text:
Census: Fewer Clark County residents living in poverty
By Michael Cooper
Fewer Clark County residents are living below the poverty line over the last five years as the median household income has increased, according U.S. Census Bureau statistics released today.
However, the county still has one of the lowest median household incomes in southwest Ohio.
RELATED: Springfield's population dropped last year, lowest since 1910
About 20,400 people in Clark County were living below the poverty level last year, down from about 27,400 people were living below the poverty line five years ago, the survey said.
The median household income in Clark County was about $46,800 last year, up from about $39,000 in 2012, according to inflation-adjusted data collected as part of the annual 2016 American Community Survey estimate. The survey provides details on local income, poverty, health insurance, and population data for communities with population larger than 65,000.
The economy is rebounding and workforce development is becoming even more of a priority here, County Commissioner Rick Lohnes said.
Recent major job announcements, including the $55 million Topre America manufacturing plant and the $11 million Silfex plant, will spur other economic activity, Lohnes said. The two companies are expected to bring a total of 500 jobs to Clark County.
Every time a job comes here, especially those with higher wages, other places will have to increase their wages to compete with those highly-skilled workers, he said.
MORE: Clark County population continues to decline, reaches 50-year low
"I think things are a little better here," Lohnes said. "Things are never perfect, but those numbers are certainly positive."
However, there's still work to be done, county commissioners said. The median household income is less than the state of Ohio ($52,300), as well as every other nearby county that was surveyed, including Montgomery ($46,900), Miami ($60,100), Greene ($62,000) and Warren ($80,000).
Clark County's population has dropped about 1.8 percent over the past five years, falling from about 137,200 in 2012 to 134,700 last year.
Median household income in the United States is up for the second consecutive year, rising to possibly the highest level ever recorded.
The national poverty rate in 2016 was back to a pre-recession level for the first time with 12.7 percent of the population — 40.6 million people — living in poverty. That's 2.5 million fewer than in 2015.
MORE: Clark County residents want jobs, more activities
The median income figure is higher than the pre-recession peak of $58,149 in 2007; however, experts cautioned that the years cannot be accurately compared because the census changed the questions they ask on the annual survey in 2014. At that time, there was a jump of 3.2 percent in median income for those answering the new questions.
County Commissioner Melanie Flax Wilt has seen an influx of help wanted signs and more economic activity here over the last 12 months, she said.
"These are $18 to $20 dollar an hour jobs for skilled workers," she said.
Flax Wilt is also encouraged the county is narrowing the gap when it comes to median household income, she said.
"It's good to see us heading in the right direction," Flax Wilt said.
MORE LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Clark County to move 9-1-1 dispatchers, could become combined center
The county must work to keep people here, County Commissioner Lowell McGlothin said. Jobs are the key, he said.
"You need a job," McGlothin said. "If you don't have a job that you can live on, then you're going to go elsewhere."
Multiple agencies, including the Community Improvement Corporation and the Clark County Land Bank, are working to bring more jobs and retail to the community, he said. McGlothin hopes more young people will consider performing training for skilled jobs at the Springfield-Clark Career Technical Center and Clark State Community College.
"I don't think it's being utilized enough," he said. "It's working, but we need to let people know it's available."
Quality of life and culture also play into retaining people, Flax Wilt said. The community must help people who work here but live elsewhere see the benefits of moving to Clark County, she said.
"We need to perceive ourselves as on the up rise and in a place where things are getting better and will continue to get better," she said. "If we stay on that trajectory, I feel good about where our community's future lies."
4 QUICK NEWS-SUN READS
Springfield coalition to host community forum on opiates
1st-of-its-kind center for addicts, families opens in Springfield
Clark County to move 9-1-1 dispatchers, could become combined center
Wide variation in how officer-involved shootings investigated in Ohio
$39,178: Inflation-adjusted median household income in Clark County in 2012.
27,462: People living below the poverty line in Clark County in 2012.
Unmatched coverage
The Springfield News-Sun provides complete coverage of important issues in Clark County, including recent stories on government spending and the proposed combined 9-1-1 dispatch center.
Regional economic outlook: Mild to moderate recession possible in 2023...


500 Words From...is a series of guest posts from authors, in which they talk about their recently published books. Here Olivier Lafont, a Frenchman whose parents moved him to India as a child, and who is well-known in his adopted home as an actor, screenwriter, and brand-ambassador, discusses his debut novel, Warrior, which was shortlisted for the Tibor Jones South Asia Prize.
This high-octane, action-packed adventure story sees the hero, Saam, Shiva's only earthly demigod child, coming out of hiding in today's Mumbai. Saam, who has been living as a watch mender, must pick up arms and take to the road, to protect mankind against his destructive father. Over three days, Saam journeys across an India torn by unnatural cataclysms, and into other realms where the disturbances are just as great. To restore peace Saam must stoke his consuming hunger for war - but at what cost to himself?
"It was the summer after I graduated from university in the USA, and I had just made the rather momentous decision of not staying in America, not going to the UK or France, but moving back to India instead to live and work there. I came back home to Delhi, knowing full well that Mumbai, centre of the Indian film industry, was my eventual destination. I began to write film screenplays so I would have material in hand when I reached Mumbai, and the first incarnation of Warrior was one of those.
Back then I didn't quite imagine that Warrior would be published as a novel by Penguin almost a dozen years later. My idea was to write an originally Indian film that would have the same epic scale and special effects as the big Hollywood summer blockbusters of the time. I was also remembering my first Indian influences, from the time when my family moved from France to Delhi when I was seven. I had read Amar Chitra Katha's The Mahabharata comics with a great sense of wonder, since they felt so familiar to the European mythologies I had grown up with. So when I created the original story of Warrior I wanted it to also have that very intense family conflict at the centre, all set against this massive epic backdrop of a world at war.
I had always had an interest in Shiva the God of Destruction, and making Saam a son of Shiva brought a specific tension to their conflict that I found exciting. In Warrior Saam, an immortal demigod, hates his father, and has turned his back on his divine origins and powers. When the book starts Saam is settled in Mumbai today, living a peaceful, ordinary existence with the woman he loves. Cataclysmic omens begin to manifest all over India, unnatural cyclones, rains of blood, carnivorous mists, all of which point to one horrific fact: Shiva has begun his dance of destruction, and will annihilate the universe in the next three days. It falls upon Saam to take up the sword again and confront his father to stop the final catastrophe.
It took a fair amount of research to construct the story, since I liberally dipped into my various interests: history, geography, metallurgy, physics, philosophy … To me Indian thought has always been beautifully syncretic, merging disparate and even seemingly opposite fields and thoughts together. I wanted to show these harmonious dichotomies in Warrior as well, so you'll see my version of physics and magic working together, amongst other things.
Warrior is published in paperback by Penguin India, priced at INR 399. It is available elsewhere as an eBook, to buy it click here. Pricing information for the eBook should be available in your region.


By definition, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities rarely come around. But when they do, it's time to start paying attention. And right now, it's time you start paying attention to artificial intelligence (AI).
You've probably heard of it before. Maybe you even have a vague idea of what the technology can do. Heck, I'm sure you've even read a few articles for yourself warning readers about how "scary" this technology is for the world and society.
AI isn't scary. It's new, yes, but it's not scary. It's going to push boundaries and greatly benefit the world.
You've probably even used the technology today to help you fulfill some of your daily tasks. Did you speak into your smartphone to ask it to send a text message or make a call? If so, you're using the technology now!
Expanding on virtual assistants, companies like Google and Amazon have made devices to house these virtual assistants. Google has its Home product line, and Amazon has its Echo product line.
Both of these companies have been ramping up their product lines because virtual assistant technology is improving at a rapid pace, not to mention becoming a staple in every home. Homes are getting a lot smarter thanks to AI.
The devices we use and interact with on a daily basis are getting smarter through this groundbreaking technology. It's no longer a distant or futuristic idea. We're here. We're experiencing the technology firsthand, and it's only going to be more integrated into our daily lives.
Right now, banks are using the tech to detect fraud, machines that can identify images are helping doctors detect diseases in patients, police are using the tech to help them identify suspects from those grainy and hard-to-decipher images of suspects, and insurance companies are using AI to create policy quotes and assess claims. Those are just a few ways AI is benefiting our daily lives and helping other industries meet their goals and then some.
The best part about this technology is that it's not limited to one industry; instead, it's slowly spreading throughout a variety of industries.
Bank of America is estimating that the AI market will yield $14 trillion to $33 trillion in annual wealth in the next 10 years.
And McKinsey & Company sees it generating a lot more wealth a whole lot sooner. The firm is saying the AI market could generate $50 trillion of value in the next seven years. Yes, that's no exaggeration: seven years.
To fully understand that figure, the AI market is going to be 18 times bigger than the market for smartphones, tablets, and PCs... combined! We're talking a huge impact. Humanity is going to be changed forever by AI technology and the devices that will follow.
AI is promising the world more personalized products and services that are cheap, fast, and free from human error.
Not only that, but it's also going to save U.S. businesses $60 billion and the U.S. government $41 billion every single year. Generating profits while saving money is always an ideal situation for any business or government!
We know AI is going to be huge. And we know it's going to change humanity and the world forever. Which means this market is going to need a lot of support to ensure the technology is fluid and flawless.
That support will come from the chips that are involved with AI technology. These AI chips play an important role in providing fluidity and adaptability with the technology. The chips will be the backbone of AI. That's why you should be paying attention to the companies that are focused on client-customized AI chips.
In order for this technology and those companies' devices to work flawlessly, they'll need a platform that can handle the technology. That's why having an adaptive compute acceleration platform (ACAP) will be crucial for technologies like AI and 5G.
ACAP will be a crucial component for this new technological revolution.
With a market that's growing so rapidly, there are a lot of opportunities that will need to be evaluated, especially if you're an investor who's interested in reaping the rewards of this explosive tech and its expanding market.
Here at Wealth Daily, we want you to reap those rewards the best you can. Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence right now, and the investing opportunities that are emerging probably leave you wondering if you'll be making the right decision when it comes to investing in AI.
To be perfectly honest, there might never be a right decision, but there are decisions you can feel confident in. Finding those little-known companies before the mainstream investment community does and finding those companies with long-term growth is the key.
A colleague of mine, Alex Koyfman, has discovered one of those little-known companies. Even better, he found a company that has a focus on the adaptive compute acceleration platform (ACAP) I briefly mentioned earlier.
Next week, he'll be sending out an email that will discuss this opportunity further. You'll want to read this email carefully, not glimpse it over. After all, this could be your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we know those don't come around too often.
Is Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Winning the Race to 5G?
After years of hard work, Verizon (NYSE: VZ) has beaten the competition and hit the "on" switch for commercial 5G Internet. On October 1st, the company officially became the first major ISP to launch a 5G home internet service.


text:
Q: converting a c++ pointer cast to delphi actually i am converting a  c++ code to delphi, but i have problem to translate this line
PIMAGE_NT_HEADERS header = (BYTE *)lib + ((PIMAGE_DOS_HEADER)lib)->e_lfanew;

to delphi (this is my result at the moment)
var
  lib        : THandle;
  header : PImageNtHeaders;
begin
   //....
  //.....
     header := Pointer(PByte(lib) + PImageDosHeader(lib)._lfanew);
 end;

but the compiler gives me this message operator not applicable to this operand type
can you help me to translate this line.

A: header := Pointer(Integer(PByte(lib)) + PImageDosHeader(lib)._lfanew);

A: You might be able to sidestep a lot of this.  If you're looking for PE image header routines, look up the ImageHlp unit from the RTL, and the JclPeImage unit from the JCL.  They've got lots of prebuilt code to make image and image header header work easier.

A: the _lfanew member is most likely an offset so it needs to be an integer or DWORD instead of a pointer.  Just guessing as I don't use Delhpi but have you tried :-
header := Pointer(PByte(lib) + (DWORD)(PImageDosHeader(lib)._lfanew));
A web search came up with the following : http://www.cheesydoodle.com/?p=175
This code is Delphi based and is using the same library you are.  You will most likely find a solution hidden in this code listing on CheesyDoodle.

A: Pointer arithmetic is much more limited in delphi, and direct addition is not allowed. You'll have to use the Inc function on your pointers.
example(source ):
    program PointerArithmetic;

{$APPTYPE CONSOLE}

uses
  SysUtils;

procedureWritePointer(P: PDouble);
begin
  Writeln(Format('%8p', [P]));
end;

var
  P: PDouble;

begin
  P := Pointer($50000);
  WritePointer(P);
  Inc(P);    // 00050008 = 00050000 + 1*SizeOf(Double)
  WritePointer(P);
  Inc(P, 6); // 00050038 = 00050000 + 7*Sizeof(Double)
  WritePointer(P);
  Dec(P, 4); // 00050018 = 00050000 + 3*Sizeof(Double)
  WritePointer(P);
  Readln;
end.

A: I don't work in Delphi day-to-day, but I suspect the error is due to one of two things:

*

*Pointer math is not enabled.  Delphi, by default, does not allow you to to C-style pointer manipulation, eg adding a number to a pointer to get another pointer - remember Delphi is a 'safe' language.  To enable this, turn on pointer math using the {$POINTERMATH ON} directive.  This forum posting has some more info too.

*This is the bit I can't remember because it's been a while: You may not be able to add pointers of different types - remember the size of what the pointer points to is different.  Without knowing what _lfanew is I can't give you more information.  If this is the case, get everything in bytes and add those.
You may want to use the Inc function too, to convert your code to be more Delphi-like.  Inc will increment a typed pointer by the size of the structure that pointer points to, not by one byte.  Pointer math generally is not quite C-style :)  I think it's better though, since it's type-aware.
Edit: I noticed Martin Broadhurst's comment on your question pointing out this is probably parsing a PE image.  If so, look up the Jedi Code Library's PE image unit.  I've never used it but I know it exists, and it's a translation of the C headers.  It may include helper functions too.  Using it might mean rewriting code rather than converting it, but you'll probably get cleaner, more Delphi-style code at the end.

A: What you are working on is called RVA (Relative Virtual Address). Basic formula is
Address = Base + Displacement. Naturally, Address and Base are untyped pointers while Displacement is signed integer. Object Pascal disallows pointer arithmetics, so typecasting is required.
So:
var
  Address, Base: Pointer;
  Displacement: Integer;
{ ... }
Address := Pointer(Cardinal(Base) + Displacement);
{ or, in your case }
var
  Module: HMODULE; { opaque type designates module handle and equals to load address }
  NTHeaders: PImageNtHeaders;
begin
  NTHeaders := Pointer(Cardinal(Module) + PImageDosHeader(Module)^._lfanew);
  if NTHeaders^.Signature = ......

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Sexual Dissidence MA
This is a unique, interdisciplinary MA in queer studies. Since 1991, the course has brought together dynamic, engaged students and faculty to develop cutting-edge research on sexuality. You'll learn to bring a radical, contemporary, global approach to the study of sexuality.Organised by the School of Media, Arts and Humanities, this MA:addresses present-day issues of sexuality within a global contextprovides a firm foundation in queer theoryallows you to tailor your studies to your ... READ MORE
This is a unique, interdisciplinary MA in queer studies. Since 1991, the course has brought together dynamic, engaged students and faculty to develop cutting-edge research on sexuality. You'll learn to bring a radical, contemporary, global approach to the study of sexuality.
Organised by the School of Media, Arts and Humanities, this MA:
addresses present-day issues of sexuality within a global context
provides a firm foundation in queer theory
allows you to tailor your studies to your interests.
The MA is associated with the Centre for the Study of Sexual Dissidence, a research hub for sexuality and queer studies. Through the Centre, you'll have opportunities to get involved in research and arts events, and to connect with faculty and students who care about issues of gender and sexuality.
You will study in Brighton, a city known for its vibrant activist, queer, and arts communities. It's also near London. So, you will have opportunities to enrich your studies by exploring nearby events and communities.
The MA is relevant to number of career directions, including:
policy, activism, and international development, such as research and interventions in sexuality, rights, and health
academic research related to queer studies in a wide range of fields, including literature, cultural studies, media studies, film studies, development, international relations, and anthropology
teaching, including in higher education
media, writing and the arts, in particular queer representation, difference, and diversity.
Full time | University of Sussex | 1 year | 25-SEP-23
Full time | University of Sussex | 1 year | 25-SEP-23 Part time | University of Sussex | 2 years | 25-SEP-23
47th / 95
Degree requirements: You should normally have an upper second-class (2.1) undergraduate honours degree or above. Subject-specific requirements: Your qualification should normally be in a subject relevant to your chosen master's course. You may also be considered for the course if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.
More info: The same fee is also applicable for Channel Islands and Isle of Man students..
Latest Gender Studies reviews
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The professor's support, all the university structure and support for the students on mental health, work and financial...
How Gender Studies students rated:
( 4.0) 941 reviews
Sussex House Brighton Brighton & Hove BN1 9RH
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BN1 9RH United Kingdom Nearest train station: Falmer 0.1 miles away
MA Gender Studies
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Compare Sexual Dissidence MA at University of Sussex against all the unis listed above.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


In Part 1 of this article, I described a patrol that changed from routine to critical. In Part 2 of this article, I described my own corporate leadership failure.
All my leadership development in the corporate world had not prepared me to immediately sense my critical leadership moments, unlike how the military had prepared me so well. During my initial meeting with my VP and Director of Human Resources, when I noticed the strange way they were looking at me, I now know I was in my own critical leadership moment. The consequences of failure in that moment were high, my upward trajectory in that organization changed to a nose dive into the ground. But even if I had been able to sense that moment, I hadn't been trained to behave and act successfully, unlike how the military had trained me so well.
The $20 billion leadership development industry had only trained me to be good enough most of the time at my routine leadership tasks. And up until that time in the corporate world, I'd had only been in routine leadership scenarios.
But my organization was more hierarchical than most, and mixed messages regarding leadership behavior were the norm. That organization had not trained me to recognize when I might be advocating too much for my own preference, and then when to back-off and accept the direction provided by my VP. Instead, they hired external leadership consultants who trained me to be innovative and respectfully challenge the status quo and my leaders, but not how to recognize when my challenging crossed the line unique to my organization.
When I was finally able to see the difference between my military and corporate leadership development, it was a gift. Here's what I learned and what I now ask organizations to do.
Just like you couldn't know how my patrol went from routine to critical until I told you, the $20 billion leadership development industry does not know your organization's critical leadership moments until you tell them. But even if you tell them, and then demand development to help your leaders succeed in your organization's critical moments, will they be able to deliver beyond simply good enough most of the time in the routine?
While we need leaders who are good enough most of the time at their routine leadership tasks, we also need leaders who will succeed in critical moments.
Assemble each level of leadership and get them to talk about their own successes and failures in your organization, and the successes and failures of the leaders who report to them. This is not the time to talk about corporate values or broad leadership competencies. It is the time to understand what happened to who, when and how. Discussing values, traits and competencies will only dilute and distract the conversation. Document and categorize the success and failure scenarios.
Are your leaders good enough most of the time already? If they are, then you can stop paying for external leadership development. If they are not, then you still need that general leadership development, but you should also take a hard look at who you are promoting. If you promote these people, they will be good enough most of the time. But now, you need to decide if you're going to dedicate resources toward training your leaders to succeed in your organization's critical moments.
If you're going to train for the critical moments, your real work is only beginning. You need to design and deliver the training that will ensure your leaders behave and act successfully. You have to design it, and leaders in your organization will have to deliver it. Why? Because those leaders have been there, themselves. They know what success and failure feels like. The delivery doesn't need to be resource intensive, but it needs to be focused and intentional. Selected leaders can dedicate one day, twice each year, to deliver training in your organization's critical leadership moments to your emerging leaders. Emerging leaders can spend a couple weeks each year shadowing senior leaders.
how did my patrol end?
When that soldier looked at me, when our eyes locked for a fraction of a second, he wasn't looking at an electronics technician. He was looking at someone who out-ranked him and he gave me that fraction of a second to be his leader. I sensed that moment, like I was trained to sense it, and I immediately made a decision.
The Sergeant was out there, somewhere, with a radio. The other radio was in the armoured personnel carrier (APC) about fifteen minutes away. If we could get back to the APC, we'd be able to communicate with the Sergeant. If we had to search the town, we'd be safer in the APC. I decided that we would make our way back to the APC.
Initially getting from the APC to the town square was a routine patrol but getting back to the APC was anything but routine. We moved carefully, quickly and quietly, covering each other like soldiers do. When I saw the square outline of the APC, we dropped to one knee, raised our rifles and looked through our optical sights. Standing about ten metres in front of the APC was the Sergeant. His plan had changed. He told me why, but I can't remember. All I remember is that the patrol went from critical and back to routine.
Have your leaders train your emerging leaders to be successful in their critical moments. Keep that training focused on those moments. Make it meaningful. Make it powerful. If you do, you will create a generation of leaders who, when the consequences of failure are too high, when being good enough most of the time is not enough, will be successful. No one is born knowing what to do in critical moments. They need that training.
Thank you to Terry Bendera and his team at Prostar Energy Inc., the sponsors, my fellow presenters, and everyone who made the Bold Summit a success. It was an honour and humbling to be a very small part of this very big effort.


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text:
Will not recognize any government formed in Afghanistan through
By Vanshika Shah , 25 / 08 / 2021 | 11:10 PM
Dushanbe stated after meeting between Tajikistan President
The statement was issued after Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmoud Qureshi met on Wednesday. Interestingly, this statement was made before Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan paid an official visit to Dushanbe.
Tajikistan said in a statement: "The evidence clearly shows that the Taliban are abandoning their previous promise to form an interim government with the extensive participation of other political forces in the country and prepare to establish an Islamic emirate." said Afghanistan's The national structure should be "determined by a referendum." Dushanbe said he has always supported the restoration of stability in neighboring countries.
Tajikistan borders Afghanistan with a border line of approximately 1,300 kilometers.
The statement added that Tajikistan strongly condemns all forms of lawlessness and persecution against the Afghan people, especially Tajiks, Uzbeks and other minorities.
"Tajikistan will not recognize any other government established through oppression Afghanistan, regardless of the position of all the Afghan people, especially all ethnic minorities," the statement said.
Dushanbe also conveyed to Islamabad the need to establish an "inclusive government" in Kabul, in which "all ethnic minorities, especially Tajiks in Afghanistan, represent more than 46 percent of the population."
The President of Tajikistan also urged the international community to take urgent measures to restore peace in Afghanistan as soon as possible and stabilize the "difficult political and security situation" as soon as possible.
Statement read: "The indifference of the international community to the current situation in Afghanistan may lead to a protracted civil war", adding: "Afghanistan must not be swept into the whirlwind of a bloody war."
Also read: 'Detain Ghani': Afghan embassy in Tajikistan 'urges' Interpol (u2d.in)


text:
Q: Getting specific column in Laravel relation returning empty array I want to get specific column from Model relation in Laravel, but the relation model returning empty array.
Eloquent Query
$medicines = Medicine::with(['weightage' => function($query) {
            $query->select('name');
        }])->get(['name', 'description']);

Medicine Modal
public function weightage()
{
    return $this->hasMany('App\MedicineWeightage', 'medicine_id');
}

A: You always need to also select the primary and foreign keys of the table to make the relation work:
$medicines = Medicine::with(['weightage' => function($query) {
   $query->select(['id', 'name', 'medicine_id']);
}])->get(['id', 'name', 'description']);


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Welcome to Wikiwrimo, the unofficial wiki of National Novel Writing Month, Camp NaNoWriMo, and the nonprofit. Here you'll learn everything behind NaNoWriMo: from Mr. Ian Woon to the Traveling Shovel of Death, from trebuchets to that painting of Tom Selleck in the NaNoWriMo office.
Are you doing NaNoWriMo for the first time? Check out some tips for newbies and the Unofficial NaNo FAQ.
Create an article. The Scratchpad holds some ideas.
If things break, you can ask on the question board, on your admin's talk page, or email sushimustwrite at wikiwrimo.org.
The logo and favicon are by the spiffy in.fair.verona.
This page was last modified on 2 December 2017, at 14:02.


I have been using WordPress since I started blogging, but since then, the blogging landscape changed a lot. Welcome to the age of static site generators.
WordPress is a very good Content Management System (CMS), but with it comes maintenance. There is a lot of time spent applying updates (most of them security related) and ensuring that all the required middleware (i.e. PHP, MariaDB, etc.) is running in tip top condition. With the WordPress updates, I also had to update the customizations I created for the theme every time there was a new version in order to ensure everything was working properly. Mostly due to the parent/child theme architecture of WordPress.
For those reasons, I decided to search for alternatives to traditional CMSs. After a little searching, I found that static site generators have been getting a lot of traction for a while, and were in a stage that they can be considered production ready.
In the end, decided to go for Hugo, not because I perceived it to be simpler than its competitors, or more feature rich, but because it was the simplest to start using. No dependencies, just a simple executable. The only thing I struggled with, was Go Templates and their inability to handle variable scoping properly. Other than that it was a pretty good experience. Got to clean my web server of all the dependencies required by WordPress and in exchange got a cleaner and faster web site.


I'm Casey, a New Orleans native, youngest of three and a May 2016 graduate of Louisiana State University with an undergraduate degree in public relations in the Manship School of Mass Communication with a minor in business administration in the E.J. Ourso College of Business. I have complementary courses in social media strategy, research, and visual communication. During my time at LSU, I was an active member of PRSSA and the Manship School's student-run public relations firm ImPRint Communications. I am a certified Distinguished Communicator, Google Adwords certified, Hootsuite certified, Twitter Flight School certified, HubSpot Content Marketing certified.
I have experience in public relations, event planning, social media content creation, digital branding, graphic design, research and writing. My professional background ranges from government, nonprofit and agency sectors.
After my graduation in May, I accepted a full-time position as a social media/assistant account manager at SASSO in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where I previously interned during my last years in college. I focused on social media management, digital content creation, digital advertising/branding, website maintenance management, public relations, business development/proposal writing and account management.
Currently, I am a community manager at FSC Interactive in my hometown of New Orleans. My responsibilities include: monitor all social media platforms on behalf of the client/brand, write and communicate professionally on behalf of the client/brand, including daily engagement and replying to posts, tweets, and digital content, work closely with account and strategy teams to help develop creative, results-driven campaign, provide support in terms of content creation, client service, reporting, editorial meetings, and live event coverage. My past and present clients include: Visit New Orleans, GoNOLA504, Pralines & Cream Liqueur, Peychaud's Aperitivo, Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Mardi Gras World, Bayou Classic, Loyola University, Le Meridien Hotel.
Whenever I am not managing social media accounts, responding to comments, or placing Facebook ads you can probably find me near the pups, binge watching Netflix/HBO or trying to find the next best churros.
Check out the rest of my site to view my work samples or resume.


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New doping provocation against Russia prior to 2020 Olympics
By Kevin Reed
The Executive Committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) issued a new provocation against Russia on Monday by ruling that its athletes will be banned from participating in international competition for four years because data about the country's anti-doping program was found to be "neither complete nor authentic."
A press release issued by WADA said the committee "unanimously endorsed the recommendation made by the independent Compliance Review Committee (CRC) that the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) be declared non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) for a period of four years."
The CRC is a six-member subcommittee within the WADA set up in 2015 to monitor the compliance of each country's anti-doping organization with the 2015 Anti-Doping Code. The CRC submitted a 26-page report to the WADA executive committee on November 25 that outlined its evaluation of the RUSADA data and the ban proposal. The basic claim is that the RUSADA falsified athlete test results submitted to the WADA as part of a previous compliance agreement stemming from doping charges in 2018.
Craig Reedie, President of the World Anti-Doping Agency [Credit: Graham Hughes/Canadian Press via Associated Press]
At a meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, the 12-member WADA executive committee voted unanimously to approve the ban which "includes a series of strong consequences and conditions of reinstatement in accordance with the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories (ISCCS)." Among the consequences are that Russian athletes and sports officials will be banned from participating in the upcoming Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2020, the 2022 World Cup and the Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022.
The anti-Russia character of the WADA decision was expressed directly by the president of the organization, Sir Craig Reedie, who said, "For too long, Russian doping has detracted from clean sport." As though the international epidemic of athletic doping is exclusively a Russian problem in an otherwise pure and honest environment, Reedie said, "Russia was afforded every opportunity to get its house in order and re-join the global anti-doping community for the good of its athletes and of the integrity of sport, but it chose instead to continue in its stance of deception and denial."
In response, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the decision would be appealed and charged the WADA with "an endless anti-Russian series" of accusations and hiding other countries' violations "under the table."
It should be pointed out that, although the WADA stands for the "World" Anti-doping Agency, one of the only athletic associations in the world that continues to block doping oversight and testing by the global organization is the American National Football League located in New York City. The NFL has refused to allow blood-testing for human growth hormones (HGH) among players and contact with the WADA was at stalemate as of September 2013.
The WADA decision contains provisions that will permit Russian athletes to participate in competition once they prove they are "clean." However, these athletes will not be permitted to represent any country or flag and must participate as "neutral" competitors. The WADA rules also allow the RUSADA to dispute the decision within 21 days. If Russia appeals, the final decision will be placed in the hands of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The WADA decision to ban Russian athletes for four years is an extension of a non-stop campaign against Russian participation in international sporting events going back to the organization's founding in 1999. This campaign has particularly intensified over the past four years with charges emerging in 2015 that banned Russia from track and field events in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio and the entire team from the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.
The most vociferous promoter of the campaign to ban Russia from international sports competition is the New York Times. On the day of the WADA announcement, the Times encouraged and amplified the anti-Russian campaign over the fact that the committee was going to allow some athletes to compete.
Under a headline of "What the Russia Global Sports Ban Means, and What It Doesn't," the Times wrote, "So Russia's flag, name and anthem will not be allowed at the Tokyo Summer Games and other events, but athletes from Russia not implicated in doping can still compete."
The latest provocation by the IOC and WADA against Russia—abetted by anti-Russia mouthpieces of the US military-intelligence apparatus like the New York Times —must be viewed within its broader geopolitical context. Under conditions of an imminent impeachment by congressional Democrats of President Donald Trump for endangering the national interest vis a vis the "hot war" between Ukraine and Russia, the banning of Russian athletes is an overt political act.
As the World Socialist Web Site stated two years ago about the IOC's banning of Russia in the lead up to the 2018 Olympics, "The decision is a political provocation. It has much less to do with steroid use by Russian athletes than with US imperialism's aim to humiliate and isolate Russia.... The purpose of all of this is to project an image of Russia as the ultimate pariah state."
The Anti-Russia Campaign
The impeachment crisis and US war plans against Russia
The US sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and the danger of World War III
German government condemns US sanctions on Nord Stream 2 pipeline
US to impose sanctions on companies involved in European Nord Stream 2 pipeline
Sport Issues
Ford v Ferrari: Life at high speed
Why Canada's elite finally turned on notorious right-wing hockey commentator Don Cherry
National Football League continues blacklisting of Colin Kaepernick
Star quarterback Andrew Luck stuns National Football League by retiring at 29
Russian Duma approves new prime minister
Russian government resigns after Putin's state of the nation address
Kremlin maintains muted response to Suleimani assassination, insists on Iran nuclear deal
Erdoğan and Putin open TurkStream pipeline after Iran strikes US bases in Iraq
Russia, Ukraine reach last minute gas transit deal


Over the years Scotland has attracted a large community of international artists to its shores. In the past decade, the wave of 'new Scots' coming to study, work and live in Scotland, has included a very strong Polish voice. The work being produced by these Polish artists has attracted significant interest and there is now a very definite Polish influence infiltrating the Scottish contemporary scene.
This exhibition aims to highlight a number of the key young players in this movement. The exhibition asks what attracted them to Scotland; how they straddle their careers in both countries; and if/how their practice in Scotland differs from a similar experience in their homeland.
The exhibition also includes work by RSA/ESW International Residency 2012 award winner Kuba Bakowski. Kuba has been awarded £8000 and a 3 month residency opportunity to further develop his practice at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop.
An exhibition of mainly paperworks, the show would look at printmaking, multiples, oils, watercolour, photography, drawing and installation. The show will be in the RSA Project Room for the duration of the Edinburgh International Festival.
The exhibition is funded by The Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Warsaw and The Royal Scottish Academy.
The exhibition is part of the Edinburgh Art Festival 2012.


Learn how Apple wants to crackdown on travel apps that record your iPhone screen, ITAR and NIST 800-171, how Facebook is firing back at Germany, and more in this week's Friday Five.
Some fascinating news here via The Verge via Techcrunch: A handful of popular travel apps, Air Canada, Expedia, and Hotels.com to name a few, actually record users' iPhone screens, thanks to a third party analytics app. While this may be common knowledge for experts in the mobile phone industry, neither the company behind the app, Glassbox, nor the apps that employ it ask for its users' consent, which is problematic. It's a little like déjà vu; last week Techcrunch broke the news that Facebook had an app that essentially spied on users, effectively breaking the rules of Apple's iOS platform. Apple banned the app after temporarily revoking Facebook's access to internal iOS apps. It's apparently threatening to the do the same thing to apps that use Glassbox this week.
Speaking of that Techcrunch report from last week: three senators - Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), and Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) - have some questions. In wake of the article, the three senators sent letters to execs at Facebook, Google, and Apple this week to learn more about the app, what type of data it collected, and perhaps most important: how much of the data Facebook actually used and why. "These reports fit with long-standing concerns that Facebook has used its products to deeply intrude into personal privacy," the letters all read.
Australian Defence Magazine (ADM) might sound like a relatively niche trade journal and for the most part it is but that doesn't make an article published by the magazine this week any less relevant, even for U.S. organizations. The piece is a nice primer on export control regulations like the U.S.'s International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). There's also some information here on how NIST's 800-171 regulations can serve as a baseline for federal agencies looking to protect data. Sure, there's content for Australian supply chain enterprises but any organization that isn't aware of either ITAR and NIST 800-171 would be well served to review too.
Well, it took them a week longer than they said it would but Apple finally rolled out a fix for that nasty FaceTime bug that took the internet by storm last week. The bug, which in case you missed it could have allowed any iOS user to eavesdrop on another iOS user via the operating system's group FaceTime feature, was fixed in iOS 12.1.4, which dropped on Thursday. While news the bug is fixed is certainly welcome the internet is also rejoicing to the news that Apple is going to compensate the 14-year-old who discovered the bug. The Cupertino company suffered an onslaught of bad press last week when it was mum over whether or not it would reward the high schooler. The company told publications this week it was compensating the family that reported it and providing an additional gift to fund the tuition of Grant Thompson, the 14-year-old.
Okay, not an article per se but an interesting blog from Facebook on how it interprets some pressure Germany's competition watchdog, Bundeskartellamt (FCO), put on the company recently. The FCO called out Facebook for combining user data from different sources, a la data sharing between WhatsApp and Instagram, adding that it was planning on banning the company from doing so last month. Facebook is insisting it complies with GDPR and how it empowers data protection regulators, not competition authorities. The blog, which is co-written in part by Facebook Ireland's Head of Data Protection, accuses Bundeskartellamt of "trying to implement an unconventional standard for a single company."


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Jazz CDs
Charles Lloyd - Athens Concert
2CD set
Recorded at the foot of the Acropolis, at the open air Odeon of Herodes Atticus, on a summer night last year, "Athens Concert" is an entrancing collaboration between Charles Lloyd, uniquely expressive US saxophonist, and Maria Farantouri, venerable Greece vocalist - the soul of Greece for many listeners.
With Lloyd's exceptional band in impassioned support, the project raises the bar for `trans-cultural' music-making. The music sweeps the listener along in its swirling river of sound. This is music of many moods and currents - celebratory, yearning, melancholic - embracing suites of traditional Greek music, songs of Theodorakis and Eleni Karaindrou, and Lloyd originals.
The Lloyd band and Farantouri perform with a commitment that underscores the essential compatibility of the idioms. The great Greek themes of love, exile, nostalgia, and departure find their correspondences, after all, in the history of jazz. And if Farantouri is not a jazz singer per se, she embodies an emotional power comparable with the greatest vocalists of any genre.
Lloyd writes in his liner notes: "From her first notes I felt such a power and depth of humanity; she is a modern wonder rising up from the ruins of civilization. She is Alethea, Athena, Aphrodite, Demeter, Gaia, Phemonoe - Mother of the Universe. The resonance of her voice stirred the memory of my love for Lady Day."
"Athens Concert" is the first recorded documentation of the alliance between Lloyd and Farantouri, but the concept has been taking shape and gathering momentum over the last decade. The singer and saxophonist met when Charles heard Maria in concert in his home town of Santa Barbara, California, in 1992. Lloyd subsequently invited Farantouri to join him on stage in Greece in 1993. "I felt her voice would be a perfect vehicle for my song `Blow Wind'. She, in turn, introduced me to `Vlefaro Mou' by Nikos Kypourgos and several songs by Mikis Theodorakis. Mikis's composition, `I Kept Hold on My Life,' with haunting lyrics by Nobel laureate poet George Seferis took root in my repertoire ..."
Every year since then Lloyd has spent time in Greece learning more of its history, music and landscapes, and passing along knowledge of his own broad genre to Farantouri. "For me," says the singer, "it was an aesthetic pleasure to work with Charles, becoming a unique experience on stage, as jazz music blended with the musical tradition of Greece, and transformed it into a wholly new sound."
In this they were aided by two further Greek musicians, arranger-pianist Takis Farazis and lyra player Socratis Sinopoulos. The Greek traditional music heard here was arranged for the performance by Takis Farazis. A former student of Hungarian jazz pianist Bela Lacatos, Farazis established his reputation in Greece with the group Iskra and with his compositions for cinema and for presentations of ancient Greek drama. As Lloyd notes, he made "an enormous contribution to the Athens concert by connecting the dots between the structure of Greek tradition and the open borders of improvised music."
Socratis Sinopoulos began his musical life as classical guitarist, taking up the lyra (the pear-shaped fiddle) and the laouto (Eastern lute) in 1988. For the past twenty years, he has collaborated with composers, musicians and singers from Greece and the wider world in genres from folk music to jazz. Lloyd: "Socratis's mystical sound on lyra adds an entirely `other' dimension": archaic, at times hypnotically insistent in the Greek suites, it opens a door upon another time and culture. Sinopoulos has been heard as a soloist on Eleni Karaindrou's ECM recordings, including "Trojan Women", "Elegy of the Uprooting" and "The Weeping Meadow". Farantouri, of course, has a lifelong friendship and artistic association with Karaindrou. They met as students in Athens in the 1960s. In the years of the Junta, they reunited in Paris, where Farantouri sang on Eleni's first major works.
In the public mind, Maria Farantouri remains best-known as the singer who gave voice to the protest music of Mikis Theodorakis. Only 16 years old when she joined Theodorakis's ensemble, her rich contralto was heard at numerous political events. She subsequently kept Theodorakis's music alive during the seven years of the military dictatorship when it was banned in Greece. If universally acknowledged (also by the composer) as the optimum interpreter of Theodorakis, Farantouri has sung many different kinds of music. And we also hear her, in the "Athens Concert", singing music from the Byzantine sacred tradition, folk songs, Charles Lloyd's ballads, and Karaindrou's "Voyage to Cythera", the theme song for the movie by Theo Angelopoulos.
Recorded collaborations with vocalists have been rare in Lloyd's discography, a handful of pop and rock sessions in the 1970s notwithstanding. Yet through the medium of his saxophone, flute and tarogato, he is himself a singer - able in the course of a few bars to conjure the spirit of the blues, the muezzin's cry, or an evening raga. His feeling for melody is profound, whether he is finding new meaning in jazz standards, or wringing emotion from spirituals.
From the beginning of his career, Lloyd has also proven an insightful leader and his band is, by common critical consensus, one of the finest in jazz today. The line-up has been stable for four years now, since Jason Moran came aboard as pianist in the quartet in early 2007. It is significant that Moran, a celebrated leader in his own right, newly voted Jazz Artist of the Year in the Down Beat Critics Poll and a recent recipient of a MacArthur `Genius' Award continues to make space for commitments with Lloyd in an increasingly crowded schedule - because there are lessons to be learned. "It's generationally important for Reuben, Eric and me to play with Charles," Moran recently told Down Beat. "Charles rides what we play and likes how we address his classic songs ["Dream Weaver" in the present instance]. He jumps into it." The elastic beat shared between Harland and Rogers and Moran is just one of the joys of this ensemble, and their tremendous drive and musicality underpins the wide-ranging action of the Athens Concert.
The live recording from Athens was mixed in Oslo in December 2010 and January 2011 by Manfred Eicher and Jan Erik Kongshaug.
Brand ECM Records
Horace Silver Quintet - Further Explorations by th
Rich Perry - Other Matters
Jackie Ryan - Listen Here
John Zorn / Abraxas - Book Beri'ah 5: Gevurah
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - At the Cafe Boh
Shiroishi / Golia / Fujioka / Cline - Borasisi
Duke Ellington - Duke at Fargo 1940
Mel Torme - The Bethlehem Years


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[[Category: Postcards]]
[[Category: Firsts]]
[[Category: Athletics-Soccer]]
Loras' athletic teams are known as the Duhawks. The name was given to the football team by a Detroit Free Press writer in 1924 by combining "Dubuque" and "hawks." The school fields 22 men's and women's varsity teams in the NCAA Division III. They are a member of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC). Loras' colors are Royal Purple and Gold, colors exemplified by the home football uniform of purple jerseys, gold pants and gold helmets with purple face masks. (50)
Athletic teams fielded by Loras have gathered an impressive list of achievements. The women's golf team had five consecutive top finishes in the NCGA Division III Tournament. The college has produced over seventy All-Americans in the decade of the 1980s including seventeen with GTE-Academic honors in 1989-90. Since joining the Iowa Conference in 1986-87 the men's track team has won the championship every year. The Loras men's soccer team played in the Final Four NCAA Division III championships in 2012. (51) Between 1958-2017 the soccer team took 10 conference titles, five Final Fours, and 14IIAC coach of the year award for Dan Rothert. (52) Every January Loras hosted the National Catholic Basketball Tournament which attracted thirty-two teams, sixteen men's and sixteen women's, from twelve states in competition for the title.
52. West, Brenden, "Bradley's British Invasion," Telegraph Herald, April 23, 2017, p. 27
Athletics-Soccer


Naaman is one of those characters in the Bible whose story is familiar to almost everyone who has been to Sunday School for any length of time. Every time I read or hear the story myself, images of the fuzzy felt storyboard from my own Sunday School in the early '70s and '80s come flooding back.
And like so many of the biblical characters we encounter through Sunday School, Naaman gets a bit of a rough deal. He comes across as something of an anti-hero: he is the enemy general who has vanquished God's people in battle, killed their king, kidnapped a poor Israelite girl as a slave, who shows no faith in the promise God makes through His prophet, and who is saved only after his servants persuade him to listen to the prophet. However, even a brief moment of self-scrutiny should make us realise that this is hardly fair on Naaman: he is certainly no worse than us. At every turn his reactions are just what you would expect from any normal, rational person. This passage is not a story about Naaman's foolishness—it is a story about God's foolishness, about how God saves us through wonderfully foolish means.
Naaman was angry. He turned away in a rage. And to be fair to him, he had good reason to be angry. After all, he was a great man: commander-in-chief of the victorious army of the king of Syria, a great man with his master a mighty man of valour—and a very rich man, too. Now when this mighty man, laden with vast riches, arrived at Elisha's house, the prophet didn't even bother to meet him but sent a messenger to deal with him. We know that Elisha was not an easy man to get along with, but this sort of rudeness is quite shocking even by his standards. When we contrast the generosity of the reward Naaman was prepared to offer for a cure—a third of a tonne of silver, 150 lb of gold and ten changes of finest clothing—with the cure offered in return, a bath in the Jordan, it's not hard to see why Naaman was incensed. How would you react if your GP treated you like this? How would your react if you went with a fat wad of cash to Harley Street and got treated like Naaman?
However, Naaman was about to learn about a God whose ways are not our ways and whose thoughts are not our thoughts (Isa 55:8–11). The Lord, the God of Israel, is a God who conceals His greatness in humble things, who exercises His power by His word and not by spectacles. And there is a great wisdom in this. God doesn't want us to get attached to the things through which He works but wants us to see them for what they are: His means, His instruments—so that we give glory to Him and cling to Him alone.
Naaman, that great man of valour, suffered from leprosy. In those days, leprosy was a debilitating disease in a way that went far beyond the physical discomfort it caused. It led to permanent disfigurement and was incurable. Thought to be infectious, leprosy was seen as a defiling and shameful disease, causing sufferers to become isolated and even ostracised from society. We can have full sympathy with Naaman's preoccupation with his own health and the lengths he was prepared to go to in order to be healed. Likewise, it's fully understandable that others, from the little servant girl to the king shared his concern. It seems that to Naaman, being healed from his leprosy was the most precious thing, judging by the stupendous reward he was willing to offer for his health: 750 lb, or a third of a tonne, of silver, 150 lb gold and ten changes of finest clothing.
Naaman's was expecting healing, or at least hoping for it. Like the leper in today's Gospel reading, he was already showing great faith in God's ability to work miracles through a man. But what Naaman was about to learn was that although he thought he was asking much, God had something far greater still in store for him.
The key to this whole episode is found in the words spoken by Elisha to the king of Israel, "Let him come now to me, that he may know there is a prophet in Israel" (v. 8).
"… that he many know there there is a prophet in Israel." If there is a prophet, a man of God, in in Israel, it therefore follows that God is at work, speaking and acting, in Israel through that prophet. So Elisha is saying, "Let him come now to me, that he may know that God is speaking and working in Israel." Naaman's encounter with Elisha was an encounter with Yahweh, the God of Israel. He was about to witness a display of God's glory.
Whatever God does, He will do it for His glory, not simply to give us what we want. Indeed, He does not always even give us what we need for this mortal life. Because there is far more to life than that. Jesus performed some great miracles of healing and feeding—but as a proportion of the sick and hungry of Israel, His miraculous works hardly scratched the surface. Because they were not performed for their own sakes, but to reveal Him to the world to be the Son of God in the man Jesus, the word of God made flesh.. Naaman, the people of first-century Palestine, and we today, are being sent to the bearers of God's word. Let him, let them, let us come now to him that we may know that there is a prophet in Israel", that God is at work where His word is heard. For we must never forget what God's glory is. God's glory is found not only His splendour and His sovereign power. It's not even found primarily in those things. Rather, God's glory is found especially in His grace and His mercy. As John tells us in his Gospel, God's glory is displayed most fully in Jesus Christ, who is full of grace and truth (Jn 1:14)—and it is displayed most fully on the Cross, when the Son of God gave up His life for us, to speak the truth about the gravity of sin and to have mercy on us sinners by taking our place.
Thus it was with Naaman, too. He travelled to Israel to be healed of his leprosy. While he was healed, his healing was only God's instrument for something far greater. Let me remind you what happens in the verses following our OT selection.
Naaman returned to Syria a healthy man—but something far more important had changed as well: "from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the Lord"! God chose to heal Naaman in order to bring him to saving faith. The time would come when Naaman's health would fail him again, and eventually his body would succumb to mortal weakness—yet, he remained clean, washed in the Jordan not only of his leprosy but also of his idolatry. Having been doubly unclean—a leprous Gentile—he had been cleansed for good, body and soul. His flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
The story of Naaman and his healing is thus a beautiful image of how God deals with His fallen creatures. Like Naaman, we are by birth Gentile sinners, separated from God and incapable of turning to Him. Without spectacle, by means of of His word attached to ordinary water in a simple washing, He restores us and makes us clean. We go into our baptism doubly unclean, being by nature sinful and unclean and having sinned against God by our own actions. And we come out with the flesh of our souls restored like the flesh of a little child, and we are clean. We die and are buried in baptism, and rise to a new life, children of God who have been born again from above.
Like Naaman, many take offence at the simplicity of God's working. What is Jordan among the great rivers of the Levant? And if one is prepared to pay more than a fortune for one's healing, one can surely expect something more spectacular than a dip in that little brook. And what is baptism among the religious spectacles of the world? If we are talking about salvation and new birth, surely one can expect something more spectacular, impressive and moving than a few simple words and a splash of, or even immersion in, water.
Naaman was not the first religious enthusiast, but he was not the last. He had faith in something spectacular—healing from an incurable disease—so he expected to experience something spectacular, something that looked and felt powerful enough to deal with his leprosy, yet all he was offered was a washing of water. Likewise we are prone to looking for spectacles, too. In our conversion, in our worship, in our daily Christian lives, we want to be moved, impressed, and at least from time to time bowled over. The same words, the same chants, the same hymns, the same water, bread, wine—they just don't satisfy the basic human need for something new that makes us feel in our hearts as well as know in our heads that God is present and working.
Like Naaman, we are forever tempted to look only at the appearance of the cure, a washing of water, failing to pay attention to who it is that is making the promise. The greatness of Naaman's cure was in the simplicity: nothing spectacular, just a simple washing of water—with a great promise: you shall be clean.
The Small Catechism teaches us that "baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God's command and combined with God's word … It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare." Here is a promise far greater than that given to Naaman. Here is a promise of more than physical wholeness: forgiveness of sins, rescue from death and the devil, eternal salvation. And how is this accomplished: by a brief immersion, or sprinkling or pouring of water. And so we are taught to ask Naaman's question: How can water do such great things? !
Sinners are forever acting out the story of Naaman. Apart from the word of God, without faith in the One Who has promised, we too want to cling to things that make sense to us, that look impressive enough to do what they say on the tin. At the very least, we want a man of God waving his hand over the place. Or some task challenging enough to have the muscle to deal with the problem of our sin. In the mediaeval church, it was monasteries, indulgences, tasks of penance. In more recent times, even today, people will look to extravagant displays of sorrow over sins, dramatic conversion experiences, miraculous events and other suitably impressive signs that God really is at work in your life.
And all the time, it's given to you on a plate, through the simplest means: the water and word of baptism, the spoken word from a pastor, the written word on the pages of the Bible, the bread and the wine in the Lord's Supper, the reliable words of God in the liturgy and in wholesome Christian hymns. Everything that God wants to accomplish for us and in us is already accomplished and offered as a free gift through the simple means established by Him.
Why so simple? Wouldn't something more impressive, the man of God waving his hand, miracles and such like, be far more persuasive to people? After all, where miracles are offered, the halls and the stadia are packed to the rafters? Isn't it all rather foolish?
There is only one thing that endures forever, God's word of promise in Christ Jesus. By choosing the humble means of water, word, bread and wine, to save us, God draws our attention entirely to His word of promise in Christ, an everlasting foundation that will not waver, come hell or high water, sickness or health, success or failure. And like Naaman, empowered by the Gospel, we will serve no other god than Him who sent His Son to die for us, to make us His children, and to empower us to live lives of daily repentance and faith until we enter His kingdom with immortal bodies and incorruptible souls.


The Mr. Freeze Demonstration shows the interesting and fun properties of cryogenics using Liquid Nitrogen (LN2). It is an exciting science based demonstration with lots of surprises and a few explosions. Lots of different properties and effects of the extreme cold are demonstrated and explained. Make learning science fun for everyone and encouraging kids to become more interested in science in school. It is one of the 'Coolest' shows you will ever see.
I went to college at Northern Illinois University. Worked ten years in the Aerospace Industry at Ball Aerospace in Boulder, Colorado. The projects I worked on included COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer) and DOD Infrared Telescope. I have worked at Fermilab for the past 27 years on new detector research and machine design. I have been doing Cryogenic shows for schools for the past 27 years and been the 'Mr. Freeze of Fermilab' for the past 20 years. Doing 100 schools/organizations per year to 20 thousand kids encouraging them to get excited about science. Fermilab has sponsored the Mr. Freeze Demonstrations since the 1970's. This is a voluntary activity that is financial sponsored by Fermilab.


long story short, i haven't had enough time to do my french homework and when i do, the school internet is awful. really need help catching up, please message me!
edit because of certain jerk: i have everything written down in french as best as i could, but i'm god awful with french grammar and i need someone to look it over before i turn it in.
Last edited by boofsly; 04-17-2018, 06:12 PM.
Eh... I guess you have to learn how to plan then, instead of learn how to speak French. If there are things you don't understand, I'd be willing to explain you though.
I can help to correct your homework but I am not gonna do it for you.


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I am very happy to announce that I have began to make 6.5 x 41mm Kurz Cases and Cartridges as the resizing dies have arrived from Hornady Custom Dies. Ben Syring at Hornady was outstanding in understanding the concept behind the 6.5 x 41mm Kurz ECAPTC, (Extreme Conditions All-Purpose Tactical Cartridge) and making the dies in record time! Just under 8 weeks from the initial phone call to receiving the dies at my home! Pacific Tool and Gauge has provided Reamers and Gauges so an Ar-15 to begin testing the new round will be available soon as well as an AK-47 variant and an H&K 93 variant will also be made shortly to begin testing those platforms as well.
The 6.5 Kurz is the result of extensive research with the goal of developing a new Assault Rifle Round that provides reliability of function in extreme environments as well as accuracy and greater terminal ballistics at greater distances than Assault Rifles, Squad Designated Marksman Rifles and Squad Automatic Weapons are designed for allowing targets to be engaged at greater distances which increases the lethality of all individuals armed with 6.5 Kurz Weapons Systems.
Initial research began with determining why the AK-47/74 series of rifles has proved throughout history to be more reliable than the M-16/AR-15 series of rifles and the conclusion was the cartridge. In looking at the cartridge it is simply a matter of the 7.62×39 M43 Cartridge for the AK-47 having a taper to the main body of the case that allows it to function in a dirty environment. The 5.56mm Cartridge for the M-16/AR-15 has almost no taper to the body of the case so even the smallest piece of dirt is in contact with the cartridge and chamber during loading and extraction of the cartridge, jamming the weapon! This is why M-16's jam and AK's don't! It's the CARTRIDGE!
5.56mm/.223 Remington are based on 222 Magnum Cartridge which is a bolt action ridge cartridge that is NOT designed for a semi or full automatic rifle. ANY straight wall cartridge of small diameter is going to suffer from this "straight wall case dirt" issue until the case diameter reaches .473 inches which would be 7.62 NATO, 30-06 or 8mm Mauser. Cartridges that have too small of cartridge diameter and little or no case taper that do suffer loading and extraction problems in Semi and Full Automatic Weapons are 5.56mm NATO, .223 Remington and 6.5 Grendel. I am sure that other straight wall cartridges suffer this problem as well when fired from semi and full automatic weapons but I personally only tested those mentioned.
Research next went into what type of bullet provides the best balance of flight characteristics, is heavy enough to maintain effective terminal ballistics at distance and does not weigh too much so that Soldiers or individuals can carry enough ammunition to safely see them through a tactical or self-defense situation without being overburdened by the weight of rounds.
From personal experience I knew that 6.5mm bullets have outstanding Ballistic Coefficiency, meaning they fly very well. The weight of bullets available in 6.5mm or .264 inches are heavy enough to provide outstanding Terminal Ballistics but at the same time not so heavy that a large number of rounds can be carried without being burdensome. So I decided that 6.5mm / .264 inches would be the bullet diameter.
Case size was determined by existing platforms available. This cartridge had to be able to fit in an AR-15 Platform because that is what EVERYONE is shooting. So from a practical standpoint the cartridge could not be more than 2.26 inches in length. I also wanted to have the parent case be readily available because I had struggled to get cases when the 6.5 Grendel became available as the parent case was 7.62×39 technically and brass cases in this caliber were expensive and not that easy to come by at the time. By far the most available case in the world is the 7/8mm Mauser and 30-06/7.62 NATO or .308 Winchester and the numerous other cases derived from these cases. This readily available brass parent cases would immediately allow any reloader with the proper reforming and resizing dies to create their own cartridge cases to make ammunition for their new rifle.
With the idea that a taper for the new round was required, the 6.5mm/.264 inch caliber established, 2.260 inches overall case length set and the parent case selected based on durability and availability, all that was left was to determine the dimensions of the cartridge itself. This was done with a lot of drawing paper and discussion with friends. I was stuck for a time trying to determine if I should attempt a few different angles of the case wall to find the ideal angle to maximize case capacity but a friend was kind enough to inform me that the volume I would gain by these minute changes was so small that it was not worth the effort and it as best to determine the ideal angle through comparison with the latest designed Assault Weapon Cartridge, the 5.45×39.
I also put a 30 Degree taper in the Shoulder of the Cartridge because this angle creates the most accurate results in target shooting in long range rifle matches. So 6.5 Kurz has a 30 degree shoulder for accuracy.
When I was done the round was 6.5x41mm and ironically resembled the original Assault Rifle Cartridge the 7.92x33mm Kurz developed by the Germans during WWII, so as an homage to this cartridge I added the monicker Kurz, meaning short, to my own cartridge and it became the 6.5 Kurz.
I used QuickDesign to create the cartridge in autocad and then moved the design into QuickLoad which is a ballistic program that allows the user to test a cartridge design using different propellant powders, bullets and barrel lengths showing pressures attained, powder burn efficiency and muzzle velocity.
The figures I saw from QuickLoad were amazing as the cartridge created muzzle velocities well beyond what I expected. As I refined the data I was even more impressed with the cartridge I designed because it was preforming well beyond what I had expected.
I sent the autocad drawings that I had created in QuickDesign to Pacific Tool and Gauge to make Reamers and head space gauges to make Rifles and to Hornady to create cartridge cases.
Hornady Dies to include 2 reshaping dies.
AK-74 30 round magazine becomes a 17 round 6.5 Kurz magazine with the larger 6.5 Kurz Cartridges
Left to Right – 6.5 Kurz 100 grain Full Metal Jacket, 107 grain Sierra Match King, 105 grain Solid Brass
Left to Right – 7.92 x 33mm Kurz, 7.62x39mm Russian, 5.56mm NATO, 5.45x39mm Russian, 6.5x41mm Kurz
Here is some of the ballistic data created by QuickLoad. 2909 fps!
6.5x41mm Kurz Extreme Conditions All Purpose Tactical Cartridge, ECAPTE, is designed to be a reliable Assault Rifle Cartridge that is capable of effectively engaging targets at long range. It is the result of extensive research that is applied here but can also be used in your decision making procession for your next firearms purchase. 6.5 Kurz has been developed with the intent to make it easy for reloader to create their own cartridge cases from available brass. 6.5 Kurz has been designed to used existing firearms platforms like the AR-15, AK-47 and H&K 93 and available magazines like the AK-74 magazines, the 6.5 Grendel Magazine for the AR-15.
Research will continue once rifles become available and the durability of the modifications to the firearms can be tested.
I will continue to report those test results here.
6.5 Kurz will make its public debut at the Small Arms Review Show, 30 Nov – 2 Dec 2018 at the Phoenix State Fair Grounds in Phoenix, Arizona.


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The effects of irradiation on the haematopoietic tissues of anaesthetized mice
A. C. Riche, J. G. Sharp, V. Littlewood, D. Thomas
James O Armitage Center for Hematological Malignancies Research
The effects of irradiation on the haematopoietic tissues of anaesthetized mice were measured using the balance between damage and recovery during the 10 day period following the administration of various doses of whole body X irradiation. The cellularity of the femoral bone marrow, the weight of the spleen and the number of (endogenous) spleen colonies are elevated in animals anaesthetized using Avertin during exposure to doses of whole body X irradiation in the range between 400 and 850 rad, with a dose reduction factor of 1.2 to 1.4.
Acta Haematologica
tribromoethanol
Riche, A. C., Sharp, J. G., Littlewood, V., & Thomas, D. (1973). The effects of irradiation on the haematopoietic tissues of anaesthetized mice. Acta Haematologica, 50(1), 50-55.
The effects of irradiation on the haematopoietic tissues of anaesthetized mice. / Riche, A. C.; Sharp, J. G.; Littlewood, V.; Thomas, D.
In: Acta Haematologica, Vol. 50, No. 1, 01.01.1973, p. 50-55.
Riche, AC, Sharp, JG, Littlewood, V & Thomas, D 1973, 'The effects of irradiation on the haematopoietic tissues of anaesthetized mice', Acta Haematologica, vol. 50, no. 1, pp. 50-55.
Riche AC, Sharp JG, Littlewood V, Thomas D. The effects of irradiation on the haematopoietic tissues of anaesthetized mice. Acta Haematologica. 1973 Jan 1;50(1):50-55.
Riche, A. C. ; Sharp, J. G. ; Littlewood, V. ; Thomas, D. / The effects of irradiation on the haematopoietic tissues of anaesthetized mice. In: Acta Haematologica. 1973 ; Vol. 50, No. 1. pp. 50-55.
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title = "The effects of irradiation on the haematopoietic tissues of anaesthetized mice",
abstract = "The effects of irradiation on the haematopoietic tissues of anaesthetized mice were measured using the balance between damage and recovery during the 10 day period following the administration of various doses of whole body X irradiation. The cellularity of the femoral bone marrow, the weight of the spleen and the number of (endogenous) spleen colonies are elevated in animals anaesthetized using Avertin during exposure to doses of whole body X irradiation in the range between 400 and 850 rad, with a dose reduction factor of 1.2 to 1.4.",
author = "Riche, {A. C.} and Sharp, {J. G.} and V. Littlewood and D. Thomas",
journal = "Acta Haematologica",
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AU - Riche, A. C.
AU - Sharp, J. G.
AU - Littlewood, V.
AU - Thomas, D.
N2 - The effects of irradiation on the haematopoietic tissues of anaesthetized mice were measured using the balance between damage and recovery during the 10 day period following the administration of various doses of whole body X irradiation. The cellularity of the femoral bone marrow, the weight of the spleen and the number of (endogenous) spleen colonies are elevated in animals anaesthetized using Avertin during exposure to doses of whole body X irradiation in the range between 400 and 850 rad, with a dose reduction factor of 1.2 to 1.4.
AB - The effects of irradiation on the haematopoietic tissues of anaesthetized mice were measured using the balance between damage and recovery during the 10 day period following the administration of various doses of whole body X irradiation. The cellularity of the femoral bone marrow, the weight of the spleen and the number of (endogenous) spleen colonies are elevated in animals anaesthetized using Avertin during exposure to doses of whole body X irradiation in the range between 400 and 850 rad, with a dose reduction factor of 1.2 to 1.4.
JO - Acta Haematologica
JF - Acta Haematologica


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Richard Babor on How Weight Loss Surgery Can Prevent Cancer
By AWLS Before and after surgery, Cancer
Q: What is the second biggest cause of cancer after smoking?
A: Obesity. (No, it's not alcohol, pollution, radiation, stress, or the sun.)
In his recent documentary series, How Not To Get Cancer, Auckland weight loss surgeon Dr Richard Babor looked at the association between obesity and an increased risk of cancer and his findings are quite disturbing.
"I see how disabling obesity can be and I see a lot of suffering that comes out of cancer. When I first started training as a surgeon, the relationship between obesity and cancer was not understood and now it's becoming clearer and there is very new evidence that makes that link even more strongly. It's a real worry for me because I work in both those fields and they seem to be converging."
Could the obesity epidemic turn into a cancer crisis?
The obesity crisis is getting worse. In 2016 there were almost 2 billion overweight or obese adults in the world.
And because obesity rates are increasing, there is potential for younger generations to have higher rates of cancer than we are experiencing currently. Research shows that overweight or obese children are likely to be overweight or obese adults and we know that being overweight or obese increases the risk of cancer. So the children of today are more likely to have ill health in later life.
Susannah Brown from the World Cancer Research Fund explains further: "What we know at present is that smoking is still the number one risk factor for cancer. But we've seen over time smoking rates fall…. and we've seen obesity rates increase. We're getting close to the time where these lines will cross and we'll see obesity overtake smoking as the number one modifiable risk factor for cancer."
An opportunity to prevent cancer with weight loss surgery
In obese patients, the whole body is inflamed and inflammation is one of the very important drivers of cancer.
But there is no easy fix to reverse this condition. Once a person reaches the clinical threshold for obesity, a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, it's nearly impossible to lose weight and keep it off through diet and exercise. Anyone who's been on a diet will know hard it is. Even if you weigh 150kg, after a day on just 500 calories, your body will respond as though you are starving to death! Our body defaults to a weight set point – our physiology conspires to keep us fat.
So how do you lose weight and reverse the corresponding cancer risk once you're obese? The last resort is weight loss surgery.
Mahlia Ahokava's story
Mahlia Ahokava, a 36 year old woman from South Auckland who appeared in the first episode of How Not To Get Cancer, is testimony to how weight loss surgery improves life expectancy.
Mahlia had been overweight her whole life. As a child, she was not slim like her siblings. And even with regular exercise, her weight in adulthood yo-yoed between 120kg and 164kg.
Added to the ill effects of obesity, was the discovery that Mahlia had pre-cancerous cells in her womb. Richard Babor explained: "..the cells in the lining of her womb had characteristics, both in their individual appearance and in the pattern they were growing, that suggested these cells were gradually changing from normal cells into cells that are on the first step down the pathway of transforming into cancer cells."
Major clinical studies show that rates of cancer in females go down by 50% after weight loss surgery. Richard met with Mahlia and explained to her that weight loss surgery would change the hormones that drive her hunger and her ability to eat, leading to weight loss and, hopefully, reverse the progression of the pre-cancerous cells.
Since her surgery in October 2018, Mahlia has now lost 54kg. She's pleased with the weight loss but, as she explains, it was never solely about losing weight, it was also about improving her health and her fertility.
"When I saw Dr Richard Babor he really believed that losing weight would really help get rid of these cells or at least stop the pre-cancerous cells progressing to cancer. I'm also trying to better my fertility. Those were more motivating and important for me than the actual weight loss."
Her latest womb sample now shows normal cells, a pleasing result for both Mahlia and her surgeon.
"Malia is my first patient having this treatment for the specific reason of cancer prevention and preservation of fertility," says Dr Richard Babor. "It is an area that still requires more rigorous research and we are hoping to start a project looking into this across a larger number of patients. The hope is that surgery for weight loss in women like Malia will help them not only lose weight, but be able to start a family and in the longer term avoid a hysterectomy and not get cancer."
Policy changes needed
Although weight loss surgery has the potential to prevent many cancer and chronic disease deaths, Dr Babor warns that it is not the going to save the world.
"Surgeons like me are the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, surgery can't solve the world obesity crisis. That will take dedicated government policy change. It's not too late to fix this crisis for future generations."
Find out more about preventing cancer through changes in lifestyle, diet, exercise, medicine, technology and our environment, by watching How Not To Get Cancer.
Is weight loss surgery is right for you?
How Not To Get Cancer – episode 1
Excerpts from an article by Stuff.co.nz
Mental and Physical Transformation for Gastric Sleeve Patient
By AWLS Before and after surgery
At her lowest point, Lisa Hardy of The Big Ward reality TV series weighed 129kg and was so severely depressed she was suffering from psychosis. But after a referral from her psychiatrist lead her to bariatric surgery, the 49 year old experienced a transformation. Post-surgery, Lisa benefited from not only the obvious physical transformation that accompanies losing 65kg of body weight, but also a significant mental shift.
Like many people in her situation, Lisa's depression and weight problems started as a child.
"As a child and teenager, I comfort-ate. I didn't have a very nice father. He was quite strict and the only thing I could really have pleasure in was eating. I started getting depressed when I hit puberty, probably at 13 or 14, and I didn't medicate with drugs or alcohol – it was always food."
The negative cycle of depression and comfort eating carried on right through to her late 40s.
"Before surgery, I was on a six-week cycle of, 'I'm OK, then I'm down'. And the downs were so bad that I was getting psychosis. I would be hearing voices – that's how low I got. There was self-harm and things like that. I was on psychosis medication," she explains.
She was also taking pills for her blood pressure and cholesterol, antidepressants and blood-thinning medication as she was "mini-strokes."
Psychiatrist referral
Lisa explains how her referral to Dr Richard Babor for gastric sleeve surgery came about as a result of her depression.
"My psychiatrist Dr Jay mentioned that some of his patients who had weight-loss surgery had been cured of their depression. He said that won't happen with you because yours is chemistry, but it could really help with bringing the symptoms down."
"He gave me a referral, which led to a team assessing me and saying, yes, I was sick enough and fat enough to go through to Dr Richard Babor's seminar."
Lisa and her husband Chris listened to what Dr Babor had to say about a gastric bypass. They also heard that Greenstone Pictures, which makes local reality series The Big Ward, was looking for people who underwent the surgery to feature in series two.
It wasn't a decision that she took lightly, food had always been her crutch. But the choice to go through with gastric bypass surgery and take part in the TV series was made with three important goals in mind: being to beat her depression, to be able to wear a necklace on her 'chin-neck' and to be able to shop at an ordinary clothing store.
"Two weeks after the surgery, I was off the blood pressure medication because it was bringing it down too low. Now I'm off everything except my antidepressant!"
Lisa hasn't had a symptom of depression since surgery, which is what motivated her to go under the knife in the first place. She was able to return to full-time work which she hadn't been able to do for years due to her anxiety and depression.
Every week after surgery, except one, Lisa lost weight: "the kilos have just fallen off me." After losing 65kg since surgery Lisa now takes pleasure in being able to fit regular size clothes.
"I am two years post gastric sleeve surgery, my highest weight was 129 kgs, my lowest was 64 kgs and i am maintaining at 68 kgs. My life has been transformed mentally and physically, I owe them a freedom that is not easy to explain."
Lisa's new lease on life has inspired her to train and practice as a marriage celebrant, a far cry from the before-surgery days when she unable to work full-time.
"I am back at full time work, two years in July, active and healthy, I will be off all medications in July which is astonishing as pre-surgery I was on a cocktail of anti depressants, blood pressure and cholesterol medication.
"The biggest change to me (other than the physical) is the mental health, I am mentally free of any depressive and anxiety episodes for two years, an absolute dream. I have a new lease on life at 50 years of age, fantastic!"
Surgery not a quick fix
Despite the drastic transformation for Lisa, she warns others considering bariatric surgery, "It's not a quick fix. Before I had the operation, I could eat everything I wanted and drink everything I liked, and then I couldn't and it's permanent. You think, 'What the hell have I done to myself? I cannot stand up, I'm dizzy, I'm nauseous' and it's a roller-coaster of different symptoms. Your whole life changes, so you've got to be prepared for that."
Here at Auckland Weight Loss Surgery we love hearing these transformational stories. The well-being of our patients is our foremost concern, and that includes both physical and mental well-being.
We'll leave you with this final thought from Lisa: "Feeling normal is just wonderful. Feeling normal was my end goal and I'm so normal now, it's great."
Photos kindly supplied by Lisa Hardy.
Extracts from an article by Woman's Day.
Auckland DHB Removes Barriers to Weight Loss Surgery
By AWLS Publically funded surgery
Obesity is one of the main causes of poor health and premature death in New Zealand. Surgery is an effective treatment for those who are severely or morbidly obese and have been unable to lose weight and maintain the weight loss. Fewer Māori and Pacific people than expected undergo bariatric surgery, and this is something Auckland DHB is setting out to address.
Weight loss procedures either restrict the amount of food people are able to eat, absorb or both. Surgery is not for everyone and it involves a degree of risk and also a commitment to a permanent lifestyle change.
Patient experience drives service change
In 2015 Auckland DHB began a programme of work with Waitemata DHB to develop a standardised approach to bariatric surgery and improve access for Māori and Pacific people. An audit identified that attrition rates were significantly higher for Pacific people than other ethnicities, with more than 70% of Pacific patients referred not completing surgery.
They consulted with Māori and Pacific people who have been engaged with bariatric services, to better understand their experiences and identify areas for improvement.
The consultation feedback and audit results helped drive several service improvements. These include:
The acceptance criteria were amended to no longer exclude smokers and the requirement to lose weight prior to surgery was abolished.
The assessment process was streamlined with patients seen in a multidisciplinary one-stop-shop and provided with certainty about dates.
Psychological support was strengthened, in response to patient feedback.
Results of changes
Early indications from the latest data show that the attrition rates for Pacific and for Māori patients have substantially reduced and are now similar to non-Māori non-Pacific rates. This means that more people are being supported to successful completion of surgery.
In 2017/18 68 people received bariatric surgery at Auckland DH, and of these 37 were Māori or Pacific.
Mike's success story
After research and a referral from his GP to surgeon Mr Nicholas Evennett, 49 year-old Mike* underwent bariatric surgery at Auckland City Hospital in June 2018. After working hard to lose weight pre-surgery, and attending meetings with a specialist nurse, dietitian and psychologist, Mike qualified for the publicly funded surgery.
Mike says he chose the bariatric surgery path after trying several diet plans and exercise regimes and, in his words, failing miserably.
Life changing surgery
"Surgery changed my life. It probably also extended it by up to 20 years. I have significantly reduced my chances of contracting [sic] diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and, hopefully, will reduce my need for a CPAP machine when sleeping. I look and feel healthier and I find it much easier to find clothes that fit. I'm also playing sport for longer and with less pain so I'm enjoying it much more."
Mike says he could not have gone through the whole process without the professional guidance and assistance of the Auckland DHB staff who facilitated his life-change.
"I know I came to the programme with my mind set on achieving results and I was as prepared as I could be, but I couldn't have done what I've done without the care and assistance of the Auckland DHB team, particularly that of bariatric nurse Elaine Yi, who went out of her way to accommodate my work schedule when it came to arranging appointments."
At his heaviest Mike weighed 136kg. His surgery weight was 116kg and he currently weighs 94kg. His goal weight is 85- 90kg. Mike has ongoing post-operative care including regular meetings with his dietitian, nurse and surgeon. He's also part of a pilot programme with the ExerScience Clinic which is examining whether it's feasible to implement a mandatory exercise component to the overall bariatric programme.
Mike's advice to anyone in a similar situation is simple.
"Seek advice from your GP, ask them to submit a referral to ascertain your eligibility for publicly funded bariatric surgery. Just do it!"
*Name changed for privacy.
This article is an extract from the Auckland DHB Annual Report 2017-18
Before and after surgery
Publically funded surgery


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Pet sounds: dogs' favourite Christmas songs revealed
Survey of 1,000 dog owners finds Wham's festive hit Last Christmas is canines' top tune
Golden Labradoodle dog at home on the sofa Photograph: LSOphoto/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Sarah Marsh
@sloumarsh
Wed 15 Dec 2021 09.16 EST
Last modified on Wed 15 Dec 2021 14.45 EST
From Wham's Last Christmas to Jingle Bells, humans are not the only species to enjoy festive songs.
A survey of 1,000 dog owners by the charity Guide Dogs found Wham's classic was the most beloved by canines, with 10% of the votes, followed by Jingle Bells (9%) and All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey (6%).
Those who took part in the survey said their animals liked upbeat tracks, rather than quieter, slower or instrumental ones. Additionally, 90% of dogs like music, and it can have a differing affect on them, ranging from making them energetic (23%) to helping them get to sleep (11%). A quarter of dog owners claimed that music was helpful to keep their dog calm or comfortable.
Dr Helen Whiteside, the chief scientific officer at Guide Dogs UK, said: "As we look forward to spending the festive period with friends and loved ones, this Christmas will be a step-change for an entire generation of new dogs born during lockdown.
"Houses are likely to be busier than normal and many dogs' routines will change. Music is often used to calm dogs in times of change and stress, so it is unsurprising that it will play a key role for dogs this Christmas."
She added that the poll also showed that music can bring out fun moments for dog and owner to share. Other favoured tunes were Driving Home for Christmas by Chris Rea, It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas by Michael Bublé and A Wonderful Christmas Time by Paul McCartney.
Rescue me: why Britain's beautiful lockdown pets are being abandoned
The growth in dog ownership has been noted in the last few years as people bought puppies during the pandemic. Figures from March revealed that more than 3.2 million pets were bought by UK households during lockdown.
However, since Covid restrictions were lifted it has been reported that some owners have started to return to the office and are abandoning their pets as they no longer have as much time for them.
Many of these pets were bought online, charities say, and their true origins and medical issues were not disclosed. They often have a higher incidence of behavioural and health problems and are thus more difficult to rehome. Animal rescue charities and shelters have warned that people often pretend that dogs they acquired during lockdown are strays in order to get rid of them.