people wrongfully arrested on charges of making online death threats. All of those arrested initially denied the crimes, but two eventually admitted guilt after being held in detention for a number of days. They were all released in October 2012, when the real culprit sent emails to authorities containing details that could only be known by the actual criminal.
The prosecutors had coerced a false confession from one suspect, while another believed he was covering up for a crime that his girlfriend might have committed. The Japanese media, which relies on being drip-fed scoops by prosecutors, didn't delve deeply into the matter.
In 2011, the Tsuchiura branch of the Mito District Court delivered a verdict of not guilty to Shoji Sakurai and Takao Sugiyama, both 64, who were sentenced to life in prison in 1970 for the robbery and murder of Shoten Tamamura, a 62-year-old carpenter. The pair had already served nearly 30 years in prison before the court ruled that their confessions had been forced.
Once you're in the system, you're in trouble. Japan has a 99 percent conviction rate, but this is because prosecutors drop roughly half the cases they are given. Once you're indicted, however, you have a slim chance of being released.
Hiroshi Segi, a former Supreme Court judge, wrote in a book titled "The Hopeless Court" that judges who dare to find people not guilty get punished professionally.
Hiroshi Ishikawa, a former prosecutor, wrote in detail about the abuse of prosecutorial power and the ability to detain suspects in a book titled "Kenji Shikaku."
Ishikawa himself had been implicated in a case of false confessions before resigning. He says there's enormous pressure on police and prosecutors to obtain a guilty verdict by any means.
"I was taught that foreigners and gang members have no human rights," he once told me. "I was taught that winning is everything. And with the de facto power to detain someone who insists they're innocent all the way up to their trial, we usually win. However, that doesn't always mean that justice is served."
Dark Side of the Rising Sun is a monthly column that takes a behind-the-scenes look at news in Japan.
criminal justice, Carlos Ghosn


text:
Review of North Coast Opportunities, Inc.'s Compliance With Health and Safety Regulations for Head Start Programs
As part of a series of reviews requested by the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start, we found that North Coast Opportunities, Inc. (the Grantee), located in California, did not fully comply with Federal and State requirements on ensuring the health and safety of children in its care. The major objectives of the Head Start program include promoting school readiness and enhancing the social and cognitive development of low-income children by providing health, educational, nutritional, and social services. In fiscal year (FY) 2009, Congress appropriated $7.1 billion to fund the Head Start program's regular operations. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides an additional $2.1 billion for the program during FYs 2009 and 2010.
As of April 2010, the Grantee had not obtained criminal record checks or signed statements regarding criminal history for 10 of its 159 employees. The Grantee also did not obtain criminal record checks on six employees until after they were hired, and the files on four other employees did not contain the required documentation of criminal record clearances. In addition, the Grantee's 13 childcare facilities did not meet all Federal Head Start and State requirements for protecting children from unsafe materials and equipment. Furthermore, two of these facilities did not provide a fully secure environment for the children in their care. The Grantee's failure to consistently comply with requirements jeopardized the health and safety of children in its care.
We recommended that the Grantee strengthen and consistently follow its existing procedures to ensure that (1) criminal record checks are obtained before hiring employees and all employee files contain documentation of criminal record clearances or exemptions and employee signed statements regarding criminal history and (2) all unsafe materials and equipment are stored in locked areas out of the reach of children, other unsafe conditions are addressed, and all facilities are secure. In comments on our draft report, the Grantee described its completed and ongoing actions to address the deficiencies that we identified.
Filed under: Administration for Children and Families


text:
<?php if(!defined('IN_PHPVMS') && IN_PHPVMS !== true) { die(); } ?>

Add to Group

<?php
$total = count($freegroups);
if($total == 0) {
	echo 'No groups to add to';
	return;
}
?>
<form id="pilotgroupform" action="<?php echo adminaction('/pilotadmin/viewpilots');?>" method="POST">

Select Group:

<select name="groupname">
		<?php
			foreach($freegroups as $group) {
				echo '<option value="'.$group.'">'.$group.'</option>';
			}
		?>
		</select>

<input type="hidden" name="pilotid" value="<?php echo $pilotid;?>" />
		<input type="hidden" name="action" value="addgroup" />
		<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Add to Group" />

</form>


text:
namespace _ELENA_
{

// --- MemoryDump class ---

class MemoryDump : public _Memory
{
protected:
   char* _buffer;
   pos_t _total;
   pos_t _used;

   void resize(pos_t size);

public:
   pos_t getFreeSpace() const { return _total - _used; }

   virtual pos_t Length() const { return _used; }

   virtual void* get(pos_t position) const;

   //virtual void* getLong(pos64_t position) const
   //{
   //   if (position < INT_MAX) {
   //      return get((pos_t)position);
   //   }
   //   else return nullptr;
   //}

   void reserve(pos_t size);

   virtual bool read(pos_t position, void* s, pos_t length);

   virtual bool readLong(pos64_t position, void* s, pos64_t length)
   {
      if (position < INT_MAX && length < INT_MAX) {
         return read((pos_t)position, s, (pos_t)length);
      }
      else return false;
   }

   virtual void load(StreamReader* reader, pos_t length);

   virtual bool write(pos_t position, const void* s, pos_t length);
//   bool write(pos_t position, const void* s, pos64_t length)
//   {
//      if (length < INT_MAX) {
//         return write(position, s, (pos_t)length);
//      }
//      else return false;
//   }

   virtual bool writeBytes(pos_t position, char value, pos_t length);

   bool writeSize(pos_t position, size_t value)
   {
      return write(position, (void*)&value, sizeof(size_t));
   }
   bool writeQWord(pos_t position, long long value)
   {
      return write(position, (void*)&value, 8u);
   }
   bool writeDWord(pos_t position, int value)
   {
      return write(position, (void*)&value, 4u);
   }
   bool writeWord(pos_t position, short value)
   {
      return write(position, (void*)&value, 2u);
   }
   bool writeByte(pos_t position, char value)
   {
      return write(position, (void*)&value, 1u);
   }

   bool writeLiteral(pos_t position, const char* s)
   {
      if (!emptystr(s)) {
         return write(position, s, getlength(s) + 1);
      }
      else return writeWord(position, 0);
   }

   virtual void insert(pos_t position, const void* s, pos_t length);

   virtual void clear() { _used = 0; }

   virtual void trim(pos_t size)
   {
      _used = size;
   }
   virtual void trimLong(pos64_t size)
   {
      if (size < INT_MAX) {
         trim((pos_t)size);
      }
   }

//   char* extract()
//   {
//      char* buffer = _buffer;
//
//      _buffer = NULL;
//      _used = _total = 0;
//
//      return buffer;
//   }

   MemoryDump();
   MemoryDump(pos_t capacity);
   MemoryDump(MemoryDump& copy);
   virtual ~MemoryDump() { freestr(_buffer); }
};

// --- ByteArray ---

class ByteArray : public _Memory
{
   char* _bytes;
   pos_t _length;

public:
   virtual pos_t Length() const { return _length; }

   virtual void* get(pos_t position) const;

   //virtual void* getLong(pos64_t position) const
   //{
   //   if (position < INT_MAX)
   //   {
   //      return get((pos_t)position);
   //   }
   //   else return NULL;
   //}

   virtual bool read(pos_t position, void* s, pos_t length);

   virtual bool readLong(pos64_t position, void* s, pos64_t length)
   {
      if (position < INT_MAX && length < INT_MAX) {
         return read((pos_t)position, s, (pos_t)length);
      }
      else return false;
   }

   virtual bool write(pos_t position, const void* s, pos_t length);

   virtual void insert(pos_t position, const void* s, pos_t length);

   virtual bool writeBytes(pos_t position, char value, pos_t length);

   virtual void* getReferences() { return NULL; }

   virtual void trim(pos_t)
   {
   }
   virtual void trimLong(pos64_t)
   {
   }

   ByteArray(void* bytes, pos_t length)
   {
      _bytes = (char*)bytes;
      _length = length;
   }
};

//class LineReader : public TextReader
//{
////   TextReader* _reader;
////
////public:
////   virtual bool read(wchar16_t* s, size_t length)
////   {
////      const wchar16_t* start = s;
////      while (length > 0) {
////         if(!_reader->read(s, 1))
////            break;
////
////         if (s[0] == '\n') {
////            s[1] = 0;
////            return true;
////         }
////         length--;
////         s++;
////      }
////      s[0] = 0;
////
////      return s != start;
////   }
////
////   virtual bool read(char* s, size_t length)
////   {
////      while (length > 0) {
////         if(!_reader->read(s, 1))
////            return false;
////
////         if (s[0] == '\n') {
////            s[1] = 0;
////            return true;
////         }
////         length--;
////         s++;
////      }
////      s[0] = 0;
////
////      return true;
////   }
////
////   LineReader(TextReader* reader)
////   {
////      _reader = reader;
////   }
//};

} // _ELENA_

#endif  // DumpH


Next has released its financial figures for the Christmas period, reporting "better than expected" full-price sales and raising its full-year profit forecast.
In the 54 days to December 24, full-price sales rose 1.5 per cent despite analysts predicting yesterday that it would drop by 0.5 per cent.
This was largely driven by online sales, which saw a 13.6 per cent rise compared to a retail sales drop of 6.1 per cent. This has been attributed to increasingly cold weather.
In light of the growing sales, Next has upgraded its profit guidance by £8 million, with a range now standing at between £718 million and £732 million.
Despite conceding that many of the challenges faced last year look set to continue into the year ahead, Next was optimistic that some factors may ease up.
"However, we believe that some of these headwinds will ease as we move through the year; we already know that cost price inflation will reduce to two per cent in the first half and believe it will disappear in the second half," the retailer stated.
"We are budgeting for full price sales next year to grow by between -2 per cent and four per cent.


Handcrafted pendant measures 1 inch across (25mm) and has been created using a shiny silver bezel. Artwork has been sealed under a non-yellowing, scratch resistant, high gloss epoxy resin bubble which enhances the image. Pendant comes with a matching 24″ link chain. Pendants are water resistant, but not waterproof…please remove before swimming or showering. Pendants are not intended for children.


text:
celestial body directly orbiting a star or stellar remnant
A planet is a large object such as Venus or Earth that orbits a star. Planets are smaller than stars, and they do not make light. Jupiter is the biggest planet in the Solar System.
Image of the Solar System planets. Top image shows the rocky planets and the bottom image shows the gas giants.
Planets are shaped like a slightly squashed ball (called a spheroid). Objects that orbit planets are called satellites. A star and everything which orbits it are called a star system.
There are eight planets in the Solar System. Pluto used to be called a planet, but in August 2006, the International Astronomical Union decided it was a dwarf planet instead. There are four more known dwarf planets in the Solar System, Ceres, Makemake, Eris and Haumea.
The name "planet" is from the Greek word πλανήτης (planetes), meaning "wanderers", or "things that move". Until the 1990s, people only knew the planets in the Solar System.
4,905 extrasolar planets (exoplanets) have been discovered in 3,629 planetary systems (January 2022 data). The count includes 808 multi-planetary systems. Known exoplanets range in size from gas giants about twice as large as Jupiter down to just over the size of the Moon. About 100 of these planets are roughly the size as Earth. Nine of these orbit in the habitable zone of their star.[1][2]
1 Origin of the planets
2 Historical names
2.1 Planets
2.2 Types of planets
Origin of the planetsEdit
The planets are made of elements that are mostly different from the Sun (which is mostly hydrogen).[3][4] The Sun is mostly made up of hydrogen, with some helium. Its energy comes from converting hydrogen to helium. In contrast, the planets are mostly made up of larger atoms and molecules which could not have come from the Sun.[5] The materials of planets must have come from another source or sources. Those sources were atoms made in earlier supernovae explosions near the Sun's path as it moved through its part of the Milky Way. The material captured by the Sun's gravity formed the planets. The same thing happened in other planetary systems in the galaxy.[6]
The gas giants are made up of hydrogen gas like the Sun, plus (at their centres) "metallic" elements like the terrestrial planets.
Historical namesEdit
Main article: History of astronomy
Planets of the Solar System
The planets in the Solar System have names of Greek or Roman gods, except for Earth, because people did not think Earth was a planet in old times. However, Earth is occasionally referred by the name of a Roman god: Terra. Other languages, for example Chinese, use different names. Moons also have names of gods and people from classical mythology. The names of the moons of Uranus are from the plays written by Shakespeare.
PlanetsEdit
Here is a list of planets in the Solar System from the closest to the farthest
Types of planetsEdit
There are planets, and smaller objects that also go around the Sun. Some examples of smaller objects are asteroids, comets, and trans-Neptunian objects.
There are three types of planets in the Solar System. They are:
Terrestrial or rocky: These are planets that are like Earth. They are mostly made up of rocks. They include: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars.
Jovian or gas giant: These planets are mostly made of gas in their outer layers. They all have metallic cores. They include: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
Icy: These planets are mostly made of ice. It includes Pluto. Many objects in the Solar System that are not planets are also "icy". Examples are the icy moons of the outer planets of the Solar System (like Triton).
Formation and evolution of the Solar System
List of planets
Ice dwarfs
↑ "NASA discovery doubles the number of known planets". USA TODAY. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
↑ Schneider, Jean (16 January 2013). "Interactive Extra-solar Planets Catalog". The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia. Retrieved 2013-01-15.
↑ Charles H. Lineweaver 2001. An estimate of the age distribution of terrestrial planets in the Universe: quantifying metallicity as a selection effect. Icarus. 151 (2): 307–313. [1]
↑ Williams J. 2010. The astrophysical environment of the solar birthplace.. Contemporary Physics. 51 (5): 381–396. [2]
↑ Though the "gas giants" do have hydrogen, because their gravity is strong enough to hang on to the small molecules".
↑ Safronov, Viktor Sergeevich 1972. Evolution of the protoplanetary cloud and formation of the Earth and the planets. Israel Program for Scientific Translations. ISBN 0-7065-1225-1
Retrieved from "https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Planet&oldid=7969263"


text:
Revision as of 14:33, 22 March 2019 by Ari (talk | contribs)
While this organization served a purpose, you can't make people care about things that are good for them. So Europe got fat, lazy and complacent about external threats. They both relied on the U.S. to provide their defense, and resented us for our patriarchal role. But that doesn't mean they're mature and ready to step up on their own. Here are a few examples of why it's time has passed. Maybe there's a new organization that takes it's place, and offers the services to those that will contribute back. But for moochers, contributing without appreciation or others putting in their fair share? You just become an enabler to the moral and cultural decay.
Q: What about Helsinki? -
A: This proves media bias, more than Trump bias. Look, every President meets with the Russia. Virtually all Politicians say nice things about powerful leaders, and try to butter them up, and get some things from them, so they can play great statesman. Trump is no different than all of his predecessors in this regard, if anything, he sucked up LESS. Part of it is truth, part of it is that in order to persuade the other side, they have to make them feel at ease. Remember basic history:
Bill Clinton met Putin, and when Putin suggested Russia joining NATO, Bill said he had, "no objection." And after first meeting Putin said, "I think he is fully capable of building a prosperous, strong Russia, while preserving freedom and pluralism and the rule of law."
When Bush first met Putin, he was asked if he trusted Putin, and he said "Yes". When pressed, "Why?", Bush replied that he "looked into his eyes, and said he saw his soul". Later, after the invasion of Georgia, Bush called him "cold blooded".
Obama/Hillary wanted to restore relations after that, and created a mock "Reset Button", and in their normal fashion, fucked it up, and it was mistranslated and actually said, "Overcharged". And the Obama admin gave Russia all sorts of concessions like not putting in anti-missile system in Poland, without getting anything in return. Then Trump attacked Mitt Romney, for saying Russia was our biggest threat, and said Romney was "stuck in a Cold War mind warp". Then Obama got caught on hot-mic admitting to Russian President Medvedev that he'd have flexibility to do more for Russia after Obama's last election. Russia invaded Urkaine soon after that.
If you aren't reminded of this, every time they're talking about Trump and Putin, that's because the media is intentionally trying to miseducate you, and convert Trump into something nefarious, for the most benign of behaviors. He did nothing unusually fawning or apologetic, and has been harder on Russia than Obama Admin ever was.
Legality of Iraq war -
No war is legal or illegal, there's only moral or immoral -- and all wars are immoral (some just more than others), the only real issue is whether the war is more immoral than doing nothing. Now as for justification, there was more legal justification for the Iraq War than most of the wars we got into. That still doesn't make it right, it just makes it slightly less wrong. But we had support from U.N. (1441), NATO, largest coalition ever, and a foreign country that had broken the terms of the cease fire. That's more than we had for any other war, included Korea (which was the previous war with the most faux-legality behind it).
Americans are imperialists -
People that say Americans are imperialists don't understand us. So here's a quick explanation. America has the largest court system in the world, with bulging prisons and more lawyers and lawsuits per capita because we will not tolerate injustice. Americans inherited the England's laissez-faire attitude of "live and let live"... and we live that motto - right up to point where we believe we have been wronged, or see others doing wrong. The Europeans have more tolerance of wrongdoing; they turn their heads, or say "that doesn't concern me" or "that's just the way things are". They tolerate the intolerable. But we want to leave the world a better place, and not just take profits exploiting the suffering of others; like the Europeans.
2019.03.22 Germany Reneges again - After failing to contribute their fair share for decades, Germany promised to start ramping up their defense requirements to be part of NATO. Then a few months later, they're cutting defense spending and promising to fall short of contributing half as much as the U.S. does for their defense. Actions have to have consequences. Either they go, or we go, is the right answer to this. We are in this for Europe and to help for their stability, and we're doing 71.7% of the lifting. If they think we'll never leave, then they'll never behave responsibly. So time to leave. Actions must have consequences.
2017.05.25 NATO - Trump criticized NATO (as he has during his campaign) for bearing the brunt of NATO costs (true), and intimidates them into living up to their obligations and coming up with more money. The leftists, their Press and their fact checkers all pretend this is end of days and proof that:
Demanding more defense spending (against Russia) makes him a puppet of Russia.
That him claiming the U.S. pays 70-90% of NATO is a lie. It's true... depending on what you mean.
He "shoved" Montenegro Prime Minister.
That he's alienating our allies and going to break up NATO.
A year+ later, the head of NATO admits that his tough talk got NATO contributions up by over $100B, and it is stronger than ever, thanks to Trump.
Wikipedia: NATO
Retrieved from "http://igeek.com/index.php?title=North_Atlantic_Treaty_Organization&oldid=25152"
Organizatons


text:
New housing construction falls to 6-year low
Housing starts plunge 14.6% in October
Builders held back on new home construction last month as the housing market continued to see declines in activity in many parts of the country.
Housing starts plunged 14.6 percent in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.49 million, reaching a six-year low, the Commerce Department said today. Starts were down 27.4 percent from the same month a year ago.
The National Association of Realtors last week released its latest forecast for the housing market, saying it expects existing-home sales to fall 8.6 percent to 6.47 million in 2006, then fall another 0.6 percent to 6.43 million in 2007.
The Realtor trade group projects new-home sales to drop 16.8 percent to 1.07 million in 2006, and to fall another 8.7 percent next year to 975,000, largely due to a significant reduction in construction by builders.
Single-family housing starts in October were at a rate of 1.18 million, a 15.9 percent decline from September. The October rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 266,000.
Privately owned housing completions in October fell 3.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.95 million. Completions were down 0.7 percent from October of 2005.
Single-family housing completions fell 8.3 percent to a rate of 1.56 million in October from the previous month. The October rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 348,000.
Meanwhile, building permits on privately owned housing units fell 6.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.54 million in October. This was 28 percent lower than the rate for October 2005, which was 2.13 million.
Single-family authorizations in October were down 3.8 percent to a rate of 1.17 million. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 294,000 in October.


text:
import pygame
from libs import tmx
from player import Player
from enemy import Enemy

class Game(object):
    def __init__(self, screen):
        # Load the background and get its properties
        self.background = pygame.image.load('resources/backgrounds/mountains.png')
        self.background_size = self.background.get_size()

        self.screen = screen
        self.tile_map = tmx.load("resources/maps/map.tmx", self.screen.get_size())
        self.sprites = tmx.SpriteLayer()
        self.enemies = tmx.SpriteLayer()

        # Load the player
        start_cell = self.tile_map.layers['triggers'].find('player')[0]
        self.player = Player((start_cell.px, start_cell.py), self.sprites)

        # Load the enemies
        for enemy in self.tile_map.layers['triggers'].find('enemy'):
            Enemy((enemy.px, enemy.py), self.enemies)
        self.tile_map.layers.append(self.enemies)

    def main(self):
        # System clock to synchronize
        clock = pygame.time.Clock()

        # Variables to handle the scroll
        x = 0
        w, h = self.background_size

        last_x = self.player.get_x_position()
        self.tile_map.layers.append(self.sprites)

        # Main loop
        while 1:
            dt = clock.tick(30)

            for event in pygame.event.get():
                if event.type == pygame.QUIT:
                    return
                if event.type == pygame.KEYDOWN and event.key == pygame.K_ESCAPE:
                    return

            self.tile_map.update(dt / 1000., self)
            self.screen.blit(self.background,
                        ((-self.tile_map.viewport.x/2), 0))

            self.tile_map.draw(self.screen)
            pygame.display.flip()

            if self.player.is_dead:
                print ("Has muerto!")
                return

if __name__ == '__main__':
    pygame.init()
    screen = pygame.display.set_mode((1280, 720))
    Game(screen).main()


Located at No.6 lane 19 To Ngoc Van st. Built in 2008, whole building has got 4 storeys, each of flat is one apartment. Aparment in ground floor has front & back outside yard. There is no elevator, washing and dryer machine installed in ground floor. Building has no sercurity man hence the tenants will serve by themself. All apartments provided fully furnished and equipment. All rooms full filled natural light. Price from 400$ to 600$, depens on each of floor. The rental comes with TV cable, intenet wifi, tap water, cleaning & normal laundry 02 times/week, bedding line change 01 time/week. Our company has workers team and IT man, are going to ready solve the problems of apartment if any, or support you. Additional, our office is based on No.28 To Ngoc Van st., nearby the building hence it's easier to help if ordered. We started doing this business for long time, has got experience and good knowleague about market, and are willing bring to you professional services while you were staying here. For any futher questions, please do not hesitate contact our agents for quick response. Pleasant to serve and Thanks!
Cozy apartment leasing in Tay Ho Dist, Hanoi.
This cozy apartment has a living area of 45sqm, fully furnished, an equipped. It is on To Ngoc Van St, near shops, cafes, restaurants, and malls. Please contact us for viewing.
Lovely aprtment for rent in Tay Ho Dist, Hanoi.
This apartment is on To Ngoc Van St, it has lots of natural light, fully furnished, and equipped. It's 45sqm, surrounded by shops, cafes, restaurants, and it takes you about 5 minutes walking distance to the lake. Please contact us for viewing.
Copyright © 2017 by Hanoi Housing Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. Today: 8295 viewed.


Use film to promote your business in the most cost effective, environmentally responsible way.
People tend towards trusted suppliers & services, which is why regular contact with your intended potential customer base, through high quality internet video is so important to your business.
Online video marketing content, utilizing social media platforms that make the most of online video, has been shown to have a positive impact, with regard to helping businesses remain in the hearts & minds of customers & clients.
Business showcase films can be used for multiple applications online, as well as at trade shows & conferences, to communicate effectively with potential clients, funding bodies & partners.


Author(s): Hajdu, L. & Orbán, S.
Abstract: A partly compiled check-list of the green plants (apochlorotic Flagellates included) of the Baradla Cave is given. Earlier workers reported 104 algal taxa from the Baradla. Around the lamps 15 algae were living in 1974. There is a very limited coincidence (only two algae are common) between algal species list of the dark flora and that of the lamp flora. 20 moss-species were found at 10-1000 lux light intensity. The ferns are represented only by two species. On the basis of ecological observations some suggestions are given, how to keep the lamp flora at its minimum.


text:
Van Wijngaarden Marine Services places order for its first Damen Multi Cat DP1
Robert Allan Ltd. designs a New Pusher Tug for Hidrovias do Brasil S.A.
Med Marine is expanding its design portfolio
Damen Multi Cat 3013
Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld
KILSTROOM
Van Wijngaarden Marine Services
Van Wijngaarden Marine Services has placed an order with Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld for a Damen Multi Cat 3013, to be named KILSTROOM. This latest order represents a new step for the family-owned company. To date, its relationship with Damen has focused on the group's Shoalbuster range with the company now operating five of the popular and versatile class. The Multi Cat 3013 will bring a new level of capability and allow Van Wijngaarden Marine Services to extend the range of services that it offers its customers.
Damen Multi Cats are tough, multi-function vessels that, with their twin, heavy-duty cranes, rugged fendering, all-round visibility, extensive deck space and shallow draught, are ideal for a wide range of coastal and offshore construction, maintenance and general-purpose activities. The 30-metre Multi Cat 3013 is one of the largest in the range with a bollard pull of 38 tonnes and the KILSTROOM will be fitted with a dynamic positioning system along with additional customisations.
The contract was signed on 15 August by the CEO and managing director of Van Wijngaarden Marine Services Mr. Wim van Wijngaarden and Mr. Peter van Wijngaarden together with Jos van Woerkum, managing director of Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld.
"We very much look forward to taking delivery of our first Multi Cat," says Peter van Wijngaarden. "This move is the result of discussions with our customers in the construction, dredging and wind farm support sectors. They are encouraging us to broaden the range of services that we offer and prefer to use Multi Cats for certain projects. KILSTROOM will also complement and enhance our Shoalbusters, with the two types of vessel capable of working together very effectively on a variety of assignments. As it will also be our first vessel with dynamic positioning, which adds an additional level of new capability. As well as the price and quality, the ability of Damen to deliver the Multi Cat 3013 in just six months was a significant factor in working with them once again."
"We are very excited that our longstanding and valued client Van Wijngaarden Marine Services has selected a Damen DP Multi Cat for the latest addition to its fleet," added Jos van Woerkum. "Over 300 of this series have been sold over the years around the world and the Damen philosophy of building for stock means that we will be delivering the KILSTROOM by the end of March next year."
Svitzer orders new tug for Port of London
Med Marine's new series tug now operates in Hadera
Another Med Marine tugboat for SAAM Towage


NorthTec is looking to make three carpentry and electrical engineering trades tutors redundant. The redundancies are a very possible result of an on-going review of the area, as NorthTec tries to cut budgets and save money.
Tertiary Education Union organiser Chan Dixon says it is saddening that NorthTec is looking to axe teaching staff from construction and engineering at the same time as Immigration New Zealand has revealed there are immediate skills shortages for these trades in Auckland and the upper North Island.
Ms Dixon says cutting the number of trades tutors is part of a wider trend among polytechnics to cope with severely constrained budgets.
NorthTec already decided in February not to renew its contract with the Electrical Industry Training Organisation, with the result that all Northland apprentices now have to travel to Auckland for block courses which are integral to their training.
NorthTec will conclude its review and make a decision late next week.
The government's changes to the Employment Relations Act (ERA) and Holidays Act come into effect tomorrow. TEU has already negotiated agreements with a number of employers that state that many of these new provisions will not apply to TEU members employed by those employers. It is also working with the Council of Trade Unions (CTU) to repeal these laws and replace them with fairer employment legislation.


They were named one of the ''Top 25 duos in America' by Yahoo music. The unlikely pairing has since released 6 full-length CDs, produced a live concert DVD and have performed all across the U.S. and in Europe.
Their show is a carnival of two that will take you from the Moulin Rouge to CBGBs and back again. A rollicking flapper folk punk cabaret with Taiko meets Rio de Janeiro pounding drum instrumentals.


A view from the accessible parking shows the building and one of the shuttle buses. Once you get to the curb cut-away you can go left to the visitor center and there is an accessible restroom on the lower terrace or you can take a right and follow the ramp up to the upper terrace. The next picture shows the pathway to the top. The path on the right you will want to avoid due to its steepness. Continue of the sidewalk and as you go away from the building you will get to a switchback and continue upward.
You need a push but the grade is not that bad but rather long. As you are making the journey towards the upper level you will view native plants and some wildlife. Once on top you can venture inside the visior center where you will find informative displays, books, posters, etc. Also on the upper terrace level there is a limited walkway where one can view native plants and scenery.
The picture showing the parking lot gives you and idea how high up you ventured. Once inside there have displays and books to browse.
This photo was taken for it shows how they improve accessibility with funds collected.


text:
module Barn
  module Builders
    # Attempts to constantize a class with the same name as the factory and
    # initializes an instance from a hash returned from downstream
    #
    # # Returns ActiveRecord instance if there's a class named License
    # Barn.define :license do
    #   :expires_at => 3.days.from_now
    # end
    #
    # # Explicitly name a class
    # Barn.define :evaluation, :class => 'License' do
    #   # ...
    # end
    #
    # # Define custom traits
    # Barn.define :expired_license do
    #   build :license, \
    #     :status     => 'expired',
    #     :expires_at => 3.days.ago
    # end
    #
    # # Associations
    # Barn.define :order do
    #   :license => build(:license)
    # end
    class ActiveRecord
      def initialize(app)
        @app = app
      end

      def call(env)
        object = @app.call(env)

        klass = begin
          (env[:factory].options[:class] || env[:factory].name.to_s.classify).constantize
        rescue NameError
          return object  # no ActiveRecord subclass found
        end

        object = klass.new(object) if klass.ancestors.include?(::ActiveRecord::Base)
        object
      end
    end
  end
end


text:
Using free tuition to attract students into high-demand fields
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announces his proposed workforce initiative Thursday at Northern Virginia Community College. (Photo courtesy of the governor's office)
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's proposed budget will include $145 million over the biennium to make tuition-free community college available to low- and middle-income students who pursue jobs in high-demand fields. It also would provide grants to cover expenses such as food, transportation and childcare to low-income college students.
The Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) initiative will provide financial support to cover tuition, fees, and books for eligible students at Virginia's two-year public colleges, Northam said Thursday.
"This is an investment in equity and our economy," Northam said in making the announcement at Northern Virginia Community College. "By helping Virginians get the skills they need, we're building a world-class workforce while ensuring all Virginians can support themselves, their families and their communities."
The G3 program is one of the first in the nation to provide wraparound financial assistance to help students at the lowest income levels, according to the proposal. Students who qualify for full Pell grants and enroll full-time will receive a Student Support Incentive Grant each semester of up to $1,000 ($500 for the summer term).
To remain eligible for the program, students must sign a "community engagement agreement" and complete two hours of work experience, community service or public service for every credit hour enrolled.
In addition, each participating institution will receive a "performance payment" per eligible student receiving the grant who successfully completes 30 credit hours, and an additional performance payment when such a student earns an associate degree.
Targeting workforce gaps
The initiative will target key industries, from healthcare and information technology, to skilled trades, public safety and early childhood education, according to the governor's office. Data show that, on average, participants in these high-demand degree programs increase their wages by 60 percent upon program completion and double their individual state tax contributions, the office said.
"With Virginia's record-low unemployment rate, businesses are hungry for skilled talent," said Megan Healy, chief workforce development advisor. "The G3 program will help Virginia businesses of all sizes fill open jobs, connect Virginians with the necessary training and credentials to find good-paying work, and grow the Commonwealth's economy."
To prepare for the G3 program, Northam last year announced a collaborative effort to transform workforce programs offered through the Virginia Community College System. This model will equip students with skills training on day one and provide continual pathways for working adults to obtain additional credentials throughout their careers.
Northam will share the full details of his budget plan on December 17 before state lawmakers.


To arrange an audition please contact Vera Kochanowsky.
Summer auditions are preferred so singers may be admitted by the start of the season. However, auditions can be arranged throughout the year. Applicants must have good sight-reading skills, be comfortable singing in many languages, and have some experience performing early music.
Some other ways you can help Carmina and Illuminare include ushering at concerts, assisting with mailings, organizing special events, such as fundraisers, and general clerical work. Please contact us to arrange something that works best for you.
We are currently looking for an intern. The intern would primarily assist with grant research, foundation research, finding new performance opportunities, developing better publicity, and helping to find business donors. The internship will primarily be work-from-home, with progress meetings scheduled every 1-2 weeks as needed. Duration, hours, and meeting locations are all flexible, but we are looking for someone for a minimum of 1 semester and a minimum of approximately 5 hours per week. The ideal candidate will have 3 or more years of university or equivalent experience and a background in classical music. A background in early music or vocal music would be a bonus. Interest or experience in the project areas mentioned above is also a bonus. Please contact Vera Kochanowsky for more information.
If you'd like to receive email or regular mail updates about Carmina and Illuminare concerts, events, and general information, please visit our contact page and let us know!


text:
Q: clonar funções array e objetos Faça uma função para clonar arrays. (Dica: clone = [ ...clone ])
Faça uma função para clonar objetos. (Dica: clone = { ...objeto })
let total = 3, array1 = [1,2,3]

const clonar = () => {
     if (total === 0){
         console.log('clonado');
     }
}

console.log()

A: O ideal seria usar o spread operator (...):
    var array1 = [1,2,3]
    var clone = [...array1]

A função que clona poderia ser assim:
    function clonaArray(array){
     var clone = [...array];
     return clone;
    }

    console.log(clonaArray(array1))

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Event correlation and filtering - How to, where-to start? Got an asynchronous stream of events, where each event has information like -

*

*Agency (one of many Agencies possible to be served by my solution)

*Agent (one of many Agents in an Agency)

*Served-Entity (a person/organization served by 1 or more agencies)

*Date+Time

*Class-Data (tags from a fixed but large set of tags)

What I need to do is to --

*

*Correlate an event based on Served-Entity, Date+Time and Class-Data, and create a consolidated new Event. Example:
Event #0021: { Agency='XYZ', Agent='ABC', Served-Entity='MMN', Date+Time='12-03-2011/11:03:37', Class-Date='missed-delivery,no-repeat,untracable,orphan' }
Event #0193: { Agency='KLM', Agent='DAY', Served-Entity='MMN', Date+Time='12-03-2011/12:32:21', Class-Date='missed-delivery,orphan,lost' }
Event #1217: { Agency='KLM', Agent='CARE', Served-Entity='MMN', Date+Time='12-03-2011/18:50:45', Class-Date='escalated' }
Here I find 3 events which are spaced out in time (more than 7hr separation), which are for the same Served-Entity (MMN), occur within a certain time window (say 24-hours), have matching or related Class-Data.

*Finally create a consolidated (new) event which could represent an inference drawn.

*Be able to create reports on a per Agency, per Agency, per Served-Entity basis, based on things like specific Class-Data tags (e.g. missed-delivery) over a certain period of time. This could be done using the original/input events, or the synthesized (inference) events.

*While this is not a requirement today, but quite likely to appear in future, that the "tags" that appear in Class-Data could grow, without any human intervention. So not sure if this should then be treated as unstructured data.

*Also not an immediate requirement, but in future there may be a need to identify trends / patterns of event occurrences (i.e. Event1 led to Event2 led to Event3).
The event arrival rate could be quite high... possibly thousands of events per minute. Maybe more. And, I need to archive the original/synthesized events for a period of time (a month or so).
My solution needs to be based on FOSS components (preferably). Some research done so far, points in the direction of CEP (Complex Event Processing), Bayesian-Networks/Classification, Predictive-Analytics.
Looking for some suggestions regarding approach to take. I'd prefer to take the path which meets most of my goals, with minimum difficulty/time, or to put another way, "learning AI" or "formal statistical methods" isn't my short-term goal :-)

A: Mike,
did you consider something like Esper/Nesper to see if they might meet your requirements ? while I've looked at something similar myself -- especially on Erlang (check my post here), and you'd find some useful answers there.
IC

A: Your problem is a tactical problem as opposed to a procedural problem.  Both types have their own set of tools, and you will be in a world of pain if you try to solve a tactical problem with procedural tools.
Just to clarify terms, when i say procedural, I am talking about use cases where you can say do X, then Y, then Z.  With Tactical problems, X, Y, and Z can occur at anytime, and you must be able to handle the event.
You are on the right track with CEP.  You might also look into using a rules engine.  You didn't mention what your dev environment is, but if its Java, you might take a look at Jess.  If you really want a nice and robust rules engine, take a look at Tibco Business Events.  It is very powerful and fault tolerant, but definitely not free.


text:
"Fans of David Dodge's brand of masculine adventure will not be disappointed"
--Publishers' Weekly
New York: The Macmillan Company, 1971
London: Michael Joseph, 1972
Series Character
John Abraham Lincoln
Washington, D.C. and South Africa
In Troubleshooter we discover what happened to John Abraham Lincoln after his Hooligan Hong Kong experience -- three years in a Communist Chinese prison on a charge of murder. Following his release, the examination and explanation of which occupies Book One of the novel, Lincoln is sent to South Africa to discover the truth behind rumors of a new source of diamonds that are illegally flooding the American market.
In South Africa Lincoln meets Paul Herzog, the most powerful individual in the country. It quickly becomes apparent that Herzog and his cronies, known secretly as the Twelve Apostles, are staunch proponents of apartheid and seem to be bent on bringing about a full-scale race war.
In what becomes a mission to bring about Herzog's downfall, Lincoln is assisted by "Glorious Gloria," a woman he meets on the boat to South Africa, and Sheila, Herzog's Johannesburg maid.
Following the publication of Troubleshooter, which can be read as a treatise against the evils of apartheid and racism, David Dodge was declared persona non grata in South Africa -- something of which he was fiercely proud. The novel is dedicated to "Sheila." The character of Sheila in the book is based on a Cape Malay woman who worked as a maid for the Dodges when they lived in Capetown in the early 1960's. They continued to send money to her for years after leaving South Africa.
Solly Bernstein
Bruce Casey
Thomas Furlong
Freida Herzog
Paul Herzog
Evan Larrick
Ed Morganstern
Pieter Naude
Ted Smith
Peter Smithson
Hans Swart
George Tittle
Leslie Tolan
Hooligan (1969)
The Last Match (1973)


Thank you for checking out Terry's Caring Bridge site! We, Cathy and Hannah, will do our best to keep this site updated with news from Terry's journey with cancer. The family will maintain this site and are happy to keep it up and running so that all our family and friends can keep up to date with him.
Before we "dive-in" with all the "cancer talk"... I want to start with a clear picture of who Terry, or my dad, is. It is important to him, and to the family, that we do not let cancer steal the spotlight and be the center of all our thoughts and conversations.
Embarrassing Moment- In the sixth grade his job was to help the teacher with the daily attendance. The student office aide who would go around to each classroom to pick up the attendance was cute. One day, when the teacher was gone, Terry took a thumbtack and tacked the attendance paper to the wall. When the office aide went to take the attendance paper, it tore and the whole class began to laugh. Terry went to go help the aide. When the teacher got back he was sent to the Vice Principal. He was given 3 pops and felt like he was going to pass out! He was seeing stars!
In April 2017, Terry was diagnosed with Advanced Prostate Cancer that has metastasized to the bone. He is receiving treatment at MD Anderson under the care of Dr. Patel. Since his diagnosis, Terry has begun androgen therapy injections and chemo treatment. The androgen therapy injections are every 28 days, and its job is to kill the cancer cells in the prostate. The chemo treatment he is receiving is every 3 weeks and it is targeted to kill the cancer in his bones. Terry will remain on the androgen injections indefinitely, and we are hopeful that he will only need 6 rounds of chemo treatment.
This diagnosis came as a shock to us and rocked our world. Terry has regularly, for many many years, kept his PSA checked at his annual physicals. July 2016 was the last physical and all was well. In September 2016 his alkaline phosphatase (component of the blood) was within range (30-130) as it had been in all blood labs over the years. In March 2017, this number went from 70 to 385. His PSA was 16.9 (normal below 4.0). MRIs, CT scans, Nuclear Bone Scan, Bone Biopsy and Prostate Biopsy gave us the diagnosis of Prostate Adenocarcinoma.
When you receive this type of diagnosis many questions go through your mind. How? Why? Was that UTI he had in November 2016 our first sign of this? However, you come to the realization that he is where he is today and we can only look forward.
Terry's MD Anderson doctors are very optimistic that he will respond well to this treatment plan. MD Anderson has done, and continues to do, extensive cutting edge research on all types of prostate cancer, and the doctors have many other treatment plans available for Terry as needed. While this cancer is not curable, it is treatable and containable.
We are optimistic that the treatments he is receiving, the expertise of the MD Anderson doctors, the prayers already being lifted up for Terry, and our God, will see him through this.


text:
More than the sum of our parts
The following sermon was preached at St. Mark's, Berkeley, on April 29, 2018. It was the Fifth Sunday of Easter, but also fell on the Sunday immediately following April 25, St. Mark's Day and our patronal feast. The day's propers were for Easter 5, but we celebrated St. Mark in this homily, the prayers, and in the celebratory parish barbecue afterwards.
Collect: Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Readings: Acts 8:26-40, 1 John 4:7-21, John 15:1-8In the Name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen:
Many of you may know the story of St. Mark already, but for those who don't, I just want to give you a few highlights. He doesn't appear explicitly in any of the gospels, and he's not one of the Twelve Disciples. But he was certainly among the others who followed Jesus. The Gospel that bears his name contains a tantalizing little clue: during the scene in the garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus is betrayed, there's a weird little half verse that some scholars think reveal Mark himself. It occurs in no other Gospel, and it's just the sort of unique clue that seems it could contain some bit of autobiographical detail: there's a young man who runs away when Jesus is betrayed, who's wearing only a linen cloth — his pajamas basically — and when he runs, the cloth catches on a tree and he escapes naked. A weird detail! Which makes some think, here's Mark himself appearing in the scene. Or perhaps he wasn't there in fact, but like the artist Michelangelo including a small self portrait in his fresco of the Last Judgement, maybe this is Mark's way of simply assuming a little humility.
At any rate, the book of Acts and several of Paul's epistles mention Mark, and we can piece together a little more. Somehow he ends up at Antioch, and gets sent out with Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journeys. But he and Paul have a falling out, and Barnabas takes him on alone. Eventually he and Paul reconcile, and Mark goes to Rome — where he falls in with the apostle Peter, and learns from him. Some scholars even think Mark effectively served as both muse and scribe for Peter's remembrances of Jesus, making his Gospel as much Peter's as Mark's. This would partly explain why it appeals so much to an action-oriented, even hotheaded personality like Peter's.
Peter and Paul are both martyred in Rome, but Mark escapes, and by church tradition ends up in Alexandria, where he founded the church there and became the first Patriarch of that ancient, important see. Martyrdom finally catches up with Mark in Egypt, and he faces the same death as his teachers Peter and Paul, late in his life. For centuries his remains were venerated in Alexandria, but for the last few hundred years they have resided at San Marco in Venice. You can still visit him today if you go there.
Mark is an odd saint in that in art he is depicted both as a young man, and as an old man: in icons, the Christian East often depicts him as the wise and stately, gray-headed Patriarch of Alexandria, dressed in Episcopal regalia. But the Christian West often as the young, energetic Gospel author and student of Peter, Barnabas, and Paul.
Like I said at Wednesday's midday service, both pictures are probably true, a good reminder that in God, individuals, and the church as a whole, are always more than the sum of their parts at any given moment in time. Though he could not have known it then, the young man who ran away naked from the scene of Jesus betrayal and arrest was the great founding Patriarch of Alexandria. The wise, stately martyr was the same man who had fallen out with Paul.
The Church contains within itself both the ignominy of its many sins and the glory of its final redemption; just as this parish contains within itself both the history of good and ill as well as the seeds of all its potential in the glory of God; just as you and I bear all the inherited inclinations and temptations of our families and forebears, as well as the incalculable splendor of the full, mature image of God in which we were made and to which we are continually being drawn by the Holy Spirit.
That's an enormous comfort, helping us to weather the challenges and pains of the present. But it's also an enormous challenge, preventing us from ever being too satisfied, keeping us always on tiptoes striving to catch a glimpse of what's next, dependent on forgiveness and on renewal, looking finally for the completed vision coming just up over the horizon; while in the meantime we work to be ready for when it finally appears.
Yes the church is always more than the sum of its parts at any given moment. But how? Why? Because as persons baptized into the mystical body of Christ, we live first and foremost in him — and he exists from before the foundation of the world, and unto the fulfillment of all things. His perspective is the one into which we are adopted ourselves. As we carry on in our lives in this world, his is the mercy, the love, and the joy that we strive to imitate — and in so doing, we join in our own small way in the continuing work of reconciling all persons to God and to one another, revealing the unity-in-difference which God's love continually creates.
Jesus' perspective is the perspective in which we too live and move and have purpose. As we celebrate today both the fifth Sunday of Easter and our own patronal feast, we come face to face again with the work we are called to do: with St. Mark himself, to grow continually more mature in the life we are given to live: to take stock of where we have been, to note where we have fallen short, and to be encouraged always by the hope that is in us: the hope of sins forgiven, of life victorious over the grave, and of the fulfillment of God-given potential.
Meanwhile, we rejoice that we are always more than the sum of our parts, that we are supported by a patron saint who was more than the sum of his parts, and that together we bear witness to a joy that is greater than we can see at any given moment, into which one day we will finally be called to step fully.
We are not alone in celebrating today. There are countless parishes, cathedrals, and institutions dedicated to St. Mark all around the world, and they all celebrate with us: from San Marco in Venice to the Egyptian Coptic Church, to South America, Indonesia, and even Siberia, all are celebrating this week. We enjoy a special kinship with them and with all who celebrate St. Mark: a saint who bears witness over a long lifetime to the possibility of growth and learning, forgiveness, hard work, wisdom, and sacrifice.
Together we celebrate St. Mark's example and ask his prayers for us. But even more we celebrate a God who makes room for human growth and development, who calls us always further into the person, the church, the creation we were intended to be. By God's grace and St. Mark's help, may we do just that.
Filed Under: Eastertide, Homily
Tags: More than the sum of our parts : Saints : St. Mark


text:
Terovolas by Edward M. Erdelac
November 1, 2012 by ITW
Following the events of Bram Stoker's DRACULA, Professor Abraham Van Helsing checks himself into Jack Seward's Purfleet Asylum suffering from violent recurring fantasies stemming from his confrontation with the count's vampiric brides. Upon his release he volunteers to bear the remains and personal effects of Quincey Morris back to the Morris family ranch in Texas.
Van Helsing finds Quincey's brother Cole embroiled in an escalating land dispute with an outfit of Norwegian cattle ranchers led by the enigmatic Sig Skoll. When people start turning up viciously murdered, Van Helsing suspects a preternatural culprit. Is a shapechanger loose on the Texas Plains or is a murderous cult of wolf worshippers responsible? Have the delusions of his previously disordered mind returned? The professor must decide soon, for the life of Skoll's beautiful new bride may hang in the balance…
Edward M. Erdelac is the author of the acclaimed Merkabah Rider series from Damnation Books, and Buff Tea from Texas Review Press. His work has been featured in several anthologies including DEADCORE (Comet Press), DANSE MACABRE (EDGE Publishing), FADING LIGHT (Angelic Knight Press), and CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY (Damnation Books), as well as two forthcoming anthologies from Chaosium. He wrote the definitive story on boxing in a galaxy far far away for Lucasfilm's Starwars.com. Born in Indiana, raised in Chicago, he lives in the LA area with his wife and a bona fide slew of kids and cats.
To learn more about Edward, please visit his website.
Moonlight by Lisa Kessler
Warrior Prince: Book One in the Drift Lords Series by Nancy J. Cohen
Hunter's Moon by Lisa Kessler


On April 24, 2018, in our very own Joan of Arc Theater and Auxiliary Gymnasium, the second annual global showcase event took place. The evening started off with keynote speaker and 2004 OC alumnae, Kate Anderson, who gave an inspirational and enticing speech about her charity work in Tanzania and South Sudan after graduating from Princeton in 2008. Ms. Anderson passionately presented the three ways that living abroad pushed her out of her comfort zone, and told fascinating, yet informative, stories about her experiences in Tanzania. The globally competent Ms. Anderson shared stories and life lessons about challenging her biases and prejudices, and realizing the power of being a good listener during her years abroad. She was the perfect keynote speaker for this event, and the OC community sincerely hopes she will come back to share more of her wisdom with us.
After the inspiring keynote presentation, the crowd progressed to the main building, where they found the aux gym set up with posters and students lining the walls. 21 seniors presented their final GCI research topics to family and friends, along with three non-GCI seniors and five juniors who discussed their experiences on the Italy leadership trip last summer. Their only aides were their beautifully designed posters, which impressively, they did not heavily rely upon to present their topics. The subjects the GCI students chose ranged from environmental crises such as air pollution in India, to social conflicts including the rise of white supremacist nationalism in Europe. Personally, I sincerely enjoyed learning about conflicts from my peers, who thoroughly researched their topics to the point of expertise, about events I heard about in the news. Each bright young lady seemed to possess a vivid interest and desire to share her topic, and they all did so with intellect and ease.
Overall, the event was a wonderful display of the hard work the seniors did during their time in the GCI program. The participating GCI seniors set the bar high for future research projects, and established themselves as competent global citizens. The 2nd annual GCI global showcase was a major success, and an event I highly recommend attending.


We can supply ship propulsion system, bow thruster,stern thruster,tunnel thruster, rudder propeller,with class cert.
We,Jingjiang Top Far International Trading Co.,Ltd can supply the anchor chain with diameter: 12.5mm-157mm of Grade:AM2 and AM3.Any class certificate can be provided.
We can supply freefall lifeboat and davit for shipbuilding:totally enclosed lifeboat,open type lifeboat,rescue boat,gravity luffing davit, single arm davit for rescue boat and liferaft with class certificate.
We can supply marine inflatable liferaft, buoyant apparatus, personnel transfer basket, vertical escape chute of marine evacuation system with class cert.
We can supply marine life-saving equipment: lifejacket,lifebuoy, immersion suit,thermal protective aid, smoke signal,pilot rope ladder,with class cert.


An anatomically designed saddle with Royalgel™ technology and equipped with a ventilation channel that reduces pressure in the perineal area while improving respiration. These features combine for one of the most advanced products of the Selle Royal range to ensure comfort and relief even after prolonged use.
This is a unique feature, specific to the Respiro line, guaranteeing high respiration while relieving pressure on the perineal area.
Our extraordinary cover is up to 25°C cooler than a standard black saddle due to its special material composition which reflects sunlight.