text:
Jeremy Corbyn was just 2227 votes away from becoming Prime Minister
HeraldScotland
But leaders of the three largest opposition parties, including Labour's second-place finisher Jeremy Corbyn, all called for her to resign.
British newspapers summed it up in a word: Mayhem. Questions were soon raised about the longevity of the minority government, the possibility of another election in the near future, the approach to Brexit talks that will inevitably be influenced by the election results, and the role the resurgent Labour will play in future.
With most of the vote accounted for, analysts predict that with 318 seats, May's Conservatives will fall about eight seats short of the 326 needed for an outright majority in the U.K.'s 650-seat House of Commons.
Labour had 262, up from 229, and the Scottish National Party 35, a loss of about 20 seats that complicates the party's plans to push for independence.
The final result was announced nearly 24 hours after polls closed.
This figure is based on Labour winning Kensington, where counting has been suspended until Friday evening.
"Clearly if she's got a worse result than two years ago and is nearly unable to form a government, then she, I doubt, will survive in the long term as Conservative Party leader", former Conservative Treasury chief George Osborne said on ITV.
Seven Tory constituencies, including those held by Home Secretary Amber Rudd and former minister Stephen Crabb, were won with small majorities in the tens or hundreds, including Southampton Itchen, Preseli Pembrokeshire, Hastings and Rye and Chipping Barnet.
A source said Mr Corbyn has also been making a number of phone calls in what is a highly unpredictable and uncertain political climate, with Mrs May sacking two key aides and sending her Chief Whip Gavin Williamson to Belfast to open talks with the Democratic Unionist Party to reach a deal to prop up a Tory minority government.
Cutting a deal with the DUP, which won 10 seats, may not be straightforward. The DUP is a socially conservative pro-British Protestant group that opposes abortion and same-sex marriage and once appointed an environment minister who believes human-driven climate change is a myth.
'The mandate she's got is lost Conservative seats, lost votes, lost support and lost confidence, ' he said. When voters stunned him and Europe by voting to leave, he resigned, leaving May to deal with the mess.
The latest election shock is "yet another own goal" that will make "already complex negotiations even more complicated", said the European Parliament's top official on the British exit, Guy Verhofstadt.
Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, said it's not even clear whether May will now lead those negotiations.
British politicians differ widely on what they want from the Brexit negotiating process, seeing it as a way to shift Britain either to the right or left.
In May's camp, recriminations were immediate and stinging.
"What the country needs more than ever is certainty", May said.
Corbyn had initially called for May to resign as prime minister, but he has little power to force the issue.
"Honestly, it feels nearly like she is nearly not aware of what has happened in the last 24 hours", Conservative lawmaker Heidi Allen told LBC radio.
The senior Conservative source blamed the party's over-dependency on the tight messaging demanded by election guru Lynton Crosby for failing to endear Ms May to voters tired of elections and rattled by two militant attacks in as many weeks.
The election's biggest victor was Corbyn, who piled on pressure for May to resign, saying people have had enough of austerity politics and cuts in public spending.
May said Barwell would help her "reflect on the election and why it did not deliver the result I hoped for".
Facing down calls to stand down by Labour, the Lib Dems and even some of her own MPs, a defiant Mrs May has chose to cling on to power by forming a minority Conservative government.
The Kensico Capital Management Corp holds 6.01 million shares with $168.60 million value, up from 5.83 million last quarter. Bernstein downgraded Twenty-First Century Fox Inc (NASDAQ: FOXA ) on Friday, September 16 to "Market Perform" rating.
Pentagon Chief Jim Mattis 'shocked' by low level of US military readiness
Mattis, the former commander of all Middle East wars, said yesterday that the U.S. is not winning the war in Afghanistan. Officials were investigating whether they were killed by friendly fire in the opening minutes of the three-hour battle.
Talks between Theresa May and DUP 'going well'
May wants to pull Britain out of the single market, largely to control immigration, and then negotiate a trade deal with the EU. Ms May appeared contrite, sought to apologise for her failed election gamble and gave an explanation of what went wrong.
TAWDE KHABARE: Haqqani Rejects Involvements In Recent Attack
China is reportedly ready to mediate between Pakistan and Afghanistan to help the two countries improve relations. The Secretary General's visit comes in the wake of a series of deadly terrorist attacks across the country.
May fighting to hang on after gamble fails
When the votes came in, Parliament was divided (or "hung") with no single party holding the majority of seats. The DUP, which May referred to as her "friends", was non-committal in its initial remarks.
The stock of Anglo Pacific Group plc (LON:APF) earned "Speculative Buy" rating by Beaufort Securities on Friday, August 14. A number of investment brokers have recently updated their price targets on shares of Big Yellow Group (LON:BYG).
Add a parking lot or garage to your destination Google Maps can direct you straight to your chosen parking lot or garage. Create your own custom map You can create your own custom map with places that matter to you or your favourite places.
Video to form three-quarters of mobile traffic by 2022
By the end of 2022, total smartphone mobile data traffic will have increased 9X, reaching 66 ExaBytes per month. Ericsson estimates around 29 billion connected devices by 2022, out of which 18 billion will be related to IoT.
Scicchitano confirmed that at no point during this time did any of the fraternity members attempt to render aid or call 911. Jim Piazza held his head in his hands and sobbed as prosecutors showed pictures of his son in the hospital.
According to marketing data firm Sensor Tower , the bogus app delivers more or less US$80,000 each month in revenue. In-app tips have generated controversy for Apple , particularly in dealing with app developers from China.
'Sorry' Theresa May promises to reflect on changes after election setback
Rachel Sheard, who cast her vote near the site of the London Bridge attack, said the election certainly wasn't about Brexit . The results - a sort of turnaround in fortunes for both major parties - have thrown that timetable into doubt.
A cordon is in place around the building and around 30 adjacent flats to the tower block have been evacuated by the police. The fire was first reported about 1.15am Wednesday local time, when many residents would have been asleep in their beds.
No sex, avoid meat, be spiritual: AYUSH ministry's advice to pregnant women
Mattis blames Congress for poor state of US combat readiness
Penguins blank Predators, repeat as Stanley Cup champs
Sessions vows to defend himself against 'false allegations'


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Eagles Stock Market. the expected lull doesn't affect the bottom line vs. the bears
Posted by sultanIn MarketsLast Modified 1 month ago 1 month ago
CHICAGO — The Art Institute of Chicago didn't deserve it, but the Eagles persevered at Soldier Field with big plays in the transition game and routine game-changing big points from Jalen Hurts to outlast the Bears 25-20.
The Dallas Cowboys couldn't say the same, blowing a 17-point lead against Jacksonville and falling behind 40-34 in overtime on a pick-six by Dak Prescott.
That means the Eagles have a three-game lead, with three to play in the NFC East, and will secure the division and home-field advantage in the conference playoffs if they can beat the Cowboys in Dallas on Christmas Eve.
Even with a performance that Lane Johnson called a "sloppy ass game," there were far more positives than negatives for Philadelphia, which moved to a league-best 13-1.
THE BULLS
PASSING IN A HURRY! – Yes, part of it was Justin Fields' ridiculously bad presence, but it's not like the young Bears QB is the only one Philadelphia's defense has done this to.
The Eagles had six sacks (two apiece by Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat and Javon Hargrave) and have a 55-game season, tying the franchise record of 62 in 1989. It's the first time they've had five or more in three straight games. since 1997
BOSTON SCOTT AS STARTING RETURNER – After a 66-yard kickoff return against the New York Giants last week, Scott took one back 58 yards to start the second half. The short field contributed to a 42-yard TD drive that culminated in Hurts' one-yard TD run.
DISTRIBUTION– Many fans wonder why most teams consistently hold off when they win the coin toss. You saw it on Sunday, when Philadelphia essentially sandwiched the second and third quarters with TD drives, a big key to the win.
MAN-NATURE GAME – Like most coaches, Nick Sirianni doesn't like the term trap game, so here's an effort to rebrand it as a man-nature game. With Dallas on the horizon on Christmas Eve and the Bears coming in with the worst record in the NFC, this was a natural place to mail it in every now and then, and the Eagles certainly did that for a long time.
JALEN HURTS THE INTENT – Hurts didn't have his best day throwing the football, but he doesn't have a bad game going forward, which allows the MVP candidate to make big plays even when it looks like it's his day. Hurts has become like an ace pitcher who can get you deep into games and in position to win even when he doesn't have his best stuff.
His deep throws to the bucket to AJ Brown, including a 68-yarder that set up Philadelphia's final TD that proved to be the clincher, plus his three rushing TDs mean you can never let your guard down as a quarterback. , if it is Hertz. opposing QB.
THE BEARS
BALL SAFETY – Two Hurts interceptions and Myles Sanders' first fumble of the season put the Eagles down three on the play before Hasson Reddick recovered one (and ultimately he should get a forced fumble that Velus Jones coughed up instead of TJ Edwards). ) The early mistakes are the kind of unusual outbursts for Philadelphia that needed to happen to keep the talent-starved Bears in the game.
The Eagles led the NFL with a plus-14 turnover ratio entering the game.
THE WEATHER – Bears hibernate in this weather for a reason, and it was Chicago-level cold, which many Eagles, including Hurts, said was crazy.
Hurts used a glove before the game because he was feeling numb, but eventually ditched it. When reminded that Philadelphia can get very cold in January, Hurts simply quipped "it's not Chicago."
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can hear John alongside legendary sportscaster Jody every morning from 8-10am live on Birds 365 on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show, Football 24/7, and a daily contributor for ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at [email protected] or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
Boston Scott
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Caryn Gootkin continues her series on punctuation by demystifying the semi-colon, which has been called the scariest punctuation mark.
Semi-colons have a bad reputation; unfairly, I think. The reason may lie in uncertainty about how to use this mark correctly. As there are only two broad uses for the semicolon, I aim to dispel the fear and show you how to use this expressive mark to great effect.
The Oxford Dictionary online defines semicolon as "a punctuation mark (;) indicated a pause, typically between two main clauses, that is more pronounced than that indicated by a comma." This definition covers the first broad use for the semicolon.
The first use for a semicolon is to signify a break stronger than a comma but less marked than that conveyed by a full stop (or period). It marks a division of statements that are closely related but require more separation than that offered by a comma.
The semicolon is overused; the comma is not.
In this example the second clause comments on the first and the semicolon juxtaposes the two clauses against each other.
The writing was dense; I struggled to read it.
Here the thought contained in the second clause flows logically from the first.
I wouldn't use full stops between the clauses in these examples because I want to form a bond between the two clauses, showing how they relate to or contrast each other. The semicolon often balances two ideas that are similar to or opposite from each other. (I like meat; Pete likes chicken. and I like meat; Pete doesn't).
The other way to use semicolons is in complex lists or lists of items separated by commas. This way, the reader is clear as to what forms part of each item in the list.
You can play with your friend on condition that your homework is done; that you have cleaned your room and packed away your clothes; and that you have fed and walked the dog.
People at the party included my cousin, Bob; my aunt, Jenny; my friend, Jack; and my mother.
While researching this column, I came across a group who use the semicolon as a symbol of hope in their self-harm and suicide awareness and prevention programme. Their Facebook page, The Semicolon Project, exhorts "all who self harm, are suicidal, depressed, unhappy, have anxiety, has a broken heart, lost a loved one, draw a semicolon on your wrist. Semicolons represent a sentence the author chose not to end. You're the author, the sentence is your life." And thousands of people have posted and tweeted photos of their semicolon tattoos, something I find both beautiful and heart-breaking.
Now that I've (hopefully) dispelled the fear, I leave you with the wise words of our friend Dilbert.


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Tag Archives: British advertising
advertising, Art Direction, branding, campaign, design, fashion, film, gender, photography, social design
Ad agency (and previous place of employment for yours truly when I had just started out) Quiet Storm were commissioned by branding agency Vine Creatives to create a series of posters for Project Embrace.
The campaign aims to shine the light on every day women of colour who are proud of their natural hair. #Afrovisibility is a reaction to the fact that Afro hair is rarely seen in any advertising, let alone on giant city-centre billboards, but these will feature in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Southampton, Newcastle and Glasgow.
The outdoor campaign by Quiet Storm features beautifully shot, powerful imagery featuring black women, all cast through an open audition, which includes a teacher, a finance manager, a writer, a receptionist, a student and an HR partner. The tag line "Proud to be me" boldly overlays these real women who are celebrating their natural hair.
In the last few years I have taken an interest in educating myself about the pressures placed on black women to change their hair to more European styles, and this is very evident in film, TV, music and advertising. With more and more more women of colour bravely sharing their stories of traction alopecia (hair loss from sewn in weaves and braids) and their stories of hating their own hair, it is a wonderful for black women of all ages and backgrounds to see that they shouldn't feel pressurised to spend money on expensive weaves or straighten their hair, and should embrace the 'fro!
Tagged advert, advertising, afro, black women, British advertising, cantu, design, inspiration, marketing, Project Embrace, proud, Quiet Storm, Vine Creative, women of colour
advertising, animation, Art Direction, campaign
MoneySuperMarket: Action Man
You all would have seen this great new ad by now – it's 'Action Man' by ad agency Mother (London). The camp 60-spot aired last week, featuring a partnership with Licensor Hasbro to show how Action Man and his pals saved money on their bills. The UK's leading price comparison website has created a series of iconic and creative ads featuring the line "I just saved with MoneySuperMarket and now I feel EPIC" . Although there have been 1 or 2 adaptations (particularly the breakdancing bodyguard) after their first ad that I didn't like, MoneySuperMarket have come back with another winner! The "Epic" series, previously featured He-Man and Skeletor in a "Dirty Dancing" pastiche, and a businessman twerking in hotpants.
The vibe is very 80s/90s, featuring 'Finally' by CeCe Peniston, and some hilarious struts and dance-moves. Unfortunately this is the last campaign Mother will be doing for MoneySuperMarket as they have just announced their split – it will be interesting to see if they continue with this campaign or create something new with whichever ad agency they partner up with…
Pip Heywood, Brand Director at MoneySuperMarket, said:
Having shared great success, many awards and a lot of fun in developing the 'save money, feel epic' campaign with Mother, we acknowledge it's time for a change.
After winning many awards and creating a viral buzz, I'm looking forward to seeing what MoneySuperMarket will do next. After creating so many memorable campaigns, I don't quite understand why they decided to split from Mother! A mutual uncoupling perhaps?…
Their website even features the action figures:
Tagged Action Man, advertisement, advertising, adverts, British advertising, business, Epic, humour, internet, marketing, MoneySuperMarket, Mother, Mother London, music
advertising, branding, campaign, politics, social design, social media
HSBC: Global Citizen | Together We Thrive
Richard Ayoade and loads of dogs? Yes please! This new advert for HSBC by ad agency J Walter Thompson (London) is what we all need in the lead up to Brexit. The narrative explores the thoughts of many liberal, pro-EU folk by naming international everyday brands, services and products that Brits use, from Colombian coffee; to French bulldogs; to Swedish flat-pack furniture; to Indian takeaways. This is exactly what I've thought about after reading depressing tweets from key-board warriors defending blatantly discriminatory, anti-culture-blending "British principals". Despite our country taking full advantage of global innovation, many Brits still express an archaic distain for "people coming into our country" (the worst phrase of all) whilst simultaneously utilising ubiquitous imported products… Ayoade wonderfully highlights this irony:
We live on a wonderful lump of land in the middle of the sea. But we are not an island. We are part of something far, far bigger.
"Together We Thrive" is the bank's newest tagline since "The World's Local Bank" from 2011. The 60-second TV ad is set to the soundtrack of Edward Elgar's Nimrod, and is accompanied by print, outdoor and digital ads (which also features Ayoade, one of my favourite British comedians) to promote the bank's sponsorship of British Cycling, its £10bn Small Business Fund and its support of The Prince's Trust.
Adverts for banks in the UK have rarely been praised amongst creatives, because they tend to follow little to no creativity or uniqueness. I think the only time I've ever blogged about a UK bank is the NatWest rebrand, and that was about design, not a creative TV ad. I think this is because advertising for banks tends to focus on a service (which is understandable) rather than venturing into alternative ways to market themselves and stand out from the crowd. When banks try to create ads that speak to "the people", they can came across as incredibly disingenuous and cringey, like NatWest's 'We are what we do'. With this in mind, some people may believe that HSBC and JWT have taken advantage of a currently strained political climate where a lot of brands are jumping on the "social-change" bandwagon. However, I think JWT have tackled problems with division and racism within the UK in a really clever way – by using humour and fact, mixed with core principles from HSBC's brand background:
We have been connecting the world through trade for 152 years. Our new ad campaign reflects our proud international heritage and our commitment to helping people, businesses and communities in the UK to thrive.
Tagged advert, advertising, bank, British advertising, British TV, Global Citizen, HSBC, humour, J Walter Thompson, JWT, London, marketing, Richard Ayoade
advertising, animation, campaign
Christmas Advert: My Runner Up
Last Christmas, Heathrow Airport created this wonderful advert featuring toy bears brought to life in a love story. Perhaps it was the sentiment to an elderly couple (Doris and Edward) or my childhood love for teddybears that made my heart melt – but although this advert wasn't my no.1 last year, it certainly made me feel all the feels:
"Coming Home for Christmas" amassed almost 6 million views last year, and ad agency Havas (London) have been commissioned again this year to create a sequel for the adorable teddybear tale:
The creative tells a similar heartwarming tale, looking back at Doris and Edward's 50 year relationship, all the way back to the 1960s. There is something about this (maybe the way they dress) that reminds me of my grandparents. Very cute!
Tagged advert, advertising, British advertising, childhood, Havas, Havas London, Heathrow, Heathrow Airport, marketing
advertising, animation, art, Art Direction, campaign, design, film, social media
Anomoly: Dear Satan
Amazing Christmas creatives don't always come in the form of TV ads. Advertising agencies often create 'holiday cards' or animations to send to clients and post on social media. This year, ad agency Anomaly have created a hilarious 2D animation, with a holiday twist called Dear Satan:
The short film is narrated by the legendary Patrick Stewart, and was written, directed, animated and produced by Anomaly. The narrative focuses on what happens when you make a typo in an amusing tale about Satan's frozen heart feeling compassion for the first time. I won't ruin the rest of the film!
Tagged ad agency, advert, advertising, Anomaly, Anomaly London, art, British advertising, business, christmas, Christmas ad, design, funny, humour, marketing, Patrick Stewart, Santa, Satan
advertising, Art Direction, campaign, social media
Christmas Adverts 2017: Who is my number 1?
Well well well, this year is almost over and what better way for any creative to finish the year then to look forward to the competitive Christmas ads. Unfortunately though, this year I was thoroughly disappointed! John Lewis? Meh; Aldi, cute but the same as last year; Very, cute I guess; Debenhams, errr I didn't get the hype; Very… cute I guess.
I had big expectations for John Lewis this year – I absolutely adored last year's trampoline ad, but this year's monster ad felt like a washed down version of the same vibe. I don't know, it just didn't do it for me. There wasn't the same creative spark and humour.
There's one ad that stands out from the rest by far, and that's ASDA! Ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi created a Willy Wonka cross Wes Anderson style advert for ASDA called "Best Christmas Ever". The ad depicts a magical tour around The Imaginarium where all of ASDA's Christmas treats are created:
Sara Rose, CD at Saatchi & Saatchi (London) said:
Although the campaign has a fantastical element to it, our stories are firmly rooted in what Asda has to offer shoppers this Christmas, from old favourites to inventive new treats like gin infused chocolates and massive Christmas puddings. Our first thought was 'how do they come up with these things?' And the campaign just grew from there.
Earlier in the year we held sessions with our customers to get feedback on our Christmas range. As we talked to them about Christmas we could see how much joy and happiness planning their Christmas brought them—we knew we wanted to reflect that in our ad.
ASDA has gone full force on this campaign with the use of social by creating a Snapchat filter that turns users into the ad's moustached weightlifters. Also, 2-second content and carousel ads feature on Facebook, and the use of Trueview videos for the first time. Trueview will connect audience search terms to relevant video content online via YouTube and Facebook.
The 60 second TV ad will be supported by 30 segments (focusing on gifting, home decorations, parties and gatherings, and "the big shop") as well as :10s and :06 bumpers on YouTube. AND all of that will be joined by cinema, radio, print, digital OOH. And breathe.
Tagged advert, advertising, ASDA, British advertising, christmas, Christmas ad, Imaginarium, John Lewis, marketing, music, Saatchi & Saatchi, social, social media
art, Art Direction, campaign, design, gender, human rights, social design
Patrons of Pride: Mr President
Ad agency Mr President celebrated pride by creating illustrations to honor 4 iconic LGBT+ icons. Immortalised in the style of stained glass windows, Ellen DeGeneres, George Michael, Nicola Adams, and Laverne Cox were chosen as representatives of love, tolerance and inspiration.
The agency explained the reason behind the project:
Here at Mr. President we celebrate diversity in all its forms. We don't care about your gender or sexuality, we think you're awesome. … Together we talked, laughed, debated and swapped stories before creating our Patrons of Pride campaign honouring four incredible people from the LGBT communities (one from each) – Ellen DeGeneres; George Michael; Nicola Adams and Laverne Cox.
It's nice to see a campaign that has no link to a brand/client or marketing campaign – sometimes it's difficult to differentiate between genuine support for the LGBT+ community or just a marketing ploy.
The illustrations were displayed on windows overlooking Soho Square for Pride in London on Saturday 8th July:
Tagged ad agency, advertising, art, British advertising, design, Ellen DeGeneres, George Michael, icons, illustration, Laverne Cox, LGBT, London, Mr President, Nicola Adams, pride
advertising, art, campaign, design, gender, human rights, politics, social design, social media
#FreeTheFeed: Mother London
Ad Agency Mother created a Mother's Day project for the UK's holiday (Sunday 26th March), to make a statement against the judgement placed upon mothers who breast feed in public:
A celebration of every woman's right to decide how and where they feed their children without feeling guilty or embarrassed about their parenting choices.
So, Mother created a giant inflatable breast and placed it on top of a building in Shoreditch on Sunday. The very detailed and very large breast boldly designed by the creative team aims to spark conversation about the attitudes towards the most natural form of feeding. Alongside the outdoor installation, Mother created a series of posters displaying the hashtag "#FreeTheFeed" and the reasons behind the project.
I've always found it bizarre how people are happy to drink milk from a cow, but heaven forbid another human! This is a fantastic in-your-face, no-f*cks-given approach to a campaign, showing that social design is what we need to ignite conversations about outdated stigmas.
Tagged ad agency, advertising, art, breast feeding, British advertising, campaign, design, installation, London, Mother, Mother London, Mother's Day, OOH, Shoreditch, stigma
advertising, campaign
Creme Egg: Hunting Season
Creme Egg is back in season with a funny ad by Elvis Communications – a concept miles better than last year's weird 'have a fling with a Creme Egg' campaign, by the same agency.
Creme Egg super fan 'Gregg' (I wish he was a real super fan – that would've been great) announces the three-month Creme Egg Hunting Season, ending in Easter Sunday.
I look forward to the rest of the ads for this campaign.
Tagged ad agency, advert, advertisement, agency, British advertising, business, Cadburys, Creme Egg, Easter, humour, marketing


text:
Stumbling Seven Times But Recovering Eight
Masashi Kiyomine, Jae Chung
Japan is increasingly a region where opportunities for global registration studies abound, supported by government policies as well as the medical community and its local population. However, incorporating Japan as an integral part of your global trial execution strategy does not come without its unique challenges.
Insights for Pharma Executives Sourcing Global Clinical Trials in the U.S. and Japan
The Japanese pharmaceutical market is the world's second largest behind the U.S., representing 9.7% of the world pharma market in 2013, with sales estimated at $115 billion. According to Deloitte, the industry's annual average growth rate of 2.2% is expected through to 2018, with revenues totaling $128 billion. Though a highly attractive market, historically Japan has been insular-a consequence of a number of factors, such as medical culture and the complexity of the underlying regulatory context. One of the nuances of this environment was the so-called "drug-lag," where new drug approvals could lag up to six years behind U.S. and European Union (EU) approval. Because of these delays, companies often didn't bother to pursue drug development. The end result was that Japanese patients had to wait years, or sometimes decades, to get the same drugs that were available in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere. With the advance of modern communication and open access to information, problems associated with drug lag became apparent in Japanese society, and change soon followed. In 2007, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) reversed some key policies, which, in turn, led to markedly reduced regulatory review periods and a friendlier environment for global trials. In many ways, the Japanese clinical research landscape has shifted. Once viewed as unique and difficult to work with, Japan is increasingly a region where opportunities for global registration studies abound, supported by government policies as well as the medical community and its local population.
Incorporating Japan as an integral part of your global trial execution strategy does not come without its unique challenges. While opportunities are on the rise for those life sciences companies eager to enter the Japanese pharma market, cultural differences and socioeconomic factors have a significant impact on the outcome of those business engagements. Given the importance of the Japanese market and its renewed interest in participating in global studies, it is more important than ever to understand how such factors may impact global study participation and execution, as well as the technologies used to support clinical research.
On the flip side, Japanese companies eager to engage in global clinical studies and work with partners in the U.S. and beyond face their own set of challenges when it comes to understanding key cultural and societal differences which manifest in various forms, such as technology practices, patient recruitment, and even study design.
Culture shock, the personal disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life, is normal when doing business in Japan. "Stumbling seven times but recovering eight" is the literal translation of the Japanese proverb, nanakorobi yaoki, meaning that "perseverance is better than defeat"; faux pas are expected, but with the right preparation and observance of Japan's culture's etiquette and understanding of clinical research conduct subtilties, these mistakes can be mitigated. Sophistication and worldliness elements signal executive presence, creating a favorable impression of them and, by extension, their business.
So how do you set your company up for success?
Considerations for U.S. companies engaging with Japanese partners
Align clinical research studies with Japanese medical practice.
Aligning studies with Japanese medical practice is important in order to increase study participation and patient engagement, which ultimately helps to get medicines to patients in sooner. Aspects of the healthcare system, norms for technology platforms, as well as patient incentives, carry slight differences that can translate into major barriers if not understood and managed well from the outset. The following are representative aspects of the clinical research environment in Japan, which should be considered when designing global studies for Japanese investigators and patients.
30% of healthcare costs are covered by the patient, the government pays the balance. As a result, patients may have less personal incentive for participating in a trial compared to some countries, which can impact study enrollment. This makes communicating the scientific and clinical importance of the trial to both the patient and the investigator even more important. Patient awareness activities should stress the medical and societal benefit of study participation.
The use of electronic medical records (EMRs) is more standard practice than in the West, making searching for trial participants easier for investigators. In major hospital settings, the incidence of EMR adoption is as high as 65%.1 This highlights how Japan can help U.S. companies drive digital innovation in trial operations.
Different medical norms. There are various medical norms that study teams should explore with their Japanese colleagues during protocol and study design. These risks should be mitigated as part of the study risk assessment. One example is that doctors do not routinely record the reasons for the use of concomitant medications (two or more drugs given at or almost at the same time.) If the study protocol mandates that a reason is required, this may be an extra burden for investigators and can deter participants. In addition, informed consents are not a familiar item in Japanese culture, and signing a form listing detailed risks may be uncomfortable for the average Japanese patient.2 Therefore, it is usually a good idea to have a robust Japanese translation of the informed consent form (ICF), with fluent Japanese staff on hand to facilitate the discussion. Maintaining dual-language ICFs takes time and must be planned for in advance.
In Japan, the use of electronic medical records (EMRs) is more standard practice than in the West, making searching for trial participants easier for investigators. This highlights how Japan can help US companies drive digital innovation in trial operations.
Cultural resistance to adverse event (AE) reporting. Japanese culture generally minimizes spontaneous adverse event reporting, as shame may be associated with experiencing an adverse event. Solicited adverse events should be discussed with the patients to communicate that these are not unexpected and are quite reasonable to experience. A private environment with a supportive, fluent Japanese staff is critical for success.
Slight differences between J-GCP and ICH-GCP. Japanese clinical trials are governed by country-specific standards for good clinical practice (J-GCP). While these are generally consistent with the international standard (ICH-GCP), J-GCP contains aspects that are more comprehensive and include additional requirements. According to a recent white paper from PPD, "Conducting Clinical Trials in Japan: A CRO Perspective3," the two main differences between J-GCP and ICH-GCP are:
Under most circumstances, each site needs its own institutional review board (IRB).
Site heads must take responsibility for signing financial contracts and overseeing the conduct of the study. As the size of an institution increases, this approach quickly becomes untenable and can make life difficult for both for sites and investigators.
Independent pharmacists in Japan are few, and there is a general limitation on pharmacist resources. This may pose a challenge to find pharmacists who can be unblinded to the study and prepare the drug formulations per the protocol, if necessary.
Recognize the importance of Japanese business etiquette.
Ultimately, communication occurs between human beings and not between cultures, and when in doubt, it pays to err on the side of conservatism. With this in mind, it's important to consider the following matters of cultural etiquette if you're doing business with Japanese pharma (or are hoping to win one as a client) – Eight key ways to prepare yourself for the culture differences:
Personal relationships are the key to success: Japan's business culture attaches a high degree of importance to personal relationships, and these take time to establish and nurture. Patience and repeated follow-up are typically required to close a deal, and face-to-face meetings are a critical part of relationship building in the Japanese culture.
Japanese business cards are a must-have: Ideally, have double-sided business cards printed with the Japanese language, designed using the same elements as the English side. If your original business card is not English, then use double-sided English and Japanese business cards when doing business in Japan. Accept a Japanese business card with respect, using both hands, saying "Thank you" or "Hajimemashite" as you do so.
Deals are done differently: The nature and pace of dealmaking in Japan is quite different from the U.S. The hard sell doesn't sell-use persuasive presentations that showcase the benefits of the proposal, rather than focusing overtly on deadlines and decisions.
Discuss ideas, don't expect brainstorming: Understand requirements and propose creative alternatives. Brainstorming sessions will not work, especially if unfamiliar faces or senior management are involved.
Silence is Golden: Silence is linked to credibility. "The duck that quacks is the first to get shot" is one of many Japanese proverbs that speak to the importance of silence. An introverted, formal approach, especially at the beginning of a business relationship, is likely to be better received when doing business in Japan.
Third-party validation is critical: Talk about other customers, especially top-tier companies; an endorsement by a top-tier executive will open doors.
Seek local advice and an interpreter: Hiring a local consultant can eliminate unnecessary stress, especially if that person can double as interpreter. Many Japanese executives and decision-makers do not speak English or prefer to speak Japanese.
Responsibility can get lost: Japan is consensus-based. End meetings with action items and schedule a follow-up meeting/call.
Understand the history of technology in the Japanese healthcare system.
As previously noted, EMRs are more prevalent in Japan, which presents increased opportunities for patient recruitment and engagement. But there are complexities due to the fact that various EMR systems were designed and implemented by different vendors. This means that the hospital information systems in Japan typically only operate together through the integration of different platforms, which may be difficult outside of regional networks.1 Though there are challenges, there are also emerging opportunities for clinical research. In 2010, Japan launched the National Clinical Database (NCD), which is a prospective registry linked to various types of board certification systems regarding surgery. When linked to cancer registries, the NCD has great potential for impacting patient care. Collaboration between Japan and the U.S. has recently started and is expected to provide global benchmarking and enable a valuable comparison of cancer treatments.
Considerations for Japanese companies engaging with US partners
The Japanese pharma industry is increasingly opening up to foreign markets, having become a popular destination for multi-regional clinical trials (MRCTs) since 2006, when bridging studies-studies to determine whether foreign trial results are applicable to patients in Japan-were allowed to be included in MRCTs, decreasing the time and expense involved in getting new drugs to Japanese patients.
As clinical trials continue to grow in size and complexity, more and more companies are adopting software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications to manage data and streamline electronic data capture (EDC), study start-up, and monitoring workflows. Particularly in the context of MRCTs, technologies such as interactive voice response (IRT) and electronic patient-reported data sources (ePRO) are becoming more commonplace. These trends underscore the need for Japanese pharma to understand how practices in the U.S. influence clinical research software in global implementations.
Japanese pharma executives will find that business practices at home do not necessary translate into a winning combination in America. Understanding some of the common business practices used in U.S. life sciences companies will help ease frustrations these organizations may feel when dealing with U.S.-based partners.
Software development practices may differ.
Agile development methodologies are common: "Agile development" is an umbrella term for several iterative and incremental software development methodologies, which typically involve rapid prototyping and continual software development. Start-ups bringing technological disruptions to the healthcare industry have led the way in making cloud-based, global study workflows possible. Often, technology companies in the U.S. will partner with clients and use agile methodologies and pilot studies to co-create solutions and enhance existing platforms. This may seem foreign to Japanese companies who often see any partnership as a long-term commitment. Pilot study is not a binding commitment, especially in the SaaS business model.
Early adopters are respected: Whereas in the US, early adopters are seen as innovators and thought leaders ("The early bird gets the worm"), Japanese companies tend to be late adopters when it comes to enterprise software. This often creates a negative cycle of the technology being developed by U.S. companies not conforming to their requirements/preferences.
Be willing to participate and share your feedback.
From a westerner's viewpoint, a business meeting is a place to discuss issues, with the clear goal of reaching conclusions about something. Japanese often prefer to use business meetings as a place to report findings only. Suspend that tendency and show willingness to review and discuss challenges. Try and give feedback-even if the product is not exactly what you are looking for. Experiment with alternatives. Remember agile environments welcome changing requirements, even late in development. You may find (ultimately) that your expectations have been exceeded.
Rely on a mentor.
Leverage one of the most important relationships in Japanese social context (the revered senpai-kohai relationship) and find a good mentor. Japanese pharma companies are good at developing (or acquiring) drugs, but software isn't necessarily their forte. Why not get your preferred reseller involved? Having a trusted expert who can translate business requirements into everyday language may eliminate an unnecessary steep learning curve.
Japanese life sciences firms are making an important shift, moving from the role of partner in the clinical research value chain to an integral part of a global study team. As we make that shift, executives will need to do more to "think locally" when designing trials, carefully accounting for regional and cultural differences along the way. Though many study risk assessments already account for regional differences in infrastructure, resources, and patient availability, few go deep enough to consider how culture in a given region may impact issues such as patient enrollment, compliance, and investigator engagement.
The deep cultural differences between the US and Japan in the clinical research context bring home the need to collaborate closely and ensure there is a strong two-way information flow between global, regional, and local teams. They also highlight the importance of staying close to investigators and technology providers, while respecting differences in the various ways of working. With the future of drug development relying more and more on multinational clinical trials and simultaneous submission to the major regulatory authorities, this is a timely and pertinent topic that warrants serious thought and consideration.
Jae Chung is the Founder and President of goBalto, email: jchung@gobalto.com; Masashi Kiyomine is Investment Director at Mitsui Global Investment, email: M.Kiyomine@mitsui.com
1. Takabayashi K, Doi S, Suzuki T. Japanese EMRs and IT in Medicine: Expansion, Integration, and Reuse of Data. Healthcare Informatics Research. 2011;17(3):178-183. doi:10.4258/hir.2011.17.3.178.
2. Cox Gad, Shayne. The Clinical Trial Handbook. John Wiley & Sons, June 17, 2009. pp 762-765.
3. Conducting Clinical Trials in Japan: A CRO Perspective (2013). Available at https://www.ppdi.com/~/media/Files/PPDI%20Files/Expert%20Community/Whitepapers/Clinical-Trials-Japan-PPD-White-Paper.ashx.
4. Nishino, Junichi. Overcoming Regulatory Hurdles in Running Clinical Trials in Japan. Novartis Pharma K.K. Global Clinical Trials Outsourcing Summit (presentation). Seoul, Korea; May 20, 2013. Available at: http://www.globalengage.co.uk/gctos/6Nishino.pdf.
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PORT ST. LUCIE — Jeurys Familia accepted a 15-game suspension Wednesday. The Mets closer made a point to say he never "physically touched, harmed or threatened my wife," during an October incident in his Fort Lee, N.J., apartment that ended with Familia being investigated by MLB for domestic violence for the last three months. And then he took responsibility and apologized to the organization, his teammates and fans Wednesday.
Now when is MLB going to take responsibility for making us wait three months to clear up nothing?
Familia was arrested on Oct. 31 and charged with simple assault, the equivalent of a misdemeanor under New Jersey law. The legal case was dismissed at the request of the alleged victim, Familia's wife, Bianca Rivas.
Still, under the policy, which was implemented by MLB and the MLBPA in 2015, commissioner Rob Manfred has the authority to investigate and discipline Familia. Manfred can punish players even if the player is not charged or convicted in a criminal matter.
This is a really murky area and Manfred's statement Wednesday didn't really make it clear exactly what Familia was being suspended for.
"The evidence reviewed by my office does not support a determination that Mr. Familia physically assaulted his wife, or threatened her or others with physical force or harm, on October 31, 2016," Manfred said in the statement announcing Familia's suspension. "Nevertheless, I have concluded that Mr. Familia's overall conduct that night was inappropriate, violated the Policy, and warrants discipline."
And yet, later in the statement, Manfred said that he based his decision in part on the fact that Familia has worked with a domestic violence counselor.
"It is clear that Mr. Familia regrets what transpired that night and takes full responsibility for his actions. Mr. Familia already has undergone a dozen 90-minute counseling sessions with an approved counselor specializing in the area of domestic violence, and received a favorable evaluation from the counselor regarding his willingness to take concrete steps to ensure that he is not involved in another incident of this type," Manfred's statement read.
So again, what is Familia actually being suspended for?
MLB is trying to send a statement with its domestic violence policy, and it's a message to players and fans. Unfortunately, this decision is just a mixed message.
If they found ANY evidence of ANY type of domestic violence, then MLB needed to hand down a serious suspension. Fifteen games is an expensive slap on the wrist. Manfred has the freedom to make arbitrary suspensions — 52 games for Jose Reyes in 2016, 30 for Aroldis Chapman. If 50 games is a good enough penalty for a first-time performance-enhancing drug cheat, then it's a good starting point of a mandatory suspension for evidence of any type of domestic violence.
But without that guideline and definitive rules to determine violation and punishment, MLB, the players and the rest of us are left in this grey area that we find ourselves in with Familia's suspension, despite the supposed three months of investigation.
If MLB did not find evidence, why suspend him 15 games without pay? Why the counseling?
I understand these situations are never simple to sort through and find the absolute truth.
It's not uncommon for victims of domestic violence to refuse to cooperate with investigators. The pictures of Rivas with a scratch on her chest and a bruise on her cheek are chilling. She told New Jersey prosecutor Arthur Balsamo that the scratch was the result of the couple's young son, and that the bruise was caused by her resting her face in her hand.
I know there are certainly big financial motives to cover up in any of these cases. Familia is going to lose just over $730,000 in wages of his $7.425 million salary with this 15-game suspension, so I can understand some being skeptical of motives here.
But, MLB has made a point to say they were doing a thorough investigation during the past three months (which conveniently allowed Familia to pitch in the World Baseball Classic, which MLB promoted the heck out of). Repeatedly, MLB said that Rivas and Familia cooperated fully with the investigation and Manfred made the point again Wednesday.
But clearly they didn't find what they were looking for: an answer. MLB spent months digging through this and came up with nothing better than a mixed message on Familia and their domestic violence policy.


First Week: Lab Assignment: record the dialog on pp.38-39 with a friend. Read first half of lesson one, do related exercises in workbook and including writing practice of Hiragana in your notebook repeating from workbook exercises on p.117-123. Work on your self introduction, including formal greetings, telling your name, using the particles "wa" (when writing hiragana, use "ha") and "no".
Watashi no senkou wa ________ desu.
Second Week: Lesson one (first half) quiz on Wednesday. Record dialog. Weekend work finish lesson 1 in text and workbook, and work on self-introduction, using all useful grammar to date.
Third Week: Check for completion of workbook (all Lesson 1) and notebook progress.


ATLANTA -- Jared Goff trudged to the Los Angeles Rams' bench, his face betraying confusion and despair while the Patriots celebrated their interception behind him.
Goff was 19-of-38 passing for 229 yards with a key fourth-quarter interception, yet even those pedestrian numbers don't reflect his full array of overlooked receivers, inaccurate throws and inability to adjust to the Patriots' defense.
Goff played a large role in the Rams' defeat, yet almost nothing went right for a team that has been frequently brilliant when it has the ball on offense.
With just 260 total yards, six first downs in the first three quarters and a season-high nine punts, the Rams barely resembled a McVay-coached offense while matching the lowest-scoring performance in Super Bowl history.
Casual football fans getting their first looks at the Rams at a Super Bowl party probably had no idea how L.A. got to Atlanta after watching this tentative, inconsistent performance. All of the Rams' recent success came to a weird anticlimax at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with their lowest-scoring performance in 36 games under their 33-year-old head coach.
Though Goff's teammates and coaches refused to blame him, Los Angeles' quarterback had one of the rougher performances in Super Bowl history. Along with his 19 incompletions, he was sacked four times, committed a key false start in the fourth quarter and finished with a 57.9 passer rating.
Although McVay strenuously blamed his playcalling for putting his players in untenable positions, Goff realized he needed to make more consistent throws and better decisions at the line of scrimmage. Everything was capped by his underthrown pick near the New England end zone, crushing the Rams' hopes for a tying touchdown with 4:17 to play.
The Rams are the third team in Super Bowl history to not run a single play in the red zone. The Patriots' one red zone play is the fewest by a team that won the Super Bowl.
Goff, 24, has grown from a shaky No. 1 pick into a two-time Pro Bowl selection under McVay, and his best games have been outstanding. But his lows are frequently disheartening -- and this game appeared to be among his worst.
Goff was in the midst of his best drive right before his interception. He hit Josh Reynolds in perfect stride for an 11-yard gain and a first down with just over five minutes left, and he found Robert Woods with another beautiful, long pass on the next snap.
Just like everyone in the Rams' locker room, Cooks put the blame on himself.


2. What genre or subject you would like to write about that you aren't currently?
I think I would like to tackle either a romance or chick lit story soon, but I doubt I would be able to do more than a short story in either genre.
I write in bursts and then, not at all. It is not always productive, but, unfortunately, little things like work and family often get in the way.
Feedback helps with staying positive, but it also depends on what kind of writing day/week I have had.
I am mostly a pantser. I am trying this plotting thing now with Pointe and Shoot, but that is mainly because it is a collaboration project.
5. Who are two of your favourite current authors and why?
Terry Pratchett: Apart from being incredibly imaginative, I love the way he uses the language. He can convey, in one or two short sentences, that take other writers pages and pages to achieve. And, of course, he is deliciously funny.
Haruki Murakami: Again, language and imagination. While the stories often leave me feeling melancholic, I get lost in the crispness of his writing.
My husband is not much of a reader, so he doesn't really read what I write, but he is still very supportive of my writing, because he knows how important it is to me. My parents are also very supportive, and my mother encourages me on a regular basis. She was also my English teacher at school, and has been encouraging me since I started writing.
My daughter is my ultimate reader, and ideal audience. She loves my writing, and loves playing editor for me. We also chat about the stories often, and she provides great insights and is always encouraging when I feel blue about the writing.


text:
Q: MySQL/PHP - escaping characters that may slow my database down (or make it perform unexpectedly) I run all my integers through a (int)Integer to make them safe to use in my query strings.
I also run my strings through this function code:-
if(!get_magic_quotes_gpc()) {
           $string = mysql_real_escape_string($string);
        }

$pattern = array("\\'", "\\\"", "\\\\", "\\0");
$replace = array("", "", "", "");
if(preg_match("/[\\\\'\"\\0]/", str_replace($pattern, $replace, $string))) $string = addslashes($string);

$cleanedString = str_replace('%','',$string);

I obviously return the $cleanedString variable. Now I replace the % character because it is a wildcard to mySQL and it could potentially slow down my queries (or make them return incorrect data) if the user inserted them. Are there any other special characters for mySQL I should be concerned about?
On a second note, is there anything wrong or redundant about my search and replace after the mysql_real_escape_string? I got it from a website when I was first starting out and (if I remember correctly) it said you had to use this search/replace in addition to the escape string. It looks like it's trying to remove any previously escaped injection characters?

A: Okay I have several comments:

*

*The magic quoting feature is deprecated, your PHP environment should never enable magic quotes.  So checking for it should be unnecessary, unless you're designing code that may be be deployed into other customers' environments who have (inadvisedly) enabled magic quotes.

*The regular expression in your preg_match() is incorrect if you're searching for sequences of characters.  A regular expression like [xyz] matches any one of the single characters x, y, or z.  It does not match the string xy or yz.  Anyway, this is academic because I don't think you need to search or replace special characters this way at all.

*mysql_real_escape_string() is adequate to escape string literals that you intend to interpolate inside quotes in SQL strings.  No need to do string substitution for other quotes, backslashes, etc.

*% and _ are wildcards in SQL only when using pattern-matching with LIKE expressions.  These characters have no meaning if you're just comparing with equality or inequality operators or regexps.  Even if you are using LIKE expressions, there's no need to escape these characters for the sake of defense against SQL injection.  It's up to you if you want to treat them as literal characters (in which case escape them with a backslash) or wildcards in a LIKE expression (in which case just leave them in).

*All of the above applies when you're interpolating PHP variables into SQL expressions in place of literal string values.  Escaping is not necessary at all if you use bound query parameters instead of interpolating.  Bound parameters are not available in the plain "mysql" API, but only in the "mysqli" API.

*Another case is where you interpolate PHP variables in place of SQL table names, column names, or other SQL syntax.  You can't use bound parameters in such cases; bound parameters only take the place of string literals.  If you need to make the column name dynamic (for example to ORDER BY a column of the user's preference), you should delimit the column name with back-quotes (in MySQL) or square brackets (Microsoft) or double-quotes (other standard SQL).
So I would say your code could be reduced simply to the following:
$quotedString = mysql_real_escape_string($string);

That's if you are going to use the string for interpolation; if you're going to use it as a bound parameter value, it's even simpler:
$paramString = $string;

A: yeah I think you've got things going a bit strangely there.
First of all, I'd check for magic quotes and remove the slashes if it's turned on. That way you've got a string which actually represents the information you want (and not one that has been treated with slashes).
If you particularly want to remove the % wildcard then you could just escape that or remove it altogether. Before you insert the string into an SQL query, finally run it through mysql_real_escape_string, and everything will be fine.
$string = $_POST['searchTerm'];
if (get_magic_quotes_gpc()) {
    $string = stripslashes($string);
}
$string = str_replace("%", "", $string);
$safeString = mysql_real_escape_string($string);

A: mysql_real_escape_string() escapes these characters for you:

\x00, \n, \r, \, ', " and \x1a

So you don't need to escape them yourself. I suggest removing slashes if magic quotes are on, then use mysql_real_escape_string():
if(get_magic_quotes_gpc()) {
    $string = stripslashes($string);
}

$string = mysql_real_escape_string($string);

$cleanedString = str_replace('%','',$string);

Also, underscores in MySQL are wildcards for single characters, so you may want to do something about that.

A: If you are really worried about SQL injection issues you should strongly consider using prepared statements.  Because the SQL statement is evaluated before any of your user-data is provided your code is much safer.
See PDO, and Mysqli

A: On your second point:
It is completely redundant, all the characters have been properly escaped if you run it through mysql_real_escape_string()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The mod will include various aspects from the original game. The first Gothic game was released in 2001, so it's really old today, but for those (like me), who really loved its immersive atmosphere, darkish world and exciting story this mod can bring back some old memories and nostalgia - Minecraft-style.
This is my first Minecraft mod, so try to be patient and I'll too try to do my best to provive a good experience.
- Items: souch as the magic ore to forge armor and weapons. Ever wanted to craft your own large ore dragon slayer or crawler plate armor? Now you'll get the chance!
- Monsters like minecrawlers - lurking in the depths, molerats, etc. will all be included in this mod.
These rare ore spawns will be used for various items, like armor, tools, magical spells/foci or decorative blocks.
I won't tell you more for now, as the project is heavily WIP but all ideas are welcome in the Discord channel or comments.


text:
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need help with adding bots using a hard drive transfer cable and modio and download links and instructions sorry about this ive put it on an psp.
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A pretty end of terrace period house of great character enjoying stunning widespread views over the adjacent open countryside. Believed to date back to the mid 18th century (but not Listed), the house occupies a lovely peaceful position within this very sought after hamlet, South of Bath.
The house stands in well maintained gardens, mostly to the rear and backing onto open fields. They are laid to lawn with numerous flower and herbaceous borders, shrubs and bushes. Large terrace/driveway leading to the side and the front of the property, providing parking for a number of vehicles.
Old School House occupies a wonderful position in this highly sought after location; opposite the pretty St Leonard's church and close to Farleigh Castle. The hamlet is surrounded by (and overlooks) beautiful rolling countryside, the local pub is within a short walk, whilst mainline railway stations, shops and amenities in both Bath and Bradford-on- Avon are close by - approximately 7 and 3 miles distant respectively - swift access is also available onto the A303.
Leave Bath heading South on the A36. Continue over the viaduct and up the hill. After a couple of miles, turn left onto the A366 - signposted Farleigh Hungerford and Trowbridge. Pass 'The Hungerford Arms' and take the first turning right. The Old School House will then be found on your left hand side, immediately after the church on your right.


text:
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Most did not know what was going on at the petrol station
Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017
JOHOR BARU: It's a dilemma, a moralistic question that's difficult to answer. Should those who were at the scene when a man was murdered in a brutal manner – stabbed in the chest and then run over by a car – have intervened instead of just watching?
Many did not even know what was going on.
Shop assistant Yee, 45, was just closing up her vegetable mart in Taman Pelangi when she heard a loud commotion nearby.
She said she turned around to look and was shocked to find a group of people involved in a struggle at a petrol station right across the shop.
"I saw the struggle and heard the shouts. But I was also fearful for my own safety as I was alone. So I decided to leave before even more bad things happened," she said.
It was only after reading reports online that she learnt of the murder.
"This brutal incident reminds me to be careful even when doing the most routine things," she said.
Petrol station worker Ronny, 28, said this was the first time such an incident had taken place since he started working there three years ago.
"I was eating at a nearby restaurant when I heard loud sounds coming from that direction.
"I thought nothing serious was going on and continued with my meal," he said.
When he arrived back at the petrol station, police officers had already surrounded the area.
The attack was all the more brazen as the petrol station is a busy one, frequented by Singaporeans as it is located close to the entry and exit of the Causeway CIQ.
The petrol station was cordoned off after the incident and was reopened at around noon yesterday.
Singaporean Sherry Gan, 48, said she often pumped petrol at the station whenever she visited Johor Baru, which was twice a month.
"I usually come here after buying groceries from a mall nearby. I think I will avoid coming here in future," she said.
The mother of two wants to keep her children safe as she usually travels with them.
Sales executive Azman Harun, 26, on the other hand, felt it was a one-off incident.
"Based on the viral video clip, we can assume the attackers were targeting just the man," he said.
Tags / Keywords: Environment , Family & Community , murder
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In this holotrichasin gymnostomorid family, a long groove leads to the cytostome, which may lie near the middle or at the posterior end of the body. The body is completely ciliated. This family contains 2 genera in ruminants whose names may actually be synonymous.
The body is ovoid and uniformly ciliated, with a prominent curved groove bordered by 2 ridges running from end to end. The cytostome is near the anterior end.
Buxtonella sulcata Jameson, 1926 is common in the cecum of the ox, zebu and water buffalo. The trophozoites measure 60 to 138 by 46 to 100 u with a mean of 100 by 72 u, and have an oval or beanshaped macronucleus measuring 18 to 36 by 10 to 18 u with a mean of 28.5 by 14 u (Lubinsky, 1957).
According to Lubinsky (1957), the reports of "Balantidium" in cattle were actually of B. sulcata.
Infundibulorium cameli Bozhenko, 1925, which was described from the diarrheic stools of a camel, may be the same species as B. sulcata. If so, the name will have to be changed, since Infundibulorium has priority (Lubinsky, 1957a).


You've heard the saying, "TV cameras add 10 pounds." Actress, playwright, and body positivity activist Danielle Pinnock is losing those stereotypes. Pinnock has appeared on hit shows like NBC's This Is Us and ABC's Scandal/How To Get Away With Murder crossover event. Pinnock currently has a recurring role on CBS' Young Sheldon. I spoke with the married actress about being a plus size actress and woman of color in the entertainment industry and overcoming her own issues with body image.
Lisa D. DeNeal: Let's start off with you giving Annalise Keating a press and curl before her epic read battle with Olivia Pope!
Danielle Pinnock: (Laughs) Yes! It was definitely life-changing. Kerry Washington and Viola Davis are living legends. They are everything and more, and both are on my vision board. It was surreal to just be in the same room with them and acting in that scene on Scandal, which I've watched since the beginning. It was one of the biggest moments in my career to date.
Lisa: And now, you have a recurring role as "Ms. Ingram" on Young Sheldon, a prequel to The Big Bang Theory. How did that happen?
Danielle: It was pilot season, so I auditioned for 20 projects and was feeling discouraged. Then my manager called and asked if I could be at CBS for a reading. He sent me the script and I showed up and read a part. Then I was told a new character was created and asked to read. I learned the lines, came back and read them, and literally three hours later I got the part. I honestly did not know what the show was because it was so secretive! I did not find out until the next day at a table reading and The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon creator Chuck Lorre, the show's star, Jim Parsons, some of the writers and Ian Armitage, who would play nine-year-old Sheldon Cooper were in the room. That's when it hit me. It has been a blessing because this was my first guest starring role. Children fans of Young Sheldon approach me at Trader Joe's, call me Ms. Ingram, ask math questions and ask about Sheldon!
Lisa: What do you love about playing Ms. Ingram?
Danielle: She's a mathematician, a teacher, and a Black woman. And I loved that they were seeking a person of color for that role. I have an aunt who is an engineer. It's inspiring, like Hidden Figures, which I love. We can play complex roles!
Lisa: Yes, and not just the cliché, best friend.
Danielle: Right! I have not played the best friend, yet, but I know I will at some point. My first role was on, This Is Us and I was a weight loss group member. I've auditioned for occupational types like nurses, a truck driver. Hollywood is changing slowly but surely. For Kerry to be the first Black actress to lead a series in 40 years, it opened the floodgates. But I really have to give credit to the writers, like Shonda Rhimes, who have fought to put us in the forefront of shows for major networks. We need more writers because what happens in those networks is that a lot of the writers' rooms are very, very, white and they're trying to write a Black character and no one Black is there to tell them, "no, that is not how it goes." But diversity is growing. 'This Is Us' has Black writers and it's wonderful. With young writers like Issa Rae, it gives me encouragement that in five years, I won't have to play the maid.
Lisa: How long have you been acting?
Danielle: I've been acting for 20 years, but professionally for 10. I was doing theater for 10 years in Chicago, Philadelphia and the U.K., and did comedy with Second City in Chicago. I loved doing theater, but I only started auditioning for television a year and a half ago. Even though I was on stage, I felt safe because there's something about being on TV and millions of people can see you. In theater you may have, 100 people watching you and a larger theater, maybe 1,000. I was terrified of what would be said about my size on social media. My agent said I should just try and be brave, and my third TV audition led to a screen test for a project for HBO, and they flew me out to Los Angeles. I felt like I needed to move to L.A. and it was the best decision I made.
Lisa: Tell me about your one-woman show, Body/Courage.
Danielle: It started as a dissertation for my Masters in Acting while attending Birmingham School of Acting (now known as the Royal Conservatory of Birmingham) in the United Kingdom. We had to do a show about something that affected our lives. I interviewed hundreds of people and put together a documentary play and after presenting it in school, it took off. I brought it to New York and I was doing interviews about the show then my husband and I moved to Chicago and shopped around until we connected with the Rivendale Theater Company. I interviewed five women about how they felt about their bodies – a Muslim woman who has her freckles surgically removed; a pageant queen, a trans doctor, a domestically abused burn victim and a plus-size actress. The latter was my story.
Lisa: So, what's your story of overcoming body issues?
Danielle: I chose to do a show on body image because it affected my family. I come from a huge, Jamaican family. My grandma would buy clothes five sizes too small to encourage me to lose weight and I was constantly on a diet with my mom. Mom was an extreme dieter, she tried every fad out there. So, to have a mother/daughter relationship, dieting together was our thing. I was a chubby kid. In Jamaica, people say what's on their minds, like, "oh, you've gotten bigger." But it's said, "out of love." I have women in my family who have had eating disorders and fought to keep it private. It wasn't until I was older that I learned how to eat properly.
Danielle: But, even at my smallest, I still felt like I was too big. I once went down to 140 pounds and still felt like I needed to lose more. I would lose weight and gain it right back because of the fad diets.
Lisa: Any plans on developing a movie adaptation of Body/Courage?
Danielle: I want to bring the play to L.A. We're in the process of looking at locations and I have to tweak it because, of course, some changes have happened.
Check out Danielle's Instagram page, Hashtag Booked, a series of comedy skits with friend and actress LaNisa Frederick. Her Twitter page is @bodycourage.


Not only are these paper lanterns incredibly easy to make, they look a little like modern pumpkins and gourds.
Grouped together – as spotted on designer/crafter Elise Blaha's blog – they're also a perfect way to decorate for a casual Thanksgiving dinner. Use a variety of paper in fall colours, or mix it up with metallic or patterned papers in harvest hues.


Posted byJoelRieves	 May 27, 2013 Leave a comment on Um, Really?
Unless you live under a rock, you know the Boy Scouts of America recently allowed gay kids to be in their club. Or, as Jesse Berney said in The Guardian, "There have always been gay children in the Boy Scouts. What changed yesterday is that they won't kick you out if you tell people you're gay." Now, I'm not here to talk about the rightness or wrongness of what the Boy Scouts have done (it is right, though), I want to ask a question about something I read in Berney's article. Erick Erickson of RedState.com tweeted "Yes, Christ is love, but he is also wrath, vengeance, and redemption. The modern emo Christ is a fiction. Christ could throw a punch." Jesus could throw a punch? Where the hell did that come from?
Erickson's not the first person I've heard say this. Preacher Mark Driscoll (I refuse to call him "Pastor" because what this guy does is anything but pastoral) once said of Jesus, his disciples and other men of the Bible "I've gotta think these guys [David, Paul, John the Baptist] were dudes. Heterosexual, win a fight, punch you in the nose dudes". Now, with David, he may have had a point. Anyone who collects 100 Phillistine foreskins has more than a nodding acquaintance with violence. And, Peter did cut off that dude's ear. But, Jesus? Really? I'm no Bible scholar, but I'm pretty sure there's no mention of the Christ punching someone in the throat (0r anywhere else for that matter).
Is that really the case, though? Let's take a look at the Bible and see what Jesus had to say about violence. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told the crowd "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who harass you" and "If people slap you on your right cheek, you must turn the left cheek to them as well". In the story of his arrest, we hear "When those around him recognized what was about to happen, they said, "Lord, should we fight with our swords?" One of them struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. Jesus responded, "Stop! No more of this!" He touched the slave's ear and healed him". Doesn't really sound like a guy who would throw a punch, huh?
The only time in the Gospels that Jesus even came close to actual violence was when he ran the money changers out of the Temple. And, even then, they never say that he actually hit anyone. There are a lot of things the Bible doesn't mention, but if Jesus popped somebody, you'd think that would make the book.
Look, I know a Jesus that would knock the crap out of anyone that pissed him off is attractive to some people. He would certainly be easier to follow than the peace-loving dude the Bible portrays, if only because there are plenty of people in this world that might benefit from a punch in the throat. But, that's not the model we were left with. Maybe it's about time we tried following it.


My mind is turning towards my garden and all that I want to do with it and plant in it and the things I want to change in it. At the moment I am struggling to make myself new clothes because suddenly everything I wear has holes in it or stains on it and I don't have a lot of choice and I have decided that since I may be obese for life regardless of good healthy changes I make to my life – I am determined to stop being so drab. Making clothes requires pattern work and lots of time. I need to finish this before I get my hands into the yard – but while I'm sewing I keep trying to organize in my head all the things I want to grow.
The trees and roses all need big help. The peach has been in a barrel for years without the bottom cut out – so it need the bottom cut out as was done for the lemon so it can spread its roots. It needs a little compost and fertilizer – as does the lemon. Both produce fruit (I just had broccoli yesterday with lemon juice from our tree!) but need care. The roses are in dire shape as they've been in the shade for years. They are horribly spindly and thin – they all need to be moved up front to the strip of dirt in front of the porch and they'll need rose food to help them along. The wee gardenia has a bud but it is being crowded out by a really big hideous shrub-turned-tree that I am going to completely remove.
Fruit: a yellow peach tree (or two, dwarf), an orange or tangerine (though orange might get too big), gooseberries, lingonberries, wild strawberries, currants, blueberries, kiwis, and Red Flame grapes.
Flowers (both annuals and perennials): penstemon, scabiosa, lavendar, rudbeckia, cosmos, nigella, bleeding heart, coreopsis, campion, dahlias, nasturtiums, and columbine. Also hundreds more I can't think of right now and probably don't have room to grow.
Medicinals: calendula, comfrey, peppermint, feverfew, catnip, chamomile, and other things I can't remember right now and need to look up.
Vegetables for this year: cucumbers (fresh eating), lettuce, Swiss chard, tomatoes, green beans, summer squash. Just the basics. Even if I get a couple of raised beds going in the driveway I won't have much room. Perhaps snow peas too? If so I should get those going soon I think. That would be good for both salads and stir fries.
One last thing I want to grow in this garden if I can are mushrooms. We have all that shaded area and a big oak – some mushrooms like oak trees. I want some half rotted logs innoculated with spores to try and acclimate with plenty of mulch and obviously moisture when the season comes. I must look into this.
So what's on your garden wish list?
This entry was posted in Gardening and tagged culinary herbs, garden wish list, gardening, herbs, kitchen garden, vegetable growing on February 13, 2013 by angelina.


Decade-old notions about US tactical aircraft strategy and planning have come under a sustained assault from academic institutions closely linked to military and government power structures. The attacks have been timed - perhaps coincidentally - in a period of transition.
Within the last month, separate analyses produced by Rand and the Center for Strategic and International Studies have been leaked or released into the public domain even as long-term plans are due to be questioned and revised by the first new president to take office since George Bush in January 2001.
The Rand and CSIS reports both deliver sharply critical outlooks for the future of US airpower. The first suggests that the superior technology of next-generation US fighters are no match for superior numbers and geographic advantage. The second, entitled America's Self-Destroying Airpower, concludes failures of strategy and planning have made the US military-industrial complex its own worst enemy.
The 80-slide Rand briefing on the Pacific Vision wargame, dated in August and publicly published first by Flight's The DEW Line blog, attacks the US Air Force's steadfast reliance on stealth and technology, showing how a mix of Lockheed Martin F-22s and F-35s could be defeated in the Taiwan Straits by an opposing Chinese force with vastly greater numbers of aircraft and missiles.
The F-35 has so far been the target of intense scrutiny about the Lockheed-led industry team's ability to deliver on the programme's ambitious performance goals. The Rand study, however, appears to challenge whether the performance goals are relevant in a future conflict, even if Lockheed's design and production system can achieve them.
In one Pacific Vision scenario, three regiments of Chinese Sukhoi Su-27s overwhelm six F-22s - the maximum number, according to Rand, defending the Taiwan Straits at any one time - by skirting their defensive screen and shooting down the USAF's orbiting tankers.
In the same briefing, a series of three back-up slides never presented publicly by Rand created an international crisis for the F-35 programme, as government officials in Australia, the Netherlands and the USA were forced to answer highly critical comments that the Lockheed F-16 replacement "can't turn, can't climb and can't run" when matched against even legacy fighter aircraft.
Rand has disavowed the critical remarks about the F-35 as not intended for public release and, unlike the main presentation, not peer-reviewed. Additionally, Rand says: "Recently, articles have appeared in the Australian press with assertions regarding a war game in which analysts from Rand were involved. Those reports are not accurate. Rand did not present any analysis at the wargame relating to the performance of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, nor did the game attempt detailed adjudication of air-to-air combat. Neither the game nor the assessments by Rand in support of the game undertook any comparison of the fighting qualities of particular fighter aircraft."
Maj Gen Charles Davis, programme executive officer for the JSF, also dismissed the Rand briefing as irrelevant to the F-35's actual combat abilities. "We talked to the individuals involved in the wargame, and looked at the scenario. It did not involve an air-to-air scenario," Davis says. "Three days of full-time work analysing the wargame and we found exactly nothing relating to the programme. The exercise involved basing capacity around the Pacific Rim. It was a logistics and deployablility exercise, not a battle."
Despite reassurances from Rand and programme officials, Australian defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon was forced to defend the programme from criticisms based on Rand's briefing. Australia has selected the F-35 to replace its General Dynamics F-111s, but is also considering follow-on orders of Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets if there are further delays.
Tom Burbage, Lockheed vice-president and general manager for the F-35, says: "It is clear [Rand's analysts] don't understand the underlying requirements of the F-35 programme, the capabilities needed to meet those requirements or the real programmatic performance of the JSF team."
Even so, the USAF is likely to face difficult choices about future tactical fighters even if the programme's promises about the F35's performance, cost and schedule are accurate, says the CSIS analysis, which was authored by Anthony Cordesman and Hans Ulrich Kaeser.
"Major questions exist as to whether key aircraft procurement programmes will be 'force shrinkers' rather than 'force multipliers'," Cordesman and Kaeser write. They go on to describe widespread breakdowns across the US military's acquisition system for developing and fielding modern combat aircraft.
"There now are far fewer programme alternatives if any key programme runs into trouble, failed methods of cost analysis are still in play without adequate cost-risk analysis or use of regression analysis, and the pressure to 'sell' programmes by understating cost and risk have all combined to push air modernisation to the crisis point," the authors say.
The report cited recent aircraft inventory figures reported by the International Institute of Strategic Studies. The combined US tactical fighter inventory - including USAF, US Navy and US Marine Corps fleets - declined from 5,783 in 1992 to 3,542 in 2008 - nearly 39%. The sharpest fall was during the first eight years, as the inventory plummeted 31% up to 2000. Several aircraft types, such as the EF-111 and Lockheed SR-71, were retired during this period and not replaced. The report also notes that similar reductions took place for transports, tankers and helicopters.
"Current plans for aircraft modernisation are not affordable unless aircraft costs are sharply reduced, deliveries are delayed years longer than planned, or funding shifts to lower cost variants or upgrades of older types. The only alternative is a major increase in real defence spending," Cordesman and Kaeser write.
"There is an ill-concealed struggle to solve the problems in a failed procurement system by either raising the defence budget or somehow getting more funding at the expense of other services and programmes. The US defence procurement system has effectively become a liar's contest in terms of projected costs, risk, performance and delivery schedules," they add.
Meanwhile, Secretary of Defense Bob Gates has introduced a different set of priorities for modernisation of combat equipment across the board. Rather than emphasising next-generation fighters capable of defeating "near-peer" threats, Gates has tried to shift the focus to a range of current threats, especially counter-insurgency and anti-terrorism missions. If a new USAF leadership heeds Gates' call, unmanned air vehicles might take budgetary priority over air dominance assets, such as more F-22s.
"The current focus on the counter-insurgency wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and Gates's emphasis on irregular warfare and increased intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capability, either requires major trade-offs within current aircraft and other procurement programmes or major increases in the size of the entire defence budget and future defence programmes," the CSIS report says. "His 'strategy' is not really a strategy. It is a mix of concepts and doctrines unrelated to a clearly defined force plan, a modernisation and procurement plan, any form of programme budget and cost analysis, and any measures of time and effectiveness."
The report adds: "The debate over seeking the most advanced systems possible to deter and defeat any peer threat versus giving priority to irregular warfare and IS&R has not been resolved, and is certain to be revived when a new administration takes office."


When renovating the home, coming up with ideas to renovate a small bathroom can be a challenge. That's because small bathrooms have so many limitations both in space as well as electrical and plumbing that making major changes may not be feasible. However, there are a lot of small bathroom remodel ideas that are easy to do and that don't cost a lot of money but can have a huge impact on how the room looks and how it is used.
Professional bathroom remodeling companies can be a great resource for easy to do ideas that will expand the capabilities of a small bathroom immensely. Ideas such as using unused space over the commode and on unused walls for storage with shelving and cabinetry solutions not only make the bathroom a lot more efficient but a lot more visually appealing as well.
With great small bathroom remodel ideas that improves the storage capacity of the bath but by using the extra storage for bedroom linens, rarely used items like Christmas decorations and even seasonal clothing, the efficiency of storage in a small bathroom can ease storage problems from other areas in the home. Creating an efficient, effective small bathroom storage area through great looking cabinetry also improves the look of the room as well. Nothing looks bigger than a neat, well organized room and the smaller the room, the larger it looks.